Anti Inflamatory Foods- Part 2
Load your plate with fruits and vegetables--the more
colorful the better. Brightly pigmented produce such
as blueberries, peppers, and spinach have the most
anti-inflammatory compounds.
For a simple way to make sure you're eating enough
plant-based foods, Melanie Polk, a registered
dietitian at the American Institute for Cancer
Research in Washington, D.C., suggests using your
dinner plate as a measuring tool. Ideally, two-thirds
of the plate or more should be covered with fruit,
vegetables, whole grains, and/or beans, she explains.
The remaining one-third can be filled with lean
animal protein, like a chicken breast or fish fillet,
or tofu.
How to Find Out If You're Inflamed
Take the test. Inflammation is measured by a marker
called C-reactive protein or CRP. As inflammation
creeps up, so do CRP levels in the blood. A blood
test to measure levels of CRP is inexpensive ($25 to
$30) and extremely reliable. Patients with autoimmune
disease and cancer often have high CRP levels, but
the test is making headlines for its ability to suss
out heart disease in otherwise healthy-looking
people. Those who have the most to gain from being
tested are people at moderate risk (poor diet plus a
lack of exercise) with otherwise healthy-looking
cholesterol levels. (If you already know you're at
high risk for heart disease, the test probably won't
tell you anything new.)
In the future, some experts predict that the CRP test
will be added to other routine medical tests, such as
cholesterol and blood sugar exams. But if you're
interested now, any doctor can perform it. --C.G.
Cut Back on White Foods
Give dairy, sugar, and refined grains a smaller spot
on your plate. Too much dairy and white flour can
kick the immune system into high gear, particularly
if you're lactose intolerant or have celiac disease.
In people who suffer from these conditions, the gut
treats dairy and wheat products as hostile invaders:
Often it only takes a bite of bread or a spoonful of
ice cream to get the inflammatory cycle going. One
exception to the dairy rule is eggs, especially those
enriched with omega-3s.
Sugary foods can also be a problem, especially when
eaten between meals, since they cause a surge in
blood sugar. To reestablish balance, the pancreas
lets out a gush of insulin, which in turn switches on
the genes involved in inflammation. This biochemical
roller coaster is thought to contribute to the onset
of Type 2 diabetes.
"When I'm trying to reduce people's inflammation, I
make sure they knock out refined grains, dairy, and
sugar," says LaValle. "You've got to get rid of the
inflammatory chemistry."
Take Supplements
If you want to take just one supplement every day,
make it fish oil. But a host of vitamins and herbs
can also help. The most rigorously tested herbal
anti-inflammatories are ginger and turmeric. Both are
widely used in India to treat inflammatory disorders,
such as arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Physician Andrew Weil suggests taking 400 to 600
milligrams of turmeric extract (either in tablets or
capsules) three times a day.
Ginger is less well studied but still highly
regarded. Weil recommends one to two tablets (500 to
1,000 milligrams) of powdered dry ginger twice a day
with food until pain subsides. Both ginger and
turmeric need to be taken consistently for two months
before showing results.
When it comes to vitamins, E is a good bet. The fat-
soluble vitamin keeps inflammation from even getting
started by disarming integral inflammatory genes.
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant. Galland
suggests taking 200 to 400 IU (134 to 268 mg) of
mixed-tocopherol vitamin E daily.
colorful the better. Brightly pigmented produce such
as blueberries, peppers, and spinach have the most
anti-inflammatory compounds.
For a simple way to make sure you're eating enough
plant-based foods, Melanie Polk, a registered
dietitian at the American Institute for Cancer
Research in Washington, D.C., suggests using your
dinner plate as a measuring tool. Ideally, two-thirds
of the plate or more should be covered with fruit,
vegetables, whole grains, and/or beans, she explains.
The remaining one-third can be filled with lean
animal protein, like a chicken breast or fish fillet,
or tofu.
How to Find Out If You're Inflamed
Take the test. Inflammation is measured by a marker
called C-reactive protein or CRP. As inflammation
creeps up, so do CRP levels in the blood. A blood
test to measure levels of CRP is inexpensive ($25 to
$30) and extremely reliable. Patients with autoimmune
disease and cancer often have high CRP levels, but
the test is making headlines for its ability to suss
out heart disease in otherwise healthy-looking
people. Those who have the most to gain from being
tested are people at moderate risk (poor diet plus a
lack of exercise) with otherwise healthy-looking
cholesterol levels. (If you already know you're at
high risk for heart disease, the test probably won't
tell you anything new.)
In the future, some experts predict that the CRP test
will be added to other routine medical tests, such as
cholesterol and blood sugar exams. But if you're
interested now, any doctor can perform it. --C.G.
Cut Back on White Foods
Give dairy, sugar, and refined grains a smaller spot
on your plate. Too much dairy and white flour can
kick the immune system into high gear, particularly
if you're lactose intolerant or have celiac disease.
In people who suffer from these conditions, the gut
treats dairy and wheat products as hostile invaders:
Often it only takes a bite of bread or a spoonful of
ice cream to get the inflammatory cycle going. One
exception to the dairy rule is eggs, especially those
enriched with omega-3s.
Sugary foods can also be a problem, especially when
eaten between meals, since they cause a surge in
blood sugar. To reestablish balance, the pancreas
lets out a gush of insulin, which in turn switches on
the genes involved in inflammation. This biochemical
roller coaster is thought to contribute to the onset
of Type 2 diabetes.
"When I'm trying to reduce people's inflammation, I
make sure they knock out refined grains, dairy, and
sugar," says LaValle. "You've got to get rid of the
inflammatory chemistry."
Take Supplements
If you want to take just one supplement every day,
make it fish oil. But a host of vitamins and herbs
can also help. The most rigorously tested herbal
anti-inflammatories are ginger and turmeric. Both are
widely used in India to treat inflammatory disorders,
such as arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Physician Andrew Weil suggests taking 400 to 600
milligrams of turmeric extract (either in tablets or
capsules) three times a day.
Ginger is less well studied but still highly
regarded. Weil recommends one to two tablets (500 to
1,000 milligrams) of powdered dry ginger twice a day
with food until pain subsides. Both ginger and
turmeric need to be taken consistently for two months
before showing results.
When it comes to vitamins, E is a good bet. The fat-
soluble vitamin keeps inflammation from even getting
started by disarming integral inflammatory genes.
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant. Galland
suggests taking 200 to 400 IU (134 to 268 mg) of
mixed-tocopherol vitamin E daily.
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