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10 inflammatory foods to avoid now!

May 01, 2019 13 comments
10 inflammatory foods to avoid now!

It’s official—inflammation is a leading cause of chronic disease and death!

Chronic inflammatory conditions like heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases are responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths in the US each year.

But inflammation also happens to be very PREVENTABLE!

Some of the common sources of inflammation that you can avoid or minimize include:

  • Stress
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Medications and vaccines
  • Poor sleep
  • Infections or viruses
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Lacking exercise

But one of the most significant sources of inflammation is your DIET!

In that light, here are the 10 worst inflammatory foods that you should avoid at all cost, followed by how you can help reduce chronic inflammation safely and naturally.

1- Sugar

Sugar can stir up inflammation in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.  Plus sugar is nourishment for cancer cells. 

Especially dangerous is the highly used, cheap form of sugar known as high fructose corn syrup.  Your liver must break down all the fructose you eat (versus only 20 percent of the glucose), so consuming HFCS puts a tremendous strain on your liver. 

As such, HFCS has been linked to fatty liver disease, as well as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, cancer and chronic kidney disease. 

Plus, HFCS doesn’t get “burned up” for energy—it turns into fatty acids, excess cholesterol and triglycerides—all risks for heart disease.

And it’s made from GE corn to boot!

2- Refined carbohydrates

Unlike good carbs like fresh vegetables, refined carbohydrates have little nutritive value and turn to sugar upon digestion.  This makes them no different than #1 above.

Refined carbs have been shown to trigger inflammation in the gut, increasing your risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

Refined carbohydrates include breads, rolls, pastries, cakes, cookies, bagels, muffins, crackers, snack chips, pretzels, pizza dough and pasta.

3- Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are unstable and very prone to damage by oxidation.  When heated they form dangerous compounds identical to deadly trans-fats. 

Note that this includes margarine too.  Vegetable oils are heated when margarine is produced, so stay away from that deadly gunk-in-a-tub or stick.

In addition, vegetable oils inherently promote inflammation due to their high Omega-6 fatty acid content. 

Your body needs both (inflammatory) Omega-6 fats and (anti-inflammatory) Omega-3 fats.  The problem with most people is they get WAY too many Omega-6 fats in their diets and not enough Omega-3s.  This causes an imbalance in these fats which triggers inflammation. 

4- MSG

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor-enhancer most commonly found in prepared Asian food and soy sauce, but it can also be added to fast foods, soups and soup mixes, salad dressings and deli meats.

MSG can trigger two distinct pathways of chronic inflammation, plus affect your liver health.

5- Factory farmed meats

Instead of being allowed to freely graze in pastures rich in anti-inflammatory Omega-3 essential fatty acids, factory farmed animals are instead fed a grain diet which is high in inflammation-stirring Omega-6
EFAs. 

6- Gluten

Due to hybridization, we have created a gluten molecule that is more inflammatory than previous varieties.  

In addition, the amount of gluten in our wheat is nearly double what it was just 50 years ago.  Gluten is a very dense, sticky protein that is inherently hard to digest—and now our bodies must deal with a lot more of it, and a more inflammatory version of it. 

7- Soy

Although it has long been touted as a “healthy” food due to its long history of being consumed by healthy Asian populations, 93 percent of the soy produced in the US is genetically engineered as well as treated with glyphosate—the main ingredient in the weed killer RoundUp—which has recently been determined to cause cancer.

8- Soda

Soda is the most vile, disease-creating, acidic liquid you can drink, with a pH of about 2.3 – 2.5. 

Your body has 2 acid defenses—it can neutralize them or expel them.  However, when it is inundated with too much acid day in and day out it becomes overwhelmed. 

And an excess of acid in your body over and above what it can handle lights fires of inflammation.  

9- Processed foods

Processed foods provide little to no nutrients, they create loads of acid in your body and they typically contain refined grains, sugar and/or trans-fats.   

In addition, most (non-organic) processed foods are made with GE ingredients, and the company does not have to disclose that fact on the label.

10- Artificial sweeteners

Studies have linked sugar substitutes to cancer, brain damage and premature delivery in pregnant women, insulin sensitivity, retinal damage and blindness, nerve pain, muscle weakness and memory lapses, to name a few.

Plus they alter your gut microbiome, increasing your risk of inflammatory immune responses.

Natural ways to help fight inflammation

In addition to avoiding the inflammatory foods mentioned above, here are 5 ways to put the power of natural health to work against inflammation in your body:

1) Help keep your body alkaline

Your body is meant to be slightly alkaline and you can help keep it that way with your diet.

Alkaline foods include most vegetables (other than potatoes and corn).  Try to make at least half of your plate vegetables, and eat a big tossed salad every day.

What you drink matters too.  So if Ronald Reagan was President the last time you drank anything but coffee, alcohol, soda or Monsters, it’s time to change that.  Strive to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of filtered water a day.

2) Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 EFAs are Nature’s anti-inflammatory, but most people don’t get enough of them in their diets.

In addition to eating fatty fish, a fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3 can help make sure your body is getting what it needs.

VitalMega-3 contains 1,200 mg of Omega-3 EFAs in every 2-capsule serving, including 600 mg EPA and 400 mg DHA—the “golden stars” of Omega-3s.

3) Embrace the anti-inflammatory power of turmeric

Mountains of studies are fast emerging showing turmeric’s incredible anti-inflammatory power!

If you like Indian food, that’s great, but the amount of turmeric you typically get from spicy Indian dishes is not enough to make a measurable difference.

That’s why a supplement like Optimal Turmeric Blend is the perfect way to embrace turmeric’s natural anti-inflammatory properties!

Optimal Turmeric Blend contains 750 mg of soothing organic turmeric, plus black pepper extract to enhance absorption of this awesome anti-inflammatory!

4) Exercise regularly

Studies show that exercise has powerful effects in reducing inflammation, which in turn can significantly lower your cancer risk, among other things.  Plus exercise shrinks fat cells, which automatically fights inflammation by calming your body's immune system.

Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK first.

5) Concentrate on anti-inflammatory foods

Here are some of the most potent natural anti-inflammatory foods and spices to incorporate into your diet:

  • Garlic
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Cherries
  • Almonds
  • Walnuts
  • Olive oil
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Salmon (wild caught only)
  • Mackerel (wild caught only)
  • Cloves
  • Ginger
  • Rosemary

Lower that inflammation in your body now and help keep deadly inflammatory diseases far away from you.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia


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13 comments


  • Thank you so much for the reminder. I have done well over my 73 years but have removal of the gall bladder coming up (or coming out as the case may be) in a couple of days. I have also done well with your Great Taste No Pain regimen. Again, thank you. Annette White

    Annette White on

  • Thank you for this information, I have been ill w/a bad stomach for over 4 wks. No help from doctors.

    Joan on

  • Thanks but I’m on a gluten free, diary free, Fod Map diet… no garlic or onion of any kind… allergic to fresh fish but not canned… no raw veggies. Thanks for the few suggestions I can use

    Barbara LaPotin on


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