Top tips for eating to beat inflammation –
a key driver of cancer
Unhealthy eating habits coupled with
sedentary and stressful lifestyles are known to contribute to poor health. What
might be surprising to learn is that inflammation is not only a core contributor to poor health, but one
that can also be either exacerbated or elevated by our diet and lifestyle
choices. Most importantly, inflammation is considered to be a silent epidemic
that contributes to the majority of chronic diseases, slowly progressing over a
period of years.
Inflammation is both a natural and
necessary part of the body’s immune system, functioning to protect us from infection and allowing
us heal and repair. The products generated
during a natural inflammatory response, however, are highly destructive, and
the body must ensure that the inflammation is tightly orchestrated so that inflammation doesn’t get out of hand. Without this control, inflammation can
continue unregulated and a myriad of health issues, including cancer may ensue.
The classic example of how diet and
lifestyle can lower our risk of poor health is what is known as the
Mediterranean diet. Obviously, this is not a ‘diet’ per se, but rather
the traditional eating habits of people living in and around the Mediterranean
and includes countries such as Spain, Italy, France and Greece. The benefits of
the Mediterranean diet have been recognised from as far back as the 1940s, when
the dietary practices involved the consumption of large amounts of olive oil,
unrefined cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruit. In addition, consumption
of fish was high but consumption of meat products was low. This was coupled with moderate consumption of
both dairy products and wine. Foods were locally sourced and
therefore fresh and often organic.
Lifestyles were generally relaxed in nature, people were more active and
stress levels were generally low. So
good was this method of diet and lifestyle, that a meta-analysis of studies
published in 2008 suggested that following a Mediterranean way of life is likely associated with a
significant improvement in health status, as seen by a significant reduction in
overall mortality (9%), mortality from cardiovascular diseases (9%), incidence
of or mortality from cancer (6%), and incidence of Parkinson's disease and
Alzheimer's disease (13%). [1]
Sadly, the impact of ‘progress’ or ‘westernisation’ in terms of food processing and
refining methods means that the ‘original’ Mediterranean diet in its true sense has changed significantly over the
years, but by understanding and adopting key principles of the Mediterranean
diet (whilst incorporating a
more active and less stressful lifestyle) it is relatively easy to benefit from
this anti-inflammatory diet, both to reduce the risk of developing inflammatory
issues later in life, and to manage already existing inflammatory issues.
Below are our top tips for
recreating a healthy, anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean style diet.
1 – Feast on healthy fats
Olive oil is a wonderful fat. Rich
in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) likeoleic acid and palmitoleic acid that
help in lower LDL or ’bad’ cholesterol and increase HDL - 'good' cholesterol, extra-virgin,
cold-pressed olive oil, is
rich in polyphenols and is also an excellent source of vitamin E. These powerful nutrients act as antioxidants and
contribute to the anti-inflammatory health benefits of olive oil. As olive oil is not particularly heat
stable (though more so than many typically used oils), it is best to use it as
a dressing on salads rather than for cooking; when cooking it’s best to use coconut oil, which can
be heated quite safely, and offers the additional benefit of containing high levels
of beneficial fats (such as lauric acid) that can help kill harmful pathogens
like bacteria and viruses.
2 –
Balance your omegas
The high intake of oily fish
associated with the Mediterranean diet ensures that the balance of omega-6 (which can exacerbate
inflammation) to omega-3 fatty acids (which are anti-inflammatory) are kept in
check. Oily fish such as anchovies,
sardines and mackerel are particularly rich in EPA and DHA, which can help regulate
inflammation and are associated with improved cognitive function, heart health
and reduced cancer incidence. If you are not a fan of oily fish, it’s worth topping up your omega-3
levels with a good quality fish oil.
Pharmepa MAINTAIN not only provides highly bioavailable EPA and DHA, but
also includes the omega-6 fatty acid GLA.
Not all omega-6s are pro-inflammatory and it’s important to get a good balance of
anti-inflammatory omega-6 as well as omega-3!
The organic cold-pressed evening primrose oil (which we use as our
source of GLA) is also rich in polyphenols (specifically triterpenes) which are
powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds.
3 – Unleash the power of protein
The
protein obtained from the diet is broken down into numerous building blocks
called amino acids. These sit patiently
in an amino acid ‘pool’ until they are required to make new proteins, such as
enzymes, hormones and other molecules required by the immune system (as well as
for general growth and repair). Some amino
acids are considered to be essential and must be obtained in the diet. If they are not added to our amino acid
‘pool’ then the body is unable to create important proteins required to support
daily functions. Both fish and grass-fed meat, unlike processed refined meats
(like basic ‘value’ range sausages, battered fish fingers and so on) will offer
quality protein (that is, protein that provides all the essential amino
acids). Avoiding (or minimising)
processed meat and including quality meat and fish is therefore essential, not
just for regulating inflammation but also for numerous other biological
processes.
4 – Choose carbohydrates wisely
One of the key features of the
Mediterranean diet is the lack of refined and processed carbohydrate; this is a
diet that is rich in whole grains (these provide complex carbohydrates) as well
as fruit and vegetables and it’s important to have a minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each
day (although the ideal ratio of vegetables to fruit should be around 4
vegetable portions to 1 fruit portion). Fruit
contains natural fruit sugars, which are metabolised directly by the liver; if
eaten in high quantities, this can put unnecessary strain on the health of the
liver, which needs to stay in tip top
shape to ensure that it is able to perform its job of detoxifying the body. Choosing
fruits like berries that are naturally low in sugar content can be healthier
than sugary fruits such as tropical fruits like mango and pineapple. Choosing complex carbohydrates that are
broken down slowly is excellent for helping to manage healthy blood sugar
levels, unlike refined white sugar which is added to a lot of processed refined
food products; the high sugar intake associated with western diets is now
widely known to directly contribute to numerous inflammatory conditions. Vegetables provide an essential nutrient
profile, including cofactors (required for many biological processes),
antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. In addition to providing an
excellent source of protein and similar to other vegetables, legumes (foods such as beans, lentils and
peas) are also rich in fibre and complex carbohydrates (healthier carbohydrates that not only help regulate blood sugar levels
but also have the added benefits of keeping the gut functioning well); they are
also rich in healthy fats, and essential minerals and vitamins. As the nutrient profile differs between types
of legumes, with each kind offering a unique nutritional profile, eating a variety of types can also
make a tasty alternative to meat and fish.
5 – Deconstruction dairy
Another key feature of the
Mediterranean diet was the moderate consumption of dairy products, mainly in
the form of cheese and yogurt. These
would have been locally sourced and from cows, sheep and goats that were fed on
natural diets. Whilst dairy can be quite
high in saturated fat, the
nutrient profile from local animals
would be similar to that of organic grass-fed meat, i.e. rich in good fats such
as omega-3 and rich in other essential nutrients. In addition, organic eggs
from free range birds will offer additional nutrients including quality protein
(providing the full spectrum of essential amino acids) and omega-3 fats. If you
can tolerate dairy, and it’s not contraindicated for you then a
little could be of benefit.
6 –Say hello to whole foods
When we step thought the doors of
our local supermarket we are confronted with aisle upon aisle of tins, packets,
tubs, bottles and boxes of ‘food’ products. Some need no
preparation, some need heating, some need mixing. Our demand for convenience has overshadowed
our understanding of the importance of consuming food in its whole, natural and
unadulterated form. Depending on where
you shop (let’s face it, some supermarkets are
significantly guiltier than others) you may come across aisles of fruit and vegetables where,
sadly, most of the offerings will have been transported miles (if not
continents) to appear on those shelves.
The nutrients offered can often be insignificant and of poor quality and
we merely feed and fill our bellies rather than supply our bodies with the many
hundreds (and more) individual nutrients required to fuel the similar amount of
metabolic processes that keep us functioning on a daily basis.
Shopping locally and visiting your
local butcher, organic farm or market will take you closer to obtaining the
quality of nutrients supplied by a typical Mediterranean diet than any of your local supermarkets. If you are fortunate enough to have use of a
small amount of land, or access to an allotment you can grown you own
vegetables and fruit (and possibly also keep free-range chickens), offering you
even more control over the type of food you choose to eat. Consider the benefits of an anti-inflammatory
diet, one that excludes processed foods and focuses on oily fish (preferably non-farmed),
whole foods and organic products from free-range animals: it provides the best
combination of nutrients to control, reduce or dampen inflammatory processes
for optimal long-term health.
About Dr Nina
Bailey BSc, MSc, PhD, RNutr
Nina is a leading expert in marine fatty acids and their role in health
and disease. Nina holds a master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and received
her doctorate from Cambridge University. Nina’s main area of interest is the
role of essential fatty acids in inflammatory disorders. She is a published
scientist and regularly features in national health publications and has
featured as a nutrition expert on several leading and regional radio stations
including SKY.FM, various BBC stations and London’s Biggest Conversation. Nina
regularly holds training workshops and webinars both with the public and health
practitioners.
[1]
Adherence to Mediterranean diet and health status: meta-analysis. Sofi
F, Cesari F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. BMJ. 2008 Sep 11;337:a1344.
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