Inflammation and Your Mental Health

Has supporting your immune system ever been more important than now? I don’t think so.

At the heart of our immune response is inflammation. Often people think inflammation sounds scary. But it is actually totally normal: It helps us to fight infection and heal after an injury.

However, inflammation that is inappropriate or unresolved can damage healthy tissue. In fact, inflammation in the brain is put forward as one of the root causes of mood disorders.

It’s all about balance: How can we balance inflammation and support a healthy immune response?

What Is Inflammation?

Adapted from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2016/2856213/

If we get injured or infected, we need inflammation to mount a healthy immune response. Inflammation supports the elimination of toxins and damaged cells from the body, fights invading microbes and repairs damaged tissue.

At tissue level, inflammation is controlled by a group of hormones called eicosanoids. Some eicosanoids are pro-inflammatory and some are anti-inflammatory. These hormones must operate in balance of one another to ensure a normal inflammatory response.

Imagine you have cut your finger. Your body responds by releasing pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. These chemicals trigger blood vessel dilation to enable white blood cells and vital nutrients to reach the damaged area. You may notice that your finger becomes red, swollen or inflamed. This is your inflammatory immune response getting to work repairing the skin and tackling any potential germs.

In response to inflammation, healthy tissue releases anti-inflammatory eicosanoids that prevent the inflammation from spreading and stop the immune response once the cut has been dealt with. Certain diet and lifestyle factors can inhibit the production of anti-inflammatory chemicals. An insufficient anti-inflammatory response enables inflammation to persist, unresolved. Even low levels of inappropriate inflammation can be detrimental to health.

Symptoms such as fatigue, brain-fog, anxiety, depression, IBS, weight-gain, hormone imbalance, food intolerances and skin complaints are all indicators that inflammation may be imbalanced.

Essential Fatty Acids

Our eicosanoids are made from special fats known as Essential Fatty Acids or EFAs. Omega 6 and Omega 3 are types of EFAs. They are essential because they cannot be synthesised by the body and must, therefore be consumed in the diet.

An ideal ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is 4:1, however modern Western diets have evolved to a ratio that is closer to 20:1. This EFA balance is unhelpful for inflammation as Omega 6 foods tend to be pro-inflammatory whereas Omega 3 foods tend to be anti-inflammatory.

Top Tips for Balancing Inflammation

1. Increase Omega 3

Consume foods rich in Omega 3 such as fish, flaxseed, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds and their cold-pressed oils. Sea vegetables are also a rich source of Omega 3. In their natural environment, fish feed on these nutrient dense grasses and algae, which is what makes them such a good source of Omega 3. Most supermarkets sell samphire, seaweed and other sea vegetables. You can also source them in powdered form to stir into smoothies or sprinkle on salads.

2. Support Digestion & Gut Barrier Health

When working effectively, our digestive system will absorb the nutrients that help us to control inflammation and eliminate any toxins or undigested food particles that could promote inflammation. If our gut lining becomes damaged or “leaky” this can allow these chemicals into our system. Our immune system immediately recognises them as invaders and launches an inflammatory response. Inflammation at the gut wall can become systemic which is why individuals with symptoms of anxiety, low mood, eczema and arthritis, often also experience IBS.

Alcohol, gluten and processed foods can disrupt gut barrier function as well as the balance of gut bacteria.

3. Increase Antioxidants

Foods rich in the antioxidant nutrients vitamins A, C, E and the minerals selenium and zinc are key to mopping any harmful biproducts of inflammation such as free radicals or reactive oxygen species. Left unchecked these chemicals are detrimental to health and have been linked to many chronic diseases including cancer. These antioxidant nutrients can be found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, courgettes, aubergines and berries. Think about eating a rainbow every day.

4. Vitamin D

I have written previously about vitamin D and mental health, and it’s role in supporting the immune system. And I couldn’t have timed this blog any better as just this week, a new study published in the British Medical Journal found that:

• Individuals taking multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics or vitamin D were less likely to be tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and,

• There was a significant protective association for vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and multivitamins in female users across all ages and body mass index categories within the largest (UK) cohort.

The authors also call for more randomised controlled trials of probiotics, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D and their link to covid risk. Music to my ears!

So get your levels tested and then supplement accordingly. I can help with this.

5. Anti-Inflammatory Botanicals

Ginger and turmeric are fantastic anti-inflammatory foods that are cheap, readily available and can be added liberally to your diet. Think ginger teas and homemade curries. You can read more about turmeric here.

6. Manage Stress

I talk about stress with my clients A LOT! Long term stress can trigger inflammation. Stress can be emotional (grief, anger), physical (injury), environmental (chemicals, noise), dietary (sugar, caffeine, alcohol) or lifestyle (smoking, excessive exercise). Our stress hormone cortisol produced in the adrenal gland plays a key role in dampening our immune response: Cortisol is anti-inflammatory. When the body becomes exhausted, insufficient cortisol is produced setting the scene for inflammation and chronic disease.

7. Include some Omega 6

Consume some sources of Omega 6 alongside Omega 3 foods. Sunflower and sesame seeds, as well as whole grains such as brown rice and oats, provide access to essential Omega 6 fats, helping you to achieve a healthy ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. Sunflower and sesame oils should only be consumed if they are virgin or cold-pressed. Most shop bought sunflower and sesame oil has been refined, diminishing the beneficial properties of these seeds. Heating these oils can damage the fats further, which can trigger inflammation.

8. Cook with Olive Oil

Most fats in liquid form are unstable. Heating the oils of nuts and seeds can damage the essential fats contained in them promoting inflammation. Cooking with olive oil is preferable as the monounsaturated fats in olive oil can withstand higher temperatures before becoming damaged.

9. Reduce Farmed Animal Fats

Animal fats and their products such as eggs and dairy are pro-inflammatory if consumed in excess. Modern farming techniques mean that most of these animals are grain fed and therefore their diets are high in Omega 6 and low in Omega 3, tipping the inflammation balance. Conversely animals that are free to roam and are naturally grass fed, tend to be higher in Omega 3 fats. Organic egg yolks for example are an excellent source of DHA, a type of Omega 3 that promotes brain health.

Summary

So, in summary, the key to balancing inflammation is balancing your diet and off-setting unavoidable stress. If in doubt, follow the Mediterranean Diet. You won’t be surprised to discover that many of the foods I talk about above feature heavily in that way of eating.

And as always if you are worried about inflammation or are experiencing any of the symptoms I have talked about, just get in touch. I would be happy to have a chat with you about how I can help.