Diet and Inflammation
Diet and inflammation go hand and hand. Whether you realize it or not, you actually are what you eat. Whatever you put in your body does have an effect on your health. Our digestive systems may start out the same, but based on what we ingest, where we live, and what we expose our bodies to, our health will pay the price. For me, I am highly sensitive to a large variety of foods that my other family members are not. Often this results in me compromising on what I eat for the sake of convenience. This past holiday season was an incredible reminder for me of how important it is that I stay on my diet and exercise plan.
Where does Inflammation come from?
According to the Gut Microbiota and Inflammation article by Asa Hakansson , Goran Molin printed in The National Institute of Health: National Library of Medicine online.
Inflammation is a defence reaction of the body against injury. The word inflammation originates from the Latin word “inflammatio” which means fire, and traditionally inflammation is characterised by redness, swelling, pain, heat and impaired body functions. Redness and heat are caused by increased blood flow, swelling by accumulation of fluid, and pain by the swelling, but also by release of compounds giving rise to nerve signals. Impaired functions are caused by different reasons but, in a certain analogy to fire, inflammation is devastating in order to clear away harmful agents and therefore prepare the ground for re-growth (healing).
How Is Inflammation Triggered?
Inflammation can be triggered off by both internal and external factors. Powerful triggers for inflammation are the presence of microorganisms in sites where they do not belong. Microorganisms contain structures alien to the body. Bacteria and fungi, for example, have cell walls in contrast to human cells that lack these structures, and viruses have unique forms of DNA and RNA. Cells and molecules involved in the inflammatory defence system react immediately against these foreign elements; they are danger signals to the body.
In addition, injuries to body tissue and cells trigger inflammation. When the body cells are damaged, compounds that are normally hidden within the cells are released and work as endogenous danger signals. All forms of immune reactions will lead to activation of the inflammatory defence system. Consequently, inflammation can be started by infections, decomposition of body tissue by trauma (for example, due to surgery or accidents) and autoimmunity or allergy. In autoimmunity the specific immune system attacks body cells and tissue and releases the inflammation, and in allergy the inflammation is provoked by the specific immune system being activated against different types of harmless compounds in the environment, e.g., food and pollen.
Why is Gut Health So Important?
Gut health is so important because it effects the cells and causes inflammation. Therefore if you don’t address the issues causing the inflammation, you will continue to be in pain. By addressing the issues of the Gut, you can then remove the triggers that are causing the inflammation in the first place. For me, I know that gluten, and grains like wheat, corn, and rice cause me inflammation and pain. This along with dairy products, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and other food additives will cause my Fibromyalgia symptoms to increase ten fold.
By simply removing those foods from my diet, my pain levels drop substantially and even disappear. This is not as easy as it sounds in a household where I’m the only one with these issues. Creating one meal for my family and a different one for myself takes a lot of time and effort. Although I now it’s the best choice for my health, I don’t always follow it.
The Results of Cheating Over Christmas:
One of our cherished family traditions is making Norwegian cookies at Christmas time. All of them require wheat flour and dairy. In years past I made two versions, one traditional batch, and one that is gluten and dairy free. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of time and they don’t taste the same. This year I decided that I wasn’t going to make a batch just for me, and I would just eat fewer of the regular cookies. In theory it sounded reasonable, in reality it was disastrous!
The slow and steady decline of my health was what followed within a few days:
- bloating started.
- lightening bolt pains in my right hand.
- balance became unstable leading to more falls.
- brain fog and headaches crept in.
- joint aches and stiffness reappeared.
- immune system plummeted, resulting in my first cold since 2018 – which has lasted over 2 weeks.
Diet and Inflammation Reduction:
While I knew what was happening as each new symptom returned, I kept telling myself I would be ok as I would start back on my regular diet in January. I was only fooling myself. By the time January arrived, I kept finding other excuses to eat things out of convenience. By the 15th of January the damage was done. My immune system had become so depleted that I picked up the nasty seasonal cold that was going around. Reaching for my usual remedies didn’t help this time. I did find some new natural remedies that did help ease the cold, but my body is still recovering as I write this.
Cutting the food triggers from my diet is helping me slowly return to my FM inflammatory diet. I am also adjusting the baking treats I make for my family to be gluten and dairy free so I can enjoy them as well. It never ceases to amaze me how much what I eat really effects my FM symptoms and overall health. I am looking forward to being pain free and healthy again. Another great thing about my FM diet is the weight I will loose!!! So, although I am suffering now, I have learned my lesson, and I know I will be healthy by the end of February. If you are struggling with your health, reach out to me at andrea@nopainallgain.ca and I’ll be happy to help you get back on track too!
Conclusion:
Gut health has everything to do with inflammation and Fibromyalgia symptoms, so don’t let anyone tell you differently! There is so much nonsense out there about what causes Fibromyalgia and Chronic illness. Don’t be fooled, you can get relief from your FM and Chronic illness when you are willing to change your diet and exercise routines. Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about mastering your health and enjoying your life again!
As a natural encourager, I live to help others!!! One-on-one coaching is a great way to start building your confidence, and improve your health! I help people with Fibromyalgia and chronic illness manage their symptoms with ease, so they never feel held back again! Click here for an application form and I would be happy to help you in your journey. You can also contact me at andrea@nopainallgain.ca or check out my website: www.nopainallgain.ca
