A recently published study showed that people who eat more pro-inflammatory foods were linked to a higher risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
As indicated in a Well+Good report, those on the said diet, with a great amount of it, studied through the diet inflammatory or DII, a scoring algorithm that approximates the foods' inflammatory potential, affected the conditions mentioned.
Essentially, the term "chronic inflammation" is typically discussed. This was also detailed in a separate Well+Good article. Most people are quite aware by now that this is not wanted, although, in the past, people dived into how it can be avoided.
According to director of nutrition product development Paul Kriegler, RD, From Life Time, this means that when tissues in the body experiences damage, they discharge signals known as "inflammatory cytokines to flag the body" to send blood and healing nutrients to the area to fast-track the process of repair.
He added while the reaction is tremendously helpful, if tissues in the body experience impairment faster than they can be fixed, it's called "chronic inflammation." In other words, chronic inflammation is an imbalance of impairment related to restoring homeostasis.
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Fresh produce comprising non-starchy vegetables and fruits is very nutrient-dense and provide ample amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that the body requires to fight inflammation and facilitate the repair of tissues.
Impact of Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Kriegler explained, the data shown in this anti-inflammatory diet study published in the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that participants who tended to opt for less-processed, more nutrient-dense foods, had a lower occurrence of dementia, "which is not surprising."
He also said, healthier foods are making it easier to control appetite, energy intake, and physical wellness. That said, he emphasized that this new research has limitations.
Specifically, that there was not a definite diet tested against other patterns of diet in a highly controlled way. Instead, it was described as an "observational study."
That's not the only limitation, though. The DII scoring system has some limitations in and of itself, said Kriegler, specifically that it was developed for usual dietary options in the American population and has not been completely adapted to other food cultures or cuisines globally.
Must-Have Anti-Inflammatory Foods
There are certain anti-inflammatory foods that can help with dementia and cognitive decline. Among them are fatty, cold-water fish like mackerel, salmon, halibut, anchovies, and sardines.
Fresh produce comprising non-starchy vegetables and fruits is very nutrient-dense. Meaning these foods provide ample amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that the body requires to fight inflammation and facilitate the repair of tissues.
Moreover, fresh meat, eggs, pork, poultry, and organ meat, are perfect sources of amino acids needed to keep or fix all the lean tissues and structures in the body.
Lastly, herbs and spices with antioxidants and polyphenols that can contribute to the stabilization of free radicals produced by other inflammatory compounds, and some, like curcumin that's present in turmeric, or some compounds found in ginger, are grown to help "up-regulate inflammatory cytokines," explained Kriegler.
Pro-Inflammatory Foods to Avoid
The expert also explained foods that have a high amount of added sugar can add to inflammation and oxidative stress, as can industrial seed oils including safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.
Alcohol is yet another pro-inflammatory agent, explained the expert. He added that when alcohol is metabolized in the liver, the byproducts are highly inflammatory. They generate a great deal of oxidative stress, impairing cells and tissues in the entire body. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can disrupt the balance of healthy blood sugar.
Related information about inflammatory diet increases risk of dementia is shown on Medical Dialogues' YouTube video below:
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Check out more news and information on Dementia in Science Times.