TURMERIC and GINGER Whenever you can, add one or both of these spices, which are potent antioxidants—to whatever you’re eating. Turmeric, a key ingredient in Indian curry dishes, reduces inflammation by lowering levels of four inflammatory enzymes.
LEGUMES
fried foods; red meat; and processed foods— create promoters. The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts and flaxseed, on the other hand, are the building blocks for eicosanoids, which inhibit inflamma- tion. In a healthy body, the two types of eicosanoids are in balance, so that red-hot reaction happens only where and when it’s needed. But many Amer- icans don’t eat that way. In general, we take in far more pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats than cooling omega-3 fare. High-fat red meat, for example, con- tains an omega-6 fatty acid called ara- chidonic acid that appears to be particularly bad. A 2008 research review from the University of Bordeaux, in France, linked arachi- donic acid’s pro-inflammatory effects to increased risks for cancer, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune disorders. Being overweight in itself adds to chronic inflammation, possibly because body fat stockpiles dangerous levels of arachidonic acid. Other foods feed the flames by quietly irritating
Beans are your friends—black beans, pinto beans, lima beans, you name it—and so are soy products. Though there’s no guideline for how much soy we need daily, a good estimate is one to two daily servings, or the equivalent of 25 grams of soy protein, which has shown good results for lowering heart-disease risk in some research. (One serving is the equivalent of a half-cup of tofu or 1 cup soymilk.) You’ll get the most benefit from eating whole soy foods (edamame), which have all the nutrients, fiber and phytochemicals, in addition to isoflavones, a type of phytonutri- ent, rather than pills or protein bars. And if you have had breast cancer talk to your doctor before adding soy to your diet.
GREEN TEA Another antioxidant powerhouse, green tea has been found in numerous studies, including one from the U.S.D.A., to lower tissue inflammation, while other research shows it might also help with painful inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis.
the fatty LDLs to insert themselves into the walls of the arteries, pro- ducing the plaque build- up of atherosclerosis. As a result, blood vessels narrow, blood flow is re- duced and, if it’s not stopped, is eventually cut off altogether, end- ing in a heart attack or stroke. Refined grains like white bread and white rice, fried foods
and those made with palm and coconut oils and sug- ar all work similarly, irritating different parts of the body and increasing the risk for disease.
Foods that cool Bet you already knew that that double bacon cheese-
and damaging your body’s tissues. The saturated fats in full-fat dairy products and meats and the trans fats in processed and fast foods, for instance, are carried in the blood in “packages” called low-density lipo- proteins (LDLs) that deliver fats from the liver out into the body. The LDLs don’t just travel down blood vessels, though; they stick to artery walls and dam- age them. That triggers the inflammatory process, with an army of immune cells rallying to the site to repair the damage. But the chronic irritation allows
burger wasn’t doing you any favors, right? So how should you eat to lower your risk for chronic condi- tions and, possibly, pain? Luckily, there’s a bounty of flavorful foods that fight the inflammatory fire by protecting your body’s tissues and repairing those that are damaged. Start by eliminating what’s hurting you, even if you can’t feel the hurt, yet: That means full-fat dairy products and meats; processed meats and cold cuts; and all processed junk and fast foods packed with sugar and/or saturated or trans fats. Start to think of your fridge as another medicine cabinet and you’ll be well on your (continued on page 61)