Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The pic on the right was taken one week into my new diet and the pic on the left was taken a couple days ago. I definitely see and feel the change in my body and I am happy to report I have lost about 8 pounds.

ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH

If you have a condition that causes inflammation, it may help to change your eating habits.

While medication and other treatments are important, many experts say that adopting an anti-inflammatory diet may help, too. If you have, say, rheumatoid arthritis, changing what’s on your plate won’t be a magic cure — but it might lessen the number of flare-ups that you have, or it may help take your pain down a few notches.

An anti-inflammatory diet is widely regarded as healthy, so even if it doesn’t help with your condition, it can help lower your chances of having other problems.

If you want to eat for long-term health, lowering inflammation is crucial. Inflammation in the body causes or contributes to many debilitating, chronic illnesses—including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and even cancer.

What to Eat

In a nutshell, anti-inflammatory foods are those that any mainstream nutrition expert would encourage you to eat. They include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant-based proteins (like beans and nuts), fatty fish, and fresh herbs and spices.

WHY I CHANGED MY DIET??

Basically in a nut shell I went off the pill and numerous health related issues popped up. My skin went crazy, my gut went haywire, back problems and depression all came on like wild fire. I went to the doctor and got numerous tests done and everything came back normal but I knew I wasn’t right. A talk with a good friend and nutritionist (Kyle Buchanan) suggested the Anti-Inflammatory Diet and I googled it that day. Today marks 12 weeks!! The below information came from Kyle and I’ve been following it closely.

My skin of the left is the day I changed my diet and the pic on the right was from last week. I am not where I want to be but as you can see its gotten alot better.

Inflammatory vs. Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Inflammation can drive hormonal imbalance and in doing so, directly contribute to and exacerbate  inflammatory skin conditions like acne and eczema. To put out the inflammatory flame and subsequently support hormonal imbalance, avoid the foods that drive inflammation as much as possible, and include foods that reduce it.

Foods to Avoid

• Dairy (butter is okay as it does not contain a lot of the proteins nor sugars that cause the problem, ghee is even better!)
• Gluten
• Damaged & rancid fats found in chips and fried foods
• Vegetable oil (all the time, but especially if you cook with it)
• SUGAR!
• High-Fructose Corn Syrup (it’s hidden in a lot of processed foods – look for ‘Glucose/Fructose’ as the ingredient name in Canada)
• Alcohol
• Refined carbohydrates (candy, bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, cereal, etc.)
• Deli Meats (only eat real meat, nothing processed)

Foods to Include

• Anything Green – spinach, kale, field greens, collards…
• Cruciferous Veggies!! Broccoli, Cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, Brussels Sprouts – these are INCREDIBLE for estrogen metabolism, hormonal balance and liver health.
• Omega 3!! I suggest supplementing with a fish oil supplement – a tablespoon a day to drive down inflammation
• Chia and flax
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Berries (raspberries especially are awesome)
• Good fats like avocado, olive oil in generous amounts
• Spirulina & Chlorella
• Greens powders are great (I like VegeGreens by Progressive)
• Fish (salmon’s great, avoid overuse of tuna)
• Raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts and brazil nuts
• Hemp seeds
• Starchy Carbs (especially at night, they help you sleep and sleep is crucial for reducing inflammation and restoring balance): sweet potato, squashes, etc.
• Tart Cherry Juice at night to increase antioxidant levels and promote a result sleep!
• Cooking Oils: butter, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil
• Helpful supplements:
  • VITAMIN D!
  • Fish Oil
  • Magnesium BisGlycinate
  • Probiotic
  • Vitamin C

Other Things I Have Done To Help My Recent Conditions 

I added an Apple Cider Vinegar shot to my daily routine – Read the many benefits in this good article HERE

I have also upped my workouts, my water intake and leaned on essentials oils more. Plus I went and had 2 skin treatments to lighten pigmentation from Age Backwards (HERE)

STRONGER IN EVERYWAY!!!

OTHER RESOURCES 

Nutritionist Kyle Buchanan Website – HERE

13 anti-inflammatory foods – HERE

Anti-inflammatory diet from WebMD – HERE

11 rules in regards to the anti-inflammatory diet – HERE

Hormonal acne and diet – HERE