Started by James O'Boyle, August 25, 2019 · 13 Replies · 5,015 Views
Hi gang,
I'm interested in exploring the connection between diet and inflammation as I'm curious how it applies to my own experience-- I'd like to do some experimentation with my diet to see if it effects the level of inflammation in my body, but I need some guidance. Can anyone recommend any literature on the subject?
Thanks,
James
Hey James, it depends on your knowledge level. if you are poor of genetic field and biologic/biochemical/biomolecular there are an easier textbook.
@Alessandro Mainente Hi Alessandro, I have some basic knowledge from getting a personal trainer's cert from NASM. But I would consider myself a beginner on the subject. Easier books are probably best! Anything you can recommend?
Thanks,
James
@Alessandro Mainente Thanks, I'll check it out!
Just wanted to follow up on this.
After doing some reading (Robb Wolf + Chris Kresser) I decided to cut gluten and refined sugar out of my diet. So far it's been a month, and here's what I've noticed so far:
-I've lost 4-5lbs
-I've gained flexibility (specific to GB, my stiff legged windmill opened up, my piking has felt easier, my straddle has opened up, and my shoulder extension has opened up, etc.)
-I've noticed *very significant* improvements in back pain (I've dealt with chronic back pain for the last 5 or so years)
-My energy is much more level throughout the day (I'm starting to almost forget to drink tea throughout the day) with no crashes
Has anyone else had similar improvements after cutting gluten/sugar from their diet?
Thanks,
James
Not really. I tried cutting out gluten a few years back. Maybe less flautlens but that's it.
Spent a lot more money on food and preparing it. Not worth the time or cash.
Maybe cutting out refined sugar contributed to your stable energy levels. But in the end all carbohydrates gets broken down to the sugar molecule.
Most food isn't very inflammatory. Unless you follow a fast/junk food high- sugar diet.
Being overweigh IS Inflammatory. Fat tissue causes this.
Also working out causes your inflammatory markers in blood to rise. Thats not a bad thing.
Also sceptical of anyone who advocates for a Paleo diet. People in the stone age ate whatever they could get their hands on. They didn't have much of an alternative. If they would be served a pizzaslice they would be pretty stoked!
Keep in mind, I didn't go full Paleo--I just cut out gluten and refined sugar.
I am not someone who eats much processed food, but the stuff that I did eat (energy bars, bread, pasta, etc) is now completely out of my diet.
I actually think people should spend more money and more time selecting and preparing food in general. I've always bought produce directly from farmers locally as much as possible (I'm in NYC, so it's very easy for me as there are farmer's markets every day of the week) and I have a personal relationship with a local organic animal farm as well as access to butcher shops that source from farms who maintain organic/grass-fed farming practices. Being in the restaurant industry helps me in this department, but I understand it's not easy for everyone.
After making these changes to my diet and seeing these improvements, I'm surprised that over the years none of my doctors (and I'm referring to pain specialists, physiatrists and surgeons at a very high level) have suggested that I look to my diet for help with my symptoms.
I try the same elimination. I can eliminate gluten fine on my own, but the minute I get around other humans I fail. But I do think I feel some difference when I eat more of it. I have long noticed a positive difference when I quit sugar (and alcohol too, but I find other sugar easier :-). I notice a substantial difference in sleep, temperature regulation, dry skin and itching, and moods without sugar). I will start paying attention to whether it affects my fitness progress and joints when doing that and working out consistently.
Update on this: at this point I've progressed into a mild ketogenic diet and lost 20+ lbs. My back pain has improved to the tune of 90%--I've even been able to totally stop taking the medicine I've been on for over 5 years (1200mg/day Gabapentin) and the pain has not come back. In the last few months, diet (especially removing processed foods and limiting carb intake) has moved the needle more on body composition and pain than anything else I've tried.
Hi James,
I myself am very interested in how food correlates with inflammation and have successfully significantly reduced inflammation through diet changes and I’m still experimenting. I’m lucky as my partner is a food scientist so I pick her brain regularly and she is doing interesting research. Something you might want to check out is a documentary that addresses these issues. It’s called “what the health”. It’s an interesting watch. From there dive into reading peer reviewed research papers and choose your own path 
nic
How do you measure your inflammations?
Also be careful of using netflix movies as a source of credible information. Did they bring up any studies in the movie or just personal anedoctes?
Its basically a commercial made by the vegan industry disguised as a documentary!
Hi Thomas,
I think you misinterpreted me. I mentioned the movie is an interesting watch as it has some good points. If anyone was interested beyond that I recommended reading peer reviewed research articles.
With regards to measuring inflammation for me personally it was obvious. However, I am a registered cardiac nurse 3/4 the way through medical school with an innate thirst for knowledge so I simply could not stop at my observations. I got my blood tested for inflammatory markers and compared the results to a blood test a few years prior.
I hope that answers your questions.
Thanx for the info.
Im just surprised of how many people take their dietary advice from Netflix these days. Just follow the money trail...
If you have a medical background, you probably know that inflammation is not inherently a bad thing, its a natural occurrence in the body.
Working out will spike your inflammation markers, which is why one should be vary of antioxidants post workout, it might hamper your effect.