All this stuff about inflammation

I have an inflammatory arthritis and what I eat makes a huge difference. If I overeat sugars and refined carbs my joints start to itch and swell. I'm not militant, but if I don't want to aggravate my inflammatory condition, then I need to avoid foods that make it worse.

I think some people are more likely to suffer from inflammation in the body than others. I don't think raising awareness is a bad thing.

At the end of the day what people put in their mouth is up to them. Food fashions come and go and if you like your own homemade flatbread and there are no ill effects, why wouldn't you carry on enjoying it?

I have never tested positive in blood tests for inflammatory markers. However, the information is quire clear in mris and, in some joints, by feeling them.

Have you been referred to a rheumotologist or was it just your GP? My GP had no idea what was causing my inflammation and only for I insisted on being referred to a rheumotologist, I wouldn't have a diagnosis which would have resulted in joint etc damage down the line

I’m with you OP, eating healthily most of the time but not perfect and I’m fine with it. I think any sort of obsession including healthy eating, is ironically bad for your health.

We’re also all different. I feel great eating pasta or a nice slice of bread as long as it comes with protein. My body however reacts very negatively to the lack of carbs and not having a bedtime snack - I get a cortisol spike and can’t sleep for a few days; intermittent fasting wrecked me.

80/20 rule works well for me.

No it's not news, and I'm surprised how many people think its "faddy."

I thought most people knew supermarket white bread and donuts etc were not that healthy.

If you look at any online health and fitness influences you might feel convinced that you are going to die young from inflammation, and a lack of protein, lions mane mushrooms, collagen etc. The reality is that there are many people in their 90s today who have lived long and healthy lives without following fad diets, going to the gym, running ultra marathons etc. It is possible to be moderate and healthy. Walking, housework and gardening are good exercise. A varied, moderate diet without constant junk should be fine. Of course, these things may apply to some people but honestly if you feel normal and are reasonably fit then you probably are.

I'm autoimmune so have to watch my diet to reduce inflammation. There's a lot of science behind anti-inflammatory conditions for autoimmune conditions, and sufferers can find relief using the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol). I'm 13 years into my MS diagnosis, and credit the AIP for why I'm still mostly symptom free, and don't need any medication. I can react pretty quickly and pretty strongly if I eat the wrong stuff though! Most people obviously don't have such extreme reactions, though I would assume it's still always a good idea to try to keep inflammation fairly low as it's linked to a huge number of conditions from heart disease to diabetes, to autism. It doesn't mean it causes them, but it can make them worse. But so long as you're a healthy weight, exercising enough, not overly stressed and eating a healthy diet with loads of veg and fibre, you're really not going to be damaging yourself by having homemade white flour flatbreads!

White flour is a refined carb that can spike your blood sugar, so yeah, it causes inflammation.

This is not really new news.

You mention other things like alcohol and processed foods. It's not an either or. It's just another thing that yes, causesinflammation.

I like all these faddy food trends you see because it puts into perspective how lucky I am to live a life with no food insecurity, where I can afford to feed and clothe my children and don’t worry about where my next meal is coming from. When worrying about eating too much of this, that or the other features as one of your life’s biggest concerns then you know your life is pretty blessed compared to so many people in the world. So don’t stress it, OP. Like everything in life, everything in moderation because in another ten years we’ll demonize a different food group anyway.

You can buy a test online for about £8 if you want to test your inflammation level. But if you have no joint pain, it's probably fine. Like a lot of things, it affects people differently. And sometimes mysteriously - I had no persistent joint pain til I was about 43 and then when I did I went to the doctor and was told it was inflammation but they couldn't explain why. I've been left to figure things out for myself, and I do find that having a lot of sugar / alcohol / simple carbs makes it worse. I miss the days of eating anything and always feeling fine. I was about to say "if that's you, keep eating a diet that you feel healthy on and don't worry". But is it possible my (mostly crap) diet had some sort of cumulative effect and led to the inflammation thing? I don't know enough about it to say.

Just eat unprocessed food, everything in moderation, and stay offline.

Too many crazy obsessives on there

I think overdoing protein is a fad.

Carbs are fine; its the ultra-processed and low nutrient ones that people associate with inflammation, not a high carb diet per se.

@ThirteenRooms Yes I agree, so far. and I’m 58 now, my diet and exercise regime has kept me slim, fit and hopefully healthy 🤞

It is things like joints - so knees and hands especially. They can kind of just ache.

And then a lot of people get water retention from white flour, which can make you feel sluggish and heavy. And also things like brain fog and fatigue, and for some people mood, though those three are kind of linked and hard to untangle.

I do think it is very real. I know some people who suffer dreadfully.

I suffer just enough to know it isn't imagined, but I tend to eat a lot of wholegrains (which I also love), pulses, fruit and veg which really helps.

Incidentally, inflammation is the body's signal that it has something in it like infection or toxin, that it doesn't like. I think flour used to be fine when it was rough milled, but these days the manufacturing process of white flour and also supermarket bread is very different. The Chorleywood process is quite strongly associated with inflammation.

I’ve been doing everything wrong all my life apparently, I don’t do low carb diets, my diet consists of wholegrain breads, pasta etc. fruits, veg including potatoes fish and lean meats, I don’t eat huge amounts of protein at every available opportunity, I also do cardio most days which is a complete no no and a waste of time, I should be lifting heavy weights (yes I know weights are good but not in isolation). I do often wonder if the push for low carb, high protein diets and non cardio exercise is partly why we a seeing a surge of colon cancer in young people.

I eat what I like when I like end of.

I had a can of whipped cream and mini pancakes in bed last night.

Before that I had crisp and fajitas.

Washed down with coffee.

I sometimes wonder if I've been beamed in from another planet or maybe a different time altogether. Inflammation of what FFS? Big toe? Head? Whole body? Ego?

Can someone help me get back to 1971? I was happy there!

I love white flour: pasta, crumpets, first batch of the day croissants from a French boulangerie, warm fresh baked bread with cheesy topping and melted butter! It's the comfort stuff of childhood!

BUT if I am brutally honest, I do notice that eating more than the occasional bit of it (say once or twice a week tops) does make me feel sluggish and experience inflammatory type symptoms.

I wish it didn't!

I think the truth is it all comes down to sugar being not ideal, and the white carbs these days are processed in a way that is really only a heartbeat away from sugar.

As is usually the case with diet, I think it is about moderation. But I don't think it's total nonsense, no. Wish it was though!

I think, OP that it is yet another thing that has suddenly become the thing not to do. The problem with these trends is that although there may be a loose scientific basis, it gets lost in translation. It then gets picked up as the next thing by people who aren't very bright and before you know it is all over social media and you start to think it must be true. The the next thing comes along and the process starts all over again.

Do you know what does cause inflammation? Chronic stress and alcohol.

The number of times I’ve seen adverts for health retreats or detoxes or whatevers and then there is an open bar in the evening.

White flour is fine as long as you eat a high fibre diet. Cut out the alcohol and stress though.

@ThirteenRooms I do a very similar recipe originally from the river cottage cookbook, (loved that programme from years back), it does a great quick homemade pizza too, sauce made from saute shallot and passata and fresh mozzerella/ cheddar then only 10 mins in the oven. I keep them in the freezer for this purpose, also like them with adding strong grated cheddar before dry frying on my griddle😋

I read an article that said the concept of inflammation is scientifically sound, but that the wellness industry has it the wrong way around. Inflammation is the body's normal, healthy immune response, so it can be a sign of problems if you have too much, but it's not a problem to be solved or caused in itself. The article likened inflammation to fire engines. If you have a city with lots of disasters and fires then there will be a lot of fire engines around, but to say oh the fire engines are the problem, we need to reduce the fire engines, that's backwards. And likewise if the fires are caused by arsonists or riots you wouldn't say that arson and rioting are causing fire engines.