Foods that Cause Inflammation
You've likely heard a lot about inflammation, you may have even heard my podcast about inflammation is not your root cause. My question is to you is, do you understand what are the foods that cause inflammation, and what effects it has on the body?
Inflammation is your body's response to invaders, and it shows that your body's white blood cells are working hard to fight for you. Sometimes, for example, when it comes to arthritis, your immune system is trying to fight off invaders that don’t really exist, because inflammation isn't a root cause. As a result, your body starts to attack itself, and the inflammation ensues.
Inflammation can be caused by a variety of factors, such as an insect bite, an autoimmune disorder, or injury. And at a deeper level, it's rooted in your personal toxin bucket overflowing for a variety of reasons. However, there are foods that cause inflammation or at least contribute to it. This can really impact the way your body feels on a daily basis, and cause poor outcomes in your body.
So, what are these effects?
Foods can be a trigger for a particular kind of inflammation, which is can sometimes be the worst kind of inflammation, as it often has to deal with your blood vessels. When blood vessels become inflamed continuously, this can cause damage to the vessels, which is then used by the fats in your bloodstream as a means to accumulate. Think of your recent blood work - how were your lipids? Meaning your cholesterol and trans fats?
This fat, otherwise known as LDL Cholesterol, simply grows more and more over time, and as years pass by, can cause a blockage in your arteries. This is something we absolutely want to avoid. So, knowing that food-caused inflammation is something we should seek to avoid -- what foods cause it, and which can help combat it?
Deep down, I am sure we all kind of know which foods cause inflammation. We just get really good at ignoring it. For instance, does it surprise you that foods such as French Fries, Soda, Red Meat, Processed Meat, Junk Foods, Refined Carbohydrates are on the naughty list? These are foods that are overly processed. We are keenly aware that we should keep them off of our plates anyway. What is more insidious and harder to spot are foods that are marketing as health foods, but have the same contributing factors. So let's lump anything that is ultra-processed in here, even if it is a nice organic Larabar.
The same can be said for foods that fight inflammation. Load up on these healthy foods that help you combat inflammation and keep your body running smoothly:
• Tomatoes
• Leafy Greens
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Fish
• Fruit
All organic and wild-caught of course.
Do you see a trend yet? Healthy, plant-based whole foods will help to reduce and even combat inflammation. And taking that a step further, not just "plant-based" because that can take us down the road of over-processed plant-based products, but ACTUAL plants. EAT PLANTS to lower inflammation. Meanwhile, overly processed, high-fat junk foods will cause your inflammation to flare up.
So to help reduce the symptoms and lower your risk for health issues, you are going to want to eat a lot more whole plant foods.
What causes inflammation for you? Is there something you eat that you noticeably feel bloated, achy, and generally unwell after? Those are red flags, signs from your body to tell you to stop consuming those foods. If you aren't sure what food is causing the issue, because sometimes they can be delayed, use my Food, Mood, Poop Journal to pinpoint what they are. You can download this simple 5-day analysis and instructions for free by clicking here.
While changing your nutrition alone may not instantly cure you, it does stop the contribution of additional inflammation. It is what I like to call, clearing the muddy waters, or allowing the mud to settle so you can find what you need. Reducing this inflammation helps you to pinpoint your underlying root causes because you can finally SEE them clearly.
If you have questions don't hesitate to reach out and ask. I'm always rooting for you friend!
Love,