Great post, could have included more information on nutrition and solutions. I preach on my blog our role in creating our environment. It's more than eating vegetables, it is strategically using science to increase nutrient rich foods, antioxidants and powerful v. Either way, thanks for starting the conversation.
I believe in exercise, meditation, home cooked food, olive oil, a little wine, lots of fruit and veg and a hot water bottle in the winter. Apropos food, there is so much sugar and salt in the most unlikely stuff - pasta sauce, commercial soups, marinades, salad dressings you name it. You have to reduce your tolerance for salt and sugar to have a chance. I don't care for pastries which probably saves me some grief and, other than in cheese, I don't like too much salt which, considering my tendency to high blood pressure, is also a good thing. I do think you have to enjoy life and to do that you have to 'educate' yourself to like exercise and good food. It doesn't have to be boring. I had veggie pakoras for lunch today.
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@annberkeley2008 100% agreed! Everything in moderation
A quick walk up and down all the aisles of most supermarkets will give the average stroller an instructive glimpse at why so many Americans eat poorly.
It's money, marketing and our lifestyle.
But, we've all known about this for decades.
Now I see Tom Brady and Gisele have become advocates of an inflammation-free diet, so we can all look, and act, like them.
3
I gave up all added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and grain flour last November. I’ve lost 38 pounds so far. But the biggest benefit has been a drastic decrease in chronic pain via a decrease in inflammation. And the weight loss has been easy. I’ve always exercised but have been through years of diets that I always give up on after extended plateaus. Giving up added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and grain flour has made dieting profoundly easier by eliminating cravings. And I enjoy the food I eat much more. Fruit tastes like candy. Everything tastes more intense. And, while I always believed weight loss had everything to do with calorie intake vs calorie burn, there have been plenty of times when I’ve eaten lots of extra calories without extra calorie burn and have still seen weight loss. I suspect there is connection between the healthier food I’m eating and a healthier metabolism. Granted, I doubt we’ll ever see well conducted scientific studies on this approach. Nothing I eat is processed and I’m not engaged in some cultish exercise program. Lots of unprocessed protein, fruit, veg, nice long walks, basic strength training I learned years ago in high school gym. Nothing to market/sell. No fads or miracles. It’s a shame that we’re not told the truth about sugar and sweeteners. I struggled for years because I didn’t know any better.
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@Referencegirl Congratulations! Interesting, though, I've been hearing about the evils of sugar for decades.
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I had heard refined sugar is bad and to keep it in moderation. Well, moderation doesn’t work for everybody. There are sugarholics out there and I am definitely one of them. I hadn’t heard that refined sugar causes inflammation or that it causes someone like me to crave more of it even when I’m not hungry. Nor had I heard that artificial sweeteners can also cause one to crave sugar. And I definitely hadn’t heard that grain flour digests in our body like refined table sugar causing the same intense blood sugar spikes which leads to craving more sugar. Our society dismisses cravings when discussing diet. We should all have extra strength will power and then if we don’t it is a personal failing. We’re all supposed to be able to eat a cookie and be totally fine. And the pervasive presence of sugar in processed foods was an eye opener for me. Like, why is there sugar in mayonnaise, pasta sauce, crackers, peanut butter, salad dressing, etc…? Anyway, I’m glad you knew all of that already. Good fo you. I hope for the sake of others, I’m the anomaly here. Unfortunately, based on the rampant business of processed foods and the high rate of obesity, I am afraid I’m not the anomaly.
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@Referencegirl Why is there sugar in baked beans??? This is nuts.
In my experiance you MUST adjust your fat intake. Our modern diet is loaded with omega 6, which is a necessary nutrient but can cause inflammation if its not paired with omega 3’s which most people are not.
I had daily pain associated with a torn rotator cuff on my right shoulder. Every day it ached. Surgery is not the most effective approach and requires the arm to be immobilized for weeks or months.
But once i reduced my intake of omega 6 and increased my omega 3 (i target between a 4 to 1 and 1 to 4 range) this daily pain dissapeared.
The modern western diet is LOADED with omega 6. Almost all the fat used in commercial kitchens is loaded with omega 6. Feedlot beef is loaded with omega 6 (this is why grass fed is more healthy, cows get omega 3 from grass and omega 6 from grain).
Give it a try and reduce your inflammation.
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@may21ok Yes!! No one is talking about Omega 6! Our diets are rich in omega 6s...which is the root of many problems.
I'm 80 and the very model of a modern, minor, healthy senior.
I recommend daily copious amounts of the sourest vinegar you can drink.
Looking at the deterioration of our world, you're probably going to end up a curmudgeon and the vinegar will be your scapegoat.
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@Roger Pickled foods are enjoying a resurgence, though a lot have copious amounts of salt added. In the US, people are adding kimchi as a flavoring for food. Look to other cultures and cuisines. Norway and Europe have cabbage dishes, a lot more than the maligned sourkraut.
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At 70, i've always had a high CRP test result...no known reason. Eat med diet consistently, and 99.9% of the time no sugar, as it almostly instantly causes joint pain. But still, this high CRP never comes down. Realized the stress of worrying about it was worse than having it....now i don't worry about it .....still there, but it taught me perspective and the ability to care and not to care.
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Those who have an interest in good physical and mental health could incorporate at least some of these practices into their daily lives. We can't be perfectionists about what we eat and think and do because trying to be perfect is very stressful in and of itself. But the journey can begin with small steps
which are sustainable.
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Of course the pharmaceutical companies are working on it. Sure let's find a reason to give people who don't have diabetes 2 the same medicine as people who do have it.
My credo:
Take as little medicine as possible and eat as little processed food as possible.
Drink a lot of water.
Walk, and add some more exercise that you like without obsessing about it.
Sleep as much as you can.
Listen to your body.
Love and enjoy life.
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my neighbour today came to tell me about her rosacea - facial red patches due to stress - she's always been a stress merchant
I'm thinking - she's retired and doesn't cook - how healthy is takeaway food - not so much - usually high salt/fat/sugar
so if 'you are what you eat' - if you eat junk, you're more likely to end up feeling like junk ... ?
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The article is faulty. Frailty occurs naturally was we age; the primary impact is on vertebral density and disc dessication which affect gait, knee caps, balance, the GI tract, bladder control (nocturia). Hormone production shifts -- as one example, the pituatary gland produces TSH which promptly breaks down into TH3 and 3. TH3 goes to brain neurons and induces replication and neurotransmission. Diet is important but to say use olive oil -- Italians start consuming it as children and by 55 cannot handle it. Obesity and inflammation have nothing to do with age; children age 5 who become obese develop complications, and those who use cell phones and joysticks develop arthritis of the wrist. Chronic stress unfortunately occurs in older people because their friends and loved ones die off and one is suddenly alone.
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@Laurens S Really? Italians can't handle olive oil by the time they're 55? Where did you get that? I recommend a trip to Italy.
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@MALINA I lived in Italy for 12 years. I also have a medical background.
Inflammation of the body is the real goal pandemic. So much of it is embedded in auto-immune diseases which are often related to Western junk food diets and the over-use of sugar and carbs.
The single most effective blood test - if you had to chose just one - for overall health is the HOMA-IR test.. the amount of insulin the body needs to produce to keep blood sugar levels within the normal range. Many people are within the normal blood sugar range but what the test can be deceptive since excessive amounts of insulin may be necessary to enable the "sugar" to be absorbed by cells. The excess insulin goes on to do a lot damage over time - especially inflammation - to parts the body quite unrelated.
Apart from damage to the pancreas, excessive insulin can cause all kinds of autoimmune responses and damage to the blood system, skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and brain. Some people are now referring to Alzheimer's disease as Diabetes 3.
Nine times out of ten the problem originates in diet - the "Western" junk diet is a real culprit here with refined and processed foods. A recent documentary on the health of Australian Aborigines showed how, over 2 generations, how, when the Western junk diet was introduced, an inherently slim and healthy indigenous population became overweight and sick with a multitude of inflammatory diseases from diabetes, cancer to heart disease to liver disease... and almost all had problems with insulin production.
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Yes, we all know the remedies are eat good food, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep plus routine exercise and avoid stress. But the elephant in the room is WHY we are unable to do it. Our society, our government, our economy and our culture is against every one of these things. Subsidies go to companies that profit from processed foods. Our government does not enforce environmental regulations. Our economy is based on exploiting workers, especially at the lower rungs. Coming in sick is expected, vacations or leave are not guaranteed, workaholics are prized. Linking healthcare to employment makes changing jobs difficult. Linking healthcare to insurance companies and profits is a major detriment to our collective health.
I’m tired of the same article with the same prescriptive behaviors. What needs to change is a lot bigger than what an individual does to change. It’s time we held these institutions accountable and demanded more for our health.
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@J Sanz
Agree, except all those "institutions" are in the hands of those who most benefit from the status quo, you know, all the "investors" lazing on giant yachts, trust fund babies who foolishly believe that they earned every penny they were given, "pharma bro" types gifted with very high intelligence but put it to twisted, greedy and evil ends. Those types of people are just social parasites parading as "job creators" and "libertarians".
Any attempt to hold those institutions accountable in this political climate would appear as one trying to fly a kite in a hurricane as those institutions further polish their abilities to influence and manipulate simple minds to do their bidding.
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I always have a problem with age related ailments or diseases etc characterization. It might be more accurately portrayed as after decades of abusing your body through lack of exercise and poor eating choices you have created some pathologies. Just because you have lived some years (I'm 77) doesn't mean you are sickly. I have blood tests at the VA (in country Vietnam) about every two years and all is normal or "better" so not just making this up. A better term might be decades of abuse related ailments. For some guidance look at Canada's diet recommendations. They aren't corrupted like our USDA.
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I'm now in my 70's. Through the years I've known several people who were obsessed with living healthy lives. They ate only what dietitians recommended. They exercised, swallowed vitamins, you name it. They also died young. I've also known people who smoke, drink, go without sleep and never exercise. They're still around in their 80's and even 90's. I know this is completely anecdotal but it makes you think.
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@Dean There was a reason why the health-conscious people died young. They had an infection disease that inflamed their blood system and organs. Yep, another unnamed pandemic has been going on for years. People have been taking antibiotics in huge quantities all over the world for a reason. Masks were quite popular in Asian countries long before COVID-19.
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@Dean
Years ago I watched a recording of a 50's (and maybe 60's) TV show, 'I've Got a Secret' where a panel of celebrates tried to guess the contestant's secret.
The show was from 1956 and one of the guests was a 96 year-old gentleman. He stumped the panel (He was the last surviving witness to have been in Ford's Theatre the evening Abraham Lincoln was shot).
Owing to the gentleman's habits, instead of giving the gentleman the show's usual prize (a carton of Lucky Stripe Cigarettes), he was given a tin of pipe tobacco (being a confirmed pipe-smoker).
I suspect a lot of this 'long-life' stuff has to do with genetics. Some of us can get away with all sorts of stuff and others are doomed.
Try and live a happy life would be my advice.
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This probably explains why people get such a wide range of relief from cannabis. It's acting as a systemic anti-inflammatory.
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My personal view is that we are far from knowing much about biology, human biology and “aging”.
We don’t even have a standard, generally accepted definition of “health”.
Stephen Rinsler, MD
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@Stephen Rinsler I agree. We don't know much about most things. Expert economists are the ones who slay me.
And now, even if someone really did know something, i.e., the truth, 40% of other people would say, believe and act like it's fake, i.e., COVID-19 or the '20 election.
In summary, one thing I think I know is that humanity is a lost cause and the world should be turned over to 'lesser animals" and microbes. And it looks like that's happening. So, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we go extinct.
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Another column scrupulously true to this series' form:the author has nothing or noteworthy new to say.
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@Waltz "nothing new or noteworthy to say" (and that will teach me to check my bile before I vent it ! )
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@Waltz
Thank you. You've succinctly saved me from posting the same sentiment!
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@Waltz You have to realize that some people are getting this info. for the first time. To you, it may seem old hat, but for new readers, people new to the US, and young people/college students away from home for the first time, it's information they need.
My son gained 20 pounds his first months in college. He could eat as much as he wanted of whatever he wanted. He soon learned his body couldn't tolerate hamburg and high fat, high sugar dishes and was soon eating healthier.
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Eating from the garden is the best this time of year! It makes me feel like I dont need the grocery store!
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So what should we ask our doctors to measure (in blood work) in order to see how much chronic inflammation we have going on? C-reactive protein? Something else? Multiple things?
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@Barlow And insurance won't pay for it unless you have 'medical reason' for that test. Very frustrating.
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@Barlow precisely. I have asked drs and there is no reliable test to measure/diagnose "chronic inflammation", so i'd say maybe it doesn't exist?
im 70.. i eat alot of fish. I also dont eat red meat any longer. I use almond milk in my cereals, and watch my sodium, sugar etc.. now, I am deemed very healthy by my Primary, but i do drink.. moderate.. dont smoke anymore, but did.. have some arthritis, but I think we all can do better. dairy, fried, and bad fats will do a job on you. So next time you see a McDonalds, go past and find at least a Panera..
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@mark Better to cook at home. I'm disabled but it's not that hard. I love spinach and cooked organic garbanzos. I love tomatoes and salmon. No pasta, no bread and no desserts. The palate can change and what once was delicious is no longer. Find the sweetness of sautéed eggplant and broccoli. Or miso soup that is easy to make.
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Meat has been a lot better for my body than all the soy I ate that nearly killed me.
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@Patricia As long as it is grass-fed organic meat. If not, it is pure poison.
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Other than controlling obesity/being overweight, cholesterol and fats, and maintaining cardiac and lung capacity through exercise (and of course avoid smoking), I have real doubts that one can otherwise significantly control inflammation via diet.
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Fishoil - omega 3s - are anti inflammatory; omega 6 oils are pro- inflammatory-According to the nutritionists per a clinical trial for DHA. That trial did me/my situation well for an auto immune disorder.
At the very end, an actual mention of 'leaky gut' by a physician.
Second such mention I've seen in past few weeks.
But for decades past -- have been pooh-poohed and mocked by doctors for even suggesting such a thing existed.
All things take time, I guess.
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Week-by-week, the current PNAS issue (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) contains a subdivision Immunology and Inflammation.
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Nice if one can afford/find the foods recommended. Lots of people, especially of color, can’t. Y’all can hate on me, but food is a comfort in a world lacking in them unless you’re advantaged. Asking people to “eat healthy “ and perhaps give up one of a few pleasures in life? Well, folks, live deprived and then come talk to me.
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@Senuwwy This is true. Many so called foods should be banned and replaced with healthy alternatives. The junk food aisle in my local store is one of the largest.
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You’re lucky to have a local store. In many areas, the local store is a convenience store or dollar store where the healthiest food you can buy is milk. Hard to believe, but in inner cities and rural areas, we have food deserts. We need to make real food available for all…and also teach folks how to use them.
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My father is currently in a nursing home. The food they serve there is based on diets suggested in the 1980s. These poor people.
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How can an article on inflammation not mention alcohol? Boggles the mind.
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I personally hate it when someone advises "don't eat processed foods." Mainly, because they don't define the processing.
Homogenized milk is processed. Spam is processed. Blenderizing fruits into a smoothie is processing. Milk is processed into cheese. EDITORS: PLEASE FORCE YOUR WRITERS TO EXPLAIN WHAT KIND OF PROCESSING OR PROCESSED PRODUCTS ARE UNHEALTHY!!!! Otherwise, the we'd all be foraging and hunting and eating unprocessed things, some of which actually need processing to release nutrients or eliminate toxins. (Woe to the eaters of raw chicken thanks to salmonella and campilobacter).
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@Skeptical Processed foods are things like Velveeta cheese and sausage, bacon, ham slices. Spam, Doritos, ice cream and barbecued foods.
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@Suzanne Wheat Those are the obvious ones, but I think not what Skeptical was driving at. What about organic frozen dinners? Tofu dogs? Chicken salad from the grocery store (after checking for corn sweetener), etc.
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The opposite is what annoys me: when someone says something along the lines of, "Everything is processed. That apple is processed as soon as you chew it!"
I think any reasonable person understands what is meant by "processed foods": a food item that is fundamentally different from the whole foods it was distantly sourced from. If it can't be replicated in the average kitchen with basic utensils starting from whole foods (so starting with wheat groats for that Twinkie), then it's likely processed.
1
At 78, I see the desire to learn about my bodies inner life is still strong...
Relating inflammation and age to ones own self...
...is still part of the flow of energy through us...
Adam Eve, Climate Change, Be Here Now...
2
Mediterranean diet; exercise; don't smoke; avoid stress; drink water; sleep well; moderate alcohol . . .
Everyone who subscribes to the Times has been fully aware of these guidelines since at least the 90s. This article is filler.
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Several people responded to a comment on the difficulty of following healthy eating habits if you are poor. Some truth in the comment. I live in a blue-collar town. One store that offers healthy, organic food which fulfills all of Ms. Brody's suggestions is Trader Joe's. The only two near to us are in a wealthy suburb west and an even wealthier suburb further west. Wholesome food stores are all ... to the west of us in the wealthy suburbs. It's hard to shop for healthy foods if you live on Chicago's west side. Author of comment is correct here. Their comment is less valid when it comes to what can be done on your own even in a poor neighborhood. Find a space to exercise. And meditate, though I recognize both may be difficult. Endeavor to eat as well as you can in part by at least eliminating negative foods. Tragically, many hospitals in poor communities where free dietary advice could be provided have closed. Coupled with lack of even generic grocery stores and you have, as pointed out, the toll on health from living in a poor neighborhod. Many healthy foods at health-oriented food stores cost even less than at the generic grocery store. Food stores that present themselves as enlightened might try starting a food store in some of the poorer neighborhoods. If there is a concern regarding succeeding financially, engage in community outreach to address issues of concern. Local organizations and local churches would love to see these stores in their neighborhoods.
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@JS I serve in a soup kitchen and food pantry blocks from two large public housing communities. People have fresh food and meats available. What I see is that diverse ethnic groups make diverse choices that I believe are directly related to learned behaviors from their families. The Asian folks tend to reject canned and boxed foods. The Eastern Europeans spend time looking for the best cabbages and onions. The Americans are much quicker to choose lunch meats, salty treats and sugary cereals in addition to fresh items. We need to do better.
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I have Hashimoto’s and deal with inflammation regularly. Much of what’s listed here to eat actually worsens it for me. I feel best when I avoid all grains, legumes, most starch, most dairy (no cow), little cruciferous vegetables snd more. I do best on meat, nuts snd some vegetables. There’s no one size fits all.
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@Brooklyn Dog Geek
Hi, I was diagnosed with RA. 2 years on keto: lots of different low carb vggies, nuts, meat, fish. Ra has been in remission for 16 months. Everybody is different. Soy might be very good for some, for me it is like poison. General advise is good for nothing.
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I am wondering if inflammation can also be a result of any kind of flu or covid? If so, are there more strokes, heart problems, and other health problems that occur in higher numbers after a bout with the flu than not?
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@Harriet Braun : Yes, of course. "Inflammation" is just your immune system working to rid your body of a pathogen, such as coronavirus or influenza virus, or something it mistakenly thinks is a pathogen. Pathogens such as the coronavirus or the influenza virus can sometimes trigger inflammatory cascades -- out-of-control inflammation -- that damages organs and body systems. Inflammatory cascade is, in fact, the immediate cause of many Covid deaths.
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I believe I had early COVID, in November 2019. This bug came on suddenly, like a truck slamming into my body. ( which later many COVID-19 patients described) I took the flu test and they hesitantly agreed to give me tamiflu, because the test wasn’t quite positive. I described my swollen and sore internal organs— not a flu symptom— for which they prescribed steroids, which worked. I was exhausted and sick for a month.
In July 2020, I developed osteoarthritis—suddenly. No warning aches and pains. Its progression has been stunning and debilitating. I now face a joint replacement in October.
I’m not seeing any published reports of a link, and since my case of perhaps COVID was before the pandemic, and thus undiagnosed, my experience may be coincidental. But puzzling.
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@Karen My brother got sick similarly to what you describe, in December of 2019. Among his symptoms were hearing loss, a distorted sense of smell, extreme nausea and the feeling you describe of the truck slamming into your body, among others. It was before COVID was officially recognized in this country, but the doctor did say my brother had a virus. Since then he has had increasing levels of muscular and facial pain, severe intestinal problems, and other issues. Survivorcorps.com is one resource for people dealing with long COVID that may be of interest to you. Best of luck with your surgery and recovery.
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If Ms. Brody's columns are found to be shallow and repetitive, I blame my mother, who was her biology teacher at James Madison High School in Brooklyn. ("always blame the mother" -- Kidding). That said, we really didn't learn much from this article, did we? I am interested in the Metformin study, though.
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Wondering why such old articles keep being presented.
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@Susan
Because people aren't changing their lifestyles.....
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There is zero reason to eat fish when you can get your omega 3s more healthily from walnuts, flax, etc. The fishing industry is exceptionally cruel and wasteful, and the oceans are being depleted.
The Times recently reported that we're down to fewer than 400 Northern Right Whales, largely due to collisions with fishing boats, and harms from the enormous nets those boats discard in their wakes.
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@Hillary Rettig Not all Omega 3's are equal in nutritional value. The human body is very inefficient at converting Omega 3's from walnuts, flax, etc. to the DHA and EPA that it needs. That is why fish and algae are much better sources than walnuts, flax, etc.
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@Moses
I absolutely agree. However, there is still value in consuming 18-carbon omega-3 (linolenic acid) in addition to fish/algae 20-carbon DHA and EPA. The 18-carbon omega-3 competes with omega-6 fatty acids for conversion to 20 carbon fatty acids. 18-carbon omega-6 FAs are converted to arachadonic acid, which is the precursor to all the inflammatory cytokines. So I eat salmon occasionally, take fish oil supplements, and eat lots of delicious walnuts.
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Thank you for this article. Even though most of the healthy living recommendations I had read before, combining that with the more recent information about combating chronic inflammation and the recent drug trials was new news for me. I have to admit being reminded of the importance of these measures has come at the right time and for that, I commend you.
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The advice to not get fat or lose weight is damn near impossible as the writer should know. Out of millions of people trying, spending huge amounts in the process, very few succeed. It's a bit like telling people to become Olympic athletes.
9
It’s hard (and annoying), but worthwhile. I just tell myself that it took many years (decades even) for my health to get to this point, so it’s incredibly likely that it will take some time to get my health back on track…possibly years, hopefully not decades. The important thing is that I keep at it…for the rest of my life. You can never stop…trying. Take breaks, do whatever you need to, but just get back on that horse as soon as you can and keep moving forward. There’s no easy solution in terms of the work you have to do to improve (diet/exercise/sleep/stress) OR how long you will have to spend improving…always, as long as you’re alive (Yay! Gratitude). BUT, once you accept that this is the case…You just get on with it. Improve 1 little thing for a week, the smallest thing you can think of, and next week add to that. Or next month, or next year…and eventually you’ll get there. Celebrate any and all accomplishments-no matter how small. You deserve it. Be good to you. Tell yourself this always, until you believe it enough to act on it. In the beginning I had to ask myself…are you willing to make ANY changes to improve your health? Good, start there. Are you willing to spend ANY time improving your health? Good start there. Work to maintain it and then build on it. Support is awesome! And some people can be incredibly helpful/inspirational, but in the end - it’s down to you. And it really is worthwhile. But you probably already know that. I wish you the best.
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@Jennie
There has only ever been one way to lose weight: expend more calories than you consume.
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@Jennie
I don’t know if it would work for you, but I was able to lose 22 pounds with the Lose It App. I had read that writing everything down that you eat would enable you to lose weight because you would actually see the number of calories and how much you are eating. When trying that, it never lasted more than a day for me because it was too tedious.
However the app seems to make it more like a game, so it’s not annoying. It has a huge database of foods, brands, etc, which makes it easy.
You input your age, weight, height and a weight goal and when you want to achieve the goal. I gave myself a a year, so I did it slowly. I’m still using the app to maintain the weight loss. Check it out.
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Another article that we learn nothing, just a rehash of common sense principals we've known for decades.
What are the side effects of Metformin?
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A tad wordy and esoteric and theoretical unlike Ms. Brody's normal excellent objective terse reporting.
Nevertheless I picked out the stuff that made sense.
3
What was the point of this article? A review of common place advice that’s been well known for decades whether actually true or not.
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How many times do we need to read the same thing? What is this market for this.
Eat less. Cut out refined carbohydrates and sugar (bread, pasta, desserts). Don't eat too much red meat. Small portions. I'd add go easy on the dairy. Exercise (walk, lift weights, bike, swim, run, dance, whatever).
Don't take over the counter medications.
Did I leave anything out? Is this rocket science?
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@Cassandra I'm afraid that even though you are right, you are doomed to be ignored...
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@Cassandra If you are privileged this guidance is redundant. Privileged meaning you don't live in a food desert ---and there are plenty of them in both cities and rural areas. Many of us forget that eating healthfully in this country is a privilege not a given. For some people simply avoiding hunger is the goal.
5
Lots of comments here on gum inflammation and cardiovascular associations.
Let’s keep it scientific.
I call people’s attention to: www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31825719f3
“Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association?”
A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
(The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs Concurs With the Conclusions of This Report)
Abstract:
“A link between oral health and cardiovascular disease has been proposed for more than a century. … The focus of this review is to assess whether available data support an independent association between atherosclerotic vascular disease, ASVD, and periodontal disease, PD, and whether PD treatment might modify ASVD risks or outcomes. … Observational studies to date support an association between PD and ASVD independent of known confounders. They do not, however, support a causative relationship. Although periodontal interventions result in a reduction in systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in short-term studies, there is no evidence that they prevent ASVD or modify its outcomes.”
(Circulation. 2012;125:2520-2544.)
So, unfortunately, it looks like just wishful thinking. People who don’t take care of their teeth also don’t take care of their cardiovascular systems. Makes sense. Association without causation for this one. Unfortunately.
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@SRP Investigation of CAD requires a quantitative measurement of CAD and it's response to treatment of the independent variables - including but not limited to associated bacterial infections. Treatment of such infections with antibiotics resulting in improvement in CAD indicates more than just an association. Here is one such published paper Fleming RM. The Fleming Unified Theory of Vascular Disease: A Link Between Atherosclerosis, Inflammation, and Bacterially Aggravated Atherosclerosis (BAA). Angiol 2000; 51: 87-89.
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@SRP Anti oxidant reserve is key to both... restore the reserve and fix both. Relative glutathione deficiency or a component of the anti oxidant re cycle system. Fix the cause of endothelial dysfunction and reduce both PD and ASVD. This has already been proven.
1
@Dr Thomas et al the above: Perhaps people would take care of their teeth if it were considered one of our health system's priorities to see your observations as an indication that teeth are part of our body so that periodontal insurance would help with the very expensive care of them! As it is, only the wealthy can afford it. So what else is new in America?! Your scientific discussion does not help us.
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Chronic inflammation...it goes on and on through life. Yes it does have some side effects but overall we would be dead at an early age if we did not have an inflammatory response. The key in later years is not just to block it, but get to the cause of what is causing it, i.e., treating a fever with aspirin is of no moment when the cuase is pneumonia.
1
@Nicholas Taking aspirin when feverish is not a "treatment" of the cause of the fever. It is taken to bring down the fever. Is that really harmful?
Hi Jane, Hope you remember me from our BFS days long ago. I am familiar with the warnings about eating red meat. If I remember correctly the folks at Harvard call pork the other red meat. I quit beef and went to whole grains in about 1980 when my father had a bout with colon cancer. I am wondering if you are aware of any research comparing the health impacts of farm raised/organic vs. factory (or terminology of your choice) raised red meat. Thanks. David Liberman
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@David I do not have the citation, but researchers at Chico State University in Chico, CA, found that "organic" grass fed meats had higher levels of omega 3 fats than "factory" meats, which had higher omega 6 levels; and, I believe,
that grass fed beef that was "finished" with grains prior to slaughter, also had higher omega 6 levels.
4
I’ve had arthritis for some time and have treated it with prescription meloxicam and otc meds. They’ve worked ok but still I have arthritic pain. About 3 years ago, I began raising bees for a hobby. I eat a little of the honey I processed daily. Since I started eating natural honey, my arthritic pain has all but subsided. Research showed that pure honey is a natural anti-inflammatory. It works for me. I never got such relief from store bought honey.
22
@Dennis C. O’Brien Any thought that it might be because you are often being stung as a bee keeper? I keep bees and have RA. Can't say it's a cure, but there is some evidence the bee venom is an anti-inflammatory.
4
Dr. Richard M. Fleming, I'm curious. Are there no other people in your field doing high enough quality research to merit citation by you? The only work you cite is your own.
4
@amoss3 I have been doing research for 30+ years. I just happened to be one of the original people recruited by AHA back in the mid 1970s. My work has focused on addressing the errors in diagnostics and the development of The Inflammation and Heart Disease and Angina Theories. The quantification method required 20-years of research and is now patented. There is no other method currently available to do this. Given the patent, there won't be another until the patent expires. Yes, there have been others who have used the patent with a license and validated the findings. The benefit of spending so many years focused on these issues have resulted in more than 250 published papers. Much work done - much more to do and yes, in my published research, particularly the earlier years, which built upon the work of so many scientists dating back more than 150 years, I quote their earlier work which allowed me the ability to do mine.
10
@amoss3
A simple google search of his name will yield all you need to know.
Cannabis is the most potent anti-inflammatory in nature, which is why boomers in legal cannabis states are flocking to pot stores to buy cannabis medicine in all its forms.
7
Oxalates. That "good diet" is full of them and it doesn't work out too well.
6
@Shaun The benefits of eating a plant based diet are proven over and over. Harvard study found that vegans have a lower propensity of kidney stones...if that's what you're worried about, plus reduction of acid load and adequate calcium seem to be the most important factor in reduction of stones.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19679672/
2
Leaky gut? Really Jane Brody?
3
@Susan just wondering and would love to know what it is that you’re questioning.
6
Breathing
1
Excellent summary along with proper advice. There seems to be something else causing inflammation in our food system or environment. Probably the unbelievable number of toxic chemicals in the air, water, soil, thus traces in our food. Then there are the "harmless drugs". It has just been discovered that many generics made in China and India have a rocket fuel toxin in them including the supplement metaformin.
Obesity in humans and other animals is rampant. I had 2 horses suffer laminitis (founder) from lush grass in the fall when in almost 200 years of raising horses on our family farm we never had this happen even though many did become overweight for various reasons.
We still have a ways to go.
6
@Peggy Conroy You might find this interesting. Fleming RM, Fleming MR, Chaudhuri TK, Dooley WC. What is Cancer? Cancer Research in Oncology. 2019;2:1-4.
1
@Richard M Fleming, PhD, MD, JD
Many thanks. I did find an NIH study that connected several env toxins to insulin insufficiency but I have no idea how to deal with it other than diet.
1
The quality of food in America is not very good. The quality of fruit and vegetables is very poor from my experience of visiting America. It needs vast improvement.
13
@Jo
Agreed! I think the poor quality of fruit and vegetables is a leading reason some people avoid eating them. We have destroyed strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, plums, peaches, and apricots, to name a few favorites of mine. I find them nearly impossible to eat now that they have been altered to survive mechanical harvesting, long distance transportation, and gassing to change their color to appear ripe. Stone fruits are the worse. In place of soft, sweet, and juicy they are now hard, green, sour, and mushy or woody in texture. Disgusting!
What we allow to be sold to us as fresh produce is a crime against flavor, nutrition, and nature.
30
@nora m
Maintaining good flavor and high nutritional content in fruit and vegetables is a combination of growing practices and the time and manner of delivering food to the market.
There are farmers large and small across the country trying to create high quality, locally produced foods. Everyone concerned about these issues should seek them out.
I was raised on a farm that produced apricots and plums. Fully ripe, their flavor and nutrition are indeed wonderful. But getting stone fruits at or near their peak to distant markets in prime condition can be costly.
There are producers in California who pick their fruit at peak ripeness, and dry it--the results are wonderful, and some, such as the Traina family, sell to the public.
Every Christmas I send family in the midwest a big box of them.
Restoring full flavor and nutrition to our food, without the chemical by-products of current industrial farming methods is a going to be major undertaking, but there are promising trends in both large and smaller scale food production, driven by consumer demand and government and other agencies' activism. See, e.g.,
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-announces-collaboration-alice-waters-aggie-square/
8
@Jo Add to that a disgusting array of indigestible bread made from highly processed flour. All you need to know about our eating habits you can see when you walk into big chain grocery stores- whole aisles dedicated to chips, cookies, soda, and processed foods.
9
Intermittent fasting, especially the type where you eat each day only within a 6 - 8 hour defined window, has been reported to reduce inflammation (and improve gut flora).
9
@raph101 Reported by whom?
2
@Richard M Fleming, PhD, MD, JD
Well, I'm reporting it right here. Wish I could say it was due to improving the foods that I eat (I generally eat many beneficial foods plus too many sweets); but in fact, my hunger has driven me to grab more "fast foods" such as breads when my fast breaks for 8 hours. AND YET...
My osteo-arthritic feet and shoulders feel amazing in the 3 weeks I've adhered to intermittent fasting! Haven't even resorted to sour cherry juice for help. This appears to be something worth investigating.
6
I can't help but notice that mainstream medicine is adopting one of the central tenets of alternative medicine--reducing inflammation. I guess scientific advancement often comes from the fringes.
I think the doctors here mostly have it right, but I would caution that consumption of all of those fruits and vegetables often comes with insecticides and Round-up, putting our gut biomes in jeopardy.
One of the fastest routes to inflammation is gut damages. Opt for organic, if you can.
Also, vitamin E is mostly beneficial, but tocotrienols are better than tocopherols.
8
While the author makes reference to the importance of avoiding stress, more emphasis could be placed on the mind body connection. See the work of Dr. John Sarno regarding the connection between repressed emotion and inflammation and chronic pain. His book “The Mind Body Prescription” is stunning.
14
So ... a Mediterranean diet and meditation can do a lot of good! And AARP cites research on loneliness which might be a side-effect of inflammation could be eased with regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
It all goes back to ... inflammation!
2
This is the advice in 85% of Ms. Brody's columns:
"Adopt a wholesome diet (details to follow), get regular exercise, avoid or reduce excess weight, get adequate quality sleep, minimize stress and don’t smoke."
15
@NorCal Girl
She should add to drink alcohol in moderation. It will ruin your gut and liver while setting you up for heart disease. Did I mention it can also raise your blood pressure, setting you up for a stroke?
5
All the comments after a health article in the Times are hilarious.
42
To the advice given in this article, which is very similar to that which my father, a biochemist and science teacher, gave me almost 70 years ago, I add a few more points that he made: make sure to get your B vitamins, from a natural source such as brewer's yeast, because they are very effective in quelling or preventing inflammation. Also, because infectious organisms (bacteria, etc.) do not do well in an acid environment, take frequent steps to acidulate your system, again naturally by adding a slice of lemon to a glass of water, etc. His template was to eat as close to the way in which our ancestor organisms ate as they evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. He lived to be 93.
19
@felixfelix my mum happens to be pushing 93 without having followed your advice. Granted, she has never smoked and never been to a McDonald's but has never exercised either and eats red meat regularly.
6
@W. Allmuss That’s wonderful to hear. My mother lived her life similarly to the way your mother does and died of a massive heart attack at the age of 70.
5
I was looking for some mention of the benefits of Vitamin D supplements but didn't see any mention of this. Not sure if the author discounts its importance or if she just wanted to emphasize lifestyle approaches.
5
Maybe the top advice to avoid inflammation could be "don't be poor." Notice that all of the things bring on inflammation are worse if you're at the bottom end of the economic spectrum: poor nutrition, lack of time or safe location to exercise, stress from never having enough money to meet your basic needs, difficulty sleeping because of the aforementioned stress. But yeah, by all means meditate and do yoga. I don't mean to be sarcastic, but I am starting to see how that this type of article highlights solutions that are increasingly out of reach to many Americans. Yet that sad reality is rarely mentioned.
101
My Grandmother was the daughter of a poor Italian immigrant and ate healthily her entire life, mainly because she cooked and followed a Mediterranean diet...eating healthily takes time and effort, but for the most part the ingredients are inexpensive. The world's people will never be equal, but steps can be taken to fight inflammation.
20
Which "poor" person, RC - is prevented from adapting programs suggested here, other than by ignorance, which this article attempts to diminish? What exactly is your objection here?
9
I’m thinking of food deserts and the unfortunate fact that in today’s world real food is far more expensive than processed (salmon is expensive, canned tuna may be an ok cheap substitute but there’s the BPA in the can). Also, when you work multiple jobs, you may have a hard time getting enough sleep, let alone finding time to exercise. As for stress, it’s quite well documented that poverty causes stress, and also that it affects decision making. I could go on, with citations and all, but I’m going to take advantage of the fact I can actually cook a real meal and de-stress from my day because thankfully I am able to. Best regards.
40
Data?
4
@Charlie Good data at Nature dot com:
"Conditions that reduce glycolytic flux, such as ketogenic diet and caloric restriction, can thereby suppress NF-κB activity, while conditions that increase glycolytic flux may increase it. These interactions provide a mechanism for the suppressive effects of ketogenic diet and caloric restriction on brain inflammation after brain injury. By extension, these interactions may also contribute to the pro-inflammatory states associated with diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome."
It's all about sugar, although NYT is obligated I suppose to throw in "meat is bad" verbiage.
4
@CapitalistRoader meat is bad not only for your health but also for the environment (at least the current production levels)
6
Let me add another very important concept. Feed your Bacteria! Yes, these 100 trillion living factories are distributed through out our bowel and are in constant communication with all of our body.Bad guys and get bad signals, need to decrease these and feed the good guys,
Why do diets work? A lot is that they promote good bacteria, Most important thing is Fiber. Water soluble type that bacteria love. Very difficult to get enough so adding a fiber supplement important.
See letswakeupfolks.blogspot.com- My talk to those who want to be healthy and the one on fiber.
8
Why not say something about alcohol consumption? Probably one of the worst things you could do for yourself. There is no "good" amount of alcohol. An occasional drink perhaps, but certainly not on a daily basis. I've seen many people age far faster on their daily beer or wine than anything else.
23
@Martin:
Sorry, but this is silly. Italian-American speaking here, who grew up in a family with homemade wine on the table every night with dinner; who has long-lived relatives still going strong; who's a very active 62 (but, hey, doesn't look anywhere near it); and who sees on her travels all the healthy, happy wine-drinking Greeks, French, Italians, Spanish, Turks, etc. etc.
Sardinians are some of the longest-lived people on the planet, in one of the so-called Blue Zones. I'm sure you've read about them.
35
@Martin My 95 year old aunt in Spain drinks almost every day. She is still living independently.
21
@Lisa Simeone - Another Italian-American here. I think the secret here is wine with food! We're not sitting around drinking and feeling sorry for ourselves needing AA.
26
You lost me at salmon, mackeral and sardines
6
@Guantaramara
Sad for you! They are delicious!
7
@Alive and Well
I hate them myself!
1
Important omission in this article - reference to Kirkland's work on inflammation treatment with benign nutriceuticals/so-called senolytic agents - see the clinical trial ongoing at Mayo Clinic - "Alleviation by Fisetin of Frailty, Inflammation, and Related Measures in Older Adults (AFFIRM-LITE)"
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03675724?term=kirkland&draw=2&rank=2
Easy to replicate at home for those who wish to do so - dosing is just a couple of days/month.
2
Tackling Inflamation to Fight Age-Related Ailments:
“meditation and yoga.”
Ya, that’s the ticket!
Real scientific.
Keep all that good, strong scientific evidence coming!
Any cites for all those randomized controlled trials showing that we can meditate or yoga our IL-6 and CRP concentrations down?
Geesh. Just more holier/healthier-than-thou nannying.
5
@SRP again -
E.g., Let’s look at randomized controlled trials on yoga and inflammatory markers with an excellent quality rating and American subjects.
PMID 26977123, Sohl (2016): No effect after 8 weeks.
PMID 25853030, Parma (2015): No effect after 24 weeks.
PMID 24703167, Bower (2014): No effect after 12 weeks.
Let’s look at other Western RCTs on yoga.
PMID 27898068, Australia, Harkess (2016): No effect after 8 weeks.
PMID 26286137, Sweden, Wolff (2015): No effect after 12 weeks.
Perhaps we shouldn’t go around recommending hours and hours of yoga to improve ailments through inflammatory pathways?
Let’s all be wary of wishful thinking.
Personally, I’d just pop a pill. Colchicine.
It’s been used against inflammation for two thousand years.
PMID 31733140, Tardif (2019): A 2-year secondary-prevention randomized controlled trial with 4,745 people. Results: A 16% reduction in cardiovascular deaths and 74% reduction in strokes. Hard outcomes, not just intermediate markers. Now that is something that should be reported on!
See also PMID 30396516, 30185392, 23265346, 30591286, etc. And the LoDoCo2 results up shortly.
5
@SRP It is well known that meditation and yoga are successful in combatting stress.
8
@Alex -
Hummmmmm. (That’s me mulling my mantra.)
Perhaps.
But that does not mean that meditation is going to have ANY significant effects at all on causally preventing adverse age-related hard outcomes (like heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimer’s, etc.).
You have a wishful, holier-than-thou hypothesis. So test it in a large, long-term, hard-outcome RCT.
(It’s a valid hypothesis via the cortisol route, but realistically, few can afford the time to meditate daily for such a small return.)
But only put the results in the newspaper when you have significant real-world results (as is what should have happened with the ignored recent remarkable colchicine results).
Until then, it is just magical thinking.
4
You cited the hazards of leaky gut without mentioning dietary measures that have been shown to heal it. A Yale study showed that probiotics make a leaky gut worse, but resistant starch healed it because the fermentation of the resistant starch produces butyrate, which is the preferred food for colon cells. When colon cells do not get enough butyrate, they shrink and get leaky - when butyrate is restored, they get fat and happy and the gaps go away. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931312818305912. Not all fibers work the same way - resistant starch produces more butyrate than other fermentable, prebiotic fibers - in fact, they produce twice as much as inulin and fructooligosaccharides. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/73/2/415s.short. And non-fermentable bulking fibers such as cellulose and wheat bran produce none at all.
3
This informative article is welcome, but leaves out one serious source of pain and inflammation: fluoroquinolone antibiotics. According to the European Medicines Agency, "fluoroquinolone medicines (which contain ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, prulifloxacin and rufloxacin) can cause long-lasting, disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints and the nervous system".
These serious side effects include inflamed or torn tendon, muscle pain or weakness, and joint pain or swelling, and walking difficulties. Tendon swelling and injury may occur within 2 days of starting treatment with a fluoroquinolone but may even occur several months after stopping treatment. What caught my attention is that these antibiotics have been known to cause a rupture of the Achilles tendon!
Most doctors in the US seem unaware of these sometimes crippling effects from fluoroquinolones, and still hand them out for minor infections. As the European Medicines Agency goes on to say, this group of antibiotics should be used only as a "last resort" medicine.
21
Reading these comments is fascinating. Many people have tried many things in an attempt to feel better. Some have done something and then felt better. Some think that what they did made them feel better, and feel proud and pleased that they have a solution. Unfortunately there are many reasons why the improvement may be unrelated to what they did , but if they have done no harm to themselves that does not matter, It would matter if the same treatment applied to others had no effect, or a bad one. Is there no hope that we might have a scientifically conducted trial?
6
The "report" referenced in this NY Times article is not a scholarly publication. It was not published in a peer-reviewed journal, is only a few pages long, and cites only a few sources. It also includes no original research. The "report" goes back and forth between saying inflammation is a cause and a symptom of certain diseases. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, which are certainly not caused by inflammation although inflammation may occur as a result of these diseases.
17
@Nicole
Thanks. Nutrition is about as much a "hard" science as education.
1
@Nicole Dear Nicole, The accepted theory on what causes heart disease, diabetes and cancer is Inflammation. Solidified in the mid-1990s during my AHA presentations, the Textbook of Angiology published 1999, the 20/20 segment where I introduced it in 2004 and currently around 70 published papers in peer reviewed medical journals around the world, etc. As of 2017, it is now possible to accurately measure these changes.
https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2758296/correction-nutritional-recommendations-nutrirecs-consumption-red-processed-meat
10
@Nicole
"These diseases include..... cancer, which are certainly not caused by inflammation....."
Not all cancers are caused by inflammation, but systemic inflammation plays a big role and often a central role. See below.
Free, peer-reviewed article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803035/
Title: Inflammation and cancer
Abstract:
"Recent data have expanded the concept that inflammation is a critical component of tumour progression. Many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation and inflammation. It is now becoming clear that the tumour microenvironment, which is largely orchestrated by inflammatory cells, is an indispensable participant in the neoplastic process, fostering proliferation, survival and migration.
"In addition, tumour cells have co-opted some of the signalling molecules of the innate immune system, such as selectins, chemokines and their receptors for invasion, migration and metastasis. These insights are fostering new anti-inflammatory therapeutic approaches to cancer development."
3
It's the same advice over and over and over again.
Maybe we need more articles on developing discipline. Apparently, living a long, healthy live is not enough motivation.
26
While there is nothing "wrong" in this article, it boils down to common sense: Eat healthy and exercise.
As far as the myriad of comments here: anecdotes, hucksterism, and at least one writer seemingly trolling for clients.
I eat as healthy as I can, and get regular exercise. I avoid all fad diets. I have no serious medical issues.
My motto "Everything in moderation, nothing to excess. (And that includes following the tenets of this motto.")
14
The effects of chronic inflammation on health has been studied pretty extensively but be warned, there are a lot of pretty poor studies in this area. Probably the best thing is not to try to change everything and consume large doses of anti oxidants. Move your diet slowly towards less meat. The other issue is that, for older people, they need to be aware of sarcopenia. Meat is an excellent source of protein to help slow down this age related condition.
The role of bacteria is interesting in the context of systemic inflammation and of neurodegeneration. There is some recent work that links gum disease to inflammation in the brain and to some cognition related diseases. Beta amyloid protein (which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease) is produced naturally by the brain and is anti-microbial. So it is possible that bacterial overload in the brain might lead to over production of beta amyloid with subsequent amyloid plaque formation. One possible route of infection is through the gum.
10
I am surprised that there is not mention of eating ginger and turmeric. They are well-knownn for their anti-inflammatory properties. There is a product called Zyflamend Whole Body- I recommend it highly and you can find it a Whole Foods and Amazon.
11
@Pam - Dr. Weil has an excellent food pyramid guide that is focused on an anti-inflammatory diet. He recommends several herbs and spices in addition to ginger and turmeric which are at the top. Always pair turmeric with quality black peppercorns or it won't be absorbed properly into the bloodstream. Also adding garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, and saffron are ways to fight inflammation. Dr. Weil also recommends consuming good quality mushrooms like shitake, reishi, chaga, turkey tail, cordyceps and lion's mane.
https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-pyramid/dr-weils-anti-inflammatory-food-pyramid/
2
I would be cautious about assigning a causal link between periodontal disease, inflammation, and heart disease. Years ago a link was found between periodontal disease and preterm/low-birthweight babies, so a bunch of poor women were given dental care during pregnancy (which is good!). Didn't change the outcome of their pregnancies, though. Turned out bad teeth was primarily a surrogate marker for poverty and lack of medical care.
Does periodontal disease cause inflammation? Or does inflammation periodontal disease? Or does poverty cause both?
19
@Adina The potential association with Bacterially Aggravated Atherosclerosis has been published and well worth the read. Fleming RM. The Fleming Unified Theory of Vascular Disease: A Link Between Atherosclerosis, Inflammation, and Bacterially Aggravated Atherosclerosis (BAA). Angiol 2000; 51: 87-89.
6
@Adina... just my understanding, but you have to take a hard look at the science, plaques are basically white blood cells engorged in fat. It’s your body‘s immune system over responding to things especially nicotine which irritates the lining of the arterial walls, resulting in plaques forming.
American Indians have old saying, if teeth are rotting, remove them or it can kill you... truth is, if you get an infection in your mouth from bad teeth, it can trigger an immune system response that’s whole body wide, and plaque’s in the arteries of the heart and brain will also respond. If the plaque hemorrhages, it clots the vessels and may lead to stroke or instant death.
Science is not intuitive.
4
@Adina -
Agreed.
Both the American Heart Association and The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs Concurs
See: “Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association?”
www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31825719f3
After an extensive survey of the actual data: No causality.
The health benefits of a weekly sauna need to be included in this piece! Hang out with your friends, sweat, talk about life, and then douse yourself with cold water. Repeat. The physical, emotional, and social benefits of this practice have been instrumental in supporting my health and wellness.
11
@K - Years ago, I used to go up to the Cascades every week to go sit in an outdoor hot spring on some private property (since closed by the state). It had its own community with its own "board and president" and was breathtaking. Hike up in the snow, strip down, plunge into one of the 5 different tubs of different temps, and watch the stars.
5
@K I totally agree! When I traveled to Morocco I went to a few public bath houses (hammam) for a scrubbing, which also involved being doused with water of different temperatures. I left feeling like a newborn. I now try to do something similar in the steam room of my local YMCA; once my body warms up, I pour cold water over my head. It's so invigorating and refreshing! Lots of cultures have their own versions of communal bathing/steaming/sauna.
2
Sounds like a slice of heaven…..
Surprised there is no mention of yogurt, Kimchi, and other probiotics.
12
@My Probiotics have been shown to make leaky gut worse and increase inflammation. See https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2018.11.009. Prebiotics, on the other hand, help to heal the gut.
1
@My - I thought so too. Make sure that the yogurt is sugar free because the sugar negates the good bacteria that helps the gut. Also, any pickling that's done without vinegar and sugar is pretty good for the gut (e.g. Bubbies Kosher Dill Pickles). Don't forget sauerkraut, miso, kambucha and kefir (again sugar free).
Early research on good quality CBD shows it has twice the anti-inflammatory properties of NSAIDS or aspirin. 20-25 mgs twice a day is a good starting dose.
13
What are we to do about wild salmon? I love it, buy it when I can, but now hear we are consuming salmon to extinction and that farmed salmon is toxic at various levels and not a good substitute.
24
@Le Vegetarian diet is the answer for every possible positive individual and systemic outcome. The environment benefits, the animals may continue an existence not snuffed out by gustatory pleasure and we benefit physically. Nay sayers cannot disprove this.
8
Hi Le, I know lots of people grapple with wanting Omega 3’s but don’t want to support unsustainable fishing practices that pollute our oceans with discarded fishing nets and overfishing to the extent that our wales are starving. An easy fix— skip the fish, and get the omegas from where the fish get it themselves. Seaweed! Experiment with making your own seaweed salad, lots of those sold at Asian markets contain additives and food coloring.
6
Only thing with more omega 3 than a fish? A walnut. 3-4 walnuts a day = daily dose of omega 3’s. our brains mostly made of omega 3 fat, lowers rates of depression, too.
Per D. Miller MD, Professor of Nutrition, UCSF
7
I only eat fish which come from the open ocean, are low on the food chain, and are packed in a country that has a decent government.
I never eat any fish that tend to have a high mercury content, like tuna - usually, they are the larger predators, which you avoid by keeping low on the food chain.
Usually, all you can find is sardines.
And, I make it a point, to never vote for politicians who hate science, and don't care about pollution. Everyone should make up their own mind about who they might be. Sometimes they make it easy for you, by spewing nonsense on a regular basis.
146
Turmeric has done wonders for my joint pain and more. Now I use it several times a day and if I've nothing like hot cereal, soup or stew to mix it in then I heat it in a bit of coconut milk - yum. Turmeric must be cooked with black pepper to be effective. Once a month I make a batch and use this recipe: https://deeprootsathome.com/how-to-make-use-turmeric-golden-paste/
16
@Susan K Cole The jury seems to be out on whether you must cook turmeric with black pepper to ensure that it is effective. Black pepper may enhance the positive effects, but turmeric alone has benefits. There are many articles about this, all of which are there on your favorite search engine.
7
@Susan K Cole
I love turmeric black pepper sunflower seeds a bit of maple syrup in yogurt...no kidding it’s terrific
3
@Susan K Cole I make a golden milk powder with five parts turmeric to one part ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, and one half part black pepper. I stir a heaping teaspoon into hot almond milk. I have no joint pain.
5
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of early death and disability in the US accounting for 1 in 3 deaths. In fact, every 40 seconds (approximately the time it took for you to read to this point) someone in the US has a heart attack or stroke. Cardiovascular disease kills 2,303 Americans daily. This is equivalent to 10 full-capacity Boeing 737 airplanes crashing, killing everyone aboard—every single day. More Americans die from cardiovascular disease than all forms of cancer combined.
9
They die from heart failure. As do we all.
1
@HormoneSynergy
Yep -- once we got rid of lots of fatal illnesses via vaccines and meds, and reduced accidental deaths with seatbelts, NTSB, and OSHA, the incidence of death by cardiovascular disease popped in the stats.
We've all gotta die of something!
1
For years my husband told me about his dad. He was a beekeeper as a hobby. He had terrible arthritis in his hands and he would let the bees sting him quite often because it took so much of his arthritis pain away. It must of been bad if bee stings felt better. Often wondered what's in those little stingers? Nature is an exact science if you can figure it out.
21
@karen
Bee venom is a well-documented treatment for MS, as well.
9
@Betablues Please provide the link to the phase 3 double blind placebo controlled trial that confirms your statement
Bee stings for treatment of MS is nonsense
2
You might notice the Harvard doctor did not recommend using brown rice instead of white rice. Swapping brown rice for white is nutritionally better but IMHO not necessarily more healthful.
Brown rice can be high in arsenic because some of it comes from areas of the US South where cotton used to grow. Arsenic was used to control pests like boll weevils. The milling process that takes away the nutrients from whits rice also reduces pesticides. So there's a trade-off.
FWIW - I look around the local Korean markets for rice that is advertised as arsenic free. No guarantee, but at least they recognize the issue. Some US family farms that sell on line do test for arsenic.
Just my opinion.
23
@SpartacusNJ ~ Organic Lundberg Rice, grown in the Central Valley of California, is very good quality brown rice.
5
@SpartacusNJ
Chinese black rice is high in antioxidants and fiber. You can find it in Asian stores. It's more filling and flavorful than white or brown rice, and isn't grown in the U.S. as far as I know.
1
@SpartacusNJ I thought arsenic was in all varieties of rice from anywhere in the world?
1
I am about to start the paleo diet and then tie in the FODMAPS elimination diet, which only has a bit or so more eliminations then the paleo diet. I don't believe that we cant eat more than cavemen did, but it seems easiest to get used to a restrictive diet, then cut out everything all at once without meal plans. There is also an anti-inflammatory diet out there. There are so many diets, really. I do have periodontal disease but its past the point of flossing. (embarrased) I have to see a periodontist. I am excited to see how my my health and fibromyalgia, with all its comorbidities does. I do want to say my depression and some pain was relieved when I was strong enough to lift weights and do cardio. I cant wait to start again when I am stronger.
5
You should check out Dr. Mark Hyman. He’s been pushing these recommendations for years and has written extensively about anti-inflammation. Best of luck to you.
12
@Alice Sproul Thank you for mentioning Mark Hyman, MD. It's amazing how long this info has been out there and ignored. I remember when it was called snake oil - now it's the new new thing.
4
I struggle with the recommendation to eat lots of fish. The world’s supply of fish is rapidly being depleted by overfishing and contamination of oceans and fresh water sources. Additionally, larger, fatty fish are full of heavy metals as a result of ocean contamination, and even fresh water fish are contaminated as a result of runoff of industrial and agricultural chemicals. The famous Shenandoah River, near my Virginia hometown, is hopelessly polluted. Posted signs all along the riverbank warn fishermen not to eat the fish caught in the river. In both Virginia and West Virginia, the State fisheries departments warn about the need to limit local fish from one’s diet because of polluted waters. Farm-raised fish present pollution concerns even in the US. Farm raised fish from Asia are bad news—the Mekong River, from which many fish are exported to the US, is horribly polluted. Ms. Brody continues to encourage fish in one’s diet, but she has not addressed these issues. How can she and doctors on whom she relies continue to advocate a diet of fish when the supply of fish is rapidly dwindling and the contamination of all fish is unrelenting?
115
@Rose Beetle I agree the world’s fishery is not getting the attention it deserves. Both overfishing and pollution are problems. One area, the mouth of the Colorado River, is an example of what is going wrong. The river historically dumped into the north end of the Sea of Cortez. This created enormous marshes and transitional places ideal for the spawning of a wide variety of fish. Today there is only a trickle and the unique ecosystem is virtually gone. A friend has seen Japanese fishing boats dragging the bottom in Mexican waters, clearly illegal. We must find away to recreate and protect essential spots such as this.
12
@Rose Beetle I agree the world’s fishery is not getting the attention it deserves. Both overfishing and pollution are problems. One area, the mouth of the Colorado River, is an example of what is going wrong. The river historically dumped into the north end of the Sea of Cortez. This created enormous marshes and transitional places ideal for the spawning of a wide variety of fish. Today there is only a trickle and the unique ecosystem is virtually gone. A friend has seen Japanese fishing boats dragging the bottom in Mexican waters, clearly illegal. We must find away to recreate and protect essential spots such as this.
1
Eat seaweed instead! Skip over the fish
7
OK the article did mention stress too but then there is another dimension not mentioned: CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT! I have multiple chemical sensativities and it has messed up my immune system. Does this cause inflammation? I'm sure it does. It's not just what we eat that hurts us but what we breathe, touch, put on our skin. Other than living in a bubble, there is no way to avoid inhaling other people's perfume, laundry detergent on their clothes, etc. So what is the solution? Not yoga, not expensive organically grown food or a wacky diet. So help, how do I eliminate inflammation when my body is being assaulted right and left every day???
33
@Leona Ask Ms. Brody to ask me.
4
@Leona you might look into CBG or CBD oil. They can’t change the chemically laden environment but they may help ease your body’s response to it.
@Leona - There are lots of detox products available on Amazon like activated charcoal, clay, cilantro, fermented chlorella, spirulina, modified citrus pectin, alpha lipoic acid supplements & different types of dried mushroom supplements. Don't forget exercising until working up a good sweat as well as saunas to sweat out toxins. Also lots of good books on the subject.
3
Not living at all does wonders for one's risk of dying. Just... moderation, folks.
17
@Masha - Most sensible recommendation I've seen anywhere...but in a society overwhelmed with too much and constantly on the search for extremes, it's the one least likely to be followed.
9
A good friend of mine, who is originally from Russia, told me a great Russian saying...Don't drink alcohol, don't eat bad foods and you will die healthy.
30
Turmeric got rid of my arthritis. Whole Foods sells organic turmeric powder in their spice section, 4 oz. for about $4.00. It needs to be taken for 6-8 weeks before any improvement is felt. Difficult to dissolve, one big teaspoon of turmeric easily dissolves in one teaspoon of Vodka; I add juice and have it daily, with dinner. Check with your doctor before taking turmeric.
15
@Nicole Lieberman Tumeric by itself is not effective. It must be cooked with black pepper to activate its bio-availability. I now make my own paste and it has done much to alleviate joint pain and more. Recipe: https://deeprootsathome.com/how-to-make-use-turmeric-golden-paste/
1
@Susan K Cole I'm confused - what about making up capsules? - no pepper, and not heated?
1
@Susan K Cole, I tried it with black pepper at first and it gave me terrible stomach cramps. I don't use turmeric in cooking; I just dissolve a teaspoon of turmeric in a teaspoon of Vodka with a bit of juice (mostly on a daily basis) and it has given me my normal life back. I'm over 90 and run around with my dog as if I were on my fifties.
10
If Ms. Brody would like to do an article on the full inflammation theory and how blood tests do not correlate with the actual tissue damage (heart disease, breast cancer, etc.) and how we need to bring the different diet groups together to do a study so we can honestly tell people what these diets are doing to people, I would be happy to talk with her.
20
Is there a reason not to mention organic dairy (yogurt) along with the fresh fruit?
7
I haven't had a cold, flu, headache or much of any nagging ailments in well over 50 years. I also don't have heart or arterial diseases, cholesterol, kidney, liver, lung or arthritic problems.
I attribute that to 3 things. As a multi-sport teenager I became sort of a health nut. I don't supplement vitamins other than D on occasion but I do supplement herbs as well as eat them as most of us do. All the herbs in your kitchen have medicinal qualities.
I consult a large herbal book put out by a team of doctors and I see an herbalist at least once a year. The NIH has been studying herbal remedies for decades and confirm what the ancients knew thousands of years ago.
#2 is I stay as far away from processed foods as possible. I don't even buy meat from grocery stores. If the ingredients say anything other than the food involved it's been processed to death.
#3 I stimulate the Vagus Nerve. Although I don't do Yoga I do a lot of stretching each morning and evening before going to bed. Messages also stimulate the Vagus Nerve.
Studies show that the Vagus Nerve, which affects the heart, lungs, gut and immune system covers a lot of body area and stimulation of it keeps all those systems functioning properly and keeps the immune system strong.
19
@Tom Piper I'm delighted you have felt good. Half of all people find out they have heart disease by dying from it. Absent a test which truly measures this, you do not know what your heart health is or isn't.
13
@Tom Piper If what you say is true, you're a unicorn. I would guess it's genetic and you haven't done much to impair that. Careful, they may end up studying you.
5
@Tom Piper
Quote: "I haven't had a cold, flu, headache or much of any nagging ailments in well over 50 years."
I find this hard to believe. In fact, I don't believe it.
14
While the general dietary recommendations here are important to follow, they don't go quite far enough. One of the leading causes of inflammation is the impoverishment and destruction of our gut microbiomes by the same industrial practices and toxic chemicals (glyphosate, for example) that destroy the microbiology of the soils in which we grow our food - and are responsible for declining nutritional values. A thriving microbiome in a healthy human gut is related, literally, to the microbiome in healthy soil. There are many factors that contribute to inflammation (trauma, among them), but our resilience relies largely on removing toxic inputs from our systems of food production. It is no coincidence that the rise of diseases and disorders caused by inflammation mirrors the rise of industrial agriculture.
Though I didn't always appreciate it, I was fortunate to grow up on a large organic farm, and am grateful for its gift of a healthy long life - so far!
20
"They include green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collards; fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines; fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, oranges and cherries; nuts like almonds and walnuts; and olive oil. "
All of these healthy lifestyle and dietary solutions are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to adopt if you're poor or live in a food desert.
25
@IZA Most grocery stores, even convenience stores like CVS or city bodegas have canned salmon, sardines, or mackerel; frozen or canned fruits and vegetables (just rinse the excess salt from canned veggies and avoid canned fruits in syrup); and various nuts. Although not fresh, it’s better than eating white bread, sugary cereals, donuts, and chips!
19
@Portisbrat true on the canned tips. But again, canned salmon is expensive too. I keep an eye out on the sales to keep canned salmon and sardines on the shelf. But canned sardines are high in salt.
1
@IZA - I live on disability and foodstamps and am quite poor. But my front closet has a couple of grow lights with snap peas, green beens, lettuce, bok choy, basil, ciantro, and several pepper plants. In the summer time, every alley around me is full of blackberries waiting to be frozen, and I talked the landlady into letting me start a community garden in our little plot of land where I grow cherry tomatoes, squash, peppers, and anything else I can think of.
As for fish? People around me keep going fishing and giving me these big, fresh, fatty fish that make the best broiled dinners. Mercy! The beaches are dotted with mussels and oysters (not on my list) and if I had even a canoe, I could go crabbing during the season and take 8 Dungeness per day.
In Seattle, if I shop at a farmer's market, I get 2-for-1 dollar on my foodstamps.
Its a lot cheaper to eat healthy than dine at Jack-in-Box.
10
Studies demonstrate that aging is causally associated with death.
33
@mainlaw...
Isn’t that like saying;
Studies show that the more birthdays you have, the longer you live?
2
@James Masciandaro : you both have a good sense of humor! Thank You for the giggle!
2
you lost me at soybeans for omega three. that's just terrible advice.
13
@Tran Trong You can't find an organic soybean on earth thanks to Monsanto. Very high in estrogen also .
10
You know you are old when your drug of choice is Advil.
If you still do physical work all day and are over 65 what are your options?
6
You might want to try New Chapter Zyflamend which is composed of anti-inflammatory herbal extracts. Likely overpriced, so I check for sales. Vitacost.com may have deal. Best of health to you.
3
@Lawrence - Cannabis. I don't have any Advil, aspirin, or Ibuprofen in the house. And the AARP sent me an invitation to join this week so I must be old. That, and I got excited last year at Home Depot when I saw a display of new hummingbird feeders.
4
Jane E. Brody, you have a excellent article but a big mistake is assuming that body-wide inflammation is a age-related ailment.
From the age of 18 to present, I have AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis), today I am 63 and feeling like I am going to be able to reach 100.
Inflammation is a natural process of the body from inception to decay, inflammation has no relation to an age category, lets get this straight about this and stop thinking that it is only an old person problem.
To find a cure, I think we need to get down to the atoms and molecules of this to understand the chemical reactions, consult a physicist or include them in the research to identify the processes.
Do this and you might actually find a means to control this reaction, once you understand the processes then you will find more than one cure for one problem.
This is my assessment -
Inflammation is like a puppy dog that sees himself in a mirror and barks.
9
A lot of people talk about "Inflammation" without fully understanding the "Inflammation and Heart Disease" and "Angina" theories I first presented during the mid-1990s during AHA meetings, published in a Cardiology Textbook in 1999 and presented on 20/20 and the book "Stop Inflammation Now!" in 2004. Consequently, many people misunderstand and misuse the various factors which produce an inflammatory response within the body. When blood tests are measured (e.g. IL-6, CRP, etc.), you are measuring what's happening in the blood and not the TISSUE. TISSUE is where the inflammation is and that is only mildly correlated with these blood tests. The true measurement - in the tissue - of disease in the body (e.g. the arteries of the heart or cancer of the breast) - can only be done using FMTVDM. During 2020, my hope is that the diet pundits will have the courage to be part of the study which will show what the different diets (KETO, Vegan, etc) actually do to people. Let's see if they have the honesty to be part of this study or if they will continue to hide behind BigPharma.
26
@Richard M Fleming, PhD, MD, JD there is a movie on netflix that shows this study, its called the game changers
1
@Richard M Fleming, PhD, MD, JD
This is certainly true but you should address yourself to the medical community if you want it fixed. Virtually no one measures TNF-a or IL-6 in the tissues, for example, in IBD research.
The IBD community is only now getting around to correlating inflammatory load with disease severity in individual patients and they way they're doing it is with sophisticated machine learning statistical modelling that utilizes measurements of inflammatory molecules in SERUM. Companies like Prometheus are proposing new tests that purport to predict severity of disease based on measuring CRP, serum amyloid alpha, and other molecules, in blood SERUM.
It would be great if the healthcare industry were actually measuring things directly but that costs money. It would appear that for the time being we're stuck with indirect measurements.
6
@ELChapo I have seen the movie. There is NO such study which has measured changes in heart disease or cancer.
The Ketogenic diet includes all of these recommendations and there are many studies about its low inflammatory impact.
Keep it Ketes Folks! @cleverlyketo
1
@Perennial Millennial Lots of people on keto overindulge on processed meats and red meats. Many people I know following keto use it as a reason to consume bacon daily. Without judging keto in general, it's important to be aware that there are ill-advised ways of maintaining that diet.
17
@Perennial Millennial Dear Perennial Millennial, There are only three studies which have been done to look at the inflammatory effect of these diets. Those are semi-quantitative and do not meet the necessary quantification to answer the true impact of keto diets on heart disease or cancer. I have reached out to several diet groups - keto, vegan, etc - and invited them to be part of the research that should be done.
3
@Lee TRUE
Now, if we could just take care of all those inflammed egos.
50
@uga muga : Well said, thank you!
I've been taking fish oil and 81 mil.asprin for the last 15 yrs. this is no new news.
2
@Anthony, Florida the article cautions against use of NSAIDs (aspirin is an NSAID).
3
I get so bored by articles like this one.
I just eat what I like. Good stuff, really.
People agonize over diets way too much.
Just learn to cook, folks.
29
I notice alcohol is not mentioned, and am glad to see dental hygiene is mentioned and recommended (dental insurance should be available and should cover two treatments yearly minimum), I go three times a year. I am not yet of Medicare age, and meaningful, usable dental health insurance plans are not offered, period, so I pay all my dental out of pocket, and am lucky I can do so.
You are drinking the equivalent, in sugar intake, of a can of soda per alcoholic drink.
If you think your consumption is under control and one or two drinks a day, try logging every drink of alcohol for a month in writing, and log your other sugar consumption too. Surprised to see it’s higher than you thought? I was.
After a four month sabbatical from booze, and long-term very low sugar intake, my A1C went from “prediabetic” to “not” and other test markers improved. So glad I refused to start metformin my doctor reflexively prescribed (after one blood test) to “treat” my “prediabetes.” That clinic doctor would do nothing to help with or even discuss lifestyle and dietary intervention: no time to talk about it, and, this major regional hospital-linked clinic has no “outpatient” nutritionist available, so, “just go buy a diet book”. I have moved on to another clinic in another town.
42
@R Jory - IMO, any doctor who does not discuss diet and lifestyle in relation to treatment of disease is not worth visiting. The common sense maxim "Garbage in, garbage out" has never been more true than when applied to the intake of a biochemical system...and that would be our body.
11
@R Jory My husband stopped nightly drinking (3 to 4 oz vodka a night). His arthritis pain and swelling in his ankles and hands has been reduced to almost nil.
5
FASTING! How sad not to see that mentioned here. I'm 63 and was able to eliminate chronic atopic dermatitis on my eyelids and cheek. No skin doctor helped me prior to that, or suggested that inflammation might be the source of the problem. I also now follow "TRE" or "time restricted eating," whereby I eat only during a six-hour window, letting my body rest during non-eating hours. I feel great, sleep better, and have more energy. I hope someone else can benefit from my example.
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@ExpatinGermany
Hallo! I started 16/8 intermittent fasting two years ago. I have been able to maintain this regiment for almost that long - with the exception of the time around Christmas and German cookies. Then there are red flags in how my body responds, more sensitive to back pain, arthritis, etc. Nevertheless, it has been quite easy for me to resume my 16/8 and find my way back into feeling healthy and better. Auf ein gesundes Neues Jahr!
9
@Andi
Vielen danke!
1
Such little point made of what we use EVERY day...being more proactive with teeth/gum health...with incalculable advantages gained across better digestion, heart disease, PH levels/blood, nutrient absorption/assimilation, saliva enzymes that break down our food, etc....let's all keep this part of our foundational emphasis with healthy plant-derived dieting.
9
For anyone that wishes to attempt something by at least dietary changes, give this book a chance. No guarantees, but always worth a shot. Changed my life, certainly.
The Autoimmune Solution: Prevent and Reverse the Full Spectrum of Inflammatory Symptoms and Diseases, Amy Myers, MD
17
Interesting that of all the option, no mention of cannabinoids and terpenes? We’ve used them (extracted from marijuana not hemp) to reduce inflammation in over 500 dogs with osteoarthritis and to restore stasis in the autoimmune system of dogs with IBD.
Often they are much more effective than diet and western pharmaceutical products, the latter often causing more problems than those they supposedly fix. I write from an “apolitical” perspective: I don’t care for cannabis for humans and dogs don’t lie about their health.
12
@Desmo88 - People have been coming to me for a long time for a batch of cookies or tincture for what ails them. My ex has arthritis of his thumbs. He ate half a cookie and had no pain for the next three days. Another woman told me she was pain free for the first time in 18 years. I created my own strains for my epilepsy. But most folks can't just walk into a cannabis store and choose from 150 different strains like we take for granted here in Seattle. All they know is what some kid sells behind the high-school and there is an incredible difference between the strains.
I mentored with the first legal patient in this state who then opened the first dispensary and have had other friends who have had medical dispensaries so I always paid attention to which strain suited which ailment best. But, many folks just don't like the feeling while others are happy. Its almost miraculous but again, many folks just don't like it.
Leaky gut? I’m not sure this “phenomenon” is a true medical disorder. Surprised that it is in a Brody piece.
4
@Deborah Murchison The more technical phrase is loss of barrier function and it is an important aspect of gastrointestinal inflammation.
23
@Deborah Murchison
Dr. Patrick Nemechek has patented a protocol that is addressing the disorder and autistic children like mine are recovering.
https://www.nemechekconsultativemedicine.com/blog/reversing-autism-2017/
Leaky Gut or Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO) is in fact a medical disorder. It's found in most autistic and developmentally delayed children. Bacteria leaks into the bloodstream creating white blood cell and propionic acid chaos. This chaos causes a sedative effect on the brain. Nemechek Protocol regulates the gut bacteria daily, which allows for daily doses of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Omega-3 to repair the inflammation and help the brain to repair itself.
Dr. Patrick Nemechek has patented a protocol that is addressing the disorder and autistic children like mine are recovering.
Look into it and you won't be sorry.
3
To this day, no doctor has been able to tell me why I have bradycardia that required a pacemaker. Reading this article, I suspect inflammation may have played a big part.
6
“There is no barrier between the gums and the circulation,” he noted, and periodontal disease has long been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.”
If we’re going to discuss health insurance we should address dental health as integral —- stop segregating it as if it’s cosmetic.
209
As others note here, AH, ADA determines that dental care is far more lucrative if segregated from other aspects of healthcare. This may not be logical or physiologically defensible, but it ensures greater profits to the providers of dental services - which is the primary mission of ADA at all costs, even that of American oral health.
3
I will gladly trade 5 to 10 years of life expectancy for an occasional grilled hotdog.
22
Be true to yourself, brother.
8
And I will gladly pay you Wednesday for a hamburger today.
20
@Stu Pidasso Really Stu? 5-10 years for an occasional hotdog? Those must be some good hotdogs.
8
Just keep moving and don’t eat or drink too much (alcohol or soda). These two things are helps at any level of physical fitneee
12
Where are the sources for this article? It seems to pander to a health-conscious audience without citing which scientific papers this should refer to.
15
@Kristin Trela Agreed. And while diet and excercise may help reduce inflammation a bit, they are not likely the main determinants of aging related inflammation. The conclusions of the article are very overstated.
8
@Larry Figdill
Technically, aging itself doesn't cause much increased inflammation (unless we're talking about increased disease due to purely genetic factors and that causes more inflammation; for example auto-immune disease that is caused purely by genetics.)
However, as people get older they gain weight by not properly controlling food intake and not exercising. So obesity, for example, is about 14% for kids in the 2-5 age group. By the time people get to 20-39, it's approaching 40% (see link below.)
Diet and exercise can reduce inflammation way more than "just a bit." Getting old doesn't have to result in high inflammation.
Obesity Among Adults and Youth: US, 2015–2016 (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db288.pdf
2
I think that if you do a little Internet searching,
you will find many serious studies...
2
TAME should be renamed SHAME. Sounds like another pharma sponsored trial to get doctors to prescribe metformin as the new miracle pill to slow down the aging process. The diets recommended in the article and by many in their posts are rich in anti-inflammatories and antioxidants - so why take a chemically derived one at a much higher cost? And if your diet is not perfect like mine, I’ve found that supplementing with omega-3s, Alpha lipoid acid, MSM and Vitamin C enabled me to get my CRP score down from 2.7 to 0.4 in 6 months.
14
Markers of a systemic inflammation also can occur as a response to taking certain medications. This happened to me, but I still don’t totally understand the mechanism, nor the trigger (my doctor said there were 100s of possibilities & that it wasn’t important to determine which one it was m; I am seeking a second opinion).
9
NSAIDs are the medical response to inflammation. The alternative choice is a steriod.
That's modern Western Medicine.
You'll burn a hole in your stomach lining with most NSAIDs other than acetometophine.
I had two areas of chronic inflammation around nerves, TMJ and Achilles Tendonitis. It took nearly five years to heal the tendonitis. But it spread everywhere in my body - to my upper arms and even my hips.
There is no diagnostic tool other than a physical exam involving the touching of the inflammed tissue and a patient's response.
While the article is GREAT with information, stressors such as a lack of regular housing, joblessness, and a hostile government all impact the life of the sufferer.
You can't get pressed flax seeds at a McDonalds. You cannot purchase cold water fish if without a kitchen, regardless of the cost, and you cannot buy "unprocessed foods" if you are in a position of not having your own "space" and the money to purchase the sardines, the salmon, the flax seeds, etc.
When is the medical establishment going to recognize that without regular housing, a person is in peril of becoming extremely ill, beginning with inflammatory diseases.
108
@RR The medical response to inflammation is to try to find the cause and if possible treat it specifically and if not possible to do that to use non specific anti-inflammatory measures of various types depending on the diagnosis. The medical profession is increasingly interested in adjuvant measures to reduce inflammation including attention to teeth, gut microbiome and nutrition. Socioeconomic factors have long been recognised as a major contributor to both the incidence and poor prognosis of many diseases. And you are right about housing - a basic requirement without which everything else is moot.
8
@Patrick
Untrue in the US.
There is NO connection between the practicing physicians and the surgical dentistal Doctors - endodontists and oral surgeons. NONE. Periodontists, endodontists, and oral surgeons DO NOT WORK WITH internists in this country.
8
@RR That's exactly right. How much less mental and physical illness would we have in this country if everyone was guaranteed housing, health care, child care and higher education as human rights, and there was a livable minimum wage? Join us in fighting for this with the Bernie Sanders campaign. The working class must band together to make it happen.
I lived in Japan for four years, and my Crohn's Disease treatment was entirely paid for by the national health care system. It was preventative, and reducing inflammation through diet was a key aspect of it. Here in the states, the doctors just want to stunt your immune system with drugs. I was diagnosed at 15 and spent my twenties remaining poor in order to have medicaid, because I couldn't risk getting sick and incurring huge medical bills. It's time that for-profit health insurance was eliminated.
7
The quality of air that we breathe may also add to our chronic inflammation or start one. Apart from the big issue of air pollution in general, what about the cumulative effect of those low-grade irritants like artificial fragrances that many of us so willingly saturate their lives with? The extent of this problem becomes quite evident, especially, when one tries to improve the air quality on the smaller scale and go fragrance free...
Public spaces are drowning in distinct and artificial laundry scents. Additionally, many individuals appear to go the extra mile and double down on fragrance: scented lotions, perfumes, hair products. They live in a perpetual fog of fragrance, making many of us unwilling participants.
Despite attempts to maintain a fragrance-free home, my senses are constantly under assault from the inescapable “Bounty Fresh” air of neighbors' laundry. Even quickly hugging a friend carries the risk of adopting their artificial scent for the rest of the day.
My son uses scent-free detergent when doing laundry in his college dorm. Yet, he came home for the holiday break with itchy skin and a bundle of his clothing smelling strongly of someone else’s laundry detergent. Apparently, what’s left behind in those washers and dryers is so potent that even those wishing to be free and clear won’t be able to stay that way.
I wish that as a society we would be much smarter about this issue, since this directly affects our health.
121
@Ella B. I agree 100%
16
I totally agree. I hate when a hug leaves you with a strong smell for the rest of the day. A smell that you did not choose to put on yourself!
And smelling dryer sheets makes me absolutely crazy.
34
@Maria Balestrieri I like a pleasant scent in my laundry.
5
Add turmeric to the list. I was able to stop taking pain medication for arthritis when I started taking a turmeric tablet morning and evening.
51
@JM I had the same experience.
1
@JM Me too. It hasn't gone away completely, but I only rarely need pain medication in order to sleep now (usually after hard workouts or heavy lifting). I have always worked out - primarily running and skiing - and was recently told I have zero arthritis in my hips or knees nearing 60, but I still developed arthritis in my hands and wrist just as my mother did - albeit 10 years later. Genetics catch up with all of us eventually.
@JM be sure to verify first that the turmeric doesn’t interfere with any needed medications. Turmeric can reduce the effectiveness of Ibrance by 40%.
one more to add to the list: intermittent fasting. While most people find it difficult to do 24+ fasts, time-restricted feeding (16:8) where you fast for 16 hours and eat in an eight hour window is something most people can follow.
58
@JDN This started to work for me as i lost 2kgs in a week without noticing. I had to stop because my family complained about the smell of my breath. Apparently the fasting caused me to expel 'fat' through my lungs(?)
Cut sugar and wheat consumption.
Cut soda pop.
Don't eat junk.
Cut inflammation.
What The Heck Do I Eat - Dr. Mark Hyman
18
@Sparta480 plenty of fresh fruits and veggies out there!
1
Anyone who taken metformin knows it has some very unfortunate side effects such as gas, intestinal cramps and diarrhea. Obviously some people can tolerate it, but many can’t. My husband and I both tried it and just could not tolerate it, so it’s not a cure all for everyone.
11
Did you titrate your dose up starting from smallest dosage? I heard that resolved GI issues for some.
5
@Cindy Mackie I have not had troubles with Metformin. So not everybody.
3
@cindy mackie I take Metaformin as a preventative and for longevity. Everyone always asks me about stomach problems.
Never had an issue. You are better off just going on a sugar free diet aka keto diet. That works better than Metaformin.
Lose 20 pounds, watch your A1c drop. Ask me how I know. I use both keto diet and metaformin.
I also take turmeric three times a day.
3
I need to find out how to get to rid of lymphedema. After botched knee surgery I developed this awful condition and haven't walked in a long time. I thought it was inflammation at first because of the pain. It feels like my leg weighs a hundred pounds. I do not wish this on anyone ever. My friend has fibromyalgia and she is always inflamed. The Golden years really stink. Never knew water can be so heavy. uggh
26
@karen
There is a great deal of news - medical about the benefits of using a lotion on the skin.
May I suggest that you massage your legs frequently with a very good "organic" (try hemp no "white oil" methly paraben) lotion.
Look into the recent discoveries by the University of California at Davis about the role the organ, the skin, plays in health - of the mind.
And swim. Swim however you can. Just get in the water and do laps. Ignore the master swim team members.
8
Look into Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Some Physical Therapists are trained in it, as are some Licensed Massage Therapists. It requires specific training and can be very effective.
12
@karen Ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist specifically trained in treating lymphedema. Lymphedema can be treated. Best of luck.
10
I am surprised at avoid nsaids. What happened to the common recommendation of a baby aspirin every day to prevent inflammation? That's what nsaids do!
Unless that conclusion is explained, I must discount this entire article.
11
@priceofcivilization
NSAIDS reduce prostaglandins (which are inflammatory molecules) through inhibition of COX enzymes. But there are many other types of inflammatory molecules such as TNF and interferons. As the article mentions, NSAIDS can be very hard on the gut/GI system. So reducing unnecessary use of NSAIDS may reduce the introduction of bacteria through the gut barrier, thus reducing the production of many other kinds of inflammatory markers that are induced upon the presence of bacterial cell wall components. NSAIDS will never reduce certain kinds of inflammation that can lead to chronic disease.
Hope this helps.
36
@Alice
Reducing prostaglandins is a worthy goal, tho, isn't it? Any alternative COX enzyme inhibitor out there? Or ones that also do a good job of inhibiting other inflammatory molecules not touched by low dose aspirin? I thought that 81mg daily dose of aspirin with food did more good than bad, and few if any alternatives did as well: what do you do?
7
@priceofcivilization I agree with you . but of course you don't need a script for aspirin ,so why wouldn't they discourage it's use.
3
This article ignores probably the best way to reduce inflammation: nutrient supplementation. As usual, the NYT is promoting the pharma-industry agenda of bashing or ignoring the effectiveness of supplements.
18
@dan s Please share the list of supplements and the relevant references for peer-reviewed literature of longterm human studies that back up your effectiveness claim. Thank you.
28
Like what?
5
@dan s There is actually increasing data on the lack of efficacy of supplements but as you won't show me your sources I won't show you mine. And why do you think the manufacturers, distributors, sellers and prescribers are more ethical than physicians and pharma? Vested interest?
4
I believe you are what you don't eat. After testing for high blood pressure 175/110, I went on a 6 day fast and my blood pressure went to normal 120/90. I felt great. Day 1 is hard but after that my appetite went down and I had great energy and lost 12 pounds. I believe fasting also has great benefits for the immune system.
33
Walter Kempner’s Rice Diet program at Duke 1940-1993 confirms what you have said
10
@Joseph B
You fasted six days? No water? Nothing? Doesn't sound healthful.
Unless you mean you fasted 14 hours from after an early dinner to morning breakfast, which is what I do every day.
9
@BLB A water only diet, very healthy I felt great. A prolonged fast burns fat and boost the immune system.
14
The article mentions periodontal disease being linked to heart disease. Medicaid, at least in Oklahoma, does not pay for dental care except for children. It seems to me that paying for dental care now would be cheaper than paying for bypass surgery later.
363
@Linda
Even in states where preventive dental care is covered for kids under Medicaid, the disbursement is so poor parents can't find a dentist who accepts it. The healthcare gap, with some people getting advanced cosmetic dentistry and others being left out entirely from any care, is astonishing.
28
@Sandy You’re so right. The Times should do a column on the outrageous costs for dental care. I required fillings to protect my gums - $2500 for less than two hours of the dentist’s time and maybe an ounce of material. That’s insane.
18
@Linda
LOL. So pay for a dentist
I work 2 jobs and neither has usable dental insurance and you want me to pay for your dentist?
Why don't you ask Nancy Pelosi, Barrack Obama or Elizabeth Warren to pay for it. They have all gotten rich off the taxpayers
4
Inflammation has evolved from a specific collection of things (pain, redness, tenderness, heat) in the past half century to the presence of chemicals or cells in tissues that "oughten" be there.
However, I believe a broader view of these is on the horizon - that of a maintenance system, which operates normally 24/7 and is subject both to optimization and to disruption by multiple factors.
This biological perspective might lead to deeper insights about how we can "encourage" our bodies to maintain themselves durably throughout the lifespan.
8
It isn’t particularly helpful to tell me that my sleeplessness leads to chronic inflammation when it is my chronic inflammation that primarily causes my sleeplessness. The well-oiled human machine is a wonder to behold, and I do envy the people who can wring health from a tough regimen of conscientious eating and exercise, but my persistent autoimmune condition is not only unfriendly to benign pollens and other environmental fairies, but pounces on empty medical advice with equal fury.
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@Eric Berman Oh I do agree! It also amuses me that so many of the diet recommendations push the consumption of soy, legumes, and green leafy things, all of which are high in vitamin K, the very thing my blood clotting disorder makes me avoid. My pain is less while I am moving around during the day, but then I hit a wall. Sleep requires ice packs on selected joints and pain meds. So now I say, whatever works is what I do, regardless of what the experts say.
14
@Eric Berman
Try CBD. If legal in AR.
2
My father lived to be 100. Almost no exercise. Chocolate and wine in moderation every day. Faith in God and a daily prayer life. 125 pounds soaking wet. And he always left room for dessert
52
I do not envy your retirement planning.
27
Nothing like a great anecdote to enable denial of the science
Wait, NSAIDs cause inflammation rather than reducing it??
26
@Middleman MD - This decade:) Next decade, we'll be told something completely different.
The Mediterranean diet has been a very positive thing for me. My weight is where I want it to be, my digestive system is more predictable and there's a lot more fresh, healthy food in my kitchen. I've also gotten back in the habit of enjoying sardines and crackers when I'm peckish, as my Norwegian parents often did.
I know some people have trouble making the change to a new way of eating. I recommend investing in a good Mediterranean diet cookbook; it made all the difference for me.
27
Regarding the Mediterranean diet. To be clear, this study was done on poor Cretans right after WWII, during Lent. For a look at what Cretans actually ate, see this link to a 99 yr old Cretan woman's diet. Also note that dairy figured prominently, specifically goat milk and cheese. Red meat was prized for for growing children.
https://www.olivetomato.com/mediterranean-diet-month-the-diet-of-the-cretan-great-grandmother-who-lived-to-be-99/
This link talks about the diet an lifestyle of the Ikarians, another Greek Island.
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html
Here every family has had goats, chickens AND pigs. The pigs are cherished and each is named. Pigs are slaughtered at Xmas and after Lent and larded pork in small amounts is enjoyed throughout the year.
In the piece about the Ikarians you also learn about all the MANY other factors leading to longevity: social bonds, herbal drinks, wild greens, pesticide free grains, beans (chickpeas, white beans), good red wine, vigorous exercise (gardening esp).
To be uptodate -- HIIT is the new best exercise, not moderate intensity cardio etc. The cardiologist did not read Gretchen Reynolds series of articles.
16
@Ben
No there is a recent case. The NYTIMES covered it in 2013.
It was of a US man who was born and raised in Greece. He immigrated to the US somehow and then joined the army during WII. He developed lung cancer.
To save his family the expense of a funeral, he returned to Greece. There, he helped his parents fix their home. He ate the Med diet. He reunited with his childhood friends. They partied allot. A great deal of RED wine, of which I am allergic to, was consumed.
His cancer disappeared. This is an historic case.
He returned to the US to let his US doctors know of his success. He discovered that they had all died.
10
@RR Love this story. Goes to show how maintaining and becoming immersed in a vibration of well being and flowing energy play a essential roll (he became happy again). I believe our bodies/cells are programmed to rejuvenate over and over again as long as we can STAY in the flow, in other words. 'don't worry, be happy'. Love and love what you eat and above all, don't feel guilty about ANYTHING. (we are human after all.)
The last bit of the article talking about antibiotics and gut caused me to wonder:
What effects if any do probiotics and/or food that are said to have a probiotic effect such as kimchee, have on inflammation?
9
@Angela G No one really knows what probiotics to add for what desired effects. The field is interesting and exciting, but still very much embryonic in our understanding of applicable value.
But that doesn't stop charlatans from making a lot of health claims. All anyone seems to really know for sure is it's harmful to health wipe out your microbiome with antibiotics, NSAIDS, and possibly sugar. There is a lot of doubt about how much of the probiotics from supplements to natural foods like kimchee can even survive in the stomach and make it to the gut.
7
This is a very active and fascinating area of research. Some microbes reduce while some contribute to inflammation. This depends on individual circumstances. At some point, I suspect we’ll figure it out!
5
Eating foods rich in fiber detoxifies the skin and internal organs.
10
Oh no. Not another drug. Drugs are the problem, not the solution. Number one most important thing to do is to stop eating sugar.
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Everyone is afraid to identify wheat and its lectins as major inflammatory agents in our blood streams. We have bred the wheat for centuries to resist pests by marshaling the wheat's natural anti-pest defenses, their lectins, which are damaging to the insects when THEY eat the wheat. Do you think the wheat lectins are friendly to our gut? no. they pass through the gut wall and irritate every vein and artery causing deposition of sclerotic plaques. And worse. They are the reason those 20 year old US soldiers killed in the Korean war exhibited such shocking arterial plaques.. It is our wheat diet that is killing us. If you must eat bread, eat wonderbread which likely has nothing left in it.
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@Victoria Jenssen "We have bred the wheat for centuries to resist pests by marshaling the wheat's natural anti-pest defenses, their lectins" In the US, farmers have relied on pesticides of one kind or another for years for protection of wheat from fungi & other "pests". Alot of time & energy has been devoted to increasing the size of the part of wheat that we eat, after it's been processed to a flour (very small particles), the "germ" (wheat germ). Just as much if not more then making wheat "more resistant" especially since the 1950's.
@garnet all true but read up about lectins...they are the heart of modern GMO science to *perfect* the lectins and the wheat crops' resistance to pests. Without this breeding program, all wheat crops would be lost within a decade...this sort of breeding, followed by scientific breeding, started in the 1880s in US and Canada, backed by govts to protect the food supply. It is a fascinating piece of history. It is why the wheat itself is not suited to our diet. Organically grown wheat has same problem, without pesticide residues. And the worst to eat is whole grain, better to eat Wonderbread if you're making sandwiches etc.
1
Now wait a minute.....HOW do we know the "leafy green vegetables" are in themselves nutrient rich and safe? Production and transport has so much to do with healthy fresh vegetables....one of the worst is a green salad that is warm....i.e., not refrigerated, allowing the bacterium to thrive. What are we to do? Organic?? $$$ HOW do we know that organic is organic? Besides fertilizers in the ground, stuff falls from the polluted sky polluting the soil these vegetables are grown in.....What are we to do???
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@Carol
Eating mass market factory farm produced greens is better than anything processed. The differences with "organic" are negligible. Where are you buying greens that haven't been refrigerated? Unless it is farm direct that doesn't seem possible to be on sale in a grocery store.
10
What if I be lettuce or other greens have bacteria on them? As a transplant patient I am repeatedly told not to eat uncooked vegetables. Please advise.
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Our son had two liver transplants in 2009, and the only foods he was told to avoid afterwards to protect his immune system were undercooked (or rare) meat and poultry, and foods with active strains of bacteria , e.g. probiotic yogurts. Uncooked vegetables and fruits were not considered to present undue risk as long as basic kitchen hygiene was followed . He has been able to enjoy salads, crudites, etc.
2
Inflammation is not the problem; it is an innate part of the healing process. For most people and especially older folks metabolic dysfunction is the main stressor that results in inflammation and 88 percent of Americans and 98 percent of Americans over age 65 suffer from metabolic dysfunction.
Metabolic health is defined as having optimal levels of five factors: blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference, without the need for medications.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181128115045.htm
At age 71, based on these guidelines I have achieved metabolic health and have low inflammation following a very low carb, high fat diet that includes generous portions of red meat every day. I’m not suggesting that this approach is suitable for everybody but it works for me and many others.
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@Luk Brown
72. Me too.
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@Luk Brown
I pass your guidelines with flying colors. I eat a low carbohydrate diet (but not high fat). I also have IBS, chronic gastritis, chronic colitis, immune senescence, and fibromyalgia.
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@ExPatMX , I’m sorry to hear of your health issues. My understanding is that having optimal metabolic health is very beneficial for preventing many of the chronic diseases of civilization such as diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, and cancer, but as you have noted it does not provide bulletproof protection for everything. I wish you success with your ailments, and I’m confident that your metabolic health will prove to be beneficial.
3
Earth shattering in its news worthiness!
2
My Filipino wife eats white rice every day. I can't persuade her to stop. What foods can she eat to counteract the negative effects.
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@obo - try to get her to eat vegetables!
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@obo The Japanese and I think other Asian people used to eat lots of vegetables and fish, fermented foods and very little meat, which probably counteracted any negative results of white rice. Now their diets are becoming more westernized and they are seeing more of the health problems we have in the US. Recent studies have shown that climate change is lowering the nutritional content of rice, which is of big concern since it is a dietary staple in lots of countries.
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@obo if she must eat rice, she should eat it cold. Cold rice turns into resistant starch which is better for you. Google resistant starch. Same goes for potatoes, eat them cold not hot. Best yet eliminate, but if you must do these foods cold is best
1
Lovely re-cap of twenty years of bourgeois pseudo-science. The Trump administration is fixing to cut 700k families from the SNAP program (aka 'food stamps') just in time for Christmas. Except for a few Catholic bishops and Paul Krugman, there's been virtually no outrage - yet a whole column in the NYT is devoted to the benefits of dietary kale and abhorrence of "processed meats."
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@Gary FS Nearly three years ago, the Times ran an outstanding piece on how SNAP money is spent: Lots of soda and salty snacks.
It's worth a read. Here's the link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/well/eat/food-stamp-snap-soda.html
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@Randy There are restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps but to eat healthy you need to know what that is. I took a adult class on nutrition and I was surprised to find out some of my class mates didn’t eat vegetables at all. They didn’t even know they should. Maybe schools should spend some time in Science class studying what the human body needs to be healthy.
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@Randy I think you missed a more recent study:
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/health/broad-decline-in-obesity-rate-seen-in-poor-young-children.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=1&pagewanted=all&
If you want to help, there are programs like $2 for $1 coupons for farmer's markets for people on SNAP benefits, programs through Agricultural Extension offices (that exist in more urbanized areas like Nassau county, on LI) that use volunteers to offer free programs on health cooking on a budget, favorite dishes made w/less fat, etc. Yep, sometimes people need some help & assistance while struggling to support themselves, their families because they didn't learn about good nutrition at home or in school. Also, if you work 2 jobs, have a long commute, it's hard to find time to cook.
2
Very informative article and comments; thank you.
9
I got one thing to suggest. If your lower limbs swell and get tight try walking and or jumping like jumping rope. If you have atrophied glutes get an electronic muscle stimulation device like the Compex. Recent experience has taught me this.
Anyway my theory of why it works is this; our, Lymph system works like a secondary circulation system which is driven by walking. Activating the gluteal muscles makes the system start flowing again and moves the Lymph fluids pooling in your lower limbs swelling them disperse around your body where they should be.
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@magicisnotreal Try a mini trampoline at home.
7
@magicisnotreal A "rebounder" trampoline is also great for the lymphatic system!
7
@Emc @Kathleen, Thank You Both!
2
I am glad the control of Periodontal disease was mentioned. You should have mentioned that Periodontists are Dental specialists who have undergone three additional years of training. There is no substitute for a Periodontist!
Unfortunately in this age of Implants, many general Dentists fail to treat Periodontal disease correctly or are too afraid of losing a patient to a Periodontist.
Don't wait for your Dentist or Dental Hygientist to refer you, refer yourself to Periodontist if you think you have gum disease.
15
Excellent advice.
If we make this our focus, it can become the meditation itself. Our life may become an enquiry into the over abundance of influence which in all likelihood, if we are honest, would best be negated.
I'd love to eat the way this article recommends, but I have severe GERD that is not totally controlled by diet and meds. For me, the foods least likely to cause reflux are carbs such as potatoes. I cannot eat very many green veggies as they are poison to my reflux.
It's a challenge balancing various conditions when one gets old.
46
Have you looked into a possible hiatal hernia as your cause of the reflux?
it's easy to fix and a good chiro can do it for you.
Also, check out Dr. William's easy self healing technique that includes drinking some water and jumping a little..simply amazing how well it works..and you can do it yourself.
Also, less stomach acid is produced as we age, ( not more, as the pharma companies would have you believe) meaning purple pills and such are not healthy and in fact dangerous. Most older people need Hydrochloric acid/enzymes to digest food properly and prevent the gassing of the fermenting stomach contents which causes Gerd. Most functional medicine docs and many online such Dr. Mercola can teach you more on this subject. Good luck.
6
@India My husband has to eat a low potassium diet. I know what you mean. People keep telling him to eat more vegetables but he can only eat small amounts because they have lots of potassium. You have to eat what works for your body.
8
Please elaborate what a chiropractor can do for a hiatal hernia and please give the full names and if possible the websites of the doctors who to mentioned. Thank you.
2
And whatever you do, don't take inexpensive effective non-toxic turmeric. And make sure you forget the best way to use it is high quality curry powder - heating the powder in oil activates it, along with some black pepper.
Please, don't add this to your regime. It has only been tested my hundreds of millions of people in India for thousands of years. They couldn't possibly be right.
26
Turmeric has the highest anti-oxidant content of any substance - except Marine D-3
4
@Miriam I agree yet I read recently that some turmeric may have lead in it.
8
Antioxidants have been shown over and over again to be marketing myth.
Start here https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/antioxidants/
1
Just in time for New Year's Resolutions, the replacement for the junk science of garlic and fish oils has arrived, devoid of any hard science.
A lot of quality health care could be delivered for the money wasted on the junk science health fads through the years. The amount spent on margarine alone in the 1970's would finance childrens' health care for decades.
11
@Charles Coughlin ok Charlie, stick to your diet of white flour and corn syrup. Let's see how that works out for you.
7
@Charles Coughlin There is a lot of hard science for this recommendation, including the China Project and Blue Zone research. My former oncologist, who heads the Cancer Research Clinic at Providence in Portland, OR and formerly a researcher with the NIH, recommends the Mediterranean diet as the best-researched healthful diet. Time to do some serious reading, or better yet, take a class on nutrition at a local college offered by certified nutritionists. For heaven's sake, don't rely on the Internet!
I agree with you in condemning the corrupt American practice of lying about nutrition to help bolster the various food industries, especially meat, dairy, and highly processed foods. I also agree that junk science promotes fad diets. Fakery will always be with us, and the best defense is to educate yourself.
19
@former therapist : the China Study has been totally, utterly debunked.
Many enzymes from molds such as Aspergillus niger, and the receptor hog and addictive substance called MSG are in everything we eat although they are GRAS. More broadly speaking, many allergens are definitely the causes of a massive amount of IgE related inflammation that lead to a fyrther inflammatory cascade. But as thirty years ago when we clinicians were mocked for suggesting that virusse could cause cancers - indeed they do - no one will recognize the fact that corporate monetization of anything can be linked to a disease because demonstrating causative links is almost impossible.
18
Please consider distilled water, particularly if you live in a hard water area. To my great surprise, my arthritic hands are now on the mend. Here is my brief story.
A few weeks ago, I’d inadvertently encountered entries for arthritis and distilled water while on an altogether unrelated Google mission and, on reading further, I found that hard water could be a possible culprit. This made sense to me as, after living for over a decade in a region of France with truly extreme calcification - and I’d had no arthritis symptoms until I moved here- I realized, on reading these articles, that my increasingly painful and somewhat distorted fingers could be the result of just that - hard water!
I immediately found a well-regarded supplier of home water distillers and, after 48 hours of drinking said water, my hand and finger pain began to lessen and, about one month later, has just about disappeared. Flexibility has returned. I can play my cello! I marvel to wake up each morning with no pain.
Will any distortions disappear as well? We’ll see. At least the chronic pain is gone
and for that I am so very thankful.
Note: the jury is out as to whether distillation leaches important health elements from the water. Best to research and consult your pharmacist or doctor on this and then make your own decision.
Wishing all sufferers of inflammation a less painful New Year, ‘cause it hurts!
51
Try alkaline water as it is less acidic than distilled.
8
Just another thought on water, this time addressing the many problems with cleaning products that are mentioned in these comments. You could try a cheap, healthy and naturally fragrant mix of a few drops of lavender oil with a spray container of water. Just give it a good shake and it’s great for counter tops,
stoves and ovens, quick bathroom cleanliness etc. You are left with one of the loveliest scents ever!
Ok, before I turn into the Elmer Gantry of water solutions, I’ll wish everyone good luck and make my goodbyes :-)
3
Best anti-inflammatory of all: universal healthcare/coverage for all at low prices or for free.
455
@Frannie Zellman
Most inflammation, and much of the disease in this country, is the result of poor diet and lifestyle. Going to the doctor will not fix that and it certainly is not helping to keep healthcare costs down. Almost all cases of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and many cancers such as colon, breast and prostate are preventable on a whole foods plant based diet.
Check out the evidence here: Nutritionfacts.org
24
@Barbara
OK if you have the option of seeing your doctor but decide not to go.
But the worry about not being able to pay for a doctor will certainly
increase stress which does contribute to inflammation!
16
@Barbara
Gee Barbara, do you think maybe that the vast majority of the US population which lives at the poverty line or below - more than 88 percent just might be suffering from inflammatory diseases because they are POOR?
21
Why are most of these comments all about ME? There are more”I”s in these sage comments about food, nutrition, lifestyle, mental health issues than your immune system knows or cares about. The complex biochemistry will churn on while our society continues to manufacture self-control based myths to solve our inherent frailty and inevitable physical decline ending in death.
15
From my own experience and my work as a mental health therapist, I can tell you that a lot of suffering happens because of inflammation: depression, aches, pain, cognitive impairment. These are often daily chronic challenges to health & joy. Lots of folks here are aware of this & sharing advice out of empsthy & compassion and professionals are taking time to write, too.
2
Marijuana appears to be a good anti-inflammatory agent. It also helps relieve stress and promotes sound sleep. Just watch what you eat when you get the munchies.
29
@David haha! :-)
2
@David I tried it as an oil taken sublingually. The thc made me a bit giddy but neither thc or cbd or a mix of the two helped my inflammatory disorder. Maybe it works for some people but definitely not a panacea.
3
@Cindy Mackie Made me ill to my stomach, nausea and gas.
The single biggest cause of inflamation is artificial fragrances found in the ubiquitous scented detergents, dryer sheets, fabric softeners and air fresheners that Americans think they need in their clothes, bedding, homes and cars. These petrochemical synthetics are inhaled with every breath, promting a slow motion flight/fight response through serotonin depletion: i.e Cushing Syndrome, the number one cause of obesity, depression, ADHD and, yes, inflamation. And because they are part of America's daily routine thanks to the manufacturers spending a $1 million a minute on commercials that make us think we smell bad — public enclosures (schools, stores, residential and business towers, movie theatres, even gyms) have become Cushing Chamerbers from the toxins each of us is wicking off our bodies. News flash: We don't smell bad! Use Free & Clear laundry detergent (any brand, available in every grocery store or online) for clean clothes, get rid of the rest of the toxic fragranced products, and watch you and your family quickly return to better health with weight loss, ADHD subsidence, depression relief and an almost instant reduction in inflamation symptoms, like swelling, red skin and joint pain. Articles like the one presented never speak to the role these products play in the epidemics of America. Maybe they should start researching the one thing we have have in common: Cushing Syndrome. Don't believe me? Look up Cushing Syndrome images on the web. You're looking at America.
32
@David Rockwell
Not sure about the fragrance theory (although I agree inhaling all this stuff nonstop can't be good) but I have also wondered why, in the last 30 years or so, a "Cushingoid" body type has become so common (especially among women.) It isn't just overweight, as you can be overweight without appearing Cushingoid. I think this deserves more investigation.
5
@David Rockwell
I'm sorry but Cushing's disease is not the biggest cause of obesity. Please check your facts.
2
@David Rockwell
David - it is SULFA or sulfa in all the products you mention.
Did you know that there are more than 230 products in our laundry products, cleaning fluids, and other such - even in Chlorine products that contain sulfa compounds?
They are all ILLEGAL IN EUROPE.
The US does not ban them because you don't injest them.
7
An integrative physician recommended that I take Wobenzym to reduce inflammation. It is a "systemic enzyme" produced in Germany, where it is more commonly used. Wobenzym is a brand name, and I believe there are other brands that would do the same thing.
3
For my family the, we live by the mantra that “Food is Medicine”. We believe food is the only way that America can get out of the healthcare debacle that we are in currently.
When my wife hurt her knee and her doctor told her that nothing was wrong despite her pain, she changed her diet and avoided foods that caused inflammation. She stringently avoided dairy, wheat, and sugar, eased into yoga and increased walking. The result was remarkable improvement in both her pain and her knee strength. While this method may not work for everyone, it was the answer for her after months of frustration with her orthopedic doctor.
With all of the issues over the years with a variety of medication (over prescribed antibiotics and opioids) it leads to the conclusion that pills are a last resort and that a stringent diet and even mild exercise can help with many ailments in the body.
28
@Ted I'm so glad to hear that the "food is medicine" idea worked for your wife! It has really helped me, too; exercising more and eating the local, traditional Greek yogurt in Crete, a lot of high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil, and something close to the Mediterranean diet has about cleared up my digestive problems and often helps me avoid taking ibuprofen (since the high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil has a similar effect, at least for some people--for more on that, see http://www.greekliquidgold.com/index.php/en/health-benefits/olive-oil-health-benefits/164-health-benefits).
8
@Ted ...Readers, see book for more on the subject "Foods the Fight pain" by Neal Barnard, MD. Dated book but still relevant
9
Stress is huge and diet may mitigate a lot but not everything. I think of my sister, who's under an incredible amount of obvious stress, and with that poor sleep. She's now pre-diabetic, has autoimmune diseases and arthritis. Her diet: no meat, no dairy, no gluten or processed grains, but the basis of her diet is organic fruits and vegetables and seafood. Doesn't have any apparent fat on her. Walks for exercise. She's followed this healthy diet for as long as I can remember. Her stress - her full time work income isn't enough to cover basic expenses and she'll have to move from her childhood home to another state (Seattle area is her lifelong home).
23
@Casey
Also add my sister doesn't eat sugar.
7
@Casey I'm sorry for your sister. No snark intended: Her "healthy diet" does not seem to be healthy for her. It's no wonder she is pre-diabetic with eating presumably a lot of fruit. Sugar is sugar whether it comes in a "natural" package like a fruit or a 5-lb bag of white stuff from the store. And she is missing important nutrients by avoiding meat and animal fat. She should get advice from an entirely different source than she is using now; a new perspective is needed!
9
@Casey
I am sorry.
From here it sounds as if your sister is under a lot of stress.
Sometimes we can't change financial worries, but adding meditation and yoga might help reduce some stress?
2
Do not forget daily Ester C. I take 3000 mg per day. Look on YouTube for description of its health properties and dosage. Common recommendation in the UK. Sometimes recommended at much higher levels.
5
Food: number one drug we put into our bodies.
We're all different and we need to figure out our inflammation triggers. Often this is completely related to our microbiome health - gut.
Excellent website/podcast to learn more, with Dr. Mark Hyman. My eyes were opened. I have changed what I put into my mouth and I feel so much better.
11
And no one mentions the Ultra Potent anti-inflammatory effects of CBD aka Cannabidiol?!? Are you kidding me? Best for sleep, anti-anxiety, and EXTREME anti-inflammatory properties - probably the strongest in the world. Get some CBD and Not hemp seed oil which doesn’t contain nearly enough CBD to be effective. Try it!
19
@Danny Goldshtein
Yes, as well as turmeric, long celebrated in Ayurvedic medicine for its potent anti-inflammatory effects, especially when combined with black pepper.
So many anti-inflammatory plants sources available right now with western medical research to back many of the claims that it boggles the mind that they're still ignored by medical and mainstream health “experts”. We evolved eating plants, it’s a given that the regular consumption of them in raw or lightly cooked form are going to offer many of the answers to the ills of modern living.
13
@Danny Goldshtein It would be worth trying except for I work where we are given regular drug tests. Any level of CBD in my blood or urine without a doctor's prescription, and it ruins an otherwise good day at work.
6
Instead of popping pills (Americans seem to think a pill can solve everything and Big Pharma wants us to believe this) we should all eat healthy, exercise and keep the weight down. I quit eating meat in 2019 (thanks to my dislike of CAFO raised chickens) and I have never been healthier. No drugs either. Try it. It works!
25
Just want everyone to know I have been vegetarian and sometimes vegan for fifty yrs. I was extremely healthy for very long time till my fifties where I had to go on thyroid medicine and at fifty seven contracted viral meningitis was in the hospital for two weeks. Took 6 yrs to heal my brain. At 68 was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic, all the while eating way more healthy then most people. My point is sheet happens even when you are perfectly healthy.
259
@stacey Agreed. My wife is from the eastern Med so we eat a pretty healthy diet and get fairly regular exercise, despite travel for work. But the world is so full of viruses and bacteria that no matter what you eat there’s a high probability they will disrupt your life. Plus, there are so many variables, including our DNA, that’s it’s extremely difficult to know what works and what doesn’t. That said, I firmly believe that healthy eating provides a solid base from which to fight off these body invaders.
19
@stacey Viruses can invade you organs and debilitate them. We've certainly heard of this with heart conditions.That is probably how you developed type 1 diabetes. Myself, I was 'normal' and then one week after a 1-evening bout with diarrhea, I suddenly had severe reactive hypoglycemia with increasing intestinal discomfort over a period of years. The diagnosis: my pancreas produces very little digestive enzymes. I supplement with Creon prescription enzymes ($$) There was never any discussion of cause or relief for my reactive hypoglycemia. I finally consulted a nutritionist who told me to 'eat like a diabetic': no refined grains, few sugars, more fat, fiber and protein. It works pretty well and my weight stays pretty even. I had to come up with my own 'diagnosis' of viral damage to my pancreas.
13
I am a cancer patient who has followed a healthy diet and exercised my whole life. I am frustrated by so much coverage of ‘soft’ lifestyle choices that people like to believe will shield themselves from serious illness. Let’s have more coverage of serious health issues!
32
I have chronic Flammation - and it burns me up!
9
Jesus was a vegetarian.
Check out the Essene Gospel of Peace (it's online) where he says: eat living foods, don't eat animals.
Merry Christmas!
17
@Rando
Loaves and fishes? Fish are animals too.
7
One of my goals for 2020 will be to get my inflammations under control. 7 years ago when I was in my late 60's I could run 50 kilometer trail races with no pain afterwards. Then I stopped running for 7 years because of an injury, and the accompanying self-doubt. I have started running again but now after I run 6 miles I feel wiped out for hours afterwards. It must be due to inflammation.
I will get serious about recovering my resilience, starting with cutting back on junk food, gradually improving my exercise, and checking with my doctor. Meanwhile yoga and coaching beginning runners really help!
Best wishes to all for a happy healthy new year.
10
@Bet
Wait. You are in your 70s and complain about recovery time after running for miles? Good Lord!
9
Hippocrates: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
20
@s.whether We quote that a lot in Greece when referring to the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet, appropriately mentioned in the article as full of anti-inflammatory benefits! (For more on those benefits, see my unofficially nonprofit website--which does not sell anything--at www.greekliquidgold.com.)
4
Despite the dearth of gold ribbon research (double blind placebo controlled drug trials) many of us with chronic inflammation have turned too cannabis, with its purported anti-inflammatory properties to manage our symptoms.
6
@William White I'm actually fighting a TKR infection with cannabis. Been 4 years now, no antibiotics.
5
Having read through much of the commentary here, it's surprising and discouraging to see the smugness, the patronizing attitudes, the condescending imperatives. I thought the point of the article was about alleviating pain. Amazing how little compassion and understanding there is here. There's a theme of 'unhealthy people deserve to be in pain because they lack discipline and self control.' The mean-spiritedness of these times seems to have pervaded every sphere.
481
@Sue Denim You are right. It's hard for those of us who gave up yummy things and spend hours daily exercising when we'd rather be doing something else to empathize with our couch potato friends, who know better but continue to eat sugar and fat and then feel insulted when the Dr. tells them to lose weight or forget knee replacement surgery. I understand where you are coming from, but it makes me sad that while some diseases are not preventable, many are.
12
@Kathleen
" I understand where you are coming from, but it makes me sad that while some diseases are not preventable, many are."
I have inflamaging. I have arthritis, periodontal disease, chronic gastritis, and chronic colitis. My bladder is inflamed from constant infections. My weight is normal. I walk the pool 1/2 to 1 1/4 hours every day (the arthritis in my back prevents other forms of exercise). I eat a very low carb diet. I do not smoke, use recreational drugs, or use caffeine. What more would you like for me to do to cure or prevent these "preventable" diseases?
8
Another lazy person's method is very hot baths at least 5 times a week. Stresses your cardiovascular system temporarily, making it more resilient. Don't believe me, but search "Habitual hot water bathing protects cardiovascular function in middle-aged to elderly Japanese subjects"
Results were absolutely stunning.
29
@Phil Saunas are indeed good for your immune system.
6
Yet dental care is for some reason not considered “health care” leading to many people being unable to afford adequate care to keep their teeth and gums healthy? Why is this? We’ll pay to treat them AFTER they have a heart attack, cancer etc but are unwilling to pay for prophylactic dental care.
531
@Greenie : I agree, and it is not part of many health insurance plans -- you have to purchase separate dental coverage! -- and it is not part of Canadian Single Payer nor of Medicare.
3
@Greenie
Outrageously, dentists are resistant to adding Medicare dental coverage...they worry they they will lose money and would rather just accommodate those who can afford to pay their full rate.
"The reaction from ADA members on the issue seems to be mixed, based on feedback the ADA Practice Institute has received via email. Some believe it would be a mistake for dentistry to get involved in Medicare while others believe it’s dentists’ duty to ensure seniors have access to financing support for dental care." https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/september/discussion-abounds-on-medicare
8
@Greenie
For the answer to that very good question, have a look at the reserved parking section at your dentist's office. Or ask an investment-scam-artist what their nickname for prospective clients is.
I take Metformin, Atorvastatin, and Lisinopril but they don't keep up my spirits, so for that I rely on Cadbury Fruit and Nut Bars and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews.
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@A. Stanton
I remember as a kid discovering, and liking, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews. The fact that they were not nearly as sweet as the candy that I was accustomed to convinced me that my tastes were maturing.
2
I take Metformin, Atorvastatin, and Lisinopril but they don't keep up my spirits, so for that I rely on Cadbury Fruit and Nut Bars and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews.
12
@A. Stanton If you are trying to be funny, you have missed the mark. Considering the state of most American's health, this isn't a laughing matter.
I have a home in Dallas and not surprised you live there. Dallas made the short list of most unhealthy people. But no worries, Dallas also made the short list of most available overpriced health care.
9
@Mary Rivkatot Perhaps you need to laugh more. I was told by my 101 year old Great-Uncle that if you can't laugh, you might as well be dead......he laughed quite a bit until his passing at 102. (P.S. NO MEDS his entire life).
17
This is just tip of the iceberg info (covered more extensively elsewhere) and I’d urge anyone battling an inflammatory illness to dig deeper. One other question: Is quercetin a drug???
3
@Lola Quercetin is a beneficial flavonoid, which often comes from fruit, tea or veggies. It is also helpful as a supplement during allergy seasons or when in more inflammatory environments. Of course, it's better sourced from foods for overall health.
4
@Lola No it's a readily available supplement. Please google. That's why god gave it to you.
3
@Mary Rivkatot
Funny!!! I just rolled off my couch laughing so hard at your clever comment. My day is made! Thankyou. Laughter IS the best medicine. Good fresh food, then adequate peaceful sleep. Now move!
4
Give up all dairy, eggs and meat and inflammation will vanish!
8
@William
Definitely eggs. Dairy is questionable. Meat - if it's beef that is "organic" grass raised and lean is OK.
1
Some say the same about grains.
1
@Irene Our very long human gut evolved to consume hard to digest grains.
We are not really carnivors, we are omnivors who are opportunists.
And recently it was found that dogs that do NOT eat grains are getting ill, heart disease.
In France, the French don't buy cat food. They make it from finely chopped (tiny squares) of cooked carrots and white rice and boiled chicken meat without the bones.
Grains are OK for animals in par.
4
So do we get an insurance breakout of this, bc I don't want to pay for people who are not willing to exercise and lose weight. Do you see how silly this is,,,,,yet this is exactly what has happened for pro-birth people.
2
No insurance breaks for people who eat healthy and exercise as long as we have a president who eats junk and doesn’t exercise.
6
@Calleen Mayer : If you truly want universal health care or single payer or "just like in Europe or Canada!" -- you cannot cherry pick who does or does not get covered. They cover EVERYONE, that's how it works.
Cherrypicking is what Big Evil For-Profit Insurance companies do -- they only want to insure "healthy people" so it costs less.
We've all seen how that kind of system works out!
NOTE: an overly skinny person who is anorexic or orthorexic is arguably much less healthy than an ordinary fat person.
1
This is sound advise and we have heard it all before. The problem is that the safe and healthy food always recommended is expensive and few have time to exercise. Also, the recommendation to avoid drugs like NSAIDS often go against what doctors recommend. Lastly, exercise for the elderly is difficult and painful, perishable food requires frequent trips to the grocery store and healthy food preparation is time consuming. We already know what increases longitivity, what we don't know is how to make that lifestyle practical and affordable. Maybe a metformin type pill can help with that someday.
15
@NowCHare I follow a whole food diet that falls within the suggested guidelines and it is actually much cheaper that the conventional diets eaten by most people. Requires common sense and being willing to be a little creative.
28
oh come on! we got into trouble by using drugs to tamp down every symptom, so let’s let the drug industry solve the massive problem of inflammation? how about we reduce income inequality- the wealthy have no problem affording quality food ingredients and personal trainers and probiotics, etc.
17
My daughter has celiac disease (typically considered an expensive but essential diet) and has a food budget of $30 per week. She buys fresh vegetables and fruit in season and on sale, whole gluten-free grains like quinoa, and only small amounts of meat. She preps food for the whole week on Sunday and always takes lunch to work.
She worked all through school and also pitched in to help with the children of a professor who was diagnosed with leukemia, yet always found time to exercise. Her life, long term, literally depends on a healthy lifestyle, and she acts like it. We can all do the same if we want to.
35
I contracted Lyme Disease in 2011 and it has been the single worst catalyst for inflammation in my body. I was lucky to have a primary care doctor that diagnosed it so quickly and give me the help I needed. It still left damage that is irreversible, yet I am more fortunate then many.
18
With regard to diet, it seems many foods that I enjoy and eat frequently are on the "bad" list, but equally many I eat regularly are on the "good" list. So is the net effect good, bad, or neutral? This is a question that always occurs to me whenever I read one of these good/bad diet articles.
6
@William Wroblicka This is not a "good food/bad food article" but a real report on medical science. Bad foods are another form of poison just like D-Con and strychnine; the only real difference between them is "bad food" poison takes longer to kill us and is more pleasant to consume.
6
@William Wroblicka That's a good question and goes directly to the most common way that we choose what to eat. I go by the old concept that there are no bad foods, only bad diets.
2
@william matthews A balanced diet is important, and so is a varied one, from what I understand; maybe good genes offset some factors, and environment, oils one eats, and exercise. I would get basic tests from your physician and notice how you feel. You can always change your diet if you decide it makes you feel better.
6
Refined carbs are associated with T2D, due to their effects on blood sugar and consequently insulin. Deep-fried foods are often fried in industrial seed oils that don't belong in human cells and have a serious inflammatory effect. But red meat doesn't raise blood sugar at all and, at least on its own, has nothing to do with the current diabesity epidemic. A hamburger on a white-flour bun spread with soybean oil mayonnaise, sure, but that's not the fault of the red meat.
20
@Mimi Yes, I have recently become aware of vegetable oils that are actually bad. And it makes sense as they come from things that are not oily. Soy, safflower, canola, corn--stay away from these.
5
I'm 70 and just about every joint in my body has osteoarthritis. I'm even on the brink of having to have total shoulder replacement surgery due to osteoarthritis damage. All of my inflammatory tests that my doctor has ordered are basically negative. C-reactive protein and sed rate are all normal or even below normal. Does anyone know if these tests are enough to accurately measure inflammation in my body or are there other tests that would show it? Thanks.
15
@Ann I have psoriatic arthritis, sicca syndrome, and am being evaluated for sarcoidosis, all autoimmune diseases. Yet my C-reactive protein and sed rate are always within the normal range. My original rheumatologist told me that just because the markers are normal, doesn't mean there is no inflammatory disease. However, I have found that my subsequent doctors put little stock in my complaints since those markers are normal.
14
Have you tried boron supplements? I take them daily and it wards off my arthritis-like symptoms. If I go too long without it then it comes back. My dentist at my last x-ray was surprised at the very good bone density that I have compared to most people my age.
6
@Liz thanks for your response. Aren't the mixed messages from the doctors irritating? Best wishes for a good outcome for you.
3
Acupuncture treatments for inflammation are an important resource, especially as one ages, to stave off the very things this article deals with. The body becomes more sensitive and builds up a force to deal with the onslaught of diseases, including cancers. Together with a pure diet, probiotics and a vitamin regime, we (both 73) are healthy, not overweight, and do not take any drugs. Try it, you'll like it!
11
Moving to a community that encourages walking is half the battle. The car culture that defines a lot of U.S. suburbs becomes a force of nature, preventing us from getting the exercise we need through simple acts such as getting a loaf of bread from the corner grocer.
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@Larry Dickman ...and walking -- or simply being outdoors -- gives us sunlight, the truest "force of nature"!
3
Or learn to bake your own whole grain bread - yum!
1
@Larry Dickman
When you go shopping, park your car away from the rest of the swarm and walk to and from the stores.
I started doing this, not for my health, but because of the day I found a close-in parking spot near a busy supermarket on a rainy day. But when I came out to get into my car, someone had swerved and dented it (no note left). It was a fairly new car. From then on, I park away from the madding/maddening crowd, which also makes it easier to back out of a space with less worry.
That was 30 years ago. I am 79 in pretty good shape, and my Subaru is 8 years old without a dent.
Take the stairs, not the elevator, when reasonable--especially during covid. I learned this years ago from my doctor, who worked in hospitals while her children were growing up; then she went into private practice when they were launched. She put on 30 pounds in her lovely little suburban office. But she slowly took off the pounds by walking away her tension when she got home and opting to take the stairs when she was in the hospital.
Don't set yourself up for stress by rushing. Start earlier than you would need to and make mental notes of what you see along the way. It's the journey, not the destination.
The author seems to believe that soybean oil is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids: "and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids." This isn't right. Soybean oil is primarily omega 6, not omega 3.
The body needs an approximately 1:1 ratio of omega 6 and omega 3. The modern American diet, since it depends so heavily on the use of seed oils, is tiltled heavily towards omega 6. This is a cause of chronic inflammation.
My advice: buy nothing with added sugar, buy nothing with added seed oil.
46
@Franklin I also question this recommendation to consume soybean oil. I’m also curious about her claim that quercetin is a drug.
16
@Franklin The author is not recommending soybean oil; "and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids." The only oil recommended in this article is olive.
14
The author seems to believe that soybean oil is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids: "and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids." This isn't right. Soybean oil is primarily omega 6, not omega 3.
The body needs an approximately 1:1 ratio of omega 6 and omega 3. The modern American diet, since it depends so heavily on the use of seed oils, is tiltled heavily towards omega 6. This is a cause of chronic inflammation.
My advice: buy nothing with added sugar, buy nothing with added seed oil.
6
As to Jane Brody’s recent piece in inflammation, a key element is missing. Seniors. - particularly more advanced age - must drink water. Without five to six glasses each day the body cannot handle nor flush the healthy food and keep inflammation at bay. Many advanced age seniors are afraid to drink the necessary water because of fear of toileting accidents. As the daughter of an 89 year old mother, we had to find that comfort for my mother and overcome that fear to nurse her back to health after a severe bacterial infection and water was key.
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@Beth Polner Abrahams I get bored with water but drink about 6-8 glasses of iced tea and herbal tea. A guilt-free pleasure!
8
@Beth Polner Abrahams The recommendation to drink water may be right for most seniors, but any senior with heart failure or related problems should limit water and consult cardiologist. The advice to drink lots of water my dad got from a well-meaning neighbor made him very, very sick, and it took him months to get better, requiring additional diuretic drugs that ended up complicating his case. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL even with something as apparently universal as drinking water!
9
@Beth Polner Abrahams My micro-brew double IPA is 99% water - so I heartily endorse your recommendation.
Alas, what’s sadly missing in most of the comments is the importance of genes, genetic makeup, in all this.
I do not dispute all recommendations for a healthy diet (whatever that eventually turns out to be) weight loss and exercise. However, I’ve known health driven people, slim, marathon runners on almost vegan diets who have died in their 50s from “disease” (not accidents) and I’ve known vastly overweight, truly sedentary 2 pack of smokes a day men who lived well into their 80s who, other than breathing a little hard going up stairs, were going strong and happy as clams!
I grant you these examples are extremes. But lesser examples are all around us, and, I dare say, include us.
Certainly do what you can to better your health. But what works for one individual may have little or no effect for others. Your virtually all controlling genes may be friend or foe, but they are yours, exclusively!
158
And women/wives outlive men/husbands on average by ~ 6 years.
Diet cannot explain this delta.
8
@SAH There is a lot of research about epigenetics, in other words your genes are not always predictive. Food and lifestyle can actually change your genetics.
I sure hope so because I do all of the things that Brody recommends and have outlived my father now by 20 years. I'm 70 and have no health conditions. I am annoyed by lazy people who happily blame their lack of health on their parents.
7
@Mary Rivkatot
No question that the “action” of some genes can be modified by lifestyle.
I sure hope so because I often sign off my emails with this:
“I intend to live forever!
So far, so good!”
But I never can quite shake loose of this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet;
“All that lives must die! Passing through nature to eternity!”
5
Well, when you get down to it, over and over again the advice is to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep, doesn't it? Too bad so many folks hear it over and over and over, but decide they don't like that answer.
207
@Anne-Marie Hislop It’s not just personal decisions but also societal barriers that harm people. Low wages, unsafe streets, long hours etc
For an aging septuagenarian with diagnosed signs of cancer, this article gave me hope, hope that I am and could be doing the right things to prolong a life worth living. The specifics encourage me to send the article to my children as a summary of what can be done to remain healthy. Thanks so much to Jane Brody.
27
Seems like inflammation is the woo woo word of the hour for promoting various dietary nostrums and the reference to leaky gut is in line with that.
11
@Joe
NSAIDs are seriously implicated in GERD. When I stopped using NSAIDs--which I took several times a day--the change was as clear as night and day.
17
@Margaret McLaughlin
I take an 81mg Aspirin every day (as do millions, I’m sure). Do you know if this NSAID in this dosage, is considered harmful?
1
@Don My mother-in-law (82) was recommended by her doctor to take low-dose aspirin per day. She started having signs of blood in her stools. She had developed an ulcer from the aspirin and no longer takes it. Just an FYI. This don't happen to everyone.
2
None of this information is new and some of it isn’t even necessarily accurate. It’s just another doctor’s opinion.
Of course there is nothing in this article about the heavy metals and other toxicity of fish from the pollution of our oceans and lakes and there is no regulation whatsoever for any of it.
Also, everyone is unique in blood chemistry - even identical twins have different ones. In addition, the latest research does NOT recommend high intensity cardio 4-5 times a week, especially for menopausal and post-menopausal women. Short bursts ie 10-15 minutes 3 times a week of widely variant movements and plain old walking and stretching are what is producing the safest and healthiest results for women especially.
Cookie cutter medicine is not good for anyone. Western medicine is rife with that approach. Stress management is a daily and serious challenge given what we are subjected to daily from the White House and in the workplace - where so many if us struggle just to stay afloat and keep going.
Use what works for best for you. Healthcare should be customized for each individual regarding exercise, nutrition(something most doctors know little to nothing about and care even less) and what works best for YOUR body and blood chemistry.
224
@MAW
Your contradict yourself:
"In addition, the latest research does NOT recommend high intensity cardio 4-5 times a week, especially for menopausal and post-menopausal women. Short bursts ie 10-15 minutes 3 times a week of widely variant movements and plain old walking and stretching are what is producing the safest and healthiest results for women especially."
Versus
"Healthcare should be customized for each individual regarding exercise, nutrition(something most doctors know little to nothing about and care even less) and what works best for YOUR body and blood chemistry."
Which is it? Group all menopausal and post-menopausal women together or treat us as individuals?
1
@MAW " In addition, the latest research does NOT recommend high intensity cardio 4-5 times a week, especially for menopausal and post-menopausal women. Short bursts ie 10-15 minutes 3 times a week of widely variant movements and plain old walking and stretching are what is producing the safest and healthiest results for women especially. "
I have not seen any studies indicating this, and you are disagreeing with a medical doctor cited in this article. Do you have a citation for your claims?
2
@Frank I think MAW is in part referring to high intensity training, which does have research supporting it.
2
I had chronic inflammation for years. I stopped eating all processed foods (yes, that includes ALL bread, pasta, cereal, seed oils, etc.) about seven years ago. Now I eat a lot of fresh vegetables (mostly green stuff) and wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef and organic chicken (and eggs). Very little dairy. After about a month on this diet, I started to feel better. After six months, my chronic pains were gone and my blood tests showed that my inflammation levels had dropped precipitously. As an extra bonus, during the first year I lost 37 pounds, my blood pressure dropped to normal and my cholesterol levels put me in the lowest risk category for heart disease. I'm not saying it's right for everyone, but it worked perfectly for me.
604
Glad it worked for you. Sadly though a diet like this is out of reach for those with limited incomes.
29
Out of curiosity--how did you know you had chronic inflammation? Is there a diagnostic test?
21
@Lauri
In paragraph 6 Brody mentions C-reactive protein, which can be measured via a blood test. I know that my PCP pooh-poohed it and would only authorize it when I insisted. Not sure whether or not she was right. I've also seen a functional medicine practioner and he never recommended it either.
7
If you can turn relaxation into a habit that helps a lot. Have a countdown timer that gives a quick beep and automatically repeats the process and you will have something that can remind you to relax. Do it often enough over time and you will have yourself a habit, a good one.
22
Grains of any type are inflammatory, contribute to insulin resistance and therefore obesity. Red meat in of itself is connected to neither. Epidemiological data that links red meat to cancer and other health issues are not science but simply correlation studies that can’t imply causation. Bottom line most of nutrition science in its current form is weak.
58
I just love these dietary recommendations and maybe if I lived in a year 'round warm climate, I would be able to eat all the wonderful vegetables I could grow. But in the Midwest, our growing season is short and limited. And if you're unlucky enough to get a garden pest but want organic vegetables, you may be out of luck.
While the price of organic vegetables has gone down (not true of organic fruit, however) in most grocery stores, our fruits and vegetables in this part of the country are usually tasteless, the result of having to be picked too early and allowed to "shelf" ripen.
I also think this article totally discounts genetics. If you come from a family line where cancer is rare and your ancestors are long-lived, your odds of living longer are greatly enhanced. However, if you end up with Alzheimer's in your 80s, what's the point?
54
@Karen K
About half the population winds up with Alzheimers in their 80s. What's the point? 80+ years of feeling good!
27
@Karen K
Try growing micro greens under a grow light inside of the house. Mini lettuces is wonderful. Or go back to the hippie days and sprout seeds. Frozen fruits and vegetables are good for you and cheap. You actually have options and choices, use them.
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@Karen K
The older I get (50 now), the fewer vegetables I eat, the better I feel. Some of us may not be cut out to eat as many vegetables as others. Find what works for you.
Also, how many people who have lived into a healthy old age (and then died fairly quickly), had access and ate many vegetables?
As an animal lover, it is sometimes difficult to accept that my body does best with meat. However, as others have suggested, as meat eaters we can source our animal protein (meat) from responsible producers, including if possible, raising it ourselves.
6
google; ginger and inflammation
14
Interesting. Why stick to a mediterranean diet? Fish is as bad as a source for TMAO (tri-methyl amine oxide) production in the gut as is red meat, and the added oils are likewise not desirable, since they are a leading cause of diabetes. For the last twenty years, a whole foods, plant-based diet, without any added sugar, oil or salt, has been emerging as the optimal human diet for the past 20 years. The advice for a mediterranean-style diet, is quaintly obsolete. The whole plant-based lifestyle medicine program at Bellevue is based on this key insight, and both the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Endocrinology and the American Diabetes Association are recommending it. In study after study the whole foods plant-based diet comes out as the better option compared to the mediterranean-style diet for those reasons. I can attest to it from personal experience - since adopting this diet, I have no inflammation markers at all. Zero. Why go only half-way? Our needs for Omega-3's are quite small, and milled flaxseed, chia seed, hempseed and a modicum of walnuts can all supply it. Too much Omega-3 is not desirable either, the key seems to be the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 and if you're eating plant-based, your Omega-6 intake goes down, so only a small uptake in Omega-3 is indicated. Usually it can be easily obtained from food.
23
@Rogier When someone starts expounding on TMAO, you know they are a vegan touting the evils of the latest bogeyman. First, like SO many nutritional claims, the health risks of TMAO in food are unclear. Second, while fish DOES have lots of TMAO, diets that have been shown over the long term to be cardioprotective include fish! (I am not saying that other factors, like heavy metals, are not a concern.) An inconvenient truth, but said vegans still will double down. Agree that a vegan diet - when done correctly - is certainly healthier than the standard American diet, but also note there are ZERO large scale and long term studies of a vegan diet.
12
@zdub
Why not try the vegan diet, see how you feel and see how your blood test results turn out?
I am in the process of doing this. My only complaint: It's SO much eating. I know: I shouldn't complain. I love food and I love to eat. Lost five pounds doing just that. Feeling great.
4
@Rogier I was very surprised by your comment that "The advice for a mediterranean-style diet, is quaintly obsolete"! I keep seeing more scientific evidence supporting its health benefits (http://www.greekliquidgold.com/index.php/en/health-benefits/the-mediterranean-diet-health-benefits), and that of the extra virgin olive oil central to it (http://www.greekliquidgold.com/index.php/en/health-benefits/olive-oil-health-benefits).
1
about 15 years ago I read a book by the head of neurology at Hopkins that helped me get my life-destroying migraines under control. the book explained all the foods that raise one's headache threshold so that once other factors kick in, a migraine develops.
2 points here: so much trouble and healing comes from the foods we eat.
AND in the 15 years since getting my migraines under control, not one doctor (NOT ONE) listened to my story with anything but dismissal and disdain.
342
Disdain is hardly necessary tho..
18
Please share the name of the book and author. Thank you.
17
I believe it is Heal Your Headache by David Buchholz MD
9
“ Adopt a wholesome diet (details to follow), get regular exercise, avoid or reduce excess weight, get adequate quality sleep, minimize stress and don’t smoke.”
I’d rather die younger.
18
@MainLaw Really?? Not funny even in jest.
26
Sad, if true.
15
@MainLaw
Ya' know what? I don't believe, you...your excess weight, feeling tired all the time, with painful joints and labored breathing are,(or will be), a prison that at the least will lead to a smaller life and at worst to an early and undignified death. Just try taking a walk everyday...it will feel good and you will learn to enjoy it!
32
There are ways to check your level of inflammation yourself. There are "lab tests online" where you can order (without a doctor's prescription) things like CRP or SED rate. I've done it.
9
The rise in red blood cell count / haematocrit leads to low grade inflammation . The haematocrit / number of red blood cells rise when you eat meat / animals but when you eat vegetables your red blood cells don't rise. A rise in red blood cells is BAD.
“Protein intake from only haem animal origin was associated with increased haemoglobin and haematocrit levels whereas protein intakes from plants were not associated” “low-grade chronic inflammation”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905638
They have now recommended the lowering of red blood cells will save the health care systems of the world BILLIONS of dollars, billions.
“Regular blood donation is associated with pronounced decreases of BP in hypertensives. This beneficial effect of blood donation may open a new door regarding community health care and cost reduction in the treatment of hypertension ”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26643612
"Our findings highlight the considerable economic burden of hypertension in Australia and that effective strategies aimed at the prevention and adequate control of hypertension are likely to pay significant economic dividends for individuals, employers, and governments in the longer term."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30798659
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@Tom Hennessy
So, those old timey doctors were on to something...bleeding their patients.
6
@Tom Hennessy
I am now "too old" to donate blood, but I always wanted to. By the time I was 37 and medicated for hi BP, I ceased being a candidate for donation because of the meds. My ultra-healthy husband was forbidden to donate because as a teenager he had taken certain anti-acne meds--this disqualified him for life!
1
@Tom Hennessy I’m a gay married man. Blood donation is out. Anyone know where I can get some leeches?
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Many people who are now living with HIV into their 60s and 70s because of the new meds such as Biktarvy are also dealing with inflammatory issues with their bodies.
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The problem here is that the recommendations vary somewhat for each person depending on their genetics and environment. Some react to kale but chard may be better for them.
We don’t have a way to measure small inflammatory responses to diet and environmental conditions. There are several signals of inflammation before it shows up in CRP measurements.
Microbiome is mentioned in passing but it plays a key role in regulating immune response, thus inflammation.
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The article says to avoid antacids. Is calcium carbonate (Tums) considered bad for the microbiome?
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Surprised this article didn’t mention cannabidiol (CBD). Huge amount of positive research using CBD as an anti-inflammatory agent. Which is why it helps with so many disparate illnesses which have inflammation as a symptom.
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There is a family doctor in Auckland, New Zealand, whose practice is principally among poor and undereducated people. Obesity is common. He discovered it to be a meaningless exercise to talk to his patients about a balanced diet. Instead, he asks them to avoid foodstuffs that are white.
10
If they’re that stubborn or resistant to change, are they even going to understand, for example, that an Oreo doesn’t doesn’t count as a non-“white” food?
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@John
Good point. IIRC, DSM-IV actually defines a psychological disorder in which people refuse to eat most food that isn't white or pale yellow.
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In my earlier comment about the benefits of exercise and sleep I forgot to mention how good an ice pack can be to settle everything from a sore joint to an upset stomach. It has to be soft and able to fit around the sore spot. It's not much fun but it works.
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I am old and eat pretty well everything except red meat. I also enjoy wine. While I can't eat and drink as much as I once did, I really enjoy my food and drink. I even make the odd Indian dinner. To stay reasonably happy get regular exercise and a good night's sleep (I don't nap during the day). Exercise is the key. Pain comes now and then but if I can't over-ride it, I just lie down and sleep. Meditation helps as well.
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@annberkeley2008 Sound advice. Thanks.
4
You are what you eat.
In 2019 I had a not-so-good blood workup. It said pre-diabetic. I cut out sugar, pastries, refined flour, and try to avoid any carbs but complex carbs like legumes.
I had exercised previously. But what was killing me was my recovery time. After a workout, I was so stiff and seemingly arthritic it was hard to move. Now with on my new diet, my recovery is much easier - at least 50% better. I can go harder in exercise, and afterwards not so much inflammation and stiffness.
Also, I consume quite a bit a of ginger juice to reduce inflammation. As well as Paul Newman's Tumeric Ginger Tea.
Mine is anecdotal, but it seems to help my arthritis symptoms and homeostasis.
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Most people who chronic conditions will recognize a lot of what was mentioned. We also know chronic issues bring chronic pain.
We need research and information about chronic pain. Looking at what a person goes through with opioid addiction and what someone with chronic pain who is NOT an addict , are very similar; shame, degradation of relationships, quality of life, constant stress, lack of medications to alleviate pain, shortened life etc.
I mention this because if you follow all the article says to do, chronic issues remain. I hope we can solve the pain issue and then we REALLY have something to celebrate!
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@Janet Goodman yes! I made the move from exuberant excellent health to chronic debilitating back pain with one brief incorrect lifting of an infirm family member. I am not taking any heavy duty painkillers. But the exhausting pain remains,day in, day out. I gave eaten well for decades. Now what?
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See a physical therapist!!!!
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@Elise This is me as well. Physical therapy didn't help. There are days I think about how I used to be, and want to just cry.
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I am old ,my gerontologist states as we are older our taste buds lose their ability to taste many foods ,however they still respond tp salt and sugar, I indulge in both of those flavors.
As I have to walk up 6 flights of stairs several times a day I consider that Physical Therapy and do walk according to my Iphone 7-11 thousand steps a day. I also care and manage her insurance and needs for my wife 19 years with Parkinson's.
I guess for what life has dealt me I am healthy and oft wonder why Drs. don't study we elderly who can still "do" for ourselves and others even with sugar and salt.
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I find this column a bit problematic. There is little doubt that persistent inflammation of varied sorts has ill effects on health--but many of our clinical measures are quite superficial and measure endpoints rather than starting points: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5805548/ ("Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs," Jan 2018).
We see redness and swelling but not the primary cause. We measure a sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein but those are endpoints of many processes.
Numerous medicines can have "anti-inflammatory properties" that may be secondary to their primary modes of action. Consider medicines like statins, ezetimibe, and gemfibrozil--all are used to control various sorts of lipid problems and all have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Those latter effects might have something to do with their actions, but perhaps not that much.
Many medicines--metformin being among the most common--used to control diabetes can be shown to inhibit one or another arm of a pro-inflammatory pathway.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can effect select portions of the varied pathways, but they can cause all sorts of secondary side effects in the process.
There are more questions than answers. Some forms of inflammation have protective roles and if inhibited or blocked cause problems of their own. We have learned much, but have a lot further to go.
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@JSK I do find that statins help my inflamed knee joint whereas regular prescribed pills had absolutely zero effect and I was left hobbling round for weeks.
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@John Hudson
Thanks for the comments. Those effects have been known for some time: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633715/ .
Just keep in mind this does not make them good as a primary choice for an anti-inflammatory.
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Five years ago, I developed an autoimmune condition known as Ankylosing Spondylitis, a form of severe, inflammatory arthritis affecting the eyes, digestive system and joints. I grew very thin and was tired all the time. Walking was painful and every joint in my body was inflamed. After adopting a gluten-free, whole foods diet, the disorder went away. I began to feel better in about three weeks, and it took about a year for every symptom/trace of pain to disappear. It was amazing and I am so grateful!
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@Recovering Catholic
Amazing! How does one go about doing what you did?
How does one begin?
Exactly what do “gluten” and “whole foods” mean to an untutored person like me?
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@Kevin Konnor hmmm.... Read Dr. T. Colin Campbell's The China Study, and Dr. Michael Greger's book "How Not To Die." Those are good places to start. There is a self-assessment tool at www.4leafsurvey.com, where you simply do a report on your dietary intake, and you get a rating on how well you are doing.
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@Kevin Konnor
Seriously, google is your friend. Loads of info available.
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Re the dietary part of this Rx:
Eat real food, mostly plants, not very much. Michael Pollan
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@turbot The correct quote of Michael Pollan is "Eat food, mostly plants, not too much."
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"Among the factors that cause it are ... and the presence of an autoimmune condition like rheumatoid arthritis. ..."
Which way does the causal arrow go on this one? Both ways? Is arthritis a result, of excess inflammation?
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@JMM
Note that Rheumatoid Arthritis is strongly genetically-linked. It runs in families, and people who have it in their families are tracked for it.
3
Finally, an actual doctor acknowledges 'leaky gut' as real.
(And in the NYT!)
I didn't think I'd live to see the day.
Thanks!
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@jazz one - I totally agree!!
2
There's one problem you didn't mention: as we age some old injuries bite us back. Perhaps they weren't properly attended to when we first had them. Perhaps we were young and foolish and didn't take the rest we were told to take. Regardless, getting older seems to reactivate as it were, old injuries particularly if we had them more than once. And getting over new ones is not always easy.
One thing that helps is to keep on moving. Be careful if it hurts but still try to flex it, use your body so it doesn't stiffen up. I've watched too many people stop exercising because they felt they were too old or were afraid of hurting themselves. That's why it helps to have a history of exercising behind us. It helps if we pushed ourselves earlier, not to the point of pain but to the point of just a bit past what we did before.
When it comes to diet, don't eat as much as you did when you were in your twenties or thirties. Eat less and enjoy more.
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@hen3ry : here is an unfortunate truth…every injury you ever had when younger….comes back in old age (after 50) as ARTHRITIS.
Every broken bone and torn ligament is going to hurt you.
Being very, very thin will not save you from this -- indeed, very thin people lack "padding" to protect bones from falls in old age.
Of course people should keep active -- move around -- walk when you can -- but it is also true doing those things as you get older have RISKS. A good friend of mine was out walking last February -- fell on the ice -- compound fracture of her ankle. She was in the hospital 3 weeks getting all kinds of plates & screws and then FOUR MONTHS of rehab. She still walks with a cane.
Also: it's easy to SAY "just keep eating less and less every decade" … the problem is, you are just as HUNGRY at age 50 or 60 as you were at 40. Being hungry 24/7 is a pretty miserable way to live.
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@Concerned Citizen maybe you are as hungry as you were. I'm not. And I can't eat as much as I once did. I've spoken to other people and they say the same thing. They can't eat the way they did when they were younger.
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Very recent (2019) medical studies are more specific than the old "Mediterranean diet". AGE's, advanced glycation end products, form when proteins (which contain sugars) are cooked at high heat. Basically, anything crispy and brown is suspect. So: poach, stew or steam, instead of frying or roasting. When you do use a bit of oil, change to those that are more heat stable, like sunflower oil or avacado oil, instead of olive oil. There is new excitement about probiotics and the microbiome, which can help improve the functioning of the immune system in the gut. Go find a good ND (naturopath) or RD (dietician) to get started on these changes. And yes, I am a health professional and follow these ideas myself (most of the time--it IS a holiday week!).
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@Crying in the Wilderness Yes, all of a sudden, just this year, we figured it all out...Go follow all the latest fads now! And yes, I am a health professional too.
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@Crying in the Wilderness
How in the world did our prehistoric ancestors survive? I don't think they poached, stewed or steamed their freshly killed prey. And I doubt (especially in northern climes) that vegetables or fruits were available year round. Roasted meat, roasted meat, roasted meat.
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They died very young and not so healthy. 40 was extreme old age. Otzi, the well-preserved 5000 year old mummy found in the Alps, suffered from worn joints, hardened arteries and gallstones. In addition, he probably had Lyme disease, arsenic poisoning and advanced tooth/gum disease. Let’s not imagine the diets of the olden days were so great either.
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Wordy, technical, pedantic but 100% true.
That is the issue you have to deal with Jane.
You are nearly 100% accurate but nobody wants to hear it.
They rather eat, drink and be merry and suffer later.
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@Paul
Not true.
I love Jane, and I want to hear it.
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@Katonah thank you for you reply. I too admire and want to read her but as stated very few people want to follow her.
5
@Paul Not so wordy, not terribly technical and as pedantic goes, I have seen much worse, including in the NYT.
Ms. Brody gets the truth across. What one does with the message, that is up to the individual.
Reminders from time to time are also very important.
16
Another problem with NSAIDs is that they appear to worsen the condition of the cartilage in osteoarthritis — for which these drugs are taken to reduce the pain from OA:
“The use of this nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication has been shown in scientific studies to accelerate the articular cartilage breakdown in osteoarthritis. Use of this product poses a significant risk in accelerating osteoarthritis joint breakdown. Anyone using this product for the the pain of osteoarthritis should be under a doctor’s care and use of this product should be with the very lowest dose and for the shortest possible duration of time....
[short of a complete ban of these drugs for this condition] then most likely the exponential rise in degenerative arthritis and subsequent musculoskeletal surgeries, including knee and hip replacements, as well as spine surgeries, will continue for decades to come.“
http://journalofprolotherapy.com/the-acceleration-of-articular-cartilage-degeneration-in-osteoarthritis-by-nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs/
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@Dr. J So then what do you use to relieve the pain of OA?
2
Nothing new here to me. Seems like a rehash of info that's been around for a while now.
21
@Observer : and always the exact, same tired futile advice…
Eat less.
Eat vegetables.
Eat only green leafy or cruciferous vegetables.
Eat kale.
No alcohol.
Eat fruit (though sometimes.. DO NOT eat fruit, as it is too sugary).
Don't eat meat.
Don't eat carbs (but eat veggies, which ARE carbs)
Don't eat sugar.
No sweets or treats.
Exercise constantly.
Make life as miserable as possible…in order to live as long as possible.
Rinse and repeat.
Comments on these types of articles always reveal how many different opinions there are, how many people are "sure" of this or that, and how many "experts" there are
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@Laidback
Yes and they all have the one true answer!!
5
Only I, (name here), have the ONE true answer.
And for the incredibly low price of $29.95 (Act now!) this secret knowledge can be yours!
But hurry, supplies are limited (by how much you're willing to fork over!) so call now!
11
@Laidback
Nutrition is the religion of the modern upper middle class complete with prophets, rules and sacred texts.
8
I'm frustrated with the constant, old recommendation to eat fish for Omega-3. Fish get their Omega-3 from algae, and you can buy supplements of this algae oil without all the severe environmental and health impacts of both wild fishing and "farm"-raised fish.
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@Lisa why not eat the algae? Supplements are processed food.
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@Elise Why not eat the algae? We are not filter-feeders. Algae would have to processed to be made edible. Know any good recipes?
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@Lisa Actually, fish oil supplements have been shown in numerous studies to do nothing.
5
In September, I started an Ornish plant-based diet with yoga and exercise. I have lost 30 pounds but have greatly relieved my arthritis inflammation. My major problem is portion control, since I enjoy my diet so much!
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@Ken Wynne Check back with Dr. Ornish. On a plant-based diet there are many many foods you can eat unlimited. In fact, one of the best parts about a plant-based WHOLE food diet is the amount of food one can eat: A LOT!!!! ;-)
10
If your goal is longevity, I would add this: keep your cell phone on you or within reach at all times, in case of a medical emergency. It only has to save your life once for it to be worth it.
19
Latest research on alcohol intake is that there is no safe quantity and no beneficial amount. Ethanol's metabolism produces toxic damaging by products - so minimizing or eliminating wine, beer and hard liquor can improve your health at any age but is likely even more beneficial to middle aged and older individuals.
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@Mario All of my friends who drink started needing glasses 30 years ago, and their prescription lenses keep getting stronger and stronger. Preserving good vision is just one benefit of abstaining from ethyl alcohol.
7
@F. St. Louis Anecdotes are wonderful, but don't prove much. I've never been a drinker, but needed glasses starting at age 7 (as did my son, also a non-drinker) and reading glasses starting in my 50's. My brother, a year older, has been drinking (socially and in moderation) since college; he has yet to become nearsighted, and started needing (non-prescription) reading glasses only as he approached 60.
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@L Wolf Regarding your anecdote about needing glasses at age 7, where did I write that only alcohol can impair vision?
And I think that your brother would not need any glasses had he never used alcohol.
1
I would stick with the recommendations as stated here and not try to change them, assuming I know more than health care professionals. I'm going to ask my doctor on my next visit if a standard blood test shows any markers for body-wide inflammation. I don't keep a lot of personal medical records but I do keep my blood tests over the years and I don't see any mention of the substances mentioned here.
3
@Ron A
CRP is typically included in a standard blood test although I've noticed that some hospitals/doctors don't do this. IL-6 and TNF-a are not part of normal blood tests but can be obtained from LabCorp and Quest by using an on-line service (no doctor required) at places like Life Extension or DirectLabs. Another big one is IL-1b, which you can also order. You can get basically any blood test you want from these kinds of places.
In this era of cutting costs, I find that that the medical community tends to de-emphasize testing, particularly with people who are serious exercisers. (Few people are going to want to test my blood glucose or cholesterol.) So recently I've just started doing my own blood testing just so I have a baseline for what's normal (both when I'm healthy and when I go through the cold/flu season.)
The problem with never testing somebody like me is that if I develop a problem, you don't really know what's normal for my body and medical problems get missed.
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@Paul B
I don't see the CRP anywhere. I'm going to see my doctor for my annual in a few weeks and I'll ask her to include some of these markers on my blood work. She does do my vitamin checks when I ask her. I'll tell her I'm interested in the inflammation level because I'm subject to bouts of bursitis.
Has the tests you've had helped you to improve your diet/health?
2
A CRP level is not part of routine/standard blood tests. I’m sure your doctor will explain in more detail when you ask her.
3
In another life, I rode the light rail from Hunt Valley into Downtown Baltimore and then had a four-block walk to the office. I passed a brownstone with an English basement. Upstairs was a cafe and in the basement a health foods store with a little decal on the window that said: "Food is Medicine." I liked that.
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@Steve Beck
Hippocrates: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
4
@Steve Beck : medicine is medicine and food is food.
I don't want "food to be medicine". That sounds joyless and depressing and Puritanical.
I had a lovely New Year's Day brunch with good friends -- all types of delicious food -- wine -- homemade bread and desserts.
It would not have been a very nice occasion if we all grimly ate out tiny (measured) portions of kale, washed down by glasses of tepid tap water....so we could be "healthy".
This is simply good, sensible advice for anyone to begin the new year on, if they haven;t already made these changes. Holding to this over the holidays - - perhaps not so easy, but I'm convinced that it's what you eat 80-90% of the time that is important, and exercise that you faithfully pursue is the perfect accompaniment.
And now I turn to Dr. Dog, and a visiting puppy, for a mid-day walk
43
I keep a yoga mat in my office for the easy 10-20 minute stretch. It helps me with the stiffness that comes with sitting for long periods of time.
23
@Baby Jane : that's fine, but most people don't HAVE their own private office -- maybe they have a cubicle at best -- or share an office -- or work in retail. I've never had a workspace of my own big enough to have a yoga mat and space to use it -- let alone PRIVACY to be exercising at work!
Do you do this in work garb? a suit & tie? a dress? jeans? because those are NOT comfortable garments in which to do yoga.
1
Good article. I’m surprised you didn’t include good oral hygiene, especially daily flossing, as integral to reducing inflammation. It’s empirically evident that lowering the bacterial population on and between the teeth reduces the inflammation of the surrounding soft tissue. Chronic periodontal disease is often a lifelong source of inflammation affecting the other organs, heart and brain included.
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@SP ..." and get regular dental cleanings to control periodontal disease, which can be a source of chronic inflammation. “There is no barrier between the gums and the circulation,” he noted, and periodontal disease has long been linked to an increased risk of heart disease."
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@A Leopard
That’s different from the home care this commenter mentions.
6
Floss daily, get teeth cleaned regularly.
I'm surprised that you didn't mention a whole foods plant based diet. The king of anti-inflammatory diets. BTW olive oil and fish (although they contain some beneficial compounds) have a net pro-inflammatory effect.
17
@Matt Do you have evidence to back up your statement about olive oil and fish?
11
@Matt
"BTW olive oil and fish have a net pro-inflammatory effect."
Sources, please.
36
@Matt: On PubMed I found a recent article mentioning this net effect, specifically in the context of ulcerative colitis. Are there sources addressing this effect more generally, on other systems? Say it ain't so. . . .
3
Excellent article about chronic inflammation, especially as we age. Jane covered all the bases. Thank you.
Much more research is needed.
78
One of the reasons our health care system is so costly is because Americans are making themselves sick with the food we eat. So many chronic illnesses could be remedied with people eating real food again. Yet, it seems like we rarely see articles like this and it is never mentioned in all the debates about health care except by Marianne Williamson. Kale subsidies anyone?
275
@Jen Are you kidding? You must not read the Times or other media much. Brody and other food columnists constantly talk about avoiding processed food.
29
@Mary Poppins
The majority of the population does NOT read the NY Times. They listen to toxic AM radio or Fox.
77
@Jen
True. Why? Because it creates a nice business cycle, you need to eat, you work, you have no time or place to grow and prep much food, so you eat processed foods, prepared by big food, you get sick, you go to big medicine, you need to pay the bills, you need to work, etc. there is a lot if money riding on this cycle...
51
You can eat all the unprocessed plant based foods that you want, but if they are grown on depleted soil, they are not going to provide what you need...and I wouldn't be surprised to find that our digestive process become less efficient at accessing available nutrients as we age too. Magnesium supplements relieved my painful post workout soreness...
82
"what to eat ... a plant-based diet focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and cold-water fish and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids."
But the whole grains, like most seeds, are high in omega-6s. The imbalance of too much omega-6 to omega-3 contributes to inflammation. In addition to adding omega-3s, you also want to reduce omega-6s.
Whole grains and unfermented soybeans have phytic acid. Phytic acid is in the seed's bran. The acid strongly binds with minerals (like calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium) to form insoluble salts, phytates, which we can't absorb. Phytic acid consumption should be avoided in the same meal you want to absorb minerals.
The omega-3s in flax seeds is ALA and not the better DHA found in fish.
"limiting or eliminating consumption of ... red meat"
Yes, if the red meat is grain finished. Grains make the meat high in the inflammatory omega-6s. There should be no reason to limit red meat that has been entirely grass-fed.
As chickens are always fed seeds, chicken meat will always be high in omega-6s. I'd limit chicken consumption.
60
@Don Wiss,
Phytic acid provides several health benefits, eg, in preventing and treating cancer: “[D]ietary phytate, rather than fiber per se, might be the most important variable governing the frequency of colon[ic] cancer,” as we know phytate is “a powerful inhibitor of [the] iron-mediated production of hydroxyl radical[s], a particularly dangerous” type of free radical. So, the Standard American Diet may be a double whammy—the heme iron in muscle meat, plus the lack of phytate in refined plant foods to extinguish those iron radicals.” https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytates-for-the-prevention-of-cancer/
Also, meat itself, whether grass or grain finished, is deleterious. The quote above mentions heme iron, but meat is also high in cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, and as well as high in carnitine and choline, which can be converted to TMAO by gut bacteria, and TMAO “may increase the risk of buildup of cholesterol in the inflammatory cells in the atherosclerotic plaques in our arteries, increasing our risk of heart attack, stroke, death—and, if that isn’t enough, cardiac surgery, as well.” https://nutritionfacts.org/video/carnitine-choline-cancer-and-cholesterol-the-tmao-connection/
15
@Dr. J You did not address the problem with phytic acid cited. You also did not address the problem with the TMAO study: if TMAO in meat causes CVD, then why doesn't fish, which has over twice the TAMO in meat, also cause CVD? (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5444358/). Please do not cherry pick.
9
Eating cholesterol does not give you high cholesterol. That is extremely outdated thinking.
24
Thanks for an informative analysis. It reminded me of the importance of nutrition and exercise. And it provided some new info about limiting the use of NSAIDS, for example.
43
I believe that a single, very high prescription strength dose of naproxen triggered acid reflux/GERD, which I’d never had before I took that pill. After the one evening dose I projectile regurgitated breakfast because my esophageal sphincter was so irritated by the NSAID. I also didn’t know I had celiac disease at the time. My point: we all have unique bodies and health issues, so any advice has to be evaluated and understood within our own physical context.
5