Recently, the "anti-inflammatory diet" has become popular on the Internet, claiming that it can enhance immunity, reduce the risk of inflammatory infection, and even reduce the probability of cancer
Is the "anti-inflammatory diet" really that magical?
Changsha Evening News All Media Reporter Yang Weiran Correspondent Tang Hanmei Tang Xionglue
Recently, an anti-inflammatory diet that claims to "enhance the body's immunity, reduce the risk of inflammatory infection, and even reduce the probability of cancer" has become popular on the Internet.
Ms. Xu from Changsha has been plagued by rhinitis for many years. After learning from the Internet that food can be used to fight inflammation, she drinks "ginger and garlic juice" as water every day.
Unexpectedly, after a month, there will be dry mouth, stomach bloating, stomach pain, insomnia and other phenomena.
Is inflammation in the body the same thing as the "inflammation" of an anti-inflammatory diet?
Are There Really Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-Inflammatory Diets?
How to scientifically enhance immunity to fight infection?
Tang Xiliang, a national nutrition and health care expert and chief physician of Hunan Chest Hospital, answered and gave guidance.
The "inflammation" in the anti-inflammatory diet is different from the inflammation caused by viruses and bacteria
Tang Xiliang explained that the anti-inflammatory diet was originally mostly used in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which evolved from the intestinal anti-inflammatory diet developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Medicine.
Inflammation is a defensive response of the body's own immune system to external stimuli, sometimes beneficial.
However, if the inflammatory response persists, it will develop into chronic inflammation, such as chronic pharyngitis and rhinitis.
The "inflammation" in the anti-inflammatory diet is not the same as the inflammation caused by viruses or bacteria that we often say. It mainly refers to chronic low-grade inflammation, which is difficult to be detected by people, and it is not easy to be detected during routine physical examinations.
Eating a pro-inflammatory diet for a long time will cause chronic inflammation to persist for a long time, and it is easy to induce chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, gout, arthritis, etc. In severe cases, it may even lead to major diseases such as cancer.
It can be seen that diet is indeed associated with chronic inflammation, and food can exacerbate or improve inflammation in the body.
After food enters the intestinal tract, inflammatory mediators will be produced under the action of the flora. If high salt, high oil, high sugar or too spicy food is consumed, the inflammatory mediators will be overexpressed, which will lead to inflammation. Exacerbation; if the intake is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, natural antioxidants, etc., these substances can inhibit the expression of prostate cyclooxygenase and reduce the level of inflammatory mediators, thereby producing anti-inflammatory effects and reducing the occurrence of inflammation.
However, eating like Ms. Xu's method is not scientific.
On the one hand, any disease in the human body is caused by many reasons, and eating anti-inflammatory foods alone is not enough to resist the disease.
On the other hand, we need to pay attention to the degree and quantity of everything. Although ginger and garlic have anti-inflammatory effects, they are irritating to the stomach. If eaten in large quantities, it may cause chronic atrophic gastritis for people with poor gastrointestinal function.
What are the common anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory diets?
According to Tang Xiliang, studies have shown that substances with anti-inflammatory effects in the diet are mainly divided into two categories, namely omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and natural antioxidants.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are mainly derived from various types of marine fish such as salmon, herring, and anchovies, as well as flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, and walnuts.
There are even more foods rich in natural antioxidants, such as broccoli, avocado, kiwi, oranges, grapes, tomatoes, cherries, ginger, garlic, nuts, etc.
At the same time, foods with anti-inflammatory properties include vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as kale, cabbage, etc.; fruits, especially berries such as cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.; foods rich in dietary fiber such as whole Grains, beans; foods rich in polyphenols and flavonoids such as green tea, soybeans, etc.; spice foods such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, sage and garlic.
However, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid in omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids have certain pro-inflammatory effects.
But it is also an essential fatty acid in the human body and plays an indispensable role in multiple tissues and functions of the human body. It is worth reminding that a balanced intake is important.
Omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids are mainly derived from corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, etc.
Common pro-inflammatory foods in life include red meat (pig, beef, sheep, rabbit, etc.), overly processed foods (such as white bread, sugar-sweetened beverages, salad dressings, processed meat products, etc.), refined carbohydrates (biscuits, cakes, etc.) , snacks, etc.), high-fat and high-sugar foods, etc., all of which can easily lead to more inflammation in the body.
Among them, red meat contains a molecule of sialic acid not found in the human body, which is recognized by the immune system as a foreign invader, causing inflammation.
Animal experiments have shown that long-term consumption of large amounts of red meat will lead to an increased risk of cancer in mice.
Overly processed foods are generally high in sugar, salt, fat and contain a lot of trans fatty acids, which can easily lead to chronic inflammation in the body.
Therefore, for people with adverse inflammation in the body (such as acute or chronic inflammation such as pharyngitis, gastritis, enteritis, pneumonia, etc.), by increasing the intake of anti-inflammatory foods and reducing the intake of pro-inflammatory foods, the occurrence of inflammation can be reduced to a certain extent. develop.
Healthy lifestyle habits can boost immunity and reduce risk of inflammatory infections
To improve immunity and reduce the occurrence of chronic inflammation, people should not rely too much on various drug treatments, but can improve by adjusting their diet structure.
Tang Xiliang reminded that, in the final analysis, the diet should pursue a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet.
At the same time, doing the following aspects in life can enhance immunity in a real sense and reduce the risk of inflammatory infection.
Moderate exercise.
When people exercise, muscle fibers contract and blood circulation accelerates, which can promote the secretion of cytokines by macrophages, thereby improving the body's ability to recognize bacteria and viruses, enhance body immunity, and reduce the occurrence of inflammation.
Do moderate-intensity (slightly sweating or breathing slightly) physical exercise for at least 5 days a week for a total of 150 minutes, or an average of about 6,000 active steps per day.
For example, young people can choose to run, skip rope, swimming, ball games, etc.; middle-aged and elderly people can choose to walk, play Tai Chi, square dance, and play table tennis.
When exercising, do what you can according to your physical condition.
keep up the good mood.
Modern people's work and life are under great pressure, resulting in a serious decline in immunity.
Studies have shown that under the action of stress, glucocorticoids will affect the function of innate T cells, weaken their cytokine secretion, cell killing, anti-tumor metastasis and other capabilities, thereby reducing the body's immunity and increasing the risk of inflammation.
Therefore, it is important to release the stress in time.
maintain a normal weight.
People who are overweight or obese have excess body fat and inflammatory proteins are produced by fat cells.
Fat cells also produce other compounds, such as leptin and adiponectin, that have a more negative impact on overall immune function.
Being underweight can also lead to decreased immunity and increased inflammation.
Reasonable diet, balanced nutrition, and maintain the body weight at a normal level (the index is maintained at 18.5 to 23.9).
Make sure you get enough sleep and change bad habits.
Adequate and quality sleep can help improve the body's immunity. On the contrary, long-term lack of sleep and poor sleep quality can inhibit the immune response, resulting in a decrease in the number or activity of immune cells, which is manifested as decreased immunity and susceptibility to inflammation.
On the other hand, unhealthy living habits such as staying up late, smoking, and drinking alcohol will also lead to a decline in immunity, which is easy to cause disease.
Adequate sleep and good living habits help to promote the vitality of the immune system and are beneficial to health.