What is an anti-inflammatory diet?

There’s a million and one diets out there.

Keto. Carnivore. OMAD. Low-fat. Low-carb. Vegan. You name it.

One you might have heard of recently is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet.

Why would you have heard of this?

Likely because around 23.5 million Americans suffer from an auto-immune disease.

Likely because heart disease is the number one killer in the US, and inflammation can play a huge roll in the disease process.

Likely because Irritable Bowel Disease affects over 25 million people in the US.

With numbers like these, who wouldn’t want to try to combat inflammation?

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS INFLAMMATION?

Inflammation is a healthy, normal response caused by our immune system.

When you get a cut, your immune cells act quickly. Usually the site becomes slightly red, and might swell a bit. Blood flows to the area quickly to produce warmth and redness. These are signs that our immune system is repairing the damaged area and fighting off toxic invaders. As you heal, the inflammation goes away.

However, inflammation becomes harmful when it lasts for a long time!

Think about that cut on your hand you’ve experienced. Imagine that process occurring to cells, healthy cells, in the body. This causes a lot of damage. And horrible symptoms as you can imagine.

Here are some symptoms associated with chronic inflammation:

Cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers.

Our world, our body’s, could use a lot less of those diseases! Don’t you agree?

SO WHAT CAUSES THE INFLAMMATION?

The honest truth is, what doesn’t cause inflammation?

Here are a few common sources of inflammation:  excessive stress, unhealthy lifestyle choices, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, etc.

What types of unhealthy lifestyle choices?

Think alcohol intake.

Think ultra-processed foods.

Think lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep (ahem, sleep apnea, too).

Think chronic stress.

There’s more, but let’s leave it at that. It’s overwhelming, right?

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Insert Anti-Inflammatory food choices. Anti-Inflammatory habits.

Yes, there is an official Anti-Inflammatory diet. And while it might be what you need, my top tip is to avoid foods and habits that cause inflammation.

What foods cause inflammation?

Sweetened drinks like: soda, juice drinks, sport drinks.

Artificial sweeteners: equal, splenda, etc.

Excessive intake of refined carbohydrate foods: white bread, white pastas, rice.

Fried foods.

Before you think you need to completely eliminate rice from your diet, remember, it’s EXCESS that causes the problem.

Are you overwhelmed? If you want to get started with ONE thing to avoid inflammation, avoid industrial seed oils: canola, corn, cottonseed, soy, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, and rice bran - anything partially hydrogenated.

How to avoid these foods: Always read your food labels!

If it has a label, become a detective for your own well-being. And remember, it’s the big picture. Try to make sure if you are consuming these foods, that they do not become a staple in your diet.

Rather, be aware and choose whole foods that decrease inflammation like these:

Vegetables, fruit, fatty fish, olive oil, nuts.

We all are different. Nutrition is not a one size fits all approach. However, by avoiding as much pro-inflammatory foods as possible, we all could benefit.

Need help getting started? Want to join my Anti-Inflammatory Protocol? Send me an email to hear more!

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