Steer clear of these foods if you want to stop chronic inflammation

Steer clear of these foods if you want to stop chronic inflammation
How much sugar, caffeine, alcohol and French fries can you have and better manage your chronic inflammation?

Your body is extraordinarily clever. If you cut yourself, or a virus or allergen tries to invade, your immune system responds by sending specialised cells to the conflict zone, and these cells work to stop the spread of infection or disease or heal the wound.

This process is what’s known as inflammation.

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation occurs as the result of something short-term like a sore throat.

Chronic inflammation is long-term and occurs in instances like allergies and asthma. Chronic inflammation can also be caused by things such as a poor diet, and excessive alcohol consumption.

Sugar

Sugar has been getting a very bad rap in the past few years, and for a good reason. Too much sugar can cause a host of problems including raising your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovasacular disease and cancer.

While sugar provides a source of energy in our diet, too much can tip the scale into chronic inflammation.

WHO guidelines recommend adults and children reduce their daily intake of sugar to below 25 grams (six teaspoons) per day for health benefits.

All sugars, whether they’re natural or processed, affect your body in a similar way. But sugars from whole foods – like fruit – also come with nutrients which make them better options.

Caffeine

Coffee and tea drinkers can rejoice that a study done by Stanford University shows that caffeine can combat chronic inflammation, particularly in older people.

When it comes to how much to drink nutritionist Diane Vizthum from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine says that caffeine tolerance is different for everyone and that you want to do what makes you feel good.

A study by the University of Southampton shows that moderate coffee drinking is safe, and up to three cups a day may have health benefits.

Alcohol

According to the Arthritis Foundation, moderate alcohol consumption reduces biomarkers of inflammation, but the keyword is moderate – up to 10 grams of alcohol a day which is less than a glass of wine or beer. Any more and the alcohol can increase inflammation.

Unfortunately, it’s all bad news for French fries, and all deep fried foods. When you heat oil to the point that it’s smoking and throw in some trans fats you have some major inflammation promoters on your hand.

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