Everywhere I look lately, I see labels saying things like “Great source of Omega 3’s!” This is wonderful news because they are excellent for an RA diet!

What can high-omega-3 foods do for you?   Here are a few benefits that I found on whfoods.org

• Reduce inflammation throughout your body
• Keep your blood from clotting excessively
• Maintain the fluidity of your cell membranes
• Lower the amount of lipids (fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides) circulating in the blood stream.
• Decrease platelet aggregation, preventing excessive blood clotting
• Help prevent cancer cell growth
• Reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve the body’s ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps to regulate food intake

Many foods listed on my Green List contain Omega 3’s like these:

• Salmon, Halibut, Sardines, Tuna, Trout, Swordfish
• Flaxseeds, Walnuts, Butternuts
• Tofu, Soybeans
• Collards, Kale and Spinach
• Oils: Flaxseed, Walnut, Soybean, Canola

This is a list that I compiled from the book Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis. It has a lot of great information in it, but there are many more updated sources available.

Tonight’s inexpensive but extra healthy dinner: salmon, kale, quinoa and brown rice.

The kale was purchased at the local farmers market. The salmon came from the grocery store and the quinoa and brown rice package was picked up at my local discount grocery store. The whole meal cost around $7 and only a few minutes to heat up. *the kale in this picture had been previously sautéed with olive oil, salt and pepper.

I’m eating as little packaged food as possible these days, but when you’re on a budget, sometimes you don’t have a choice.

These are some healthy brands and options:

If you aren’t eating Quinoa yet: Read about this > Super Food!

I’ve been eating pastas made with quinoa, cereals and rice mixes such as the one above. Quinoa provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients that are super for fighting RA! It also contains heart healthy fats and protein to help us build strong muscles!

Quinoa, kale and salmon are must haves when it comes to flushing harmful toxins from our bodies and growing stronger every day!