Whether you suffer from a chronic illness or want to eat well to prevent illness, the anti-inflammatory diet is gaining ground as a viable way to plan your meals to prevent inflammation that can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, painful joints and other conditions. Read on to learn more about the components of an anti-inflammatory diet and which foods you should avoid. Experts note that an anti-inflammatory diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, a heart-healthy way of eating that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and fish. and whole grains. A study of more than 1.5 million healthy adults showed a marked reduction in the risk of death from heart disease, death from cancer, and the development of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Another study, published in 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed a 30 percent reduction in heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease among participants who adopted a Mediterranean diet. Above all, an anti-inflammatory diet should include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Onions, garlic, peppers, and dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens are all known to have anti-inflammatory components, as are fresh berries. Also look for tart cherries, which an Oregon Health & Science University study found to have more anti-inflammatory potential than any other food. Try to eat many different foods over the course of a week and as many fresh foods as possible, avoiding processed and prepackaged foods. In general, the more colorful your diet, the healthier it is from an anti-inflammatory perspective. Colorful peppers, tomatoes, beets and squash are good options; in fact, cooked tomatoes are full of lycopene, which is proven to reduce...... middle of paper...... they should be avoided, especially corn, cottonseed, seeds grapes, peanuts, safflower, soy and sunflower. oils. In general, avoid foods that have a long shelf life and contain lots of preservatives. Foods high in simple carbohydrates, such as white bread and bagels, English muffins, and rice and corn cereals, should also be avoided. Artificial flavors and colors in foods can also trigger dangerous inflammation. In general, heart-healthy foods tend to fit well into the spirit of the anti-inflammatory diet. The Arthritis Foundation maintains an anti-inflammatory diet website, available at http://www.arthritis.org/illinois/anti-inflammatory-diet/. It includes information on portion sizes, meal plans, and other tools and resources that can help you avoid the risk of developing chronic disease by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet..