An anti-inflammatory diet is not a regiment to follow but a style of eating. Providing nutrients to your body in both types and amounts is the cornerstone of good health and the prevention of illness or disease.
The immune system becomes active when the body recognises something foreign, which will often trigger a process called inflammation. Intermittent periods of inflammation can be a threat when you’re trying to protect your health; when persistent, it can become an enemy to your body.
Many clients I work with have inflammatory symptoms or a diagnosed autoimmune disease; I’ve been looking into lifestyle and diet strategies that may help settle the symptoms of autoimmune disease and other inflammatory conditions.
Nutrition and Managing Inflammation
The choices you make when food shopping in the supermarket can have an impact on the inflammation in your body. Although scientists are still unravelling how food affects the body’s inflammatory processes, the research isn’t vast. What we do know from research is that foods that are classed as anti-inflammatory will be the ones that keep you healthy in varying ways. Now, eating with inflammation at the forefront of your mind doesn’t have to be restrictive, but a healthy diet of macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) should be emphasised as a healthy diet. According to Childs, Calder and Miles within their Diet and Immune Function research, often patients who suffer from chronic illness and autoimmunity will participate in an anti-inflammatory diet.
Dietary Treatment Strategies
Within the report “Is There a Link Between Nutrition and Autoimmune Disease?” Sharon Palmer, RD, states that there isn’t evidence to suggest an immunologically healthy diet is different from any other diet. One thing to consider is the red flags that arise during the management of autoimmune conditions, such as side effects from medication and the emphasis on controlling inflammation. With dietary treatment strategies potentially showing the decrease of diseases and the boosting of the immune system, research around nutrients is beneficial for patients suffering from autoimmune dieases.
Vitamins and the Immune System
According to Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN. Within The Role of Nutrition in Treating Autoimmune Disease, she states several nutrients are associated with a strong immune system. For example, Vitamin A supports barrier cells and lymphocytes and may lessen lupus symptoms; vitamin E protects cell membranes and vitamin D generates more immune cells.
Within the report, health researchers and doctors have agreed that the best diet which can manage inflammation and boost immune benefits, including whole foods such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, fish such as salmon, nuts, seeds, whole grains and more. When adding these foods to your diet, you will limit how much processed starches, sugars and trans fats you eat.
Conclusion
Nutrition is a major pillar of our bodily systems; it may impact directly or indirectly upon immune cells, causing function changes. To gain a better understanding of the role of nutrients in immune function, more research is needed to be able to improve human health. For more nutrition information and how the body can use good nutrition to stay healthy, why not contact Ellingham Nutrition?
