Ask the Doctors - Can the food we eat affect inflammation?

Dear Doctors: Can the food we eat affect chronic inflammation in the body?

In our previous column(Link is external), we addressed the first half of a two-part question about inflammation – what is it, and can it be affected by diet. In answering the first half of the question, we discussed the two main types of inflammation and how they take place.

To (briefly) recap – inflammation is the body’s immune response to a perceived threat. Acute inflammation, a short-lived reaction to injury, trauma or infection, causes swelling, redness, a sensation of heat, and pain. Chronic inflammation, a low-level reaction, takes place below the threshold of pain. As a result, it tends to fly under the radar. But unlike acute inflammation, which abates when the threat has been neutralized, chronic inflammation continues. It has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.

Does what we eat have an effect on chronic inflammation? Research shows(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) that yes, components of certain foods can activate the inflammatory response, and others inhibit it.

Unfortunately, many staples of the modern diet encourage inflammation. Refined carbohydrates and processed foods like chips, sodas, sugary breakfast cereals, luncheon meats, fried foods, red meat, candy bars, breakfast pastries and that addictive ice blended mocha with a swirl of whipped cream, all have an inflammatory effect.

Foods that combat inflammation are high in natural antioxidants and contain polyphenols, which are beneficial compounds found in plants. These include:

• Dark leafy greens like spinach, collard greens and kale
• Vegetables like cabbage and broccoli
• Beans are both high in fiber and antioxidants
• Whole grains are high in fiber and help with inflammation
• Choose protein sources that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna
• No, you don’t have to completely cut out beef. But use it sparingly, more as a condiment rather than as the main event
• Lose the sunflower, canola and corn oil and choose olive oil instead
• Satisfy your sweet tooth with strawberries, cherries, raspberries, apples or blueberries
• Need a snack? Swap out that bag of potato chips for a handful of almonds or walnuts.

While it’s never too late to change your diet for the better, research here at UCLA suggests that it can’t be done too soon. According to the findings of a recent study, women who ate a diet high in inflammatory foods during their adolescent years had a statistically greater risk of developing pre-menopausal breast cancer as adults. The thinking is that chronic inflammation associated with diet contributed to the increase in breast cancer risk.

The research into inflammation and diet has good news, too. Participants in a clinical trial at Ohio State University who ate an anti-inflammatory diet high in fish, fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains did better on bone density tests than did their chips- and sugar-eating counterparts.

How to move forward? There’s no shortage of books and cookbooks devoted to anti-inflammatory eating. Grab your library card and hit the stacks – the results will be both healthful and delicious.

Eve Glazier, MD., MBA(Link opens in new window), and Elizabeth Ko, MD.(Link opens in new window), are internists at UCLA Health. Dr. Glazier is an associate professor of medicine; Dr. Ko is an assistant professor of medicine.

Ask the Doctors is a syndicated column first published by UExpress syndicate.