Controlling Inflammation

Inflammation seems to be the buzz word these days.  Article after article about inflammation and current diseases keep coming out.  According to Barbara Mendez, R.Ph., M.S., “Everything is related to inflammation!  It can cause skin conditions, allergies, headaches, very painful menstrual periods, chronic diseases…everything.”

Short term inflammation is what our bodies are supposed to do, but chronic or long term inflammation are at the root of most diseases. Inflammation happens when your immune system is provoked by an irritant.  Irritants can be a variety of things.  Link when you injure yourself which you recognize by swelling and pain, environmental toxins can cause inflammation or you can be eating a food that you are sensitive to such as dairy, eggs and gluten for examples and cause inflammation.

Signs of chronic inflammation can be skin issues such as rashes, hives, acne, psoriasis, and eczema.  Digestive issues such as alternating constipation or diarrhea, painful gas, indigestion acid reflux and heartburn and bloating can all be signs of inflammation.  Nasal congestion, asthma, allergies or breathing issues again all possible inflammation in the body.   If you look up inflammation on the internet, health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, COPD, diabetes and heart disease are all named to be linked to inflammation.   How many people do you know that are battling one or more of the above named conditions?

Our lifestyle can be directly related to the inflammation state of our body – high stress, inactivity and the foods we eat.  Aside from all the preservatives, chemicals, artificial colorings and flavorings,  trans-fats and sugar which all cause inflammation, certain foods themselves are also highly inflammatory such as dairy, too much meat, and eggs or any foods that you have developed a food sensitivity to.  And with the changes in the foods we eat over the past 50 years, food sensitivities are showing up at alarming rates now including gluten, wheat, soy as well as others.

By changing your diet and lifestyle you can make a huge difference in cutting inflammation.

Some of the foods that help decrease inflammation in the body include:

Leafy greens, healthy fats to include fatty fish, broccoli, berries, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and spices to include ginger and turmeric.

Sometimes just the act of cutting out processed foods and including 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables can produce amazing results.  And if you are a tough case, an elimination diet can sometimes also be helpful to pinpoint if you have any foods that are causing irritation thus causing inflammation.

If you or someone you know is struggling and needs guidance on eating healthy and decreasing inflammation in their body, please don’t hesitate contacting me at devi@simplywholebydevi.com.  I myself have had to do an elimination diet with great results and can walk you through one too!