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Inflammation is your body’s built-in healing mechanism. It’s how you fight off infections, heal injuries, and recover from stress. But in functional medicine, we often see what happens when this powerful process goes unchecked: inflammation shifts from protective to persistent, and starts quietly driving a long list of chronic conditions.
From fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain… to autoimmune flares, insulin resistance, and even mood disorders—chronic, low-grade inflammation is almost always at the root.
And one of the most powerful triggers? The food you eat every single day.
But this isn’t about demonizing carbs or swearing off every indulgence. It’s about understanding how certain foods—especially in the context of gut health, immune response, and biochemical individuality—can overstimulate your body’s inflammatory pathways. In functional medicine, we use targeted testing and clinical insight to identify the foods that are triggering systemic stress, and help clients replace them with nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory alternatives.
Here are 5 of the biggest inflammatory foods we often see impacting clients, and why removing them can be a game-changer for your health.
1. Industrial Seed Oils
These oils (like soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, and safflower oil) are high in omega-6 fatty acids—which are not inherently bad—but in excess, they tip your inflammatory balance. Worse, these oils are often oxidized during high-heat processing and cooking, producing lipid peroxides that damage cells and promote systemic inflammation.
Seed oils also impact membrane fluidity—making it harder for cells to communicate, detoxify, and regulate immune function.
What to use instead:Cold-pressed olive oil, avocado oil, grass-fed ghee, or coconut oil—fats that are stable under heat and rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.
2. Refined Sugar
Sugar spikes insulin, disrupts glucose regulation, and feeds pro-inflammatory gut microbes. It also triggers the release of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)—compounds that accelerate aging, tissue stiffness, and oxidative stress. We often find that sugar isn’t just contributing to inflammation, it’s disrupting blood sugar rhythms, cortisol patterns, and even mental health. In some clients, elevated insulin is the missing link behind poor sleep, stubborn weight gain, and hormone imbalance.
Hidden sources to watch for: Flavored yogurts, granola bars, store-bought sauces, dressings, and so-called “healthy” smoothies.
3. Gluten (Especially in Processed Forms)
In sensitive individuals, gluten can damage the gut lining and increase intestinal permeability—aka “leaky gut.” This allows undigested proteins and microbial byproducts into the bloodstream, which can trigger systemic inflammation and autoimmunity.
Gluten sensitivity doesn’t always show up on traditional allergy panels. We often use advanced antibody testing and stool analysis to uncover subclinical reactions that are driving inflammation, fatigue, or skin issues, especially in clients with Hashimoto’s, eczema, or IBS.
What to try instead: Swap processed wheat with nutrient-rich carbs like root vegetables, squash, and quinoa, or go grain-free temporarily to assess your tolerance.
4. Conventional Dairy
Pasteurized, grain-fed dairy can trigger inflammation through multiple pathways:
- Casein (milk protein) can mimic gluten in its ability to provoke the immune system.
- Lactose intolerance drives bloating and GI distress in a large percentage of adults.
- Hormones and antibiotics used in conventional dairy can further disrupt the gut microbiome.
What to try instead: Grass-fed ghee (clarified butter), organic coconut milk, or, for some, raw goat or sheep dairy which may be better tolerated.
5. Ultra-Processed Foods
These aren’t just “empty calories”, they're often full of preservatives, emulsifiers, synthetic dyes, and additives that confuse your gut and immune system. Many processed foods also combine high sugar, bad fats, and refined grains, creating the perfect storm for inflammation.
Processed foods often interfere with gut barrier integrity, feed dysbiosis, and overwhelm your detox pathways. We often see higher zonulin levels (a marker of leaky gut) and increased inflammatory cytokines in clients who rely on these foods regularly.
What to do instead: Eat foods with minimal ingredients, short labels, and real texture. When in doubt, ask: “Did this come from a farm or a factory?”
Final Thoughts
Inflammation isn’t about one bad food choice, it’s about the pattern your body is exposed to day after day. And when you support your gut, immune system, and cellular health with the right inputs, your body knows how to heal.
In functional medicine, we help clients map their inflammatory triggers based on lab data, symptom patterns, and root-cause analysis. That way, they’re not guessing—or blindly eliminating foods—but building a truly personalized, sustainable anti-inflammatory plan.
If you’re struggling with fatigue, bloat, mood swings, or chronic pain… your food might be speaking louder than you think.
