Who can it help?
by Admin
Posted on 19-02-2025 11:55 AM
When you’ve cut out the processed stuff, what’s left? whole
foods
, of course!
“a whole food is a one-ingredient food, an entire entity: an apple, an orange, a cucumber,” zumpano says. In addition to fruits and vegetables, other examples include:
brown or wild rice.
That means choosing breads and pastas that are minimally processed, minimally preserved and made with whole grains.
March 26, 2024 reviewed by howard e. Lewine, md , chief medical editor, harvard health publishing; editorial advisory board member, harvard health publishing what does an anti-inflammatory diet do? your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything that is foreign—such as an invading microbe, plant pollen, or chemical. This often triggers a process called inflammation. Intermittent bouts of inflammation directed at truly threatening invaders protect your health. However, sometimes inflammation persists, day in and day out, even when you are not threatened by a foreign invader. That's when inflammation can become your enemy. Many major diseases that plague us — including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and alzheimer's — have been linked to chronic inflammation.
A little inspiration never hurts when you’re considering making a healthy lifestyle change. Here are some benefits you may experience from consuming a wide variety of nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods: lowered risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, alzheimer’s, heart disease, and arthritis cells are protected from damage via antioxidants less bloating, healthier gut bacteria balance, and improved overall gi tract symptoms better sleep ( source , source , source , source ) what exactly do you need to eat to reap these incredible benefits? no single food can provide you with all the nutrients your body needs, so finding places in your diet to incorporate a range of food types that each fill a unique niche, such as healthy fats , polyphenols , antioxidants, and fermented foods has great potential to provide your body with what it needs for a well-functioning immune system.
Key takeaway: inflammation is a key indicator of overall health and is heavily influenced by what you eat. Anti-inflammatory foods, like avocados, almonds, oily fish, and spinach, are excellent additions to your plate and can help combat a variety of symptoms. Your health journey is personal, and there are very few recommendations a clinician would give to everyone. One of those rare recommendations for all humans aiming to be healthier? eat more anti-inflammatory foods. Inflammation increases your risk of chronic conditions—from allergies to heart disease. And what you eat influences your body’s inflammation levels: ultra-processed foods increase inflammation, while many whole foods decrease it.
The role of antioxidants
We typically think of inflammation as a result of an injury or disease. But diet also plays an important role in chronic inflammation. This is in part because the foods we eat influence the types of bacteria that populate our gut and their chemical byproducts. While some foods encourage the growth of bacteria that stimulate inflammation, others promote the growth of bacteria that help suppress it.
That's why it's important to know which foods have anti-inflammatory properties and which can cause inflammation
foods that fight inflammation
fruits and vegetables. Most fruits and brightly colored vegetables naturally contain high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols.
“gut leak, or leaky gut syndrome, occurs when the intestinal lining becomes permeable, allowing toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream,” says mumbai-based clinical nutritionist heena trivedi. This, she says, triggers inflammation, which is linked to various lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders. “anti-inflammatory foods can play a crucial role in maintaining gut health and preventing these conditions,” trivedi says. Anti-inflammatory foods are known to support heart health by lowering the bad cholesterol levels and reducing oxidative stress. “anti-inflammatory foods are rich in antioxidants, fibre and healthy fats, which promote heart health by reducing oxidative stress and lowering cholesterol levels,” says mumbai-based clinical dietitian and sports nutritionist zainab gulamhusein.
Can a vegetarian diet reduce inflammation?
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, which are often good sources of antioxidants. Dietary antioxidants are molecules in food that help remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are the natural byproducts of some bodily processes, including metabolism. Free radicals can lead to cell damage. This damage increases the risk of inflammation and can contribute to various diseases. An anti-inflammatory diet favors foods that are rich in antioxidants over those that increase the production of free radicals. Omega-3 fatty acids , which are present in oily fish, may help reduce the levels of inflammatory proteins in the body.
At the same time, try to limit items such as: pastries and other foods with added sugar meat made from beef, pork, lamb cheese and fried foods butter or margarine vegetarian and vegan diet. These are plant-based diets that don’t include meat, fish, poultry, or seafood. A vegan diet goes further and avoids everything that comes from animals, including eggs, dairy products, and honey. Studies suggest long-term vegan and vegetarian diets may be associated with lower levels of body-wide inflammation compared to people who eat meat, as long as you swap highly-processed goods for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrient-rich foods.