How Natural Foods can Reduce Inflammation
It’s been a boom year for natural products. Sales of cannabis brands (especially drinks) boomed this year during Dry January.
Mushroom products keep climbing: A little more than 3% of shoppers are now opting for mushroom coffee or supplements (Green Market Report). “Functional” mushroom energy drink Odyssey raised $6 million (FoodBev via Food + Tech Connect), while Spacegoods expanded its mushroom and nootropic product line (Tech.eu).
The role of chronic inflammation and immune health
I thought about these trends in light of my recent conversation with Dr. Jenna Macciochi.
There’s emerging evidence that cannabinoids like CBD and adaptogens found in functional mushroom products can reduce inflammation and support immune health.
Dr. Macciochi is an immunologist who specializes in understanding how nutrition and lifestyle interact with the immune system in health and disease. Here are excerpts from our discussion.
Why should people care about inflammation and immune health?
“Most of the time people consider their immune health only through the narrow lens of infection protection however it does so much more than fight off germs. The immune system lies at the core of every aspect of our physical and mental health. It is everywhere in our body and intertwines with all other functions and systems. When our immune system goes wrong or misfires then it can wreak havoc on our health.
This underlies every health challenge we face today. E.g., inflammation which is our immune system's weapon against infection, danger or damage can become chronic and is now considered a proxy for nearly all non-communicable diseases as well as poor mental health and poor outcomes from infection. Immune dysregulation underlies allergies and autoimmunity which are on the rise. To care about immune health is to care about the core of our whole well-being, both physically and mentally.”
What can we do to make sure our immune system is optimally functioning?
“Immune function is shaped by things we can control and things we cannot control. Some things we cannot control include things like genetics and previous exposures, how we were born, where we live and socioeconomic status. The big things we have some control over include things like an anti-inflammatory diet pattern, body composition, physical activity levels, blood sugar balance, and gut health.”
What are your top tips (diet, nutrition, lifestyle) to reduce inflammation?
“Follow an anti-inflammatory diet pattern. Rather than taking a reductionist approach to diet, look at your overall pattern and address the root causes of any food intolerances by supporting the gut. Ensure the dietary pattern is minimally processed and includes optimal protein, healthy fats and fibre.
Focus on movement and muscle mass rather than short bursts of intense exercise and break up sedentary periods. Ensure consistent sleep and wake time, building in time to wind down and get good quality sleep. Build in time for nature exposure.”
To learn more about Dr. Jenna Macciochi and her work:
Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Vitamin Z.
Until next time,
By Daniel Zahler
Hi there and thanks for reading. If you stumble on my newsletter, you will notice that I write about health and wellness, and ways to optimize cognitive, physical and emotional health. I work with the world’s leading healthcare and life sciences companies to develop innovative new solutions to improve health globally. I was trained as a research scientist at Harvard, and I serve as a GLG council member where I advise global business leaders on healthcare innovation.
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