Decreasing Inflammation through Diet
Most of us are aware that inflammation occurs when we have an injury or tissue trauma. But did you know that poor diet can create a generalized state of inflammation of the immune and circulatory systems? And this chronic inflammatory state leads to the development of chronic diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s. Find a Healthy Balance Inflammation is not all bad. It is the necessary first step on the path to healing. Your body needs a healthy balance of pro and anti-inflammatory chemicals to function at it’s best. The problem is that the average American diet is heavy in the highly processed foods that promote inflammation and low in the real foods that help to prevent it.
The Good
- Fruits & vegetables
- Raw nuts
- Lean meats, fish & chicken
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Butter
The Bad
- Refined sugar, sweeteners, & flour
- Refined oils (corn, canola)
- Fatty meats
Its foolish to think that you can eat mostly ”Bad” foods and decrease inflammation with a fish oil supplement or an Advil. But does that mean you can’t ever again indulge in a chocolate chip cookie or a burger and fries? Of course not! Try to eat 80-85% of your food from the “Good” list. Then have fun with the remaining 15-20% with foods from the “dark side.”
Or as Michael Pollan simply states in his new book, In Defense of Food, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Dr. Pamela Wells is a Chiropractor based in Sunnyvale California.