Basics for an anti-inflammatory diet

Acute inflammation manifests as redness, warmth, and swelling around tissues and joints in response to infection or injury. For instance, the redness and swelling you experience after cutting your finger on a piece of glass are visible signs that your body is repairing itself. Once the injury heals, the body turns off this inflammatory response.

However, not all inflammation is deactivated after healing. Sometimes, low-grade inflammation persists unchecked for months or even years; this is known as chronic inflammation. Unlike acute inflammation, which aids in healing and then subsides, chronic inflammation does not switch off and can damage the body’s tissues. This ongoing inflammation can affect nearly every part of the body and is a precursor to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more.

Adopting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can help reduce inflammation in your body and assist in managing inflammatory health conditions.

Chronic inflammation often progresses silently.

Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your daily or weekly diet can help manage and reduce inflammation.

These foods include:

– Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower
– Onions
– Berries like strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries
– Purple grapes
– Cherries
– Citrus fruits
– Tomatoes
– Pomegranates

By regularly consuming these foods, you can support your body’s efforts to combat chronic inflammation.

High-quality dietary fats are essential for maintaining good health. Including the following foods in your daily or weekly diet can provide these beneficial fats:

– Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna
– Flax seeds
– Chia seeds
– Hemp seeds
– Walnuts
– Olives and olive oil
– Avocados
– Sunflower seeds
– Almonds
– Cashews
– Brazil nuts
– Linseeds
– Walnuts

Including certain foods in your diet can help increase good symbiosis naturally through increasing prebiotics and probiotics. Food sources of prebiotics (which assist the body in increasing beneficial probiotics):

– Bananas
– Asparagus
– Maple syrup
– Onions
– Garlic
– Chicory
– Artichoke

Food sources of probiotics:

– Sauerkraut (available from Pick n Pay)
– Yoghurt
– Kefir

Basic anti-inflammatory food guidelines:

– Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables: Aim for 5–7 portions per day.
– Follow a low glycemic index (GI) diet: Foods that release sugar slowly into the bloodstream help reduce inflammation.
– Include nuts and seeds daily.
– Use the right types of fats: Incorporate olive oil, avocados, nuts, and nut oils into your diet.
– Consume adequate prebiotics and probiotics.

If symptoms persist, consider the possibility of a food intolerance or allergy and consult a dietitian.

Additional lifestyle recommendations:
– Live clean: Avoid exposure to industrial chemicals, pesticides, and BPA found in plastics.
– Use alcohol in moderation: Consume alcohol sparingly or avoid it completely.
– Exercise regularly.
– Get enough sleep.

Foods to Avoid to Reduce Inflammation:

To help manage and reduce inflammation, it is advisable to avoid the following foods:
– All canned or tinned foods.
– Processed meats, such as bacon, viennas, russian sausages, frankfurters, Bull Brand meat products, ham, polony, and similar items.
– Foods containing preservatives, including ready-prepared meals and drinks, canned and bottled foods, and instant foods like Tuna Mate and two-minute noodles.
– Energy drinks and other beverages high in sugar and caffeine.
– Carbonated beverages, such as Sprite, Coca-Cola, and other sodas.
– Sweets and snacks high in sugar or salt, like Simba chips and Jelly Tots.
– Foods high in gluten, including bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, and rusks.