7 Surprising Ways Inflammation Contributes to Weight Gain and How to Combat It

The term "inflammation" is sometimes viewed negatively, but it is a natural aspect of our immune system. Throughout our lives, we will encounter inflammation numerous times. Its purpose within our immune system is to shield and safeguard our bodies from various external threats such as viruses, bacteria, toxins, allergens, and injuries. So, a little inflammation is necessary and even beneficial!

There are two types of inflammation, chronic inflammation and acute inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a prolonged form of inflammation that can last several months or even years. It can drain your energy, leaving you feeling unwell and potentially leading to further health problems down the road, such as autoimmune diseases, allergies, diabetes, skin disorders, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Acute inflammation, on the other hand, is often less obvious, but if not addressed, can have long-term, critical consequences for our health.

A wide range of factors influence chronic inflammation. The aging process is one that is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory markers, as well as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and particularly in people with or at risk for diabetes. Diets high in saturated and trans fats, as well as sugar and refined carbohydrates, can worsen inflammation, especially in those individuals who are already overweight. But that’s not all; environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise are also all intertwined with inflammation, making it challenging to lose weight and maintain overall health. This connection between inflammation and weight gain further complicates efforts to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Chronic inflammation can flare anywhere in the body, from the brain to the gut, and symptoms can be widespread, varying from person to person depending on health history, lifestyle practices, and environmental conditions. Inflammation may be systemic, meaning it affects the whole body, or can be isolated to one specific area. The skin, for example, is quite prone to several inflammatory conditions, such as acne, eczema and dermatitis, while internally, any of your organs can be impacted by inflammation as well. Some obvious symptoms of inflammation can include:

Muscle and joint pain
Fatigue and insomnia
Mood disorders
Digestive issues
Infections
Weight fluctuation

Inflammatory Foods and Weight Gain

Hippocrates stated, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” This emphasizes the fundamental importance of nutrition in promoting and maintaining good health and highlights the role of whole, nutrient-dense foods in mitigating inflammation. It is no secret that a diet full of ultra-processed, sugar-filled food and beverages, refined carbohydrates, and fried foods is a leading contender for the growing problem of chronic inflammatory diseases. There is no question that inflammatory foods and western-style eating play a major role in the bi-directional relationship between inflammation and weight gain.

In fact, the link between chronic inflammation and weight gain is so strong that the two can have a cause-effect relationship, meaning inflammation leads to weight gain, and weight gain results in increased inflammation. Chronic inflammation can cause us to be resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps us control blood sugar. Additionally, inflammation can also alter appetite by interfering with the body's natural satiety hormone, leptin, which can result in overeating, weight gain, and potentially obesity.

Given this strong relationship between diet and inflammation, we have the power to make better choices of what we put in our bodies to ultimately reduce inflammation and lose weight. To get started:

Replace all inflammatory foods with fresh, whole foods. Make sure your diet is plant-rich with deeply colored, organic (if possible) selections.
Add different colored fruits and vegetables to your meals each day to increase phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Focus on fiber, aiming to increase dietary fiber levels to 35 grams per day.
Load up on healthy fats, like olives, nuts, seeds, flax, and chia.
Choose low-mercury, wild-caught, omega-3-rich fatty fish versus farm-raised, such as Alaskan salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines.
Use targeted anti-inflammatory herbs and spices in cooking and baking like turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, peppermint, rosemary, etc.
Include fermented foods in your diet daily to promote gut health like kombucha, unsweetened yogurt, Sauerkrautand pickles..
Choose healthy oils when cooking and baking, such as olive, coconut, and avocado.
Drink lots of water and incorporate teas, like black, green, and white, which contain polyphenols.

By following these steps, you can support your immune system and adopt a healthy diet that naturally helps reduce inflammation and promotes overall well-being.

Gut Health and Inflammation

The community of bacteria in your digestive system, also known as the gut microbiome, plays a significant role in our overall health and well-being, including our weight. The gut breaks down food and absorbs nutrients to support your body’s metabolic functions. In fact, good gut health may be supportive of immune, heart, and brain health, among other benefits. When microbes in our gut are out of balance, gut dysbiosis occurs. This dysbiosis is a lack of beneficial (good) bacteria and/or an overgrowth of unfavorable (bad) bacteria. An imbalance in bacterial diversity can be caused by a diet high in refined sugars and processed foods and one low in healthy fats, fiber, and phytonutrients. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic stress, and overuse of antibiotics and certain medications can also contribute to poor gut health and chronic inflammation.

Gut dysbiosis can result in low-grade inflammation and a leaky gut, which makes it more likely that toxins and other substances can enter the bloodstream. This increase in inflammation can trigger various adverse health conditions, including weight imbalances. Because many appetite-regulating hormones, like insulin, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin, are produced and influenced by gut bacteria, the health of the gut microbiome can influence appetite and eating behavior, as well as satiety and fullness, not to mention overall mood. This connection between inflammation and weight makes it essential to maintain a healthy gut.

Fortunately, the gut microbiota can be modified in response to implementing positive dietary changes. Focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet that supports the health of the gut can cultivate a balanced microbiome, fight inflammation, and help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. To bring balance to your gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and support weight loss, aim to lower intake of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods, and include more of the following nutrient-rich, whole foods into your diet:

Fiber-rich foods fruits and vegetables that contain polyphenols like berries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and kale.
Prebiotic fibers feed beneficial gut bacteria, such as garlic, dandelion roots, chicory root, onions, asparagus, apples, bananas and whole oats.
Fermented foods, including sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, tempeh and miso.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like cold water fatty fish and nuts and seeds.
Anti-inflammatory herbs and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, peppermint and garlic.

Chronic Stress and Inflammation

Chronic stress can have widespread, negative effects on our bodies. The prolonged release of stress hormones, such as cortisol can stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to inflammation. Stress affects our weight in many ways. It can influence our food choices, insulin and glucose levels, as well as other hormones that impact our appetite and satiety. Stress can also wreak havoc on the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation. Our western lifestyle triggers chronic stress. Understanding your triggers and your response to them can help you make changes in how you react.

Start your day by grabbing a peak of some early morning sunlight.
Adapt a soothing ritual that is nourishing and that you look forward to every day.
Give yourself a few minutes of quiet time.
Prioritize your daily expectations – put those things that give you energy at the top of the list.
Move and do some form of physical activity daily.
Breathe deeply.
Consider calming adaptogens to increase your body’s resistance to stress (ex., Ashwagandha, Holy Basil)

Lack of Sleep and Chronic Inflammation

Getting ample sleep is essential for supporting a happy microbiome and healthy weight. Studies link a cause-effect relationship to the health of the gut microbiome and sleep patterns. Sleep is the body’s primary time for regeneration, restoration, and detoxification. With less than 6 hours of sleep, there is a greater likelihood to carry extra weight, especially around the middle. Consider the following sleep hygiene practices before fluffing your pillows and tucking in for the night:

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly.
Dim the lights and turn off devices at least an hour before bed.
Keep your bedroom cool and dark – the ideal temp is 68 degrees.
Avoid eating or drinking alcohol at least 2 hours before bed.
Exercise regularly but avoid anything too strenuous 2 hours before bed.
Get daily exposure to the sun, or at least some time outdoors daily.
Take a nap if you need to during the day.
Consider sleep support if needed: adaptogens, melatonin, L-theanine, magnesium glycinate, tart cherry juice concentrate, valerian root, black cohosh.

Sedentary Lifestyle and Inflammation

The consequences of being sedentary have a vast array of adverse health effects, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and mood disorders. Many chronic diseases have a direct relationship with increased inflammation in the body. Exercise is a great way to lower inflammation, boost pro-inflammatory molecules, balance our weight and our moods. It improves insulin resistance and boosts levels of beneficial bacteria that increase the production of satiety hormones and curb our appetites. Combined with the right diet, exercise is the most powerful tool for staying healthy, extending your life and increasing your vitality. Just 20 minutes a day of gentle movement can have a profound effect on your overall health and well-being. Stay in motion by integrating a few of the following tips into your daily routine:

Incorporate daily movement through stretching, walking or working outside.
Spend time in nature to recharge.
Build and maintain muscle mass through resistance training 3-4 times per week.
Increase cardiovascular fitness through high-intensity interval training (HIIT) 1-2 times per week.
Do what brings you joy, and you’ll want to stick with it.
Find a friend to keep you accountable.

Environmental Toxins and Inflammation

Sometimes, environmental exposure can throw our microbiome out of balance. Toxicants are synthetically produced chemical substances that are foreign to life and detected by the body. Even very low doses can have profound effects on the body. Ironically, toxins are stored in fat cells, which can contribute to the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators. Toxins are endocrine disruptors and can mimic the effects of hormones in the body. Endocrine disruptors range from pesticides, plasticizers, antimicrobials, and flame retardants. Some of these endocrine disruptors known as obesogens are thought to contribute to obesity because they can interfere with the hormones that regulate metabolism and weight. There are ways to prevent or lessen the amount of dietary toxins you consume in your food:

Choose organic, hormone and antibiotic free and wild caught meats and fish.
Use low-char cooking methods and healthy oils with higher smoke points (ex. avocado oil).
Avoid plastics (ex., BPA, Phthalates).
Store foods in glass, ceramic or stainless-steel containers.
Always wash your produce before eating.

Food is not the only source of potential endocrine disruptors. Our personal care products can be laden with potential toxicants. By having an awareness of the ingredients you are putting on your body, you can minimize the total toxic load:

Choose unscented, fragrance-free products.
Avoid anything with phthalates and parabens (in lots of products, including some soaps, hair sprays, and shampoos).
Choose cosmetics, soaps and lotions that are considered clean, and plant based.
Avoid antiperspirants and use aluminum free deodorant.
Ask yourself the question before putting something on your skin: “Would I eat this?”

Hormone Imbalance and Inflammation

The various hormones in your body have intricate and specific functions that impact almost every system in your body. They act as messengers that communicate with nearly every cell in the body. When signals weaken, it can result in hormonal and metabolic changes and chaos. Specifically, unbalanced estrogen, cortisol and insulin can all trigger a cascade of low-grade inflammation and even lead to certain autoimmune disorders.

Estrogen:

From helping to support mitochondrial function and bone health to regulating inflammation, appetite, blood sugar and mood estrogen’s jobs are significant and numerous. As women age, estrogen levels naturally decline, which is associated with a rise in pro-inflammatory molecules. The hormonal changes that women experience during menopause and the years leading up to it can contribute to unwanted and unexpected weight gain, especially around the midsection. Gaining and keeping muscle mass during this period of life may also be a challenge as estrogen plays a role in improving and maintaining muscle mass and strength. Regular strength training along with consuming adequate dietary protein (30-50 grams per mel) can help mitigate excess muscle loss.

Cortisol:

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands during times of acute, short-term stress, which is necessary for survival. If cortisol becomes depleted, it can result in a pro-inflammatory state. On the other hand, if cortisol continues to be secreted after a fight/flight situation, this can perpetuate inflammation, higher than normal levels of insulin and fat storage, specifically in the abdominal area.

Insulin:

Insulin is a hormone that is produced in our pancreas and its primary role is to move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells where it can be used for energy or stored for use later. This helps to sustain stable blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels are elevated for prolonged periods, we can become insulin resistant and cells no longer respond properly, causing abnormal glucose metabolism, lipid imbalance and a pro-inflammatory state. Insulin resistance can lead to weight gain because the body starts storing excess blood sugar as fat.

Thyroid Hormone:

One of the major hormones affected by inflammation is thyroid hormone. Thyroiditis can lead to hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, as well as an autoimmune condition called Hashiomoto’s. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid can include weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, feeling cold all the time and anxiety. If you experience any of these, you should check in with your healthcare provider to rule out thyroid disorders and discuss treatment and management options.

There are natural ways to keep your hormones in harmony, prevent inflammation and tip the scale in your favor. Test and know your hormone levels and customize your diet to eat foods that meet your specific needs. Diet is a key player in maintaining hormonal balance. Making sure you are eating enough high-quality protein and consuming more nutrient rich foods that support proper detoxification like cruciferous veggies, shiitake mushrooms, leafy greens, blueberries, omega-3 rich fish and green tea while avoiding hormone disruptors like processed foods, sugar and alcohol. Probiotic food sources such as sauerkraut, yogurt and kombucha that support the gut microbiome are important in estrogen detoxification, while foods rich in phytoestrogens can help balance estrogen levels.

In conjunction with diet, implementing lifestyle habits that promote quality sleep, regular exercise and stress management can all support healthy hormones and even weight loss.

Conclusion

A wide range of factors, both internal and external, can influence inflammation. A holistic approach to treatment and management focuses on a blend of health-promoting diet and lifestyle ingredients to encourage optimal health and wellness.

Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, engaging in regular exercise, getting quality, adequate sleep, as well as coping with stress productively will all support you in keeping inflammation at bay and maintaining your healthiest weight. It’s important to remember that implementing new lifestyle changes takes time. Start small, focusing on self-care and eating nutrient-dense foods. Take time to truly embody the change so it will sustain.

If you want to bring more vitality and vibrancy into your life and feel resourced to create a lifestyle that supports your best health, book a call with me to discuss how I can support you in removing what causes imbalance in the body and educate you with what creates balance – specific to you! Email me at jen@vitalityledhealth.com to start your health and healing journey now!