An unhealthy diet can lead to chronic inflammation.

Why an unhealthy diet promotes chronic inflammation

Not a few people today suffer from chronic inflammation. The result is not infrequently just pain, but also severe restrictions in everyday life. Many people are unaware that an unhealthy diet even increases the risk of persistent inflammation.

But how do you recognise an unhealthy diet, and what should you watch for in food so that you do not further strengthen chronic inflammation?

An unhealthy diet starts in everyday life

Many people believe that they eat healthily. Yet many everyday indulgences are the exact opposite and even promote an unhealthy diet. One or two glasses of wine in the evening can't do any harm, or can they? In fact, drinking alcohol means that the liver cannot devote itself to its original tasks, because the alcohol must first be broken down. The most important function of the liver is to detoxify the body. If it cannot carry out this work as usual, the risk of chronic inflammation rises. If you do not want to go entirely without the taste of alcohol, you can alternatively turn to kombucha tea. This fermented tea tastes slightly of alcohol but contains none. Studies have also shown that fermented foods even inhibit inflammation.

Where does an unhealthy diet begin?

An unhealthy diet can already begin with the wrong bread. Anyone who regularly reaches for products made from white flour unknowingly increases the risk of chronic inflammation. The decisive factor here is the above-average amount of carbohydrates consumed. If you eat too many carbohydrates, this puts a strain on your insulin level. The more it rises, the higher the inflammation markers in the body. Accordingly, an unhealthy diet with too much white flour can promote chronic inflammation.

Besides alcohol and white flour, there are other products that we consume almost every day and that fuel an unhealthy diet. When buying industrially produced food, you should always check the ingredients carefully. Alongside preservatives and sugar, you will usually find numerous additives such as emulsifiers. These undoubtedly belong to the category of an unhealthy diet. In the gut, they can trigger infections and alter the gut flora. To avoid chronic inflammation or not further support it, you should consume as few emulsifiers as possible.

Salt is part of almost every meal as a seasoning. However, it matters a great deal which salt is used. Refined salt, also known as table salt, contains not only additives but even chemicals that can not only trigger inflammation but can even cause and intensify it in the bones. Instead of refined salt, it is advisable to use Himalayan salt or sea salt.

How are food and chronic inflammation related?

To understand how an unhealthy diet affects chronic inflammation, you should know which ingredients are responsible for the corresponding reactions. Of course, you can prevent chronic inflammation with the right foods. Above all, it is decisive that you motivate yourself to give up the unhealthy diet and to eat more consciously and healthily in future.

The so-called glycaemic load is a decisive factor for foods that contain many carbohydrates. The higher it is, the more readily the body reacts to it. If the body is already weakened by chronic inflammation, these can be made even worse by eating too much sugar.

Although legumes and grains initially sound healthy, they are only so in moderation. You should eat grains at most once a day and legumes at most twice a week. The lectins they contain belong to the group of proteins and mainly bind to blood and intestinal cells, which can trigger inflammation. The only exception among grains is oats. Due to the high number of beta-glucans, eating oats has a positive effect on the immune system.

Anyone who wants to leave an unhealthy diet behind will inevitably eat more fruit and vegetables. Along with pineapple, blueberries or papaya, broccoli, spinach and onions are also among the natural foods that can help prevent chronic inflammation.

Furthermore, an unhealthy diet can also consist of not taking in enough protein. Since proteins are important for the immune system, it suffers from the undersupply and leaves room for chronic inflammation. The same applies to fats. Anyone who consumes the wrong fats ultimately promotes an unhealthy diet and the risk of falling ill. While omega-6 fatty acids have pro-inflammatory properties, omega-3 fatty acids, by contrast, have anti-inflammatory effects. To leave your unhealthy eating habits behind, you should make sure to consume more omega-3 fatty acids while at the same time reducing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids.

Last but not least, reaching for the wrong meat can also promote or intensify chronic inflammation. Meat is generally regarded as a pro-inflammatory food. However, a distinction needs to be made here. If animals in intensive farming are fed concentrated feed, the risk of illness after eating the meat also rises. Accordingly, where possible, you should choose meat from species-appropriate husbandry as well as game meat. Pork should be avoided if you want to leave your unhealthy diet behind, as it contains the most pro-inflammatory ingredients.

Chronic inflammation - with these conditions you should eat more consciously

Many diseases are based on inflammation. These are often also referred to as autoimmune diseases and sometimes come with serious symptoms. Anyone who maintains an unhealthy diet over a long period and consumes many pro-inflammatory foods additionally has a negative effect on chronic inflammation that is already present.

Pro-inflammatory foods should therefore always be avoided if autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatism, arthrosis or Crohn's disease are present. But even with other inflammatory conditions such as tonsillitis, it is advisable to at least temporarily drop the unhealthy diet.

Conclusion

An unhealthy diet is not always easy to leave behind. Nevertheless, for the sake of your health, you should pay attention to the ingredients in your meals. In the best case, you not only reduce the risk of chronic inflammation but can even start a new, vital life.