You Are What You Eat. Reduce Inflammation With These Food Choices
Chronic inflammation is one of those "too much of a good thing" situations in which inflammation levels stay high when we're not sick, setting us up for health issues like cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and metabolic conditions like Type 2 diabetes.
As much as a third of us have chronic inflammation and may not know it because there's no way to test for it.
What we eat--and how it's prepared--is linked to the likelihood of developing cancers, depression, autism, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease, among other conditions.
What's an anti-inflammatory diet?
A Mediterranean-style diet of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains that's low in saturated fats with dairy in moderation has been associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases, including mental health conditions.
This way of eating can reduce the risk of depression by 33%!
There's a correlation vs causation factor here, as people who eat a healthier diet are more likely to practice other healthy habits.
Still, studies in lab dishes, animals, and people find anti-inflammatory responses to certain ingredients, including turmeric, oily fish, apples, avocados, carrots, and leafy greens.
Food interactions: How foods are combined can affect their anti-inflammatory impact. Eating a tomato salad with a source of fat such as avocados or a little cheese may better lower chronic inflammation than tomatoes eaten alone.
Food Preparation: Baked potatoes affect the immune system differently than French fries....and potato chips.... ??
What makes inflammation worse?
Diets high in red meat and saturated fats, highly processed, and sugary foods appear to boost inflammation and accelerate the development of disease.
Those kinds of foods make up nearly 60% of calories consumed in the U.S.!
For every 100-gram increase in highly processed foods, research found a 4% rise in C-reactive protein, made by the liver in response to inflammation and a marker of inflammation in the body.
Your gut microbiome could save your life
The bacteria in your intestines not only digest food, they communicate with your immune system and influence how much inflammation your body produces.
The greater the diversity of microbes, the better. When certain species start to dominate the ecosystem, the immune system is less able to respond appropriately or fight off diseases.
That's why taking probiotics or supplements isn't a good idea--you don't know what you need or what you're getting.
Instead, eat a variety of foods, particularly fermented foods, which give the gut microbiome a boost.
Fiber is a big piece of the puzzle.
One study found a link between gut microbes that help digest fiber and responsiveness to a type of cancer immunotherapy called immune checkpoint blockade, or ICB.
After getting amazing results in mice, they found the same results in melanoma patients. Every 5-gram increase in daily fiber intake resulted in a 30% lower risk of progression or death from the disease!
When will we ever learn?
Hippocrates said 2400 years ago: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Recipe Of The Week
Anti-Inflammatory Lemony Salmon & Orzo Casserole
You'll like the bright, light, lemony flavor of this one-dish meal.
Don't you love one-dish meals?!
The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon can help tame inflammation and may even help lower blood pressure.
I substituted Right Rice for the orzo to add a little more nutrition and green onions for leeks because I was in a hurry..... as always....
1 small lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 leeks, light green and white parts only, thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 C.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, divided
4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups whole-wheat orzo
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 ? pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
? teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill plus 1/4 cup, divided
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut lemon in half crosswise. Thinly slice 1 lemon half; remove and discard seeds and lemon end. Juice the remaining lemon half to yield 1 tablespoon juice; set aside. Place the lemon slices, tomatoes, leeks, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon capers in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; toss to combine.
Bake uncovered until the tomatoes have begun to burst and the lemon has softened, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven; gently stir in broth, orzo and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with foil. Bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is al dente, 20 to 26 minutes.
Season salmon and asparagus with pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt; drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Once the orzo is al dente, remove the baking dish from the oven; stir in the asparagus and 2 tablespoons dill. Nestle the salmon into the orzo mixture. Bake uncovered, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 10 minutes.
Combine the reserved 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon capers and 1/4 cup dill in a small bowl. Serve the sauce alongside the casserole.
Serving Size 1 1/4 cups casserole & 1 T. sauce Calories 391, Protein 25g
Fall is finally here--have a fabulous week!
Susan