Does inflammation really make that big of a difference?
Hell, yes.
Chronic inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. It’s associated with increases in cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, IBS, IBD, macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and cancer. And chronic inflammation could be the reason you’re struggling with weight loss.
Healing chronic inflammation is key to improving your overall health. When we reduce inflammation in the body, we set ourselves up to lose excess weight, fight off diseases, and thrive. It’s worth all your effort.
What is Chronic Inflammation?
Inflammation is your body’s natural defense mechanism, but things can go wrong when your body stays in an inflamed state. There are two types of inflammation:
- Acute inflammation: We want this type. It’s the short-term, immediate response to an injury or infection (like healing a cut). This physical response in your body appears as redness, swelling, pain, heat, or loss of function in the affected area. When the problem is fixed, the inflammation goes away.
- Chronic inflammation: This type is bad news. It’s the long term condition caused by diet, stress, and lifestyle. Chronic inflammation can be more subtle and may not always present with visible signs, but it can show up as fatigue, joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, weight gain or loss, and even mood disorders.
While acute inflammation is a necessary part of our body’s healing process, chronic inflammation can be detrimental to our health and is linked with various diseases. When inflammation becomes chronic, it disrupts hormones, slows metabolism, and increases fat storage, especially around the belly.
Signs You May Have Chronic Inflammation
Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore include:
- Constant bloating or digestive issues
- Unexplained weight gain or stubborn belly fat
- Join pain and body aches
- Fatigue and brain fog
- Trouble sleeping
- Frequent headaches
- Low back pain
- Insulin resistance
You don’t have to play a guessing game, however. Doctors can use blood tests that measure levels of inflammatory markers, like C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). While they can’t pinpoint the exact cause or location of the inflammation, these tests help determine whether you’re living with chronic inflammation.
How Inflammation Affects Weight Loss
Inflammation disrupts key weight loss hormones like:
- Insulin—Causing blood sugar spikes and leading to more fat storage
- Leptin—Disrupting hunger cues and making you feel hungrier
- Cortisol—Increasing belly fat and stress-related weight gain
At face value, inflammation seems unrelated to body composition. But when we see how inflammation disrupts so many functions of our bodies, we start to understand why it could be a root cause of stubborn body fat.
Foods That Cause Inflammation
Changing your diet can powerfully lower the amount of inflammation you live with daily. For the sake of your health and weight loss goals, avoid or limit these inflammatory foods:
- Refined sugar and processed carbs
- Industrial seed oils (soybean, canola, vegetable oils)
- Artificial sweeteners and additives
- Processed meats and fried foods
- Excess alcohol
Should You Ditch Dairy and Gluten?
Some of today’s most popular diets and influencers advocate for oat milk lattes and almond flour muffins, claiming that dairy and gluten are the leading causes of inflammation.
People with autoimmune diseases, like Hashimoto’s or celiac disease, experience chronic inflammation too. Healing the gut with whole foods and quality animal protein, as well as avoiding gluten, dairy, sugar, and artificial additives can help heal the gut and reduce inflammation.
Others may still experience gluten or dairy intolerance. After eating these foods, they may experience digestive discomfort, fatigue, bloating, or depression. Many dairy products are high in lactose, saturated fats, and omega-6 fatty acids (more on fatty acids below) and can cause symptoms like acne, bloating, and upset stomach in some people.
Before you start spreading cashew cheese on cassava crackers, give this gluten and dairy guide a read.
Should You Cut Out Sugar and Alcohol?
Are sugar and alcohol ramping up your inflammation? Are they really worth cutting?
Unfortunately, sugar and alcohol are at the top of the chronic inflammation list. Foods and beverages like cocktails, soda, refined carbs, and high fructose corn syrups are some of the biggest culprits.
Sugar and alcohol deliver a one-two punch to your inflammation levels. Sugar increases inflammation. Alcohol impairs your body’s ability to decrease inflammation.
But before you get mad at me and go make yourself a massive Mudslide, check out this sugar and alcohol guide. You’ll learn whether cutting alcohol and sugar is worth it for you, as well as hacks to keep inflammation low after a sweet treat or boozy drink.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Weight Loss
It’s not all about cutting things out. Certain foods help your body lower inflammation. Eat more of these anti-inflammatory foods daily:
- Leafy greens (like spinach and kale)
- Fatty fish (like salmon and sardines)
- Berries (like blueberries and raspberries)
- Turmeric and ginger
- Raw or dry-roasted nuts and seeds (walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, flaxseeds)
- Extra virgin olive oil and avocados
This week, try my favorite Summer Salad. It will improve your gut, provide protein, and reduce inflammation all at once. Plus, it clocks in at 530 calories and 47g of protein—this is the kind of healing, satiating lunch you should be shooting for.
Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Inflammation
Small changes can make a huge difference in your overall health. These healthy habits reverse chronic inflammation:
- Prioritize sleep (7-9 hours per night)
- Manage stress (meditation, deep breathing, nature walks, counseling)
- Get 30+ minutes of movement daily
- Stay hydrated (at least 80oz of water)
- Balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio
Let’s talk about that last point for a second. Because I know that counting hours of sleep is more straightforward than knowing your omega 3 to 6 ratio, but it’s worth understanding. A strong body of evidence suggests that an imbalance of these fatty acids has influenced our modern diseases more than any other dietary factor!
Too much omega-6 fatty acid is linked to a range of modern diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Higher omega-3, on the other hand, supports heart, brain, and eye function and lowers inflammation. It can even help with conditions like depression and anxiety.
Your goal? Get back in balance—shoot for a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Foods like wild-caught seafood (salmon, halibut, cod, herring, mackerel, and sardines) and quality grass-fed meat are rich in omega-3s. Decrease omega-6 heavy foods, like highly processed foods and vegetable oils.
Nutrition trackers like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer can track how much omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids you’re consuming each day. Want to learn more? Take a closer look at the importance of these fatty acids in this short guide.
The Simple Plan to Reduce Inflammation and Lose Weight
You don’t have to overhaul your entire life overnight to reverse chronic inflammation. Small, strategic changes can nourish your cells and restore balance to your body. When you lower inflammation, you won’t just lose weight more easily. You’ll also unlock more energy, better digestion, clearer skin, and a stronger immune system.
But inflammation doesn’t just go away on its own. It takes focused, intentional actions—that’s exactly what we’ll be doing inside the LEAN Monthly Membership this coming month.
We’ll deep dive into inflammation—what’s really driving it in your body, how to spot the hidden triggers, and the step-by-step strategies to reverse it for good.
If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of fatigue, stubborn belly fat, aches, or digestive issues, here’s your chance to break free. Don’t just read about healing inflammation—learn how to do it and get the support to make it happen.
Join us now, and make this the month you finally tackle inflammation head-on. Your body will thank you, now and for years to come.
