Inflammation is the natural biological response of vascular tissues to harmful pathogens, irritants, or damaged cells. It is a mechanism of innate immunity of the body to stop the initial cause of cell injury and fire up healing. While acute inflammation on the surface is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain, some types of inflammation persists where it damages the body, and causes illness.
Types of Inflammation
Inflammation can either be acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is usually a short-term protective responseof the body to remove any injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process. In this classification, inflammation is not an infection but as a result of injured tissues or bacterial pathogens. It appears within a few minutes or hours and can restore to health upon the removal of the harmful stimulus.
Chronic inflammation is a persistent (months or years) acute inflammation caused by non-degradable pathogens, viral infection, persistent foreign bodies, or autoimmune reactions. Several studies show that the root cause of some serious diseases such as heart diseases, many cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease is chronic inflammation. It is triggered by stress, lack of exercise, exposure to toxins, genetic predisposition, and type of diet.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
One of the preventive measures you can do to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation is to getting rid of foods thought to cause inflammationfrom your diet.Dietary choices have a very important role in controlling the onset and severity of inflammation since certain foods can aggravate infection. Similarly, existing health conditions can be made better or worse depending on the person’s diet. This is the logic behindthe anti-inflammatory diet not only to help patients with inflammatory diseases not only heal but also to maintain overall wellness.
This diet is composed of healthy, wholesome and unprocessed foodsthat promise steady energy and ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, dietary fiber, and protective phytonutrients. The anti-inflammatory diet suggests the following foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as wild salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, flax and walnuts; colorful, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like berries, broccoli, carrots, and spinach; oils that provide monounsaturated fats like extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, hempseed oil and walnut oil; herbs and spices like curry, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers; lean protein sources such as chicken; and plenty of whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat. This diet suggests lower consumption on red meat and full-fat dairy foods, as well as refined or processed foods.
Why The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The anti-inflammatory diet is unlike any of your typical diet – it doesn’t promise weight loss but simply supports the body in maintaining optimum health. The idea behind this diet is the fact that the body is capable of making its own anti-inflammatory compounds as long as we eat the right foods.
Healthcare providers adhere to the general concept that out-of-control inflammation in the body can give rise to poor health, and that eating certain types of food to avoid constant inflammation promotes better health and can ward off disease.Preventive and natural healthcare professionals acknowledge that this anti-inflammation eating is more effective for some health problems than others for the reason that it provides steady energy and ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids dietary fiber, and protective phytonutrients.
The best thing that you can do to fight harmful pathogens and reduce inflammation is by maintaining a healthy body through a balanced diet, enough sleep and exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular visitto your healthcare provider.
