Diet is a key lifestyle factor that has a huge effect on our overall health and wellbeing.
Certain foods and drinks, for example, can raise our risk of dangerous conditions like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Luckily other foods can have the opposite effect, helping to protect us against diseases and conditions.
With this in mind an expert spoke with Express.co.uk about the single best diet you can follow to stay healthy.
Doctor Bhavini Shah, from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, explained how an anti-inflammatory diet can improve your quality of life and prevent future health problems.
He said: “The anti-inflammatory diet is a powerful, natural diet that doesn’t involve calorie counting or limiting your portions.
“Unlike many common diets, an anti-inflammatory diet does not dictate the number of calories you must eat, your portion size, or the times you’re allowed to eat.
“Instead, the diet focuses on eating healthier foods, high in fibre and antioxidants.
“Inflammation is a natural immune response to something that is wrong in our body, resulting in pain and swelling to alert us to an injury, or coughing and sneezing to force allergens out of the body.
“Inflammation can also be caused by stress, low activity levels and certain foods.”
Poor dietary choices can make inflammation worse.
“This becomes a problem when highly processed unhealthy foods trigger inflammation, causing swelling and damage,” Dr Shah said.
“This can result in persistent inflammation, called metaflammation, which can have serious health consequences.”
According to Dr Shah, an anti-inflammatory diet can aid your body in preventing:
He continued: “Anti-inflammatory foods contain antioxidants, polyphenols, and fibre which naturally combat inflammation.
“These anti-inflammatory compounds can also prevent spiking blood sugar as well as stopping inflammation being signalled by your immune system.”
How to eat an anti-inflammatory diet
But what does this diet consist of? Dr Shah stated that the Mediterranean diet is one high in anti-inflammatory foods.
The Mediterranean diet revolves around healthy fats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and fewer processed foods and meat.
Dr Shah listed the best anti-inflammatory foods as:
- Green leafy vegetables – spinach, kale
- Nuts – almonds, walnuts
- Fatty fish – tuna, salmon
- Fruits -. berries, tomatoes
- Unsaturated fats – olive oil, vegetable oil.
He said to avoid the following inflammatory foods:
- Refined carbohydrates – white bread, pastries
- Fried foods – chips, fried chicken
- Sugary carbonated drinks – cola, energy drinks
- Red meat – burgers, steak
- Processed meat – sausage, chicken nuggets
- Saturated fats – butter, lard
- Alcohol – beer, spirits.
