Bread and Inflammation

If you’re in pain, one of the first things you’ll be looking to do is reduce inflammation. Think about if you fall and bump your knee. You would want to ice the knee to reduce swelling – a type of inflammation. Here at Madigan Family Health Center, we often talk to our patients about how their diet can reduce inflammation. The most obvious culprit is sugar, but let’s say you’ve made the savvy decision to cut sugar from your diet, what else could be causing inflammation issues?

The first place to look can be in your bread box (does anyone still use those?). Bread is a very common cause of inflammation because it’s a refined carbohydrate. Refined carbs like bread and pasta are also known as simple carbs. They quickly turn into sugar, raise your blood glucose levels and then release chemicals that cause inflammation – just like sugar itself.

Not all carbs are evil. Unrefined – or complex – carbs like the ones found in fruits and vegetables don’t spike your blood sugar, but also contain antioxidants that actively help fight inflammation. These antioxidants can reduce the inflammation that’s causing you pain. So, next time you want to whip up a bowl of pasta and some garlic bread, consider spiraling zucchini or cooking spaghetti squash. Then skip the bread.

To get personalized tips on how to reduce inflammation you may be feeling, come into Madigan Family Health Center and I can assess your problem areas and get you operating at 100 percent!