Further Reducing Inflammation
As promised, I want to discuss further ways to reduce inflammation.
Before I do that, let’s talk a bit more about how inflammation affects our bodies.
Inflammation is our immune system’s primary weapon against foreign invaders. Is it surprising to know that only one layer of cells separates your immune system from the contents of your gut?!
This means that taking care of our gut is crucial to our health.
Therefore, we need to first talk about the microbiota (good and bad bacteria in your digestive tract). A healthy, balanced gut microbiota promotes a strong immune system and lower levels of chronic inflammation. An unhealthy microbiota has been linked to weight gain, asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disorders like celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Increasingly, chronic inflammation is also thought to be a root cause of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
Because everything we eat comes into contact with our microbiota, a diet of refined, heavily processed foods can knock the microbiota out of balance. The relationship between food and the microbiota is a two-way street: The food we eat affects the composition of our microbiota, and the composition of our microbiota affects how we digest and absorb our food.
I don’t love the phrase, “You are what you eat," but I do believe what we eat does affect our health.
An excellent place to start is by eating lots of fruit and vegetables, lean organic meats (when possible), whole grains, beans, and lentils (for a more detailed list, please click here.
Yogurt and fiber (beans, lentils, oatmeal) are beneficial foods for promoting good bacteria in the gut. When doctors prescribe antibiotics, they also suggest taking a probiotic or eating yogurt. This is because antibiotics kill our good bacteria, so we must replenish them with food and supplements.
Tip: Start slowly if you aren't already eating a high-fiber diet. Eating too much too soon can cause gas and discomfort. Once your gut is used to the additional fiber, your microbiota can flourish and inflammation can calm down.
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