More than a weight loss plan, an anti-inflammatory diet can help you add years to your life. You might have already given up some foods thought to increase levels of inflammation in your body, but new research has shown that it’s the cumulative effect of making many changes that delivers the most dramatic results. Here’s how to take your efforts to the next level.
When you get a splinter or a bug bite, the swelling and redness of inflammation are signs that your immune system is working normally. But there usually aren’t such clear signs when you chronically have slightly higher levels of inflammation than normal–levels that may be, in part, due to diet and lifestyle choices.
Chronic inflammation is associated
with a higher risk for developing multiple health conditions, many of which are the leading causes of death in the United States, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Current studies linking systemic inflammation and chronic diseases are observational, so while the link is clear, we need more research on whether inflammation plays a causal role. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait to take steps to break the link.
Researchers have been investigating the link between diet/lifestyle and inflammation for some time. There have been studies that looked at inflammation markers in blood based on participants’ diet journals and others that tracked changes in those markers after participants made specific dietary changes. Added to results from animal and cell culture studies, we have a growing body of evidence showing that individual foods and lifestyle behaviors do affect inflammation levels in the body. While any one dietary or lifestyle factor on its own likely contributes only a little to inflammation, when you add up all of the dietary and lifestyle factors, the contributions to inflammation can be substantial.
A study conducted at Emory University found that, in general, a diet that consists of diverse types of fruits and vegetables and foods rich in fiber, phytonutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and various vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, tends to be associated with lower levels of inflammation. In contrast, processed foods and foods high in omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fats tend to be associated with higher levels of inflammation.
Among lifestyle factors, being physically active was associated with lower levels of inflammation and a greater ability to fight oxidative stress. Smoking tobacco, drinking more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women, and, most notably, being overweight were all associated with higher levels of inflammation.
Removing any one component from the dietary or lifestyle scores did not change the overall conclusions of the study, demonstrating the importance of taking a broad approach and considering diet and lifestyle as a whole, rather than focusing on any one food or behavior.
The best approach may be to eat more anti-inflammatory foods while also reducing pro-inflammatory ones. For instance, if someone has a high intake of refined grains, they may have a pro-inflammatory diet even if they consume high amounts of anti-inflammatory tomatoes.
You also need to make choices within the context of your own health profile. For instance, while the researchers did not find a strong association between red meat and inflammation, it is also important to bear in mind that red meat appears to be associated with a higher risk of heart disease and colorectal cancer. The same is true for low- vs. high-fat dairy—in terms of inflammation, both types of dairy contain calcium and fatty acids that could help regulate inflammation, but you might choose low-fat dairy if you are trying to reduce your overall fat intake.
Here are some ideas to help you double up on dietary changes:
