3 foods that cause inflammation

Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle

Chronic inflammation is implicated in everything from digestive disorders and joint problems to heart disease, diabetes and mental illness. Your susceptibility is partly down to your genes, but you can lower your risk of inflammatory disease by avoiding these foods that exacerbate it.

Vegetable oils high in omega-6 fatty acids

These are good for you in moderation but, in excess, omega-6s are pro-inflammatory. Our diets should include an equal balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (from oily fish), but many of us are now on a ratio of 1 omega-3 to 10 or even 25 omega-6s.

Agave syrup

You may see it as the healthy alternative to sugar, but drown your porridge in it at your own peril. It’s about 85 per cent fructose, a sugar that only your liver cells can break down, resulting in a fatty liver disease that will eventually cause inflammation and impair its function.

Red wine

Moderation is the key here – but it’s another tricky balancing act. While one small glass a day has been shown to lower levels of the inflammation marker CRP (C-reactive protein), but any more than this can increase it.

Want to lower your risk of a flare up? Try eating more turmeric, ginger, and cherries – they all contain chemicals that block inflammation and inhibit pain enzymes.

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