{"id":10586,"date":"2026-02-17T17:36:04","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/?p=10586"},"modified":"2026-02-17T17:37:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:37:15","slug":"dr-vliets-health-tip-tame-fires-within-lifestyle-changes-that-crush-inflammation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/es\/2026\/02\/dr-vliets-health-tip-tame-fires-within-lifestyle-changes-that-crush-inflammation\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Vliet\u2019s Health Tip: Tame Fires Within: Lifestyle Changes That Crush Inflammation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 by Elizabeth Lee Vliet MD and Kathy Kresnik<\/em><\/p>\n

Last week to kick off \u2018Heart Health Month,\u201d we explored the key drivers of cardiovascular health, including the often-overlooked risk of chronic inflammation, in the article “Cooling the Flames of Inflammation: Save Your Heart and Brain!”<\/a> We showed you how to track inflammatory markers and shared a few practical strategies to reduce inflammation and safeguard your heart. This week, I wanted to dive even deeper and share how overlooked but simple and powerful lifestyle changes actually work to crush the inflammatory fires within.<\/p>\n

Today, for Heart Month, you\u2019ll learn more about foods to eat and foods to avoid, anti-inflammatory supplements that are crucial to complement diet, and the lifestyle activities most effective to further cool inflammation and make the biggest impact on your heart and overall health.<\/p>\n

Key take home message to keep in mind as you read today\u2019s article: <\/strong>The typical American diet is rife with saboteurs of our health and well-being.\u00a0 These are inflammatory food categories<\/a> (foods and additives) that markedly increase damaging inflammation throughout the body.\u00a0 These are the foods you really need to AVOID if you want to stay as healthy as possible as you age.<\/p>\n

First, Look at the Top Ten Foods that Fan the Flames of Inflammation<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Sugar\u2011sweetened beverages (soda, energy drinks, sweet teas, many juices)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you eat foods and drinks high in sugars and artificial sweeteners\/sugar substitutes, your body quickly absorbs them, leading to repeated spikes in blood sugar and insulin. Even the \u201czero-calorie\u201d sweeteners (artificial and natural ones like stevia) product insulin surges that begin with the sweet taste on the tongue! <\/em>Then the surges trigger oxidative stress and stimulate your body to ramp up production of inflammatory cytokines through the NF\u2011\u03baB pathway. Eating a lot of added sugar encourages your liver to produce more fat (medically we call that de novo lipogenesis<\/em>), which increases<\/em> your risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), increases harmful visceral fat, and promotes insulin resistance. These changes drive chronic, low-grade inflammation in your body.\u00a0 You can actually measure the level of inflammation with blood tests of inflammatory markers such as adipokines, CRP, hemoglobin A1c, insulin\/IGF-1, and Interleukin\u20116 (IL-6). In addition to increasing insulin surges that lead to more insulin resistance and visceral fat, artificial sweeteners and so-called \u201chealthier\u201d sugar substitutes, such as stevia, all have additional health risks we will discuss in more detail in future articles.<\/p>\n

2. Refined grains and starches (white bread, white rice, most boxed cereals, many crackers, traditional pasta, pastries)<\/strong><\/p>\n

These foods have two major problems that add to inflammatory burder: they are low in fiber and high in glycemic load.\u00a0 These two factors cause frequent spikes in blood sugar and then insulin surges that promote the formation of\u00a0<\/em>Advanced Glycosylation End Products<\/em> (AGEs) which increase oxidative stress. These combined effects then activate inflammatory signaling pathways, such as NF-\u03baB, and disrupt healthy function of your blood vessels. When you don\u2019t get enough fermentable fiber, your body produces less short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This weakens your gut barrier, allows more harmful molecules (like LPS) to enter your system, and activates your body\u2019s innate immune responses, increasing inflammation and the damage that causes. These foods also typically contain preservatives and additives that have additional health risks. I address these major culprits at the end of this section\u2014so keep reading!<\/p>\n

3. Processed meats (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, deli meats, pepperoni)<\/strong><\/p>\n

These foods are high in saturated fat, heme iron, and products formed from advanced glycation and lipid oxidation, all of which promote oxidative stress and inflammation in your blood vessels. Processed meats contain nitrites\/nitrates and other compounds that form during processing, which can generate reactive nitrogen species and worsen inflammation in your blood vessels and colon lining.\u00a0 They also can increase blood pressure, and in sensitive people, the nitrites\/nitrates and excess sodium can even be triggers for atrial fibrillation!\u00a0 In another ominous development, mRNA vaccines have been used in the US pork industry since 2017 without any notice to the public that this was done.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>The more pork products you eat, the more you risk mRNA residues in the pork being added to your own body.\u00a0 As soon as I learned this a few years ago, I entirely cut out pork in my diet (even though I didn\u2019t eat it often before that.)\u2014it isn\u2019t worth the risk of mRNA contamination.<\/p>\n

4. Red meat in excess <\/em>large, frequent portions of beef, lamb), especially if prepared as charred\/grilled. <\/strong><\/p>\n

To protect your heart and blood vessels, limit your intake of red meat, especially fatty cuts. Eating too much saturated fat and omega-6 fats can lead to excess body fat, raise your LDL particle count, and fuel inflammation linked to atherosclerosis. Whenever you cook meat at high temperatures, like grilling or pan-frying, you create harmful compounds called heterocyclic amines<\/em> and PAHs. These substances increase oxidative and inflammatory stress in your blood vessels and colon.\u00a0 It is much healthier to use gentler cooking methods such as braising, stewing, poaching, and sous vide<\/em>. These gentler techniques use lower temperatures and\/or moisture, so meat comes out more tender and healthier, without the more harmful compounds generated by high heat and grilling.<\/p>\n

5. Industrial trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, these are still present in many baked goods, frosting, non\u2011dairy creamers, some microwave popcorn and fried foods, and they strongly raise LDL and lower HDL, drive endothelial dysfunction, and increase systemic inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL\u20116. These unhealthy fats incorporate into cell membranes, altering membrane fluidity and receptor function, and amplify atherogenic inflammation. Although \u201ctrans fat\u201d is listed on food labels and should be \u201c0,\u201d you have to be aware that if a product has less than 0.5 g trans fat per serving, it can legally be listed as 0!\u00a0 Red flags to alert you to the presence of trans fats include the words: <\/strong>partially hydrogenated <\/em>oils\u2014soybean, vegetable oil, canola oil and other seed oils), hydrogenated<\/em> oil, shortening<\/em> \u2013 especially vegetable shortening, and I recommend avoiding margarines and \u201cbutter\u201d spreads that are made with these hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.<\/p>\n

6. Deep\u2011fried fast foods (French fries, fried chicken, onion rings, many fried items at restaurants)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you eat deep-fried fast foods, you typically take in a combination of refined starch, high omega\u20116 oils, and fats that have been repeatedly fried at high heat. This process creates oxidized fats and Advanced Lipid Oxidation End Products<\/em> (ALEs), which trigger your body\u2019s inflammatory pathways. After a meal, these foods cause a surge in blood fats and oxidative stress. This results in chylomicron remnants and oxidized lipoproteins that promote inflammation in your blood vessels and immune cells. Hopefully, this helps you understand why chronic high consumption of fast foods is so extremely <\/em>detrimental to your health!<\/p>\n

7. Ultra\u2011processed snack foods and desserts (chips, cookies, crackers, packaged pastries, candy bars, many \u201cgranola\u201d or protein bars)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you eat ultra-processed snacks and desserts, you consume a mix of refined grains, added sugars, industrial fats, sodium, and additives. These ingredients together cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, disrupt your gut microbiome, and drive low-grade inflammation by letting harmful molecules enter your system. Because these foods pack a lot of calories but do not keep you full, you are also more likely to overeat. This creates an unfortunate pattern that leads to weight gain and triggers body fat inflammation from immune cells releasing inflammatory molecules (like TNF\u2011\u03b1 and IL\u20116).<\/p>\n

8. High\u2011fructose and high\u2011sucrose sweets (candy, ice cream, many desserts, syrups)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Excess fructose is preferentially metabolized in the liver which increases uric acid, de novo lipogenesis (new fat synthesis from non-fat sources), and liver fat which promotes liver and systemic inflammation. Frequent sugar intake raises Advanced Glycosylation End Products<\/em> (AGEs) and disrupts endothelial nitric oxide, triggering vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, and increase in middle body (\u2018beer belly\u201d) visceral fat.<\/p>\n

9. Excessive alcohol (heavy intake of beer, spirits, sugary cocktails), especially with poor diet that is high in the inflammatory categories I just discussed above. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Alcohol is metabolized as a simple sugar, which means it spikes blood glucose and insulin and over time contributes to excess body fat around the middle of the body \u2013hence the name \u201cbeer belly!\u201d In addition, your body\u00a0 converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, which increases oxidative stress and damages the gut lining leading to gut permeability. This lets more of an endotoxin called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enter your liver and bloodstream, amplifying inflammation throughout your body. Drinking large amounts of alcohol over time promotes inflamed, fatty liver (steatohepatitis<\/em>), raises CRP, fasting insulin, HgbA1C, and inflammatory cytokines.\u00a0 Daily or frequent alcohol combined with an unhealthy diet causes intensified inflammation that increases heart disease and metabolic syndrome.<\/p>\n

10. High\u2011sodium, ultra\u2011processed convenience foods (frozen meals, many canned soups, instant noodles, fast\u2011food sandwiches, and also restaurants) <\/strong><\/p>\n

If you consume too much sodium, you may trigger low-grade inflammation in your blood vessels and disrupt your immune system, especially if you\u2019re salt-sensitive. Elevated sodium intake also raises your blood pressure, which in turn contributes to inflammatory changes in your arteries. Ultra-processed convenience foods don\u2019t just overload your body with sodium, they also pack in refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and various additives. This combination makes these foods a concentrated source of ingredients that promote inflammation, rather than sodium alone being the only culprit. Restaurants can also be a problem since you cannot control added salts, oils used and flavorings (natural or artificial). You may notice retained fluid the next day when the scale goes up a few pounds and you cannot remove your rings, but this inflammation is transient and quickly resolves when you return to normal home-based eating but can become a problem with frequent eating out.<\/p>\n

Now, Look at the Top ANTI-Inflammatory Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n

The following foods have potent anti-inflammatory benefits based on data from decades of reliable scientific studies world-wide, so adding these foods to your meal plans lead to reduction in inflammatory markers, and improved cardiometabolic function and health.\u00a0 These foods go a long way to decrease the fires of inflammatory damage throughout the body.<\/p>\n

1. Extra\u2011virgin olive oil (EVOO)<\/strong>, preferably first-press and cold-processed <\/strong><\/p>\n

Extra-virgin olive oil delivers oleic acid and powerful phenolic compounds, such as hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal. These nutrients actively block the inflammatory protein NF\u2011\u03baB and help reduce the production of COX\u20112\u2013driven eicosanoids, which are linked to inflammation.\u00a0 When you follow a Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil, you lower inflammatory markers like CRP, insulin, IL\u20116, TNF\u2011\u03b1, and myeloperoxidase. Incorporating more extra-virgin olive oil also reduces oxidative damage to your cellular DNA, reducing potentially damaging mutations. Extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols boost the health of your blood vessels, improve nitric oxide levels for better circulation, and encourage growth of beneficial gut bacteria. These changes further help to dampen inflammation<\/a> throughout your body.<\/p>\n