Guest guest Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Anti-Inflammatory Diet - Foods and Inflammation From Shereen Jegtvig,Your Guide to Nutrition. Can the Foods You Eat Make a Difference in Chronic Pain? What is Inflammation? Inflammation is defined as a localized reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, swelling, red coloration to the area, and sometimes loss of movement or function. We commonly think of inflammation as the painful component of arthritis. Inflammation is also a component of chronic diseases such as heart disease and strokes. Medical Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Common medical anti-inflammatory treatments include rest, light exercise, weight maintenance, stretching, and medications designed to reduce the inflammation and control the pain. These medications include Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), steroid medications, and perhaps ultimately joint replacement surgery. The NSAIDs are widely used as the initial form of therapy. For the most part NSAIDs are tolerated fairly well, although they can irritate the stomach and lead to ulcers. In some instances, long term use can lead to kidney problems. Inflammatory Foods The foods you eat play an important roll in how you feel. Loading up on junk foods and fast foods tend to make you feel worse due to the unhealthy fats that are used in the cooking processes. Junk foods also usually contain ingredients that can irritate inflammation. Red meat, eggs, and wheat products all contain something called arachidonic acid. While some arachidonic acid is essential for your health, too much arachidonic acid in the diet will make your inflammation worse. Junk and processed foods often contain too much sugar too. Anecdotal evidence suggests that excessive consumption of sugars and refined starchy carbohydrates like white flour can also aggravate inflammation. Another possible source of irritation are plants from the nightshade family. Nightshade Plants While whole fruits and vegetables are important for their vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants, some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant may actually make inflammation worse. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine. Solanine can trigger inflammation in some people and nightshade plants should be avoided to see if your pain and inflammation improves. Water And Dehydration One big factor in pain is dehydration. When you do not drink enough water, you hurt and inflammation feels worse. Make sure to drink at least 60 to 80 ounces of water every day. Avoid heavy caffeine and alcohol consumption because they contain diuretics that may cause your body to lose water. Delayed Food Allergies Many people have delayed reactions to foods that will increase inflammation and pain. These type of “food allergies” are not really allergies like hayfever, but they do involve the immune system and can make pain and inflammation much worse. Frequently the underlying problem is due to faulty digestion or excessive consumption of any particular food. Most any food that is consumed more than 4 days a week can be suspected as a possible allergen, but some of the more common allergic foods are milk and dairy, wheat, corn, eggs, beef, yeast, and soy. Even healthy foods can cause problems. There are blood tests that can be performed, or elimination diets that can be undertaken to determine the allergic foods. Next: Change your Diet to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Can the Foods You Eat Make a Difference in Chronic Pain? Change Your Diet to an Anti-inflammatory Diets The common western high fat, high red meat, high processed food diet is likely to increase inflammation while a healthy diet low made up of whole foods can actually help to decrease inflammation and pain. Start by avoiding sugars, processed foods, and junk food whenever possible. Choose fresh foods including anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and vegetables. Anti-Inflammatory Foods Essential Fatty Acids, Fats, and OilsAdding anti-inflammatory foods that contain the right type of fats in your diet will impact pain and inflammation in a positive way. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are found in cold water oily fish, walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds and will help to reduce inflammation. Adding omega 3 essential fatty acid supplements with flax oil or fish oil capsules may also help reduce inflammation, just be sure to speak with a doctor or nutritionist before taking larger, therapeutic doses of any supplements. Olive oil is another type of oil that won't promote inflammation. In fact, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and will help to reduce pain. Other healthy oils include canola oil, grapeseed oil, and walnut oil. ProteinProtein is needed to build healthy body tissues. Good protein choices include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats. When you do eat red meat, choose grass-fed, low fat bison, venison and other game meats. Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation. Carbohydrates and FiberStay away from the starchier carbohydrates like pastas and white breads and you should avoid sugar too. Choose green leafy vegetables, green and brightly colored vegetables and lots of fresh whole fruits. Berries are a great choice, especially blueberries and strawberries which are packed with anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. Apples and red onions are great sources of quercetin, which has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Green vegetables and whole fruits are also important as sources of dietary fiber. Oats and oatmeal contain beneficial fiber too. Anti-Inflammatory Diet Tips Over all, when you are choosing anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips: · Breakfast could be oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts, with a cup of soy milk. · Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead of cookies and candy. · Eat more fish and less fatty red meat. · Stay away from deep fried foods and bake or stir fry your meals instead. · Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes. · Drink plenty of water, fresh 100% juices, herbal teas, and green tea. Use this Nutrition and Calorie Guide for Men and Women to help you determine how many calories you need each day. Maintaining a healthy weight is another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Tom, thanks for the information about " anti-inflammatory eating. " I have never been able to stay on the Best Bet or Swank diets, because they're so restrictive and boring, but I have been on the Gold Coast Cure for the last three months. It's based on the Swank diet, but it more flexible and gives you more choices. You're even allowed a little sugar (natural, of course) everyday. Although I know I'm also feeling better because the weather is cooler, I think the diet may be contributing. My energy level is better and--miracle of miracles--I've lost weight. Hope you're doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 Hi , Your welcome, I am doing well and things quite similar to what you are doing. Regards, Tom [low dose naltrexone] Re: foods > Tom, thanks for the information about " anti-inflammatory eating. " I > have never been able to stay on the Best Bet or Swank diets, because > they're so restrictive and boring, but I have been on the Gold Coast > Cure for the last three months. It's based on the Swank diet, but it > more flexible and gives you more choices. You're even allowed a little > sugar (natural, of course) everyday. Although I know I'm also feeling > better because the weather is cooler, I think the diet may be > contributing. My energy level is better and--miracle of miracles--I've > lost weight. > > Hope you're doing well. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I agree about soy. I also think that beef has gotten a bad rap. A lean piece of steak has many healthy elements that human bodies need. For burgers I buy 94% lean hamburger meat, and there is not even any fat left in the pan (grill pan). Roni <>Just because something isn't seen doesn't mean it's not there<> From: <res075oh@...> Subject: Re:Foods hypothyroidism Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 11:15 AM I personally have a very negative attitude toward soy for human consumption. If you put " soy toxins " into Google you will probably get half a million hits and if you follow up on some of them you will learn quite a bit. The list of harmful items in it and the negative effects upon your health are well documented; although there are also many advocates who are totally unaware of same. One of my major grips with soy is that " big agra " took a product known to be unfit for human consumption and spent many millions of dollars in adverting to convince you that not only is soy not harmful but that it is actually a health food. It was IMHO one of the most successful ad campaigns of all time. Countless numbers of health food consumers have fallen for that spiel hook, line and sinker. Taking out most of the poisons that are just naturally harmful to you is not my idea of a food product that is good for you. The sad fact is that you CANNOT avoid soy unless you grow your own food or only eat unprocessed food that you prepare yourself. Well over half of the food items in your grocery store contain soy, and often may not tell you about it. You''ll get far more than you need even if you try to avoid it altogether IMHO. Luck, .. .. > > Posted by: " MSE " knockneed@... > <mailto:knockneed@...?Subject=%20Re%3AFoods> knockneed > <knockneed> > > > Wed Jul 1, 2009 12:29 pm (PDT) > > > > I'm really unclear on the soy issues for thyroid sufferers. I want to go > back to eating the veggie burgers and such and all they say is " contains > soy " or contains " soy protein " . Can anyone guess if the soy in these > burgers has been fermented - which I understand is the only way we should > consume it. > > When I asked my holistic doc, she said that its nonsense that we can't eat > it - as long as we don't eat it within two hours of having taken thyroid > meds. > > Ur advice or experience appreciated! > Tks > > -- > mse ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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