Do you sometimes feel tired, have achy joints, or feel achy all over your body? You may think it's just fatigue. But the cause could be an unexplained inflammation in your body. This is closely related to what we eat and drink. So today, let's talk about what inflammation is, what foods increase it, and how we can stay healthy and avoid it.
Simply put, what is 'inflammation'?
Imagine that a microorganism, that is, a germ, enters your body. Then your body's immune system goes to work like an army. This army goes to fight that germ. As a result of this fight, that area becomes red, swollen, and feels hot. This is what we call ' inflammation '. This is actually a good process that heals the body.
But, here's the problem. Sometimes, even without any external germs, our body's immune system starts a fight for no reason. As if it's fighting its own cells. This is dangerous. This is what happens in some diseases like Ankylosing Spondylitis . This kind of chronic inflammation increases the risk of developing many diseases like joint pain, heart disease, and diabetes.
The good news is that we have a great deal of ability to control this unnecessary inflammation by changing our diet.
So, let's see what are the main foods that increase inflammation.
Some of the foods we indulge in in our daily lives are actually like little sparks that increase inflammation in our bodies. Take a look at this list and see if you're familiar with them.
| Food category | Why are these harmful to the body? (How do they cause inflammation?) | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Processed Foods | Trans fats are artificial oils that cause inflammation. They raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL). Look for "partially hydrogenated oils" on the label. | Packaged biscuits, cakes, snacks, some types of margarine. |
| Sugar and artificial sweeteners | Too much sugar causes the body to release inflammatory proteins called cytokines . Be careful of labels that say things like corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, and maltose. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame can also cause inflammation in some people. | Sugary drinks, sweet foods, toffee, chocolate, sugary cereals. |
| Processed and red meats | These types of meat are high in saturated fat, which is directly linked to inflammation in the body. | Sausages, Bacon, Ham, Salami, Meatballs, Beef, Pork. |
| Oils rich in Omega-6 | Although the body needs Omega-6, it must be balanced with Omega-3 . When we consume too much Omega-6 alone, it causes a response that increases inflammation. | Mayonnaise is made using sunflower oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and peanut oil. |
| Refined Carbohydrates | These have been stripped of much of their fiber and nutrients. This means they are digested quickly, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. This spike in sugar also causes inflammation in the body. | Bread (white bread), white rice, crackers, pasta, noodles (made with white flour), French fries. |
Let's take an example from everyday life?
Think about Kamal. Kamal eats a cereal with sugar in the morning. For lunch, he has chicken fried rice and sausage curry from the store. In the evening, he eats some cream cracker biscuits with the tea served at the office. For dinner, he eats bread.
Now look... this meal has almost everything we talked about above, right?
- Sugar and refined carbohydrates: Cereal, fried rice (white rice), crackers, bread.
- Processed meat: sausages.
- Omega-6 rich oil: The oil used to make fried rice.
It's not uncommon for Kamal to experience symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and body swelling when he continues to follow this type of diet.
Okay then, what should I do?
After reading this article, you may feel scared. "Oh, everything I eat is wrong." But don't worry. We can achieve big results with small changes.
1. Get into the habit of reading labels: When you buy something at the store, read the ingredients list. If there are words like "partially hydrogenated oils", "high-fructose corn syrup", "sucrose", reduce those things as much as possible.
2. Use simple substitutions:
- Instead of white bread, choose wholemeal bread, atta flour bread, or whole wheat bread .
- Eat red rice (brown rice) instead of white rice.
- Instead of sugary drinks, drink something like water, watermelon, orange, belimal, or ranawara .
- Instead of processed meat, add fresh fish, chicken (with skin removed), eggs, and legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and green beans to your diet.
- Use a healthy oil, such as extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, rich in omega-3s, in moderation for cooking.
3. Eat fresh things: Include as many fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your diet as possible. The antioxidants in these help reduce inflammation in the body.
4. Seek medical advice: If you have persistent joint pain, body aches, or other symptoms, be sure to see your family doctor for advice. It is possible that this inflammation is caused by another medical condition. Therefore, it is very important to get proper tests and treatment.
Take-Home Message
- Although inflammation in the body is sometimes a good thing, persistent inflammation can be the root of many diseases.
- The processed foods we eat, sugar, red meat, some oils, and refined carbohydrates are the main enemies that increase this inflammation.
- When buying something from the store, read the label and try to stay away from foods that contain unhealthy ingredients.
- You can control inflammation by adding fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy proteins to your diet.
- If you have persistent symptoms, don't guess, but definitely see a doctor for advice.
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