How to Fight Inflammation With Your Diet
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
Medically-reviewed by Dr. Monique White-Dominguez
Inflammation seems to be a hot topic as of late, and for good reason. It seems that the connection between what you eat and inflammation in the body is finally getting the publicity it deserves.
If you’re new to the idea of inflammation, don’t worry – we are here to help. This is more than just a social media trend; inflammation is a serious issue that can be solved largely by changing your diet.
Let’s get into the details of inflammation and how changing what you eat can help.
What is inflammation?
It’s important to note that though inflammation gets a bad rap, not all inflammation is bad. One of the two types of inflammation, in fact, is good and vital to your health.
The good type is called acute inflammation. This inflammation is your body’s natural reaction to any kind of injury. Take, for example, a cut. When you cut your finger, your body reacts by causing your finger to turn red and swell. This is your body’s way of telling your immune that something is wrong and that it needs to start the healing process.
So, acute inflammation is something that you do want in your body.
However, the other kind of inflammation is the one we don’t want to see. And that’s called chronic inflammation.
This bad type of inflammation occurs when acute inflammation goes on for too long or in excess. Chronic inflammation can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, allergies, diabetes, arthritis and joint diseases, and more.
Symptoms of chronic inflammation
If you’re suffering from chronic inflammation, it tends to show up in the body as:
Body pain
Chronic fatigue
Insomnia
Depression
Anxiety
Mood disorders
Constipation
Diarrhea
Acid reflux
Weight gain
Weight loss
Regular infections
None of the above sound like symptoms you want to experience. If you are feeling these, it’s time to get an Inflammation Panel. Sameday Health’s panel tests for the following:
High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Cortisol
Uric acid
With this information, you can better determine your risks of inflammation and infection.
If you find yourself feeling any of these things as a result of chronic inflammation, there is hope. And some of the biggest hope lies in dietary and lifestyle changes.
How to reduce inflammation in the body
One of the best ways to reduce chronic inflammation in the body is by changing your diet – specifically by eating an anti-inflammatory diet.
We live in a world rife with highly processed foods that are packed with sugars and come with minimal actual nutritional benefits. This is one of the leading causes of chronic inflammation. Pair that with a lack of exercise, throw some stress into the mix, and you’ve got the perfect storm for chronic inflammation.
The first step to make in helping get your chronic inflammation under control is to start an anti-inflammatory diet. This is not a specific strict regimen that you need to follow but rather a focus on certain foods that are known to help lower inflammation, and the ridding of foods that are known to cause inflammation.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Studies show that fruits such as blueberries, cherries, and apples; and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are high in natural antioxidants and other compounds that may protect you from inflammation.
Increase fiber intake
Increasing the amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber you eat has been shown to lower inflammation.
Eat fewer saturated and trans fats
Some saturated and synthetic trans fats can cause inflammation. You typically find these types of fats in processed and packaged foods that are made with seed and vegetable oils.
Incorporate more curcumin
Curcumin is a substance found in turmeric and it has been proven to help with managing both oxidative and inflammatory conditions. It may also have the power to help with inflammation due to exercise as well as muscle soreness.
Supplement with magnesium
Magnesium is known as one of the “most anti-inflammatory dietary factors” so be sure to include this in your day. Our favorite way to get magnesium is through electrolyte powder that you put into your water.
Eat foods high in omega-3s
The Mediterranean diet is lauded as one of the healthiest diets in the world for a number of reasons, but one of them is thanks to the high omega-3 foods that it includes such as olive oil, fatty fish, and avocado. All of these are known to lower cholesterol levels and help protect against diseases that result from chronic inflammation.
Cut processed sugar
Take a stroll around the grocery store and you would be surprised to find how many foods have sugar that you would never expect. Some sugary foods come as no surprise, such as cookies and candy. However, some food items such as ketchup, bread, yogurt, and more may have added sugar, depending on the brand.
So, be sure to pay attention to the ingredients of what you buy at the store and steer clear of any items that have processed sugar in them. Natural sugar, such as that found in fruit, is good for you, so don’t cut that.
Make a plan
Now that you know some ways that you can reduce inflammation in the body with your diet, it’s time to make a plan and put it into action.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of creating a plan that works for you, let a Sameday Health provider help you. Our Virtual Care services connect you with a provider that can give you further information about chronic inflammation and what you can do to get your body to a healthy place.
