Anyone Have Success With An Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
annepage
Posts: 585 Member
Title pretty much says it all. New to this concept and just wondering if anyone has had actual success with it in seeing a decrease in inflammation overall?
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Replies
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Never heard of it?!
Bump for info!0 -
When you exercise (especially with weight lifting) the muscles inflame. So why would you want to inhibit that? Doubt it works anyway. You can eat to reduce free radicals by diet, but I haven't seen any conclusive evidence by clinical study that an anti inflammation diet truly works.
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I asked my rheumatologist about it (I have RA) and she said it was a load of bull, but I could try it if I wanted to. I haven't really worried about trying it. I just try to eat well most of the time.
I'll be interested to hear if anyone has had any success.
Donna0 -
Sometimes the inflammation gets to be a problem and instead of having to take large doses of advil or some other anti-inflam I was wondering if this would help keep the inflammation down.0
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I've found it to be very effective. My joint problems, plantar fasciitis, and the bags I'd had under my eyes for years are GONE after several months on anti-inflammatory diet. It's worked beautifully for me. And if I go off track I pay for it with returned symptoms. So I tend to stick with what works for my body.0
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This is basically the outline of the anti-inflammatory diet that we give out at the medical clinic I work at. I have seen great benefits from people that have a lot of pain while on this diet. In summary eat more plant based diet, with organic meat and vegetable when possible, and avoid anything processed.
PROTEIN goal: to get sufficient healthy source of protein to supply the amino acids that help to preserve and build muscle, and heal musculoskeletal tissues.
- for sedentary individuals: 0.8gm/kg
- when doing aerobic training that is moderate to vigorous: 1.2g/kg lean body weight
- when weight lifting to make body shaping: 1.4-1.6g/kg
- while healing from surgery 1-1.2g/kg
- for healing tendon or ligament from an injury 1.2g/kg of lean weight
- eat protein with each meal and snack
- limit or eliminate red meat unless it is free-range, grass-fed beef or lamb
- avoid charring/browning proteins/meats
- use organic meats or free-grange meat and poultry when possible
- use free range eggs but avoid browning the eggs
- avoid lunch meat that have nitrate or nitrites
- use walnut as protein source for snack and for omega 3 fatty acids
use mixed nuts and seeds
- nut butters, soy
- organic milk products
- for milk substitutes, you can use soy, rice, almond, or oat milk
- beans and grains as source of protein and fiber
- get at lest 1/3 - 1/4 of your daily protein need at breakfast
- minimize large fish such as tuna and swordfish because of mercury. Avoid farm raised salmon because of PCBs, river trout is usually okay
FAT goal: eat healthy fats and decrease unhealthy fats
- use coconut oil, canola, or olive oil for cooking
- make your own salad dressing with 2 parts flax oil, 4 parts extra virgin olive oil, and red wine or basalmic vinegar
- use sources of omega 3 : flax seed, chia seed, ocean salmon, walnut
- use a daily supplement of 1-4 g of high EPA/DHA fish oil purified to eliminate mercury, pesticides, etc
- use dry-roasted or raw nuts
- eliminate deep fried and breaded fried food
- avoid all partially hydrogenated oil and trans fats by reading labels
- decrease saturated fats (ice cream). Try to limit foods that have more than 6-8 grams of fat per serving
CARBOHYDRATE goals: limit non-nutritive carbs and use healthy complex carbs as an energy and vitamin source.
- have a daily intake of healthy and colorful fruits (berries, pomegranate, apples, pears, and citrus fruits) and veggies for fiber and beneficial phytochemicals to help your body quench free radicals and biotransform (detoxify) toxins
- eat healthy vegetables (organic when possible)
- eat other vegetables for their nutrients and fibers
- eat from the onion family daily
- consider juicing organic vegetables to improve your intake of phytochemicals
- limit cookies, cake, scones, muffins, potatoes, starches, sugars, rice, pasta, and breads unless you are training for a long aerobic event or do not have a weight management problem; in that case, use whole and sprouted grains in bread or boiled
- eat beans for soluble fibers and to limit colon inflammation
- use a bread that has at least 3-5 grams of protein and fiber per slice
- use whole grain sources for carbs suc has quinoa, millet, etc
- use a breakfast cereal that has at leat 8 grams of fiber and 4-10 grams of protein per cup
FOOD ADDITIVES
- try to avoid artificial coloring and diet beverages with aspartame
- minimize and avoid food containing ingredients that have MSG or hidden MSG.
STEPS FOR HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES
- minimize partiall hydrogenated oil in processed foods ("no trans fats")
- minimize or avoid eating at fast food restaurants. At restaurants choose butter based toppings on the side, eliminate sour cream and cream based dishes. Choose salads (with oil and vinegar or vinaigrette), vegetables and avoid deep fried entrees.
- Minimize or avoid deep fried and breaded foods.
- Minimize sugar and starches
- increase healthy fruits such as apples and berries
- try to choose organic fruits and vegetables when your budget and the availability of these items allows.
- eat protein at every meal
- try to purchase free-range poultry and meat (if you are not vegetarian)
- try to choose low-fat, organic dairy products
- use good multivitamin mineral supplement at meals - minimum of 500mg calcium, magnesium 500 mg, and antioxidants (A,C,E, selenium)
- try some green tea daily
- minimize drinks with fructose and corn syrup
- choose veggie juices such as V8 or an organic version
-for fruit juice, choose one with a lot of phytonutrients and antioxidants
- if you are trying to lose weight, limit juices other than veggie juices to 4-6 ounces per day
(sorry I got lazy as I was typing the handout... I left some things out.. let me know if you have more questions).1 -
This is basically the outline of the anti-inflammatory diet that we give out at the medical clinic I work at. I have seen great benefits from people that have a lot of pain while on this diet. In summary eat more plant based diet, with organic meat and vegetable when possible, and avoid anything processed.
PROTEIN goal: to get sufficient healthy source of protein to supply the amino acids that help to preserve and build muscle, and heal musculoskeletal tissues.
- for sedentary individuals: 0.8gm/kg
- when doing aerobic training that is moderate to vigorous: 1.2g/kg lean body weight
- when weight lifting to make body shaping: 1.4-1.6g/kg
- while healing from surgery 1-1.2g/kg
- for healing tendon or ligament from an injury 1.2g/kg of lean weight
- eat protein with each meal and snack
- limit or eliminate red meat unless it is free-range, grass-fed beef or lamb
- avoid charring/browning proteins/meats
- use organic meats or free-grange meat and poultry when possible
- use free range eggs but avoid browning the eggs
- avoid lunch meat that have nitrate or nitrites
- use walnut as protein source for snack and for omega 3 fatty acids
use mixed nuts and seeds
- nut butters, soy
- organic milk products
- for milk substitutes, you can use soy, rice, almond, or oat milk
- beans and grains as source of protein and fiber
- get at lest 1/3 - 1/4 of your daily protein need at breakfast
- minimize large fish such as tuna and swordfish because of mercury. Avoid farm raised salmon because of PCBs, river trout is usually okay
FAT goal: eat healthy fats and decrease unhealthy fats
- use coconut oil, canola, or olive oil for cooking
- make your own salad dressing with 2 parts flax oil, 4 parts extra virgin olive oil, and red wine or basalmic vinegar
- use sources of omega 3 : flax seed, chia seed, ocean salmon, walnut
- use a daily supplement of 1-4 g of high EPA/DHA fish oil purified to eliminate mercury, pesticides, etc
- use dry-roasted or raw nuts
- eliminate deep fried and breaded fried food
- avoid all partially hydrogenated oil and trans fats by reading labels
- decrease saturated fats (ice cream). Try to limit foods that have more than 6-8 grams of fat per serving
CARBOHYDRATE goals: limit non-nutritive carbs and use healthy complex carbs as an energy and vitamin source.
- have a daily intake of healthy and colorful fruits (berries, pomegranate, apples, pears, and citrus fruits) and veggies for fiber and beneficial phytochemicals to help your body quench free radicals and biotransform (detoxify) toxins
- eat healthy vegetables (organic when possible)
- eat other vegetables for their nutrients and fibers
- eat from the onion family daily
- consider juicing organic vegetables to improve your intake of phytochemicals
- limit cookies, cake, scones, muffins, potatoes, starches, sugars, rice, pasta, and breads unless you are training for a long aerobic event or do not have a weight management problem; in that case, use whole and sprouted grains in bread or boiled
- eat beans for soluble fibers and to limit colon inflammation
- use a bread that has at least 3-5 grams of protein and fiber per slice
- use whole grain sources for carbs suc has quinoa, millet, etc
- use a breakfast cereal that has at leat 8 grams of fiber and 4-10 grams of protein per cup
FOOD ADDITIVES
- try to avoid artificial coloring and diet beverages with aspartame
- minimize and avoid food containing ingredients that have MSG or hidden MSG.
STEPS FOR HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES
- minimize partiall hydrogenated oil in processed foods ("no trans fats")
- minimize or avoid eating at fast food restaurants. At restaurants choose butter based toppings on the side, eliminate sour cream and cream based dishes. Choose salads (with oil and vinegar or vinaigrette), vegetables and avoid deep fried entrees.
- Minimize or avoid deep fried and breaded foods.
- Minimize sugar and starches
- increase healthy fruits such as apples and berries
- try to choose organic fruits and vegetables when your budget and the availability of these items allows.
- eat protein at every meal
- try to purchase free-range poultry and meat (if you are not vegetarian)
- try to choose low-fat, organic dairy products
- use good multivitamin mineral supplement at meals - minimum of 500mg calcium, magnesium 500 mg, and antioxidants (A,C,E, selenium)
- try some green tea daily
- minimize drinks with fructose and corn syrup
- choose veggie juices such as V8 or an organic version
-for fruit juice, choose one with a lot of phytonutrients and antioxidants
- if you are trying to lose weight, limit juices other than veggie juices to 4-6 ounces per day
(sorry I got lazy as I was typing the handout... I left some things out.. let me know if you have more questions).
Wow, thank you so much for typing all of that. Saving this.1 -
By the way, my annual physical results showed decreased inflammatory markers of several types since I've been following anti-inflammatory diet for the past couple of years. One of the most interesting tests is for Myeloperoxidase (MPO) which is used to measure inflammation in your vascular system. My MPO level has dropped every year since I changed my diet, and is now super low, which indicates very low risk of heart attack or stroke due to vascular blockage. It's really neat to see the scientific proof of it, but I get the "quality of life" proof of it every morning that I'm out there doing my 5 mile run before work, with plenty of energy and no joint pain, at 50 years old. Hard to believe this is the same body that could barely walk around the block 5 years ago.0
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An anti inflammatory diet massively reduced my eczema, but I got rid of that entirely simply by stopping using sulphate surfactants! It is difficult to separate the 'reducing inflammation' component from the 'boosting nutrition' component, if you cut out added sugar and white refined carbs, consume more oily fish and more fruit and veggies you are obviously going to end up with more vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants available to the body.
Some acute inflammation is absolutely beneficial as part of the 'healing cascade' but too much is known to be damaging to tissue, plus no topical or diet will eliminate it all you are just looking to moderate the chronic stuff, the inappropriate immune responses. It's possible to still benefit from the healing cascade without a massive inflammatory response by using anti inflammatory or healing foods/ supplements/ topicals, you can trigger the cascade at different points. For example reams of published research on the properties of standardised aloe vera inner leaf extract when used topically (healing, collagen induction, antioxidant, anti inflammatory), plenty on the different actions of pro/ anti inflammatory foods or nutrients like the omega-3s and omega-6s, and more being published all the time.0 -
Title pretty much says it all. New to this concept and just wondering if anyone has had actual success with it in seeing a decrease in inflammation overall?
I take dark cherry supplements and just started drinking tart cherry juice and have a lot less pain in my knee even though I am exercising more. No other changes in diet.0 -
An anti inflammatory diet massively reduced my eczema, but I got rid of that entirely simply by stopping using sulphate surfactants! It is difficult to separate the 'reducing inflammation' component from the 'boosting nutrition' component, if you cut out added sugar and white refined carbs, consume more oily fish and more fruit and veggies you are obviously going to end up with more vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants available to the body.
Some acute inflammation is absolutely beneficial as part of the 'healing cascade' but too much is known to be damaging to tissue, plus no topical or diet will eliminate it all you are just looking to moderate the chronic stuff, the inappropriate immune responses. It's possible to still benefit from the healing cascade without a massive inflammatory response by using anti inflammatory or healing foods/ supplements/ topicals, you can trigger the cascade at different points. For example reams of published research on the properties of standardised aloe vera inner leaf extract when used topically (healing, collagen induction, antioxidant, anti inflammatory), plenty on the different actions of pro/ anti inflammatory foods or nutrients like the omega-3s and omega-6s, and more being published all the time.
Could you explain a bit more about the "healing cascade" that you are referring to? I'm a novice and all I've experienced is inflammation "getting in the way" of things such as mobility. When do you consider the inflammation to be "inappropriate" and needing to be controlled or at least helped out?0 -
The inflammation cascade occurs when there is a damage or irritant that starts off a pathway that brings macrophages to the area to get rid of an infection. Depending on which cascade is activated, sometimes the complement system is turned on which kills off certain cells. This is good if it is acute such as when you have an infection.
It becomes an inappropriate response when it becomes chronic, resulting in a systemic inflammatory response such as Crohn's disease. Long term inflammation results in changes to the vascular and bronchial lining. That in turn affects the guts where nutrients are absorbed, serotonin is produced (which is important in mental health), thyroid production, and immune response.
If you have an inflammatory disease such as allergies, asthma, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, vasculitis, acne, etc you would benefit. Some of the basic symptoms that most people are not aware of is bloating and fatigue.0 -
The inflammation cascade occurs when there is a damage or irritant that starts off a pathway that brings macrophages to the area to get rid of an infection. Depending on which cascade is activated, sometimes the complement system is turned on which kills off certain cells. This is good if it is acute such as when you have an infection.
It becomes an inappropriate response when it becomes chronic, resulting in a systemic inflammatory response such as Crohn's disease. Long term inflammation results in changes to the vascular and bronchial lining. That in turn affects the guts where nutrients are absorbed, serotonin is produced (which is important in mental health), thyroid production, and immune response.
If you have an inflammatory disease such as allergies, asthma, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, vasculitis, acne, etc you would benefit. Some of the basic symptoms that most people are not aware of is bloating and fatigue.
Didn't realize IBS and acne were types of inflammatory response. Hmn.0 -
Good answer from Misapearl. Numerous conditions have an inflammatory component/ inappropriate immune response - there is a school of thought that obesity is an inflammatory condition, and it plays a key role in cancer. Inflammation is inappropriate when it is causing more or as much damage than it heals, or is unnecessary in that there is no healing or 'fighting' infection or toxins needed, or goes on longer than absolutely necessary. In a small wound healing is two fold, breaking down damaged tissue/ destroying any invading bacteria, plus building up the new tissue. You obviously don't want to destroy healthy tissue, just the damaged stuff and you don't want the destruction to continue for weeks or months on end.
This is a little technical but the diagrams are helpful
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/541978
Basic but a few years out of date so there has been new research
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss07/inflammation.html
There is some interesting stuff on PubMed on anti inflammatory foods if you want to get into the research.0 -
By the way, my annual physical results showed decreased inflammatory markers of several types since I've been following anti-inflammatory diet for the past couple of years. One of the most interesting tests is for Myeloperoxidase (MPO) which is used to measure inflammation in your vascular system. My MPO level has dropped every year since I changed my diet, and is now super low, which indicates very low risk of heart attack or stroke due to vascular blockage. It's really neat to see the scientific proof of it, but I get the "quality of life" proof of it every morning that I'm out there doing my 5 mile run before work, with plenty of energy and no joint pain, at 50 years old. Hard to believe this is the same body that could barely walk around the block 5 years ago.
I am very interested in your body's response to the anti inflammatory diet. Such evidence does make me think it could be worth giving it a try. Does the previous post about what to eat and what not to eat about cover what you do?
Donna0 -
Good answer from Misapearl. Numerous conditions have an inflammatory component/ inappropriate immune response - there is a school of thought that obesity is an inflammatory condition, and it plays a key role in cancer. Inflammation is inappropriate when it is causing more or as much damage than it heals, or is unnecessary in that there is no healing or 'fighting' infection or toxins needed, or goes on longer than absolutely necessary. In a small wound healing is two fold, breaking down damaged tissue/ destroying any invading bacteria, plus building up the new tissue. You obviously don't want to destroy healthy tissue, just the damaged stuff and you don't want the destruction to continue for weeks or months on end.
This is a little technical but the diagrams are helpful
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/541978
Basic but a few years out of date so there has been new research
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss07/inflammation.html
There is some interesting stuff on PubMed on anti inflammatory foods if you want to get into the research.
Thank you for the links. Definitely interested in the research.0 -
My family is just starting this plan, due to my joint pain, husband's blood pressure and daughter's asthma. It will be interesting to see how it goes! There does not seem to be a good consensus on what an anti-inflammatory diet is according to the books I have researched, so we will follow a plan similar to the one posted by Miasapearl. It makes sense to me. The hardest part, of course, will be cutting out the sweets!0
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Interesting. Thanks for sharing.0
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My family is just starting this plan, due to my joint pain, husband's blood pressure and daughter's asthma. It will be interesting to see how it goes! There does not seem to be a good consensus on what an anti-inflammatory diet is according to the books I have researched, so we will follow a plan similar to the one posted by Miasapearl. It makes sense to me. The hardest part, of course, will be cutting out the sweets!
Be careful with commercial diet books especially if written by journalists/ health writers/ alternative therapists, they frequently 'bastardise' healthy eating regimes which have their roots in research/ healthcare/ medicine, the GI diet is a prime example (system invented for diabetics not to sell weight loss books and supplements). It's not at all difficult to manipulate the official healthy eating guidelines to an anti inflammatory diet that supplies a balance of all the nutrients needed for optimum health, the guidelines being minimums and maximums. There is tons of scientific information on reputable and (relatively) independent websites like universities, governments, UK National Health Service, charities and other non profit organisations, World Health Organisation. if you go for a book look carefully at the publishing house, author's credentials (renowned dietician, consultant doctor or research fellow ideally), how many research papers are referenced, date of publication since new research is out all the time.
Having said that be aware you do not have to be perfect - get your sugary/ processed/ white refined/ processed/ junk down to 10% of daily calories, up your intake of oily fish (ideally daily or a supplement), low sugar fruit and non starchy vegetables to nine servings a day, and you should already be massively reducing the inflammation factor of your diet without doing anything controversial or unsustainable. Obviously be sure you are also eating enough other lean protein, healthy fats and mineral/ fibre rich whole foods, when you have done that for a few weeks you can start adjusting further: hopefully you will change for life so it doesn't ALL have to start this week, you can take baby steps so you know what is working and what is not.0 -
My family is just starting this plan, due to my joint pain, husband's blood pressure and daughter's asthma. It will be interesting to see how it goes! There does not seem to be a good consensus on what an anti-inflammatory diet is according to the books I have researched, so we will follow a plan similar to the one posted by Miasapearl. It makes sense to me. The hardest part, of course, will be cutting out the sweets!
Luckily, there are lots of recipes that help with sweets. Here's a good one:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/snackity-snacks/0
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