Inflammation may be the key reason you can’t shift those excess kg’s and is often an underlying barrier to weight loss.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is usually a positive reaction in the body and is a normal acute response by the immune system. It’s the body’s defence system to fight an infection or repair damage - helping to keep us healthy.
In some cases inflammation can carry out too long and may be triggered daily. This can produce chemicals and inflammatory compounds that lead to pain, tissue damage and chronic disease.
Some inflammation and inflammatory processes may be present silently, underlying processes behind major diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, depression and chronic fatigue.
Your daily diet, lifestyle and environment can all contribute to inflammation in the body. Common signs of inflammation include:
Weight gain - specifically around the abdomen
Stress
Fatigue and brain fog
Body (joint/muscle) pain
Skin issues
Poor sleep
Gastrointestinal dysfunction and dysbiosis
Frequent infections
Chronic disease
Inflammation & Weight Gain
The bi-directional relationship between inflammation and weight gain is complicated - with inflammation contributing to weight gain and vice versa. Increased inflammation in the body interferes with normal body processes such as blood glucose levels and hormone imbalances that cause weight gain.
Dietary and lifestyle based triggers are the initial suspects when it comes to inflammation. It is evident that excessive caloric consumption from macronutrients - carbohydrates and fats - heavily contribute to the increased inflammatory load on the body. A poor diet causes excess fat stored in the body and this contributes to inflammation.
Additionally, nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D are linked to increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in the blood and contribute to chronic inflammatory disease states.
An imbalance in the body's appetite hormones - Leptin and Ghrelin - due to underlying inflammation can also cause weight gain. For example, some individuals may have a resistance to leptin which may cause appetite or metabolic imbalances. A leptin resistance stems from underlying inflammation in the body caused by a poor diet or increased fat cells. Although this may sound overwhelming...The good news is dietary and lifestyle modifications can reduce levels of inflammation and help you lose weight!
Holistic Considerations
One of the most powerful ways to combat inflammation is via a holistic approach considering your daily diet and lifestyle.
To follow an anti-inflammatory style of eating, start by reducing pro-inflammatory foods including refined sugar and starches, saturated fats and processed foods, excessive alcohol consumption and consider excluding dairy and gluten. Include anti-inflammatory wholefoods in the diet such as an abundance of vegetables and fruit, herbs and spices, quality protein, healthy fats, adequate fibre and gut friendly foods.
From a lifestyle perspective there are a number of ways you can support inflammation. Start by prioritising your sleep and daily movement, managing your stress with mindfulness practises and breathing techniques and supporting the body with regular infrared saunas.
At Infinite Health Studio we choose to work closely with individuals to approach weight loss and inflammation in a holistic and individualised way. Through thorough investigation, case taking and pathology our practitioners will assess any underlying drivers contributing to inflammation and help you manage your weight in a healthy and realistic way. We offer treatments that are 100% personalised to support you the best we can. For further advice, speak with a practitioner here at Infinite Health Studio.
