What’s the Deal with Dietary Inflammation?

Inflammation. You’ve surely heard about it, but what actually is it? How does it impact our health, and what does it have to do with our diet? 

Broadly speaking, inflammation is a general term used to describe our body’s immune responses. According to the National Library of Medicine, inflammation is simply our body’s response to an irritant (1). This definition is rather broad on purpose, as there are numerous ways that our bodies can become irritated by some kind of stimulus. Inflammation can be as simple as the swelling that happens when we sprain an ankle or as complex as an auto-immune disease.

Inflammation is not always a bad thing though! At a basic level, inflammation means that our immune system is doing its job of protecting us. Without immune responses like capillary dilation, leucocyte intrusion, and elevated blood flow, our bodies would not be able to properly handle foreign and potentially dangerous irritants (2).

Inflammation is a natural bodily response, but it can become dangerous in excess. Biomedical research indicates that the overconsumption of inflammatory foods and/or a stressful lifestyle can lead to persistent low-grade inflammation (3). This inflammation is often undetectable on its own, but it can manifest through other conditions such as fatty liver disease, clinical depression, and cardiovascular disease (3).

Inflammation is our body’s response to a stimulus; it doesn’t just have to be from a germ or a cut. Oftentimes, a central root of this systemic inflammation is – you guessed it – our diets. In the health and wellness scene, we often hear people discuss “anti-inflammatory diets,” and rightly so. In regard to our diet, inflammation often manifests as extreme oxidative stress and an alteration in the metabolism of sugar and fat in our liver, muscles, and fatty tissue (4). Certain foods that lead to this prolonged, systemic inflammation can inadvertently cause other serious afflictions to develop. 

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, some of these foods are trans fats, processed meat, deep-fried food, food high in added sugars, and bread and pasta made with white flour (5). When we consume these foods in excess, our bodies respond with inflammation, which can eventually manifest through severe medical conditions. Now, before you start panicking about how you can’t eat your favorite desserts anymore, remember that moderation is the key. In fact, Healthline suggests that complete abstinence from “junk food” often does not lead to a sustainable, healthy diet for most people (6). Building a lifestyle that reduces inflammation is rooted in your food choices, but it doesn’t mean you can only eat salads for the rest of your life.

So, how does one build an anti-inflammatory diet? Let’s start with some basics:

1. There is no singular anti-inflammatory diet. As noted by the Harvard School of Public Health (7), different eating habits work for different people because not all bodies are the same. It’s never a bad idea to talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about your particular health needs and which diet adjustments will work best for you.

2. Prioritize the power foods. Some nutritious components that should make regular appearances on your plate include fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and unsaturated fats. Some of those terms may seem strange or unfamiliar, but Harvard’s Dr. Frank Hu boils it down to some helpful essentials (7): “fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, a small amount of low-fat dairy, and olive oil.” These unprocessed foods contain antioxidants that can fight against the presence of inflammation in the body (7).

3. Don’t forget the drinks! Liquids are often an overlooked member of our diets, but they can certainly contribute by boosting our antioxidant levels. Research suggests that the incorporation of green and black tea into one’s regular diet is correlated to reduced levels of inflammation (3). Certain wellness beverages, such as The Plug Drink, can also assist in this process of preventing an excess of inflammation in various parts of the body. The Plug’s formula specifically targets inflammation in the liver, allowing for increased efficiency in digestion. What better way to usher in your new anti-inflammatory meal plan than with a liquid sidekick to take your liver health and digestive system to the next level?

By prioritizing a diet filled with whole foods and limiting the consumption of inflammatory ones, we can set ourselves up for success in limiting our bodies’ immune response to what we eat. While inflammation can be a helpful tool in our bodies’ goal to protect and heal itself, it can become harmful if our diets push our immune systems into overdrive. Keeping an eye on the quality of our food intake can help keep our inflammation levels low, which benefits our overall health in the long run! 

Just like our dietary habits, inflammation works best in the practice of moderation. It’s best for healing up an injury, not for developing into more serious health conditions. Get some more greens on your plate, save the cake for a special occasion, and don’t forget to bring along The Plug Drink and Plug Pills on your journey to a healthier lifestyle this year! 

Bibliography 

1. What is an inflammation? [Internet]. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. Updated 2021 May 18. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/ 

2. Hunter P. The inflammation theory of disease. EMBO Reports [Internet]. 2012 Oct 9;13(11):968-70. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3492709/ 

‌3. Dimitratos S. Inflammation: What Is It, and how can my diet and behavior affect it? [Internet]. American Society for Nutrition. 2018 Mar 16. Available from: https://nutrition.org/inflammation-what-is-it-and-how-can-my-diet-and-behavior-affect-it/ 

4. Galland L. Diet and Inflammation. Nutrition in Clinical Practice [Internet]. 2010 Dec 7;25(6):634-40. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0884533610385703 

5. Anti Inflammatory Diet [Internet]. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/anti-inflammatory-diet 

‌6. Van De Walle G. Should You Completely Avoid Junk Food? [Internet]. Healthline. Updated 2019 Feb 25. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/avoiding-junk-food#bottom-line 

7. Foods that fight inflammation [Internet]. Harvard Health Publishing | Harvard Medical School. 2024 Mar 26. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation