Читать книгу Anti-Inflammatory Diet For Dummies - Artemis Morris - Страница 23

Inflammatory foods can create instant symptoms as well as long-term effects. What’s the damage in the long term? Inflammatory foods can speed the aging process, contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and other joint problems, and stimulate inflammation in a variety of ways (see Chapter 3).

Knowing which foods are inflammatory can be as simple as keeping a few general rules in mind. The less it looks like it did originally, and if you don’t know how it was produced, the more inflammatory it likely is. Whole grains such as bulgur, brown rice, and oats that haven’t been massively genetically modified, especially when complete with the germ and the entire grain kernel, look most like they do prior to harvest, are likely to be okay if prepared in a traditional manner.

Sometimes you can’t tell if your whole food has been tampered with, which is the case with many foods that aren’t organic or come from the supermarket rather than a local farm or your own backyard. For example, you may have an inflammatory reaction to a food because it was sprayed with a glyphosate or another toxic chemical to prepare it for harvest and prevent bugs from attacking it, such as is the case wheat and even many vegetables.

Glyphosates, a commonly used chemical in nonorganic agricultural production, can contribute to low-level inflammation and leaky gut in an otherwise healthy food. Whole, natural foods still contain many, if not all, of the vitamins and minerals they should have. Eating these foods is especially important for people with chronic diseases, genetic disorders, chronic stress, or metabolic disorders. These conditions increase the need for the vitamins and minerals that reduce inflammation and help the body work properly.

Splurging — or treating yourself — is okay now and then if you don’t have a chronic inflammatory disorder, but you should avoid certain inflammatory foods (see Chapter 4). Foods to avoid include high-omega-6 oils, such as those made from corn, safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed; inflammatory saturated fats from animal sources, as found in processed meats like bologna and hot dogs; trans fats; and refined sugars.

Striking the right nutritional balance is just as important as knowing which foods to eat. Make sure you’re getting the right amount of proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients.