Our first annual Anti-inflammatory Holiday Dinner was a success! Chef Raul Lomas joined Dr. KeriLyn Bollmann as we hosted an intimate evening dinner replete with exciting substitutions for the usual inflammatory Holiday fare. We started out with a short educational session on inflammation, then moved to creating a special menu filled with superfoods bursting with nutrients and compounds that are known to have beneficial effects on decreasing inflammation. We had a rich interactive discussion and a lot of laughs as we filled our noses with the sweet aromas and our bellies with healthy, scrumptious flavors. Thank you to those who came and shared the evening with us.
So what exactly causes inflammation, and why is it important? Inflammation is caused by a number of factors: genetic, environmental, and even the way we lead our lives from day to day. A significant portion of inflammation is due to autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is on the rise as we learn more about our environment and the way our food is grown and manufactured. An autoimmune condition is a condition in which the body sees its own internal systems as foreign. As a result, the body “attacks” itself. This leads to an increase in deranged signals via messenger proteins and hormones, which in turn results in inflammation in the body. Inflammation plays a major role in the development of heart and vascular disease (stroke, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease).
There are many ways to decrease inflammation- from medications, supplements, mind-body techniques, and in particular, the foods we eat and how we prepare them.
Want to learn more? Join us next time for one of our fun, educational events by Dr. Bollmann and Chef Raul! We usually plan something every other month, be on the lookout in the Class Schedule and Events page!