McInflammation: Are You Really “Loving It”?
May 6, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Arthritis, Attention Deficit Disorder, Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Constipation, Depression, Diabetes, Diet Tips, Digestion, Eczema, Fast Food, Fatigue, Headaches, Inflammation, Kitchen Sink, Migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, PMS, Pain Management, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogrens, Skin Rashes, Weight Loss
Recently a friend reported over dinner that his inflammatory problem (and let’s just say almost all medical problems are caused by inflammation) was not much better.
He said he was diligently taking everything I had recommended, and had only noted minor improvement.
Although natural remedies take time, I was curious how the dietary recommendations were going….you know, the most important part of his prescription? To no surprise, he was struggling to make the necessary changes.
As I climbed in to his car to head to our next destination I noted the eight bags of fast food littering his car floor.
“Well here is the source of McInflammation in your diet right here!” I pointed and shouted, excited to realize that his diet was actually quite simple to improve. Anyone managing to sustain life off a fast food diet clearly has a VERY strong vital force.
“No amount of fish oil and supplements can combat this,” I further explained, “the best thing you can do for your health is to get ALL fast food out of your diet! I think all your health problems will just resolve from this type of simple change, as we lower the total inflammatory load in your body.”
Frankly, all fast food does is creates inflammation. Fast food is the fried, fatty, processed, chemical, additive, preserved, promised land of sickness and disease in America! You know why? Because it just creates inflammation and makes us fat.
Let’s review my favorite fast food sources of inflammation:
Aside from McInflammation, we have Inflammation King and Inflammation Queen, there is the drunken late night visit to Inflammation Bell, but if you are too lazy to make a run to the border for your inflammation you can conveniently receive Inflammation in a Box. When in a hurry you can always conveniently get Inflammation Time. If you are in to world travel you could visit Kentucky Fried Inflammation, Inflammation Hut or you could simply head to California for some simple In and Out Inflammation that seems to be quite popular down there.
Maybe you are laughing, maybe you think I am ridiculous, or maybe you know that I am right, but regardless, I just have to say that DIET is the foundation to your health and well being.
That is why we are “Kitchen Table Medicine” here. Not “Pill Popping Medicine” or “Drive Through Medicine”, “Band-Aid Medicine” or even “Lazy Boy Medicine”. Although I am always excited to jump on a glitchy new marketing concept, I have to preach that which I know is correct in my heart. I am not here to sell anything other than fruits and vegetables, whole foods eating, exercise, and stress management.
Although naturopathic medicine does not conveniently come in a box with a toy in it, over time if you can just stick with me, I will teach you the path to optimal wellness. All I am asking in exchange for my time and knowledge is that you simply just TRY to be better. That is what this website is all about. The whole reason I am doing this is for the people that lack will power and need to make changes in “baby steps”. Only about 10% of people that I work with can make all the necessary diet and lifestyle changes at once. Everyone else needs a great deal of coaching. I understand not everyone can afford me, but a blog gives everyone free access to my “celebrity medicine” ideas.
So are you “baby steppin” yet?
Good health is not about taking your hand full of pills in the drive-through of “Inflammation King” while asking that your inflammation comes “super-sized”.
That is not real health. Sure taking herbs, medicines, or supplements are better than nothing, but ultimately my pet peeve as a Naturopath is when people ask me “Doc, what can I TAKE for ___________problem?” I don’t want you to TAKE something to improve your health, chances are I want you to TAKE SOMETHING AWAY.
In America we are programmed to think that health is about taking medicines. Health is not about taking medicines, most medicines are not solving the root cause of the problem.
Drugs do not heal people. The Vis Medicatrix Naturae heals people…. “The healing power of nature” inside each and every one of us is what heals us. How else do we get better from the common cold? There is no cure for the common cold, except the one within us. When we remove the “obstacles to cure”, “treat the cause”, and “treat the whole person” in a mind, body, and spirit model; that is when we can truly see someone “heal”. That is when we actually see chronic problems resolve permanently and no longer be dependent on daily medications. The health care disaster we have going on in America is a prime example why drugs don’t work. We spend more money on health care than any other country in the world and we are only second to Finland as the unhealthiest.
The problem is not that you are prozac deficient, or St. John’s wort deficient, or deficient in some sort of HMG coA reductase inhibitor needed to lower your cholesterol. That is not the problem. The problem is that we need to shift our paradigms to look at diet and lifestyle as our main medicines, and that while we are working to make those changes we may need something in the mean time. A crutch, a stepping stone, but however you want to see it, medicines are simply tools to help us build our foundations of health, they should never be the foundation. Hammers and nails are used to build the structure. The structure is not comprised of them.
With that being said…can you give up eating fast food? Or are you just really still “loving it”?
~Dr. Nicole Sundene
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Great article! I love Inflammation Bell. I don’t eat tons of fast food, but what I do eat is probably still too much.
I’m right with ya !
Still eating a little comfort-inflammation from time to time but at least feeling guilty about it.
Three weeks of nutrient-dense, whole food-based supplements and filling the RSS Reader with nutrition, health and whole food sites.
I’m just 6 days past the termination of 11 months of two quite abusive drugs used to clear my liver of the Hep C virus.
Give me another month and I’ll be back on the basketball court…
Hi Andy! Glad you liked my latest tirade…I don’t eat much fast food either, but it inevitably happens when travelling. I would at the very least upgrade the Inflammation Bell to Inflammation Time. Just my two cents
Hi Alexander! Comfort-Inflammation should be the only source of inflammation in the diet in my opinion. Good for you for taking care of yourself! Hep C can be really rough and the treatment can be tough to deal with as well. I will write up our standard protocol for Hep C though, I am not sure what you are doing, but you may find it worthwhile to read…
McInflammation …did you just make up some new words? If so, I like them.
I’m not a big fast food eater. Some of it tastes like cardboard, and some is way too greasy for me. Like you, when traveling, I am more prone to grab something quick, but all in all, I like home cooked meals that I know what’s in them.
Unfortunately the home made stuff tastes so good, I eat too much of it.
Right there with you. I am not a Dr., I just play one on the net. Actually, Dr. Malia, my wife, hates that joke. She is a Holistic Chiro, very much into nutrition and has schooled me as it appears that you would have.
Keep getting the message out. Check my site if you want and you can do a feature there, again, if you want. We have found some products that help with anti-inflammatory qualities.
Of course, why tempt fate and God, by continuing to eat fast food (Supersize Me). I can surely (sorely?) attest to the potentially deadly results of eating fast food…..Great job, rick
Nicole,
You wrote ONE of the funniest but truly sobering quotes that everyone should understand:
“Let’s review my favorite fast food sources of inflammation: Aside from McInflammation, we have Inflammation King and Inflammation Queen, there is the drunken late night visit to Inflammation Bell, but if you are too lazy to make a run to the border for your inflammation you can conveniently receive Inflammation in a Box. When in a hurry you can always conveniently get Inflammation Time. If you are in to world travel you could visit Kentucky Fried Inflammation, Inflammation Hut or you could simply head to California for some simple In and Out Inflammation that seems to be quite popular down there.”
It’s sooo important to remove highly processed and refined foods! Get back to the basics of eating live whole foods. Preferably organically grown!
Great post Doc!
Hi Barbara- Maybe you should be a worse cook! LOL
I am always making up new words, they say it is an early warning sign of schizophrenia, but it hasn’t quite caught up to me yet!
Hi Rick! Thanks for stopping by, I am excited to check out your site. I see eating fast food and taking a supplement to suppress inflammation as simultaneously pouring gasoline on a fire that you are trying to put out with a hose. It just doesn’t make much sense to me, it is a lot of wasted effort, and ultimately we end up with zero results.
Just my take on things though. I know of a ton of inflammatory products, herbals etc, I just typically hold out on telling people about them until they have done the diet and lifestyle changes. Call me mean
Hi Tim- I had to send you this link because I figured you of all people would think it was hilarious. Glad you like my right brain at work! Yes, it is sad but true….
lmao! I’ve tried to cut the fast-food out as much as possible, but every now and then I gotta get some artery-clogging-goodness fries from McD’s.
It’s a vice I know, but a YUMMY vice, especially covered in salt and pepper and catchup…..
Wow that post seemed like it was written for me! Ha ha…
Hi Nicole,
I’ve been a long time reader, but first time commentor.
I really enjoy your articles.
I can relate to this article. Along with my dream of becoming a fulltime entrepreneur, I am at present a general manager of a quickservice restaurant, specializing in philly cheesesteaks. It’s doubly hard for me to refrain from eating fried foods, since I’m around them a good part of the day. I have, however, tried to limit myself to the lighter side of the menu. The turkey, salads and baked potatoes.
I must have high metabolism, because I have never really gotten fat, but I really notice when I overeat the regular menu items, the fries,
mayonnaise-laden sandwiches and soft drinks.
My energy level is up and down like a yo-yo.
Anyway,
Thanks for the reminder,
I’ll try harder to stay away from the McCheesesteaks, McMayonnaise & McFries.
Thanks Again,
for creating value for others!
Bill
Bill@gathergreatness.com
http://www.gathergreatness.com
Hi Erin- I know McD’s is part of the standard college diet because it is so cheap, but just remember… MODERATION!
Hi Naomi- Well actually I have been watching you, and decided to write this JUST for you
I am glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Bill- well thanks for leaving a comment! It is nice to know who my readers are. I used to work at a diner in college and that was one of the most unhealthiest times of my life, as financially I felt like I had to eat the free meal that I got every day that I worked there. Ugh it makes my eyelids itch just thinking back to all that greasy bacon and pancakes that I would eat. Thanks for stopping by the page!
Great article. So what are the symptoms of this inflammation? What was going on with your friend you were trying to help?
Thanks,
Lisa
Hi Lisa! Inflammation can range from skin conditions and rashes, to chronic injuires that are not healing like knee pain, back pain, to autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and sjogrens to other inflammatory conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, crohn’s and much more.
Most disease start off as chronic inflammation and go from there. Getting inflammation under control in diet is therefore integral to any treatment plan. Common drugs like aspirin, naproxen, and tylenol all work to reduce inflammation, so if you have a headache…and an aspirin “cures” it, then it probably was the result of inflammation.
Wow! That was a sopbox if I’ve ever heard one. And I’m right there on it with you cheering you one. Almost the last time I ate McInflammation I noticed that the healthiest burger on the menu had 30something grams of saturated fat. I never wanted to eat there again and only have a couple of times and that was a year or two ago. We usually eat Subway for fast food, but Soni-flammation is my weakness, but we don’t eat out often.
You are going to LOVE the posts (coming soon) that my husband is writing for my blog! It goes right along with what you are saying here.
You are making some changes around here. It’s looking good!
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for cheering for my latest tirade
I don’t even enjoy McInflammation. Although I am guilty of occasionally eating other fast food, it just really doesn’t even taste like real food to me. I am more of an Inflammatin in the Box kind of girl. Subway is great, and right now in my opinion the healthiest fast food choice that we have. Cool didn’t know your husband will be writing for your new site as well. It is beautiful, you guys did a great job with it!
I have to admit I almost went to “Inflammation Queen” for lunch yesterday. Then I decided to go to Olive Garden and order something delish and healthy instead.
This website is looking good! More importantly your words about health make perfect sense to me! I often share your wonderful healthy eating and living suggestions with friends and family. Good work Doc!
I’m enjoying your blog…glad I found it
Thought you’d be interested in this short omega-3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgNpsbvcVM
I may just have to starve LOL!
This a great website i lot it
Wooo This open my eyes thanks for the post
Being from the North East originally - I am a definite WhiteInflamationCastler. But I guess being in the south we can always have Krystalflamation. I love the tongue-in-cheek way you were dead serious here. Nice mix. Keep it up Nicole!
Ben
Hi Susan- thanks I will watch that! I am big on Omega 3’s…
Hi Miss Matchmaker- remember it is all about progress and not perfection…reducing McInflammation to less than 20% of your diet would be a great place to start.
Thanks Utah!
Hi Newys- glad you enjoyed
Hi Benny- Inflammation Castle is pretty funny too!!! LOL
Glad you enjoyed my latest tirade. My family gets it all the time, so it is fun to share it with friends and readers to see how people respond that aren’t related to me, or held hostage to my latest dissertation at the dinner table
[...] Dr. Nicole loves to make up new words, too. Did you read her post titled: Mcinflammation, Are You Really Loving It? [...]
I’m a little embarrassed to admit I’m probably the “Inflammation queen”, but I really hate cooking. But I can’t really call my lifestyle “green” if I’m not going to make my own meals, so I’m learning to suck it up and get in the kitchen. Thankfully my husband is a great cook, but I know I need to get on the ball too. And I know it will drastically improve my sense of well being and help me get in shape, so there’s the incentive
The best way to go green is to eat clean! You can do it. I fell in the inflammation trap in college and it was a rough ride. Makes you feel terrible. Preparing whole foods at home is simple. Just learn a new easy recipe a week and in a year you will know 52 recipes! That isn’t too hard is it?
Ha! If the documentary, “Super Size Me,” isn’t enough to make one quit the fast food, nothing would be.
[...] vegan may just be the answer to this painful condition. At the very least do your best to eliminate McInflammation. Be sure to always check with your physician before making any changes to your diet or [...]
I tried to adopt a vegetarian diet and still stop off at McTaco King with the gang.
Have you looked at their menus for vegetarian fare? A side salad and french fries or a baked potato drenched in some sort of oil does not constitute ‘healthy eating’.
About the only ’safe’ food there is a small glass of water.
Bill Canaday’s last blog post..A little techie humor
[...] will need to cut back somewhere else on your plate. The trend of white bread went out with eating McInflammation. The new America is a whole foods [...]
[...] need a little something sweet to get me through the rough patches and prevent me from grabbing some McInflammation in a mad hungry hypoglycemic [...]
[...] feel tempted to buy something you really don’t need, like junk food, dessert, or heaven forbid McInflammation, breathe and then put that money towards your [...]