Is Food The Only Cause For Inflammation?

Have you ever wondered that the food we eat can also be harmful to us? We eat nutrient-rich foods to supply essential macromolecules like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and more. These nutrients, along with vitamins and minerals, coordinate essential biological pathways. However, food is not made of a single element. Additionally, our bodies can react in different ways to different types of food. A majority of the time, it reacts differently to processed foods, and one may develop allergies as a result of consuming them.

This Story also Contains

1. Why Do Certain Foods Cause Inflammation?
2. How Bad Can Food Inflammation Be?
3. Is Food The Only Cause Of Inflammation?

Did you know that certain foods or all foods can cause inflammation? The worst part is that not only processed foods but also a lot of other food items in our normal diet are inflammatory foods that can trigger the inflammatory process. An unbalanced diet containing refined sugars, fats, and other refined carbohydrates contains toxins, to which the body’s immune system reacts by triggering inflammatory pathways. These paths can be direct or indirect and function to produce inflammation as a primary defense response against toxins.

Why Do Certain Foods Cause Inflammation?

Our body is prepared to digest and absorb the nutrients from the breakdown of food. Natural foods like grains, vegetables, and fruits (anti inflammatory foods) can be metabolised and absorbed easily, but unusual food items like processed, fried, and refined foods have an imbalance of various components that can disturb the body's balance. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids are not synthesised in the body but are necessary. Foods containing Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are considered healthy; however, an excess of these can throw the ratio out of order. Their higher intake will trigger inflammatory pathways and, thus, food inflammation and inflammatory diseases .

Let’s get a little more into the details to understand the cause of inflammation:

All the food items break down into smaller particles and enter the bloodstream. After metabolisation, along with the necessary nutrients, some unfavourable particles like bacteria, viruses, and others can also enter the bloodstream. Processed foods additionally have food additives, pesticides, fertilisers, and an overload of industrial contaminants that our bodies do not want. The immune system is the gatekeeper that allows the nutrient particles to pass through, but it flags and tags the unwanted substances. During the process of attacking and removing the toxins, the immune system generates inflammation as a by-product or immune response.

The inflammation can commonly occur after every meal, which is not threatening and usually goes unnoticed. But, when the inflammation is severe and accompanied by multiple symptoms like diarrhoea, constipation, and more, then this excessive inflammation must be checked upon.

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How Bad Can Food Inflammation Be?

The intensity of inflammation and the immune response will vary with the specific food sensitivity found in an individual. One person can have severe inflammation after having dairy products, while others may face general inflammation that subsides naturally without causing any harm.

Inflammation-promoting foods (foods that cause inflammation) cannot be easily detected. Persistent inflammation leading to debilitating symptoms or problematic health conditions requires proper treatment and food-sensitivity testing. These inflammatory foods can cause subtle signs like:

• Fatigue
• Gas
• Bloating
• Acidic reflux
• Anxiety, stress, or an uncomfortable feeling
• Joint or muscle aches

If these subtle signs are left unchecked, they manifest and trigger oxidative stress, which later causes more inflammation. Serious health problems can occur, like:

• High blood pressure
• Infections in various regions
• Liver, heart, and kidney diseases
• In severe cases, persistent oxidative stress and inflammation can cause cancer.
• Diabetes

Is Food The Only Cause Of Inflammation?

Nutrient-rich, real, or natural foods (foods for immune system) generally cause minimal inflammation with no symptoms or problems. But some foods are more inflammatory and can cause symptoms along with inflammation. Some people experience symptoms like indigestion, loose stools, and more after every meal, irrespective of whether the food is actually inflammation-promoting or not. In such cases, people will cut down on real food as well, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables that make them feel better and lighter. The next important step will be to find substitutes so that nutrition levels are not compromised. People may find this more comfortable as the symptoms fade and the inflammation subsides temporarily.

However, this can make the person sensitive to a wide variety of essential foods. The addition of new substitutes does not ensure reduced inflammation. They will have to eliminate food items that they love. Is food only to be blamed? The answer is no. The metabolisation of food involves two major systems: the digestive and immune systems. If the digestive environment is inappropriate or the immune system is weak, a person will also experience inflammation after every meal as these two systems are unable to handle food. Hence, cutting down on food and replacing it are only temporary solutions. In the long run, a person will become weak and can develop a lot of allergies.

So, the permanent solution is to increase the tolerance of the immune system in order to improve its functioning. A stronger immune system will be capable of identifying the real food and flagging only the toxins or unwanted foods. Secondly, a favourable digestive environment will promote better absorption and movement of the food without causing any gastrointestinal problems. This will ensure that the inflammation, which occurs after every meal as a byproduct of the immune response, is not excessive and does not produce any other symptoms.

Nutrition and immunity: In conclusion, food inflammation is a general pathway that occurs after every meal with no additional symptoms and diminishes on its own. This occurs so that nutrients can enter the bloodstream while toxins are flagged to filter them out of the system. However, some foods are more inflammatory and cause mild to severe symptoms. Besides, inflammation can also occur when the digestive and immune systems are weak and cannot handle the food we eat, even simple and real foods. We cut down on food to lessen symptoms, which eventually makes us susceptible to food sensitivities and only provides temporary relief. So, food cannot be the only culprit. Improving digestion and building a stronger immune system or nutritional immunity, will help to distinguish between food and toxins and will also help to keep food sensitivity at bay.

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