Life is a balancing act, in more ways than one. Making sure you strike a balance between work, rest and play is important. So is maintaining an ability to understand different viewpoints. And, of course, there’s the old favourite, the so-called ‘balanced diet’. I’ve become more acutely aware of this concept in recent years as I’ve struggled with inflammation across various parts of my body.
Inflammation is, of course, the basis of arthritis. As we pointed out recently, the Greek derivation of the word literally translates to ‘joint inflammation’. Arthritis is a curse for many people at my age (59) and older. It can affect our knees, shoulders and hands. It can even help us discover joints we never knew existed! Just last week my older brother had surgery on his arthritic big toe.
For me it’s both knees and shoulders that cause the most grief, and I’m always on the lookout for ways to relieve the aches and pains.
Inflammation and your diet
Unsurprisingly, diet can play a role in the triggering and exacerbation of arthritis. However, the good news is it can also play a role in controlling inflammation. A growing body of evidence suggests the gut microbiome as ‘ground zero’ – the place where specific foods and ingredients either trigger or inhibit inflammatory reactions.
Such reactions are not exclusive to joints or older people. We now understand that our diet can influence risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other diseases. The link even extends as far as mental health.
One thing that ongoing research appears to reveal is that pinning the triggering or repression of inflammation to one specific food is far too simplistic. Rather, it’s the interaction of various foods and nutrients, says Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Fred Tabung.
Last year Dr Tabung, a cancer researcher, and his colleagues did an analysis using inflammatory molecules. Using them as a of measure for the health effects of foods, they found these molecules (or biomarkers) responded differently based on the combinations of foods and beverages in people’s diets.
The difficulty that comes from such a revelation is identifying combinations that prevent problems and combinations that cause problems. One example Dr Tabung cited was a comparison of eating a tomato salad compared to tomatoes alone. Results suggested the salad, with a fat source such as avocados and cheese was better at lowering chronic systemic inflammation.
Don’t overthink it
Of course, if you read enough food and health science articles you’ll likely encounter occasionally conflicting advice regarding inflammation. Take for instance a recent article by nutritionist Dr Lindsay Boyer. In it Dr Boyer points out that coffee can have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. Looking specifically at caffeine, she wrote, “whether or not it affects the inflammatory response can depend on the concentration”. It can also vary from person to person.
Dr Boyer’s article also suggested that more than 150mg of caffeine a day can increase insulin secretion. In turn this can lead to cravings for sugar and refined carbohydrates, foods that negatively affect inflammatory pathways.
And yet YourLifeChoices last week posted an article suggesting more than 200g caffeine could lower dementia risk. Neither of these conclusions is necessarily incorrect. One deals with inflammation, the other with brain plaque.
This is where the whole discussion comes back to balance. And the best place to start when seeking balance is probably with you and your GP. If enough information about your body is shared between the two of you, there’s a reasonable chance of achieving a good health outcome.
We can also take heart from multiple studies that point in a similar direction. The much-lauded Mediterranean diet is a good example. It scores very well in studies related to inflammation and many other aspects of health. And it just happens to strike a balance between fruits, vegetables, fish, and wholegrains, olive oil and dairy foods.
Do you suffer from arthritis or other forms of inflammation? Do you think diet is a factor? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Alzheimer’s drugs: are they really game changers?
Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
