Inflammation is a good thing. It is the natural way your body responds to threats such as infections or wounds. We have all seen inflammation at work when we have pain and redness at an injury. We say it looks inflamed, and it literally is, because injury activates the inflammatory response.
When is inflammation a problem?
When inflammation lasts for long periods of time, we call it chronic, and it can cause problems. Some common causes of chronic inflammation include allergies, autoimmune disease, periodontal disease, arthritis and other diseases that activate the immune system over time. Even obesity is inflammatory, because fat cells give off chemicals called cytokines that trigger inflammation.
Why is it a problem?
Chronic inflammation causes damage to the endothelial lining of arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. …show more content…
Inflammation can also be influenced by the foods you eat. Research has shown that certain foods trigger inflammation and others suppress it.
Some of the foods that are pro-inflammatory include:
Animal fats (corn-fed beef, dark meat and skin of poultry, pork, duck
Hydrogenated fats (trans fat)
Fried foods (fried in saturated,hydrogenated or polyunsaturated fats)
Sweets (sugar, candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream, donuts, sweet drinks)
Refined grains (white bread, pasta, white rice)
Processed foods (chips, crackers, fries, cold cuts, hot dogs, canned meats)
Dairy products (especially full fat milk, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, cream)
Some people may also need to avoid the nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers)
Here are some of the best anti-inflammatory foods:
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, trout and tuna (with omega 3 fatty acids)
Grass fed beef also contain some omega 3 fats (unlike corn-fed beef, mostly saturated fats)
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, flaxseed, almonds)
Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, avocados), by replacing polyunsaturated
When is inflammation a problem?
When inflammation lasts for long periods of time, we call it chronic, and it can cause problems. Some common causes of chronic inflammation include allergies, autoimmune disease, periodontal disease, arthritis and other diseases that activate the immune system over time. Even obesity is inflammatory, because fat cells give off chemicals called cytokines that trigger inflammation.
Why is it a problem?
Chronic inflammation causes damage to the endothelial lining of arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. …show more content…
Inflammation can also be influenced by the foods you eat. Research has shown that certain foods trigger inflammation and others suppress it.
Some of the foods that are pro-inflammatory include:
Animal fats (corn-fed beef, dark meat and skin of poultry, pork, duck
Hydrogenated fats (trans fat)
Fried foods (fried in saturated,hydrogenated or polyunsaturated fats)
Sweets (sugar, candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream, donuts, sweet drinks)
Refined grains (white bread, pasta, white rice)
Processed foods (chips, crackers, fries, cold cuts, hot dogs, canned meats)
Dairy products (especially full fat milk, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, cream)
Some people may also need to avoid the nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers)
Here are some of the best anti-inflammatory foods:
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, trout and tuna (with omega 3 fatty acids)
Grass fed beef also contain some omega 3 fats (unlike corn-fed beef, mostly saturated fats)
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, flaxseed, almonds)
Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, avocados), by replacing polyunsaturated