Have you ever wondered why you feel drained or sluggish after eating? Have you ever had pains in your stomach, gut/intestines, or even in your head?? It can be inflammation that is causing your arthritis to flare, your headache, or your low energy level. What I am talking about here is, you are possibly…
putting toxic food in your body, and you don’t even know it. You may be thinking you’re eating healthy, but what if I told you even the good stuff could be bad for you!? Yep, you read that right! Foods that are considered “good” can be harmful to you. In my journey, I know this to be true. I was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2020.
If you haven’t read my story, find it here —–>>> https://healthyeahlife.com/thecword/
My story starts long before my cancer diagnosis. I was very conscious of the foods I ate. Not saying I have been perfect my whole life. Back in the day, I had no idea about processed foods. Or even the amount of sugar in foods being sold in the market. I ate my share of mac & cheese, Oreos, chips, and even drank lots of soda. It was what you purchased when you went into the grocery store. Thinking back to my teenage years, I remember making my parents dinner that consisted of packaged noodles and deep-frying ready-made chicken strips. I am sure we re-used that oil over and over too. Eeek. Our food system was poisoning us, and we had no idea. Now I am an avid reader of labels at the grocery store. How many of you do this? Do you know what is in the bottles, cans, and jars you purchase?
What exactly are inflammation triggers??
I am sure you have heard of most of these as you read through them.
Gluten
Most of us thought of gluten as a fad. Everyone was going, “gluten-free!” Did they truly have a gluten intolerance? Not everyone could have celiac disease, right? How is it possible that so many people thought gluten was their issue? Because it is. At least to some degree. Did you know that wheat is one of the most commonly consumed grains?
Wheat comes in numerous varieties all over the world. It is in our loaves of bread and other baked goods. It is also in pasta, crackers, and couscous. Wheat is put into prepacked processed foods such as turkey meatballs, breaded shrimp, and many others. Gluten is the “glue” in a sense. Gluten is primarily made up of two proteins, one is glutenin, it is responsible for the elastic texture of the dough, and the other is gliadin, which gives the dough the ability to rise during baking. When flour is combined with water, it creates gluten.
Dairy
You may be thinking that it is the higher fat content that is bad, while that may be a part of why dairy has its downsides. It is actually because most people cannot digest milk products. There has been controversy over drinking cows milk at all. Stating that the animal kingdom doesn’t consume milk, namely their mother's milk after they are weaned. There are known dairy and milk allergies or lactose intolerances. Dairy can play havoc on one's body if you do not produce the enzyme lactase to be able to digest milk. Studies done say that the ability to digest lactose significantly decreases by the age of 5. That is why babies can drink milk with little or no side effects.
Does dairy create more mucus? That is another open-ended question that is often brought up. My self-diagnosis of dairy is that it does produce mucus. So I can only go with what my body tells me, yours may be different than mine.
Those who choose to go dairy-free also say their skin clears up, and they no longer have teenage-like pimple breakouts. A reason for this may be how milk turns into sugar. Or an even more astonishing fact is that our dairy cows are being treated with artificial hormones that affect their milk supply. You have heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” But, have you heard, “you are what you eat, eats too.” You may need to read that again. Have you thought about what cows are being fed? It does matter. It goes deeper then you may have once thought. If our food supply is given a high grain diet, what does that mean to you when you consume the meat? You are eating what they ate!!!
Artificial sugars
Did you know that artificial sugars are synthetic? How many of us think about what we are consuming, and that it may come from a laboratory? I find this mind-boggling. I don’t like the thought of ingesting synthetic (anything) never-the-less something that is made to replace and taste like sugar. I wonder about the side effects of anything we ingest that isn’t natural. I will also say I have a very biased opinion about “laboratory-made foods.” I DO NOT think humans should eat them. In my BS (belief system,) I also believe that they cause danger to some people who consume them. I have heard of artificial sugars that are consumed from drinking diet soda to have harmful effects. They can even cause your body to have symptoms of serious diseases. Yet, we consume them as if we are doing our body a favor because it isn’t “real” sugar.
Real sugar causes weight gain, which is another topic entirely. A typical American consumes 152 pounds of sugar per year. That is a whole lot of sweets. No wonder artificial sweeteners are being consumed. We have one of the highest obesity rates, and primarily the south is leading the race. So my advice is to skip the man-made sugars and reach for a piece of fruit to replace that craving.
Processed meats
The harm in processed meats, which include bacon and lunchmeat, is that they are considered carcinogens. Carcinogens have been shown to raise the risk of colon cancer. Processed meat is meat that has been processed in some way through fermenting, curing, salting, and smoking. Meats that come to mind are hotdogs, bacon, salami, canned meats, and deli meats. I also believed that if I purchased nitrate-free meats that I was better off. Not so fast, I recently found out that companies can label their products “nitrate-free” if they use celery powder, celery salt, or celery juice. It sounds innocent enough, but these natural products are still high in nitrates, they just aren't synthetic nitrates. It is simply a different form of nitrates. We also don’t know if they have the same impact as synthetic nitrates.
Many people consume meat bars or jerky, assuming they are doing themselves a favor by getting their protein. Unfortunately, these products are very high in sodium, and that takes on a whole new health risk factor. If you are having trouble with what to replace your typical lunchmeat sandwich with, try leftover chicken breast instead, or better yet, skip the bread altogether and top off a green leaf salad with chicken breast. You can also try eggs, fish, or veggies on your bread or wrap.
I think we forget to be creative and tend to get stuck in a rut at times. The busier our lives have become, the more we are reaching for the ready-made products. My suggestion is to meal prep for the week. It takes time, but as you make it your routine once a week, I promise you will love it. It will also save you time looking for something to eat in a rush and grabbing those ready-made meals. You will never have to worry about what to eat or take for your lunch. There will be prepared fresh, homemade meals that you will thank yourself for later.
Vegetable and seed oils
All oils are not suitable for us. Most are processed and hazardous to our health. But again, we as a society don’t read our labels and pay attention to what oils are in our foods. One of the most common oils we consume is canola oil. There is controversy about this oil and if it is good or bad? I use olive oil whenever I can. Note, purchase extra virgin olive oil, you want an oil that is not refined or overly processed. “Extra virgin” means that the oil is not refined, and thus high quality. Extra virgin olive oil contains a large amount of monounsaturated fats and some polyunsaturated fatty acids; which studies have linked to better heart health. It is also best for low or medium heat cooking. It is excellent for baking and perfect for salad dressings. Most vegetable oils on the market are a blend of canola, corn, soybean, safflower, palm, and sunflower oils. Try and purchase olive oil as a healthy alternative.
Vegetable oil is guaranteed to be highly processed, and it is called vegetable so that manufacturers can substitute whatever oil they want.
You should avoid the following plant oils due to their high omega-6 contents, which makes them pro-inflammatory.
- soybean oil.
- corn oil.
- cottonseed oil.
- sunflower oil.
- peanut oil.
- sesame oil.
- rice bran oil.
Avocado oil is another healthy choice. It is unrefined like olive oil but has a higher smoking point. Which means it is perfect for foods like stir-fry. Avocado oil contains both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as vitamin E.
Another benefit of olive oil is for your skin. I keep a small pump bottle in my shower and lather up after showering. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-aging properties because it is packed with antioxidants and vitamins. It also hydrates the skin by building the skin's moisture barrier to prevent loss of moisture. I highly recommend trying it for your daily routine.
We've become a society of wanting things cheaper and faster – but at what cost? Please give this some thought the next time you are planning a trip to the grocery store. Be wise about what goes into your cart and ultimately into your body!
Final Notes:
You can create a defense system and boost your immune system, which is crucial by not ingesting anything that causes you to have inflammatory responses. Remember, all of our bodies are different. What you tolerate, may not be what my body can tolerate. Paying close attention is critical. I keep a “health” journal and I document the foods I eat daily. I also write down all my “feels.” Those include being tired, bloated, swollen breasts, headaches, bowel movements, etc. I have noticed by keeping track of all of everything that I have a better understanding of what my intolerances are. To some, it may seem extreme, but trust me, it is super helpful. I can’t always remember the “thing” I ate last week that may have made me feel bad a day later. Keeping a journal has helped me pinpoint how my body reacts.
I hope this helps you on your journey to figuring out how to live your best life.
A Health Yeah Life!
Karin
She is passionate about helping others understand their body.
The key to figuring out why you feel the way you feel is to take a more significant look at what is going on inside you & even around you, and then ask questions!
She is excited to help & support you on your journey of optimal health and wellness!
