Inflammation is the body’s response to foreign objects that may cause it harm. On the outside, inflammation often manifests through redness and swelling, but inflammation can happen inside the body, as well. In some cases, the diet can contribute to inflammation.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, one’s immune system becomes activated when their body recognises 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 a person’s health.
Medical experts say that sometimes inflammation persists, day in and day out, even when a person is not threatened by a foreign invader. That’s when inflammation can worsen. Many major diseases for example, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s have been linked to chronic inflammation.
Foods that trigger an inflammation
"Consuming a diet high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup drives inflammation that can lead to disease.
"Vegetable oil is high in omega-6 fatty acid content and may promote inflammation when consumed in high amounts. However, more research is needed to confirm this,” says Dieudonne Bukaba, a nutrition expert at Avega Clinic Remera.
He says that heavy alcohol consumption may increase inflammation and lead to a "leaky gut” that drives inflammation throughout one’s body.
According to Healthline, high fibre, unprocessed carbs are healthy, but refined carbs raise blood sugar levels and promote inflammation that may lead to disease.
Processed meat is high in inflammatory compounds like AGEs, and its strong association with colon cancer may partly be due to an inflammatory response.
Bukaba explains that sugar, including fructose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, and others can cause inflammation by releasing cytokines, or inflammatory messengers, into the body.
He says, some of the foods to reduce consuming in order to avoid inflammation include, soda, "fruit” juices with added sugar, and other sugar-sweetened beverages, pastries, desserts, fast food or fried food, red or processed meat, among others.
Solution
Doctors say that anti-inflammatory foods, exercise, good sleep, stress management, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating an appropriate amount of calories each day, and drinking enough water can help. In some cases, getting additional support from supplements may be useful as well.
Harvard Health notes that anti-inflammatory diet foods should include, tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards.
Nuts like almonds and walnuts, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines and fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges should be included.
"To reduce levels of inflammation, one should aim for an overall healthy diet. Consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils. In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on one’s physical and emotional health. A healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but also for improving mood and overall quality of life,” quotes Harvard Health Publishing.
Medical News Today states that an anti-inflammatory diet favours 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.
Scientists note that an anti-inflammatory diet may serve as a complementary therapy for many conditions that become worse with chronic inflammation such as, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, eosinophilic, esophagitis, Crohn’s disease, colitis, inflammatory, bowel disease, lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and metabolic syndrome.
They also indicate that an anti-inflammatory diet should combine a variety of foods that are rich in nutrients, provide a range of antioxidants and contain healthy fats.