Lowering C-Reactive Protein: Which Diet Works Best?

A recent much-publicized study found that you can reduce CRP levels by taking statin drugs, and doing so reduced the risk of heart attacks, even in people with normal cholesterol levels.Since then, a lot of people have been asking: “Do I have to take statins to reduce my CRP? Can lowering C-reactive protein happen with drug-free ways, like diet and exercise?”The answers: You don’t have to take statins to lower CRP.“You can very effectively lower CRP levels with lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and regular exercise,” asserts Dr. Jay Kenney, Nutrition Research Specialist at the Pritikin Longevity Center.First of all, it’s important to understand that overweight and obese people tend to have higher levels of CRP, in part because bigger fat cells make more CRP. Explains Dr. Kenney: “Bigger fat cells excrete more of the chemical interlukin-6 (IL-6), which triggers the liver to produce more CRP.”But how you lose the weight appears very important. Scientists are now learning that some we...