Adams Media - Try-It Diet--Anti-Inflammation Diet: A two-week healthy eating plan

Avon, Massachusetts A Try-It Diet is just that a diet that you can try out for two weeks to see if it is a good fit for you. Keep in mind that not every diet is right for every person; please consult with your doctor before making radical changes to your diet. From the first day of life and throughout the life cycle, the human body is continually bombarded by toxins, chemicals, viruses, bacteria, and other potentially damaging factors. Fortunately, the body naturally responds to these adverse circumstances by initiating an inflammatory response. During this response, the potentially harmful threats are dealt with promptly and completely. Or at least this is what was once believed.

Years of research has led to the realization that the inflammatory response is not always turned off in a timely manner. As a result, a majority of humans venture through their lives with some degree of silent inflammation that can wreak havoc on their bodies. Instead of protecting and healing the body, inflammation becomes the enemy. This can clearly be seen by the increased prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimers disease, and autoimmune disorders, to mention a few. Now it is proven that these conditions are clearly and intimately linked to uncontrolled silent inflammation. So what to do when a good thing goes bad? The most common response, especially in the medical world, is to treat the symptoms, diseases, and conditions with medications such as over-the-counter analgesics and often with more powerful, and potentially harmful, prescription drugs.

This will quell inflammation temporarily, but is this really a long-term solution? Individuals versed in prevention would answer this question with a definitive no. To properly treat silent inflammation, a few steps need to be taken backward before the patient can move forward and treat inflammation from a preventative and permanent stance rather than with an after-the-fact approach. Commitment to anti-inflammatory eating patterns and lifestyle practices is the first line of defense in fighting off inflammation and the disabling chronic diseases that plague humans worldwide. Cooling inflammation is all about making the right choices, most of the time. These anti-inflammatory choices include consumption of healthy fats, fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals (plant chemicals) and antioxidants, lean protein foods, whole grains, and probiotics. Adequate sleep and fluids, weight management, exercise, stress reduction, and dietary supplements round out the anti-inflammatory menu.

You can expect to see a noticeable difference in your inflammatory symptoms within two weeks of following the anti-inflammatory diet. Most healthy adults should aim for 2,000 to 3,000 calories each day. Women and sedentary individuals generally require fewer calories than men. Aim to cover two-thirds of your plate with plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The remaining one-third should consist of protein-rich foods such as lean animal proteins, beans, nuts and seeds, soy foods, and low-fat dairy. You should obtain 45 to 65 percent of total daily calories from carbohydrates.

This translates to about 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrate for a 2,000-calorie diet. Your fiber intake should be between 25 and 38 grams each day. At least 50 percent of your carbohydrate sources should come from whole grains to ensure optimal fiber intake and provision of a variety of powerful plant chemicals. Anti-inflammatory options include whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta; brown and wild rice; bulgur wheat; flaxseeds; oats; quinoa; spelt; and wheat germ. Starchy veggies such as beans, colorful sweet potatoes, and any of the huge variety of winter squashes available in the produce section at your local grocery store will keep you feeling full, satisfied, and inflammation free. Aim to limit foods high in added sugar.

Using Nutrition Facts food labels can help you easily identify those foods overflowing with sugar. Adults should receive 20 to 35 percent of their total daily calories from fat, or 44 to 78 grams of fat a day for a 2,000-calorie diet. Aim to limit saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of your total calories, or 15 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. Foods to limit include fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb; unskinned chicken; butter; high-fat cheese; cream cheese; whole milk and yogurt; cream and half-and-half; coconut, palm, and palm kernel oil; and chocolate (with the exception of dark chocolate). Strive to consume foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids such as canola oil and olive oil; high-oleic, expeller-pressed safflower oil and sunflower oil; peanut oil and butter; nuts such as almonds and pecans; and avocados and olives. To boost your omega-3 fatty acid intake, you can enjoy plenty of fish, especially cold-water fish such as mackerel, salmon, bluefish, herring, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna.

Make it a point to consume two to three servings of seafood a week, with each serving coming in at 4 ounces after being cooked. Other excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids include omega-3-fortified eggs; flaxseed, canola, walnut, and soybean oils; walnuts; flaxseeds; and tofu and soy-based products. Obtain 10 to 25 percent of total daily calories from protein or about 50 to 175 grams of protein a day if consuming a 2,000-calorie diet. Aim for lean protein sources such as lean meats and low fat dairy, and try to choose more vegetable proteins such as beans, nuts, and seeds, and tofu and other soy products. The main hormones that control the inflammatory response are called eicosanoids, also known as prostaglandins, prostacylins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. Eicosanoids influence many of the bodily systems and processes.

In addition to triggering inflammation, eicosanoids, most notably the prostaglandins, are what promote pain, fever, and blood clotting when an injury occurs in the body. The focus of an anti-inflammatory diet is to provide your body with foods that will help you create the right kind of eicosanoids, most notably the prostaglandins, that ward off inflammation and to limit foods known to promote inflammation. If youd like to explore the Anti-Inflammation Diet in more detail, check out The Everything Anti-Inflammation Diet Book , available in print (ISBN: 978-1-4405-1029-8) and eBook (eISBN: 978-1-4405-1236-0) formats.

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