Reduce Pain And Inflammation With Good Nutrition
Chronic inflammation is linked to a whole host of diseases and illnesses. But we can take steps to avoid it. Simply put, inflammation is the body’s natural defense system protecting you against infection, disease and injury. Really, it’s a good thing as without it, we would simply die from the smallest injury. When you bang your knee, injure or cut yourself, inflammation is what protects the affected area while the body repairs itself and heals. Your immune system will send out an army of white blood cells that protect the area and hormones including histamine are released to help dilate the blood vessels in the tissue to allow more blood flow and thereby the necessary nutrients to heal the affected area. This is why you will usually see a few different colors around the area while it is repairing itself. This is what we call acute inflammation (or short term) and usually lasts from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks, depending on the situation.
When these inflammatory cells linger in the system for too long, leaving your body in a constant state of alert, it becomes a problem. That’s chronic inflammation, also referred to as slow, long-term inflammation that can last for months and even years. Often this goes on without us even knowing about it. And if it isn’t dealt with, it will eventually manifest in the body one way or another. In fact, chronic inflammation has been linked to cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, depression and even Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, this is not an exhaustive list.
What causes chronic inflammation and how can I avoid it?
Chronic inflammation has many causes. It could be in response to an untreated cause of acute inflammation; an auto-immune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues and organs; chronic stress; long-term exposure to industrial chemicals and pollution; and of course, the food and drinks we consume. Read that list again. Aside from untreated causes of acute inflammation, all but one (auto-immune disorder) are to do with lifestyle choices and thereby avoidable. Some would argue that ALL of these causes are to do with lifestyle choices and thereby avoidable, but that discussion is for another day.
As a nutrition and health consultant I give special attention to the food and drinks we consume and unfortunately the quality of the majority of food products we eat, have deteriorated drastically over the last few decades. And we pay the price with inflammation and diseases. With that in mind, here is a list of foods and drinks that directly cause or contribute to inflammation:
Highly processed foods are foods that have gone through a process which changes it from its natural state. During this process, important naturally occurring nutrients including fiber, vitamins and minerals are removed and replaced with industrially produced chemicals and flavour enhancers, making the food products more palatable, addictive and profitable.
These foods include, cookies, cakes, candy, potato chips, popcorn, many frozen meals, bacon, sausages, junk food, fried food, fast food, pizza, margarine, soft drinks, etc.
A few easy ways to spot highly processed foods:
- They usually come in a packet (often with many false health claims)
- It is often difficult to see what the product was originally
- There are more than three ingredients listed on the packet
- You are unable to pronounce most of the ingredients listed
Added sugars are just products with added sugar. However, even products you wouldn’t think contain sugar actually do. In fact, in some cases over 90% of products in your local grocery store contain added sugar. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to spot as sugar come in many different disguises. Sugars, syrups, concentrates, words that end in “ose”, nectar, honey, caramel, juice, and many more. There are well over 50 different types of sugar, not to mention artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin and many others.
Artificial trans fats also known as partially hydrogenated oils, go through a process that turns liquid oils more solid to improve flavour and shelf life. These oils are mostly used in baked goods and margarine. The good news is that the FDA ruled these artificial fats unsafe in 2015 and gave food-production companies a deadline of June 18, 2018 to remove them from products. Unfortunately, now in 2020 we still see this on many ingredients lists in the grocery store, so make sure you keep an eye out for these.
Refined vegetable oils are made by intensive chemical processes (including bleaching) used to extract the oil from seeds essentially making the oil toxic. These include soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut, canola, general vegetable oil and more. Try your best to avoid these. It is worth noting that any oil over-heated (when it starts to smoke) also becomes toxic as it starts to form chemical compounds harmful to the body.
Refined carbohydrates include sugars and grains that have been stripped of fiber, bran and nutrients through a milling process. These include white flour, white bread, white pasta, white rice, pizza dough, pastries, sweet dessert and many breakfast cereals.
Excessive alcohol use can damage the stomach and intestinal lining which allows bacteria to pass through to the bloodstream which can trigger inflammation in various places throughout the body over time. Limiting alcohol use have many benefits beyond fighting inflammation as well.
Phew! That’s quite the list of food products to avoid and it may seem a little daunting. However, there is plenty of food you can enjoy guilt-free that will support your body and mind. In fact, eating a balanced and varied diet of minimally processed whole foods, together with regular exercise, managing stress levels (practicing mindfulness), and good quality sleep will go a very long way.
Particular foods that directly fights inflammation have been identified through lots of scientific research. These foods include:
Fruit and vegetables are all high in vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients (plant nutrients) with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Aim to get at least 5 servings of colorful fruit and vegetables per day. Kale, broccoli, spinach and other leafy greens as well as berries are a great place to start.
Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to reduce inflammation. These fish include salmon, mackerel, anchovies, herring, sardines and tuna. They are also an excellent source of protein.
Other healthy fats have also been shown to help reduce inflammation. These include avocados, extra virgin olive oil (don’t overheat), walnuts, almonds, and other nuts as well as flax, chia and hemps seeds. Nuts and seeds are also excellent sources of protein and fiber.
Whole grains are high in fiber and include barley, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, rye and similar. Fiber helps to slow the rate at which sugar is released into the bloodstream. It moves the food faster through the intestines, cleans the colon and helps you go to the toilet more regularly.
Beans and legumes are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and they are full of protein and fiber. They have been shown to help reduce blood sugar, improve cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy gut. All of which are important for optimal health.
Herbs and spices including turmeric, ginger, garlic, peppers, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, parsley and many others are packed full of health promoting nutrients and as a bonus brings lots of flavour to your cooking.
The problem with the average American diet is that it consists mainly of food products from the first list of inflammatory foods. Gradually, increasing your consumption of the mentioned anti-inflammatory foods can have a profound impact on your overall health.
