Anti-Inflammation Diet
Posted by terrepruitt on April 23, 2011
You know that the body being in a constant state of inflammation is not good, right? Research and studies are relating this state of being to many diseases. You know there are foods that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Do you know that there are foods that cause an inflammatory response in the body?
It is thought that foods that cause an allergic reaction are related to inflammation. Since inflammation is an immune response. One of the food groups to be avoided when on a nutrition plan to reduce inflammation in the body is dairy. Dairy is a big allergy culprit so milk, cheese, and yogurt would not be included in this type of diet. Although I love dairy this seems like one of the easiest things to avoid.
Another allergy food is peanuts. This food is definitely not on the list of “can eat” if following an anti-inflammatory eating plan. This food seems like it might be a little bit more difficult to avoid. I would imagine if it is just being avoided with the idea to reduce inflammation it would not be so imperative to avoid things that are made in plants with peanuts as one has to do if they are highly allergic.
This diet also excludes caffeine and alcohol. Strict adherence would entail no fried foods, no processed foods, and no corn. I think the really difficult allergen to avoid is gluten. It seems to be in so many things. Things I wouldn’t have even thought of. Since so many people are participating in gluten-free diets I have since learned a few of the things, but still. It is in so many things it seems difficult to avoid. Just like the items on my list*. It is difficult to avoid them. I keep wondering what there is so eat on a diet like this.
This diet is thought to help so many health issues. Again from what I have seen it is thought that a constant state of inflammation is bad for the body. It is thought that this state is a state in which diseases can infiltrate the body and its systems. So if there are health issues I can see following this if it help relieve some of the symptoms of a particular disease. But this type of diet is also used as a detox and to see if any of these foods cause a reaction in the body. The plan is to not eat these foods for about two weeks then introduce them back into the diet and to check the reactions of the body.
I want to try this detox/elimination diet to see if there are some food that I should definitely cut out of my diet. I can live without all of this for two weeks, but the gluten. It is in so many things. Well, I am going to research it further. I am sure I will be posting more about this in the future, but I wanted to see what you think.
I know some of you follow gluten-free diets? So if you follow a gluten-free diet, why? And what do you notice, what differences in your body? And what do you eat instead of bread? Are they any of you that follow an anti-inflammation diet? Please share.
*Currently my list of ingredients to avoid: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) or Corn sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, and Canola Oil
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
niachick said
A gluten-free nutritional program (it is not a diet) is essential to a healthy body. Think of gluten as “glue”. That’s what it does…it sticks to your intestines and becomes a magnet for everything else. I lost 15 lbs. in 6 weeks when I first started following a gluten-free nutritional program. That was not my intention, but it was a great plus.
What do I eat instead of bread? I still eat bread, Terre. It’s gluten-free bread and it’s delicious. Contrary to what folks think, it is VERY easy and reasonable to become gluten-free. We eat gluten free cookies and brownies (Pamela’s is the brand). There are a number of gluten-free breads. We purchase ours from Sami’s Bakery in Florida (we sell many gluten free items at our shop), but Sami’s isn’t the only gluten-free bakery. Most health food or organic health stores have gluten free choices.
We went out to dinner last night and I had a “roll” with dinner. It was not gluten free and I’m paying for it this morning. When I eat anything with wheat/gluten in it now, my body lets me know that it does not like it. Also the sauce that was over my deliciously prepared steamed salmon was most likely made with wheat flour as a thickener.
Following gluten free nutritional guidelines, I have more energy. My body does not feel bloated (except when I do eat something with wheat or gluten in it); my intestines/colon are happy. My eyes are brighter.
Some folks CANNOT have gluten — people with celiac disease cannot have gluten/wheat. It’s deadly for them. Do some research — look up Weston A. Price Foundation — they’re on Facebook and they have a website. We also subscribe to their quarterly publication Wise Traditions; also the “Nourishing Traditions” cookbook by Sally Fallon is chock full of wonderful information on how we have been misled on what is healthy and nutritious.
Thanks for posting!!!
Jill
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terrepruitt said
As I was typing this post it dawned on me that I should have done a diet post first. I have wanted to do one for a long time, but I forget. So after I reply to this I am going to write it and I will post it on my scheduled posting day (Tuesday).
I would really have to try a gluten-free diet to see if helped me. I would also have to try some of the GF foods to see if they are acceptable to me. I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, (did I say love?) bread and pasta and gluteney things . . . . but I know that gluten is a source of inflammation and health issues. I’ve had gluten free chocolate cake and to call it “cake” is not accurate to me. I did not care for it at all. I actually wanted to spit it out, but I didn’t. Could be that I am not a cake fan anyway so to make a cake without gluten is not necessary. I can just not eat cake. I was shopping today trying to find bread (the store I went to does not have the bread we normally buy). I was reading labels and some actually said, “Wheat gluten” as an ingredient. I thought it was odd that they listed it separately. A lot of our stores around here carry GF food so I don’t think it would be a problem FINDING it, it just could be a “problem” EATING it.
And so many things have gluten in them it is difficult to avoid if you eat out or at a friend’s house.
I am sure you were pretty sure that the roll you had was NOT gluten free, but the sauce, one might not realize that sauce has gluten in it. Soy sauce has gluten in it. (Unless of course you buy the GF kind.)
So many people say that they feel great following a gluten free diet . . . . that is why I am curious, but I have a hurdle to get over first.
Yes, there is a different between gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease. I look up Weston A. Price every time you bring it up. I have also looked up the book.
Thank you for reminding me to think of gluten as glue. I bet that is why I ALWAYS spell it gluEten, then I have to go back and “spell-check” it correct.
Thank you for your information. I really think that an elimination diet is where I want to start. This initial phase has a time frame. Then after I see the results then I would adjust my “regular” diet. And as you might have guessed, I DON’T REALLY want to START that is why I have not. Just the thought of giving up my beloved GLUTEN makes me put it off, even though it would just be to see how I feel. Then I bet I would feel so good it would be easier (I am not saying easy) to give up. I am going to do it. But since I am such a gluten lover, I really have to plan it out and set my house up for it and make sure that it is the optimum time. Because otherwise I will not adhere and it won’t give me the information I want.
As a reminder I am on a journey. I am learning new things to eat and new ways to eat, so it is always an overnight thing. 🙂
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Angelia Sims Hardy said
I hope you can get some answers on this. It is VERY interesting and as you know, Jason and I both have auto-immune diseases. I wonder if that would help us become healthier following either or both. I know I have to do something. It seems like there are a lot of things I eat that cause major bloat and upset stomach – mainly fried – but I noticed even lactose milk which is weird, right?
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terrepruitt said
I know a handful of people that follow a gluten free diet and it is an issue. They can’t/don’t participate in things sometimes because they cannot consume gluten. I understand if you have Celiac or it makes you really ill, but at this point I don’t know that I have a sensitivity to it and it just seems like I would miss my gluten too much. 😉
I knew about Jason, but I am sorry, I think I am drawing a blank you your issue.
I believe that you could probably benefit from talking to a nutritionist. (We probably all could.) I bet they could get you on the right path. I believe that if a person has allergies and/or an auto-immune disease an anti-inflammation diet would really help them. Because inflammation is the body’s immune response to irritants. So if you have allergies (even hay-fever) or an auto-immune disease your body is already in overload mode, so easing its workload by easing inflammation I would think would help.
There are a lot of elimination diets, as I mentioned, so it is just not eating certain foods for a set period of time and then introducing them back. The time of elimination and how you re-introduce is often what is different on different ones. When you don’t eat the list of foods they get out of your system and when you re-introduce them you see how your body reacts. That way you might not end up having to eliminate everything on the list.
I would guess that the fried food is fried in partially hydrogenated oil and you KNOW how I feel about that. Fried is a treat in a healthy diet. And fried in trans fat is outlawed in some states.
What we have to do (I say we because I mean me . . . .and you’ve indicated that you are curious about an anti-inflammtory diet and the GF diet) is we have to try the elimination diet. See how we feel. Then we have to get serious and decide what we are willing to give up . . . providing we feel better when certain things are eliminated from our diet.
What do you eat fried? And have you tried it other ways? There are so many other yummy ways to cook things, let me know if you want ideas or just Google it like we all do. Because of where you are I know you have a lot of “fried” around you.
How is your ankle? Hugs to you!
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suzicate said
This is interesting. I can do without peanuts, but caffeine is an entirely different story…I almost did it last year…maybe I should try again.
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terrepruitt said
I remember when you stopped drinking coffee. Wasn’t it you who was drinking green tea and I suggested you check the information because not ALL green tea is decaffeinated?
This is very interesting. I have a mental block when it comes to giving up gluten. Partly because it is IN so many things it is just difficult to have to keep track. And when I say “give it up” I am just talking about for 14 days. Just to see what is up. Then after the 14 days you add stuff back in and see what happens. This is supposed to help you see what effects certain food has on your body.
I sometimes think giving up caffeine would be easy, but then today when I got home at 1:30 I was sad that I had drank all my coffee before I left. On Mondays and Wednesday I usually don’t have time to drink all my coffee so I finish it when I get home. But my Friday class is late enough that I can finish my coffee before I leave. I probably have about 2.5 “big” mugs.
I am going to look at the book that I have again and I will post more information as I go.
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suzicate said
Yes, I was the one who switched to green tea. I am drinking my am coffee right now and am contemplating giving it up again…
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terrepruitt said
Coffee is yummy. But so are things without caffeine.
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Sara said
Hi – My daughter was diagnosed with food sensitivities a few months ago. There were quite a few things listed that her IgE blood test reacted too such as dairy, lactose, casien, gluten, wheat, spelt, eggs, and beef. As far as gluten free – there are some breads that you can buy – one that we’ve found that is pretty good and we make it at home in our breadmaker is Bob’s Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Gluten Free Bread. Also, for pasta – I buy Brown rice pasta. It’s a little bit different than regular pasta, but the fact that my kids will eat it – is testament that it’s really pretty good. Just be sure to rinse the pasta in hot water after it’s cooked, otherwise it will have an very unappealing gluey residue on it.
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terrepruitt said
Oh, I love dairy, wheat bread, wheat pasta, eggs, and beef. It is a lifestyle change. With a child she can learn from the get go. Thank you for commenting and sharing.
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