Sondi Bruner - Anti-Inflammatory Diet in 21

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Cover photographs (front) StockFood/Amanda Stockley Interior photographs Stocksy/Sara Remington, ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-673-2 | eBook 978-1-62315-674-9

APPENDIX A
Conversion Tables APPENDIX B
The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen To those dealing with a chronic, inflammatory condition: I understand. I empathize. I know. It can be mentally and physically exhausting, not to mention excruciatingly painful. The good news? The food on your plate is powerful. Choose well.

Choose wisely. Choose health.QUICK START

EAT VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. Virtually every fruit and vegetable on the planet is an anti-inflammatory all-star that contains a wide range of nutrients that support healthincluding antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. CONSUME HEALTHY FATS, PARTICULARLY OMEGA-3S. Fat is not to be fearedits definitely your friend in the fight against inflammation. Focus on a specific type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids, as these are especially anti-inflammatory and available in food sources such as flaxseed, walnuts, hemp seeds, salmon, chia seeds, and even vegetables (particularly the dark green leafy ones). EAT PLENTY OF PROTEIN. Protein, which is built from amino acids, is an important nutrient in an anti-inflammatory diet for a variety of reasons. MANAGE STRESS. Its tough for your body to heal inflammation when youre under stress. MANAGE STRESS. Its tough for your body to heal inflammation when youre under stress.

Research has proven that chronic stress prevents our bodies from regulating inflammation properly, which can lead to many diseases. SLEEP SEVEN TO EIGHT HOURS PER NIGHT. Lack of sleep is associated with higher levels of inflammation. Quality sleep is important. Its the time when we imprint what weve learned throughout the day, and essential to repair, recharge, and regenerate body tissues.

Body parts hurt. Energy levels are low.

Your brain feels like its struggling through wet cement. There are embarrassing bumps and blemishes on your skin where they shouldnt be. And, as if the physical symptoms werent enough, to fix the problem youve been told to eliminate foods you love. Ive been there. My eighteen-year-old self thought I was invincible. Even after being diagnosed with Crohns disease I didnt change a single thing about my diet or lifestyle.

I continued to consume bread, fluffy bagels, white rice, cheese, muffins, cookies, ice cream, candy, and chocolate without a thought. Did you notice there are no vegetables on this list? I scoffed at them. I didnt realize it at the time, but this steady diet of sugar and processed foods only worsened my inflammatory symptoms. As the years went by, my medications grew stronger and I got sicker, bouncing in and out of emergency rooms with bowel obstructions. At twenty-three, I underwent surgery to remove a foot of small bowel. And after all thiswould you believe I still wasnt propelled to change my diet or lifestyle? I reached a point in my mid-twenties where I virtually had stopped eating to control the awful symptomsraging diarrhea, perpetual swelling with painful bloatingI could barely keep my eyes open.

When my gastroenterologist declared, Well, you look fine, I promptly hurried to a naturopathic doctor for a second opinion. She, finally, completely changed my diet and I, finally, began to feel better and understand the power of food. An anti-inflammatory diet has been a life changer for meand the elimination of gluten and dairy has been especially transformative. Im able to manage and control my symptoms by what I choose to eat, and have experienced tremendous improvements in my quality of life. Be forewarned: it isnt easy at first. When I began this journey, my naturopath prescribed a strict elimination diet that excluded wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, fruit, yeast, and all processed foods.

As someone who didnt know how to cook and who ate everything from a box, can, or sealed plastic bag, following this diet was radical, overwhelming, and