The anti-inflammatory diet helps you live happier and longer

First of all, what is inflammation?

Inflammation is a great thing! It’s a protective mechanism that our bodies evolved over millions of years. The redness or swelling around a paper cut or the high body temperature during a fever is your body’s way to boost the immune system and make sure that your tiny cellular guardians go and mercilessly defend you against any incoming threats like bacteria, viruses, or toxins.

But inflammation requires a very precise balance. Too much of it can be harmful. An excess of inflammation plays a role in diseases such as heart disease, type II diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, acne and has also been linked to depression.

The science-backed benefits of anti-inflammation

When a single mechanism like inflammation is connected to so many diseases, it’s easier to understand why combating inflammation can have such drastic effects on our health and prolong life.

As we age, we get more inflammation overall, which is wittily called inflammageing. Right now scientists aren’t sure yet whether inflammation is the cause of ageing or ageing is the cause of inflammation. But in a scientific article from 2012, the author states that still, if we try to reduce our chronic inflammation, we can prolong our lives.

Another study from 2021 concluded that by increasing our intake of anti-inflammatory foods and increasing the amount of physical activity, we could reduce inflammageing and counteract the effects of ageing on our bodies.

What about mood? Inflammation spread its tendrils here too. A British-American study from 2020 has shown us that inflammation consistently affects our deep brain structures involved in mood, motivation, reward systems, and anxiety. They also mention that inflammation affects the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. So, in essence, inflammation changes the very chemistry of our brains, so they begin to work differently.

What to eat and what not to – that is the question

What you eat strongly affects your body’s inflammation. And that as we just saw, affects how your brain works. Antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation, while diets high in sugar, fried foods, and refined carbs can increase inflammation. The general Western diet seems to lay heavily on the inflammatory side.

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Anti-inflammatory foods

Generally, foods high in antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids will likely be anti-inflammatory. But here are some notable ones:

• Nuts – walnuts, almonds
• Fatty fish – salmon, mackerel
• Spices – turmeric, bay leaf, rosemary
• Green tea
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fruits and vegetables – broccoli, tomatoes, blueberries
• Green leafy vegetables – spinach, kale
• Supplements – Ashwagandha, Ginkgo biloba

Honestly, this is just a brief list of possible anti-inflammatory foods, and it’s supposed to give you a general idea of where to start. But don’t limit yourself to these, there are so much more anti-inflammatory foods!

Foods that worsen inflammation

The overall rule is that if a food item has a lot of simple carbs, sugar, or fried oil, it’s probably pro-inflammatory, meaning it worsens inflammation. Red meat also contributes to inflammation. Such pro-inflammatory foods include:

• Sugary drinks – sodas, fruit juices (even natural ones)
• Sugar in general – deserts, cookies, sweetened yogurts, dried fruits
• Fried foods – french fries, chips, fried chicken
• Refined carbs – white bread, white rice, pasta
• Red meat – steaks, cold cuts, hot dogs

The list is again, just brief, to help you create an idea of what foods are pro-inflammatory. If you want to avoid pro-inflammatory foods, make sure to stay away from foods with white bread, a lot of sugar, and foods that have been fried. Poor donuts, tick all 3 categories.

The anti-inflammatory diet is hard, what should I do?

If you find it hard to exclude all of the foods mentioned above, we understand. Especially, cutting out sugar and refined carbs can be the hardest part. In those cases, you can do this: make sure to eat plenty of fiber, if your meal is heavy on sugar and refined carbs. Fiber slows digestion and the glucose from those carbs isn’t absorbed into your blood so quickly. Slower digestion should lower the inflammatory response.

To make your diet fiber-full and delightful choose wholegrain options over regular ones. Like wholegrain bread, wholegrain pasta, or wholegrain oats. Fruits and vegetables are also great sources of fiber, but make sure to not overeat fruits as they still contain moderate amounts of sugar, especially fruits like mangoes, lychees, and dried fruits.

The anti-inflammatory diet certainly requires some work. And some sacrifices. Who would want to not eat mangoes? But considering its anti-age, health-promoting, and potential mood-altering capabilities, it might be a valuable thing to try to lift you up. Both in flesh and spirit.