Causes of Inflammation and 
Foods That Cause Inflammation

What are the causes of inflammation? Inflammation is the body's immediate response to tissue damage, irritation and infection. It is the body's attempt to:

• Combat infection
• Repair itself
• Fight cancer
• Handle toxins

Here we will review the causes of chronic inflammation. 

Find the best anti-inflammatory supplements here.

Food Allergies, Food Sensitivities

Many people are unaware that they are experiencing food allergies or sensitivities. The most common foods that can cause inflammation are:

• Wheat
• Dairy
• Soy
• Nuts

The best thing to do is to eliminate one food at a time from your diet for at least three days and see how you feel. How is your digestive system? How is your energy? Then reintroduce the food and see what happens.

If you are lactose intolerant and still experiencing digestive problems with lactose-free products it is best to try eliminating dairy completely.

Imbalance of Bacteria or Fungi, Candida, in the Gastro Intestinal Tract 

An over abundance of unhealthy bacteria or yeast in the digestive tract is very common. You may have candida if you have taken antibiotics, have digestive problems, crave sugar, have recurrent yeast infections, etc.

To get rid of candida you must eliminate all sugar, any products containing yeast and eat very fresh, healthy foods for a certain amount of time. A naturopath can help you set up your plan.

Stress

Stress causes cortisol levels to rise and remain high. The body interprets this as inflammation so cortisol stays up and the adrenals become exhausted. Find stress management tips and deep abdominal breathing techniques to help alleviate your stress.

Environmental Toxins

Environmental toxins in water, air and especially xenoestrogens in food are one of the causes of inflammation in the body. It's important to limit our exposure to chemicals in cleaning products, beauty products and pollution, as much as possible.

Xenoestrogens are found in food additives, pesticides and non-organic animal products. Cattle and chickens are given estrogen so that they will produce more milk and eggs. These xenoestrogens mimic estrogen in our body, causing inflammation, cysts, fibroids, cancer and numerous other health problems.

Too Many Unhealthy Fats

Along with eating the unhealthy fats in fried foods, fast foods and processed foods, one of the worst things you can do for inflammation is to choose low-fat foods.

Instead, increase healthy fats in your diet. Salmon, organic nuts and seeds, extra virgin olive oil, raw almond butter, avocados, take an Omega 3 supplement, etc.

Foods that Cause Inflammation and What Else to Avoid for Inflammation:

• Refined sugar
• High glycemic foods
• Refined foods create oxidative stress on the body
• Drinking too many soft drinks
• Coffee
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Lack of sleep keeps cortisol levels up, increasing inflammation Preventing insomnia is key.
  
• Continual dehydration

Increase water intake!!! One of the most important things to do for inflammation as it will help ease the pain.

As you can see, there are many causes of inflammation, but there is also so much you can do to help decrease your inflammation and eliminate it completely.