Common Inflammation Triggers
More and more, research is linking food to disease. We know that certain foods are definitely not healthy, while others shown to promote healing.
But there are also some foods—mainly the majority of those that make up the standard American diet—that can be considered “inflammatory foods.”
Today, there are food additives in pretty much anything that isn’t organic. And now, we are starting to realize that even some foods that would otherwise seem “natural” can also be triggers.
These inflammatory triggers include such things as refined sugar, chemical additives, GMOs, artificial dyes and anything processed. All of these essentially trigger inflammation in your gut and can lead to devastating health issues.
The Biggest Cause of Inflammation
Food and chemicals are not the only triggers.
Stress is one of the biggest causes of inflammation.
Probably one of the reasons we don’t always link stress to disease is that it takes time for it to wreak havoc on our bodies. But anyone who has been under long-term stress will tell you that is can be deadly.
Eventually, your body starts give out and break down. But now that you know this, you can limit the damage by recognizing the 14 most common signs of inflammation before they get out of hand.
14 Warning Signs of Inflammation
- Chronic fatigue
- Acne
- Food cravings
- Binge eating
- Unexplainable weight gain (not associated with eating more)
- Bloating
- Water retention
- Diarrhea or constipation
- High blood pressure
- Ulcers
- Joint pain
- Stiffness
- Flushing
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
How To Treat Inflammation Naturally
Diet is the most important thing to look at when addressing inflammation. Before the onslaught of drugs to treat everything imaginable, food was considered medicine.
Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” These are words to live by, literally.
The only caveat is that the food must be fresh, unprocessed and as natural as possible. The type of food you eat also determines the types of microbes that will grow and live in your gut.
Good microbes are essential for proper digestion and absorption of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients in your food. Processed foods are the main cause of inflammation, so you will need to start by eliminating all of these from your diet.
Refined sugar and wheat are also big contributors. And if you have food sensitivities, which is highly likely if you have inflammation, foods such as gluten, and cow’s milk can trigger further inflammation. (4)
A diet based on fresh, mostly raw vegetables, salads, good sources of protein, such as eggs, seafood, organic or grass-fed meat and poultry, as well as healthy fats that include omega-3 fats, fresh fruit and plenty of nuts and seeds (again raw is better) and plenty of probiotics, is what is going to heal inflammation for good. As a good rule of thumb, try to avoid any food that comes pre-packaged.
There are also many foods that have been shown to be especially good for fighting inflammation. Choosing as many of these as possible will help to speed the healing process.