The Eating Plan Proven to Fight Inflammation

Help Your Body Remain Optimally Healthy and Pain-Free with Right Food Choices

The standard American diet of high fat, over processed, salt laden food creates a high degree of inflammation that leads to debilitating conditions and life threatening illnesses. When you think of inflammation, think of its symptoms:

• Heat
• Swelling
• Pain
• Fever
• Highly unstable plaques in your arteries

These are intense inflammation symptoms that destroy the body. Before they kill, they disrupt the body and give rise to a variety of distributing conditions that include:

• Overweight
• Chest pain
• Loss of circulation
• Fatigue
• High insulin
• High glucose
• Mood changes
• Pervasive discomfort

You can help tame the inflammation-symptoms on the inside of your body with the right food choices instead of taking over-the-counter painkillers or prescription medicines. Food may be the most powerful drug you will ever encounter because it formulates dramatic changes in your body that are hundreds of times more effective than pharmaceutical drugs.

Did you know that some foods are better for you than others when it comes to healthy inflammation It’s true, but you are not going to find any inflammation information on the nutrition labels of foods.

So, what foods can help tame the fires of inflammation– They are:

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  Wild caught salmon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salads with green leafy vegetables
• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower
• Bell peppers
• Avocados
• Sweet potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Almonds
• Cherries and blueberries
• Apples and pineapple
• Spices like ginger, garlic, curry, turmeric and cayenne pepper

Most of these foods also show up on the “healthy” foods list or in the “top foods to eat” articles.

While these choices are all “healthy” foods, it is imperative to make sure that you are indeed eating healthy. Only buy wild caught salmon for it’s high omega-3 content. Farm raised salmon does not contain as much of this nutritious fat. When you buy organic vegetables and fruits, make sure that the produce is freshly picked and wash the skin of your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any toxins.

Better yet, buy frozen vegetables and fruits. Frozen foods were picked at their ripest and frozen to seal in their vitamins and phytochemicals. Only buy nuts and seeds that are in the shell and not salted. Foods high in salt can add to high blood pressure and inflammation. Try and purchase whole foods and organic cheeses and dairy. This will insure that you are eating foods with the least amount of pesticides and added growth hormones and fillers.

A plan for eating to beat inflammation is the best way to fight this condition. A day would be something like this:

1. Plan to eat 5 times a day (three meals and 2 snacks).

2. Eat breakfast within one hour of waking.

3. Never let more than 5 hours go without eating – even if you are not hungry.

4. Eat one of your snacks before going to bed to keep blood sugars stabilized.

Use a dinner plate and divide it into three equal parts.

• One third of the plate should be a low fat protein (lean meats, wild caught salmon, egg whites, low fat dairy & cheese).
• One third of the plate should be non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, greens, bell peppers, onions).
• One third of the plate should be fruit (berries, pineapple, cherries, apples).

Add 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil or 1 oz of nuts or – of an avocado for non-inflammatory fats. Use spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon for flavor. See recipe: Anti-Inflammatory Summer Salad, for a great side dish and snack idea.

By following this plan and eating the right foods to beat inflammation, you will see a reduction in inflammation symptoms, such as body bloat, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and gain instead a general feeling of well-being. You may even loose some weight. “Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing!”

 

Anti-Inflammatory Summer Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Tomato, cubed
• 1 Avocado, cubed
• 1/2 Vidalia or sweet onion, cubed
• 6 tbsp Blue cheese
• 1 oz (by weight) Fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all garden ingredients in a bowl (tomato, basil, avocado, onion).
2. Mix together olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl.
3. Add enough of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture to lightly cover ingredients.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Lightly toss.
6. Garnish with blue cheese.

Serves 4