Nutrition and Inflammation: What Foods Are Good and What to Avoid
Dietary choices have a tremendous impact on inflammation. In fact, following an anti-inflammatory diet is the best way to manage the issue long term. Medical research shows that several chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's, and even depression can be linked back to inflammation.
Multidisciplinary Snot Force Alliance Webcast with Neuro-otologist, Dr. Laura Brainard, and Otolaryngologist, Dr. Amalia Steinberg
The recent Snot Force Assemble! CME webcast explored the link between nutrition and inflammation with Dr. Laura Brainard of Henry Ford Health System and Dr. Amalia Steinberg of Alaska Native Medical Center. Learning was maximized as different specialists interacted and shared their case-based experiences throughout the meeting.
Read on to learn more information on how nutrition and inflammation are more interconnected than you think.
The Diagnosis Matters
While an anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial for all patients, an accurate diagnosis of the patient's condition will give you more insight into which specific foods to recommend. For instance, people with light gastrointestinal problems may not have to make massive changes to their diet to get better.
However, if the condition diagnosed is severe or life-threatening, then you may have to give them a detailed diet sheet with instructions on portion sizes and calorie counts. Similarly, it's also important to diagnose and analyze how persistently and frequently the issue occurs. Prolonged inflammation is linked to problems like diabetes, cardiac conditions, and obesity. Changes in eating habits can also do wonders for patients diagnosed with chronic skeletal and muscular conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.
Foods with Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Anti-inflammatory foods are an essential part of the healing process. While these foods will not magically cure the condition, they can definitely reduce the number of flare-ups. Whole grains, leafy vegetables, plant-based proteins, fish, berries, fruits, and vegetables are all great examples of anti-inflammatory foods. Studies show that people who consume blueberry powder regularly produce more Natural Killer cells than others. This is because berries contain anthocyanins, which are antioxidants.
Foods rich in Vitamin-K like spinach, broccoli, kale, and cabbage are excellent choices to fight inflammation. Other coniferous vegetables like cauliflower and Brussel-sprouts also have anti-inflammatory oxidants in them. Whole grains like wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, and other high-fiber foods can be recommended for people with inflammation. Furthermore, spices, condiments, and herbs like turmeric, garlic, and cumin are also good options.
Fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies have DHA and EPA that can help reduce inflammation considerably. These elements also help prevent issues like metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Foods that Cause Inflammation
From a food and nutrition perspective, there are several foods that can actually trigger or aggravate inflammation. In general, foods that are high in sugar or foods that are highly spicy or acidic should be avoided.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is another major food substance that people with inflammation should consider avoiding. Studies show that mice that were fed HFCS developed breast cancer partly because of the inflammatory response to sugar. Similarly, carbonated drinks are loaded with sugar and can increase levels of uric acids in the body, which causes inflammation and also insulin resistance.
If you’re looking for more information on nutrition to manage inflammation, get in touch with Snot Force Alliance Inc. We specialize in providing valuable information and collaboration opportunities to medical professionals and organizations.
