Foods to Avoid for a Healthier, Inflammation-Free Life

January 9, 2025

Foods to Avoid for a Healthier, Inflammation-Free Life

Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
09 January, 2025

Your diet is a very important aspect to concentrate on if you want to live a long and healthy life. Just eating food won’t cut it- you will need to nourish your body with the right kinds of food. The Indian diet is one such treasure trove of high quality spices and produce- all of which are very rich in antioxidants and help prevent long term inflammation in your body. What is inflammation though? The immune system reacts in a certain way to a particular problem. When this issue is chronic, you will always have some form of inflammation happening behind the scenes. It normally tends to increase with age too. Certain food groups can cause more inflammation than others. So, let us learn more about them all and also try to understand why the older generations used to be more healthy and retain much of their vitality for many decades longer than us at present.

Top Inflammatory Foods And Their Effects-

Inflammation happens due to a particular cause- like an excess of a particular compound in the body or due to wounds healing, among other factors. So, inflammation is very necessary for us to ward off infections and stay healthy. But too much of it is bad for you. If your body is in a constant state of inflammation, your healthy cells and tissues could get affected. This could result in metabolic issues like diabetes, hormonal problems, fat accumulation and because your immune system is working in overdrive throughout, even initiating an auto-immune disease like rheumatoid arthritis (chronic joint pain). Foods that seem to increase the rate of this phenomenon constitute a pro-inflammatory diet. Some common examples include eating lots of sugary, salty stuff, trans-fats and highly processed items that are typically full of calories but provide no real nutritional value. This is especially true when you eat them alone and do not include fresh veggies, fruits and healthier options to your routine.

How Sugar Causes Inflammation In The Body-

Too much glucose can cause your pancreas to work overtime and produce high amounts of insulin. Over time however, your cells won’t retain their sensitivity to insulin and become resistant. You can also gain too much weight if you lead a sedentary life. When sugars combine with fats and proteins, it can form hard to break down products, which are harmful for your body in their own right. Your gut has billions of microbes living in it and the balance between the good guys and the bad ones can go awry, leading to issues like leaky gut syndrome, IBS etc. It can obviously cause your teeth to rot too. This is called periodontal inflammation.

Can Gluten Cause Inflammation In The Body-

Some people are sensitive to certain foods and food groups. Gluten is one such item that is very commonly found in bread, biscuits, snacks, rotis, or literally anything that utilises wheat as the main ingredient. When you have celiac disease, you are allergic to gluten and consumption can leave you feeling very nauseous, bloated or even lead to diarrhoea. Eating a gluten free diet is super important for these people to remain asymptomatic and enjoy a good quality of life. Long term effects of inflammation include leaky gut syndrome, IBS, inflammation all over the body- in the joints, heart, brain etc. among other issues.

Conclusion

Inflammation is a common response that your immune system uses to deal with everything from a food allergy to an infection to what not. In fact, every symptom you have – like a fever, diarrhoea, constipation- is all due to some cause that exacerbates inflammatory pathways in your cells. Though these kinds tend to go away when you get better, it is not always going to be like that. With age, your bodily processes won’t work as well as before and eating a pro-inflammatory diet can make matters worse. So, take care to eat the good stuff- like fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, oils like sesame or mustard or ghee and try to avoid refined oils, which are heavily processed. Not exercising is also obviously bad for you, so stay active. Lastly, it is always better for you to concentrate on changing your diet and making better choices, rather than eating specific foods and hoping for the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common foods that cause chronic inflammation?

Oily, salty, sugary, processed foods that contain lots of preservatives and stuff you can’t even pronounce properly are bad for you. Stick to freshly prepared foods, always.

How does sugar contribute to inflammation in the body?

Too much glucose can cause metabolic issues in your body and cause chronic inflammation in your body.

What types of oils should I avoid to reduce inflammation?

Vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, corn or safflower oils are all bad as they have lots of Omega-6 fatty acids in them. Stick to indigenous varieties like mustard, sesame or ghee for better health as they have high amounts of good fats in them.

Can avoiding dairy products help with inflammation?

Research has shown that milk by itself doesn’t cause inflammation, unless you are lactose intolerant- in which case looking for alternatives is better. Having low fat dairy should be fine for most of us.

What is the connection between refined carbs and inflammation?

Refined carb- rich foods are inherently low in fibre and nutritional value, but will fill you up. So, try to eat veggies, fruits and whole grains for that fibrous goodness and watch your gut get better in no time. Portion control is also a key element to consider, always.