Choosing the right anti-inflammatory foods
While there are single foods that help in the fight against chronic inflammation, eating a balanced diet is your best shot at this.
What you need to know:
- Although what you eat is important, Sylvia Chelangat, a nutritionist, says it is not the only factor that impacts chronic inflammation. So, get adequate sleep, be active as regular physical activity has anti-inflammatory effects.
When our bodies feel threatened, they react to fight the threat and one of the ways is through inflammation owing to say, pollen, cold or a chemical.
Sylvia Chelangat, a nutritionist, says it can be acute or chronic when our bodies are required to fight off an assault over an extended period of time. “This in turn weakens the immune system and chronic conditions and diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and allergies can all be linked to chronic inflammation,” she says.
At that time, Angela Nalukonge, a nutritionist, says you need a remedy to combat it. “It is no longer about looking at what you need to avoid, you need a remedy for this swelling as it may lead to other ailments such as cancer,” she advises.
While many people are quick to go to the medicine cabinet for one drug or another, you will be surprised that simply eating certain foods will be all the remedy you need.
Foods to fight inflammation
With any diet or meal plan that you may come across, if it is not a balanced one in terms of nutrients, then it is not half correct.
“A balanced diet is necessary to heal the body of any form of inflammation and maintain overall good health. The anti-inflammatory diet should contain plenty of prebiotics, fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3s therefore should combine fruits and vegetables, healthy protein and fat and a variety of whole grain carbohydrates,” Chelangat says.
She explains that there should always be food that will boost the body’s immune system, give the body necessary energy and build muscle alongside promoting tissue repair. Therefore, adopting a healthy eating style is very ideal. ”The principles of the anti-inflammatory diet based on reducing exposure to toxic substances while basing a daily diet on proper nutrition,” she shares.
While there are single foods that help in the fight against chronic inflammation, eating a balanced diet is your best shot at this. Here are foods to consider in the various food groups:
Fruits and vegetables
Aim to include vegetables and fruits with every meal. Fill half of your plate with a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables. Chelangat says if you are including frozen, canned and dried fruits, be sure to look for products with no added sugars and lower amounts of sodium.
“Focus on vegetables from each subgroup weekly, including dark green, red and orange vegetables. Additionally, avocados are an excellent fruit as well as being a good source for healthy fat,” she advises.
Proteins
Choose the right type of proteins to ensure that you are maintaining the right balance of nutrients and adequate blood sugar levels.
“Soy is an acceptable protein source including tofu and soy milk. Other sources are legumes such as beans, peas and lentils, nuts, and seeds,” Chelangat shares. She adds that when gluten free grains and legumes are served in combination, they provide a complete protein. Other excellent protein sources include free range eggs and chicken that have developed without the use of antibiotics. Grass fed, organic lean beef is also recommended in moderation (one to two portions per week) as well as other organic meats, especially for most people that are moderately active. That is not forgetting low-fat or fat-free dairy products, such as skim milk and yogurt as they are lower in saturated fat.
That said, Nalukonge advises that you minimise highly processed foods such as bacon and sausage or avoid them totally when you can.
Fats Choose healthy fats including the monounsaturated fats (found in olive oils, peanut oils, sunflower oils, safflower oils, sesame seed oils, canola oils and avocados) and polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids as in salmon and other fatty fish). “On the other hand, avoid saturated fat (such as beef fat, cheese) as they are unhealthy increasing inflammation which causes undesirable reactions.
Caution
Although what you eat is important, Sylvia Chelangat, a nutritionist, says it is not the only factor that impacts chronic inflammation. So, get adequate sleep, be active as regular physical activity has anti-inflammatory effects.
“Finally, achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Excess body fat could contribute to increased inflammation,” she advises.
