One thing that most people do not realize today is that inflammation is the leading cause or worsening reason for MOST chronic health issues. In fact, when I have consults or start working with clients with things like weight issues, diabetes or pre-diabetes, allergies, asthma, anxiety, headaches/migraines, arthritis or pains, heart issues, cholesterol and more they are SHOCKED to learn that lowering inflammation through diet and lifestyle will literally alleviate all their problems and underlying conditions.
What is inflammation?
This is a NECESSARY process that helps the body heal. HOWEVER, it is meant to be just that – a temporary process that helps the body heal from illness or injury and then stop. Constant inflammation in the body will cause cellular disruption, metabolic disruption, improper cellular growth and more problems.
We are often trapped in an inflammatory cycle today in our body that never ends. Thus making us susceptible to germ illness, as well as chronic disease. We need to learn what CAUSES inflammation and how to keep it as low as possible and allow it to work FOR us instead of against us.
2 Steps to Beginning to Lower Inflammation
Step 1 – Stop eating processed foods
The chemicals, additives and lack of nutrients allow for inflammation to flourish. (Learn more about what those are here.) Chemicals and additives cause an immune response thus creating inflammation. Then as we continue to eat these things there is just more and more response. We never give our body a chance to calm down and decrease inflammation. We also need nutrient dense foods for this reason. We need to arm our bodies with the nutrients it needs to lower inflammation and give it a chance to rest.
By eating whole foods (skip the packages, boxes, bagged stuff) we provide many macronutrients (healthy fats, protein, and healthy carbs) as well as loads of vitamins and minerals. These are things like a LOT of vegetables (any that are tolerable to you), fresh fruit, properly sourced meat (grass fed, finished, pastured, free range, wild caught), and a lot of water daily, and more!
Step 2 – Eat Healthy Fats
This is one of the BIGGEST issues I see today. People are TERRIFIED to eat fat, and those that do eat fat eat the HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY types of fat. It’s the truth. Learn more about healthy cooking oils here.
Highly inflammatory fats include vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, other random seed oils. These are HIGHLY processed and oxidize in our bodies creating rancid fats that damage our cells. Your choices for cooking should include REAL butter (not margarine or alternatives – those are also highly damaging in fat content), olive oil on low heat or no heat, avocado oil, up to medium high heat, coconut oil (up to high heat), ghee (high heat non dairy), tallow (high heat). Other fat choices that help with healthy omega 3 are fish and seafood. Choose wild caught. These also have amazing proteins. You can also have a good fat profile from properly raised animals – such as grass fed and finished beef, pastured chickens and eggs, wild animals. You are what you eat – quite literally. If the animal of choice was raised off of junk food, candy (this is true – check out Mark Hyman’s book – Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?), GMO corn and feed, that mess gets passed right along to you in their fat and meat.
You want your veggies to taste amazing? Add a healthy dressing with healthy fat, or cook in butter, or another healthy fat from above. Spice them up to match your dish and vegetables will become something you CRAVE!
It is SIMPLE! No really don’t over think this.
The funny thing it really IS this simple. It is this simple even if you already have a chronic diagnosis like lupus, MS, heart issues, diabetes and more. This is where you start. Does each person need something a little different, extra or maybe removing problem foods? Yes probably. That is what I do with clients. So a third step may be for you to reach out to me! I help you sort out foods that work for YOUR body and lifestyle, and those that are CAUSING you problems. I had a client come to me trying very hard for many years, using a VERY popular lifestyle diet that today seems like a nice “clean” way to eat. Since starting that amazing thing that many people live MANY years on her health got WORSE! That’s right. It seemed like an amazing thing (and for some people it might be) but it wreaked havoc on her body and she came with fat processing needs, detox needs and sugar issues (NUMBER ONE). How can something touted as so healthy not work for someone? I see it every day. You can get a free consult here.
To be honest though the transition to this lifestyle of cooking your meals at home, and what foods to choose and how DOES need support. So get some! I am here for you. I have a low paid program coming up that will help you with the process itself. It starts January 10. Registration and more information can be found on this page here. Get the support for change, and if you need even more 1:1 I am here.
Sources: Food Rules by Catherine Shanahan MD.
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