Inflammation

During the past few years, I have read numerous articles regarding the relationship shared between chronic pain and inflammation, urine pH and food choices (not to mention exercise). Granted, while I have known some extremely dedicated dieters whose bodies were seemingly always suffering in some way or another, I truly believe that they sterilized their bodies so much that when confronted with having to consume some variety of fast food due to the time compression (that we all face on occasion) that their bodies could not handle it! I am not in favor of government regulation of Big Macs, super-sized fries or Big Gulps, but rather the educating of individuals and families to make wise choices, regarding moderation. Yes, there should be responsibility by the consumer as to what passes through their oral cavity, as well as their children’s.

So, here are some strategies to reduce inflammation:

1. You need to sleep
Lack of deep sleep may stimulate an increase in chronic inflammatory responses.

2. Don’t cook your foods at high temperatures
Foods cooked at high temperatures can produce a browning effect in which glycotoxins are formed from the reaction of sugars and oxidized fats with protein. Glycotoxins may contribute to low-grade chronic inflammation.

3. High glycemic foods may also contribute to the inflammatory process
Keep your circulating insulin levels down. Foods that spike blood sugar spur inflammation. In new research at Harvard, women who ate foods with the highest glycemic load had nearly twice as much inflammation. Such foods include white potatoes, white rice, white bread, sugar and highly processed cereals.

4. Increased insulin levels also increase the production of arachidonic acid (AA), a major player in the inflammation cycle
If you are producing too much insulin you are prone to inflammation. If you are overweight you are probably producing too much insulin, if you are storing your fat around your mid section you are a probably producing too much insulin.

5. Increase consumption of anti-inflammatory foods
Eat foods that help subdue inflammation, such as ginger, turmeric, curry powder, olive oil, grapes, garlic, celery, blueberries and tea. Avoid foods known to cause inflammatory responses such as: refined carbohydrates (white pasta, breads, bagels cookies, muffins, cake, crackers, (which are all low pH), other starches such as white rice, potatoes are fine, in… moderation and paying attention to your personal sensitivity as well as your weight control goals.

6. Get rid of your bad fats
Margarine, butter, lard, corn oil and soybean oil are all very unhealthy.

7. Obesity and inflammation
North Americans are the most overweight people on earth, which makes them the most inflamed. Overweight people usually have high inflammation. As pounds disappear, inflammation subsides. In obese women who lost an average of 39 pounds, inflammation levels dropped 32%, a University of Vermont research found.

8. Stress increases inflammation
When your body is in a state of inflammation your adrenal glands put out high levels of the hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is your body’s natural way of dealing with an inflammatory response acting as a natural anti-inflammatory. This works well in the short term but the problem is that cortisol has some very nasty side effects in the long term. Cortisol increases insulin resistance which makes you gain weight and cause more inflammation. It also decreases immune function and adversely affects your nervous system.

9. Drink in Moderation
Drinking alcohol (red wine) reduces inflammation, which may be one reason moderate drinkers have less heart disease. In a new study at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, non-drinkers showed one-third more inflammation than low to moderate drinkers. This is NOT an endorsement for irresponsibility or overindulgence however! Additionally, water hydration is very important as your pH goes down (inflammatory) when you are de-hydrated.

10. Arachidonic acid (AA) - Promotes inflammation
Fatty cuts of meat and egg yolks are known culprits. Great strides have been made in understanding the mechanisms involved in chronic inflammatory disorders such as arthritis. One contributor is the excess accumulation of arachidonic acid that cascades down into pro-inflammatory agents such as prostaglandin E2, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes. The prostaglandins cause pain and the leukotrienes cause swelling and the redness that is associated with inflammation. Drugs such as Celebrex inhibit the COX-2 enzyme that inhibits Arachidonic acid from breaking down into prostaglandin E2.

The problem is that Arachidonic acid can cascade down via other pathways to produce equally damaging leukotrienes and thromboxanes. In order to block the formation of prosta-glandin E2, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes, it is critical to reduce Arachidonic acid levels. Limiting foods that convert to Arachidonic acid can help reduce inflammation. Another dietary factor that can lead to high levels of Arachidonic acid is the over consumption of high-glycemic index carbohydrates that cause excess production of insulin. These quickly digestible foods include fruit juices (I always try to dilute by 50%) or rice cakes. Foods heavy in polyunsaturated fats or saturated fats can also increase prostaglandin E2. Use turmeric in your cooking, this yellow Indian spice inhibits an enzyme that is used in the production of Arachidonic acid.

11. Avoid Omega 6 oils
Omega 6 fats lead to inflammation these are: safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil. These oils are especially bad if you have high levels of circulating insulin in your body. Night shade vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant may actually make inflammation worse, although I have had trouble finding a consistency in this observation. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid which in some people can be an irritant.

Fish oil (EPA/DHA): The good news is that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil help to suppress the formation of undesirable prostaglandin E2. What you eat can significantly affect whether you have more of the beneficial prostaglandin’s (E1 and E3) as opposed to the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E2.

Because prostaglandin E2 is a culprit in inflammation, reducing the consumption of foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids and increasing the consumption of omega-3 rich foods, such as salmon and other fish, can be beneficial. The docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fraction of fish oil may be the most effective nonprescription supplement to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is a precursor of PGE1, a potent anti-inflammatory agent.

12. Take Vitamin C and E
These antioxidants suppress inflammation. In Belgian research, people with the lowest vitamin C levels had the worst inflammation and peripheral (leg) artery disease. And inflammation dropped 30% to 50% in normal and diabetic people given 1,200 IU of vitamin E daily in studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

13. Use Olive Oil
Newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil contains a chemical called oleocanthal.
Olive oil may act very similar to Ibuprofen in its ability to reduce inflammation. Ibuprofen is an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, which catalyse steps in the biochemical inflammation pathways derived from arachidonic acid to pro-inflammatory prostaglandins [PGE2].

Oleocanthal, like ibuprofen, caused dose-dependent inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activities with reduced pro-inflammatory prostaglandin-biosynthesis [PGE2]. Long-term consumption of extra-virgin olive oil that contains oleocanthal may protect against some diseases by virtue of its COX-inhibiting activity, including a reduction in the risk of developing some cancer, increased cardiovascular health, reduction of platelet aggregation in the blood, and reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Oleocanthal in extra-virgin olive oil may be responsible for the various health benefits Mediterranean diet. However, do not cook with high heat, as this can change the oil from a healthy one to one that is not!

14. Changes in barometric Pressure

How often have you heard (mostly people who have reached the onset of maturity) say that “it feels like it’s going to rain!”? There is actually some scientific reasoning behind their usual and predictable discomfort. The internal pressure within your body has to be in balance (homeostasis) with the pressure around you. (I have read that even fish won’t bite when the barometer changes because of the effect on their jaws.) When the barometer drops during an impending weather change, the pressure in your body, including your joints and tissues inflames; those with fibromyalgia seem to be very sensitive to this occurrence. These individuals need to be exceptionally diet conscious during this time!

So, to simplify this epistle, look at your body in the mirror, be sensitive to what foods may make you more symptomatic and be aware of what the worse violations to your body are. pH can be a bit confusing, but remember that bread, ham and cheese are all inflammatory; spinach, peppers and other veggies (and most fruit) are not. So, by combining them, you can approach a more pH neutral balanced meal as opposed to one that is more acidic or inflammatory.

Bon appetite!

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