Key 4: Practice Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
Key Points:
1. Inflammation is a natural process, and in small amounts, is necessary and beneficial. However, issues arise once we enter a chronic state of inflammation.
2. Excess stress is one of the primary culprits for putting the body into an elevated inflammatory state.
3. Proper nutrition is one of the primary ways through which we can avoid perpetual inflammation.
“Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there’.”
There is widespread agreement that one of the common pathways involved in all human disease, especially chronic diseases, is inflammation. There is a lot of interest in the role that inflammation plays in mental health challenges ranging from depression to schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder and even ADHD. We’ve known for a while that inflammation is linked to physical diseases such as coronary artery disease, diabetes and cancer.
We also know that chronic stress is one of the primary contributors to elevated inflammation levels in the human body. As a result, any conversation about optimal health and performance needs to include an exploration of how we can decrease systemic inflammation. We all need to make an effort to recover and regenerate more effectively so we give ourselves the best chance to avoid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and depression.
The science is highly compelling and clearly demonstrates that excess inflammation in our bodies is detrimental. The thing to understand is that inflammation isn’t inherently a problem or even something we want to, or can, eliminate. In small amounts, inflammation helps the body heal, but chronic inflammation can lead to health problems.
Here’s how the body’s inflammatory mechanism works.
Exercise and stress cause mechanical and metabolic stresses on the body such as structural damage to cells and increased metabolic rate. The process affects mitochondria and produces reactive oxygen species, which are what we are trying to address when we take in antioxidants. Stresses also cause our bodies to release inflammatory markers, the white blood cells that go out and repair all the damage.
Ultimately, inflammation is a good process if your body can repair quickly. It's basically like burning down a forest and allowing it to regrow. You need inflammation. When you work out, you create inflammation inside your body. Then, through good nutrition and sleep, you cue recovery and regeneration so your body can heal itself and get stronger, fitter and faster. But if you don’t allow time for recovery and jump right into the next workout, you’ll end up sick and injured.
The same goes for ongoing mental and emotional stresses. If you want to perform at a world-class level, you have to wire in time to back off and calm down. It's really critical. A perpetual state of inflammation is not healthy.
Aside from adequate rest and good nutrition, there are lots of ways to reduce inflammation. For example, you can make sure your diet has ample turmeric in it, combine intermittent fasting with regular exercise and explore the benefits of hot and cold immersion.
A simple protocol to help you decrease systemic inflammation
Here are some ideas to help you will fuel your physiology through food, get healthier and move closer to realizing your potential.
1) Raise the nutrient content of your food: I have a simple formula for assessing the quality of food: Health = Nutrients over Calories. If you want to dramatically up-level your health, crank up the nutrient level in your food relative to your caloric load.
2) Not low fat but the right fat: Keep levels of saturated fat (meat, dairy) on the low side. Instead, eat foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids (cold water fish, oysters, salmon, shrimp, beans, nuts, seeds) and monounsaturated fat (olive oil, avocado, almonds, cashews).
3) Shift from sauces to spices: Move toward using spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon whenever you can. They are incredible flavours and many spices have anti-inflammatory properties and loads of other effects we’re just learning about.
4) Reduce simple sugars in your diet: Sugar not only causes inflammation, it also decreases the size of the hippocampus, the structure in your brain responsible for learning and memory.
5) Avoid processed foods: There are interesting studies on the link between an unhealthy diet and chronic inflammation in the body and brain. A Harvard Medical School article identifies the most common dietary contributors to inflammation: refined carbohydrates (like white bread or pastries), fried foods (like French fries), sugar-sweetened beverages, red meat and processed meat (like hotdogs and sausages), and vegetable oils (like margarine).
6) Eat anti-anxiety foods. In an article for Harvard Health, Dr. Uma Naidoo makes a case for the important role diet plays in managing anxiety. She recommends foods rich in magnesium (spinach, swiss chard, legumes, nuts, seeds), zinc (oysters, cashews, liver, beef, eggs), omega-3s (discussed above), probiotics (sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi), and B vitamins (avocado, almonds). All of these foods encourage the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which improve mood.
Today’s Call to Action: Make a Fruit and Veggie Tally
One of the simplest ways to move towards an anti-inflammatory diet is to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption. Diversity is just as important as quantity, so this week, see how many unique fruits and vegetables you can have! You can make it a challenge with your friends or family members. Use the Fruit and Vegetable Tally on page 23 of your Rest, Refocus, Recharge Workbook to help you keep track. Have fun!
Today’s Bonus: Dr. Greg Wells Podcast
Check out this podcast episode with guest Leslie Beck on Nutrition for Optimal Health
The information and advice provided in this program is intended to assist you with improving your performance, as well as your general health. It is not intended and should not be used in place of advice from your own physician or for treatment or diagnosis of any specific health issue. By participating in this program you acknowledge that undertaking any new health, diet and/or exercise regime involves certain inherent risks, that you assume such risks, and that you release Wells Performance Inc. from any responsibility or claim relating to such participation.