Short-term inflammation in the body is normal. It helps to fight off infection and heal from injuries; however, chronic inflammation can set us up for health issues and be a precursor to obesity. Researchers are now saying that while it may take years of chronic inflammation to trigger disease, short-term consequences are aches, fatigue, and weight gain. Because food influences inflammation, we have some control over how much inflammation we experience.

If you are already living with inflammation, then eating foods that cause inflammation is a double whammy to your health and weight loss efforts. They simply increase the inflammation.

For instance, if you have arthritis, then your body is already facing inflammation, and by eating foods that cause inflammation, such as gluten or casein, the inflammatory effect of these foods can be even worse than in someone who is not living with inflammation.

People living with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or multiple sclerosis, are also dealing with inflammation as the body’s immune system attacks the healthy tissue, and they too will be affected more from inflammatory food.

Diet And Inflammation

Inflammation occurs from a diet that causes the body to become irritated. For instance, toxins and bacteria in food can cause inflammation. In addition, the body can also be allergic to certain foods. If someone with food allergies eats a food that promotes the immune response, then that will cause inflammation.

The most common diet in America is a high-inflammatory diet. For instance, many people eat a diet that is high in omega-6 fatty acids and not omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in cooking oils and fried foods, can cause inflammation in the body. This is especially true when consumption of omega-6 fatty acids are much higher than omega-3 fatty acids.

“Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation.” – University of Maryland Medical Center

Inflammation can also occur in the healthiest diet. For instance, continuously overeating can cause inflammation in the body.

How Does Inflammation Cause Weight Gain?

Inflammation is a cause of metabolic syndrome, which can result in weight gain. Metabolic syndrome stems from issues such as high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and high blood sugar. Metabolic syndrome can cause hormonal imbalances, which can affect health and the ability to burn off fat in a big way.

For instance, chronic inflammation can cause the body to develop insulin resistance and leptin resistance, which affects appetite, fat storage, and weight gain negatively.

Inflammation can also cause malabsorption in the body. This means that if you may not be absorbing all the nutrients from your food that help your body run optimally. When that happens, your hormones and metabolism can be affected negatively, and your body can start to hold on to fat.

Also, foods that cause inflammation, such as fried food, cause the liver to release chemicals that try to fight off the unhealthy food. As that happens, the glucose from the food can’t be transported into your cells because the body is busy dealing with the inflammation, and the brain gets the message that it is hungry. That results in cravings and hunger, and when you eat, the process can start all over again.

Eating Anti-Inflammatory Foods To Help With Weight Loss

Eating anti-inflammatory foods is really about eliminating inflammatory foods from the diet. While some foods cause inflammation in some and not in others, there are some common foods that most people should eliminate. These foods include sugar, wheat, casein, and processed foods. People who have certain food allergies need to eliminate other foods from their diet to reduce inflammation.

Eating a diet full of vegetables, fruits, nuts, healthy fats, and lean sources of protein can help reduce inflammation in the body and eliminate issues that cause weight gain, as well as help the body to release weight. Eating the “E-Factor foods” are a good place to start as well.

It is important to note that the more fat on the body, the more inflammation there is. Even an extra 20 pounds can cause inflammation to increase, which is why reducing inflammation with diet is so important. The less inflammation there is, the easier it will be to lose weight, and as weight loss occurs, there will be even less inflammation.