Inflammation is a healthy or natural response our body has when our immune system is trying to protect our body from foreign invaders (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites). Inflammation can present itself in a variety of areas in the body. Symptoms of acute and chronic inflammation will present themselves differently.
What is the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Inflammation?
Acute Inflammation occurs suddenly and usually lasts for a short period of time (days or weeks). One example would be a cut to your finger when slicing an onion in the kitchen. At first, your finger would turn red, swell, and generate pain. As the cut heals, these inflammatory symptoms would go away. A second example would be if you sprained your ankle while playing basketball. At first, your ankle would swell, you would lose its function, and endure pain. After resting your ankle for a few weeks, these symptoms will go away. Other types of common acute inflammations include bronchitis, tonsilitis, appendicitis, conjunctivitis, and sinusitis. Common symptoms of acute inflammation include redness, swelling, pain, and heat.
Chronic Inflammation occurs for a prolonged period of time (months or years). There are many different reasons chronic inflammation can happen.
1. Being exposed to a low level of a problematic irritant or material over a prolonged period of time. Example – Being exposed to asbestos or lead paint.
2. Your body not being able to get rid of a foreign invader or material. Example – Having tuberculosis, a tapeworm, or scabies.
3. Re-occurrent episodes of acute inflammation. Example – Continuously spraining your ankle.
4. An autoimmune disorder that attacks healthy cells of the body because the immune system thinks the healthy cells are foreign invaders. Examples – Diabetes, Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Grave’s Disease, etc.
Chronic inflammation symptoms are more subtle and not as flamboyant. They include continuous infections, weight loss/gain, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, depression, anxiety, pains/aches, and fatigue. Chronic inflammation can lead to or cause other illnesses including, but not limited to Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Fatty Liver Disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), chronic inflammatory diseases are ranked as the number one threat to human health. A survey completed in 2014 indicated over 60% of Americans have at least one chronic inflammatory disease. These numbers are predicted to increase dramatically within the next 30 years.
It is possible to have chronic inflammation in your body and not know it. When we start to feel a bit “sub-par” for a longer period of time this becomes to feel like our “new normal.” Many people aren’t aware that they have consistent symptoms and that is why inflammation can silently damage the body. There are two tests that you can ask your doctor about if you are curious about inflammation in your own body. Test number one is a blood test that calculates your C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level. Analyzing your CRP level may help you diagnose an inflammatory disease, identify infections in your body, determine the risks of heart disease, and even determine the risk of a second heart attack. Test number two is also a blood test, and it looks at your erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This test calculates how long it takes for your red blood cells to subside to the bottom of the test tube. If your blood cells end up falling at a faster-than-normal rate it means you may have inflammation in your body. Even with these two tests available, early stages of inflammation may not be detected.
What Are Risk Factors of Chronic Inflammation?
Many factors can raise the risk of chronic inflammation in your body. With some risk factors, there is little you can do to prevent your outcomes such as genetics or increasing age. However, there are other factors that you can make daily choices or decisions to improve. Here are factors that are reported to increase your likelihood of chronic inflammation:
· Smoking
· Consuming Large Quantities of Alcohol
· Obesity
· Not Enough or Too Much Exercise
· High-Stress Levels
· Inconsistent Sleep Patterns
· Age
· Genetic Predisposition to Autoimmune Diseases
Taking A Closer Look at Autoimmune Diseases & Inflammatory Issues
There are over 80 autoimmune diseases in the world. Within autoimmune diseases, healthy immune systems actively attack the body’s healthy cells by mistake. Women are twice as likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases when compared to men. Symptoms for these autoimmune diseases usually develop between 15 - 44 years of age. The most common autoimmune diseases include Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Addison’s Disease, Grave’s Disease, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and Celiac Disease.
According to an article entitled “The Role of a Western Diet in Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases” (2014), the health of our digestive tract is directly related to our autoimmune system. Autoimmune diseases can be managed or tamed (not cured) by helping the digestive system stay healthy. We can do this by feeding ourselves nutritional foods. Nature and nurture are both very important here. We may not be able to do anything about genetic predispositions of our health (nature) but can always work on nurture by making optimal choices for healthy living that start with our diet. Think of your auto-immune disease as a car you just purchased. Just like our genetics, sometimes even with prior mechanical inspections, you may inherit a car with a few problems. These problems don’t have to be the end of the world. If you continue with proper maintenance (changing the oil, testing brakes, checking fluids, inspecting tires, etc.) and frequent inspections of your car, your car will continue to run for you without problems. This is the same for our bodies. We may not be able to do anything about our genetics (nature), but we can decide what we are going to put into our body (healthy food) and what we are going to do with our body (exercise). Nurture can be just as if not more important than nature.
What is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
A diet that aims at reducing chronic inflammation in the body by eliminating the majority of overly processed foods. This diet pretty much refers to what a caveman might have eaten on a daily basis. However, I promise, it is not as restrictive as a Paleo diet.
Items To Consume
· All Fruits – Dark Berries Are Best
· All Vegetables – Green Leafy Vegetables Are Best
· Whole Grains – Brown/Wild Rice, Quinoa, Oats, Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Bread, Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Pasta, Buckwheat, Millet, Corn, Popcorn, & Spelt
· Protein – Fatty Fish, Seafood, Poultry, Eggs, Seeds, Nuts, & Legumes
· Healthy Fats – Olive Oil & Avocado Oil
· Limit Sugar – Use In the Forms of Honey, Maple Syrup, or Natural Sources (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains)
· Dark Chocolate
· Sauces – Pesto, Olive Oil & Lime/Vinegar, Mustard, Hot Sauce, Home-Made Vegan Mayonnaise & Hummus
· Spices – Ginger, Turmeric, & Cinnamon
· Green Tea & Coffee
· Supplements – Fish Oil, Turmeric, Prebiotics & Probiotics
Items To Avoid
· Limit Alcohol or Avoid - Beer, Sugary Wines & Cocktails
· Processed Meats - Pepperoni, Salami, Sausage, & Deli Meats
· Limit Or Avoid All Dairy Products - Milk, Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, & Butter
· Refined Starches - White Bread, Refined Pasta, Crackers, Cereal Bars, & Pre- packaged Desserts (Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Hostess Cupcakes)
· Sugary Drinks - Soda, Fake Fruit Juices, Lemonade, Energy Drinks, & Frappuccino
· Candy – Skittles, Starburst, Gummy Worms, Suckers, etc.
· Limit Red Meat Intake - Pork, Beef, Veal, & Lamb
· Majority of Vegetable Oils Including Canola, Corn, Soy, Sunflower, Safflower, Rice Bran, Grapeseed, & Cottonseed
· Regular and Artificial Sugars - White Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar, & High Fructose Corn Syrup, Saccharin, Aspartame, Sucralose – Splenda, & Acesulfame-K
· Sauces – Ketchup, Ranch, Barbeque, Mayonnaise, & Artificial Syrup
Additional Information –
· Some people may find it difficult to give up alcohol altogether. The type of alcohol that is the least inflammatory is red wine. Specifically, Malbec wine is the best because it has higher antioxidant levels. Antioxidants help prevent damage to body tissues that would occur with unwanted inflammation.
· I often use coconut oil instead of olive/avocado oil when baking bread or muffins because I enjoy the flavor more. It should be stated that coconut oil is high in saturated fat and large consumption can increase cholesterol.
· When baking, I make all of my own bread/muffins with a variety of gluten-free flours (chickpea, almond, buckwheat, brown rice, oat, etc.).
· It is important to remember that limiting all sugar is ultimately the healthiest option for our bodies. I am not someone that can totally eliminate sugar from my diet, so I do use honey and pure maple syrup sparingly. Please note that honey and maple syrup are not good for you as they are processed just like regular raw sugar. However, honey and maple syrup provide more nutritional benefits such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than other forms of sugar.
What is an Elimination Diet? How Did My Elimination Diet Help Me Further Adjust the
Anti-Inflammatory Diet to Meet My Needs?
To help me determine what foods were best for me, I completed an elimination diet. An elimination diet helps you figure out what foods you may have sensitivities to or foods that your body has difficulty tolerating. First, you eliminate all foods that you believe your body is not tolerating well. I eliminated dairy, gluten, nightshade vegetables, white cane sugar, alcohol, processed bakery, processed meats, red meats, and eggs. For the first 5 days of the diet, I ate only foods that were not to be eliminated or tested on this diet. I wanted to make sure that I was not exhibiting any inflammatory symptoms before starting the process. It turned out that I didn’t have any symptoms, once I eliminated the laundry list of food above. After 5 days, I introduced nightshade vegetables. (I will explain more about nightshade vegetables later.) I waited four days after the introduction of a new item to determine if new symptoms were present. You can see below what symptoms you may observe when you have a food intolerance or sensitivity. No symptoms were present with nightshade vegetables. Now I knew that I tolerated nightshade vegetables and I could continue eating these regularly. If when introducing a new food item, I started to present with symptoms, then I decided not to use the foods within my diet. I discovered I did not tolerate the following items well: dairy, gluten, white cane sugar, alcohol, processed meats, and eggs. After the process of completing my elimination diet, not only do I follow the anti-inflammatory diet, but I also do not eat gluten and eggs. This is important to note because all the recipes on my blog will not contain gluten or eggs. However, gluten and eggs can be part of the anti-inflammatory diet. In a sense, the recipes on my blog are a fusion of the anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding foods that I have sensitivities with.
When not tolerating foods on an elimination diet, symptoms may include: bloating, change in sleeping habits, stomach cramps, change in bowels, fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, changes in breathing, and headaches/migraines.
*Note: If you have any serious food allergies, please consult with your doctor before completing the elimination diet on your own.
What About Nightshade Vegetables?
Nightshade vegetables (even though some are technically fruit) include tomatoes, eggplant, white potatoes, and all varieties of peppers. One theory states these vegetables are called “nightshade” because they grow best in the shade and bloom in the moonlight. Many people have reported having an increase in inflammation after the consumption of nightshade vegetables. People who seem to be most susceptible to inflammation via these vegetables are those with arthritis. Currently, there is not research to provide evidence for inflammation derived from nightshade vegetables. However, nightshade vegetables belong to the “Solanaceae” family. Within these plants, there is a natural pesticide called solanine to help keep the bugs away. Many dieticians and nutritionists believe that people having inflammation with nightshade vegetables is actually a food sensitivity to solanine.
How To Start Transitioning to The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Changing your diet suddenly can be difficult for many people. Especially, when you have been eating a certain way for a long period of time. Slowly start to introduce alternatives to your diet. Below are healthier alternatives to a regular diet.
· Select poultry, fish, and legumes over red and processed meat.
· Use olive or avocado oil over butter.
· Select oats, quinoa, and brown rice over white bread, crackers, and doughnuts.
· Try to flavor your foods with a variety of herbs over using salt.
· Avoid deep-fried foods. Avoid corn, canola oil, and other vegetable oils if you consume deep-fried foods. Use olive and avocado oil whenever possible.
· Spend the majority of your time at the supermarket in the produce section.
· Put aside time during the week for you to complete meal preparations. When eating healthier less processed foods, meal prepping can take a little longer. Not everything can just be popped in the microwave.
Examples Of My Meals During the Day
Breakfast Items: Fruit & Vegan Protein Smoothies, Oatmeal Pancakes, Rice Cakes with Protein Toppings (Nut Butter, Hummus, Beans), Oatmeal, Gluten-Free Cereal With Plant Milk, Vegetable Hash, and Chia Seed Pudding
Lunch Items: Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad, Mediterranean Salad w/ Lentils, Black Bean & Corn Salad, Variety of Soups (Black Bean, Chicken & Rice, Lentil Soup), Hummus & Veggies, Rice and Bean Bowls w/ Vegetables and a Protein, and Baked Sweet Potatoes Topped With Vegetable Hash
Dinner Items: Tuna Cakes, Chicken & Rice, Variety of Seasoned Salmon w/ Veggies, Shrimp Curry, Vegetable Stuffed Chicken, Steak Salad, Muscles, Lettuce and Quinoa Bowls w/ Vegetables & Protein, Chicken Pot Roast, and Tacos
Are There Supplements That Help People Suffering from Inflammatory Issues or Diseases?
Yes, I would encourage you to take 2 important supplements if you are suffering from inflammatory issues. Before starting to take any supplements, please remember to check with your doctor. My recommendations include a daily supplement of fish oil that includes omega-3 fatty acids. Three grams a day or less is considered an adequate amount. (Note - If you eat fatty fish at least two times a week, this supplement is not needed because of your diet.) If possible, include the following foods that are high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids in your diet: Salmon, Seabass, Mackerel, Shrimp, Oysters, Sardines, Walnuts, Seaweed, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Flax Seeds, Edamame, and Kidney Beans. Click HERE to learn 17 proven health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids
Another important supplement is turmeric. Within turmeric is an active ingredient called curcumin that holds many benefits for both the body and the brain. When taking curcumin 150-250 mg a day is sufficient and when taking turmeric root powder 1000-1500 mg a day is sufficient. Turmeric and curcumin do not absorb into our bloodstream very easily. These supplements or foods need the help of black pepper or healthy fats to increase absorption. When taking a supplement, it is recommended to pair your supplement with a meal because absorption increases when paired with healthy fats. Some turmeric or curcumin supplements are also sold with black pepper within them to help with absorption. Remember when starting to take this supplement, it may take you 2-4 weeks before you start to see improvements. This is often true with arthritis. Click HERE to learn 10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric.
Who Would Benefit from the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
The anti-inflammatory diet would benefit most people no matter their height, weight, race, or gender. It helps to remove overly processed foods from our lifestyles which everyone needs. It specifically helps people that suffer from chronic inflammation or auto-immune diseases.
Please remember that this is not a fad diet that you will only be on for a few weeks. This diet is a new way of life to a healthier you. For that reason, I hate the word diet. The word diet seems like a temporary way of eating until weight loss is achieved. Instead, this is a new way of eating that is healthier for your body and could potentially lead to weight loss if you choose. That being said, I believe in following a strict diet 90% of the time. However, 10% of your life you just need to live. If you want to have that slice of cake when your grandpa turns 80 to celebrate, then do it! If you want to have a Frappuccino to celebrate your son or daughter getting into college, then do it. Just remember to only make these exceptions less than 10% of the time. Life is all about give and take. We want to be as healthy as we can be, but we also want to be as happy as we can be! Enjoy life and the anti-inflammatory diet! Be happy!
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