Weight gain is so easy and weight loss can be very difficult. It’s not always as simple as calories in and calories out when it comes to weight gains and losses. The types of foods we consume are not only a contributing factor in weight gain but they may be harmful to our health in other ways. Some foods can set off a domino effect inside your body that can, aside from weight gain, cause your body to attack itself.

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to a perceived threat. This is great for a cut, scrape, or a sprained ankle, but there are various foods that can be seen as a threat and cause an overreactive inflammatory response as well. So, if you are having trouble shedding pounds or find yourself accumulating pounds too easily, your diet may be responsible.

Review the following 14 foods, if they are go-tos in your diet, they may be wreaking havoc on your waistline and health by causing chronic inflammation. At the end of this list, I will share with you ways you can reduce inflammation and promote overall health and weight loss.

When there is chronic inflammation, or an ongoing state of inflammation in your body, it becomes nearly impossible to lose weight, and gaining weight becomes all too easy. This happens in a few ways:

• Inflammation can interfere with the hormones that signal your brain that you’ve had enough to eat, thus causing you to overeat.
• Inflammation can cause damage to your gut lining, leading to what is called “leaky gut”, a condition linked to weight gain.
• With chronic inflammation the body may become resistant to insulin, thus demanding the pancreas to release more of it, and thereby cause extra fat storage.

So which foods should you avoid, and what can you do to reduce inflammation?

Refined Flour

Refined flour and refined carbohydrates, trigger inflammatory responses within the body. In processing refined foods fiber is removed, which would normally be used by the body for controlling blood sugar and boosting good bacteria in your gut. Refined flour not only triggers inflammatory responses in general, but it also increases the bad bacteria within your gut, thereby increasing the risk of weight gain and bowel diseases, both of which contribute to inflammation. Essentially refined flour and carbohydrates can cause a never ending cycle of inflammation and health concerns that contribute to inflammation.

Refined Sugar

Added or refined sugars such as sucrose and high fructose corn syrup are found in numerous foods, there are more than you think, some you wouldn’t even consider. These sugars cause chronic inflammation and can lead to disease. The consumption of these sugars has led to various cancers and insulin resistance, both attribute to inflammation. Even natural sugars like fructose, found in fruits, when consumed in large amounts can contribute to inflammation.

Candies, sodas, pastries, and cereals are all filled with refined sugars that cause inflammation.

Artificial Sweeteners

If you have been following me for anytime, you may recall my blog about, pink, yellow, or blue. These sweeteners are known to alter the balance of good to bad bacteria within the gut thus triggering inflammatory responses. What is worse and frightening is the history of artificial sweeteners. After all, artificial means fake without a doubt. Some of these sweeteners were discovered in a lab by “accident” when scientists were aiming for an entirely different outcome. In the case of aspartame, they were looking for an ulcer treatment.

Although considered safe to consume by the FDA, you know my thoughts about them, if you are a follower, these artificial sweeteners should be avoided at all costs. These man made ingredients are unable to be processed by the body and can cause disease and harm through chronic inflammation.

Vegetable Oils

Vegetable oils are often overlooked as many people think, oh I don’t cook with vegetable oil, so I’m okay. But hold up, wait a minute, consider these two facts.

1. Vegetable oil is found in chips, sauces, dressings, breads, etc.
2. Vegetable oils include soy, corn (canola), safflower, sunflower, and palm oils.

All of these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids which are known to cause inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids are recommended as a healthy fat to counteract and reduce inflammation in the body.

Fried Foods

As health conscious as I am, every now and then, I get a craving for some fried chicken, and of course the almighty french fry. I do use olive or peanut oil to fry them with, if that’s any saving grace. In general these foods are cooked in inflammation causing vegetable oils. Fried foods also contain a compound that is formed when cooked at high temperatures that increase inflammation. It has been shown when people omit fried foods and processed meats from their diets, inflammation decreases in their body.

Processed Meats

Processed meats include items such as, hot dogs, deli meats, sausage, jerk, and bacon. These meats not only are generally made from red meats that are loaded with saturated fat, (an inflammatory fat), but they also contain something called advanced glycation end products (AGE”s). These inflammatory compounds are formed when meats are cooked at extremely high temperature, dried, smoked, and pasteurized.

Many times processed meats are also made or injected with artificial colorings, flavorings, and preservatives that are all known to cause inflammation. Processed meats are specifically linked to colon cancer as a result of chronic inflammation.

Grain Fed Meats

Consuming chicken, beef, or pork can all cause inflammation when these meat products are grain-fed. In our bigger, better, hurry up world, grain-fed animals are pumped full of antibiotics to keep them healthy, and hormones to speed up their rate of growth. Have you noticed the weight of our children who regularly eat these foods? When we eat these products, such hormones and antibiotics cause an overreaction on our immune system, causing an inflammatory response.

These meats are also higher in omega-6 fatty acids due to their grain and soy intake, compounding the inflammatory effects on our body.

DAIRY

Some dairy products like milk, yogurt, and some cheeses have long been considered as healthy diet staples. However their saturated fat content can be a cause of inflammation. Full fat dairy products can decrease the levels of beneficial bacteria within the gut, thus destroying the agents used to fight inflammation. The sugar content of many dairy products is also something to be aware of, as these sugars are contributors of inflammation.

ALCOHOL

One or two drinks depending on the alcoholic beverage, won’t put you in danger of inflammation. In fact, practices such as drinking a glass of red wine regularly are known to boost heart health. However, when we’re talking about two or more drinks, or sugar-laden cocktails that contain more additives than alcohol, these can be detrimental to your health by causing inflammation.

When you consume too much alcohol, toxins are created as your body attempts to break down the booze. These toxins can lead to chronic inflammation, damage to your liver, and your immune system.

Artificial Food Additives

In today’s world what we know as food is not always real food. Artificial colorings and flavorings, have found their way into what is referred to as food. Remember, artificial means fake, here in America, many of our foods contain petroleum based additives that are used to thicken or hold together certain products.

Cereals, candies, and ice cream for example all contain additives (coloring, flavoring, and emulsifying agents), that are linked to chronic inflammation, hormone disruption, hyperactivity, weight gain, and much more.

Trans Fat

Trans fats are totally man made. Yet trans fats like partially hydrogenated oils are found in more and more foods. As they are not natural, trans fats are unable to be processed accurately by the body. Your body is designed to digest, but when it encounters something foreign, like trans fats, this stimulates an inflammatory response. These trans fats cause inflammation by damaging the cells in the lining of the blood vessels.

Some foods to avoid due to their trans fat content are deep fried foods, donuts, cookies, and muffins.

Gluten

There are gluten free products everywhere as over the last decade the recognition of the potential for gluten allergies or intolerance have made its way into the headlines. But, you don’t have to have a gluten allergy for your body to experience inflammation due to gluten. There are many store bought breads that contain gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that acts as a bonding agent to hold these foods together and maintain their shape.

The problem is, many of these breads are now made with a few shortcuts, or incorporate lab made processes that allow for shortcuts. When the fermentation process of yeast is shortened in these practices, the starches and gluten that the yeast would normally pre-digest remain, thus creating inflammation in your digestive tract as your body attempts to digest the gluten.

Fast Foods

Growing up, we rarely went to McDonalds, except for a special treat. Now kids are fed Mickey D’s and any other fast food joint regularly. As if the methods of preparation (as mentioned above in deep fried foods) aren’t enough, even the packaging most fast foods are wrapped in can cause inflammation.

Most fast food packaging contains phthalates. This chemical, (similar to BPA), is leached into the food and becomes toxic to your body as you eat it. These chemical toxins are known as endocrine disruptors as they interfere with your body’s hormones, potentially causing health concerns and disease.

Reducing Inflammation

If you are experiencing weight gain due to chronic inflammation, the good news is you can do something about it. Try the following practices or solutions to reduce inflammation for weight loss and overall health.

• Pass On The Additives And Artificials

We just reviewed the 14 specific foods, additives, and/or categories of food that can cause or contribute to chronic inflammation. The dangers of these cannot be stressed enough. Chemical additives, artificial sweeteners, and artificial products used in making “foods” wreak havoc on your health. Everything from artificial colorings, flavorings, so-called stabilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), artificial sugars and more can cause chronic inflammation that leads to multiple health concern’s, complications, and disease.

Look for real whole foods, or foods that use natural products to create colors and flavors. For example, instead of red dye, look for products that use beet juice(you won’t taste it) for coloring.

Choose natural sweeteners like real cane sugar or zero calorie sweeteners made from real sources like stevia as opposed to artificial lab made sweeteners. When you can’t buy fresh, whole foods, always check the label and follow the less is more rule.

• The fewer ingredients the better
• The fewer letters in the words on that ingredient list the better

If you’re seeing ingredients with names that incorporate nearly all the letters in the alphabet, play a little anagram game and spell inflammation with those letters. If it doesn’t sound like it came from a farm, it could do you harm.

• Add in Anti-Inflammatory Foods To Your Diet

Along with ditching foods that cause inflammation, you can add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Foods that are rich in anti-oxidants boost your health by fighting oxidative stress within your body. They are able to prevent disease, and repair the damage done to your body by those inflammation causing foods. Consider incorporating healthy meals and snacks using the following anti-inflammatory foods:

• Berries (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard)
• Broccoli
• Almonds and walnuts
• Dark chocolate and cocoa
• Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines)
• Cherries
• Turmeric and ginger
• Green tea and matcha tea

• REDUCE STRESS

Stress is a huge contributor to chronic inflammation. When you’re experiencing inflammation, your body can’t effectively eliminate it while in a state of stress. Try incorporating stress relief practices to reduce stress and inflammation:

• Journaling
• Going for a walk
• Meditation
• Mindful breathing
• Talking with a friend or therapist

• GET HEALTHY SLEEP

Healthy sleep is crucial, but often overlooked, when it comes to weight loss. This is due to the fact that our bodies need restful sleep to reduce inflammation. Inversely, lack of sleep can lead to inflammation. I am not referring to just lying in bed for the recommended hours each night. Incorporate the following practices to ensure your body cycles through the appropriate sleep stages each night, thereby granting restful, regenerative sleep to fight inflammation and weight gain.

• Seek to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep each night.
• Incorporate a bedtime routine each evening to prepare your body for restful sleep.
• Turn off electronics 2 hours prior to bedtime.
• Don’t consume caffeine after 2 pm.
• Practice mindful breathing exercises prior to bed.
• Keep your bedroom free of clutter, dark, cool (60-67 degrees is recommended), and comfortable.
• Skip late night heavy snacks or meals.
• Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each evening and morning.

• EXERCISE REGULARLY

From a brisk walk to a workout, exercising regularly can reduce inflammation. Not only does exercise promote healthy sleep and reduce stress, but it also aids in weight loss and fat loss, both needed to decrease inflammation in adipose tissue, which can reduce overall inflammation in the body. Exercise also increases muscle mass, which is known to increase the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the body.

So there you have it, I realize this was a lengthy blog, but I wanted you to have all the information you needed on this subject. Sometimes when trying to lose weight you become frustrated because you feel you are doing all the right things and not making much progress. Hopefully this has enlightened you on possible reasons you aren’t progressing. As always I encourage you to implement these solutions slowly into your lifestyle so you will not be overwhelmed and give up.

Until next time,

Peace, Love, and Blessings