We often hear about inflammation and what probably comes to mind is a sore throat or a swollen ankle after tripping. But there are different types of inflammation: the latter would be acute inflammations, processes that help the body to defend itself from damage, to achieve healing.
However, when these processes become chronic, even imperceptibly, we speak of low-grade chronic inflammation, and over time it can lead to more serious pathologies.
The causes of low-grade inflammation are diverse. The clinical nutritionist Blanca García-Orea Haro explains in Tell me what I eat now (Grijalbo) that the most common origins of this type of inflammation are: sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, tobacco, chronic stress, poor rest and poor diet.
García-Orea Haro explains in the book that ultra-processed foods are the most inflammatory. These are the most prominent:
As we know, this group of foods must be avoided as much as possible and limited to once a week, according to the recommendations of this specialist.
However, there are also other pro-inflammatory foods, he explains, such as wheat and dairy (not fermented).
The foods "most beneficial for our health are those that have a special anti-inflammatory power and that our physiology is capable of recognizing (fresh, real foods)," says the nutritionist.
As a large part of the immune system is located in the intestine, "if our physiology does not recognize what we eat (processed food, without nutrients, foreign) it will not manage it well and will create an alarm or inflammation reaction," he adds.
The anti-inflammatory foods that should be prioritized and promoted in our diet are:
The effects or symptoms that inflammation can cause are very diverse. As explained by the rheumatologist María Pérez Ferro, in Infosalus, the most obvious symptoms of chronic inflammation are fatigue, localized pain or generalized pain, lack of appetite, weight loss, difficult digestion, mouth ulcers or sores. skin rash.
Dr. Ángel Durántez, one of the pioneers in Spain of Medicine for Healthy Aging, affirms that chronic inflammation is "the silent killer". “Today it is known that inflammation is behind a wide range of chronic diseases, responsible for half of the deaths in the world, associated with heart attack, stroke, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, liver non-alcoholic fat or autoimmune and degenerative diseases".
Read the original RAC1 article here.
