The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Saves Lives!
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet (AI Diet) is based on emerging research that suggests many diseases, including heart disease, are due to inflammation in the body from poor nutrition choices and allergies. Eating anti-inflammatory foods reduces the stress on the heart, lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation.
Basic elements of the diet include:
• Organically grown foods, to decrease exposure to pesticides
• No counting calories. Eat when hungry, stop when you’re satisfied.
• Diet should be 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% healthy fats
• Healthy fats — organic butter, olive oil, coconut oil, nut and seed oils
• Do not eat any one food more than 5 times a week
• Plan meals ahead of time
Anti-Inflammatory Diet, It’s What’s For Dinner
To maximize the reduction of toxins and allergens, the emphasis is on the eating more of these foods:
Foods with plenty of essential fatty acids
Omega-3 rich foods include oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, flaxseed and flaxseed oil. However, eating too much of this fish may expose you to methyl mercury and PCB’s.
Meat, the kind your body needs
Protein with every meal! Organic beef, free range chicken and turkey, lamb, and wild game. Organic eggs. Tofu is included in this group as a meat substitute. No pork. Sorry, no BBQ ribs!
Fruits and Vegetables, Of Course!
Are the mainstays of any healthy diet.
With the AI Diet, eat low carbohydrate vegetables such as green vegetables, cauliflower, and broccoli. Lightly steam vegetables to make nutrients available, avoid raw vegetables except in salads, 1-2 servings per day.
Eat 1-2 servings of fruit a day. Eat low carbohydrate fruits such as strawberries and blueberries.
Avoid citrus fruits, except for lemons. Limit dried fruits. No potatoes or tomatoes. Goodbye, French fries!
Spice Up Your Life
Garlic, ginger and tumeric reverse the effects of toxins in the body. All spices allowed.
Flaxseed Oil—Why?
Flaxseed oil and Flaxseed contain the highest amount of plant based Omega-3, which makes it cardioprotective. Flaxseed is sprinkled on baked goods, and the oil is used for salads. However, the ALA Omega-3 in flaxseed is not as available to the body as fish oil’s Omega-3 EPA/DHA.
Cooking with Oil
Use a small amount of organic butter. Use Olive Oil for cooking, coconut oil for baking, and nut and seed oils for salads. However, coconut oil is high in saturated fats and raises blood cholesterol and blood pressure. This is contraindicated in many heart healthy diets.
Absolutely no hydrogenated oils and trans fats.
Nuts and Seeds
Eat raw. Flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds are preferable. Most nuts are good, containing healthful monounsaturated fats. A big no-no is peanuts. They aren’t allowed as they cause sensitivity and allergic reactions in the body.
Beverages & Football Without Beer
Keeping well hydrated helps your body flush out the bad stuff! Drink half your weight in fluid ounces of filtered water per day. Drinking small amounts of soy, rice, oat and almond milk also helps. Herbal teas are great, also.
• Avoid coffee, soda, juice, caffeinated teas, and . . .
• No alcohol or fermented beverages like beer or wine allowed in this diet.
Good Grains
Cooked grains such as buckwheat, millet and oatmeal. No wheat products, even whole wheat. It causes a reaction in the body.
Some Final Words About
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
• Corn products of any kind are not allowed on the AI Diet.
• No processed or fried foods, period.
• No artificial sweeteners.
• No dairy products!!!
• No Alcohol
This diet is complex and has relatively strict limits on foods you can eat.
Some of the recommendations, such as coconut oil, are contraindicated in other heart healthy diets. To many Americans, this diet would represent a radical departure from their normal diet.
Emerging research suggests the Anti-Inflammatory Diet to be heart healthy if followed.