Sponsored: Inflammation Inquiry

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Sponsored: Inflammation Inquiry

Question: I’m hearing a lot about foods that reduce inflammation and don’t really understand what that means or what I should be eating?

Answer: Use of the word “inflammation” or ‘inflammatory foods’ or ‘anti-inflammatory foods’ has certainly become quite popular; some might even call it a ‘buzz word’ or fad! Unfortunately, some people use these words and phrases with little context or explanation. What type of inflammation are these foods affecting or not affecting? Certain types of inflammation are considered a normal body process. If you

are stung by a bee and the site becomes red and itches, this is inflammation. When people make claims that certain foods or ways of eating affect inflammation, are they measuring inflammatory response or an improvement in amount of inflammation? Probably not.

Chronic (long-lasting) inflammation which has been linked to heart disease, gut health issues like irritable bowel disease (IBD), depression, Type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses. Chronic inflammation is not just caused by the way we eat, but also by stress, environmental factors (pollutants) and (lack of) activity.

The way we eat may lessen or increase inflammation depending on the individual and other factors. While research is still not conclusive, some ways to potentially decrease inflammation are:

• Eating fruits and vegetables daily

Related Items

• Limiting alcohol

• Limiting ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, fat and sodium

Source: Inflammation (nih.gov)

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian

twitter.com/InglesDietitian

facebook.com/LeahMcgrathDietitian

800-334-4936

Tags:

Swain man convicted in drug trafficking case

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch today said ...

Waynesville Police Chief David Adams had all of hi...

Rogelia Vega Evans, 26, of Lexington, North Caroli...

SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM

Contribute >

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Partner content: Dinner — Something for Everyone?

Whether it’s a family gathering or a co-worker get together, what kind of meal can you make that will please everyone?

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Partner content: Stories of dining during a disaster

Hurricane Helene was and continues to be a traumatic event for our region, but even within the worst of it, there are stories of resilience and ingenuity in ways that many had to deal with making or getting meals while having no power or water for days.

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Partner content: Ways to (Continue to) Help Western NC

There are many churches and community relief and service organizations that are and will continue to help in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Please make sure you check on what local area churches may be doing or need in terms of donations. Money is often the best thing to donate so they can buy what they need. Volunteer time is also often appreciated.

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Partner content: Post Hurricane

It is difficult to know what to write after a disaster of the magnitude caused by Hurricane Helene. It certainly teaches us the importance of coming together as a community to check on and help our friends and neighbors, and how vital our emergency response teams, first responders, National Guard, churches, shelters for both humans and animals, and relief organizations are in times like this.