Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Inflammation is now being linked with more and more health ailments. Research shows that inflammation plays a role in allergic conditions, asthma, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Parkinson’s. As this list is continuing to grow, many would argue that inflammation is always present when there is a disease process.
There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is a critical part of healing. When tissues and cells become damaged, chemicals are released to initiate the immune response. Blood and fluids flood into the tissue to fight off the antagonistic substance or invader. White blood cells play an important role because they clean up the tissue by consuming dead or damaged cells, as well as microorganisms. The process of acute inflammation starts abruptly and ends abruptly, taking only a few days. It serves a very important function in the healthy body.
Chronic inflammation is different in that it can last for months and even years. Chronic inflammation occurs when the body never really recovers from an acute inflammatory episode. This often happens because the body is continually being exposed to substances that are irritating to it. This can lead to an overactive immune system, where the body is reacting to threats that are no longer there. Factors such as stress, genetic predisposition, food allergies, lack of exercise, environmental toxins, and especially diet play a key role in the development of chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a problem because it damages body tissues and causes disease.
Practicing healthy eating habits is an easy way for us to intervene in the inflammatory process. If we stop eating things that are known to cause inflammation in the body, the body has a good chance of being able to reset and clear chronic inflammation. Inflammatory foods comprise much of the western diet, for example, corn and soybean oils, pasteurized dairy, refined carbohydrates, conventional meat, sugars and trans fats are all inflammatory to the body. If we can avoid these high-inflammatory foods and stick with anti-inflammatory foods like organic fruits and vegetables, organic wheat-free grains, and grass-fed pastured meats, then we can play the most important role in regaining our health.
Check out the Anti-Inflammatory Protocol for a detailed explanation of exactly how to incorporate the Anti-Inflammatory diet into your daily routine.
1. https://draxe.com/inflammation-at-the-root-of-most-diseases/
2. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000821.htm
Written By Jennifer Peterson, MSOM, LAc
