pro-inflammatory Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Switching to a Balanced Diet Restores Gut Health and Suppresses Skin Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:00:28 +0000

University of California – Davis Health via News-Medical – The secret to healthier skin and joints may reside in gut microorganisms. A study led by UC Davis Health researchers has found that a diet rich in sugar and fat leads to an imbalance in the gut’s microbial culture and may contribute to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, suggests that switching to a more balanced diet restores the gut’s health and suppresses skin inflammation. “Earlier studies have shown that Western diet, characterized by its high sugar and fat content, can lead to significant skin inflammation and psoriasis flares. Despite having powerful anti-inflammatory drugs for the skin condition, our study indicates that simple changes in diet may also have significant effects on psoriasis.” Sam T. Hwang, professor and chair of dermatology at UC Davis Health and senior author on the study What Is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is a stubborn skin condition linked to the body’s immune system. When immune cells mistakenly attack healthy skin cells, they cause skin inflammation and the formation of scales and itchy red patches. Up to 30% of patients with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis with symptoms such as morning stiffness and fatigue, swollen fingers and toes, pain in joints and changes to nails. Diet Affects the Microbial Balance in the Intestines and Skin Inflammation Food is one of the major modifiable factors regulating the gut microbiota, the community of microorganisms living in the intestines. Eating a Western diet can cause rapid change to the gut’s microbial community and its functions. This disruption in microbial balance – known as dysbiosis- contributes to gut inflammation. Since bacteria in the gut may play key roles in shaping inflammation, the researchers wanted to test whether intestinal dysbiosis affects skin and joint inflammation. They used a mouse model to study the effect of diet on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They injected mice with Interleukin-23 (IL-23) minicircle DNA to induce a response mimicking psoriasis-like skin and joint diseases. IL-23 is a protein generated by the immune cells responsible for many inflammatory autoimmune reactions, including psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Hwang and his colleagues found that a short-term Western diet appears sufficient to cause microbial imbalance and to enhance susceptibility to IL-23?mediated psoriasis-like skin inflammation. “There is a clear link between skin inflammation and changes in the gut microbiome due to food intake,” Hwang said. “The bacterial balance in the gut disrupted shortly after starting a Western diet, and worsened psoriatic skin and joint inflammation.” One critical finding of their work was identifying the intestinal microbiota as a pathogenic link between diet and the displays of psoriatic inflammation. The study also found that antibiotics block the effects of the Western diet, reducing skin and joint inflammation. Is the Damage Caused by an Unhealthy Diet Reversible? The researchers wanted to test if switching to a balanced diet can restore the gut microbiota, despite the presence of IL-23 inflammatory proteins. They fed mice a Western diet for six weeks before giving them an IL-23-inducing agent to trigger psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis features. Then, they randomly divided the mice into two groups: a group that continued the Western diet for another four weeks and a group that switched to a balanced diet for the same duration. Their study showed that eating a diet high in sugar and fat for 10 weeks predisposed mice to skin and joint inflammation. Mice that were switched to a balanced diet had less scaling of the skin and reduced ear thickness than mice on a Western diet. The improvement in skin inflammation for mice taken off the Western diet indicates a short-term impact of the Western diet on skin inflammation. This suggests that changes in diet could partially reverse the proinflammatory effects and alteration of gut microbiota caused by the Western diet. “It was quite surprising that a simple diet modification of less sugar and fat may have significant effects on psoriasis,” said Zhenrui Shi, visiting assistant researcher in the UC Davis Department of Dermatology and lead author on the study. “These findings reveal that patients with psoriatic skin and joint disease should consider changing to a healthier dietary pattern.” “This work reflects a successful collaboration among researchers, especially with Professor Satya Dandekar and her team at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Professor Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan at the Department of Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,” Hwang said. To read the original article click here.

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Pro-Inflammatory Foods Dramatically Raise Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

AHA Publisher — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 08:00:53 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – For years, natural health experts and integrative physicians have sounded the alarm on the dangers of the Standard American Diet – which is aptly abbreviated as SAD. High in processed products, unhealthy fats and refined sugars, and lacking in desirable anti-inflammatory foods, SAD is believed to increase inflammation and trigger serious conditions, including heart disease and stroke. While this concept – that the foods we eat can influence inflammation and cardiovascular health – might seem to be common sense, scientific studies on the topic were scarce. Until last week, when a study published in the respected Journal of the American College of Cardiology showcased the dangers of pro-inflammatory foods and revealed the startling extent to which diet affects risk of heart attack and stroke. To learn which foods are inflammation-promoting “villains” and which are inflammation-quenching “superheroes,” keep reading. Good science REVEALS how diet affects your susceptibility to heart disease and stroke The study, which involved 32 years of research and over 210,000 participants, allowed scientists to compare the diets of people who relied heavily on pro-inflammatory foods to the diets of people who opted for healthier, anti-inflammatory foods. The team then used pooled analyses to evaluate the long-term risk of heart disease in the two groups. The results were eye-opening!! When compared to diets high in anti-inflammatory foods, diets high in pro-inflammatory foods increased heart disease risk by a stunning 46 percent and raised stroke risk by 28 percent. Lead author Jun Li, M.D., Ph.D. – a research scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – summed up the study results with this definitive sentence: “Dietary patterns with higher inflammatory potential were associated with an increased rate of cardiovascular disease.” It doesn’t get any more cut-and-dried than that. The team also found that people who reported regularly eating pro-inflammatory foods had higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers- such as chemokines, interleukins and adhesion molecules – along with higher levels of triglycerides and unwanted LDL cholesterol. “Eat the rainbow” — in the form of colorful fruits and vegetables So, how can you tell the “good guys” from the “bad guys?” It’s easy – once you know what to look for. Experts recommend opting for bright orange or yellow vegetables – such as squash, carrots, pumpkin and yams – which contain a disease-fighting plant pigment known as beta carotene. Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables – such as kale, spinach, arugula, Brussels sprouts and broccoli – are also a wise choice. In addition, cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, which is not only anti-inflammatory but anticancer. By the way, the “green leafies” also have their share of beta-carotene. However, the orange/yellow hue is hidden behind darker green pigments. Dark cherries, blackberries and blueberries are high in a group of plant pigments known as anthocyanins, while bright red tomatoes are loaded up with an antioxidant called lycopene. Of course, let’s not forget healthy fats – such as nuts – are also great inflammation fighters. In fact, recent research shows that people who enrich their normal diets with daily walnut consumption had significantly reduced inflammation and LDL cholesterol, when compared to those who didn’t. And, finally, don’t overlook olive oil and avocados as ideal sources of beneficial fats. The new “unconventional” wisdom: Coffee used to fight inflammatory disease? Although coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that can raise blood pressure, many experts feel that coffee’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits far outweigh the downside. According to research nutritionists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, coffee consumption may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that coffee reduces the odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia – particularly in women. In addition, coffee consumption dramatically slashes the risk of colon cancer and is linked with a lower risk of death from heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes. For maximum benefit, many experts recommend three to five cups a day (for people unbothered by caffeine). If your doctor has advised you to avoid or limit caffeine, the good news is that decaffeinated coffee can still provide health benefits. Naturally, if you’re going to drink coffee … be sure it’s organic and skip the white sugar. You can flavor it up with cinnamon, vanilla extract or cocoa powder instead. If you really want to get “fancy,” try some fresh made hemp or almond milk. Avoid or sharply limit these inflammatory foods Major pro-inflammatory culprits include processed meats like, bacon, ham, hot dogs, bologna and packaged lunch meats. Generally speaking, most health experts will tell you to avoid: refined sugar, sugar-laden drinks and refined grain products such as white bread, white rice, crackers and baked goods. In addition, stay away from … fried foods, trans fats, chemical preservatives, artificial sweeteners, fast foods and GMOs. All of these items will greatly increase the risk of chronic inflammation. Red ALERT: Pro-inflammatory foods reduce levels of a natural fat-burning substance The new study – we’re featuring above – found that people who ate a pro-inflammatory diet had lower levels of adiponectin, a fat-burning hormone that can help prevent insulin resistance, combat atherosclerosis and promote weight loss. So important is adiponectin, in fact, that low levels are linked with the development of metabolic syndrome and obesity-related illnesses. Clearly, you don’t want to run low on this important hormone. You can increase your adiponectin levels with daily intake of omega-3 fats, found in cold-water fatty fish, avocados, nuts and olive oil. These just happen to be “major players” in the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in healthy fats, fruits, nuts and vegetables. Most experts agree that the Mediterranean diet is vastly superior to the SAD when it comes to supporting heart health. So, clearly, it just might be time to give this anti-inflammatory – and flavorful – way of eating a try. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com, NIH.gov, HopkinsMedicine.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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