9 Foods That Could Cancel Out Your War Against Inflammation

No matter what kind of inflammation you may be dealing with in your body, you most likely will be experiencing different levels of pain and discomfort. Your inflammation could be something that is temporary and an uncomfortable inconvenience or you could have a chronic situation that is causing you pain at the highest level. Some of the most severe cases of inflammatory pain are observed with rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, and others. Did you know that the inflammatory processes in your body can be associated with foods that we often use in everyday life? In this article, we list the most common of such foods that can cancel your war against inflammation. 1. Glutein The rapid production of bread has caused a problem with being able to digest the baked goods because of the lower amount of fermentation taking place in the digestion system. This causes the lining of our intestines to become inflamed. In addition, the wheat used in making bread currently has been found to have a super starch called amylopectin, which has been proven to cause inflammation. If you just can’t resist bread from the bakery, opt for sourdough which doesn’t have enough fermentation to allow for healthy probiotics to occur. 2. Artificial sweeteners You may be taking artificial sweeteners in order to lose weight but you are better off using a small amount of regular sugar than these man-made chemicals. A recent study of humans and mice showed that artificial sweeteners alter the microbiome in the gut due to glucose intolerance. When the body can’t properly metabolize glucose, it causes a major release of cytokines which are highly inflammatory. Artificial sweeteners not only cause inflammation, they cut down on the body’s good bacteria, which are called Bacteroides. These send out compounds that are anti-inflammatory and help to ease the situation. Continue to Page 2 3. Fried foods One of the easiest ways to reverse inflammation is to give up fried foods. When foods are cooked at a high temperature and grilled, fried, smoked, or dried, they give off advanced glycation end products which signify inflammation. A study at Mount Sinai discovered that inflammation was eliminated when people stopped eating fried and processed foods. Stay away from fried chicken, onion rings, french fries, and fish sticks. 4. Trans fats When hydrogen is added to liquid fats, which are unsaturated, they become artificial trans fats. You may find them on the list of ingredients of products as partially hydrogenated. This process is conducted as a way to make the shelf life longer. Natural trans fats are a part of meat and dairy products. When artificial trans fats are consumed they trigger inflammation in the body which end up destroying the cells that are in the lining of the blood vessels. Stay away from artificial trans fats which can be found in margarine, doughnuts, muffins, and non-dairy creamers. Continue to Page 3 5. Saturated fats Even though saturated fats have been shown to not be responsible for heart problems, they have been found to trigger inflammation in fat tissue. This type of tissue holds on to energy and unlike brown cells, they do not burn the energy. As the brown cells grow because of the saturated fats they create a systemic inflammation. Saturated fats can be found in potato chips, hamburgers, pizza and candy. 6. Omega 6 fatty acids Vegetable oils, such as corn, safflower, and canola, have high levels of omega-6 fatty acids which are the culprits that increase inflammation. Many of these oils suffer from oxidation due to being overly processed. Stick with foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish. Studies that were conducted on rats showed the increase in inflammation on the group that was given omega-6 fatty acids, as compared to omega-3. 7. Refined carbs For quite a while carbohydrates have been looked down at causing problems including illnesses and contributing to obesity. But it is refined carbohydrates and not the kind that are actually good for you. Complex carbs, such as fruits and vegetables are balanced and still have their fiber content intact. Refined carbs are left with hardly any fiber. A study of refined carbohydrates, which have a high glycaemic index, found that of the older adults that took part, those who consumed the refined carbs had an increased chance, 2.9 times higher, of dying from a disease that was inflammatory such as COPD. Continue to Page 4 8. Processed meat Most people are already aware of all of the health risks involved in consuming processed meats. Whenever you tamper with natural foods and products, the end result is so modified for the wrong reasons that they can result in illnesses, health issues, and in this case, inflammation. Processed foods include most deli meats and sausages. READ ALSO: Is Inflammation Making You Fat? Video 9. Sugar Sugar is found in two major forms – regular white sugar, sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup, which is what is added to many foods and beverages. A clinical study was conducted on mice where they were fed a diet that was high in sucrose. The mice started with the inflammation, potentially from high sugar amounts, and was finally observed with the breast cancer. In another study that was conducted on humans, the people who had to drink regular soda ended up with higher inflammation because of the raised level of uric acid. They also developed insulin resistance. References: www.arthritis.org www.mayoclinic.org

9 Foods That Could Cancel Out Your War Against Inflammation

8. Processed meat

9. Sugar

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