Best way to combat chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation has been linked to several serious diseases including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. In addition, because there is a strong association between inflammation and muscle loss, it may reduce metabolism and contribute to disability.

Clearly, chronic inflammation can have a huge impact on our health. The question is what can be done to counteract it? An article in the November, 2011 Nutrition Action Healthletter, reviewed the latest research and here is the bottom line. While eating a healthy diet – rich in seafood, beans, vegetables, fruits and whole grains may help, according in Walter Willett MD, chairman of the Nutrition Department at the Harvard School of Public Health, “the most powerful way to reduce your inflammation factors is to lose weight".

Ishwar-lal Jialal of the University of California explains that "fat cells spew inflammatory chemicals into the blood stream" where they are then sent throughout the body. While Jialal's research suggests that subcutaneous (under the skin) may also be proinflammatory, most of the evidence points to visceral (belly) as the main culprit. The good news is that losing as little as 5 - 10% of your total body weight results in 30% reduction in belly fat. In other words, a moderate weight loss translates into a significant reduction in belly fat and the proinflammatory chemicals it produces.