The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Where to Start!

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Where to Start!

What is an anti-inflammatory diet? An anti-inflammatory diet emulates the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors – and there are many names for the same style of eating, (Paleo, GAPS, Wahl’s Protocol, AIP, Keto and Traditional Foods to name a few). Sourcing of food, especially protein foods, is emphasized in this way of eating. Products from animals raised on pasture provide a more desirable nutrient profile than those from conventionally raised animals, and organically grown produce helps minimize pesticide exposure.

• Many who follow this eating pattern choose to refer to it as a lifestyle instead of a diet. Beneath the surface, there are many variations of what constitutes an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. You may notice that the different diets under the anti-inflammatory umbrella recommend adding/omitting different foods. Tailoring your diet to your needs works on an individual basis.

Some core concepts of Anti-Inflammatory include:

• Including produce, (mainly vegetables) both cooked and raw, at every meal

• Protein from high quality sources (think pasture-raised, and organic)

• Nourishing, traditional fats

• Wholesome, unrefined foods

• Elimination or reduction of grains, beans, and refined sweeteners

• Organic

Know What to Eat:

• Organic vegetables and fruits

• Grass-fed meats, wild fish, pastured eggs and chicken

• Nuts and seeds

• Traditional fats

• Virgin coconut oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter)

• Fat from grass-fed beef, buffalo or lamb, pastured poultry and pastured pigs.

• Extra virgin olive oil for dressings and sauces

• Avocados

• Natural, unrefined sweeteners

• Pureed dates

• Maple syrup

• Raw honey (avoid honey for kids under age one)

• Unsweetened applesauce

What About Dairy?

It is my opinion that if you tolerate dairy, keeping butter (from grass-fed animals) in your diet can be beneficial because it is a great source of healthy fats and vitamin K2, a form of the vitamin that activates vitamin D and is essential for a variety of functions in the body.

Dairy in the form of milk and ice cream may be difficult for some to digest due to the lactose and/or casein content. Ghee (clarified butter), is an optimal cooking fat and is usually included in the diet. Ghee contains very minimal lactose and casein.

Know What to Avoid:

1. Grains and legumes that are not properly prepared
   
2. Processed convenience foods
3. Processed sugars, artificial sweeteners
4. Conventional products
5. Processed seed and vegetable oils – canola, soybean, corn, safflower

Grains and legumes are often avoided on an anti-inflammatory diet because they contain phytates and other anti-nutrients that make them difficult to digest. These compounds bind to minerals, preventing the body from absorbing them properly.

Prepare Your Pantry:

Transitioning to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle may require and thorough cleaning of your fridge and pantry, followed by restocking with essentials. To be ready for almost any anti-inflammatory recipe, keep the following items on hand:

• Non starchy vegetables: leafy greens, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, onions
• Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, winter squash, plantain
• Pasture butter or ghee
• Raw apple cider vinegar
• All things coconut: oil, milk, cream, flour, aminos, and butter
• Nuts and seeds
• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• Chia seeds
• Bone broth

Learn the Ropes – Some Basics For Embracing an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

• Prioritize blood sugar-balancing foods – think vegetables, protein, and healthy fat

• Choose eggs, a veggie omelet or breakfast meat, and even additional sides of vegetables for breakfast or brunch. These make great choices when breakfast is served all day as well!

• Look for packages of nuts and seeds that are raw and sprouted. Avoid those roasted in seed oils and covered in sweeteners.

• Order salads at restaurants, ask for additional protein (nuts, chicken, sliced steak) and request avocado slices or olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of other salad dressings.

• Enjoy baked fish, chicken, or other meat with a side or two of steamed vegetables. Top veggies with butter or olive oil for a dose of nutrient-rich fat.

• Ask for burgers or cuts of meat to be served in a lettuce wrap or atop salad greens instead of with a bun. Ask for a side of sliced avocado in place of mayonnaise.

Set Yourself up for Snacking Success!

Ideally, the anti-inflammatory life-style nudges people in the direction of reduced snacking, since most meals are so nutrient-dense and satisfying that you are satiated for hours. Yet sometimes snacks are necessary in a pinch! To avoid a preventable trip to the vending machine, have delicious and nutritious to-go foods on hand.

Items that make good anti-inflammatory snacks include:

• Olives

• Cut or sliced fresh veggies (think cauliflower florets and jicama sticks)

• Wide-flake unsweetened coconut

• Whole avocados or fresh guacamole

• Canned wild salmon or sardines

• Sea vegetables such as nori

• Hard boiled eggs

• Pickled vegetables

• Fresh seasonal fruit

• Nuts and seeds (sprouted if possible!)

• Plantain chips or sweet potato chips cooked in coconut or avocado oil

• Dark chocolate (65% cacao content or higher)

• Pistachios and macadamia nuts (or any nut of your choice)