The Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
For nearly my whole life, I've been heavily medicated for my autoimmune conditions. Everything from anti-inflammatories and injections, to cancer drugs and powerful steroids, they've had a serious impact over the years.
As I've gotten older, I've become more curious about what I can be doing to help my condition, especially when it comes to nutrition. Hearing from my doctor to just “take these meds” and “try to not eat too much red meat” wasn’t doing it for me.
But don’t get me wrong; taking these medications were often the only reason I could get out of bed in the mornings, so I’m not anti-drug. I just knew, aside from throwing medicine at the issue to mask the symptoms, that there had to be a better, more holistic way.
Diet and chronic health conditions
It’s astounding to know how much nutrition is intertwined with health, although most doctors can’t even begin to counsel their patients on nutrition. While bewildering, if I wanted to know more, I had to go out and learn on my own.
So, like any good student, the research began. And this is where I really started to make the connection between diet and chronic health conditions, especially the range of anti-inflammatory diseases. Roughly 50 million Americans, or 20 percent of the population, suffer from autoimmune diseases, and this number is only expected to rise over the years. The rise, not surprisingly, can be easily connected to the standard American diet.
Autoimmune and the gut
So if autoimmune disease is so intrinsically connected to what we eat, then of course it’s connected to our gut health as well, right?
In the past, I had been told otherwise. But as the research continued, I learned that researchers have linked leaky gut to a number of autoimmune conditions. And if you have a leaky gut, it’s a main indicator of inflammatory disease (whether you have it now or will develop it in the future).
Things were making a lot more sense. And in a way, I was upset that medical doctors weren’t communicating this with patients (most likely because they’re not even aware themselves). I was told over and over again that my sudden gut problems were a “completely separate issue” from my lupus diagnosis.
Easing symptoms with nutrition
With the proper diet, it’s been found that you can ease symptoms, reverse disease markers and erase inflammatory response in your body.
But nobody said it was going to be easy.
The good news is that it’s more than worth it, because the benefits of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle extend far beyond calming autoimmune conditions. If you get serious about truly embracing it — eating and supplementing for health, for medicine — then you’ll also notice other benefits, such as brighter, clearer skin, better sleep, increased energy, and, of course, the sudden loss of those extra stubborn pounds.
While there are so many other diets out there (keto, paleo, etc.), some have harder-to-follow protocol than others. I’ve been a fan of Whole30, but had always considered it to be too strict. Ha — I was in for an interesting surprise when I put two and two together: The principles from Whole30 embrace an anti-inflammatory diet.
The research
For starters, I first read “The Plant Paradox” by Steven Gundry. And this was before Kelly Clarkson made it popular. It was the first place where I learned about a lectin-free diet. Whew knew that nightshade vegetables and peanuts were wreaking havoc on my immune system?
At first I was skeptical, but then I also read about similar reactions to these types of foods, and how they incite inflammation in our bodies, in “The Autoimmune Solution” by Amy Myers and “The Immune System Recovery Plan” by Susan Blum. And they were all saying nearly the same thing: If we want to reduce inflammation in our bodies, we have to completely cut out the foods (even those we consider “healthy”) that incite it.
And, by far, all of the research touted that if one thing is way off-limits, it’s gluten. It’s literally the worst thing for autoimmune conditions.
What to eat vs. what not to eat
So, let's get into it. Like I mentioned, I was surprised to see that nutrition recommendations for those with autoimmune were similar to Whole30, but, in a way, take it to a whole new level.
A quick rundown:
- Of course, no processed food, fast food or processed sugar
- Gluten is the enemy, and so are pseudo-grains such as rice and quinoa
- Meats should be high-quality and organic
- No corn or anything made from/derived from corn
- No soy or other legumes
- No nightshades, so tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes are off the table (aside from the sweet variety)
- No peppers, which includes both the spicy and mild kind (so even red pepper flakes and paprika are off limits)
- No nuts and seeds
- Not surprisingly, no alcohol
- Eggs are discouraged, but not completely out of the question (only if you’re eating those from pastured chickens)
- And, if that’s not enough, no cheese or dairy, either
So, very similar to Whole30, but maybe a tad more intense with the omission of nightshades, peppers, and all nuts and seeds. While I was surprised to read about these groups being off-limits, turns out that they contain stuff that’s not good if you’re serious about fighting inflammation in your body.
How to make it work
In effort to commit and to really test things out, I've been eating this way for about a month now. And I've already noticed a huge difference. My body is definitely thanking me.
A typical day:
- Breakfast: Compliant, organic protein/green foods powder with a whole avocado, banana, cinnamon and unsweetened coconut milk
- Lunch: Fresh kale salad with veggies, lean animal protein, and oil and vinegar
- Dinner: Dairy-free, gluten-free soup, or a combination of high-quality meat, veggies and sweet potato or squash
- Desert: A small bit of fresh fruit to silence the sweet tooth
It’s actually been surprising to me how easy the transition has been. I’ve ridden the cravings of carbs and sugar, and these foods don’t even seem satisfying to me anymore. My husband may have complained a time or two about what was being served for dinner, but he knows he’ll also be better off because of it.
The key here is to vary what you’re eating and experiment with new recipes to keep things interesting.
The commitment to continue
So far, I've noticed less pain in my joints, WAY less bloat in my belly, less water retention throughout my body, less fatigue, and I've overall had more energy for my morning workouts. Heck, the reduced bloat alone is enough to keep me going.
In addition to treating food as medicine, and no longer making excuses such as, “oh, just this one time won’t hurt,” I've also started a regime of supplements that are helping to detoxify my body and get all those build-up toxins out of my system.
I’m committed to discovering whether, long-term, this new lifestyle will make a huge difference. The experiment is worth it to me. Ultimately, I’d love to calm my current lupus flare, get off the mixed-bag of medicines that I’m currently prescribed, and (in a more vain sense) lose some extra pounds. Because who doesn’t want that, right?
What’s interesting is that it seems we’re in the infancy of linking and making strides toward really understanding the huge effects of diet and chronic health conditions… but thousands of years ago, Hippocrates was on to something. So to not lose sight, I’ll keep his wisdom in mind. Because it’s true.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”