Acute inflammation is temporary and beneficial to the body, protecting us from injury and infection. Chronic inflammation is when the immune system becomes dysregulated and hypersensitive, resulting in a continuous war on your own cells. This war can occur with or worsen diseases such as psoriasis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Hashimoto’s disease, cancer and others. 

The truth is many of us consume foods on a daily basis that can trigger or exacerbate inflammation. These are mainly sugary and processed foods such as biscuits, cakes and fast foods. 

By adopting an anti-inflammatory diet you can restore health at a cellular level, improve your gut health and slow down the ageing process. So what does a low-inflammatory diet look like?

It’s important to think about natural, wholesome foods – foods that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, contain healthy fats and are low in salt and sugar. Start by removing processed carbohydrates and snack foods from your diet, and limiting your alcohol intake. 

Instead, eat more fibre (wholegrains), green leafy vegetables (think cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage), fruits high in antioxidants and oily fish such as salmon. A fibre-rich diet helps reduce inflammation by supplying naturally occurring and anti-inflammatory fighting nutrients to the body. Other foods I recommend as part of a health, low-inflammatory diet include fermented foods, garlic, turmeric, ginger, blueberries, chia seeds, bone broth and flaxseeds. 

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