lowering inflammation 101

inflammation is demonized on social media… 🫠

inflammation is actually our bodies natural immune response to injury or infection — we need it to live!✨ but if inflammation goes on for too long (chronic inflammation) it can damage our healthy cells, tissue, & organs including our gut lining aka leaky gut

what we eat highly impacts the bacteria that grows in our gut which contributes to chronic inflammation 🥹

when we’re over consuming ultra processed foods, lots of refined sugar, alcohol, and food we’re allergic to or have intolerances to — that can harm our gut on a regular basis, and a unhealthy environment for gut bacteria is made — this is why balance is so important!💫

Here are tips to help you reduce inflammation:

1) start reading ingredient labels! Having a healthy awareness of ingredients in your food helps you make educated choices 🫶🏻

2) reduce fast food: can contain high levels of saturated fats & trans fats, added refined sugar, lacks fiber, + highly preserved & highly processed

3) reduce refined sugar/carbs: over consuming refined sugar can feed overgrowths of opportunistic or pathogenic microbes in our gut + increase inflammation which can contribute to leaky gut

4) reduce ultra processed foods & other inflammatory foods: there are potentially a lot of things to cut out for “reducing inflammation” but this list might not be the same for everyone! The best way to find out your unique triggers is getting allergy tested.

Ultra processed foods is the stuff in the grocery store with the smallest print you’ve ever seen with a lonnng ingredient list. It’s the hot Cheetos, the twinkies, processed meats with nitrates and nitrites, the frozen pizzas w lots of preservatives.

5) focus more on whole, nutritious foods rather than highly processed or preserved food!! Adding in nourishing foods is just as important as taking out inflammatory ones! Shop more in the produce section, get lean cuts of meat, cook more at home 🥹

6) reduce alcohol: I know this is a tough one for some people! The truth is it’s a toxin so it triggers acute or immediate inflammation plus disrupts gut microbiome and increase inflammation in the liver…

7) lymphatic drainage practices: get regular massages, dry brush, guasha, alll the things to get that lymph moving ✨

I know this wasn’t supposed to be restrictive, so remember we shouldn’t fear foods or feel bad if we have them, just add balance! Nourish your body w fiber, healthy fats, protein, & phytonutrients 🥑✨

Food is meant to be enjoyed & nourish your body 🥹🫶🏻

#lemon8partner #whatieatinaday #healthymeals #inflammationdiet #antiinflammatoryfood #guthealingfood