Inflammation can contribute to many conditions such as skin disorders, endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage, PCOS, arthritis digestive complaints, and many more. Following an anti-inflammatory diet will help to reduce this inflammation. This information is meant not as a “diet” but rather as a lifestyle. Making better food choices and limiting those items which are difficult for the body to process will help to alleviate many ailments.
Avoid or Reduce
• Sugars and artificial sweeteners- especially in soda and processed candy
• Limit caffeine, coffee, alcohol, red meat, burnt food
• Limit nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, paprika, and cayenne peppers)
• Omega 6 oils (corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil)
• Foods made with white and wheat flours especially bread and packaged snack foods • Limit pasta and anything made from white flour
• Saturated fats including butter, vegetable shortening, cheese, unskinned chicken and fatty meats
• Deli meats, hot dogs and other foods that contain nitrites
Include
• An abundance of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables especially dark leafy greens as well as those rich in carotenoids (mangos, corn, sweet potato, carrots, squash)
• Cook with anti-inflammatory herbs or sprinkle on food: ginger and turmeric
• Consume a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water each day
• Eat omega 3 foods such as wild salmon, herring, sardines
• Omega-3 fortified eggs
• Hemp seeds and flaxseeds (ground). Sprinkle these on fresh fruit or your morning cereal
• Healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil (although never cook this on high heat as it will become rancid and toxic). Other oils for high heat cooking include organic expeller-pressed canola and organic high-oleic expeller pressed sunflower or safflower oil.
• Whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa, and sprouted grains are always the best
• Beans and tempeh (for meat lovers, tempeh tacos are amazing! Just ask me for the recipe.)
• Avocado and nuts, especially walnuts, almonds, cashews and nut butter made from these nuts
• Lean organic chicken and fish, in moderation. Should you desire red meat, grass-fed beef is the best choice
• Fresh berries in season (berries are the best fruit choices as they contain the lowest sugar content)
• Eat cruciferous vegetables weekly including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
• Drink tea instead of coffee, especially good quality white or green tea. Should you desire alcohol, red wine is preferable.
• Should you desire something sweet, plain 70% dark chocolate is a good choice