‘Dietary inflammation’ is a term used to explain the complex chain of unhealthy metabolic effects that can be triggered after we eat the 'wrong' foods for our individual biology. Eating typical meals containing protein, carbohydrates & fat creates short-term changes in blood fat & glucose levels (postprandial lipemia/glycemia), as well as many other metabolites such as insulin. Excessive fat & sugar can overwhelm the body’s normal, healthy regulatory responses, triggering a wide range of unfavourable responses in blood lipids, insulin, rebound hypoglycemia, immune measures & hunger. Repeated often enough, these can lead to long-term inflammation, weight gain & chronic diseases such as diabetes & heart disease. The gut microbiome also plays an important role in this process, whereby ‘good’ gut health seems to have a protective effect in minimising these negative responses.

Weight gain has typically been viewed as a failure to maintain energy balance (i.e. calories in vs. calories out). However, we now know that energy expenditure is highly dynamic & individual. Food-induced metabolites (including insulin) & our microbiome can impact our metabolism. This partly explains why calorie reduction diets don’t entirely work for a lot of individuals & why personalised food guidance, focused on an individual’s biology rather than calories, could have a bigger impact.

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Genes involved in regulation of energy expenditure, appetite, & fat metabolism, all play an important role in weight regulation. This helps to explain why not everyone gains or loses weight while following the same diet, despite being exposed to similar environments. Identifying an individual’s responsiveness to diet & lifestyle modification to control weight can be extremely advantageous.

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After you complete an honest 3 day food diary, we can have an open & honest chat through recommended improvements to implement over the course of 3 months with Eleanor helping along the way.

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