What If You Could Change Your Life? (Part 1)

Now, admittedly, that is a pretty bold statement, but let’s go a little further to understand the basis for the assertion. First, we will talk about removing something that has very negative impacts: inflammation. Second, in the next article in this three-part series, we will cover intermittent fasting and the astounding benefits experienced through that practice.

Key Takeaway

You can not control everything in your life, but the two dietary practices we are discussing here, Inflammation Free (‘IF”) diet and Intermittent Fasting (also ‘IF’), can greatly reduce the primary factors that cause poor health and illness. Furthermore, they then add benefits that will greatly improve the quality and length of your life. The combination of these two, as a win-win combination, is what I affectionately refer to as ‘Double IF’.

Inflammation refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that it senses will harm it, such as infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to protect and heal itself. When something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger a response from your immune system.

This response from your immune system includes the release of antibodies and proteins, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area. The whole process usually lasts for a few hours or days in the case of acute inflammation.

Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers over a prolonged period, leaving your body in a constant state of alert. Over time, chronic inflammation may have a negative impact on your tissues and organs. Research suggests that chronic inflammation could also play a role in a range of conditions, from cancer to asthma.

In the realm of dietary practices aimed at promoting longevity and quality of life, few strategies are as beneficial as adopting an inflammation-free diet. Chronic inflammation is a pervasive issue that can contribute to a host of serious health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding how dietary choices influence inflammatory processes is crucial for maintaining optimal health. This article provides an updated perspective on the inflammation-free diet, outlining its principles, benefits, and actionable guidelines for reducing inflammation through nutrition.

Understanding Chronic Inflammation and Its Impacts

Chronic inflammation acts as a silent aggressor, often going undetected while it undermines health. Unlike acute inflammation, which is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, chronic inflammation persists over time, potentially leading to tissue damage and various diseases.

Key Points:

• Definition and Mechanism: Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, dysregulated immune response that involves various cells and inflammatory mediators.
• Health Implications: It is associated with several non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and various forms of cancer.

Inflammatory Responses in the Brain

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, which are hallmark features of the condition. In response to these abnormal protein accumulations, the brain’s immune cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes, initiate an inflammatory response. Normally, this response helps to clear harmful debris and damaged cells. However, in Alzheimer’s disease, this inflammatory response becomes chronic and can contribute to neuronal damage and loss.

Chronic Inflammation as a Driver of Disease Progression

Research has shown that chronic inflammation in the brain can exacerbate the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease in several ways:

Enhancing Plaque Accumulation:

• Chronic inflammation can increase the production and accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides, the main components of amyloid plaques.

Impairment of Clearance Mechanisms:

• Inflammation can impair the brain’s ability to clear out amyloid-beta effectively, leading to further accumulation.

Tau Pathology:

• Inflammatory processes can also accelerate the formation of tau tangles, another pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. Tau proteins become abnormally phosphorylated and form aggregates, which disrupts neuronal function and leads to cell death.

Direct Neuronal Damage:

• Inflammatory cytokines and chemokines released during chronic inflammation can directly damage neurons, either by inducing apoptosis (cell death) or by interfering with neuronal signaling.

In addition to local inflammation in the brain, systemic inflammation (inflammation throughout the body) has also been linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic systemic inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis, are known risk factors for Alzheimer’s. The inflammatory mediators from these systemic conditions can cross the blood-brain barrier and contribute to the inflammatory milieu within the brain.

The relationship between chronic inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease suggests potential therapeutic targets. Anti-inflammatory drugs and interventions that can modulate the immune response, reduce inflammatory mediators, or enhance the clearance of amyloid-beta could potentially slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Current research is focused on identifying specific inflammatory pathways that could be targeted by new drugs or dietary interventions.

What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation?

Acute inflammation often causes noticeable symptoms, such as pain, redness, or swelling. But chronic inflammation symptoms are usually more subtle. This makes these symptoms easy to overlook.

Common symptoms of chronic inflammation include:

• Fatigue and low energy.
• Low-grade fever that is persistent or frequent.
• Digestive issues like constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
• Skin problems like rashes and eczema.
• Frequent infections.

These symptoms can range from mild to severe and last for several months or years.

What Causes Chronic Inflammation?

Understanding what triggers chronic inflammation and recognizing its subtle symptoms can guide better lifestyle choices. Several things can cause chronic inflammation, including:

• Untreated causes of acute inflammation, such as an infection or injury.
• An autoimmune disorder, which involves your immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue.
• Long-term exposure to irritants, such as industrial chemicals or polluted air.

Keep in mind that these factors don’t cause chronic inflammation (perhaps at all or to the same degree) in everyone. In addition, some cases of chronic inflammation don’t even have a clear underlying cause.

Experts also believe that a range of factors may also contribute to chronic inflammation, such as:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Alcohol
• Chronic Stress
• Inflammatory foods and drinks you put into your body (we will get into this shortly)

How Does Chronic Inflammation Impact the Body?

When you have chronic inflammation, your body’s inflammatory response can eventually start damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring.

All of these reactions are linked to the development of several diseases, including:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Asthma 
• Autoimmune diseases
• Allergies
• Prostrate Disease
• Neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease

SUMMARY

Most of what ails us, shortening our lives and making us feel poorly along the way, can be traced to the harmful effects of a long-term inflammatory response in our body. And most of what is triggering this response is within our control.

What Can Be Done?

If you can accept what has been presented so far, that chronic inflammation has very negative health consequences and that most of what is triggering that inflammation is in our control, the obvious next question is what can be done.

The following factors are controllable, even though we may not want to admit it, but are also beyond the scope of this article:

• Smoking (It may be addictive, but it is not impossible to quit)
• Obesity (We can address this to a degree in this article and then further in Part 2: Intermittent Fasting)
• Alcohol (We can address this from a dietary perspective here, but not in terms of alcohol abuse)
• Chronic Stress
• Toxic environmental conditions at work and home

Notwithstanding the list of factors listed above, the remainder and perhaps most significant underlying factor of chronic inflammation is what you decide to put into your body, including smoke and alcohol, but also all the other foods and drinks you consume.

So now you must be thinking, an inflammation free diet (IF) must be complex, esoteric, and otherwise unobtainable; otherwise, why wouldn’t everyone be doing this for themselves.  

Well, all it takes is desire, discipline, and knowledge. You are going to have to provide the desire and discipline, but we will get started on the knowledge right now, and in fact, the basics are really easy to understand. Part of the challenge is that it is going to fly in the face of a lifestyle that you were likely brought up with, or have become comfortable with as an adult.

Here is a fairly easy set of lists highlighting foods you should stay away from, consume sparingly, and those that are truly beneficial from an inflammation perspective.

The Principles of an Inflammation-Free Diet

At its core, an inflammation-free diet involves selecting foods that are known to reduce inflammation, while avoiding those that can trigger or exacerbate it.

1. Foods to Include:

• Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables: Blueberries, oranges, bell peppers, and spinach.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Sources like salmon and flaxseeds.
• Whole Grains: Such as oats and brown rice.
• Healthy Fats: Including olive oil and avocados.

2. Foods to Avoid:

• Processed Foods and Sugars: Such as white bread and soda.
• High-Fat and Processed Meats: Like bacon and hot dogs.
• Dairy Products: Particularly full-fat versions.

Practical Tips for Implementing an Inflammation-Free Diet

Transitioning to an inflammation-free diet requires more than just knowing what to eat. Here are practical steps to integrate these principles into daily life:

• Gradual Changes: Start by introducing more fruits and vegetables, replacing processed foods gradually with whole foods.
• Read Labels: Be vigilant about hidden sugars and unhealthy fats in packaged foods.
• Cook at Home: Prepare meals from scratch to control ingredients and avoid unwanted additives.

Comprehensive List of Foods to Eat and Avoid

Fresh Fruits

• Pineapple, Watermelon, grapefruit, grapes, blueberries, bananas, apples, mangos, peaches, tomatoes, pomegranates, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, oranges, raspberries, blackberries, apricots, bananas, citrus, cranberries, figs, kiwi, mangos, melons, stone fruit

Dried Fruit

•  Plums 

Cruciferous Vegetables, raw or moderately cooked

• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, arugula, cabbage collard greens, kale, kohirabi, mizuna, mustard green, radish greens, romanesco broccoli, and bok choy 

Allums

• Chives, garlic, leeks, onions, scallions, and shallots

Dark leafy greens

• Romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard

Root vegetables

• Beets, carrots, celery root, celeriac, radishes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, winter squash

Other Vegetables

• Asparagus, bell peppers, corn, fermented probiotic vegetables, green beans, mushrooms

Plant-based proteins

•  Chickpeas, seitan, and lentils 

Fatty fish

• Salmon (particularly), sardines, tuna fish, herring, lake trout, and mackerel 

Whole and ancient grains

• Quinoa, amaranth, oats, dark-colored rice, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, popcorn, teff, and whole wheat/grain/seeds bread

Seeds

• Chia, flaxseed, hemp, mustard, poppy, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower

Nightshades

• Tomatoes, potatoes (primarily yellow and purple), bell peppers (especially red)

Beans/Legumes

• Lentils

Proteins

• Beans, tofu, tempeh

Omega-3

• Fatty fish like salmon and sardines, walnuts and flaxseed

Oils and fats

• Olive, walnut, and pumpkin

Nuts

• Pecans, walnuts, and almonds 

Herbs and spices

• Basil, bay leaf, cilantro, cinnamon, clove, dill ginger, mint, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, ginger

Foods loaded up with omega-3 unsaturated fats

• Avocado and olive oil 

Drinks

• Kombucha
• Coffee, Green tea 
• Red wine (with some restraint)

Treats

• Dark chocolate (with some restraint) 

Probiotics and prebiotics

• High-fiber vegetables, whole grains, and beans (black beans, chickpeas, and lentils)
• Yogurt, pickles (watch the sodium intake), sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi

Natural Sugars

• Honey, maple syrup, molasses

Foods to consume sparingly

Meats

• Skin-on poultry (especially dark meat)
• Very lean meat like pork tenderloin
• Grass-fed beef (very, very rarely)

Fats and Oils

• Corn, sunflower, sesame, safflower, soy, coconut

Whole and Ancient Grains

• Barley, emmer, farro, rye, spelt, wheat berries, whole-grain breads, bulgur, couscous, pastas

Nuts and Seeds

• Peanuts
• Tree Nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, cashews, macadamias, pistachios)

Dairy

• Fermented probiotic dairy, low/nonfat dairy

Proteins

• Eggs, fish, pork, poultry, shellfish, soy

Other

• Dark chocolate, wine

Foods to not eat

Fats and Oils

• Butter, lard, margarine

Dairy

• Full-fat dairy (butter, cheese, cream…)

Refined carbohydrates, 

• White bread, pastries, grain-based snacks

Sugars

• Refined or processed sugars (white, brown, confectioners, high fructose corn syrup

Fried Foods

• French fries, tempura, and other fried foods

Drinks

• Soda and other sugar-sweetened (and high sodium) beverages

Processed Foods

• In general, processed foods have more unnatural and unhealthy ingredients like sugar/sweeteners, unhealthy oils, preservatives, and the further you get from fresh and raw, the less good and more harm a food is likely to do.
• High sodium foods

Processed Meats 

• Hotdogs, sausages, bacon

Red meat 

• Burgers, steaks and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)

Glutens

• Wheat, Barley, and Rye

SUMMARY

There are profound health benefits to be had be eliminating inflammatory foods and drinks in your diet.  The guidelines are not that complex and it with a little effort, it is not that hard to begin a new diet that is super healthy.

Conclusion

After reviewing these lists, you can see it is not as easy as changing your brand of coffee creamer. But think about it, hasn’t a certain malaise slowly crept into your life over the years? And if you are like most of us, you have just resigned yourself to the idea that this must just be part of getting older. But if you want to feel substantially better, live longer, and greatly reduce your chance for some major illnesses, giving you a higher quality of life well into your senior years, then this is something to take very seriously.

If you are willing to take the next step, you can do some more research on the Web or possibly get some books from your favorite bookseller (e.g., Amazon). Just search on terms like ‘inflammation free diet’ and ‘anti-inflammatory diet. If you currently are not much of a cook, don’t let that put you off; you will get the added benefit of being proud of what you put on the table and saving money by making your meals from scratch.

Next week, we will cover Intermittent Fasting. Where an inflammation-free diet removes harmful foods from your diet, intermittent fasting boosts your health in ways and to the degree you really can not imagine. 

If you would like to read part 2 (Intermittent Fasting), you can access it here.

All text © 2024 James M. Sims and all images exclusive rights belong to James M. Sims and Midjourney or DALL-E, unless otherwise noted.

References

Here is a reference bibliography for the article, with URLs included where available:

On Chronic Inflammation and its Impacts:

1. Harvard Health Publishing – “Understanding Acute and Chronic Inflammation” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-acute-and-chronic-inflammation)
2. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – “Inflammation” (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/inflammation/index.cfm)
3. Mayo Clinic – “Chronic Inflammation: Symptoms and Causes” (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-inflammation/symptoms-causes/syc-20352856)

On Inflammation and Alzheimer’s Disease:

1. Alzheimer’s Association – “Inflammation and Alzheimer’s Disease” (https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/research_progress/prevention/inflammation)
2. Nature Reviews Neurology – “Inflammation in Alzheimer disease: mechanisms and therapeutic approaches” (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-019-0284-2)
3. National Institute on Aging – “Inflammation and Alzheimer’s Disease” (https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/inflammation-and-alzheimers-disease)

On Anti-Inflammatory Diet:

1. Harvard Health Publishing – “Foods that Fight Inflammation” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation)
2. Arthritis Foundation – “The Ultimate Arthritis Diet” (https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/anti-inflammatory/the-ultimate-arthritis-diet)
3. Mayo Clinic – “Anti-inflammatory diet: What to know” (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/multimedia/inflammation/sls-20076625)

Please note that some of the references, particularly books and reports without direct URLs, have been provided in the standard citation format with the available details. 

Resources