What Does it Mean to Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

Inflammation is a fact of life, but it is of special concern when you’re dealing with CF.

Some inflammation is normal, like when you sprain your ankle and it swells, or when you have a virus and your immune system creates inflammation as it fights an invader.  We would say those situations involve “acute” inflammation, meaning it is a normal process of the body healing itself.  It’s when inflammation is present all the time (or becomes “chronic”) that we need to really pay attention. So many people experience chronic inflammation with CF and other issues like pain/ arthritis, cardiovascular & autoimmune diseases or diabetes for example.

Your doctor may be addressing your inflammation with medication that is appropriate for you.  But you can also do your part at home by focusing your diet on anti-inflammatory foods.

Here are a few foods that are considered inflammatory:

• Gluten- Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.  It’s a pretty controversial topic, but gluten has been linked with inflammation in the body and many people with inflammatory conditions have found relief from following a gluten-free diet. Alexa (my daughter) coughs more when she has eaten certain types of bread or pizza. If your doctor or CF dietician approves, test it out for a couple of weeks to see how your individual body feels. You may or may not notice a difference, but if you find you do feel better without gluten, you’ll be happy to know there are a lot of gluten free options that will fill the void and not deprive you of the calories or nutrients you need.

• Dairy- Another controversial topic is dairy. Some say it is not problematic for the body, but since cow’s milk can be difficult for some of us to digest, it may lead to inflammation in the gut. If you’re a person with CF digestive challenges, see how you feel without dairy.  Dairy can also aggravate skin conditions like acne and eczema, so if skin concerns are a thing for you, see if you can relate flare ups back to dairy foods. My daughter always does better when she is dairy-free, so we have just found other ways to add the calories and she is missing from high fat dairy products.

• White Refined Sugar - You’ve probably heard that sugar is not great for your body. Too much sugar or refined carbs like packaged cookies and crackers tend to spike insulin levels, and can boost your body’s production of inflammatory chemicals.  Natural sweeteners like real Grade A or B maple syrup, raw honey and coconut sugar are better options than white sugar. And, of course, eating more fresh food than packaged food is best.

So, what can you eat to fight inflammation?

The great news is that there are plenty of amazing anti-inflammatory foods to include in your diet.  Some of the most nutritious and delicious are:

• Berries- they contain tons of antioxidants and phytonutrients to tame inflammation and support a healthy body

• Nuts and Seeds- A great source of healthy omega 3 fats, fiber and protein.

• Fish- Wild-caught salmon and other fatty fish are great sources of high-quality protein and those anti-inflammatory omegas.

• Leafy greens-loaded with vitamins, minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium, along with antioxidants to help control inflammation

• Onions and garlic- these are members of the allium family of veggies that contain sulfur compounds that may prevent inflammation. Raw is better in this case, so you may not smell great, but you’re helping manage inflammation with food.

• Tomatoes- contain lycopene, an antioxidant that also has anti-inflammatory properties. Cooked tomatoes are more powerful for optimal benefits.

Let’s put this into practice this week.

Watch for this week’s recipe!