Inflammation & Diet

1)      What is Inflammation

Inflammation is a response to harmful stimuli including pathogens, damaged cells or irritants.  It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process.  Don’t confuse it with infection; caused by pathogens, Inflammation is rather the body’s response to the pathogen itself.  Inflammation is necessary for wounds and infections to heal.

However, chronic inflammation has been shown to lead to diseases (i.e. hay fever, periodontitis, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and even cancer).  Although inflammation can be both acute or chronic, prolonged inflammation (Chronic) leads to a progressive shift in the type of cells present at site of inflammation and is characterized by simultaneous destruction and healing of tissue from inflammatory process.

Importantly, in our society where 55-65% of adults are overweight/obese, excess weight, specifically in the omental area (surrounding the organs) has been linked to increased inflammation, likely due to infiltrates in the liver and other organs and the metabolic activity of the fat itself.

Evidence suggests that the diet that we consume can influence our inflammatory pathways, either by increasing inflammation or increasing anti-inflammation (i.e. decreasing inflammation).

2)      Foods that increase inflammation (i.e. foods to limit).

Many foods have been implicated in increasing the body’s inflammatory response, often because the body perceives them to be pathogens.  Our gut cells evolved long before the onset of agriculture, so many of the products of agriculture tend to elicit an inflammatory response in many people.

• Bagels
• Breads, rolls, baked goods
• Candy, Cake, Cookies, Crackers
• Cereals (except old fashioned oatmeal)
• Cornstarch
• Corn bread & muffins
• Corn syrup
• Croissants, Doughnuts
• Egg rolls
• Fast food
• French Fries
• Fruit juices
• Fried foods
• Flour
• Granola
• Hard cheese (except for feta and grating cheeses, such as Romano and Parmesan)
• Honey
• Hot dogs
• Ice cream, frozen yogurt
• Jams, preserves
• Margarine
• Molasses
• Muffins
• Noodles
• Pancakes, Pastry
• Pie, Waffles
• Pita bread
• Pizza
• Pasta
• Popcorn
• Potatoes
• Pudding
• Relish
• Rice
• Sherbet
• Shortening
• Snack foods (i.e. potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, rice cake, etc.)
• Soda, Sugar
• Tacos, Tortillas

General rule is that the more highly processed a food is (i.e. refined carbohydrates, saturated fats), the more it will increase inflammation via cytokine release, so limit your exposure to processed foods.

Additionally, the fat from sick animals (conventionally farmed) is linked to a host of inflammatory conditions and other health challenges.  So limit your exposure to fat content from conventionally farmed animals.

Omega-6 fats are also pro-inflammatory.  Rich sources include corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed and soybean oils.  These are essential fats, but the optimal ratio between anti-inflammatory (omega-3 oils) and these pro-inflammatory omega-6 oils is 1 part (omega-3):4 parts (omega-6).  In North America, unless we are intentionally choosing more omega-3 fats, we tend to consume closer to 1 part (omega-3):10-20 parts (omega-6).  This obviously imbalances the body’s inflammatory pathways to favor pro-inflammation processes.  Over time, this can lead to diseases whose etiologies are likely due to inflammatory pathways (mentioned above).  It could also aggravate said conditions (worsening symptoms).

3)      Foods that decrease inflammation (i.e. foods to focus on).

On the contrary, there are many foods that have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body.  Many of these food items are those that gut cells and the body would recognize, because they were present during the bulk of our genome adaptation (i.e. hunter-gatherer span).

Aside from specific identified inflammation reducing foods, it is important to choose foods that provide energy and essential nutrients and do NOT increase inflammation.  These follow:

Carbohydrate sources:  Vegetables and Fruits mostly unprocessed; Quinoa, Wild rice and Old fashioned oatmeal (Scottish large chunks).  These are the optimal choices.  Next, if you consider whole grain products, there will be some inflammation, but less compared with highly processed foods (listed above).

Omega-3 fat rich foods including oily fish (Wild caught Salmon, Herring, Sardines, Arctic Char, Anchovies, Mackerel, Lake Trout are among the best).  Meat and Eggs from exercised (truly free range or run animals) and fed their natural diet (i.e. cows = grass) also have more favorable fatty acid profiles compared to conventionally farmed ones that tend to be not exercised and sick.

Monounsaturated fats are also greatly anti-inflammatory and a great source for fat energy.  Among the richest sources of these are olives, avocados, most nuts and seeds and their unrefined oils.  Tip: the cheapest, extra-virgin version of olives and avocados are the whole fruits themselves, not the oils.  You also get fiber with the healthy unrefined oils when consuming the whole olives and avocados.

Five foods that are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds are:

·         Kelp

·         Tumeric

·         Wild caught salmon

·         Shitake mushrooms

·         Green Tea

·         Papaya

·         Blueberry

·         Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·         Broccoli

·         Sweet Potato

The optimal targets for fat intake are as follows:

A)    Trans fats – None – check the label and be sure it states truly zero.  Any increases risk of heart disease, so avoid.

B)    Saturated fats – limit to < 25 g / day.  Eliminate those from conventional animal products because often toxins are stored here and sick animals would have higher levels of bad fats.  Whenever possible try to choose exercised, naturally fed animals and even certified organic if you can.

C)    Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats.  Choose somewhere between 1:4 or 1:1 ratio between these respectively.  Decide where you will fall in that range based on your inflammation levels.  If you have more inflammation in your body then target closer to 1:1 ratio vs. 1:4.

Optimally we need the follow for each:

Omega 3- minimum of 2-3 g/day, with 2-4 servings/week coming from animal sources (i.e. oily fish (above) or seafood).  The other days of the week, you can choose them from plant sources (i.e. ground flax seed or walnuts).

Omega 6 – If you are taking in 1:4 ratio relative to omega 3, then shoot for 8-12 g/day of these (otherwise increase omega 3 and meet in the middle somewhere).

D)    Monounsaturated fats – these will be the primary focus of your fat intake after you know that you’ve eliminated trans fats, are limiting your saturated and are getting your appropriate target for omega 3 and omega 6 fats.  Most people require between 50 and 100 g of fat/day, depending on your calorie target and what percentage of your energy needs your fat will comprise.  So these will make up the difference in your fat intake goal.

4)      Sample Anti-inflammatory Meal.

Here is an example of an anti-inflammatory meal.  You might have to adjust the portions in order to support your weight management goal.

3-4 oz Wild caught salmon – lemon, garlic & pepper seasoned + grilled (seared, and then cooked in tinfoil)

2 cups Steamed Broccoli + Spinach

2 Tbsp Olive oil + Balsamic vinegar dressing

½ cup steamed mushrooms + onions in 1 Tbsp Olive oil.
1 cup Green tea steeped for 2-4 min.

Citations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammation

http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Perricones-List-of-Pro-Inflammatory-Foods#ixzz24krYuVsH

http://www.livestrong.com/article/332010-list-of-pro-inflammatory-foods/#ixzz24ksABi7V

http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods.htm

www.rd411.com

Vegetables in your diet

Vegetables are the edible portions of plants.

Main nutrients delivered in Vegetables:

1)      Vitamins and Minerals.

Green-Yellow-Orange – high in Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Beta-carotene, Vitamin B-Complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K.

Folate (birth defects) – black eyed peas, cooked spinach, great northern beans, asparagus.

Potassium (blood pressure) – sweet potatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree, beet greens, white potatoes, white beans, lima beans, cooked greens, carrot juice.

Vitamin A (skin, eyes, infection) – sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, winter squash, cantaloupe, red peppers, Chinese cabbage.

Vitamin C (skin healing, gums and teeth) – red and green peppers, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, tomato juice, cauliflower.

2)      Phytochemicals.

Antioxidants – These help protect the body from oxidative stress, diseases and cancers. These also boost immunity.

Flavonoids – Provide benefits by acting on the cell-signaling pathways in the body.  Include red, purple, blue or orange in color vegetables (i.e. Eggplant, red cabbage, onions, broccoli, kale, celery and hot peppers).

Catechins – is a natural phenol antioxidant plant secondary metabolite.  Rich sources of these are found in cacao beans and was first called kakaool.

Carotenoids – beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and alpha-carotene.  Found in orange, yellow and red vegetables (i.e. carrots, squash, corn, tomatoes).

Phytosterols – plant-derived compounds that are similar in structure and function to cholesterol.  Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that daily consumption of foods enriched with at least 0.8 g of plant sterols or stanols lowers serum LDL cholesterol.  Foods rich in phytosterols include unrefined vegetable oils, whole grains, nuts, and legumes.

There are thousands more of these compounds still unknown in fresh fruits & vegetables.

Studies show that steaming for around 10 minutes retains more of the activated beneficial compounds than either consuming raw or over cooking.

3)      Dietary Fiber.

Fiber is a diverse group of compounds, including lignin and complex carbohydrates that cannot be digested by human enzymes in the small intestine.

Vegetables contain both soluble and insoluble fibers.  We strive to obtain both from as natural sources as possible in order to maintain health and manage weight.

Insoluble: Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) like cellulose, gums, mucilage, pectin, etc…

Adequate fiber intake has been associated with reduction in hemorrhoids, constipation, rectal fissures, overweight/obesity, rectal and breast cancers, etc…

Soluble or Viscous fibers, such as those found in oats and legumes, can lower serum LDL cholesterol levels and normalize blood glucose and insulin responses.  This is also found in smaller amounts in most vegetables.

Some examples of fibers found in vegetables include:

• Lignin: Lignin is a polyphenolic compound with a complex three-dimensional structure that is found in the cell walls of woody plants and seeds.
• Cellulose: Cellulose is a glucose polymer found in all plant cell walls.
• Hemicelluloses: Hemicelluloses are a diverse group of polysaccharides (sugar polymers). Like cellulose, hemicelluloses are found in plant cell walls.
• Gums: Gums are viscous polysaccharides often found in seeds.
• Inulin and oligofructose: Inulin is a mixture of fructose chains that vary in length and often terminate with a glucose molecule. Inulin and oligofructose occur naturally in plants, such as onions and Jerusalem artichokes.
• Resistant starch: Naturally occurring resistant starch is sequestered in plant cell walls and is therefore inaccessible to human digestive enzymes. Legumes are sources of naturally occurring resistant starch. Resistant starch may also be formed by food processing or by cooling and reheating.

4)      Low/No Calorie high satiety foods.

Contain carbohydrates; however, these carbohydrates are not readily available to the body (i.e. difficult to digest).

The high fiber and water content make these high satiety foods via delaying emptying of the stomach into the small intestine.

Satiety = time from when you’ve last eaten until you’re hungry once again.

Five things you can do tonight to get more Vegetables into your daily diet

1)      Fill your plate at lunch and supper as above with Vegetables.  If you are trying to manage weight, eat these first with your healthy protein to maximize your satiety.

2)      Keep pre-cut and pre-washed vegetables in your fridge as snacks.  You can pair with healthy dips (i.e. hummus, peanut butter, etc…).

3)      Steam vegetables for 5-10 mins (maximum) when preparing.

4)      Use vegetables in smoothies with fruit and water in order to get more in your diet.

5)      Aim for 5 or more servings of vegetables as part of your 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.  Remember to focus on the non-starchy vegetables which are fibrous and very low calorie.

Citations:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/

http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/phytochemicals

http://articles.elitefts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hunger.jpg

http://www.livestrong.com/article/271230-phytochemicals-in-fruit-and-vegetables/

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals