Inflammation is what happens when our body is repairing damaged tissues and defending itself from the likes of virus and bacteria. When were injured, wounded or exposed to virus and bacteria, our immune system will release certain substances that help the healing process. One of the effects of these substance is inflammation, which causes pain, redness and swelling around the wounded area before it starts to cure.
However, inflammation isn’t always a good sign. In some cases, it can last too long and go on to cause chronic inflammation that may lead to other health problems including heart-related illnesses, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmune disorders like lupus.
Chronic inflammation is also tightly related to our eating habits.
The high amount of simple carbohydrates and fat found in fast foods, as well as high-sugar drinks and high-calorie processed foods contributes to the condition. In order to avoid it, the simplest thing we can do is by start eating healthy foods – especially high-fiber ones. Some studies show that fiber can reduce chronic inflammation by lowering the levels of C-reactive Protein (CRP), which indicates the presence of chronic inflammation in the blood.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, we’re recommended to eat 25-38 grams of fiber per-day which equals to 8-10 bananas. Besides consuming fruits, we are also able to meet our required daily fiber needs by consuming vegetables and fiber supplements. Researches mention that fiber supplements have the same effects as fruits and vegetables in reducing chronic inflammation. Hence, in the case that your meal does not supply an adequate amount of fiber, the consumption of fiber in the form of supplements or other high fiber food products can be used as alternative.
Referensi:
Kaczmarczyk, M. M. et al. 2012. The Health Benefits of Dietary Fiber: Beyond The Usual Suspects of Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Colon Cancer. Metabolism, 61(8): 1058-1066.
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. What is an inflammation? 2010 Nov 23 [Updated 2018 Feb 22].
Dahl WJ, Stewart ML. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(11): 1861-1870. Doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.09.003
