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Brightly coloured fruits, oily fish and nuts are all included in the anti-inflammatory diet

Preventing serious illnesses such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and even forms of cancer could be as easy as adjusting your diet, according to some scientists.

The "anti-inflammatory diet" is based on the principle that many health conditions are caused by chronic inflammation, which is in turn caused by a hyperactive immune system.

Some doctors believe that by eating foods that calm the immune system, such as brightly-coloured fruits, oily fish and nuts, people can avoid some of the health conditions that plague modern society.

"What seems to happen is that these nutrients dampen the production of the chemicals that trigger inflammatory processes," said Professor Philip Calder of the University of Southampton in a recent review published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Additionally, individuals should limit their intake of foods with high levels of saturated and trans-fats and processed carbohydrates such as white bread, as these are thought to produce free radicals and can lead to inflammation.

According to Dr David Heber, a UCLA professor of medicine and director of the Center for Human Nutrition, chronic inflammation is an emerging field and may become a "new concept for medicine".

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