Inflammatory foods can hide in produce, mixes, and your favorite foods. Chronic Inflammation is a serious condition that results from a diet consistently found to be overly processed and refined. To reduce swelling, start by following the top five rules for the best inflammation diet .

Then make sure you’ve removed inflammatory foods from your diet, whether you’re eating at home or in a restaurant. Inflammatory foods contain high amounts of fat, sugar, chemical addictives and preservatives.   For those suffering with chronic inflammation or who just want to eat healthier,
start by eliminating foods from the following top four categories:

1.    Trans-fats
Some of the worst inflammatory foods can be found in this category. These foods are neither nutritious nor healthy but are used to prolong the shelf life of foods:

•    Processed, packaged meals (like Lunchables)
•    Canned meats (such as Spam; by contrast, tuna packed in water is fine)
•    Processed oils

2.    Refined carbohydrates
Inflammatory foods found in this group contain hidden sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup, malt, molasses, evaporated cane juice, or other sugars:

•    Cookies
•    Cakes
•    Ice cream
•    Candy
•    Donuts

3.    Pesticides
Inflammatory foods found in this category are those consistently contaminated with pesticide residue. Organic produce is certified free of pesticides, and eating organic is the best choice to retain a full array of healthy fruits and vegetables. If buying organic is not an option, then consider reducing your intake of the following, which often have the heaviest pesticide residue:

•    Apples
•    Strawberries
•    Cherries
•    Potatoes
•    Bell peppers
•    Spinach

4.    High Saturated Fat
Inflammatory foods found in this category are the most processed:
•    Luncheon meats such as bologna, pepperoni and salami
•    Hot dogs
•    Bacon (although unprocessed bacon is available – read the label)
•    Many Fast foods
•    Fried foods

Although it may seem that all the good stuff is bad for us, consider that you can still enjoy many of the same foods, when prepared with healthier ingredients:

•    Use omega-3 rich oils to drizzled over foods then place in a hot oven to crisp the outside.
•    Use organic cherries and apples to eliminate pesticide residue in low-sugar pies and tarts.
•    Instead of sugar and full-fat yogurt, try using apple juice and Greek yogurt.
•    To maintain creaminess and moisture, replace mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese in your recipes with yogurt. Butter can be substituted one-to-one with applesauce.

Author Linda Mundorff is a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Naturopath, and not a medical doctor.  Dr. Mundorff is the author of several books. Her latest book, Take Control: A Guide to Holistic Living is an innovative health guide, which helps the reader learn how to regain control of their health by discovering the practical effectiveness of combining alternative and modern medicine.  Contact her at bridges2hlth@aol.com.