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Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Written by H. K. Jones, RD
Published in January 2007

(HealthCastle.com) We often think of inflammation as a painful part of arthritis, but chronic inflammation is also a newly recognized factor in heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer. Lucky for you, an anti-inflammatory diet, along with a few basic lifestyle changes, can help you keep chronic inflammation at bay. Here's what you need to know.

The Problem: Inflammation

Inflammation is the process by which the body's white blood cells protect us from injury, infection and irritation. This protective process causes pain and swelling when you bump your head, redness and itching when you get a bug bite and sneezing and aching when you suffer from the flu. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can increase our risk of disease. In fact, scientists have long known that certain auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus, emerge when inflammation, like and unwelcome houseguest, overstays its welcome. Now researches say that chronic inflammation may also be at the root of many chronic diseases such as stroke, heart disease and various types of cancer including colon, stomach, esophagus, liver, breast and prostate cancers.

The Solution: Anti-Inflammatory Diet

You can help keep chronic inflammation at bay by simply making some basic lifestyle changes.

Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best ways to stave off chronic inflammation. Basically, extra fat fuels an inflammation response in people, so too much of you, can lead to too much inflammation.
Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, a diet loaded with antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, and fiber-rich whole grains and beans, seems to reduce and prevent inflammation. Study after study link this type of Mediterranean-style diet with lower levels of C-reactive protein.
Found in higher-fat fish like salmon, as well as canola oil, walnuts and flaxseeds, a healthy balance of omega-3s with other fats reduces production of hormone-like substances that stimulate inflammation.
Studies also show lower levels of inflammation in those who exercise regularly. Exercising is also an excellent way to help maintain a healthy weight, another important inflammation-reducing strategy.
Supplements like glucosamine, sulfur, and chondroitin are available for inflammation, but keep in mind they only alleviate inflammation symptoms, and don't address the underlying causes of the inflammation, as do the soothing lifestyle changes. Supplementing your diet with a good multivitamin, however, ensures you get the right level of nutrients you need everyday. And if you're not a fish fan, you should take a fish-oil pill that supplies 500 to 1000 mg of EPA and DHA combined.