Health News Update: Diet Linked to Chronic Inflammation & Disease
Hello everyone:
As we approach this special time of year, it is important to reflect on how much we respect ourselves when it comes to our health and related food choices. Yet knowing what to eat has become tremendously challenging because of the way that the overall media portrays the available science. In other words, the media favors their sponsors so that the messages that we receive are confusing, biased, and all over the place.
What is important to know is that the background science is not confused about what constitutes a healthy diet, and over the previous two decades the research that has emerged keeps coming to the same conclusions. You might have read my previous blogs where I repeatedly state that inflammation will cause, perpetuate and aggravate every known human illness, including aging. Here is an article that shows from at least 2015, science has known what the best dietary patterns are, and they are lower in inflammatory potential.
“Low-grade chronic inflammation is an underlying pathophysiological mechanism linking risk factors and/or metabolic disorders to increased risk of chronic degenerative disease. A meat-based pattern, as the Western type diet, is positively linked to higher levels of some important biomarkers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP),
interleukin-6 and fibrinogen. Conversely, a Mediterranean-like eating behavior is associated with lower degree of these biomarkers thus suggesting an anti-inflammatory action of its main food components.”
Bottom Line:
There is also increasing evidence from newer studies that look into not only going plant-based but into the quality of the food choices. You can go plant-based and lower animal products and still consume ‘junk’ such as refined flour cookies, French fries, chips, candy bars, soda, processed breakfast cereals, and even vegan things like faux chicken nuggets, meat replacements, etc. The more the food has been processed, the worse it is for your health and wellbeing.
As you might surmise, higher quality foods offer distinct and superior advantages when it comes to health. By higher quality it means that the food is whole food, unprocessed or minimally processed (cooked at home and not fried!), organic whenever possible, fiber rich, and are consumed largely in their natural form. Here is a modern version or definition of plant-based: A plant-based diet consists almost entirely of whole, unprocessed vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, grains and nuts, with little or no meat, dairy or fish. People usually seek out a plant-based diet for reasons of health, animal welfare concerns, as well as environmental concerns.
One of the best authors on this subject is Joel Fuhrman, MD who has written many books on this subject based on both clinical experience and research. Check out his ‘nutritarian’ approach in his 2020 book entitled “Eat for Life”. I cannot think of a good reason not to respect yourself and feed your Temple high quality fuel…investing now will pay dividends later with a longer healthspan and lifespan where you get to enjoy life to the fullest…plus, it is never too late to start feeling better.
