10 top anti-inflammatory foods

These top 10 top anti-inflammatory foods are for those who desire to live long, healthy lives. It's only for those who are willing to make changes to achieve what is probably one of the greatest challenges; a life without the need for medication.

There is certainly no quick-fix. Chronic inflammation is the leading cause of death worldwide; three out every five. If it were simple then most people would be enjoying lives free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and malignant tumours; and would not be taking many medications.

The science

I never promised you a rose garden; if you're looking for a two-minute read that will enable you to live to a strong and zesty ninety, then close this page right now.

Inflammation is characterised by the protective response of the immune system, usually to a non-infectious molecule that your body has encountered; it could be from the air you have breathed, the water you drank or the food you ate, for example.

Less commonly it is the protective response after encountering a pathogen; a virus or bacterium, for example.

When receptors in the lungs or gut for example encounter one of these noxious molecules, they release a group of pro-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.

You have probably heard of the "cytokine storm" in the lungs that killed so many people during the recent pandemic; a hyper immune system that went totally overboard in its response.

More usually it is the overly enthusiastic response to a non-infectious molecule; there are millions. It could be a toxic chemical sprayed onto your lettuce, a hormone injected into a cow before it was slaughtered or a microparticle of plastic in the water you drank. They are everywhere; we simply cannot avoid them all, though we certainly should endeavour to do so.

Enter our top ten anti-inflammatory foods that will help to counter this hyped-up reaction to noxious molecules that we encounter every minute of our lives.

Ten is very arbitrary figure; we should perhaps be aiming for fifty, or two-hundred but this is a place to start.

Three principles

• The first is simply to do our level best to avoid these toxic compounds that are making us sick. A simple example is more regular washing of hands; another was wearing masks during the recent pandemic. A third would be to stay out of range of smokers.

Looking for sources of drinking water that are less likely to be contaminated with microparticles of plastic, drug residues and non-caloric sweeteners would be another strategy; and a host of other toxic chemicals.

Locate sources of nourishment not contaminated with herbicides and the toxic chemicals added by food companies to our daily fare. 

• The second strategy is to add in those foods that have been proved to be anti-inflammatory; and there are many, far more than our top 10.
• The third principle is to ensure that blood glucose remains with the normal limits. This probably will be the most difficult for many; almost a half of people living in first-world countries, on the "industrial diet" are either prediabetic or have the frank disease.

Did you know that by using food as medicine most type-2 diabetics can put their disease completely into remission without the need of any drugs^[3]? It's all about dealing with inflammation in a completely natural way.

None of this of course is a guarantee of a long, healthy life free of medication. It simply moves the stats in your favour; profoundly so if I may be so bold to add.

10 top anti-inflammatory foods

These are my 10 top anti-inflammatory foods to counter the chronic degenerative diseases; in no particular order of importance. Some are simple to incorporate in your diet, others profoundly difficult.

1. Freshly-ground flax seeds

Freshly-ground flax seeds are a source of at least two important compounds. The first is one of the omega-3 fatty acids called ALA that has been shown to be strongly anti-inflammatory. It is inexpensive and I recommend having a tablespoon daily.

It is also an excellent source of lignans, phytonutrients proven to reduce malignant breast tumours by as much as 50%; this is not "small beer" that we are discussing.

• Grinding flax seeds
• What is a lignan?

To this we could add fatty fish but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find those not farmed in appalling conditions.

2. The pumpkin family

Pumpkin has been used for centuries to counter the effect of raised blood glucose; a natural treatment for type-2 diabetes. Have only small helpings. Butternuts and chaote are probably our favourites. They are very easy to grow.

It's all about two phytonutrients known for their pyridine structure; trigonelline and niacin.

• Easy butternut squash soup
• Chaote squash, also known as a susu
  
• Pumpkin for diabetes
  

3. Peppers

Peppers are a rich source of three phytonutrients known for their anti-inflammatory properties. They are vitamin C, zeaxanthin and capsaicin.

It does seem bizarre that hot peppers should have powerful anti-inflammatory properties; it's all about the capsaicin. They are being used increasingly because of their proven properties of inducing cell death in prostate tumours.

• Growing peppadews
• Capsacin health benefits

Big Pharma is desperately trying to manufacture these compounds and the supplement companies want you to take them in capsules. We belong to the Order of Hippocrates. There are thousands of these important phytonutrients; your food is the best, most diverse and cheapest source.

4. Kale and spinach

Dark-green leafy vegetables are the best source of lutein, the phytonutrient known to prevent adult-onset macular degeneration. Eat them daily.

You have to grow your own kale incidentally; you are unlikely to find tender young leaves at the supermarket.

• Lutein macular degeneration
• Lima bean and kale shakshuka
• Health benefits of kale
  

5. Happy beans

The World Health Organisation is uncompromising;  processed meat is definitely carcinogenic.

And all red meat is probably so; they are assuming that organic beef is virtually unobtainable. Food from responsibly raised cattle and pigs probably is wholesome but it remains unproven.

That means getting much of our protein from legumes; I prefer those that are green over the dried. They are more digestible probably because of smaller amounts of anti-nutrients.

Broad beans, also known as favas are the only source of the happy hormone called dopamine. You are unlikely to find them in the shops; if you do they are usually old and starchy. You have to grow them yourself.

L-dopa gives protection against Parkinson's disease and macular degeneration, and probably a heap of other conditions; it also keeps you feeling happy.

• Broad bean tips
• Eggs Parkinson's disease
  

6. Onions

The onion family contains a flavonoid called quercetin. It has well proven anti-inflammatory properties and many others, for example, lowering blood glucose. It inhibits the formation of cytokines.

We recommend using onions, garlic and leeks on a regular basis.

Green onion tops and chives can be enjoyed raw in a salad.

7. Parsley, celery and berries

Parsley and celery contain a potent anti-inflammatory compound called apigenin; it's also in berries, wheat sprouts^[2] and apples.

Since it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier it is being studied particularly in relation to protection of the myelin sheath in conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Guavas and berries are particularly high in flavonoids, here brewed into a natural honey mead.

Celery and onions are probably the most common vegetables used for making the Holy Grail Soup; along with carrots.

• Holy grail soup
• Wholemeal sourdough bread
• Mulberry honey mead

Apigenin has been shown to reduce an important inflammatory marker in Metabolic Syndrome; it reduces adipose tissue and lowers levels of cytokines.

8. Kefir

One of the most powerful anti-inflammatory organs in the body is the microbiome. Yes, the bacteria, virus and yeast cells in the happy tum are so important that they are being called the "Second Brain."

Supporting this normal flora as it is sometimes called is two-fold. Firstly plenty of fibre from our food and secondly diverse fermented condiments; they provide the probiotics that are so important.

It's not recommended taking probiotics from supplements; the spectrum of bugs is far too narrow. We find kefir and and sauerkraut the two easiest.

• How to make kefir
• Homemade sauerkraut recipe
  

9. Turmeric

The active ingredient in turmeric is a phytonutrient called curcumin; it's in ginger too. There are numerous reports confirming its Cox-2 inhibitor properties.

The best way to use turmeric is daily in your cooking. Using it with other known anti-inflammatory foods such as broad beans, unrefined wheat and peppadews turns it into powerful medicine.

• Does turmeric help with inflammation?
• Fried bulgur wheat with turmeric
  

10. 100% wholemeal bread

I think you'll agree that it is not particularly difficult to include any of the aforementioned of our 10 top anti-inflammatory foods in your diet; some like broad beans and kale you may have to grow yourself.

Real bread as it's being called in the United Kingdom is the exception; 100% wholemeal flour is almost impossible to get. You need a mill and either a ready arm to knead the dough or a machine.

The bran and germ contain many important anti-inflammatory compounds; almost all are extracted in the refining process. A mill which does not separate the three streams is the only solution.

World renowned cardiologist, Dr Wilfred Shute reports that prior to the refining of flour heart attacks were very rare; today CV conditions are the leading chronic degenerative diseases. He attributed the protection afforded by "real bread" to the anti-coagulant properties of vitamin E; there is zero in the supermarket loaf.

Betaine is another anti-inflammatory nutrient found in beets and 100% wholemeal flour; it donates methyl groups to detox homocysteine.

• Vitamin E
• What is a lignan?
• What is betaine?
• Cardiovascular homocysteine
  

Summary

If we simply eat many unprocessed coloured foods on a daily basis we are well on our way to a life without medication. The good wife and I, in our mid seventies take virtually no drugs at all.

I wish I had room in my 10 top anti-inflammatory foods for the tomato; every male should some every day for the prostate gland. Nuts and more seeds should be there too.

Folk living in the five Blue Zone countries of the world apply these principles daily to their food; a zestful, busy ninety is the norm and ten times as many live to one hundred.

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