If you have an autoimmune disease, you know very well that food can relieve pain or make it worse.
This is due to the role that food plays in fighting or improving inflammation.
“Inflammation that continues after the healing phase of an acute illness has been linked to almost every chronic health condition and several autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis,” says Michelle Simon, a certified naturopathic physician and president of the Institute of Natural Medicine.
But the food you eat can help.
“Naturopathic medicinal remedies, such as tonics and broths with natural anti-inflammatory ingredients and immunomodulatory agents, can help support the body’s natural healing process,” Simon adds.
Discover this science-backed beverage that can help fight inflammation in your body.
Baking soda plus water
A recent study in the Journal of Immunology found that drinking a tonic of sodium bicarbonate and water may help reduce inflammation.
But be careful: Some studies suggest that there may be harmful side effects from regularly ingesting sodium bicarbonate over time, such as liver damage and bone loss. Even this new study limited its use to two weeks.
Use this tonic to relieve inflammation in the short term. But not for more than a month, Simon advises.
Benefits of baking soda
- You can get it easily
- It tells the body to calm its autoimmune response.
- It should only be consumed in the short term.
Test: Combine 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 8 to 12 oz of water.
Take a tonic of baking soda and water after a meal twice a week, but not for more than four weeks.
