Consuming a diet rich in tomatoes, olive oil, spinach, salmon, tuna, and oranges has been shown to improve mental health and reduce the risk of serious diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Professor Howard E. LeWine, an expert in nutrition and epidemiology from Harvard University, has highlighted the connection between chronic inflammation and diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s. Choosing anti-inflammatory foods can not only enhance mood but also improve quality of life and reduce the risk of disease. On the other hand, consuming inflammatory foods can worsen the disease process and should be limited or avoided.
Recommended anti-inflammatory foods include tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, and fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. Tomatoes, with their antioxidant lycopene, have been found to help fight prostate cancer, especially in processed tomato products like tomato sauce. Blueberries, high in antioxidants and cancer-fighting anthocyanosides, can scavenge free radicals, stimulate detoxifying enzymes, and reduce cell growth and inflammation, according to the UK National Cancer Research Foundation.
Experts also advise avoiding anti-inflammatory foods such as white bread, cakes, French fries, fried foods, soft drinks, sugary drinks, red meat, processed meats, margarine, food additives, and fats. By incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet and avoiding inflammatory foods, you can potentially improve your overall health and well-being.