Inflammation: 9 Foods to Avoid & 5 Foods to Include

When you first hear "inflammation" you may think of the body's reaction to injury or infection where the affected area becomes swollen and red to help heal the problem. This type of inflammation is a good thing, and a response we count on to stay healthy.

Chronic inflammation - when the body's immune response to potentially harmful things does not stop - can be very harmful and lead to very serious health concerns such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.* Obesity, environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and the food we eat all play a role in the inflammatory responses in our bodies.

9 Inflammation Causing Foods:

Trans Fats - look for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated ingredients in the label and eliminate these options completely from your diet as they cause inflammation.

Sugar "increases advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs, resulting in damaged, cross-linked proteins."* These AGE proteins contribute to inflammation and the development of age-related chronic illnesses.

Refined Grains - more commonly known as "white carbohydrates" such as white bread, sub rolls, pizza dough, and bagels. These cause dangerous amounts of inflammation while offering no nutritional value and are best if avoided.

Red and Processed Meats - processed meats contain high levels of sodium nitrates, among other inflammatory causing ingredients, and red meats contain high amounts of arachidonic acid that can cause inflammation.

Alcohol is immediately metabolized into sugar and causes inflammation.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids - the imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the body leads to inflammation. Most Americans consume more omega-6s (soy, corn, and cottonseed oils) in their diet than omega-3s and it is recommended to reduce the consumption of these ingredients and switch to olive oils, fatty fish, and walnuts.

Dairy Products, especially those high in saturated fat, cause an inflammatory response.

Artificial Additives such as MSG or monosodium glutamate should always be avoided. Not only does MSG, along with the following, cause inflammation, they are harmful to your health and should be unconditionally avoided: Aspratame, acesulfame-K, Sucralose, high fructose corn syrup, olestra, artificial colors, and artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and EDTA.

Gluten - Aside from celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease itself, gluten causes inflammation in everyone whether they suffer from celiac disease or not. Limiting gluten intake is recommended to reduce the inflammatory response in the body.

5 Inflammation Fighting Foods:

Dark Leafy Greens - Kale, swiss chard, spinach, and collards all contain powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - To counteract the possible imbalance of omega-6s and omega-3s, it is recommended to consume foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout, fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is rich in polyphenols which protect your body from inflammation, and the monounsaturated fats it contains are also converted into anti-inflammatory agents.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods - Eating a diet rich in color is extremely beneficial for many reasons. The more color, the better. Some fruits and veggies packed with phytochemicals are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, squash, sweet potato, and turnip greens.*

Some Spices - Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric all have anti-inflammatory properties and are great to include in anything from your meals to smoothies and shakes.


References and Resources:
Dulan, Mitzi. "Top 5 Foods to Fight Inflammation." U.S. News Health. 8 Nov 2012. 
Klein, Sarah. "Inflammatory Foods: 9 of the Works Picks for Inflammation." The Huffington Post. 3 Mar 2013.
Daniluk, Julie. "When Food Causes You Pain." CNN. 20 July 2012.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight.

6 Tips from ACE for making weight management a
permanent part of your lifestyle. 

1. Weigh weekly. It's normal for body weight to fluctuate by a couple of pounds from day to day and from morning to night depending on fluid balance, meals eaten, clothes worn, medication, and health status. A weekly weigh-in allows you to track the trends without getting hung up on small fluctuations. Here's an easy-to-understand explanation for possible reasons for weight fluctuation.

2. Move as much as possible. Integrate physical activity into your daily life at every opportunity. Here are 9 Ways to Add Physical Activity to Your Day.

3. Create a healthy home environment. Set yourself up for success, only surround yourself with things that will help you reach your goal. Keep only healthy food in the house and plan your meals for the week or month to avoid last minute take-out. Also, keep your gym bad near the door and exercise equipment in plain view. Here are 5 Full-Body Exercises you can learn to and do anywhere to help you stay on-track.

4. Learn to cope effectively with stress. Times of increased stress put you at risk for backsliding to your old behaviors. Learn to change your perspective and respond mindfully to stressful situations instead of reacting. Here are some tips for Reducing Workplace Stress and how to start your own meditation routine.

5. Activate your social life. Integrating physical activity with your social life provides support for your active lifestyle and makes staying active fun and more likely. Here are 8 Ways to Get Fit and Be Social.

6. Keep a measuring tape handy.  The scale rarely tells the whole story, and reaching and maintaining a healthy "weight" is just a part of the battle. Measuring progress in other ways than the scale is an extremely important part of determining your overall level of success. Body fat composition is a great way to determine how much of your body is composed of fat, and if you don't have access to that type of testing, the next best thing is to take, and track, your measurements. Here's how to take your measurements.

5 Common Fitness Saboteurs and How to Defeat Them.

We all know life can be busy, stressful, and challenging at times, and these can quickly become excuses for putting exercise and health on the back burner. Learning how to navigate these tricky situations is the key to creating a life of healthy habits. Here are 5 common setbacks and some practical ways to overcome them.

5 Common Fitness Saboteurs and How to Defeat Them.