GET STARTED WITH ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIETS
What is an anti-inflammatory diet? It is an eating pattern that help to lower inflammation in the body, the main driver of chronic health conditions. Not many people know this, but there are few types of anti-inflammatory diets to choose from, depending on what you need/want to achieve. As a rule of thumb, they all focus on whole foods, increasing the amounts of fruit and vegetables, while decreasing processed foods. IS an anti-inflammatory diet gluten free? Not necessarily, sometimes gluten can be avoided for a short period, but it is not a rule. Within every diet there are variations, according to the personal circumstances, but below you can see the standard recommendations for each type.
INFLAMMATION AND HEALTH
Anti-inflammatory diets are becoming increasingly popular to support the body during many health concerns. We don’t often realise that inflammation is a good thing, and we certainly need it short term. Think about an injury: if you cut your finger, the wound becomes red and inflamed, this helps flooding the damaged tissue with immune cells to fight possible pathogens and to promote healing. The main issue is when inflammation goes on long term, leading to tissue destruction and creating a vicious cycle. This is a classic feature of chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure and autoimmune diseases (think of IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis, to name a few). The foods that we ingest on a regular basis can either promote or hinder inflammation by proving the body with either antioxidants, vitamin and minerals, or oxidants, sugars and man-made chemicals. By taking this into consideration, we now understand that, for many people, anti-inflammatory diets are certainly a great option to not only decrease inflammation in the body, but also to start eating a healthier diet. How long it takes for an anti-inflammatory diet to work? It is very personal, it can take anywhere from 3 weeks to over 3 months, according to the severity and length of symptoms. There is so much research around them, but there is also so much confusion. Do you know there are in fact different types of anti-inflammatory diet that can be suitable for different goals? Let’s explore them together!
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
This is the most known diet, rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and unrefined carbohydrates. Over the last few decades research has been shown that this type of eating is correlated to better health, longevity and is also linked to improved type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular health. It is a diet that most people can adopt, even without specific health concern. The Mediterranean diet is not very restrictive, hence is quite easy to follow, even long term. In my clinic I noticed that the easiest way to do it is to plan all meals around fruit or vegetables, and then adding the other elements.
What to eat?
Daily portions of fruit, vegetables, beans and whole grains; olive oil as the primary source of fat; fish twice a week; nuts and seeds; herbs and spices. White meat, eggs and dairy can be consumed in moderation, while red meat can be eaten occasionally.
What to avoid/limit?
Baked goods like bread and cakes; processed meats like sausages; foods with added sugars like cakes, fizzy drinks and candies; refined oils like grapeseed and soyabean; fried foods.
AIP (AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL)
Another anti-inflammatory diet is the AIP, which seems particularly helpful for individuals that suffer from autoimmune conditions. This diet consists of 2 stages: it starts with the elimination phase, where are avoided the major allergens, along with foods that could prevent nutrients absorption. This phase can last anywhere between 3 weeks to over 3 months, depending on when the individual sees a marked reduction of symptoms. It then follows the reintroduction phase, where the avoided foods are slowly reintroduced one by one to check for possible reactions. It is a difficult diet to follow, particularly in social situations, so it can feel isolating and very restrictive. It is also challenging to keep it balanced when individuals react to many foods, hence it’s best to ask for the help of a qualified nutritionist to do it safely.
What to eat?
All vegetables, except nightshades and algae, can be eaten freely; fruit can be consumed in moderation due to its higher sugar content; fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt are encouraged; unprocessed meats and fish; high quality oils such as olive, coconut and avocado; herbs and spices (except the ones derived from seeds); bone broth, vinegar and honey/maple syrup in moderation.
What to avoid?
During the elimination phase, are avoided: all grains (like barley, wheat, rice), nightshade vegetables (like tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, potatoes), dairy, legumes, eggs, nuts and seeds, on top of refined foods, sugar, alcohol and coffee. After the reintroduction phase, individuals should avoid only the foods that cause a reaction.
DASH DIET (DIETARY APPROACHES TO STOP HYPERTENSION)
Individuals that struggle with high blood pressure might want to try the DASH diet. Created in the 90’s in the USA, this diet has been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce CRP, a marker of inflammation by adding particular nutrients like potassium, magnesium and calcium.
What to eat?
Grains, 6 to 8 portions (depending on your daily requirements of calories); 4 to 5 portions of any type of vegetables; 4 to 5 portions of fruit; 2 to 3 portions of low-fat dairy products; 1 portion of lean meat or fish; 2 to 3 portions of quality oils/fats (which is between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon for each portion); 4 to 5 portions a week of nuts, seeds and legumes.
What to avoid/limit?
The reduction of salt and processed foods is the main aim of the diet. Swapping regular salt for herbs and spices is a quick win to preserve the taste of foods, although it takes couple of weeks to adjust the taste buds to the new regimen. Limit the amount of added sugar to a maximum of 5 portions per week.
SIDE NOTE
Some individuals may experience food sensitivities, that is when the body reacts to higher consumption of certain foods by increasing the white blood cells and therefore promoting inflammation. Common sensitivities are gluten, dairy, soya and night shades. If you think you are reacting to a specific food, talk to your healthcare practitioner for advice on how to proceed.
CONCLUSION
An unrefined diet, rich in fruit and vegetables is often the best option, and depending on your health goals one of the above might help you feeling better. If you don’t have any health issues, the Mediterranean diet can be an excellent choice to follow long term.
REFERENCES
Abbott, R.D. Sadowski, A. Alt, A.G. (2019). Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as Part of a Multi-disciplinary, Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Cureus, 11(4):e4556. doi: 10.7759/cureus.4556. PMID: 31275780; PMCID: PMC6592837.
Chandrasekaran, A. Groven, S. Lewis, J.D et el. (2019). An Autoimmune Protocol Diet Improves Patient-Reported Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohns Colitis 360, 1(3):otz019. doi: 10.1093/crocol/otz019. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31832627; PMCID: PMC6892563.
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Filippou, C.D. Tsioufis, C.P. Thomopoulos, C.G. Et el. (2020). Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet and Blood Pressure Reduction in Adults with and without Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Advances in Nutrition, 11(5), pp.1150-1160. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa041. PMID: 32330233; PMCID: PMC7490167.
Ricker, M.A. Haas, W.C. (2017). Anti-Inflammatory Diet in Clinical Practice: A Review. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 32(3), pp.318-325. doi: 10.1177/0884533617700353. Epub 2017 Mar 28. PMID: 28350517.
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