Inflammation and Nutrition | NutritionFacts.org

Inflammation may play a role in premature aging, periodontal disease, obesity, skin aging, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, among many other chronic health concerns.

Antioxidant-rich diets appear to protect against stroke by preventing the circulation of oxidized fats in the bloodstream that may damage the sensitive walls of small blood vessels in the brain. They can also help decrease artery stiffness, prevent blood clots from forming, and lower blood pressure and inflammation. Whereas all whole plant foods may have anti-inflammatory effects, some plants are better than others. High-antioxidant fruits and vegetables, such as berries and greens, have been found to douse systemic inflammation significantly better than the same number of servings of more common low-antioxidant fruits and veggies, such as bananas and lettuce.

Research dating back half a century suggests tart cherries are so anti-inflammatory that they can be used to successfully treat a painful type of arthritis called gout. Cherries can reduce the level of inflammation among healthy people too (as measured by a drop in C-reactive protein levels). A note of caution: For the same reason that high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin should be avoided during the third trimester of pregnancy, cocoa, berries, and other foods high in anti-inflammatory polyphenols should only be eaten in moderation in late pregnancy.

Studies have shown that consuming more fruits and vegetables may not only halt progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but appears to improve lung function, and risks of suffering from allergic asthma may be halved by eating two or more servings of vegetables a day.

What about our mental health? Components in certain foods may increase the risk of depression, such as arachidonic acid, that is blamed for potentially impairing mood by inflaming the brain. The top-five sources of this inflammation-promoting compound in the American diet are chicken, eggs, beef, pork, and fish, although chicken and eggs alone contribute more than the other top sources combined. There are data suggesting that people with higher levels of arachidonic acid in their blood may end up at significantly higher risk of suicide and episodes of major depression. Overall, those eating the Standard American Diet may consume about nine times more arachidonic acid than those eating plant-based diets.

For substantiation of any statements of fact from the peer-reviewed medical literature, please see the associated videos below.

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Three Reasons Fruits and Vegetables May Reduce Osteoporosis Risk

Even just a single extra serving of fruits and vegetables per day is associated with lower bone fracture risk.

Why Do Milk Drinkers Live Shorter Lives on Average?

How might we reduce the risk of premature death from dairy consumption?

The Best Sleeping Position for Glymphatic Flow in the Brain

What can we do to prevent the decline in glymphatic brain filtration as we age?

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The Diet Shown to Slow Age-Related Hearing Loss

An interventional trial found that dietary changes may slow or even reverse the loss of hearing.

The Supplement Shown to Slow Age-Related Hearing Loss

Some studies found that higher levels of folate in the blood seem to correlate with better hearing, so researchers decided to put it to the test.

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The Best Diet for COVID and Long-COVID

Healthy plant-based diets appear to help reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 and getting infected in the first place, even independent of comorbidities.

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Yoga Put to the Test for MS, Back Pain, Neck Pain, Insomnia, and Breast Cancer

Is yoga better than other types of exercise, better than nothing but similar to other physical activity, or not beneficial even when it’s compared to doing nothing at all?

Greens, Green Tea, and Nuts Put to the Test for Telomeres

Not all plant foods are linked to less cellular aging based on telomere attrition, and not all animal foods are linked to more.

Plant-Based Diet for Minimal Change Disease of the Kidney

What are the three reasons plant protein is preferable to animal protein for kidney protection?

Dietary Cholesterol and Inflammation from Abdominal Obesity

The optimal intake of dietary cholesterol may be zero.

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How to Treat Body Odor with Diet

Deodorize from the inside out with food.

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Fecal Transplants for Ulcerative Colitis, MS, Depression, Bipolar, and Alcoholism

I go over randomized, controlled trials and case reports of stool transplants for various clinical conditions.

Plant-Based Diet for Treating and Reversing Stage 3 Kidney Disease

I share a touching story of the power of plant-based eating for chronic kidney failure.

A Case of Stage 3 Cancer Reversal with Fasting

I go over a case report of water-only fasting, followed by a whole food, plant-based diet for follicular lymphoma.

The Role of Endotoxins in Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Why can a single meal high in saturated fat impair cognition?

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The Best Diet for Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Pain Relief

Anti-inflammatory diets can be effective in alleviating chronic pain syndromes.

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Effects of Tongue Scraping on Plaque, Gingivitis, and Cavities

Tongue scraping and tongue brushing have been practiced for centuries in many continents around the world, but do they do anything?

The Purported Benefits of Vitamin K2: Should You Take Supplements?

Our body can make vitamin K2 from the K1 in green leafy vegetables.

Digital drawing of neurological functions

Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) and Cognitive Decline

AGEs may be one explanation for why those who consume meat may have up to three times the risk of developing dementia compared with vegetarians.

Why All Athletes Should Eat Plant-Based Diets

Enhance athletic performance with diet.

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How to Naturally Reduce Wrinkles with Food

Almonds are put to the test in a randomized controlled trial for facial wrinkles.

The Potential Harm in Unnecessary Gluten-Free Diets

How might we prevent the inflammation from gluten-free diets?

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Dietary Approach to Naturally Treating Menopause Symptoms

Specific foods have been shown in randomized controlled trials to improve symptoms like hot flashes.

The Best Diet for Treating Atrial Fibrillation

What foods should we eat and avoid to reduce our risk of Afib?

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The Role of Kimchi and H. Pylori in Stomach Cancer

What explains the Achilles’ heel in certain Asian diets?

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Coffee Put to the Test for Treating Parkinson’s Disease

Coffee can improve Parkinson’s symptoms within three weeks compared to placebo, but do the benefits last?

How to Cultivate a Healthy Gut Microbiome with Food

Our gut flora is determined by what we eat, for good or for ill.

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The Impacts of Weight Bias in Health Care

How might weight stigma be a vicious cycle?

Fewer Than 1 in 5,000 Meet Sodium and Potassium Recommended Intakes

A staggering 99.99 percent of Americans fail to get the minimum recommended potassium intake (despite it being perhaps only half of our natural intake) and stay below the recommended sodium intake (even though it may be twice our natural intake).

Exercising to Protect Your Arteries from Fast Food

There is a window of time in which sufficient physical activity can help mediate some of the damage caused by eating an unhealthy meal.

Saturated Fat Causes Artery and Lung Inflammation

What happens within hours of eating a high-fat meal?

Ultra-Processed Junk Food Put to the Test

What happened when ultra-processed foods were matched for calories, sugar, fat, and ﬁber content in the first randomized controlled trial?

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Do the Health Benefits of Peanut Butter Include Longevity?

Why are nuts associated with decreased mortality, but not peanut butter?

How to Keep Your Microbiome Healthy with Prebiotic Foods

We co-evolved a symbiosis with our good gut bacteria, but we are not holding up our end of the bargain.

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The Healthiest Type of Potato

Are yellow-fleshed potatoes healthier than white? And, what about the glycoalkaloid toxins?

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Which Foods Are Anti-Inflammatory?

Foods that reduce inflammation. What does an anti-inflammatory diet look like?

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Foods That Cause Inflammation

Inflammatory markers can double within six hours of eating a pro-inflammatory meal. Which foods are the worst?

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Pomegranate: A Natural Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Pomegranates are put to the test for weight loss, diabetes, COPD, prostate cancer, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

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Fighting the Ten Hallmarks of Cancer with Food

The foundation of cancer prevention is plants, not pills.

Onions Put to the Test for Weight Loss, Cholesterol, and PCOS Treatment

Weight loss, cholesterol, and PCOS treatment with diet. What can an eighth of a teaspoon a day of onion powder do for body fat, and what can raw red onion do for cholesterol?

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