Anti-Inflammatory Diet

General• Fresh is best • Fruits and vegetables from all parts of the color spectrum• Omega-3 fatty acids • Whole grains• Ginger and curry (turmeric) for anti-inflammatory effects • Tea (white, green, or oolong) • Red wine - antioxidant activity • Avoid refined and processed foods • Minimize saturated and trans fats

FatsGood– Unsaturated fats• Olive oil, nuts, oatmeal, avocado, sesame oil and seeds, and soybeans

Bad– Saturated fats• butter, cream, high-fat cheese, fried chicken and fatty meat, and palm

kernel oil

– Trans fats• margarine, vegetable shortening, partially hydrogenated oils

Omega-3 & -6 fatty acidsOmega-3 - anti-inflammatory effects– Oily fish (salmon, sardines, herring, and black cod)– Walnuts– Flaxseeds– Hemp seeds– Kelp or fish oil supplements

Omega-6 – pro-inflammatory (via cytokine production)– Oil-rich seeds– Oil extracted from seeds used in snack & fast foods

Carbohydrates Good– Beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants digest slowly,

reducing blood sugar spikes which promote inflammation– Whole grains (brown rice, bulgur wheat…), beans, sweet

potatoes, winter squashes, berries, cherries, apples, and pears

Bad– Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) • sugar + protein = pro-inflammatory chemical

– High fructose corn syrup, bread, white potatoes, crackers, chips, pastries, sweetened drinks, refined/processed/fast foods

AGEs • Formed outside and inside the body• Makes cells stiffer, less pliable and more subject to

damage and premature aging.• Formed by BBQ, frying, roasting, boiling (? led to raw

food movement)• Barbecued foods are high in AGEs• Smoking increases AGEs - formed when tobacco leaves

are dried• Certain foods promote glycation in the body – especially

fructose and galactose

Protein Good• Eat more vegetable protein (soy foods, beans, lentils and

other legumes), whole grains, seeds, nuts, and oily fish • Soy foods contain isoflavones which have antioxidant

activity and have been suggested to lower CRP/inflammation levels

Bad• Eat less meat and poultry, which contain pro-

inflammatory fats

Fiber • Soluble vs. insoluble– Soluble turns to gel and reduces cholsterol– Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool

• Insoluble: fruit (especially berries), vegetables (especially beans), wheat bran, and whole grains

• Soluble: oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and

some fruits and vegetables• 30-40 grams of fiber each day -tolerance varies• Fiber cereals is best single source per serving

Supplements

Daily MVI-mineral includes key antioxidants

–Co-enzyme Q10 - 60 to 100 mg/d with largest meal–Vitamins B9, C, E, and D– Selenium

Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/pyramid/press-foodpyramid.html