"What Can I Do To Reduce Inflammation?"
/“What can I do to reduce inflammation?” is probably one of the most popular questions that I get from people! First things first, inflammation itself is not necessarily bad. In fact, inflammation is critical in our bodies to maintain our health, fight disease and heal cuts. However, excessive inflammation is where the problems can begin.
What happens when there is too much inflammation?
Chronic low grade inflammation has been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In terms of cancer and inflammation, research has also found that inflammation can not only promote the growth of certain cancers but can also be the result of certain cancers. Inflammation has also been linked with certain conditions like depression, osteoarthritis, arthritis, allergies and asthma. And, yes, even accelerated aging can be linked to excessive inflammation. Symptoms such as aches, pains, rashes on your skin and swelling can sometimes be attributed to excessive inflammation. Researchers have also found that persistent inflammation may help to explain why some people struggle with ‘long Covid’ - having symptoms for for more than 12 weeks after recovery.
So, what can we do to help reduce inflammation in our bodies?
Get the right amount of sleep - Aim for between 7 to 9 hours per night.
Finding healthy ways to reduce or cope with stress. Meditation, yoga, being with loved ones or walking outside are all examples of healthy stress reducers.
Maintain an active lifestyle. - Exercise can change our gene expression. Pro-inflammatory genes are down-regulated
and anti-inflammatory genes are upregulated when we exercise consistently.
Stay hydrated.
Boost anti-inflammatory foods.
So, what foods are considered anti-inflammatory? Well, as with so much in nutrition, this can be a tricky question to answer. If you google it, you’ll be even more confused. Research has found that certain nutrients tend to be anti-inflammatory and some other nutrients are more pro inflammatory. But before we just go and remove foods containing certain nutrients, we have to remember that we always need a balance of nutrients. Sometimes nutrients in combination with each other can be anti-inflammatory. And, our bodies also need nutrients from foods that aren’t necessarily “anti inflammatory” can provide us. In other words, this can be pretty confusing and we can’t always rely on our intuition of what is a "healthy" food to guide us. For instance, while red meat contains saturated fat which is pro-inflammatory, it also contains monounsaturated fats which are anti-inflammatory.
In general, the following are nutrients that have been found to be anti-inflammatory:
Antioxidants
Vitamins A, B, C, K and E
Selenium and Zinc
Monounsaturated fats
Omega-3s
Some phytonutrients that are found in spices like ginger, garlic and turmeric actually have properties that are similar to NSAIDs like tylenol and aspirin.
Foods that have been found to be pro-inflammatory are those with a high glycemic load, trans fats, saturated fats, and foods high in Omega 6.
Now, you’re probably thinking where’s the part where you just tell me what to eat. Again, because we’re striving for balance. I’m going to give you foods to eat more of and foods to eat less because everything is on a continuum.
Here are some guidelines for you to follow for a more anti-inflammatory diet:
Consume more non-starchy veggies such as broccoli, greens and peppers.
Consume cold water fish.
Boost olives, avocado, and nuts.
Spice foods up with chili peppers and ginger.
Consume whole intact grains rather than refined grains.
Limit or avoid vegetable oils.
Limit or avoid fried foods.
Opt for lean and grass fed poultry and beef as much as possible.
Limit or avoid young animal (lamb, veal) and organ meats
As with everything, remember that moderation is important. And, your diet is just one piece of creating a healthy lifestyle!