Anti-inflammatory diet: turn off inflammation and stay healthy
The anti-inflammatory diet is a valid ally of our body. Its goal is to extinguish inflammation and help us to restore balance. A regimen that, thanks to certain foods or rather a certain diet, helps us to get out of a situation of chronic malaise. But what should we eat to burn off the inflammation? books say it: there are foods that have unsuspected benefits, but also effects that we don't like. Like these you find in the video, which are healthy yet make you fat, look here:
There are foods that are highly recommended because with anti-inflammatory properties, such as cereals and vegetables, foods rich in omega 3 see fresh fish, but also foods not recommended or to be avoided, such as those containing fats. Let's find out what are the benefits of this diet, much loved by VIPs and about which many books have been written, and what to eat.
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The anti-inflammatory diet fights chronic systemic inflammation
What is a chronic inflammation? Let's start from the basics: inflammation, in general, is represented by a set of processes that are triggered as a reaction to the presence of harmful agents. Inflammatory agents can be of various kinds, namely:
- physical agents, i.e. trauma such as a sports muscle injury, which is also associated with oxidative stress and the production of free radicals
- chemical agents of a toxic or acidic nature
- biological agents, for example viruses and bacteria
Generally, an inflammatory state resolves within a couple of days. In other cases, however, the inflammation becomes chronic, with silent phases, in which no symptoms are perceived, but also with acute phases in which they are pain! Think of the gastritis that occasionally returns, or colitis! But also to pathologies like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. First of all, in a chronic case it is essential to consult your doctor to understand how to deal with the problem. Surely an anti-inflammatory diet represents a valid ally in fighting some pathologies. Did you know, for example, that the intake of an excess of calories contributes to maintaining the inflammatory state? That's right, eating more than necessary can cause problems for this reason too. Therefore, it is essential to understand how many calories to consume and which foods to prefer or to eliminate!
The anti-inflammatory diet and calorie reduction
So let's start from the idea that the nutrition at the base of an anti-inflammatory diet starts from the reduction of calories and from the elimination of the consumption of fats that are bad for the health of our body. It does not mean starving, absolutely, it simply means reducing by 20-30% the amount of calories consumed daily and above all choose the right foods from which to take them. This is because by decreasing the intake of calories, we decrease the biosynthesis of cytokines, molecules which, if produced in excess, can favor the development of diseases inflammatory. There are many benefits related to the reduction of calories, including fighting oxidative stress, slowing down the skin aging process but also cardiovascular and cerebrovascular.
What are the best anti-inflammatory foods?
So what are the foods to be preferred in an anti-inflammatory diet? Let's see them below, starting from the assumption that the synergy of these foods, in a correct diet, will have the ability to inflame our body and increase the immune defenses of our body:
- Fruits and vegetables, which are rich in natural antioxidants capable of fighting free radicals, are essential foods for this diet. They protect our body from inflammatory agents and oxidative stress. With high antioxidant power we have broccoli, spinach, avocado, carrots but also red fruits, kiwi and pomegranate. Don't forget the dried fruit!
- Whole grains such as barley, spelled, brown rice and wheat
- Foods rich in Omega 3, the fatty acids found in some foods such as fresh fish
- Legumes
- Flax seed
- Spices, especially turmeric and ginger
- Red wine
- Extra virgin olive oil
Naturally, to ensure that these foods keep their properties to the maximum, it is necessary to prefer a genuine type of cooking, for example boiling, baking, steaming or grilling. To balance the diet, you should also take 4 portions a day of fruit and vegetables and a maximum of 1 or 2 glasses of wine. We can drink coffee, tea or other hot drinks, as well as orange, carrot and lemon juice. Chef Santi Avalos, among the various books, has written one dedicated to which foods to eat to counteract the disorders that derive from an inflammatory state and strengthen the immune system.
Foods to avoid for the anti-inflammatory diet
Also in the anti-inflammatory diet there are foods to avoid, that is foods that contribute to increase or maintain an inflammatory state and that contribute to undermine the health of our body. Here's what to avoid:
- Saturated and hydrogenated fats
- Refined flours
- Red meat
- Dairy product
- Excess of carbohydrates
- Sausages
- Sugars
Avoid frying and drinking sugary or carbonated drinks. Which tend to increase the production of inflammatory toxins but also to alter the intestinal flora. In short, if we want to get better, we have to sacrifice ourselves a little to benefit from it later!
The benefits of the anti-inflammatory diet
In all the books dedicated to anti-inflammatory diets you will find written that this diet has a great and simple advantage, much loved even by VIPs: it makes you feel good. There are many benefits of this diet: it is antioxidant and helps fight free radicals. But it also fights cellular and cardiovascular aging. It makes us lose weight, decreases ailments such as gastritis and colitis, and above all helps to deflate. Follow the program of this diet, made up of dried fruit, vegetables, omega fatty acids and many others. things, strengthens the immune system and also allows us to fight pain and discomfort related to inflammation. Combined with physical exercise, this is a revolution!
How to prevent inflammation
The anti-inflammatory diet proposes healthy eating habits, which aim to extinguish inflammation, therefore to work on an already existing problem. But it is also an excellent diet to prevent an inflammatory state. We have seen what some of the harmful agents can be able to favor the development of an inflammatory state. Surely avoiding trauma or the abuse of medicines can help us reduce the chances of inflammation. But let's not forget the effects produced by stress, which in turn must be taken into consideration when we talk about these altering conditions. Physical activity, as we know, extends life and certainly helps prevent stress, but we can also try some relaxation or breathing techniques to prevent inflammation.
The anti-inflammatory diet and sport
We will be surprised to know that sport, especially done at certain levels, can lead to so-called oxidative stress and the consequent production of oxygen free radicals. A real inflammatory condition that can create muscle damage and slow down workouts. For this reason, it has been seen that combining physical activity with the intake of antioxidant foods, such as those present in the anti-inflammatory diet, can be a valid support for the correct functioning of the body, even at competitive levels. As with any diet, of course, it is essential to consult your doctor before proceeding with any change in your diet.
