Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Plan a Diet High in Anti-inflammatory Foods

Some nutritionists now label foods according to their inflammation, or IF, rating, meaning how likely they are to cause inflammation. As inflammation is one of the culprits in the formation of breast cancer, and is especially implicated in estrogen-negative disease, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods should be part of our cancer prevention strategy.

Foods cause inflammation because of a chemical reaction in the body, which can be measured with the C-reactive protein (CRP). Omega 3s, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); antioxidants; monounsaturated fat; selenium; and folate can reduce inflammation.

Foods with positive IF ratings are anti-inflammatory; those with negative can cause inflammation. The banana, blueberries, and yogurt I have with my morning smoothie are all mildly inflammatory. The flaxseeds I include are anti-inflammatory, however.

Throughout the day, I focus on other anti-inflammatory treats, such as peppers, carrots, spinach, cabbage, kale, onions, and lettuce.

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