All this stuff about inflammation

[ThirteenRooms]

To be getting a bit sick of it?
I eat very healthy, although not perfect. I don't buy ultra processed stuff and am physically fit and healthy to my knowledge.

I'm in a few recipe communities online and this week mentioned my quick and easy homemade organic flatbreads. I use organic white flour, extra virgin olive oil, water and a pinch of salt.
I've been told more than once that the white flour will give me chronic low grade inflammation. I eat them several times per week with hummus, salad, med veggies, fish and often with fermented sides (not all together!).

From what I am told, it isn't crazy influencers spreading this info, it's accepted science. I did a bit of googling and studies were mixed, but I do think this is going over the top a bit, and my gut can handle an occasional white bloody carb.

I mean, how would I even know if the flatbread gave me chronic inflammation? I feel fine??? I know that inflammation exists, and I am aware that diet can contribute to it, but isn't this going a bit far?

How interesting. What foods do you prioritise/avoid?

It's for the worried well - and almost always there will be something to be bought that will help with this - Zoe for example.

Oops. Just realised you're the same poster. I thought it was someone else telling me I'd misread the post I was replying to. I should probably check usernames.

Yes, I would suggest going back and asking for a referral. The one I have is psoriatic arthritis. I have a teeny patch of psoriasis on my scalp but, while unusual, you can have it without any psoriasis. There are other types of inflammatory arthritis too but I don't know much about them. I would suggest doing a bit of research on types of inflammatory arthritis before your go to the GP and if any of the symptoms match yours, you have data to back your request.

What i am doing is added the following foods to my diet.
I always ate them but I have really upped them.
Olive oil every day.
Keffir drink or yoghurt.
Fermented veg like kimchi, one teaspoon every other day.
I love pickles too.
Walnuts, almonds, blueberries, to snack on.
Sweet potatoes
Eggs very regularly.
Green veg like broccoli and spinach and carrots.
Bread only occasionally and only good brown sourdough.
I am eating tinned mackeral 2-3 times a week.
I wouldn't touch farmed salmon for anything so mackeral it is.
I love cheese, but not too much.
I love my food and still have a bit of white pasta, the odd potato, white rice and curry etc., but they are not everyday.
I am drinking greentea after dinner every day.
I take vitamin d and k2 every day too.

I was put on Prednisolone which I hated and got myself off it in 3 weeks as whilst it did the job of making me pain free, it really did not agree with me.

This is working for the moment and I am happy to stick with it.
Being pain free is amazing and makes any sacrifice relatively easy.

Totally agree.
I have RA and fibromyalgia.
No non carb eating cures it!

My reading has been as high as 871(normal is 6).
I only eat bread twice a week but I love rice. Professor Spector says white rice is the least of people's troubles.
I've lost a lot of weight and no longer drink.
RA attacks the body and I've not seen any real reversal in 22 years.
I'm on the third round of rituximab. Nothing spectacular yet!
Eat those flat breads, they sound delicious.

White flour is obviously not good for you , but overall we don’t have to chase perfection. 80/20 is good.

But blood sugar is meant to spike a bit, it's just not meant to go too high or be high all the time. It's not meant to be level all the time either. We're supposed to be able to tolerate a bit of up and down. I'm all for avoiding crappy junk UPFs but OP isn't going to UPF inflammation hell just because she eats her healthy veggies, proteins and fats on a home made white flour flatbread. (I mean, I assume OP's not just bingeing flatbreads piled with marshmallows and Haribo.)

Can you tell me what is so 'wrong' (as in obviously not good for you) with a homemade white organic flatbread though?
It has 0.3g of sugar per 100g, and 13g of protein
It isn't ideal compared to wholemeal, but I can't see how it's going to impact my health in moderation, paired with fresh healthy foods.

If you don't have a problem, then it's not a problem.

I have tended towards inflammation and, after years, was diagnosed with a condition that explains it. I know wheat causes me problems, I'm mostly dairy free and have a lot of other dietary adjustments. All in conjunction with my specialist.

As a result, I've been able to stay off meds and my blood tests have never been better. My blood sugars even impressed my doctor, my inflammation markers are almost nothing compared to being a bit elevated in the past.

I think it certainly can be a 'thing' but you have to take care over a balanced diet if cutting things out and be sensible about it. Your flat breads would be terrible for me but probably do no harm to you. You know your body, so don't worry what anyone else thinks.

Yes, I mean, my next meal will likely be yoghurt, kefir and mixed seeds, sometimes with berries. Or hummus, feta and veg, etc. It isn't like I am mainlining sugar or refined foods.

I do like wholemeal spagetti but don't like many starches generally.

my downfall is jack daniels, 8-10 units a week. I am a lost cause

Think this sums it up.

I have Hashimoto’s, and I’ve been told gluten can flare it. It is quite literally an inflammatory autoimmune condition, so for me anti inflammatory diet is important and I’m glad there’s more info out there about it. I only got diagnosed last year.

But those values are only when you put it in your mouth and are only half the story.

Much of the carb that isn't listed as sugar turns very quickly to sugar after eating it. That's the difference between refined and unrefined carbs. Unrefined don't break down into glucose as quickly so don't cause spikes or act as much like pure sugar, causing the pancreas to produce loads of insulin, which in turn leads to resistance. They also have more nutrients and the fibre is also beneficial (and helps slow the digestion of them).

You have done a valiant job op. I like white carbs too, but they are not champions in the healthy eating hall of fame.

Even the Glucose Goddess says you can eat refined carbs provided you "dress" them with fibre, protein and healthy fats.

You can't just eat nothing but worthy foods topped with worthy foods. You'll go mad with deprivation and end up sitting in a pile of Mini Eggs.

It's all so bloody boring - just eat normally and not loads of shit and most people would be absolutely fine.

Sick of hearing about this kind of thing - my friend is all over it at the moment, such a snooze fest!!

I am possibly wrong but I wasn't aware that moderate consumption of homemade flatbread might cause insulin resistance?

Glucose goddess is a supplement pusher, I just can't with that stuff.

Also,, my blood glucose is fine, never had an issue with it so far. I am more concerned with the obsessive messaging around simple foods.

It’s helpful for me, as I have RA, OA, and Hashimotos.

Something as innocuous as a slice of bread can flatten me, so knowing which foods cause me inflammation is useful. In my experience though, it’s different for different people.

Eating for my body is the difference between living and existing for me.

This is true!😂

It can be a part of a healthy diet op, but only if it is balanced out by better choices. But few people are perfect all the time.

If everything you ate was of that ilk, I think it would. Of course, you can have some: even a sugar-covered donut here and there is not going to wreck your pancreas in one sitting.

Frequent blood sugar spikes, like those from eating a meal high in refined carbs, lead to, you guessed it, inflammation. Refined carbs and other foods high on the glycemic index cause big and rapid spikes.

Plus, having too high a glucose level for too long can lead to insulin resistance. Then you're looking at things like metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.

This is not new science.

It was disappointing especially given how anti-supplement she was initially. But some of the stuff she says is sensible. I am a bit overwhelmed by the earnestness that pervades all online food discussion at the moment though and feel your pain.

No, it is not, but the key words are "frequent" and "big" I think? Are we actually disagreeing here?

Honestly though, anyone who tells people what to eat and in what order is promoting orthorexia for grift. I can't deal with any of that influencer stuff.

it can be difficult navigating food info on the internet!

Everything in moderation I think.

People are pushing high protein but that can have its issues too ...