You may not realise it, but your diet plays a huge role in your wellbeing. Sure, you know about foods that affect your weight and energy levels, but what about those that put your wellness at risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis? Luckily, author and registered dietician Elizabeth Somer is here to explain all.
According to Somer, author of Eat Your Way To Happiness and Eat Your Way to Sexy, there are two types of inflammation in your body; acute and chronic. While the former is actually useful, chronic inflammation is the root of many diseases. ‘Inflammation is the body’s natural response to healing,’ she explains. ‘Acute inflammation works great for healing a cut finger or a bumped head. The white blood cells and their chemicals get in, do their job and get out. But too much of a good thing leads to problems. Chronic inflammation damages, rather than repairs, tissues. When inflammation is too intense or prolonged, it produces diseases instead of healing.’
But where does your diet come into it? Somer asserts, ‘The wrong diet or lifestyle choices sets up a constant irritant in the body, damaging arteries, which can lead to heart disease or dementia, or inflaming tissues, which can lead to cancer, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.’ A scary thought, but the more concerning thing to note is that you may not even notice when you do have chronic inflammation. Somer warns ‘You won’t feel it, but you can check for markers. If any part of you is inflamed, a marker called C reactive protein or CRP, will be high in your blood. If your value is more than 1mg/L, you are at risk.’ Her advice? Get it checked.
The best treatment for any chronic disease is prevention, and Somer argues that this starts by avoiding dietary triggers. These include:
- Saturated fats in meat and fatty dairy products
- Trans fats in processed and fast foods
- Omega-6 fats in oils
- Sugar
- Refined grains
- Potatoes
- Fried foods
- Palm or coconut oils
- Pastries
- Processed meats like hot dogs and deli meats
Fats make up the first three items on this list and with good reason. Somer comments, ‘Saturated and trans fats damage blood vessel walls, which triggers the immune response associated with inflammation and encourages blood fats, like cholesterol, to stick and become imbedded in the artery walls, leading to atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart disease, stroke, and even some forms of dementia.’ And what about omega-6? ‘The fats in safflower or corn oil are called omega-6 fats and they promote inflammation,’ Somer points out. ‘A specific omega-6 fat, called arachidonic acid, found in meats, is a particularly potent inflammation promoter.’
So, that’s what you get rid of, but what should you include in your anti-inflammatory diet?
1. Whole grains: ‘Make them chewy, not fluffy,’ Somer suggests. ‘This means breads with hunks of whole grain, old-fashioned or steel-cut oats, brown rice and pasta cooked al dente.’
2. Colourful fruits and vegetables: Somer notes, ‘The more phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables you eat, the more you boost your body’s defenses against disease. Aim for at least nine servings a day.’
3. Anti-inflammatory fats: ‘Include one or more omega-3-rich foods in your daily diet, preferably fatty fish or foods fortified with a sustainable, algae-based omega-3 DHA, and use only olive oil,’ Somer recommends. ‘You can also take supplements.’
4. Antioxidants: ‘Extra-virgin olive oil, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, soy, whole grains, green tea and certain spices, such as turmeric and ginger, prevent tissue damage that otherwise triggers the inflammatory response,’ Somer urges. ‘These foods are the best dietary sources of antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta carotene, as well as thousands of phytonutrients, such as flavonoids. Antioxidants block highly reactive oxygen fragments called free radicals that otherwise damage the genetic code, cell membranes and proteins, [which can lead] to heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.’