Anti-inflammatory Diet for Dummies

Fight inflammation and manage chronic pain and fatigue with this essential guide

Arthritis, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes all have roots in chronic inflammation. No book explores the connection in a more accessible and straight-forward fashion. Packed with the latest information that can have a real and immediate impact on your health, the brand-new edition includes:

• 100 tasty and nourishing recipes
• Key anti-inflammation foods to incorporate in your diet
• Inflammatory foods to avoid
• The latest in anti-inflammatory superfoods
• Meal plans to fit any lifestyle
• The latest in lifestyle factors that impact inflammation

Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Dummies, 2nd Edition explores the link between inflammation and diseases like stroke, chronic respiratory disease, heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Filled with actionable and practical tips for avoiding inflammatory foods and activities, this book constitutes the first update in the series in ten years.

Dr. Artemis Morris (Milford, CT) is the medical director and founder of Artemis Wellness Center, an integrative medical practice. She taught Traditional Chinese Medicine for a Master's Program at Stamford Hospital and at the Open Center in NY and has taught advanced nutrition at the University of Bridgeport's Naturopathic Medical School. Dr. Artemis is a Professor for the Master’s in Nutrition Program at The University of Bridgeport. She is co-academic director with Dr. Bernie Siegal for the Master's in Integrative Health and Healing Program at The Graduate Institute. She is dedicated to educating her patients, colleagues, and the general public about natural and integrative medicine and creating collaboration in the medical community for optimal healthcare.

Molly Rossiter is an award-winning writer who covers new research in science and self-improvement.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Taking the Mystery Out of Inflammation 5

Chapter 1: Inflammation, Food, and You 7

Defining What Inflammation Is 7

Understanding how the immune system responds 8

Seeing where inflammation goes wrong 9

Differentiating between acute and chronic inflammation 11

Gut reactions: Linking food, digestion, and the immune system 13

Treating Your Symptoms with Nutrition 15

Creating a diet that works for you 15

Eating right for long-term benefits 15

Supplementing Your Diet with an Anti-Inflammation Lifestyle 16

Chapter 2: Understanding How Food Can Be Your Body’s Enemy 19

Defining Toxic Foods 20

Looking at Allergies and Specific Sensitivities 21

Understanding food allergies and sensitivities 23

Addressing lactose intolerance 24

Confronting sugar and caffeine sensitivity 25

Watching wheat: Looking at celiac disease and gluten sensitivity 26

Getting Tested for Allergies and Sensitivities 28

Working within Your Food Limits to Avoid Inflammation 30

Understanding the Role of Environmental Toxicity 31

Eating Clean to Ward Off Inflammation 33

Chapter 3: Determining Inflammation’s Role in Chronic Diseases 35

Understanding Chronic Diseases 36

Connecting Heart Disease, Obesity, and Diabetes to Inflammation 38

Heart disease: Affecting heart function 38

Obesity: Adding extra pounds 41

Diabetes: Wreaking havoc with your blood sugar 44

Striking the Brain: Neurodegenerative Disease and Inflammation 46

Examining Alzheimer’s disease 46

Probing Parkinson’s disease 48

Investigating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 49

Assessing Huntington’s disease 50

Contributing to Cancer 50

Altering the Mind with Inflammation 51

Examining depression 52

Looking closer at bipolar disorder 53

Eyeing schizophrenia 54

Asthma: Inflaming the Lungs 54

Disrupting Your Digestive System 55

Knocking Your Immune System Off-Kilter 56

Getting to know lupus 57

Arthritis: Making your joints ache 58

Nerve attacks: Linking inflammation to multiple sclerosis 60

Part 2: Deciphering Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition 61

Chapter 4: Filling Your Plate to Fight Inflammation 63

Following Recommendations for Good and Bad Food Categories 64

Adapting General Food Recommendations for Your Needs 65

Herbs and spices: Going beyond the five food groups 67

Creating the anti-inflammatory food pyramid 68

Finding your way to fermented foods 73

Implementing the Anti-Inflammation Plan 76

Chapter 5: Making the Right Diet Choice for You 77

Taking a Closer Look at Diets and Making Them Work 78

Reducing Carbs — The Ketogenic Diet 78

Considering what it is and how it works 79

Taking the inflammation out 80

Eating like a Caveman (or Cavewoman) — The Paleo Diet 81

Making sure it’s right for you 81

Keeping inflammation out of it 82

Giving Up Animals — Vegetarian and Vegan Lifestyle 82

Warding off the stereotypes 83

Making the right choices 83

Chapter 6: Feeling the Love (or Hate) in Fats 85

Getting the Message: Fat, Inflammation, and Cell Signals 86

Exploring Different Kinds of Fat 86

Identifying unsaturated fats 87

Seeing the bad in (most) saturated fats 87

The worst of the bunch: Avoiding trans fats 89

Identifying the Best Fat Sources 89

Getting your fair share of essential fatty acids: Omega-3 and omega-6 90

Getting to the meat of the issue: Animal fats 91

Finding other good fats in your diet 93

Chapter 7: Conquering Carbohydrates 95

Understanding the Role of Carbohydrates 96

Types of Carbs: Comparing Simple and Complex Carbohydrates 97

Keeping Carbs in Check to Help Inflammation 98

The not-so-simple truth about simple carbs 98

Steering clear of refined carbs 99

Watching for the sugar rush: The glycemic index and glycemic load 100

Going complex and unrefined 101

Calculating your carb needs 102

Choosing Your Carb Sources 102

Adding great grains to your diet 103

Stocking up on the right fruits and veggies 104

Checking the labels on packaged foods 108

Chapter 8: Getting the Right Kinds of Protein 109

Looking at Protein’s Role in the Body 110

Considering Your Protein Sources 110

A meat-eater’s menu: Including animal sources 111

Taking it to the sea: Fish and seafood 112

Trying the vegetarian variety 112

Getting the Balance Right 114

Chapter 9: Indulging in Sweets 117

Connecting Sugars and Sweeteners to Inflammation 118

Artificial sweeteners 118

Refined sugars 119

Natural sweeteners 120

Eating Less Sugar 121

Giving In to Your Sweet Tooth 122

Getting natural sugars from fruit 122

Finding ways to enjoy processed sweets 123

Part 3: Enjoying Recipes for Less Inflammation and Better Health 125

Chapter 10: Starting the Day off Right: Unbeatable Breakfasts 127

Simple Starts: Smoothies and Yogurts 128

Sweetening Toasts, Cereals, and More 135

Enjoying Savory Egg Breakfasts 142

Chapter 11: Something on the Side: Appetizers and Snacks 149

Making Dips Everyone Enjoys 150

Choosing Vegan Cheeses for Cheesy Appetizers 157

Whipping Up Seafood Starters 161

Enjoying Stuffed Starters and Wraps 168

Setting Out Simple Snacks 174

Chapter 12: Bringing Out the Bowls: Soups 179

Finding Variety in Vegetarian Soups 179

Making Soups with an Asian Twist 190

Cooking Some Hearty Chicken Soup 193

Chapter 13: Keeping It Light: Salads 195

Starring Greens and Other Veggies 196

Making a Meal of Salads with Meat or Seafood 204

Fixing Bean Salads 211

Chapter 14: Making the Main Course: Basic Entrees 215

Packing Vegetarian Dishes Full of Flavor 216

Serving Up Poultry and Seafood Entrees 223

Chapter 15: Cranking Your Entrees Up a Notch 231

Making Main Dishes Special 232

Preparing Vegetarian Entrees that Pop 247

Chapter 16: Topping It Off: Desserts 251

Refreshing Desserts: Smoothies, Parfaits, and More 252

Going Traditional with Cookies, Rice Pudding, and Baked Fruit Desserts 257

Satisfying Your Craving for Chocolate 263

Part 4: Living an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle 267

Chapter 17: Making Home Cooking Less Inflammatory 269

Stocking an Anti-Inflammatory Kitchen 270

Flour, sugar, and other baking supplies 270

Fats and cooking oils 272

Dry goods 274

Canned foods 275

Refrigerated items 276

Fruits and vegetables 276

Beverages 277

Choosing the Right Cooking Methods 278

Baking meats, veggies, and more 279

Steaming things up 280

Poaching delicate foods 280

Healthy frying methods 281

Other methods: Grilling, broiling, and microwaving 281

Making Favorite Dishes Less Inflammatory 282

Using this for that: Healthy substitutions in main dishes and sides 282

Staying sweet 283

Chapter 18: Keeping Your Cool When Dining Out 285

Choosing a Restaurant 285

Planning Your Order 286

Reading menus and nutritional information 288

Considering substitutions and special orders 289

Finding Anti-Inflammatory Foods at Restaurants 290

Choosing appetizers and main courses 290

Drinking for health 292

Getting your just (and good-for-you) desserts 292

Exploring Food Options by Restaurant Type 293

Deciding on fast food 293

Choosing ethnic fare 294

Keeping Portions Under Control 295

Chapter 19: Looking at Prescription-Drug Alternatives and Supplements 297

Treating Inflammation with Over-the-Counter Medication 298

Exploring how anti-inflammatory drugs work 299

Navigating your way through over-the-counter drugs 299

Using aspirin for heart disease: Take two and call me in the morning 300

Pointing to the Positive Side of Probiotics 301

Examining how probiotics work 301

Raising the levels of “good” bacteria 302

Using Dietary Supplements to Fill in the Nutritional Gaps 303

Taking vitamins as a defense against inflammation 303

Finding the benefits of fish oil tablets 305

Getting a boost from mighty magnesium 306

Taking herbal supplements and spices 307

Choosing Dietary Supplements Wisely 308

Getting some professional guidance 308

Understanding labels 310

Considering quality standards 310

Chapter 20: Making Strides against Inflammation 313

Fighting Inflammation with Cardiovascular Activity 313

Starting off simply with walking and swimming 314

Get it going good: Stimulating exercises 315

Slowing it down: Relaxing moves 317

Finding Stress Relief in Meditation and Yoga 319

Centering yourself through meditation 319

Going with the flow: Enjoying yoga 321

Part 5: The Part of Tens 325

Chapter 21: Ten Benefits of Stopping Inflammation in Its Tracks 327

Making You Feel Happier 328

Staying Sharp 329

Lowering Your Risk of Heart and Cardiovascular Disease 329

Decreasing Your Cholesterol Levels 329

Decreasing Your Risk of Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome 330

Losing Weight 330

Strengthening Your Bones 331

Decreasing Your Risk of Autoimmune Disorders 331

Affecting Risk and Ability to Fight Cancer 332

Improving Fertility 332

Chapter 22: Ten Inflammation-Fighting Foods 333

Salmon 333

Flaxseeds 334

Blueberries 335

Natural Almonds 335

Mushrooms 336

Broccoli 336

Quinoa 337

Brussels Sprouts 337

Onions 338

Green Tea 338

Chapter 23: Ten Anti-Inflammatory Supplements and Herbs 339

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Mixed EPA and DHA from Fish Oils 340

Ginger 340

Turmeric/Curcumin 341

NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) 342

Zinc 343

Boswellia 343

Vitamin D 344

Vitamin C 345

Papain 346

Coenzyme Q10 347

Appendix A: Metric Conversion Guide 349

Index 353

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