Inflammation in your body can cause many illnesses such as heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. One way to protect yourself from these ailments is to follow the anti-inflammatory diet. In addition, this diet has been proven to slow the aging process down. It does this by increasing metabolism and stabilizing blood sugar.

When it comes to maintaining long-term health, following the anti-inflammatory diet can be important. And another surprising benefit is that many who follow this diet report losing weight.

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First off, let’s identify some of the symptoms of inflammation in the body. These can be headaches, joint pain, rashes, fatigue, weight gain, a “foggy” feeling, bloating, allergies, mood swings, digestive issues, gum disease, and autoimmune disorders.

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, you might have inflammation. Make sure to check with your doctor and get a full exam if one or more of these are plaguing you.

Before we discuss what you can eat to stave off inflammation, let’s look at the items you should not be eating. You should minimize or avoid refined carbohydrates, dairy, gluten, sugar, saturated fats, casein, MSG, alcohol, trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and aspartame. These all contribute to inflammation in the body.

On the other hand, fiber, found in fruits, vegetables and whole foods, is known to reduce inflammation. Also, herbs and spices are known to have the same effect.

Related: 10 Foods That Boost Your Brain

Tumeric, cloves, sage, cinnamon, thyme, rosemary and ginger are all known to decrease inflammation. Garlic, scallions, leeks and onions are also good because they contain powerful antioxidants. Omega-3 fatty acids are ideal as well and are found in flax seeds, beans, and walnuts.

Related: The Most Nutritious Nuts Around

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In addition, green tea and foods high in Vitamin D not only help to protect your cartilage, but they also aid in reducing inflammation. And believe it or not, chili peppers also aid in reducing inflammation. That’s great news for those who love spicy food.

Eating well and staving off inflammation need not be hard to do — it’s a matter of eating right and making smart choices for your long-lasting health and wellness.