Eat the Rainbow to Decrease Inflammation

Before we jump into what anti inflammatory foods are, let's first understand a few key concepts. 

What is inflammation? Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury, infection, or tissue damage. Our bodies can experience acute or chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is essential to help our body to heal. Chronic inflammation occurs when the body continues to be irritated at the immune system level. Our body is more likely to reach a balance when we can cool inflammation. 

How? The GI (gastrointestinal) system is one of the areas where the body meets the outside world. When we eat, the body decides if the food is friend or foe (that's the work of the immune system). When we eat whole and anti-inflammatory foods, we decrease the amount of work the immune system needs to do all while supporting a health GI system and gut lining. 

Anti-inflammatory foods contain compounds like phytonutrients, polyphenols, essential fatty acids (especially Omega 3s), antioxidants - basically these are protective compounds for our body. 

STEP 1 to eating an anti-inflammatory diet. CUT OUT inflammation causing foods:

• Processed sugar, including high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, sugar sweetened beverages.
• Processed foods, including processed meats, cakes, cookies, crackers, refined “white” grains, etc.
• Trans or “junk fats” like canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, sunflower and safflower oil.
• Fried foods.
• Gluten and wheat.

STEP 2: ADD IN inflammation fighting foods:

• Berries: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackberries, red currant, etc.
• Nuts and Seeds: almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, flax, etc.
• Avocados.
• Fruit: pomegranate, olives and olive oil, rhubarb.
• Cruciferous veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage.

• Leafy Greens: spinach, Swiss chard, kale.

•  All other vegetables. 

•  Fatty fish: salmon, kipper snacks, sardines.
•  Spices: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano.

•  Fats and oils: ghee, grass-fed butter, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil.

STEP 3: Increase your Omega 3s:

Omega 3 fatty acids aid in resolving inflammatory processes. At least 2 grams a day of EPA and DHA creates anti-inflammatory effects in humans. These foods are great sources of Omega 3s:

Mackerel

Salmon

Cod Liver oil

Herring

Sardines

Anchovies

Flaxseed

Chia seed

Walnuts

Soybeans

Pasture raised eggs

Hemp seeds

Are you ready to change things up to include anti-inflammatory foods in your day? If so, here are some meal ideas:

Breakfast:

• Gluten free steel cut oats with berries and nuts.
• Smoothies - use berries and greens as your base. 
• Home made pancakes or waffles: gluten free flour blend, almond flour, ground up pumpkin, chia, flax seeds, eggs, water or plant-based milk. Top with berries. 
• Plant based yogurt parfaits.
• Eggs and greens - this is my personal favorite!
• Avocado toast (gf of course!).
• Chia pudding with oat milk, orange slices and blueberries.

Lunch:

• Soups and Stews– so many options and crock pot ready to feed the family for days.
• Baked Sweet Potato or Yam.
• Tuna on gf toast or crackers or over greens.
• Hummus and veggies like carrots, peppers, cucumbers and radishes.

 Dinner:

• Simple Stir fries with meat, veggies and gf soy, cashews over brown rice.
• Game meat or turkey meat balls over spaghetti squash and sugar free tomato sauce.
• Curry with meat, veggies and coconut milk over rice.
• Buddha Bowls (a mix of rice, greens, meat and veggies with a yummy sauce https://happykitchen.rocks/buddha-bowl-dressing/ - I love this one!)

Snacks:

• Game meat jerky.
• Trail Mix (nuts, seeds, raisins, etc.).
• Fruit: grapes, oranges, cherries, mango, pineapple.
• Guacamole with salsa and chips.
• Chia seed pudding with coconut milk and berries. 
• Olives.
• Celery and almond butter.
• Apple and almond butter.
• Smoothies

Variety is not only the spice of life, but also the key to a healthy gut and body. Mix it up and eat the rainbow!

And here is the real question - why should we even care about inflammation? Because chronic  inflammation in your body ultimately keeps you from doing the things you love because inflammation can cause you to be tired, bloated, snarky, carry extra weight which can keep you from showing up for life the way you want to live it. You heard that right, chronic inflammation keeps you from living the life you love. What small step will you make today to give you the best chance to live the life you want?

PS Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when I post a blog on what chronic conditions and diseases are correlated to chronic inflammation. Spoiler Alert: It's a long list...

By Karen Mitchell, NBC-HWC, FNLP

Functional Nutrition Health Coach