Protect yourself from the health threat doctors don’t talk about

From arthritis, eczema and depression to heart disease, cancers and dementia, chronic inflammation can cause a host of health problems. The good news is that making simple changes to what we eat each day can rapidly reduce it, says nutritionist Jane Clarke

ONE of the biggest challenges to our health today is something your doctor probably doesn’t want to talk about. It’s hard to test for. You can’t just prescribe a pill to fix it. And it’s caused by a range of factors.

It is inflammation and it’s crucial that the word becomes a part of our health vocabulary because it’s the root cause of serious diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, dementia and depression.

I have been a leading dietitian for more than 30 years, working closely with sports stars and actors including David Beckham and Benedict Cumberbatch.

I practise alongside oncologists and dementia specialists and was the consultant nutritionist on Jamie Oliver’s school meals campaign.

I also founded Nourish by Jane Clarke, providing solutions for people who are unwell and are facing challenges with eating and their diet.

Because of my work, I see the effects of inflammation every single day in my clinic.

Crucially, I also know it is within our power to reduce our risk and the impact of inflammation so that we can all enjoy longer, healthier and happier lives.

Understanding inflammation

Inflammation is a natural response to injuries, infections, toxins and harmful foods – it’s how our body fights against damage.

If you have ever had a sprained ankle or an upset stomach, you have experienced inflammation.

If you have gum disease or are a smoker, you are likely to have inflammation right now.

Covid-19 has been shown to cause inflammation – and the fatigue and ongoing health issues associated with long Covid are down to inflammation at a cellular level. Usually the inflammatory response will last just a few hours or days – just as long as it takes for your body to release the healing chemicals that can deal with the problem and help you to recover. But sometimes inflammation keeps on flaring. It’s like a car alarm that keeps going off for no reason. This is called chronic inflammation, and it’s when this natural healing response actually becomes dangerous and becomes responsible for disease. Inflammation isn’t just a problem for people in their middle age and older, it’s affecting every generation. High blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes and autoimmune conditions are all signs that you are affected by inflammation. Other indicators might include fatigue and insomnia, skin conditions, muscle and joint pain, frequent infections, depression, anxiety and mood disorders, as well as gastrointestinal problems.

But it’s not too late to make a difference to your health, now and for the future.

What inflammation does to the body

Inflammation is caused by environmental factors such as pollution and toxins. It can be triggered by stress, smoking and excess alcohol.

Infections, injuries, autoimmune diseases, allergies and intolerances al cause inflammation. So can the food we eat.

Ultra-processed foods, those with lots of artificial additives, saturated animal and trans fats, and excess sugar, are all causes of inflammation.

When our body is exposed to inflammatory factors, it releases white blood cells that target the damaged area and help it to heal. But

sometimes the system misfires. Instead of the response calming down when the trigger disappears, the inflammation lingers and increases.

This causes these white blood cells to attack internal organs and healthy tissue.

This chronic inflammation can begin to cause a whole array of health problems, from skin conditions such as eczema to heart disease, autoimmune conditions, mood disorders and dementia.

The good news is that making simple changes to what we eat each day can rapidly reduce inflammation.

By taking out foods that we know are inflammatory and replacing them with ingredients proven to reduce inflammation, we can help to protect ourselves from disease.