Diet and Inflammation
Written by Jenny Fowler, Nutrition Consultant
We’ve all experienced inflammation: a swollen ankle, a sore throat, or that red, puffy skin after a bug bite. That kind of inflammation is acute, and it’s actually a good thing: it’s your body’s natural way of healing.
But when inflammation sticks around, when your immune system stays on “high alert,” it can quietly start damaging your cells, tissues, and organs. This is called chronic inflammation, and over time, it’s linked to fatigue, joint pain, weight gain, high cholesterol, digestive problems, and skin issues like eczema.
The good news? Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to turn inflammation down.
The Food-Inflammation Connection
Every bite we take sends signals to our body, either promoting or calming inflammation. Some foods act like fuel to the fire, while others help put it out.
Inflammatory foods include:
Conventional animal products (from grain-fed livestock)
Processed vegetable oils like corn, soy, and canola
Sugar, refined flour, and fried foods
Gluten
Foods you’re personally sensitive or allergic to
These can throw off your body’s balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats, two types of essential fatty acids that influence inflammation. Ideally, we’d get about three times more omega-6s than omega-3s, but the standard American diet often provides 10 to 20 times more. That imbalance keeps your body in a chronic inflammatory state.
On the flip side, anti-inflammatory foods support your body’s natural healing systems. These include:
Quality animal products: Grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish
Healthy fats & oils: Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut and avocado oils
Plants: A colorful variety of fruits and vegetables (“eat the rainbow”), onions, garlic, nuts (especially walnuts), and seeds like flax, chia, and hemp
Spices: Turmeric, ginger, black pepper, rosemary, cayenne, and many more
Probiotic foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and miso. These support gut health, which plays a key role in inflammation regulation.
Start Simple
Shifting toward an anti-inflammatory lifestyle doesn’t mean giving up joy in eating. In fact, it’s about adding in more foods that make you feel vibrant, focused, and balanced.
Start simple:
Swap out processed oils for olive oil or grass-fed ghee
Add a spoonful of hemp, chia, or flax seeds to your meal or smoothie
Try a new fermented food each week
Aim for balance, not perfection. Your body thrives on consistency, not extremes.
Inflammation isn’t just a symptom; it’s a signal. By listening to your body and making small, intentional changes in your diet, you can calm inflammation naturally and support long-term health, from your gut to your brain.
Bringing wellbeing to life at work
At FitPros, we believe wellbeing is built through practical, sustainable habits that support employees in their everyday lives.
From nutrition and healthy eating to movement, mindfulness, stress management, and other expert-led wellbeing experiences, FitPros helps organizations create meaningful opportunities for employees to build healthier routines.
Visit FitPros.com to learn more about bringing wellbeing experiences to your workplace.
Looking for more? Contact a Wellbeing Manager to discuss your organizational wellbeing needs.
We provide workplace teams with mindful practices, personal and professional wellbeing growth, fitness instruction, and opportunities for social connection. We aim to inspire the highest potential in people at work, in life, every day, so they can show up healthy and at their best.
