Inflammation & Our Need for Whole Foods

I watched a video clip by Susan Blum, MD, MPH last night and it was a good reminder of the concept that 'not all calories are created equal'. She discussed 100 calories from an organic apple vs 100 calories from a snack pack of pretzels and how they affect our bodies on a cellular level. (Confession: there was a time when I consumed 100 calorie pack snacks every.single.day!)

The food we eat imprints our cells with information. Healthy food, such as the apple, are like a green light to our cells and allow them to be healthy and function properly. Unhealthy foods, like the pretzels (and most other things in the standard American diet), send out a red light to our cells and can lead to poor cellular function that can damage our body and lead to negative side affects such as inflammation. 

Years upon years of poor diet choices can lead to a myriad of problems including chronic inflammation in our bodies which is evident through muscle pain (Fibromyalgia) and joint pain (Arthritis).  Chronic inflammation is problematic because it means that instead of the body healing, the immune system is essentially attacking itself.  Inflammation can also affect our body as a whole with symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, and a feeling of puffiness.  This is why it is so important for us to remember that food is a source of nourishment and natural medicine for our body.  Be proactive!

The best thing you can do is spend the majority of your time grocery shopping in the (organic) produce aisle. Focus on whole foods - foods that are unprocessed, unrefined, and appear in their most pure form. I am always brought back to Michael Pollan's quote from his book Food Rules....