Most diets concentrate on the fat cells in the body, but what about the other trillion or so cells. Could they be the culprit behind weight gain?
A new theory says yes. Inflammation is the body's first line of attack against illness and infection but it also takes place within the cells themselves. Cells bogged down by toxins and pollutants become inflamed and don't function as they should. As a result those toxins and pollutants remain trapped leading to a sluggish metabolism and weight gain.
Cellular inflammation is aggravated by processed foods containing hydrogenated vegetables oils. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, also known as trans fat, is used in commercially baked goods, margarine, and snack foods such as potato chips. Sugar can also be a cause of inflammation.
What can you do if you want to reduce inflammation and get your cells back on a normal track?
Take a break from foods known to be common allergens even if you don't have a specific allergy. These foods include wheat, dairy, soy, peanuts and corn. Avoiding these foods led to a ten pound weight loss in a study group with no other changes in their diets or eating habits. Since you're cutting out dairy products, a prime source of calcium, add a calcium supplement to your diet. That's a good idea in any case, as most women don't get enough calcium as it is.
Stress leads to the production of the hormone cortisol which leads to cell inflammation and weight gain, or resistance to weight loss. Reducing the level of stress in modern day life is a challenge. Lavender essential oil is calming and soothing. Double the effect by taking a hot bath with a teaspoon of lavender essential oil. You can add Epsom salts, sea salt and baking soda to the bath water and reduce stress even further.
Mild exercise such as brisk walk or bicycling can reduce stress levels. And the extra exercise will burn off a few more calories as well.
Increase your intake of foods known for their anti-inflammation properties. These foods include kale, spinach, chard, oily fish such as tuna and salmon, green tea, brown rice, omega 3 fatty acid and olive oil. Fruits include apples, cherries, citrus, tomatoes, and strawberries.
Spice up your cooking by adding herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary and yes, sage. Oddly enough, even though chilies are spicy they have anti-inflammation properties.
Add at least one of these foods to every meal and eliminate hydrogenated oils. Decrease the level of sugar in your diet as well.
Karl Warren is the owner of 'Fight Your Flab... Fast' - a new site dedicated to helping you achieve your perfect body. If you are serious about losing weight, or you simply want to slim down a little, you should check out http://www.fightyourflabfast.com/blog now.
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