Inflammation is on everyone’s mind, especially when it comes to Multiple Sclerosis. MS inflammation is at the root of all of our symptoms. As the legions in the brain start to appear, our bodies go into overdrive trying to combat them. This causes swelling and inflammation which, in turn, causes the numerous symptoms experienced by people diagnosed with MS.

While we have not found a way to reduce or remove the lesions, we can reduce our inflammation. In fact, snacking on the following veggies will help reduce your MS inflammation and help you better manage your symptoms, giving you the chance to enjoy a treat as well as live symptom free.

Beets

The bright purple hue of this veggie lets you know it’s rich in antioxidants, which work to reduce inflammation and rid your body of toxins that can exacerbate symptoms. Choose to eat them raw, steamed, or cooked, or enjoy them in a kale salad for a light and sweet, antioxidant rich lunch.

Onions

Spice up your next meal with yellow onions. They are rich in immune boosters and antioxidants like quercetin, allicin, and sulfenic acid which work together to break down free radicals and reduce inflammation.

Garlic

Another delicious veggie that’s great for adding flavor to any meal, garlic will also reduce your inflammation and the pain caused by your symptoms. Much like ibuprofen, garlic will naturally block the pathways of inflammation and pain to the brain, giving you the chance to live symptom free after every meal.

Button Mushroom

Mushrooms contain quite the punch of antioxidants. Their cancer fighting properties also work to combat MS inflammation by giving you a full dose of selenium, an antioxidant that works to protect cells from free radicals.

Additionally, button mushrooms specifically contain more antioxidant polyphenols like flavonoids and carotenoids than any other type of mushroom. Just don’t eat them fried! Frying mushrooms removes all of the antioxidants that work to protect you from MS inflammation.

Broccoli

This super green can be compared to spinach and kale as being one powerful antioxidants. The phytonutrients in broccoli fight cancer as well as MS, and you’ll also get a healthy dose of iron with each serving, which can boost your energy and strengthen your muscles. Try blending broccoli in a green smoothie in order to take advantage of their rich sulforaphane content, an antioxidant that targets inflammation.

Sweet Potato

Get your sweet on! Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotenes, manganese, and Vitamins A, B and C, making them quite the powerhouse against MS inflammation. When you eat sweet potatoes, your body synthesizes the vitamins into retinoids, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation. It also minimizes the damage to your blood cells and your nerve endings, which will greatly reduce your symptoms.

Hot Peppers

The capsaicin that makes hot peppers so dang spicy is exactly what you need to reduce MS inflammation. Capsaicin is a natural anti-inflammatory that can relieve headaches, pain, and discomfort caused by inflammation in the body. They’re also rich in Vitamin C which works doubly hard to reduce inflammation and strengthen your immune system.

Since spice isn’t for everyone, I recommend cutting up a bit of hot pepper and adding it to your salad or chili in order to boost the flavor and your immune system without melting your face.

Bell Peppers

Even without the capsaicin, bell peppers are rich in the vitamins you need to combat inflammation. Let your bell peppers ripen in order to get the most Vitamin C you can. A ripe bell pepper will give you 7% of your daily value of Vitamin C, and sautéing them on low heat will release the flavor without reducing their medicinal properties.

Try bell peppers in all colors in order to get a healthy mixture of vitamins, beta-carotenes, lycopene, and other antioxidants to reduce your inflammation.

Always enjoy these anti-inflammatory veggies together in order to get the most out of them, but remember to cook them on low heat or eat them raw. Cooking at high temperatures can remove the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals that are key in reducing your MS symptoms.

One of the best ways to eat these veggies without cooking is by adding them to a salad of kale or spinach. Those two super greens are also rich in antioxidants that combat MS inflammation, but they also provide you with a full serving of iron and fiber which will give you the energy to power through your day.