| I have been researching this as a hobby for several months now and have landed on a few "truths" which I will hold dear to me. - The average human needs far more Omega-3 and far less Omega-6. Supplements of Omega-3 have been proven to help with inflammation (and heart disease, et al). - Supplementing Omega-3 through fish oil or algae oil, etc. is proven to be effective, in a world where often times supplementation is not a substitute for diet. - The Western world is less enraptured by spices and vegetables that are proven to reduce inflammation. I know this addresses your question, but does not answer it - there are many foods of this category. Turmeric, ginger, and maqui come to mind.
This is one of many considerations for our higher prevalence of heart disease. - Supplementing extracts of anti-inflammatory/antioxidant plants has been shown to improve oxidative status in controlled studies. - Diets low in carbohydrates have been shown to reduce inflammation. ^ I would share links, but I have hundreds of bookmarks and I wouldn't really know where to begin. I'd suggest just starting with searches on Pubmed or other scientific bodies and letting your exploration grow organically. It's a bit of a journey of understanding, and a whole lot of "what seems to make sense". Much of this stuff can not be proven except through trial - the fact of the matter is that there are too many intricacies, unless you care to devote your life to understanding it. There are sure to be a lot of surprises in terms of what we have taken as truths, along with their dubious conceptions. You might find studies that are counter to what I've stated, or it might be that your body composition doesn't respond as impactfully to these things as mine has. I am open entirely open to the idea that there are misfires in much of the research I have held dear. Only within the past few years has there been a concerted push toward studies on low-carb diets and the effects of inflammation, but they generally seem to point to these very important truths. I am crusading a bit because I've been struggling with depression and anxiety my entire life - it took 27 years for me to consider that my diet might be the culprit, and with these changes I have an entirely new outlook on life. I understand that not everyone has these battles, and so do not need to seek these solutions. But for those that do or must, it's been such a dramatic shift that I hope they will find hope in a possibility, that through research they can find a solution of their own. I never imagined that my mental health could be so influenced by my diet. As they say (and which I never truly acknowledged): Your gut is a second brain. |