Chronic inflammation is the root cause of various health conditions. Research has revealed that certain foods can increase inflammation in the body while others can reduce it. For optimal wellbeing and health, the foods that reduce inflammation must be added to your diet. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce inflammation and prevent various diseases.
Dr. Andrew Weil says that an anti-inflammatory diet reduces inflammation, provides energy and essential nutrients to the body. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants , dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Anti-inflammatory diet can also help you lose weight efficiently, but it isn’t considered as a short-term plan for weight loss. You can understand an anti-inflammatory diet as a way of choosing and preparing foods that can help you in achieving and maintaining optimum health throughout your life.
An anti-inflammatory diet is specifically planned to prevent chronic inflammation that may result in various health conditions including cancer, Alzheimer’s, disease , Parkinson’s disease and various other age-related disorders. It can also be used to treat several autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions such as Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The first step to follow such a diet is eliminating processed, refined, and manufactured foods including all canned and fast foods.
This diet may include different foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein. It ensures a balance of taste and nutrition. To enhance the taste, you can add olive oil, spices, herbs, cooked mushrooms (like enoki, shiitake, and maitake) along with dark chocolate as dessert. You can eat three to five half cup servings of cracked and whole grains such as quinoa, rice, steel-cut oats. Also, you can consume two half cup servings of legumes and beans including chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lentils. You can also have five to seven servings of healthy fats (one serving corresponds to one teaspoon oil, one-ounce avocado, two walnuts and one tablespoon of grounded flax seeds). You can get sufficient amount of proteins from two to six servings of wild salmon, herring, sablefish, and sardines. These sources are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Other protein sources include one to two eggs each week, cheese, occasional lean meats, and yogurt.
For beverages, Dr. Weil recommends around two to four cups of green, white or oolong tea each day. If you drink, you are free to have one of two glasses of organic red wine each day. He also recommends eating different kinds of foods such as sea vegetables, bean-thread noodles, Anasazi beans, etc.
Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods
There are certain foods that have excellent anti-inflammatory properties and are also a great source of other nutrients. Let’s know what are the best anti-inflammatory foods are according to Dr. Weil:
Black Cod: Black cod has more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon. It also has a soft, buttery taste, making it one the finest fishes available. Once rare in the U.S., this fish is now easily available in any well-stocked fish markets.
Ginger: Ginger is both anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea and a carminative agent. A carminative agent prevents the formation of intestinal gas. You can add grated ginger to a stir-fry. Dr. Weil recommends trying ginger lemonade made with lemon juice, water, honey, and grated ginger.
Bok Choy: Cruciferous vegetables have anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory properties. Bok choy is one such vegetable and has higher concentration of vitamin A and Beta-carotene than any other kind of cabbage has. You can toss it up in a stir-fry, soups and stews.
Berries: Berries taste excellent and all of them have potent anti-inflammatory properties. According to Dr. Weil they are one of the healthiest foods we can have. A research revealed that black raspberries can reduce the occurrence of cancer by 50 % in animals. New in the markets of U.S., the juice of sea buckthorn berries or olivello juice is one of the most concentrated juices containing vitamin C .
Dr. Weil advises to consume more of these anti-inflammatory foods to reduce inflammation and prevent various health conditions including cardiovascular diseases.
