Inflammation does not discriminate. For some of us, inflammatory conditions can be debilitating, interrupting our lives every day. At Tao to Wellness, we commonly suggest a clean, low impact diet to allow your body some space to heal.
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, with the exception of nightshades including tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers and eggplants.
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.
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 wild fish is preferred. Avoid shellfish. The best types of fish include salmon, halibut, cod, sardines, mackerel. The fish should be poached, steamed, baked or broiled. 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 low carb seasonal fruits with the exception of citrus.
Low carb fruits include: cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, melons, apricot, blackberries, cranberries, papaya, peach, plum, raspberries, kiwi.
Sweeteners
Use very small amounts of maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, honey or stevia. Avoid sugar, NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Splenda or Equal.
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 Tablespoon of whole flax or 2 Tablespoons of 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 and Oils
When cooking, do not use extra virgin olive oil. You may use butter and oils such as avocado, coconut, butter or ghee (clarified butter). We recommend you avoid all seed oils. Extra virgin olive oil is fine for anything other then cooking. Refrigerate all oils.
Avoid
All wheat products (including white flour)
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Corn products
Peanuts or peanut butter
Any processed foods
Coffee
Alcohol
Colas
Fried foods
No Calorie Sweeteners, (NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Equal)
Additional Tips
- Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water. If you must use a microwave, when heating your food always use a glass or ceramic bowl. When plastic is heated, it diffuses very rapidly into food.
- Use a simple detergent with less chemicals; or DIY it yourself.
- 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.
