Anti-inflammatory diet: the right foods can protect you from Alzheimer's, obesity, heart disease, and even premature aging

CUT YOUR FINGER SLICING ONIONS and the area will swell, redden, and heat up. This type of acute inflammatory response is the body's reaction to trauma, and it's an essential part of the healing process. But chronic inflammation caused by more subtle forms of trauma can undermine your health every day.

Long-term ailments, highly processed foods, and ongoing exposure to environmental toxins can result in the kind of persistent, low-grade inflammation researchers are linking to premature aging, heart disease, M.S., R.D. diabetes, Alzheimer's, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.

Many foods in the standard American diet aggravate inflammation (see our list of fire feeders on page 43), including refined white flour and sugar, red meat, dairy products, fast food, and food additives. "For someone on such a diet, the body can become like a dry field of grass that is waiting for a match," says Jack Challem, author of The Inflammation Syndrome. "Once the match lights, it's hard to put out the fire."

And it's not just your health that gets singed. Chronic inflammation can make you look old before your time. "Low-grade, systemic inflammation drives aging," says Ronald E. Hunninghake, M.D., author of User's Guide to Inflammation, Arthritis, and Aging. "'Inflamaging' is a term coined by Italian researchers to highlight this association."

The good news is that changing your diet can help prevent or even reverse the process. "Our daily diet and the foods we eat are the most effective-and safest--means of preventing inflammation," says Challem. "The body is quite capable of making its own anti-inflammatory compounds as long as we eat the right foods."

put out the fire

A PROTECTIVE MENU is easier to assemble at home, where you can control the ingredients, including cooking oils. Start with the recipes here, and follow our guide to anti-inflammatory foods, especially if you have inflammation risk factors like elevated levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or C-reactive protein (see "Are You Going Down in Flames?" on page 40).

Polyphenols. These inflammation-dampening phytochemicals are found in colorful kits like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, which also contain flavonoids called anthocyanins that protect against oxidative damage. Keep no-sugar-added cranberry juice (such as Ocean Spray's 100% Cranberry Blend) on hand, along with jars of sour cherries.

Quercetin. This anti-inflammatory compound and natural histamine inhibitor is the most powerful kind of flavonoid. Excellent sources include red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli, and apples.

Antioxidants. These nutrients protect the body from free radicals, which trigger inflammation. Carrots and orange winter squash supply beta carotene; bell peppers are high in vitamin C; tomatoes are rich in lycopene. Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, are also abundant in antioxidants.

Omega-3 fatty acids, Thanks to anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3s provide significant benefit to patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, according to a report in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The most potent omega-3s are found in seafood, especially coldwater fish like salmon (preferably wild), tuna, and mackerel. Stock your pantry with canned anchovies and sardines and jars of marinated herring to add to meals. Vegetarian sources of omega-3s include flaxseed oil, dark greens, and walnuts.

Oleic acid. Almonds and macadamias (or their oils) contain this omega-9 fatty acid, which helps omega-3s do their job. Olive oil, which contains oleic acid, is best for everyday cooking. If you prefer safflower or sunflower oil, which are normally placed in the pro-inflammatory camp, buy high-oleic versions. "Balanced" oils, such as those from Spectrum Naturals, are available in minimally processed forms, always a better health choice than refined oils. Canola oil, however, is a refined oil that contains a noteworthy amount of omega-3s and oleic acid.

Curcumin. Turmeric, an Indian spice that gives curry its orange-yellow color, contains curcumin, one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds in nature, says Michael T. Murray, N.D., author of Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. (Other spices with anti-inflammatory properties are ginger and rosemary.)