Feeling inflamed? Eat like this!

Inflammation does not discriminate!  We all fall victim to it at one point or another.  Low back pain, neck pain, joint swelling, even stomach issues like anything that ends in an -itis is otherwise known as inflammation.

Try this way of eating to reset your body and bring down the inflammation in your system.

Steamed vegetables:  Steamed vegetables are more easily digested and this can help increase the availability of nutrients in order to enable healing of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Minimize usage of raw vegetables. Eat a variety of vegetables (except nightshades including tomatoes, potatoes (no sweet potatoes), bell peppers and eggplants), especially the lower carbohydrate type.

• Lower carbohydrate vegetables include asparagus, bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, kale, beet greens, cucumber, endive, lettuce, mustard greens, radish, spinach, watercress, arugula, string beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, chives, collards, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, parsley, pumpkin, rutabagas and turnips.
• The higher carbohydrate vegetables include artichoke, parsnip, green peas, squash, carrots.

Grains:

Eat 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day and avoid wheat-derived grains. Examples of allowed grains include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati or brown rice, rye, teff (note, Teff bread at the local Ethiopian restaurants are usually made with wheat).

Legumes:

Eat a variety of any legumes that you are able to tolerate. It is best to use dried organic beans, soaked overnight, then cooked to taste. Examples include split peas, lentils, kidney beans, aduki beans, mung beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans.

Fish and Eggs:

Deep-sea ocean fish (vs. farmed in which fish are commonly fed corn and cement)) is preferred. Ask the person behind the counter at the supermarket! Avoid shellfish. The best types of fish include salmon, halibut, cod, sardines, mackerel. The fish should be poached, steamed, baked or broiled (poached or steamed is best).  Organic, free range eggs are best and pouched retains the nutritional value.

Milk products:

Only organic, raw milk is acceptable. Organic Greek yogurt is also a good milk protein.

Meat and Poultry:

Eat only the meat and not the skin of free-range or organically grown chicken or turkey. Bake, broil or steam the poultry. Beef, buffalo and lamb in smaller portions are acceptable.

Fruit:

Eat 1-2 pieces of seasonal fruits with the exception of citrus. Like vegetables, try to eat the low carb fruits.

• Low carb fruits include: cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, melons, apricot, blackberries, cranberries, papaya, peach, plum, raspberries, kiwi.
• Higher carb fruits include apple, blueberries, cherries, grapes, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, banana, figs, prunes, dried fruit.

Sweeteners:

Use very small amounts of maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, honey or stevia. Do NOT use sugar, NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Splenda or Equal, never.

Seeds and Nuts:

Grind organic whole flax, pumpkin, sesame or sunflower seeds and add to steamed vegetables, cooked grains, smoothies, etc. Consume at least 1 T whole flax or 2 T ground flax per day to modulate inflammation and promote detoxification of harmful substances in the body. Nut and seed butters are allowed but peanut is absolutely forbidden.

Butter/Oils:

When cooking, do not use extra virgin olive oil. You may use oils such as coconut oil (especially for higher heat), rice bran oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter). We recommend you avoid canola oil at any temperature. Extra virgin olive oil is fine for any other situation requiring oil. Refrigerate all cooking oils.

To Drink:

Please consume a MINIMUM of 6 to 8 glasses of spring or reverse-osmosis water every day. We recommend you use different sources regularly. Small amounts of rice, oat or almond milk are allowed.

For the time being, avoid the following foods:

All wheat products (including breads, white flour)           

Tomatoes               

Potatoes                

Corn products

Peanuts/peanut butter            

Any processed food        

Coffee                          

Alcohol                  

Colas                            

Fried foods                    

No Calorie Sweeteners, (NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Equal)

• Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water. Heat up your food using a glass or ceramic bowl covered with dish. When plastic is heated, it diffuses very rapidly into food.
• Use a simple detergent with less chemicals; Nature Clean is a good choice for both laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent.
• Simple Soap is a safe choice for shampoo and body soap.
• Use natural pest control not pesticides.
• Avoid Synthetic Chemicals – Healthy Living in a Toxic World by Cynthia Fincher PhD. is a good place to start.
• Buy hormone free meats to eat.
• Buy “Organic” produce, produce grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizer or hormones.
• Do not use microwaves.

The very important changes to make are do NOT eat or drink out of HOT plastic. (ie: Water bottles left in the car, microwave your food in plastic)