Foods for Inflammation

CaityP27

Hey all,

I'm struggling pretty badly with whole body joint pain. Have done for many years. I have multiple spinal issues but haven't found a cause for the rest of the joint pain. I've got Doctors again in March.

What foods should I be avoiding? Are there any that seem to help with inflammation?

Thanks x

sollyn23l2

Focus on whole foods and eating a variety. Losing weight is really the primary thing you can do for inflammation. Adipose tissue is highly inflammatory.

yirara

What the lady above me said. Also, have you been at a doctor to figure out what your joint pain is? Something rheumatic? Gout? too little use? age and degradation? What you can and can't do depends on what the reason is.

CaityP27

@sollyn23l2 thank you. I am actively trying to lose weight through healthier food choices and calorie counting/portion control. I already walk 6000-10000 steps a day. I will try to add more whole foods.

@yirara I'm 31yrs old if it makes a difference.
I've got 2 bulging discs in lumbar spine with arthritic changes, partial congenital fusion through my entire thoracic Spine, and Arthritic changes in my cervical spine. I also have right side nerve damage in my sciatic nerve from a botched epidural 10 years ago. My doctor hasnt investigated why ive got pain in shoulders, knees, neck, elbows, wrists, ankles and hands, other than bloods that came back fine. I'm also chronically iron deficient anaemic, and have an intolerance to both dairy and soy.

I'm on my feet most of the day, passive walking 6000+ steps a day. I've been trying to add in some treadmill time at least 3 days a week w/HR at 120-130bpm.

neanderthin

In the context of food and biology as it relates to chronic inflammation, carbs are the main culprit.

The key players in inflammation are AGE's (advanced glycation end products) which basically signal a cascade of inflammatory signaling pathways which produce cytokines which are very pro-inflammatory and ROS (reactive oxygen species) which work exactly the same way except these are as well, very corrosive and cause cell death and damage DNA......these are very nasty and contribute of our aging process, well everything contributes to aging, but these accelerate that process, a lot, especially when they contribute to all the non communicable diseases chronic inflammation causes as well.

Of course it depends on the type of carbs we eat. Refined carbs mostly from wheat, sugars and artificial sweeteners would be the worst and should be avoided when possible. As well as refined seed oils when consumed in excess which they are also causing systemic chronic inflammation.

Of course we hear ad nauseum that whole grains fruit and vegetables help reduce inflammation, which is true, but in the context of what they're replacing, and those studies are always compared to the participants that consume mostly the Standard American Diet which as we know include lots of processed and ultra processed foods and in that context they reduce inflammation.

Bottom line a whole food diet is less inflammatory and why this line of logic is used but do these whole food carbs like whole wheat products, potatoes and fruit ect reduce inflammation in all dietary intervention? If someone is on a ketogenic diet for example and these types of carbs are added like whole grain, root vegetables and fruit to replace the macro's in that ketogenic diet calorie for calorie, then inflammation rises, which goes back to my original statement that it's carbs that cause inflammation, it's just the biological reality, and it's why low carb/ketogenic diets are so successful at reducing chronic inflammation.

Basically a whole food diet where someone is focusing on protein and keeping starchy carbs to a minimum with a focus on low glycemic fruits like berries is probably the best course of action without going low carb or ketogenic and using olive oil, avocado instead of seed oils like canola, corn or soy. imo.