Benefits of anti-inflammatory diet:
- Gives increased energy and vitality
- Balanced skin
- Calmer stomach
- Less pain
- Increased bodily vitality
- Better mental health
- Rich intestinal flora
- Strengthens the immune system
- Smoother blood sugar
An anti-inflammatory diet can look very different from person to person. There are different varieties of anti-inflammatory diet, for example AIP and Paleo. However, eating according to AIP or Paleo is not a must. It may suit some, while others choose to eat an anti-inflammatory diet from a more general perspective.
AIP , Autoimmune Diet or the Autoimmune Protocol, is a type of diet where inflammatory foods are eliminated for a certain period of time. The foods that are excluded are gluten, dairy products, sugar, nuts, seeds, potato plants, legumes, eggs, additives, processed foods and alcohol. After about four weeks, certain foods are reintroduced. In this way, you can discover which foods work for your body and which you are hypersensitive to.
Paleo , also known as the Stone Age diet, means that we eat as much as our ancestors did. The diet is based on nutritious food such as vegetables, spices, herbs, root vegetables, fruit, berries, mushrooms, meat, poultry, fish and shellfish. Unlike AIP, eggs, potatoes, nuts and seeds are also included. What is excluded here are the foods that have been added in recent years. For example, grain is not included because humans did not eat this during the time we lived as gatherers and hunters. The body does not have enough enzymes for the intestine to break down gluten. Paleo also excludes dairy products, white refined sugar, processed foods and additives. Then there are different branches that have varying orientations – classic, liberal and modern paleo diet.
What creates inflammation in the body? The food you eat can both make you healthy and sick. It affects the body at the cellular level and is decisive for how you feel. In recent years, sugar and processed foods have seen a huge increase, and along with this, a number of different lifestyle diseases have emerged. Foods that create inflammation and imbalance in the body include sugar, gluten, dairy products, pork, processed and excessively fried foods. Our bodies have exactly the same structure as the people who lived during the Stone Age. During this time, man lived in symbiosis with nature and ate a varied, clean and nutritious diet prepared from scratch. The body therefore does not recognize foreign substances from the ultra-processed food we eat today. It is not used to and cannot handle the food in the same way. This creates inflammation and imbalance in the body. Inflammation is a natural process in the body that defends us from various invaders such as toxins, bacteria and viruses. But chronic inflammation can also occur in the body, which is a long-term inflammation that often creeps up over time. This type of inflammation can in the long term lead to autoimmune diseases and other conditions. In an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the body's own tissue. Many people walk around with inflammation without knowing it.
Symptoms that may be signs of chronic inflammation include:
- Fatigue and low energy
- Aches and pains
- Skin problems
- Stomach problems
- Headache
- Allergies
- Hormonal disorders
- Dejection
- Depression
Various symptoms are the body's way of telling us that something is not right. It tells us to stop, review our lifestyle and make a change. It is more common that we do not listen to the body's signals but continue in the same pattern as before, which in many cases results in more problems. We need to look at the root cause and start giving the body the conditions to feel good. The body constantly strives for balance, but if the body is not given the right conditions, it lacks the ability to heal itself. If we give the body the right conditions, it has the opportunity to restore itself. We are responsible for our own health. Lifestyle is critical to achieving optimal health. Even though we inherit diseases genetically, we ourselves can influence our well-being by up to 80%.
How can you eat more anti-inflammatory? Make conscious choices that strengthen your body, use food as your medicine. Focus first and foremost on what you can add instead of take away, it should be sustainable and work in the long run. Let your diet be varied and versatile. Make sure your meal consists of slow carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and good fats. In addition to the basic nutrition, you can eventually add superfoods and adaptogens for extra vitality. Be curious, explore, make it fun and easy. Get to know your body and become aware of what makes it feel good. Experiment to see what works for you. We are all different and it is important to individually adapt the food according to the individual. The important thing is to use the form that suits you and that makes you feel good. What works for you may not work for someone else. It is important not to ban any food. Sometimes we may need to be more restrictive for a certain period to restore the body from a specific condition, but for it to be sustainable we also need to enjoy what we love. A tip is therefore to use the 80/20 method where you give the body 80% nutritious and good food and 20% exactly what you want. Listen to what you need and see food as love for your body. Take time to eat in peace and quiet, enjoy every bite to the fullest, be in the moment and eat with your soul. In addition to this, it is of course also important to look at the whole. Diet is one of the parts to achieve optimal health and balance, but we also need to reduce stress, make sure to get a good night's sleep, physical activity, review our relationships and much more. All parts are connected and influence each other.Six tips on how you can eat more anti-inflammatory:
1. Cook from scratch. Eat as pure and natural food as possible and avoid various additives in the food. Ready-to-eat foods are often processed and contain a variety of additives such as preservatives, dyes and trans fats. Trans fats contain a lot of Omega 6. Too much Omega 6 creates inflammation in the body. It is important to have a balance between Omega 3 and 6. Additives can also be allergenic and cause stomach problems. Next time you shop - be aware by looking at the ingredient list. Do you understand what the food contains?
2. Add more nutrition. Increase the amount of vegetables on your plate and choose vegetables in all possible colors and shapes. Please let the plate consist of 50% vegetables. Vegetables provide energy and increase your vitality. They contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and useful fibers that help you maintain good intestinal health. Fiber is food for the good bacteria in the gut. Fibers that are particularly good for the intestinal flora are cold potatoes, green bananas and onions. These fibers are called prebiotics. Also add more nuts, seeds, berries, mushrooms, fruit, spices and herbs.
3. Buy organic. The food we buy in the store is unfortunately sprayed with chemicals to make it last longer and keep insects away. Shop for fresh and organic food as much as you can. Eat seasonally and grow your own in the summers if possible. Feel free to choose wild-caught fish, meat from grass-fed cows and eggs from free-range chickens. Feel free to benefit the local farms around the country.
4. Find alternatives. There are lots of options to replace different foods with. Do not exclude anything, but always find alternatives that replace a specific food. For example, replace the white refined sugar with birch sugar, dates or yacon syrup. Wheat flour to gluten-free alternatives such as buckwheat flour, teff flour or almond flour and milk products to coconut milk or cashew cream. There is plenty to explore.
5. Add probiotics. There have been many different studies on the intestinal flora in recent years, where it has been shown that the environment in the intestine is incredibly important for good health. Both health and illness are created in the gut. Probiotics are something that promotes intestinal health and benefits your intestinal flora. Probiotics are good bacteria that you add to your gut, either via supplements or through fermented food. Examples of fermented food are pickled vegetables such as sauerkraut or kimchi.
6. Eat more turmeric and ginger. Two anti-inflammatory ingredients. Turmeric contains phytonutrients that prevent inflammation. Best used with olive oil and black pepper for best absorption. Ginger contains the powerful substance gingerol, which is effective against inflammation.
The article is written by Angelika Mörsky, who is a health inspiration and works as a health lifestyle therapist with a focus on gut and hormone health. Do you also want to write an article for our platform? Email us!
"My name is Angelika and I am a health inspiration who works as a holistic health and lifestyle therapist with a focus on gut and hormone health. I am passionate about helping people to better health and have balanced my body myself with the help of an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle. I also works with Reikihealing, holds lectures, workshops and courses" - Angelika Mörsky
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