For many Jiu Jitsu fighters - inflammation is part of the game. If you are suffering from sore joints and pains there are the obvious things we can all do like ice, rest, massage or take some anti inflammatories (either topical creams or tablets).

And there are ways that making wiser choices in your diet can help reduce inflammation too.

Anti Inflammatory Foods (Nutrition.about.com)

Anti-Inflammatories: The New Superfoods (eating.healthy.com)

5 anti-inflammatory foods to eat (homemakers.com)

The pain relieving food diet (mybesthealthportal.net)

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...some basic points I am taking from this is:

• Omega 3's are important so I should be eating more fish, berries and seeds.
• Processed foods, trans fatty acids and high sugar foods can cause inflammation
• Deep fried foods and processed fats will increase inflammation
• Red Meats can trigger inflammation
• Drink more water - re hydration sets off the anti-inflammatory process

Being a single guy with a fast metabolism excuses me to go to the family diner after training and grab a burger and fries. Right? Wrong! Is doing this actually prolonging my suffering?

When I first got into training I did a nutritional course and during that time I was definitely eating better than I ever had. The issue of money usually arose though as it's costly in both time and dollars to buy and prepare meals that are alot more nutritious. Eventually I fell off the healthy eating wagon and reverted to my 'I'll eat whatever I like' former self.

But if I am looking for a long term life of Jiu Jitsu I must find ways to stay healthy. And I am not just talking about eating to 'reduce choloestrol' or 'avoiding disease'. If there are ways that I can eat to reduce inflammation I am all over that. It's really easy to replace a handful of chocolate raisins with a handful of blueberries (as I am doing as I type this). It gets very tiresome to always have sore shoulders and I will admit it makes me a bit cranky so I am going to endeavour to change my diet again and begin to source foods that will help reduce the inflammation I am suffering everyday at the minute. - I will report back on whether this helps over the coming weeks.


'The shoulder of justice' is hurting me just as much as it does my opponent - that just ain't right!

• Gracie Diet - The Intro and Food Group Chart (2009-11-28)