Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the body's natural healing response. It's one of the amazing ways we are able to fight off infection. This is all well and good unless it becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation is responsible for all sorts of maladies. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes are just a few of the sicknesses that can result from long-term inflammation. In this week's article, Dr. Sears discusses some of the treatments he's found useful with his patients over the years. Stress and diet are both factors in chronic inflammation. If you struggle with chronic inflammation, consider your diet as a possible culprit. Are you eating processed foods, refined carbohydrates like white rice, white bread, crackers, pasta, cereals, alcohol, or foods with lots of added sugar? The problem is that these "foods" have little if any nutritional value. Remember your gut is vitally important to overall health and wellness. When we fill it with foods that are hard to digest, empty calories lacking nutritional value, ultraprocessed foods loaded with additives, chemicals, residues, dyes, stabilizers, etc, our bodies have to work extra hard to figure out what to do with all that junk.

The good news is that there are helpful diets like Ketogenic or Whole30 out there that can help put us on the right path. Whole30 is an elimination diet that focuses on real, all-natural, whole foods to help the body heal and allows us to identify inflammation culprits. It's a really good place to start if you suspect your struggling with chronic inflammation. Keto focuses on limiting carbs and increasing intake of healthy fats and whole foods. Eat as close to nature as possible with organic fruits and veggies, grass-fed and pastured meats, wild-caught seafood, and healthy fats like real butter and ghee, tallow, lard, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. These types of foods have fewer ingredients, often just one and promote gut-health and overall wellness. Avoid the ultra-processed foods, refined vegetable oils, and inflammation causing junk foods and after a few weeks you might be surprised how good you feel.

All the Best,  Team USWM