Inflamation, how to cool the fire inside.
When there is an attack on the body, the body fights back with processes to try and remove it and begin the healing process.
This process is called inflammation.
Inflammation is a normal and necessary process of self-protec- tion. For example, when you cut your finger and the wound is red, swells and is warm to the touch, this is the body’s way of healing itself. This is the “good” kind of inflammation, also known as acute inflammation.
The problem is when there is too much inflammation, or if it continues for an extended period. This “not good”inflammation is called chronic inflammation, and the symptoms are not as obvious as those of acute inflammation. The symptoms for chronic inflammation range from heart disease due to damage it causes to artery walls, to acne, to being overweight – to name a few. This low grade systemic inflammation can damage tissue internally without any obvious symptoms externally. Your body is constantly trying to manage this inflammation, leaving you with lack of energy, difficulty losing weight, digestive issues and increased risk of lifestyle diseases.
It is therefore imperative to address the inflammation before trying to “fix”any of the other problems. The first step in treating the inflammation is to identify its cause. Inflammation can be caused by lifestyle habits (that can be managed) such as stress, smoking, over exercise, sugar, trans fats, artificial sweetener, refined carbohydrates, excessive alcohol consumption and lack of sleep.
Excessive inflammation and the damage to tissue can be a contributing factor to insulin resistance, obesity, Type 2 Diabe- tes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, malnutrition, Rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel disease, cancer and depression.
How can inflammation halt weight loss?
Adipose tissue (fat) is a living tissue. This means that it produces hormones, proteins, growth factors, and other bioactive products. These products are called adipokines and they all have their own effects on different systems in the body, including the regulation of food intake, glucose and fatty acid metabolism, and energy expenditure.
If there is an increase in abdominal fat, the fat cells grow and change shape, causing some fat cells to die and a disruption of the production of their adipokine activity, activities necessary for weight loss. Nutrition can significantly help in putting out the inflammation fires.
Eat the Rainbow
Phytonutrients are a natural protectant found in the colours of plants, therefore the more naturally colourful your plate is, the more likely it is you’ll be enjoying an abundance of phytonutri- ents. Eat a rainbow of colours each day from plants; fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, herbs and spices.
Quality and Quantity
Carbohydrates consumed should be in the form of less-refined, less-processed foods with a low glycemic load, in the correct proportion. Eat more whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat, in which the grain is intact or in a few large pieces. Eat more beans, winter squashes, and sweet potatoes. Reduce your consumption of foods made with wheat flour and sugar, especially bread and most packaged snack foods (including chips and pretzels). Avoid products made with high fructose corn syrup and eat pasta in moderation.
Healthy Fats
With the spotlight shifting to the benefits of good fat in recent media, the anti-inflammatory properties of fats are better understood. Omega-3 fats are the anti-inflammatory fats that are not always a component in our diets. Great sources of Omega-3 fats include sardines packed in oil; cold-water wild fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna; chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, and walnuts; or fish oil supplements containing both DHA and EPA in amounts of 2-3grams per day. Other fats that fight inflammation are mono unsaturated fats like avocados and nuts, especially walnuts, cashews, almonds, and nut butters made from these nuts.
Saturated fat can increase inflammation so reduce your intake by eating less butter, cream, high-fat cheese, unskinned chicken and fatty meats, and products made with palm kernel oil. It is also advisable to strictly avoid all products made with partially hydrogenated oils of any kind. Include in your diet avocados and nuts, especially walnuts, cashews, almonds, and nut butters made from these nuts.
Further suggestions to reduce inflammation:
- Stop smoking
- Get in your 7-8 hours of sleep at night
- Avoid or limit alcohol as it promotes inflammation and hinders sleep. If you drink alcohol, use red wine preferentially.
- Avoid or limit fried fatty foods
- Hydrate with water
- Drink tea instead of coffee, especially good quality white, green or oolong tea.
- Enjoy plain dark chocolate in moderation (with a minimum cocoa content of 70 percent). Eat less protein if you have liver or kidney problems, allergies, or autoimmune disease.
- Decrease your consumption of animal protein and dairy except for fish
- Eat more vegetable protein, especially from beans in general and soybeans in particular. Become familiar with the range of whole-soy foods available and find ones you like.
Wow!Great info.
Tx