Our diets must contain plenty of anti-inflammatory nutrients, and as few as possible of the pro-inflammatory substances that commonly are found in foods. Below are 19 dietary causes for inflammation.
1. EATING WHEAT IN ANY FORM, EXCEPT FOR WHEAT GRASS JUICE
Wheat unfortunately is a very hybridized food today. It has a much lower zinc content, less protein and more glutamic acid, an inflammatory amino acid.
This combines to make wheat quite an irritating food, and one best avoided by everyone. This even includes organic, whole wheat and spelt in most cases.Our diets must contain plenty of anti-inflammatory nutrients, and as few as possible of the pro-inflammatory substances that commonly found in foods.
2. EATING SUGARS AND SWEETS OF ANY KIND
This includes natural sugars such as all fruit, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, and fruit or other sweet juices and other beverages.
Sugars tend to upset the blood sugar, upset calcium metabolism, deplete B vitamins and have many other pro-inflammatory effects.
3. DRINKING ALCOHOL IN ANY FORM
Chateau Haut Nouchet 2005
Alcohol depletes zinc and magnesium, two very important anti-inflammatory nutrients. It also depletes some B vitamins and perhaps other trace minerals. Alcohol also inflames the tissues because it is a physical irritant to the body tissues. Almost all alcoholic beverages also contain pesticide residues and other irritating chemicals. The worst, sadly, is usually wine.
Do not believe recent studies wherein it is shown that drinking 1-2 glasses of red wine each day may have certain health benefits for some people. Research wants us to believe that moderate red wine consumption may help protect against certain cancers and heart disease and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The dangers outweighs any benefits, specially since it was recently reported that 1 in 2 will get cancer ~ Josephine
4. CAFFEINE AND OTHER STIMULANTS
Coffees, especially more than one cup of coffee daily, is quite irritating to the stomach and perhaps other parts of the body. Even caffeinated teas and herbs such as maca are quite irritating.
5. CHOCOLATE CONTAINS A CAFFEINE-LIKE SUBSTANCE CALLED THEOBROMINE
Some herbs such as guarana and in fact, many herbs such as ginseng and others can be irritating, especially if used incorrectly or used for an extended period of time.
6. NOT ENOUGH COOKED VEGETABLES
Vegetables contain many anti-inflammatory nutrients including minerals, vitamins and others. Most people do not eat nearly enough cooked vegetables each day.
7. PASTEURIZED HOMOGENIZED AND OTHERWISE COOKED CHEESE, MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS
Dairy products contain some omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory. However, if the dairy product is pasteurized and homogenized, and worse – baked, fried, or even just heated more, any omega-3 fatty acids are usually destroyed. Unfortunately, these are the dairy products most people eat every day. Then they wonder why they develop arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
Dairy products should be eaten raw, if possible, and the cows or other animals should be free range and grass fed, not grain fed, so their milk is higher in omega-3 fatty acids. These products also supply plenty of vitamin D3, a powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient.
8. TOO MUCH RED MEAT
Red meats are high in iron. While we all need some iron, too much is highly inflammatory.
Most people need red meat only about twice to three times weekly. An exception is menstruating women who are losing a lot of iron each month. Ideally, meats should be grass fed (pasture-fed) and not grain fed, ideally. The grass fed meat contains much more omega-3 fatty acids.
9. FOOD CHEMICALS AND ADDITIVES
Many of these such as MSG, aspartame, food colors, preservatives and others are quite irritating.
10. THE NIGHTSHADES FAMILY OF VEGETABLES
These include tomatoes, red and white, and other potatoes, but not sweet potatoes, all peppers (both sweet and hot peppers) and eggplant.
Raw Foods are Often Irritating To the Digestive Tract for Many People, Especially Those with Digestive Disturbances
The exception is raw milk, raw cream, raw cheeses and raw yogurt or kefirs. However, other raw foods are often irritating because they contain fiber that is difficult to digest, and they often contain infective organisms, parasites and other things that are irritating to the body.
This is an important reason I advocate cooking food, except for raw dairy and 10-12 ounces of carrot juice daily.
11. COMMON TABLE SALT IS AN IRRITANT
These include tomatoes, red and white, and other potatoes, but not sweet potatoes, all peppers (both sweet and hot peppers) and eggplant.
Raw Foods are Often Irritating To the Digestive Tract for Many People, Especially Those with Digestive Disturbances
The exception is raw milk, raw cream, raw cheeses and raw yogurt or kefirs. However, other raw foods are often irritating because they contain fiber that is difficult to digest, and they often contain infective organisms, parasites and other things that are irritating to the body.
This is an important reason I advocate cooking food, except for raw dairy and 10-12 ounces of carrot juice daily.
11. COMMON TABLE SALT IS AN IRRITANT
Sea salt if far better and usually okay.
12. IRON-ENRICHED FOODS
Sea salt if far better and usually okay.
12. IRON-ENRICHED FOODS
These are mainly white flour and perhaps other refined foods often have added iron. Iron can be extremely irritating to the body.
13. CHLORINATED AND FLUORIDATED WATER
These poisons are also highly irritating to human tissues and the human digestive tract.
14. LESS COMMONLY FOODS CAN BE IRRITATING TO SOME PEOPLE
Foods that are heavily sprayed with pesticides may also cause significant irritation in susceptible individuals.
15. FISH
15. FISH
Especially tuna, salmon, shellfish and seafood, are somewhat irritating today in most cases due to their high mercury content. This accounts for some cases of so-called food poisoning from these foods.
Sardines, however, are high in omega-3 fatty acids and have some vitamin D3 and other superb anti-inflammatory substances as iodine. Meanwhile, they are quite low in mercury and other pro-inflammatory toxic metals.
16. VEGETARIAN DIETS
Most vegetarian diets are low in a number of anti-inflammatory nutrients including calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D3. These are very difficult to obtain in large quantity, especially with a vegan diet.
If one is willing to eat raw dairy products and eggs, this is much less of a problem. However, meats are one of the few good sources of zinc, as well as other essential anti-inflammatory nutrients such as taurine.
17. SKIPPED BREAKFAST AND OTHER POOR EATING HABITS
This can add significant stress to the body. The body may literally go into a fight-or-flight reaction due to hunger in these cases.
Regular, quiet, sit down meals, and eating slowly, chewing thoroughly and resting for at least 10-20 minutes after the meal is soothing for the digestive system and the body as a whole.
18. DRINKING DURING MEAL
This can add significant stress to the body. The body may literally go into a fight-or-flight reaction due to hunger in these cases.
Regular, quiet, sit down meals, and eating slowly, chewing thoroughly and resting for at least 10-20 minutes after the meal is soothing for the digestive system and the body as a whole.
18. DRINKING DURING MEAL
Other practices to avoid are eating or drinking very hot or very cold foods or beverages, drinking a lot of water or other beverages with meals, and getting upset at mealtime. Wait to eat if you are very anxious or upset. Avoid noisy restaurants or upsetting conversation at mealtime for best digestion.
19. A DIET LOW IN ANTI-OXIDANTS
An important cause of inflammation in the body is damage from free radicals or singlet oxygen atoms. This is also called oxidant damage. Many foods contain substances that counteract this damage to some degree. Such substances are called anti-oxidants. Hundreds of them exist. Cooked vegetables, in particular, contain hundreds of others such as flavinoids, xanthines, colors found in red, orange, yellow, blue and green foods, in particular, and many others. Sadly, many people’s diets do not contain enough of these substances, and this is one cause of inflammation.
Sources: Dr. Lawrence Wilson
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