Why is inflammation a problem?
Well, when it’s doing its job (for example, responding to an outside cause, a microbe or pollen) it’s not a problem. It’s when the inflammation is continued and lasts longer than it should, that it becomes an issue. Persistent inflammation is the cause of many of the diseases that plague humanity. Things like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, anxiety and depression all have their roots in chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation
Foods that cause inflammation can cause a host of health related issues like IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), asthma, allergies, auto-immune diseases like Crohn’s disease, dermatitis, psoriasis, obesity, arthritis and ulcerative colitis or peptic ulcer disease.
Some of the common signs of chronic inflammation are as follows:
- fatigue
- fever
- mouth sores
- rashes
- abdominal pain
- chest pain
Chronic inflammation can be treated in a lot of different ways, including NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), corticosteroids and supplements like fish oil and turmeric.
What might surprise you is that some of the best tools to fight chronic inflammation don’t come thanks to a prescription or a pharmacy visit. They come from our grocery aisles. And, just as interestingly, some of the greatest causes of inflammation also come from our refrigerators.
Inflammatory foods
- Refined carbohydrates like bread, cereals, pastas, cakes and pastries
- Sugary foods like granola and cereals, jellies, candy, puddings and chocolates
- Sodas and high sugar drinks like cordial
- Deep fried foods like french fries, donuts, churros, fried chicken, tempura and onion rings
- Red meat like steaks and burgers
- Processed meats like salami, pepperoni, hot dogs and kransky
- Shortening, fats, lard and margarines
Anti-Inflammatory foods
Now that you know which foods are likely to cause inflammation, it’s time to find out about those feel good foods that I mentioned earlier. These are the foods most likely to fight inflammation and help you stay in tip-top healthy condition.
In general, an anti-inflammatory diet tends to follow a similar tenet to good old fashioned “healthy eating”. That is, an anti-inflammatory diet tends to be low in refined carbohydrates, red meats and sugar, and high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
The foods that are considered the most anti-inflammatory are:
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, rocket, collard greens, silverbeet and so on
- Tomatoes
- Olive oils
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
- Fatty fishes like salmon, trout, tuna, sardines and mackerel
- Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries and oranges
- Coffee and green tea
In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health… Basically, the less inflamed your body is, the better it’ll function, and the better you’ll feel.
Are there any of these foods that aren’t currently part of your diet? Which ones? Will you be adding them in to see if they make a difference to how you feel? We’d love to hear from you, especially if you’re trying some of these anti-inflammatory foods.