© by Elizabeth Lee Vliet MD and Kathy Kresnik
Last week to kick off ‘Heart Health Month,” we explored the key drivers of cardiovascular health, including the often-overlooked risk of chronic inflammation, in the article “Cooling the Flames of Inflammation: Save Your Heart and Brain!” We showed you how to track inflammatory markers and shared a few practical strategies to reduce inflammation and safeguard your heart. This week, I wanted to dive even deeper and share how overlooked but simple and powerful lifestyle changes actually work to crush the inflammatory fires within.
Today, for Heart Month, you’ll learn more about foods to eat and foods to avoid, anti-inflammatory supplements that are crucial to complement diet, and the lifestyle activities most effective to further cool inflammation and make the biggest impact on your heart and overall health.
Key take home message to keep in mind as you read today’s article: The typical American diet is rife with saboteurs of our health and well-being. These are inflammatory food categories (foods and additives) that markedly increase damaging inflammation throughout the body. These are the foods you really need to AVOID if you want to stay as healthy as possible as you age.
First, Look at the Top Ten Foods that Fan the Flames of Inflammation
1. Sugar‑sweetened beverages (soda, energy drinks, sweet teas, many juices)
When you eat foods and drinks high in sugars and artificial sweeteners/sugar substitutes, your body quickly absorbs them, leading to repeated spikes in blood sugar and insulin. Even the “zero-calorie” sweeteners (artificial and natural ones like stevia) product insulin surges that begin with the sweet taste on the tongue! Then the surges trigger oxidative stress and stimulate your body to ramp up production of inflammatory cytokines through the NF‑κB pathway. Eating a lot of added sugar encourages your liver to produce more fat (medically we call that de novo lipogenesis), which increases your risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), increases harmful visceral fat, and promotes insulin resistance. These changes drive chronic, low-grade inflammation in your body. You can actually measure the level of inflammation with blood tests of inflammatory markers such as adipokines, CRP, hemoglobin A1c, insulin/IGF-1, and Interleukin‑6 (IL-6). In addition to increasing insulin surges that lead to more insulin resistance and visceral fat, artificial sweeteners and so-called “healthier” sugar substitutes, such as stevia, all have additional health risks we will discuss in more detail in future articles.
2. Refined grains and starches (white bread, white rice, most boxed cereals, many crackers, traditional pasta, pastries)
These foods have two major problems that add to inflammatory burder: they are low in fiber and high in glycemic load. These two factors cause frequent spikes in blood sugar and then insulin surges that promote the formation of Advanced Glycosylation End Products (AGEs) which increase oxidative stress. These combined effects then activate inflammatory signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, and disrupt healthy function of your blood vessels. When you don’t get enough fermentable fiber, your body produces less short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This weakens your gut barrier, allows more harmful molecules (like LPS) to enter your system, and activates your body’s innate immune responses, increasing inflammation and the damage that causes. These foods also typically contain preservatives and additives that have additional health risks. I address these major culprits at the end of this section—so keep reading!
3. Processed meats (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, deli meats, pepperoni)
These foods are high in saturated fat, heme iron, and products formed from advanced glycation and lipid oxidation, all of which promote oxidative stress and inflammation in your blood vessels. Processed meats contain nitrites/nitrates and other compounds that form during processing, which can generate reactive nitrogen species and worsen inflammation in your blood vessels and colon lining. They also can increase blood pressure, and in sensitive people, the nitrites/nitrates and excess sodium can even be triggers for atrial fibrillation! In another ominous development, mRNA vaccines have been used in the US pork industry since 2017 without any notice to the public that this was done. The more pork products you eat, the more you risk mRNA residues in the pork being added to your own body. As soon as I learned this a few years ago, I entirely cut out pork in my diet (even though I didn’t eat it often before that.)—it isn’t worth the risk of mRNA contamination.
4. Red meat in excess large, frequent portions of beef, lamb), especially if prepared as charred/grilled.
To protect your heart and blood vessels, limit your intake of red meat, especially fatty cuts. Eating too much saturated fat and omega-6 fats can lead to excess body fat, raise your LDL particle count, and fuel inflammation linked to atherosclerosis. Whenever you cook meat at high temperatures, like grilling or pan-frying, you create harmful compounds called heterocyclic amines and PAHs. These substances increase oxidative and inflammatory stress in your blood vessels and colon. It is much healthier to use gentler cooking methods such as braising, stewing, poaching, and sous vide. These gentler techniques use lower temperatures and/or moisture, so meat comes out more tender and healthier, without the more harmful compounds generated by high heat and grilling.
5. Industrial trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils
Unfortunately, these are still present in many baked goods, frosting, non‑dairy creamers, some microwave popcorn and fried foods, and they strongly raise LDL and lower HDL, drive endothelial dysfunction, and increase systemic inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL‑6. These unhealthy fats incorporate into cell membranes, altering membrane fluidity and receptor function, and amplify atherogenic inflammation. Although “trans fat” is listed on food labels and should be “0,” you have to be aware that if a product has less than 0.5 g trans fat per serving, it can legally be listed as 0! Red flags to alert you to the presence of trans fats include the words: partially hydrogenated oils—soybean, vegetable oil, canola oil and other seed oils), hydrogenated oil, shortening – especially vegetable shortening, and I recommend avoiding margarines and “butter” spreads that are made with these hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.
6. Deep‑fried fast foods (French fries, fried chicken, onion rings, many fried items at restaurants)
When you eat deep-fried fast foods, you typically take in a combination of refined starch, high omega‑6 oils, and fats that have been repeatedly fried at high heat. This process creates oxidized fats and Advanced Lipid Oxidation End Products (ALEs), which trigger your body’s inflammatory pathways. After a meal, these foods cause a surge in blood fats and oxidative stress. This results in chylomicron remnants and oxidized lipoproteins that promote inflammation in your blood vessels and immune cells. Hopefully, this helps you understand why chronic high consumption of fast foods is so extremely detrimental to your health!
7. Ultra‑processed snack foods and desserts (chips, cookies, crackers, packaged pastries, candy bars, many “granola” or protein bars)
When you eat ultra-processed snacks and desserts, you consume a mix of refined grains, added sugars, industrial fats, sodium, and additives. These ingredients together cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, disrupt your gut microbiome, and drive low-grade inflammation by letting harmful molecules enter your system. Because these foods pack a lot of calories but do not keep you full, you are also more likely to overeat. This creates an unfortunate pattern that leads to weight gain and triggers body fat inflammation from immune cells releasing inflammatory molecules (like TNF‑α and IL‑6).
8. High‑fructose and high‑sucrose sweets (candy, ice cream, many desserts, syrups)
Excess fructose is preferentially metabolized in the liver which increases uric acid, de novo lipogenesis (new fat synthesis from non-fat sources), and liver fat which promotes liver and systemic inflammation. Frequent sugar intake raises Advanced Glycosylation End Products (AGEs) and disrupts endothelial nitric oxide, triggering vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, and increase in middle body (‘beer belly”) visceral fat.
9. Excessive alcohol (heavy intake of beer, spirits, sugary cocktails), especially with poor diet that is high in the inflammatory categories I just discussed above.
Alcohol is metabolized as a simple sugar, which means it spikes blood glucose and insulin and over time contributes to excess body fat around the middle of the body –hence the name “beer belly!” In addition, your body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, which increases oxidative stress and damages the gut lining leading to gut permeability. This lets more of an endotoxin called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enter your liver and bloodstream, amplifying inflammation throughout your body. Drinking large amounts of alcohol over time promotes inflamed, fatty liver (steatohepatitis), raises CRP, fasting insulin, HgbA1C, and inflammatory cytokines. Daily or frequent alcohol combined with an unhealthy diet causes intensified inflammation that increases heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
10. High‑sodium, ultra‑processed convenience foods (frozen meals, many canned soups, instant noodles, fast‑food sandwiches, and also restaurants)
If you consume too much sodium, you may trigger low-grade inflammation in your blood vessels and disrupt your immune system, especially if you’re salt-sensitive. Elevated sodium intake also raises your blood pressure, which in turn contributes to inflammatory changes in your arteries. Ultra-processed convenience foods don’t just overload your body with sodium, they also pack in refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and various additives. This combination makes these foods a concentrated source of ingredients that promote inflammation, rather than sodium alone being the only culprit. Restaurants can also be a problem since you cannot control added salts, oils used and flavorings (natural or artificial). You may notice retained fluid the next day when the scale goes up a few pounds and you cannot remove your rings, but this inflammation is transient and quickly resolves when you return to normal home-based eating but can become a problem with frequent eating out.
Now, Look at the Top ANTI-Inflammatory Foods
The following foods have potent anti-inflammatory benefits based on data from decades of reliable scientific studies world-wide, so adding these foods to your meal plans lead to reduction in inflammatory markers, and improved cardiometabolic function and health. These foods go a long way to decrease the fires of inflammatory damage throughout the body.
1. Extra‑virgin olive oil (EVOO), preferably first-press and cold-processed
Extra-virgin olive oil delivers oleic acid and powerful phenolic compounds, such as hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal. These nutrients actively block the inflammatory protein NF‑κB and help reduce the production of COX‑2–driven eicosanoids, which are linked to inflammation. When you follow a Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil, you lower inflammatory markers like CRP, insulin, IL‑6, TNF‑α, and myeloperoxidase. Incorporating more extra-virgin olive oil also reduces oxidative damage to your cellular DNA, reducing potentially damaging mutations. Extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols boost the health of your blood vessels, improve nitric oxide levels for better circulation, and encourage growth of beneficial gut bacteria. These changes further help to dampen inflammation throughout your body.
- Target: 2–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil per day. The rationale for this range is based on Mediterranean diet trials that use about 30–50 ml/day of extra-virgin olive oil as a key anti‑inflammatory component.
- Warning about seed oils: The decades old Sydney Diet Heart Study from 1966 showed the group consuming seed oils had an alarming 74% increase in coronary death rate, a 70% higher cardiovascular death rate and a 62% higher all-cause mortality. These were staggering findings that should have been celebrated and widely promoted across America and around the world. But instead, it was tragically buried to protect profits of the food industry, because seed oils are so much cheaper than high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and other healthy sources of fat. My recommendation is to avoid seed oils! Stick with established healthy forms of dietary oils including extra virgin, first cold pressed olive oil and avocado oil.
- Seed Oil Warning #2: There are those today who claim that “evidence” does not support the hypothesis that seed oils cause inflammation. I disagree. These “experts” use selective editing of studies in ways that mince words, revise meanings, and end up with article to support food industry tactics and profits, and contribute to suppressing the truth. We have known for decades about the health risks of seed oils. I caution you not to fall for this misleading “research.” It is the same playbook we saw with “experts” war on estrogen for women, testosterone for men, HCQ for COVID, and ivermectin for COVID and cancer.
2. Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
Fatty fish deliver EPA and DHA, two types of omega-3s that help your body produce fewer inflammatory molecules. Omega-3 fatty acids replace arachidonic acid and thereby prompt your cells to generate series-3 prostaglandins, series-5 leukotrienes, and specialized mediators such as resolvins and protectins, all of which actively resolve inflammation. Omega-3s from fatty fish also change the makeup of your immune cell membranes, reducing TLR4 signaling and actively lowering the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Research shows that over time, higher intake of marine omega-3s lowers levels of inflammatory markers like CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α, especially if you have chronic inflammation.
- Target: Minimum of 2–3 servings per week (serving ≈ 3–4 oz cooked). This provides roughly 250–500 mg/day average EPA+DHA when averaged across the week.
3. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Berries are loaded with anthocyanins and polyphenols that actively block the inflammatory protein NF‑κB, lower harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), and regulate MAPK signaling in your immune and blood vessel cells. Your gut microbes break down berry polyphenols into bioactive compounds and shift your microbiome toward species that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which help lower inflammation throughout your body. So when you eat whole berries or take berry extracts, you reduce oxidative stress, improve inflammatory markers like adhesion molecules and even CRP, and improve health of blood vessels.
- Target: 1–2 servings per day (serving ≈ 1 cup fresh or frozen berries. Fits within general guidance of 2–3 whole fruit servings/day, emphasizing high‑polyphenol options.
- Caution: All of these berries are on the EWG (www.EWG.org) “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with high pesticide residues. So for these, you need to buy ORGANIC!
4. Green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, arugula)
These anti-inflammatory powerhouses provide carotenoids like lutein and beta-carotene, plus vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and polyphenols. Together these nutrients help your body fight oxidative stress and actively switch off genes related to inflammation. Studies show that people who regularly eat leafy greens as part of a Mediterranean or heart-healthy diet have lower levels of inflammation markers like CRP, insulin and IL-6. Green leafy vegetable every day lowers your risk of heart disease and cognitive decline, partly by boosting antioxidants, improving blood vessel health, and reducing homocysteine. Adding these nitrate-rich greens to your meals you ramp up your body’s nitric oxide production, which improves blood flow and calms blood vessel inflammation to support overall cardiometabolic health.
- Target: At least 1–2 servings per day (serving ≈ 2 cups raw leafy greens or ½–1 cup cooked). This fits within the broader goal of 4+ vegetable servings/day.
5. Nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
Raw nuts like walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts provide healthy unsaturated fats, including Alpha-Lipoic acid in walnuts—along with arginine, magnesium, and polyphenols that help your body fight oxidative stress. Adding nuts to your Mediterranean diet can lower inflammatory markers like CRP and IL‑6 and help protect your arteries from inflammation. Eating nuts improves your cholesterol numbers and your body’s response to insulin, helping to reduce inflammation caused by unhealthy fat tissue.
- Target: 1–2 small handfuls per day (about 28–30 g each). Evidence suggests ~15–30 g/day (4–7 servings/week) gives the best cardiometabolic benefit, with many trials using around 30–60 g/day.
6. Fermented foods (yogurt with live cultures, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso)
Fermented foods provide live microbes and unique fermentation compounds that support your intestinal lining function, help lower levels of harmful endotoxins, and promotes a more balanced functional state for your immune system. Certain probiotic strains in these foods actively reduce NF‑κB activity and lower the production of inflammatory cytokines within your gut lining. Clinical trials suggest that regularly eating fermented dairy and other fermented foods can lower inflammation and oxidative stress, likely by improving the makeup of your gut microbiome and increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.
- Target: 1–2 servings per day. Example servings: ¾–1 cup yogurt or kefir, or a serving (¼–½ cup) of fermented vegetables with a meal. This amount is typical of gut‑focused and Mediterranean‑style dietary recommendations that include daily fermented dairy/vegetables.
7. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy)
Cruciferous vegetables are high in glucosinolates, which the body converts into isothiocyanates like sulforaphane. These compounds trigger Nrf2, boost natural antioxidant defenses, and help suppress NF‑κB. Sulforaphane also inhibits histone deacetylase enzymes which can influence how inflammatory genes are expressed. Research from both population studies and interventions indicates that eating more cruciferous vegetables is associated with lower markers of inflammation and reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and overall mortality, likely due to these cellular effects.
- Target: 1 serving per day on most days (serving ≈ 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked). This target can overlap within the total 4+ servings/day vegetable target.
8. Tomatoes and Tomato Products (Especially Cooked with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
Tomatoes and tomato products deliver lycopene and other carotenoids that actively neutralize harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) and influence key inflammatory signaling pathways in your body. Adding more tomatoes to your meals, especially as part of a Mediterranean-style diet, lowers inflammatory markers like CRP and adhesion molecules. Lycopene from tomatoes accumulates in your blood and blood vessels, where it helps protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation and reduces inflammation in your arteries to support healthier blood vessels.
- Target: 1 serving per day (serving ≈ 1 medium tomato, 1 cup raw, or ½ cup cooked sauce/purée). In Mediterranean-style diets, tomato products appear most days in amounts that reduce inflammation.
9. Spices: Turmeric (Curcumin) and Ginger
Compounds in turmeric (curcumin) and ginger (gingerols and shogaols) actively block key inflammatory pathways in your body, such as NF‑κB, COX‑2, and LOX to help lower the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce the activity of adhesion molecules. Research shows that supplementing with curcumin or ginger can modestly but significantly lower markers of inflammation, such as CRP and IL‑6, especially in conditions like arthritis and metabolic syndrome. These spices also boost your antioxidant defenses and may enhance blood vessel health and insulin sensitivity, which further helps reduce inflammation throughout your body.
- Target (food-level): Ginger: 1–2 teaspoons fresh grated or ½–1 teaspoon dried per day or most days. Turmeric: about ½–1 teaspoon ground per day (or several times per week), ideally with fat and pepper. Supplement trials use higher doses, but these culinary amounts align with daily regular use in anti‑inflammatory dietary patterns.
- Caution: I do not recommend supplementation with turmeric or curcumin for women taking estrogen replacement therapy or for women still menstruating because the high phytoestrogen effects block estrogen receptors and interfere with the effectiveness of our own ovarian estrogen or with hormone prescription medicines. This completive inhibition at the hormone receptor also applies to men’s testosterone levels.
10. Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
Legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) boost your digestive health by supplying fermentable fibers and resistant starch. These nutrients encourage your gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids—especially butyrate—which help strengthen your gut barrier and lower inflammation triggered by harmful molecules like LPS. Eating a diet rich in legumes lowers inflammation markers like CRP, insulin, and IL‑6 which reduces your risk for heart and metabolic diseases. Including legumes in your meals also helps regulate blood sugar and body weight. These improvements further decrease inflammation coming from excess body fat. Scientific trials of Mediterranean and DASH diets attribute much of their anti-inflammatory benefits to regular legume consumption.
- Target: 1 serving ≈ 1/2 cup cooked per day (or at least 4–7 servings per week).
Processed Foods: A Deeper Dive into Hidden Inflammatory Additives
Hidden additives in processed foods and even many so-called “healthy” foods (especially snack foods), are worse than sugar for spiking your blood sugar, damaging your gut, and causing inflammation. Industrial starches such as maltodextrin and modified food starch (often from corn, wheat, tapioca, etc.) are widely used as cheap fillers and thickeners in processed and “health” foods. You can find them on food labels as “modified food starch,” “corn starch,” “wheat starch,” “tapioca starch,” or “maltodextrin.” They are common inflammatory culprits in foods that are often marketed as healthy or sugar‑free, such as protein powders, gluten‑free snacks, baby formula, low‑sugar products, soups, sauces, snack foods.
Maltodextrin, “modified food starch,” “corn starch,” “wheat starch,” “tapioca starch” additives damage health in several ways. First of all, they spike blood glucose and insulin as fast or faster than table sugar because they have an extremely high glycemic index (especially maltodextrin). Second, they can adversely affect the gut microbiome and gut barrier, particularly maltodextrin. Third, maltodextrin and processed starch additives promote intestinal and systemic inflammation via several mechanisms, especially people with sensitive guts:
- Maltodextrin weakens the gut’s protective mucus barrier and reduces beneficial mucus-producing cells, making the gut lining more vulnerable to inflammation and disease, according to research in laboratory and animal models.
- Animals fed with maltodextrin develop more severe gut inflammation, as seen by increases in inflammatory cell infiltration, higher disease severity scores, and elevated markers of inflammation in the blood.
- Maltodextrin stresses cells that produce protective mucus, weakens natural antimicrobial defenses, and helps harmful bacteria like Salmonella stick to the gut wall—factors that raise the risk of gut-driven inflammation and serious GI infections and diarrheal syndromes.
- Engineered starches in processed foods reduce gut microbial diversity and lower health-promoting short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production—changes that fuel inflammation even more.
Bottom line: Maltodextrin is not as harmless as once thought. Research in animal and cell studies are alarming and should be our warnings to be taken seriously, not discounted because it is “just animal studies.” Frequently eating products with these additives causes low grade cumulative inflammatory GI damage over time, particularly in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or a family history of gut disorders.
Starches do not all act the same: the type of starch matters a great deal! The resistant starches in foods like cooled, cooked rice and potatoes, green bananas, under ripe fruits, beans and legumes function more like dietary fiber, and actually protect the gut by fostering healthy bacteria and strengthening the intestinal barrier. For those with IBD, gut symptoms, or a strong family history, it’s important to limit foods high in maltodextrin and similar additives. For healthy individuals eating a diet rich in whole foods, occasional exposure to processed foods is unlikely to cause much harm, but offers little benefit when compared to less processed carbohydrate sources.
In Summary: Anti-Inflammatory Diet Benefits
Shifting from a Western‑style pattern to a Mediterranean/plant‑forward pattern, with higher omega‑3 intake, more polyphenol‑rich plants, and less refined carbohydrate and processed meat, can produce significant changes in inflammatory markers from the combined effects of multiple pathways (toxicity from harmful lipids, blood sugar response after eating, gut microbiome, and oxidative stress).
- Mediterranean‑style diets (high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and regular fatty fish; low in red/processed meat and refined carbs) consistently reduce circulating inflammatory markers, including CRP, IL-6, insulin (IGF-1), Hgb A1C.
- Broad “anti‑inflammatory diets” followed consistently over time share similar features to a Mediterranean diet and have been shown to lower pro‑inflammatory cytokines and improve gut‑microbiota–linked inflammatory pathways.
For some people who are meticulous about following a well‑constructed anti‑inflammatory diet can match or exceed the effect of individual supplements on systemic inflammation markers over time. For those with less consistent dietary habits or those with active disease or elevated risk factors a more aggressive approach combining diet with anti-inflammatory supplements may be warranted.
Supplements To Lower Inflammation and Fill Nutrition Gaps 
In part one of our Inflammation series I detailed the benefits of high-quality fish oils containing > 1200 mg of all three essential fatty acids as found in TruOmegaPure™. This single supplement consistently tops the list with the strongest evidence linking Omega 3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplements to reducing inflammation and heart disease risk, demonstrated objectively by reductions in markers like CRP, IL‑6, and TNF‑α. The following are additional anti-inflammatory supplements that complement fish oil. In my medical practice, I recommend this combination as the critical foundation to reduce systemic inflammation for my patients. Most people in America, given all our additives in food plus environmental toxins plus adverse effects of the COVID shots, would greatly benefit from this combination to reduce chronic inflammation:
Gut Health: Probiotics, Synbiotics, and Prebiotic Fiber
- Probiotics and Synbiotics – Recent research shows that a combination of probiotics (helpful bacteria) and prebiotics (fiber that feeds them), called synbiotics, can lower key inflammation markers in the body, like IL-6 and IFN-γ. Synbiotics also boost healthy gut compounds, such as butyrate, which are linked to lower inflammation.
My recommendation: TruProbiotic Daily™ - Prebiotic Fibers (like Inulin, FOS, GOS) – Taking prebiotic fiber can also help lower some inflammation markers and improve metabolic health, though the effects aren’t as strong as when combined with a probiotic.
My recommendation: TruFiber Lean™ - Fermented Foods – Eating foods with live cultures, like yogurt, kefir, or kimchi, may also support lower inflammation and are commonly found in the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet.
Antioxidant Vitamins and Related Nutrients
- Vitamin E (Mixed Forms) – Studies find that natural full spectrum vitamin E supplements that contain natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheral), plus mixed tocopherols AND tocotrienols are effective in reducing inflammation. Synthetic Vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) is actual pro-inflammatory (increase inflammation), so read the label carefully to make sure a product does not contain this form. High doses of vitamin E have anti-coagulant effects and may increase risk of bleeding, so check with your doctor.
My recommendation: TruVitamin E™ Full Spectrum - Vitamin D – Large studies suggest vitamin D can modestly lower inflammation, especially for people who are deficient. The effect is smaller than omega-3 but it is crucial for many benefits beyond reducing inflammation to keep vitamin D levels in the optimal range (more below).
My recommendations: TruBioD3™ or TruOptiD3+K2™ - Other Antioxidants (Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Polyphenols) – Some antioxidants, like alpha-lipoic acid and certain plant compounds, have shown modest benefits for lowering inflammation but also support overall health.
My recommendations: TruFruits & Berries™ and/or TruAlpha-Lipoic SR™
Dr. Vliet’s Tips for Building an Anti-Inflammatory Supplement Stack
To lower key inflammation markers (like hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α) for heart or metabolic health, a good evidence-based supplement routine should include all of these each day, which is what I do myself!
- TruOmegaPure™ – Taking 1–2 capsules per day can help lower inflammation, especially if you don’t eat fatty fish regularly. Our formula is designed especially for gradual absorption that helps to reduce the adverse side effects common with most fish oil products—burping, upset stomach and diarrhea.
- TruProbiotic Daily™ + TruFiber Lean™ – Choose a high volume, quality multi-strain probiotic that includes bifidobacteria lost with the COVID shots, along with 5–10 grams of fermentable fiber (like inulin) or 2 scoops of TruFiber Lean™ each day, adjusting as needed for gut comfort, bowel regularity and normal stools (i.e. not constipated OR too loose).
- TruBio D3™ or TruOptiD3+K2™ – More people are seriously vitamin D deficient than they realize. You really need to get your doctor to check your blood levels of 25-OH Vitamin D (or order it online for yourself). Supplement dose for each person depends on your blood level and amount needed to reach the optimal range of 80-90. Most people need vitamin D every day.
TIP: Vitamin D levels below 60 correlate with increased inflammation, risk of illness, bone loss, low energy, and depressed mood.
- TruVitamin E™ Full Spectrum use with caution when combined with fish oils due to potential for bleeding issues.
- TruFruits & Berries™ and/or TruAlpha-Lipoic SR™ for targeted antioxidant polyphenols.
Lifestyle Habits That Reduce Inflammation
Smart lifestyle choices can significantly lower inflammation and actually rival the anti-inflammatory effects of diet and supplements. I tell patients in my medical practice that it is NOT an either-or situation. I want people to think about it as more-is-better! The strategies listed below are most powerful when combined with diet and supplements in a comprehensive anti-inflammatory strategy for a synergistic optimization of all three.
Physical Activity
Staying active with regular aerobic activities (like walking, cycling or swimming) as well as resistance or weight training helps reduce inflammation markers like CRP and IL, even in older adults and people with chronic conditions. Research shows that all types of exercise lower inflammation. Combining aerobic and resistance training offers even bigger benefits.
Yoga is another exercise option that combines mindful awareness and breathwork that together help reduce inflammation throughout your body. Research on yoga specifically shows that yoga lowers key inflammatory markers like IL‑6, TNF‑α, IL‑1β, and sometimes CRP, and produces effects similar to meditation when you stick with it for a high enough “dose.” Greater benefits result when yoga sessions combine movement, controlled breathing, and mindful attention because this combination acts through both exercise and stress-reduction pathways.
- Target: Aim for 3–5 moderate aerobic exercise sessions a week and 2–3 days of resistance training if you want to see results cited in clinical studies.
- Target for Yoga: Aim for at least 2–3 sessions per week, lasting 60–90 minutes each over 8–12 weeks to see results.
Nutrition and Weight Management
Eating a Mediterranean-style or mostly plant-based diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and nuts, and low in sugars, processed foods, and processed high fat meats lowers inflammation markers. Plant-based diets show notable reductions in CRP. Losing weight through calorie reduction or intermittent fasting, especially for those who are overweight, can significantly lower inflammation markers after a few months. Results are even better when weight loss is combined with exercise.
Sleep habits
Poor sleep quality, disrupted sleep or not getting enough sleep leads to marked increase in systemic inflammation. Even a week of less sleep can raise IL-6 and TNF-α levels, while longer-term sleep loss increases CRP, insulin, HgbA1C, cortisol, and other inflammatory markers. Getting regular, good-quality sleep is one of the simplest and most effective ways to lower inflammation.
- Target: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep with consistent bed and wake times to help keep inflammation in check.
Smoking, Alcohol, and Environmental Factors
Smoking is one of the classic “8 major risk factors” for heart disease. Cigarette smoking causes damage to small blood vessels that lead to erectile dysfunction in men, even before there are obvious symptoms of serious cardiovascular damage. Cigarette smoking also increases risk of several cancers, especially lung and bladder cancers. Stopping smoking has been shown to meaningfully lower CRP, a key inflammation marker and an independent heart disease risk factor. Stopping smoking also improves erectile function and lowers risk for heart disease as well as reducing all-cause mortality. Cutting back on heavy intake of alcohol and reducing environmental stress also help reduce inflammation.
Managing Stress and Building Healthy Social Connections
Stress can trigger inflammation, especially chronic stress. Stress management programs and improved social support have been shown to lower hs-CRP. Lifestyle programs that combine healthy eating, physical activity, stress reduction, and community support offer the biggest and most lasting improvements in inflammation markers.
Meditation is a stress-management tool that lowers inflammation in your body, especially when you are experiencing high stress situations or have an inflammatory condition. Meditation works to lower inflammation in several ways:
- Meditation calms your stress response system, leading to lower levels of stress hormones and reduced inflammation.
- It boosts your body’s relaxation response, which activates anti-inflammatory pathways and helps limit the production of inflammatory molecules.
- Mindfulness reduces rumination and emotional reactivity, which slows the activation of genes that drive inflammation.
To effectively lower inflammation with meditation, practice regularly—about 20–30 minutes a day. Meditation benefits are usually most noticeable when you stick with the practice for at least 8–12 weeks. Evidence shows that people who meditate long-term tend to react less strongly to stress and show smaller increases in inflammation during stressful situations. Mindfulness-based stress reduction programs have been found to reduce inflammation more effectively than other stress management methods. These changes are most likely when you maintain the practice for at least two to three months. Meditation works best as part of a comprehensive health approach, especially for people with high stress or chronic inflammation, complementing, not replacing, medical care and other healthy habits. If you already meditate, you can add yoga to bring in physical activity and breath regulation. If you are new to movement, yoga can serve as both exercise and a stress-management tool.
Our graphic shows all the tools you can use to cool the fires of chronic inflammation in your body! So let’s get started! Begin with fixing your diet and avoiding inflammatory foods. Then choose the anti-inflammatory supplements to complement foods and improve blood levels of the critical vitamins and minerals your body needs to fight inflammation. Check your gut health and add probiotics with multiple species of the good bacteria – especially bifidobacteria killed off by the COVID shots and illness. Then get your body moving in a regular exercise regimen that works for you, which also helps to reduce chronic stress that fuels inflammation too. And make sure you get a good night’s sleep! Quality sleep, 7 to 8 hours a night, is absolutely critical to optimal health. Bottom line? Our grandmothers knew best on the ways to feel good and enjoy life.
So let’s get back to the great advice they gave us reduce to systemic inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease and all other chronic illnesses. And boost all these strategies with our top-quality nutraceuticals at The Truth for Health store!
All Truth for Health Foundation Products Meet or Exceed cGMP Quality Standards, the highest quality standard for supplements sold in the USA.
For more information, references from studies are listed in the Product Data Sheets for each product, available on our website. Under medical practice regulations, we are unable to answer individual medical questions or make specific individual supplement recommendations for people who are not established patients of Dr. Vliet’s independent medical practice.
I encourage you to consider our other natural medicines with our top quality, cGMP-compliant professional formulas: TruMitochondrial™ Boost, TruNAC™, Tru BioD3, Tru B™ Complex Full Spectrum, TruZinc™, TruC with BioFlavonoids (Natural sourced Vitamin C with complete Bioflavonoids), and TruProBiotic™ Daily to replenish critical bifidobacteria depleted by COVID shots, viral illnesses, and antibiotic therapy.
CAUTION: As always, we urge you to avoid supplements without checking knowledgeable sources to evaluate your medical situation, proper lab tests to verify what is needed, and to make sure to avoid adverse interactions with prescription medicines and other supplements you take.
To Your good health and improving resilience!
Elizabeth Lee Vliet, MD
