Nutrition and Inflammation

• Nutrition and Inflammation

In our previous Blog post we covered what is inflammation, the differences in short and long-term inflammation, as well as physiotherapy recommendations and treatments for inflammation. When discussing inflammation in the clinic, the topic of food and inflammation was brought up which we think is an interesting concept to talk about!

As physiotherapists, our scope of practice involves physical health, health promotion, injury management and prevention as well as education! When looking at the research, we have come across some interesting literature on what foods are recommended to help to reduce or increase inflammation in the body! However, before we get into it, as a physiotherapist we do not have a degree in nutrition sciences so this information is provided to you out of interest and literature review. If you have any questions regarding nutrition or food management, please contact a local nutritionist for nutrition advice.

When focusing on chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or lymes disease, often these conditions are not focused on one area. A systematic response occurs where signs of inflammation is seen throughout the body including joints, muscles, the gastrointestinal system and cardiovascular system to name a few! Therefore, the idea of food to combat inflammation in the whole body is an exciting holistic approach!

Signs of inflammation in the body:

Research and educational studies have found that certain foods can increase or decrease inflammation responses in the body! This can help to treat these chronic conditions mentioned above but also reduce your risk of developing other inflammation-linked diseases including cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

Foods that INCREASE inflammation

• Processed carbohydrates
• Fried foods high in saturated/trans fat
• Pop and refined sugar
• Red or processed meat
• MSG- Salt
• Coffee and alcohols

Foods that DECREASE inflammation

• Vegetables and fruits
• ‘Good’ fats including fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds
• Spices including ginger, garlic and turmeric
• Whole grains and beans

To reduce inflammation in the body, it is recommended that you limit these inflammatory promoting foods and work to increase your intake of inflammatory reducing foods. If you are suffering from inflammation symptoms, conditions such as arthritis reduce your risk of chronic diseases or want to promote overall health give these tips a try!

If you have sustained an acute injury causing inflammation or would like physiotherapy input to help manage your chronic inflammation, book in to speak with a physiotherapist today at 045-853726 or online at www.physiotherapyworks.ie/book-online/.

Also for more information, check out the blog post at www.physiotherapyworks.ie/Inflammation/.

References:

Kiecolt-Glaser, JK. 2010. Stress, food and inflammation: Psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition at the cutting edge. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(4), 365-369.

Harvard Women’s Health Watch. 2014. Foods that fight inflammation. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

Minihane, AM et al. 2015. Low-grade inflammation, diet composition and health: current research evidence and its translation. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(7), 999-1012.

WebMD. 2018. Anti-inflammatory Diet: Road to good health? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/anti-inflammatory-diet-road-to-good-health#1