Should You Go on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
Our immune system is responsible for protecting and healing our body. When a microbe invades or when you injure yourself in some way, your immune system gets activated. White blood cells and other components of the immune system will surge to the infection or injury to fight off the foreign invader or mend damage. It’s an intense process. You’ll experience swelling, pain, redness, and heat in your tissues where your immune system is at work. This response is called inflammation and your immune system couldn’t keep you healthy without it.
As long as inflammation is directed at actual threats, it helps your body fight illness and protects your body from harm. (Source: twitter.com/abc_science)
Unfortunately, there are many cases of inflammation gone wrong. Sometimes the immune system doesn’t work as it should and the immune system gets activated even when the body isn’t actually under attack. This can lead to daily, persistent inflammation, causing major health issues. For example, autoimmune diseases involve chronic (ie: day to day) inflammation: lupus, Hashimoto’s disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, etc. However, more recently, certain dietary patterns have been found to trigger inflammation in the body.
This matters because, if you’re eating foods that cause inflammation all day, everyday, you can get your body into a chronic state of inflammation. Being in a state of inflammation long-term has been connected to an increased risk of many diseases: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancers. “But how can food cause inflammation, Splendorous?”
The current hypothesis is through free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are produced through natural processes in your body, like metabolism. To protect itself, your body makes compounds called antioxidants, which get rid of free radicals. However, certain factors can increase the amount of free radicals in your body. These include stress, smoking, and eating fried foods. It’s been hypothesized that certain foods are linked to inflammation because they contain or cause the formation of free radicals. Excess free radicals in the body can cause cell damage, which triggers inflammation. Over the long term, this can lead to disease.
But all hope is not lost! Not only does your body makes it’s own antioxidants, certain foods are rich in antioxidants (like fruits and vegetables). Many of the foods that have been found to decrease inflammation in the body also have high levels of antioxidants. The way these foods decrease inflammation could be by getting rid of free radicals in the body. On top of that, foods with omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, and polyphenols (found in plant-based foods) may also help reduce inflammation.
All of these information tidbits lead us to the anti-inflammatory diet. Some foods increase inflammation in the body, while others cause it to decrease. That means that conditions that involve inflammation (such as arthritis, psoriasis, or asthma) might either improve or worsen depending on the type of food eaten. It also means that diet plays a vital role in the prevention of diseases caused by chronic inflammation (diabetes, heart disease, etc).
“Sounds great Splendorous - now tell me exactly what the anti-inflammatory diet is.” I think it’s a misnomer to refer to it as the anti-inflammatory diet. It’s not so much a specific diet as it is a style of eating that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, lean protein, healthful fats, and spices. The Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, vegetarianism, and veganism are all types of anti-inflammatory diets. If you’re incorporating foods that reduce inflammation into your diet and you’re limiting foods that cause inflammation, you’re following an anti-inflammatory diet.
Any and all of the foods pictured here help to reduce inflammation in the body. (Source: pennmedicine.org)
I will get into discussing specific foods that are either pro- or anti-inflammatory. But, first I want to plug the many benefits of this eating pattern. It’s been found that people who practice this lifestyle tend to see:
improvements in symptoms of autoimmune disorders
decreased biochemical markers of inflammation in the blood
healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
decreased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancers, and even depression
improved energy and mood
**In addition, physical health is connected to mental and emotional health, so practicing a healthy diet can significantly improve your quality of life.**
Before getting into lists of foods, I also want to stress that I am not suggesting you only ever strictly eat anti-inflammatory foods. While certain foods should be kept to a limit, that doesn’t mean you can never eat them. Please be wary of any rigid mentality when it comes to eating patterns. Being too restrictive can get you feeling like this…
(Source: me.me)
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Vegetables: leafy greens (ex: spinach, kale, collards), tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers, etc
Fruits: especially deeply coloured fruits like red grapes, cherries, blueberries, etc
Foods high in fiber: whole grains, raw or tender-crisp cooked vegetables
Healthy fats: avocado, olives, olive oil
Fatty fish: salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, anchovies, tuna
Legumes: beans, lentils, peas
Nuts & seeds
Spices: turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, ginger, etc
Green herbs: basil, parsley, mint, etc
Green tea
Dark chocolate
Some general anti-inflammatory tips:
eat a variety of foods - different foods have different nutrients to offer
go with fresh, simple ingredients versus processed food items
make you plate colourful at mealtimes by eating different colours of fruits and vegetables. This will provide you with a range of antioxidants and nutrients
when buying premade foods, check the nutrition label for added sugars and salt. Try to choose food products that contain 5% DV (daily value) or less
Foods to Limit
Refined carbs: white bread, white pasta, baked goods, pastries
Premade desserts: cookies, candy, ice cream
Foods with added sugar or salt
Processed snack foods: chips, pretzels, crackers made with refined flour
Fried foods, like french fries
Soda and other sugar sweetened beverages, like juice
Unhealthy fats: shortening, lard, hydrogenated margarine
Processed meats: hot dogs, sandwich meat, sausages
Red meat: burgers, steaks
Excess alcohol: for women, limit to 10 servings per week. For men, limit to 15 servings per week. One serving = 5 oz wine, 12 oz beer, or 1.5 oz liquor
Other Factors that Influence Inflammation
Gluten: some people with inflammatory diseases find that gluten causes their symptoms to get worse. If you suspect gluten is a trigger, you can try eliminating it from your diet for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. However, if you decide to follow a gluten free diet, please consult a registered dietitian to ensure you are meeting your nutrition needs.
Nightshades: some people claim that tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and/or potatoes cause their symptoms to flare up. If you think this might be the case, try cutting out the suspected vegetable for 2-3 weeks to see if there are any changes in your symptoms.
Carbohydrates: eating a diet that’s very high in carbs might promote inflammation. While carbs are vital for your body to function properly, make sure you’re not going overboard. According to Canada’s food guide, carbs should take up 1/4 of your plate at mealtimes.
Supplements: if you don’t like eating fish, you can get your omega-3 fatty acids by taking fish oil capsules.
Physical activity: getting 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily helps to decrease inflammation in the body and lowers the risk of a plethora of diseases.
Sleep: inadequate sleep has been linked to increased inflammation.
“So what’s an example of a meal that’s made of anti-inflammatory foods?” I’m glad you asked. I’ve got a meal idea for you right here.
Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Meal
Yield: approx. 5 servings
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 bunches of fresh asparagus (remove tough ends, then cut into thirds)
2 cups fresh green beans, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
kalamata olives
2 raw chicken breasts, cubed
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill
paprika & cumin to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F
While the oven is heating, rinse your quinoa. Measure out 2 cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil on the stove top. Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until all water is absorbed (15-20 mins)
Toss the asparagus and green beans with olive oil, vinegar and/or lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins, until tender-crisp
While veggies are baking, cook the chicken and chickpeas in the olive oil on a frying pan with the garlic, dill, paprika, and cumin
Slice some kalamata olives to use as a nutritious garnish
This makes for a good lunch or supper - enjoy!
What’s your favourite spice or food flavouring? Mine is definitely garlic!
References:
Government of Canada. (2020) Canada’s Food Guide. Viewed February 26, 2020. <https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/>
Harvard Health Publishing. (2018) Foods that fight inflammation. Harvard University. Viewed February 25, 2020. <https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation>
Marengo, K. (2020) Anti-inflammatory diet: What to know. Medical News Today. Viewed February 25, 2020. <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320233>
Spritzler, F. (2018) Anti-Inflammatory Diet 101: How to Reduce Inflammation Naturally. Healthline. Viewed February 25, 2020. <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101>