Top Foods to Fight Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural body function that protects us from injury and illness. But if it goes on too long, it can become harmful, especially among “older” adults. Chronic inflammation is linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s.

Exercise, not smoking, and staying at a proper weight help to lower inflammation. And so does diet, scientists say.

“Many experimental studies have shown that components of foods or beverages may have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health.
Foods that fight inflammation include:

• Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, collards
• Almonds, walnuts, and other nuts
• Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines)
• Fruits, including berries, cherries, apples, and oranges
• Green tea, possibly coffee
• Turmeric, ginger, garlic, chia seeds

The Mediterranean diet is particularly effective. It includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
Foods that cause inflammation:

• White bread, pastries, and other refined carbohydrates
• Fried foods, including French fries
• Soda and other beverages with sugar
• Red meat and processed meat
• Full-fat dairy products
• Margarine, shortening, vegetable oils
• Excessive alcohol

“A diet designed for weight loss not only helps people shed unwanted pounds and keep them off, it also may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other degenerative conditions, in part by ‘turning down the heat’ of chronic inflammation generated by excess adipose tissue (fat),” says Vanderbilt University.

Sources: WebMD, National Institutes of Health, The Arthritis Foundation

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