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Dietary Tips to Reduce Inflammation

How Nutrition Affects Inflammation

Close up of grey haired man handing paper bag containing fruits and vegetables and meat to woman

As we age, we start to experience physical issues we haven’t had to face before. Inflammation and its effects are one such experience that changes as we get older. Inflammation is a natural response from the body to fight off infection or to heal from an injury. The area of the body that is hurt or infected may look red, feel warm to the touch, or become puffy due to white blood cells rushing to the area. 

This inflammatory response only increases as we age and can increase the risk of age-related diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease, cancer, depression, neurodegenerative diseases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. Exercise is one way to combat these diseases, but there is also research that supports the use of dietary supplements to correct inflammation in older adults.  

It is important to establish healthy nutritional habits to improve overall well-being. Outside of physical activity, the quality of your diet can impact chronic inflammation. 

Foods that you can add into your diet that reduce inflammation include:  

  • Brightly colored vegetables such as tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and squash (eat the rainbow)
  • Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
  • Fruits such as apples, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges 
  • Legumes including chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, and green peas
  • Healthy fats including olive oil, almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds 
  • Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines 
  • Green tea 

Foods Can Also Increase Inflammation

Foods that should be minimized include:  

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries  

Fried foods like French fries  

Sugar, like in sweetened beverages like soda  

Red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)  

Margarine, shortening, and lard  

Junk foods such as a burger, donut, and french fries on a black surface next to fresh fruits and vegetables on a white surface.

Strategies to include more anti-inflammatory foods in your diet include reducing how often you eat out at restaurants and fast-food joints and cooking more meals at home. By switching to home cooked meals, you will be able to control the nutritional quality of foods used. Meal prepping also allows you to plan more anti-inflammatory foods into your weekly diet just by adding more vegetables, leafy greens, and legumes into soups, stews, chilis, and other home cooked meals. This is a great way to boost the anti-inflammatory properties of your diet.  

At Evergreen Commons, we offer many opportunities to learn about and implement healthy eating. Through partnership with Eighth Day Farms, Evergreen Commons offers a seasonal farmers' market to bring members locally grown, fresh produce. We work with local nutritional experts and dieticians to provide coaching about adopting healthier dietary habits and encouragement for changing behaviors to live a healthier lifestyle.   

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For more wellness opportunities at Evergreen Commons, check out our website or contact Member Services:

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