Anti Inflammatory Diet 101 – Guide to Reducing Inflammation
Ever since I started following an anti inflammatory diet nearly three years ago, I have never looked back. I managed to recover from leaky gut in only six months, strengthening my immune system and regaining my energy and mood. Feeling bloated, getting sick, or having recurrent colds are now a thing of the past. I always say that once you go gut, you never go back.
From the moment I got diagnosed with a gluten intolerance five years ago while working as a pastry chef I have been researching alternatives, testing new recipes and discovering amazing new ingredients. I went through that initial clueless phase many of you might be facing of not knowing what to eat, which alternative foods to consume or where to find these. This is why I want to help anyone seeking to make that change with this simple guide.
Why follow an Anti inflammatory diet
Odds are if you are reading this post, you are looking for a healthier lifestyle or diet, suffering from gut issues such as leaky gut or an autoimmune disorder or struggling with fertility. Whatever the reason, an anti inflammatory diet is the answer.
Following this diet will allow you to reduce inflammation in your body and bring your immune system to its optimum state. Given that 70% of your immune system lives in your gut and that your feel good hormones also originate in your gut, having a balanced one is the gateway to health. Since you eat three or more times a day, 365 days a year, what you eat has a huge impact on your health.
Keeping your inflammation at bay will be key in avoiding disease and feeling fully energized. Although inflammation is good as a natural response to protect your body from a potential threat or injury, it can lead to more severe illnesses such as autoimmune disorders and leaky gut when it becomes chronic. So think of this type of diet more as a way of life and a disease prevention plan. In today's world we are already constantly exposed to inflammation due to stress, toxins, medications and pollution. Eating a healthy diet is essential in order to stay healthy. Meanwhile you will reduce inflammatory symptoms such as digestive issues, concentration problems, sleeping disorders or rashes. It´s a win win.
I am living proof that it works, I used to get sick all the time and ever since I follow an anti inflammatory lifestyle, I rarely catch a cold and I am in a great mood. As a matter of fact, whenever I have skipped the diet and gone rogue, especially with gluten, I have caught the flu because my immune system was not working properly (I also have an autoimmune disease, so in my case I need to be gluten free).
Steps to an anti inflammatory diet
See a nutritionist
Going on an anti inflammatory diet could probably be categorized as a lifestyle change. You are changing what you eat, learning about new ingredients and finding new places to eat out. Many different components affect our overall health and immune system. It is therefore greatly beneficial to receive tailored guidance and support from a professional that looks at your overall wellbeing from a holistic point of view.
Having the support of a nutritionist who followed my diet and kept tabs on my progress was lifechanging for me and what allowed me to fully commit and recover my health. I had tried and failed in the past and was at a stage where my health was very compromised. There are many functional doctors worldwide, check on Institute for Functional Medicine to find one near you.
Divide and conquer
As with any transition in life, gradual change can be less overwhelming and more rewarding. Particularly in regards to inflammation, drastic changes can create stress and increase your cortisol levels, contributing to further rise in inflammation. I took the cold turkey approach and suffered from withdrawal symptoms for about a month, including daily constant headaches and sleep disruption, among others. I highly suggest dividing this big goal into smaller ones.
What has proved very efficient is to remove a key inflammatory ingredient from your diet for a week, noting down your symptoms after a meal (do you feel less bloated? do you feel you have more concentration or more energy?). You can then gradually remove other inflammatory ingredients until you remove all. That extra energy kick you get from eating less inflammatory foods will give you the push and motivation you need to go one step further.
What to eat on an anti inflammatory diet
Following an anti inflammatory diet basically boils down to eating natural, clean unprocessed foods with a low sugar intake. Think of a Mediterranean diet with lots of veggies, protein and slow releasing carbs.
Healthy fats: nuts & seeds including almonds and walnuts, avocado, coconut and olive oil
Vegetables: dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, pak choi), broccoli and cauliflower (thyroid sufferers should restrict these to once a week)), asparagus, ginger root, turmeric
Slow releasing carbohydrates veggies: butternut squash, sweet potato and carrots
Low glycemic fruits: berries, lemons, tangerines, nectarines, apples
Organic protein: wild caught fish (white fish, small blue fish or organic salmon), free range eggs and chicken, and grass-fed meat
Plant based protein, grains & legumes: quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, buckwheat or gluten free oats
Superfoods: acai, maca, cacao, bee pollen
Spices: cayenne pepper, coriander
Beverages: green tea, kombucha, coconut water, aloe vera juice, filtered or mineral water, coconut milk, plant based milks
Foods to limit or avoid
Many foods contribute to inflammation, but the most damaging inflammatory ingredients to your gut and overall health are gluten, dairy and refined sugar. These three ingredients are not easy to metabolize and can trigger an immune reaction or inflammation in your body. No worries! There are tons of things you can eat and many alternatives to choose from, so focus on that. Read more about healthy swaps in my post Healthy Pantry Staples.
Gluten
You are probably wondering what is the big fuss about gluten.
Gluten is a protein found in cereals like wheat, barley and rye that helps bind ingredients together. The problem today is that through genetic manipulation to make these crops produce more in less time, the concentration of gluten is now higher, hence more inflammatory. Gluten can lead to autoimmune disorders and conditions such as leaky gut, as our bodies are not prepared to digest this protein. The good news is there are better alternatives today, find out more in my post Everything you need to know about gluten.
Word of caution: gluten free products, particularly packaged ones, tend to be packed with sugar and harmful binding agents such as gums, which are highly inflammatory. Make sure to read labels carefully.
Dairy
Similar to gluten, the dairy we consume today differs greatly from the more natural version that our parents consumed. Mass production and genetic modification has led to a higher concentration of the casein protein in dairy, making present-day dairy products more inflammatory. As a matter of fact, what we probably think is an intolerance to dairy is probably one to casein, which is why many people who remove dairy from their lives can still tolerate yoghurt or certain cheeses with a lower casein content. You needn’t worry about the calcium factor. As stated by Nutritional Therapist Amelia Freer, "Contrary to the myth created by the dairy industry, dairy is not required for bone health - nuts, seeds, legumes, small fish and greens such as broccoli provide better, more absorbable sources of calcium than dairy.”
Sugar
Rule of thumb: the less sugar you consume the better. Sugar is the ingredient that your body can convert fastest into energy. No wonder you crave it! Sugar is actually said to be more addictive than cocaine; even natural sugars such as honey or agave trigger an insulin response in your body. You surely recall that sugar rush you get after eating a chocolate bar, which then leads to what I call a sugar crush, that moment you start rummaging your drawers to feed your body more sugar. My advice is total abstinence to break the cycle. You needn´t worry! As a pastry chef, I can tell you there are tons of much more natural alternatives out there.
To sum up, the key ingredients to avoid on an anti inflammatory diet are:
Gluten (found in wheat, bread, pasta, pastry, store bought sauces and most processed foods)
Dairy (yoghurts, cow and sheep dairy, cheeses)
Sugar (refined sugar and high sugar content foods). Stick to low glycemic sugar alternatives in moderation
Alcohol & sugar beverages such as sodas
Caffeine: limit consumption to one cup per day, preferably a bulletproof coffee with coconut oil
Starches: limit consumption
Corn and soy: mostly GMO so best to avoid
Tips for sticking to an anti inflammatory diet
Consistency
Be as consistent as you can but don´t try to be perfect, we are human after all. Finding ways to keep my favourite rituals like tea time or after work drinks really worked for me. I would trick my mind into thinking I was having a cocktail pouring sparkling water into a wine glass with some fresh grapefruit.
Prep
One of the key things that allow you to follow through with a diet is taking time to prep. Otherwise you will be falling for that unhealthy takeaway sooner than you think. Choose a day to bulk cook for the week ahead, I call it my Sunday ritual. There are many things you can prep in advance. I always store cooked quinoa or buckwheat for quick salads, tomato sauce for pasta and cooked veggies or overnight oats for when I am in a rush to go to work. See what works for you.
Weekly diary
I got into the habit of noting down everything I ate and any associated symptoms. It allowed me to learn which foods I didn´t tolerate well. This process also proved very handy when I finally got the chance to visit a nutritionist.
Listen to your body
It is called gut feeling for a reason. Listen to your body. If you are feeling bloated or tired after eating a particular food, you probably don’t tolerate it well.
Anti inflammatory Lifestyle
Believe it or not, meditation is super helpful in reducing inflammation as it soothes your body and mind. I will be posting some meditations that helped me with heartburn and bloating soon.
The Anti inflammatory Guide
I have created several posts that will answer most of your burning questions. Take a look at Gut Survival Kit , Recipe inspiration and Where to buy ingredients to start your anti inflammatory diet soon!