Inflammatory Foods

Inflammatory Foods
by Susun Weed

 

The foods we eat have a direct influence on how much inflammation there is in our bodies, and therefore on how much pain we are likely to suffer, both after exertion and in the long run.

It has been said that all chronic diseases are the result of inflammation. Certainly inflammatory disease are, and they are legion. Inflammation of the brain may lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s. Inflammation of the eyes can cause macular degeneration. Arthritis and rheumatism are both inflammatory conditions, as are headaches, fibromyalgia, colitis, and pelvic pain. Some claim that cancer is attracted to sites of inflammation. Violet and other anti-inflammatory herbs are reputed to counter cancer, so perhaps there is a grain of truth in the assertion.

Olive oil and coconut oil are considered anti-inflammatory fats. Weston A. Price identified Factor X in butter from cows on green pasture; it is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatories found in food.

On the other hand, oils pressed from seeds seem to be inflammatory. Reducing or eliminating cottonseed oil, soy oil, corn oil, and flax oil in the diet often brings relief from major and minor aches and pains. Curtailing the use of canola oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, and almond oil is also helpful. Nut butters are not inflammatory if they are fresh, nor are the nuts or seeds themselves. It is only their oils, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids, that inflame everything from blood vessels to the lining of the bladder.

 

Eight glasses of water a day? It’s true that we need two quarts of fluid a day (sixty four ounces, that’s eight 8-ounce glasses), but we get a lot from our food, and every liquid we consume counts toward our daily need, even coffee and tea.

 

But what we drink can make the difference between being obese or not, between having lots of energy or not, between having healthy bones or not.

 

Instead of soda pop or  fruit juice, drink herbal tea, nourishing herbal infusions, and green or black tea. And don’t worry about drinking eight glasses of water a day.

 

 

Comments

[Julie]

Hi Susun,
Everything I have read about flax oil online says it is anti-inflammatory. I just purchased a bottle and was going to give it a try but now I am wondering if I should skip it. Do you have studies or other references where you are finding flax oil causes inflammation? Thanks so much for this important information!

[Justine]

If the bottle is still unopened, save your money are return the bottle..otherwise store it in the fridge and hope for the best. The way to get the benefits of flax is to cook or bake with it...also toasted flax seeds are fun for salads and desserts...once its pressed for oil it can become rancid very quickly..