Inflammation and What You Eat

The holiday season has arrived and most of us are getting ready for holiday parties, gifts and yes, of course, the FOOD!  According to statistics, half of the weight we gain throughout our life is added from Thanksgiving to the end of the year. On average, that’s 2 to 5 pounds during holiday time. Unhealthy eating, drinking alcohol and a decrease in exercise are factors that could lead not only to permanent unwanted weight but serious health issues caused by something often overlooked. The health-threatening inflammation caused by the foods we eat. Here are a few to be wary of indulging:

1.    Sugars

• Sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, fruit drinks and punches are one of the major sources of dietary sugars that many have overlooked. Drinking a can of Coke is as good as sucking ten sugar cubes? Other obvious sugar-loaded foods to avoid or at least limit include pastries, desserts, candies and snacks.
• Hidden on the food labels: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, golden syrup, maltose, sorghum syrup, sucrose, acesulfame potassium and sucralose.

2.    Trans Fats

• Deep fried foods, fast foods, commercial baked goods and those prepared with partially hydrogenated oil, margarine and vegetable shortening. Note that items that list 0g trans fats on the label may still contain some amount of these toxic fats. This is because in the US, the government allows items containing less than 0.5g of Trans fats to be declared as trans-fat free.

3.    Alcohol

• Regular high consumption of alcohol has been known to cause irritation and inflammation of the esophagus, larynx (voice box) and liver. Over time, the chronic inflammation promotes tumor to grow and gives rise to cancer at the sites of repeated irritation.

4.    Dairy

• Milk is a common allergen that can trigger inflammatory responses, such as stomach distress, constipation, diarrhea, skin rashes, acne, hives and breathing difficulties, in susceptible people.
• Milk and dairy products are as pervasive as foods containing partially hydrogenated oil or omega-3-deficient vegetable oil. Apart from obvious milk products like butter and cheese, foods with hidden dairy content include breads, cookies, crackers, cakes, cream sauces and boxed cereals.

5.    Processed Meats

• Animal products that have been smoked, cured, salted or chemically preserved like ham, sausages and salami.

6.    Artificial Food Additives in Packaged Foods

• Artificial food additives like aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG) reportedly trigger inflammatory responses, especially in people who are already suffering from inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Important supplements to consider adding to your daily diet to ward off inflammation: Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Antioxidants, Vitamin C, Selenium, Carotene and Bioflavonoids.

We invite you to stop by The Healthy Choice or email us at [email protected] for more information about our custom compounding formulas and let us help you reduce your risk of inflammation during the holiday season and all year round for optimum health.

The Healthy Choice is a Westchester NY Compounding Pharmacy that has been providing highly skilled BHRT services for over 20 years. Our staff is dedicated to providing you with the best in customer service for all your health and wellness needs.