Does it seem as if everything you eat hurts your stomach? Or causes headaches? Or joint pain? Or fatigue? Or brain fog? It could be due to the amount of inflammation in the foods you’re eating.
Some Foods are Naturally High in Inflammatory Content
What does this mean?
Inflammation is your body’s response to anything it thinks is a foreign invader whether a virus, infection, bacteria, or certain foods. Some people have a more sensitive chemistry — maybe due to certain conditions such as autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.), infections, poor gut health, stress, etc. Their immune system thinks some things are inflammatory even if there isn’t a threat. So their body responds, causing various symptoms such as swollen and stiff joints, damage to internal tissue, headaches, stomachaches, and more. If you have these conditions or symptoms, try eating a low inflammatory diet. It just may help relieve the poor symptoms and help you feel better.
Foods that cause inflammation include the following:
Wheat, rye, barley – gluten is the protein in these grains that often causes symptoms
Dairy or milk products – often it’s the casein or milk protein causing problems
High fat red meats like ground beef, steaks – These can be fine if eaten moderately but if you’re having symptoms, these could contribute to your symptoms
Refined sugar – white sugar, candy, cookies, cake, need I say more?
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, Splenda (sucralose), Sweet-n-Low (saccharin)
Refined carbohydrates – foods with white flour such as bread, pasta, cookies, pastries, cakes, some breakfast cereals
Fried foods like French fries, fried chicken, fried hamburgers
Sodas or other sugary beverages, even fruit juices
Snacks such as fried potato chips, white flour crackers or pretzels,
Processed and cured meats like hot dogs, sausage, bacon, some deli meats – have additives and nitrates that can further aggravate symptoms
Margarine, shortening, and sometimes lard or animal fats
Coffee or regular tea – In some people coffee or tea can cause high inflammation; often it’s due to the caffeine so you could try decaf and see if you notice improvement
Choose these low inflammation foods instead:
Low carb vegetables and fruits such as green vegetables including spinach, chard, romaine, kale, collards and fruits like strawberries, blueberries
Lean meats like chicken, turkey, salmon (wild-caught); grass-fed meats
Pure water, green tea, stevia-sweetened drinks (some people can tolerate stevia, xylitol, or erythritol-sweetened drinks; others cannot)
Healthy snacks like nuts or seeds and nut butters including macademia, walnuts, almonds (but watch your portions – because too many nuts can cause inflammatory markers – 1 ounce or about 22 almonds is 1 serving)
Healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, avocados, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For your sweet tooth – occasional use of natural sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit
Organic coffee or green tea
The Key is to know your own body and what it can tolerate and thrive on. How do you do that? By trial and error or a food elimination diet. It’s not that hard to do. Contact me and I can explain more in detail.
I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a fellow autoimmune and digestive issue warrior. I have helped myself as well as clients using holistic nutrition and lifestyle strategies including mindset and spiritual health. Most of my clients are women over 40 who have fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, bloating, food sensitivities, and mood issues. I’d love to help you, too. Click here to set up a free 20-minute discovery session. We will see if we’d be a good fit together. You don’t have to do this alone. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
