Why is it important to eat anti inflammatory foods? Before we delve into the answer of this very important question (its important enough that it could save or extend your life), let’s first examine what we mean when we refer to our bodies showing inflammatory behavior. Some people may not understand what the inflammatory behavior means in its entirety.
What is inflammation?
We often talk about parts of our body becoming inflamed. This can happen when we sprain our wrists or ankles, or even when we cut ourselves and the wound becomes infected. Typically the inflamed area becomes hot, red, and angry looking, and often swells up too. This is caused by our bodies’ immune systems. It is part of an automatic natural defense mechanism designed to deal with pathogens or infections that have worked their way into our body systems and bloodstreams. It is our bodies’ natural way of trying to remove whatever the intruder is.
The other type of information
When we talk about anti inflammatory foods however, it’s not this sort of inflammation that we really have in mind – not the “wound triggered” or “foreign intruder” triggered inflammation; although they will also help in this situation too. No, essentially we’re talking about inflammation of another kind, which may not display itself in such a vivid way from a visual point of view, but which nonetheless causes discomfort and as you see as you read on, perhaps much, much, more.
Inflammation linked to coronary artery disease of
It seems that scientists from Stanford University in California have discovered a link between 25 new genetic areas, and coronary artery disease. They have discovered that people who have coronary artery disease (which incidentally is the leading cause of death around the world) are also likely to have gene variations that are linked to inflammation.
The “wound” inflammation process
Inflammation usually starts off with irritation, which then leads to inflammation. In the case of wounds, the healing process that is triggered by inflammation goes through a process of suppuration, whereby pus is discharged, which is in turn, followed by the granulation stage, whereby small pieces of new tissue form and develop as part of the healing process.
Other conditions that chronic inflammation can cause
Chronic inflammation is a different animal all together. It’s an inflammatory reaction which gets out of control and which lasts for weeks and possibly even months and years. It can result from eating too much of the wrong foods (inflammatory foods) eventually resulting in the development of various illnesses and conditions, including some cancers, periodontitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Fibromyalgia, (which more and more people are falling foul of on an everyday basis) may also be the result of an out of control body inflammatory response.
The sort of inflammation that anti inflammatory foods are designed to deal with
The problem is that inflammation can become self-perpetuating. It’s a case of inflammation leading to even more inflammation, which can eventually lead to some of the diseases and conditions mentioned above, and more besides; and it is this type of inflammation that a diet of anti-inflammatory foods is more specifically designed to combat. It’s a way of ensuring that you prolong your holistic health lifestyle for as long as possible by steering clear of this type of inflammation.
Poor quality sleep can lead to inflammation
A team of scientists at Emory University School in Atlanta recently conducted a program of research into the effects of sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep on inflammation. The tests were carried out using 525 middle-aged volunteers. The findings concluded: “Poor sleep quality, and short sleep durations are associated with higher levels of inflammation.” You can find out more about this study by following this link.
Body fat can create inflammation
Although you may not know it, fatty tissues secrete hormones that have an effect on both the immune system and inflammation. The affected hormones are:
- Leptin – affects the control of your appetite.
- Reisistin – increases your body’s resistance to insulin.
- Adiponectin – makes your body more sensitive to insulin.
When people become obese or overweight, the production of these hormones, (which interact with your metabolism) is affected. Inflammation builds Leptin resistance, so your appetite can become less controlled. As well as this, fatty tissue itself makes chemicals that create inflammation, which in turn can lead to further weight gain, creating a self perpetuating scenario. For more information about this vicious circle, and to take a look at the anti-inflammatory foods pyramid created by Dr. Weil, (a respected health advisor), follow this link to the Arthritis Foundation website.
Inflammatory foods and anti inflammatory foods
In terms of the foods that we eat, it is believed that foods that have a high sugar and saturated fat content can trigger inflammation by stimulating hyper activity in your immune system. This can be linked to pain in the joints, feelings of tiredness and fatigue, and can also cause damage to the walls of your blood cells. But by the same token, on the other side of the coin there are foods that can help to ward off inflammation; anti inflammatory foods.
Putting together an anti-inflammatory diet is nothing to do with weight loss, (although it will help you to manage and control your weight), nor is it any kind of “fad diet” that lasts for a few short weeks. It’s a diet for life. In fact I’ll go one step further than that; it’s a diet for a holistically healthy life.
The foundation of an effective anti inflammatory diet
There are many anti inflammatory foods that you can research quite easily on the Internet; but to get you off to a good start, here are the basics of a good anti inflammation diet as published on the Cancer Prevention Guide website. The list includes:
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SPICES:
(To look up the IF Factor, download the IF Tracker for iPhone on iTunes or for Android at Google Play, or visit this site: http://inflammationfactor.com/)
Hot Chile Peppers: IF Rating 50155
Garlic Powder: IF Rating 31176
Cayenne Pepper: IF Rating 28152
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FIN FISH AND SHELLFISH:
Caviar, Blackor Red: IF Rating 2593
Anchovy, canned in oil: IF Rating 1024
Atlantic Herring: If Rating 1007
Atlantic Salmon: IF Rating 907
Fresh Bluefin Tuna: IF Rating 546
Atlantic Sardines IF Rating 512
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY VEGETABLES:
Carrot, dehydrated IF Rating: 49
Peppers, jalapeno,rawIF Rating: 379
Grape leaves, raw IF Rating: 359
Pumpkin, IF Rating 334
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY NUTS AND SEEDS
Seeds, flaxseed IF Rating: 490
Macadamia IF Rating: 481
Hazelnuts or filberts, blanched IF Rating: 417
Mixed nuts, without peanuts, oil roasted, with salt added IF Rating: 368
Seeds, chia seeds, dried IF Rating: 277
Almond butter, plain, with salt added IF Rating: 254
Mixed nuts, with peanuts, oil roasted, with salt added IF Rating: 254
Pecans, dry roasted, without salt added IF Rating: 228 IF Rating: 200
Almonds IF Rating: 200
Walnuts, IF Rating 158
Brazilnuts, dried, unblanched IF Rating 110
Cashew butter, plain, without salt added IF Rating 81
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LEGUMES
Peanut butter with omega-3, creamy
Peanut butter, chunky, vitamin and mineral fortified IF Rating: 160
Peanut butter, smooth, vitamin and mineral fortified F Rating: 159
Peanuts, all types, raw IF Rating: 87
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POULTRY
Goose liver IF Rating: 152
Goose, IF Rating: 72
Turkey IF Rating: 68
Goose, roasted IF Rating: 45
Chicken, canned, no broth IF Rating: 44
Pheasant IF Rating: 40
Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, IF Rating: 26
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FATS AND OILS:
Fish oil, salmon IF Rating: 13892
Fish oil, menhaden IF Rating: 8861
Fish oil, sardine IF Rating: 7916
Fish oil, cod liver IF Rating: 7587
Fish oil, herring IF Rating: 4919
Flaxseed oil IF Rating: 1054
Hazelnut Oil IF Rating: 623
Olive Oil IF Rating: 526
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FRUITS
Olives IF Rating: 87
Avocados, raw, California IF Rating: 79
Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties IF Rating: 78
Guavas, common, raw IF Rating: 77
Melons, cantaloupe, raw IF Rating: 41
Lemon peel, raw IF Rating: 36
Pineapple, raw, all varieties IF Rating: 36
Currants, black, raw IF Rating: 26
Papayas, raw IF Rating: 21
Avocados, raw, Florida IF Rating: 21
BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SAUCES AND SOUPS
Fish broth IF Rating: 70
Salsa IF Rating: 59
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY RECIPES
Citrus Salad with Ginger Yogurt
Indian Spiced Carrot Soup with Ginger
Red Bell Pepper, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Salad with Oregano Dressing
Pan Seared Salmon on Baby Arugula with Roasted Root Vegetables
Salmon with Asparagus and Capers
Swiss Chard with Raisins and Almonds
Dessert
My Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Quick Pumpkin Treat
The true dangers of inflammation
The importance of controlling inflammation by eating anti inflammatory foods is brought home by a comment on the Cancer Prevention Guide website. It focuses people’s attention on the true danger of inflammation. It serves to remind the people who thought inflammatory illnesses and conditions were only those ending in “itis” (i.e. appendicitis, arthritis), that in reality, it is also a major contributory factor in other major life threatening diseases and illnesses including Alzheimer’s , cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Anti-inflammatory foods – the holistic health lifestyle diet.
Illnesses like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular disease are the biggest killers in today’s modern world. The fact that all of these diseases are linked to inflammation, underlines the crucial importance of managing inflammation; keeping it in its rightful place as part of our immune systems natural defense mechanism, but not letting it run amok. We can do this by making sure our diets avoid inflammatory foods, and include plenty of anti-inflammatory foods – a diet in fact for a continued and enhanced holistic health lifestyle.
Acknowledgements
Medical news today.com website: What is inflammation? What causes inflammation? – http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php
The Helath.com website: Is there an anti inflammatory diet? – http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20705881,00.html
The Arthritis Foundation website: Anti inflammatory diet – http://www.arthritis.org/illinois/anti-inflammatory-diet/
The Cancer Prevention Guide website: Basic of anti inflammatory diet – http://www.your-cancer-prevention-guide.com/anti-inflammatory-diet.html
Medical Daily website: Poor sleep generates higher inflammation in peole – http://www.medicaldaily.com/poor-sleep-generates-higher-inflammation-people-234606
Edible Evolution Blog Spot http://edibleevolution.blogspot.com/2009/06/anti-inflammatory-recipes-and-foods.html