Foods that heal inflammation

[BABY1]

TweetInflammation is considered a common denominator of disease.
Name the chronic condition — eczema, arthritis, gastritis and colitis — if it ends in an “itis” it means inflammation plays a role.
We take medication, apply cortisone creams or ingest steroids to deal with the pain inflammation causes.
What if food could be our only medicine?
It would require careful planning and diligence but registered holistic nutritionist Julie Daniluk is confident changes in diet can be life-altering for people living with inflammation.
The Hamilton-born author and TV host of Healthy Gourmet, a reality cooking show that airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network, spent years researching how food can heal inflammation.
Daniluk’s new book, Meals that Heal Inflammation: Embrace Healthy Living and Eliminate Pain, One Meal at a Time (Random House Canada, $29.95), aims to teach readers how to get relief from illness through healthy living. To call it a cookbook sells it short considering she devotes 16 pages to scientific references alone. It also includes a five-step anti-inflammatory menu plan, nutrition guide and 130 recipes.
Daniluk was inspired to write the book after she suffered a severe infection in Thailand from bad seafood. With a fever of 42 C (108 F), she was so ill she lost all control of her muscles and bodily functions. The infection ravaged her gut, leaving her allergic to dozens of different proteins and unable to digest starches. She spent four years rebuilding her gut bacteria, carefully charting every food she ingested and how it made her feel.
“I had to teach myself how to eat again. Through that process, I truly went through the ring of fire so to speak and came out the other side understanding what it takes to heal digestive inflammation.”
She then did the same for her sister, who suffered from colitis, and her mom, who has arthritis.

Daniluk recently spoke with The Spectator. This is an edited version of the interview.

Q: What was that like to see the changes in your mom and your sister?

A: It was very heartening to know that you can heal yourself with food. It was wonderful to see that there was a natural answer because many people rely on prescription medications that do have side effects. You have to be very diligent with this but there is a long-term solution.

Q: How would you define inflammation?

A: Inflammation is the backbone of every major illness in the world. It’s the body’s response to injury, infection, irritation or imbalance causing the symptoms of redness, soreness, heat, swelling or loss of function. When any four of these factors persists, the affected tissues aren’t properly healed and the result is a chronic state of inflammation.

Q: Why do you think inflammation has become a growing phenomenon?

A: People are starting to understand that they have to take care of themselves. When they start to eat this way, they feel so good that it’s starting to become a trend. People are sharing this knowledge with their friends and family. Nutritional science was slow to move along but there’s now mounting evidence. There’s real validity to diet as a true path to healing.

Q: It also requires a lot of work.

A: I like to think of it as a wonderful hobby instead of work. People say it’s a lot of work but I use every opportunity I can to eat this way because I feel like it gives back to me. Every hour you invest in this program you get it back in energy. You get it back in a positive mood. You get it back with sharing a beautiful meal with your family rather than going out to eat once again. I see it as a lifestyle shift rather than a harsh diet.
Q: You talk in your book about people crying in your office because they don’t know what to eat and they don’t know where to start. If people could do just one thing, what is the most important first step they can take to combat inflammation?

A: To start counting the number of veggies you eat a day. Start with five and then try to increase it to 10. When you hit 7 to 10 veggies a day, you have so many nutrients getting into your system that you start to feel differently.

Q: What are the top inflammatory foods?

A: Most people who find inflammation causes trouble in their bodies have issues with white flour and white sugar spiking their insulin. The other major ones would have to be if you’re allergic to a food, it causes something called immune complexes, which can lodge in the joints and can cause excess pain. For a lot of people it’s dairy or wheat. There are seven billion diets for seven billion people. You have to individualize this plan. You are never going to see a book called The Daniluk Diet because I don’t believe in a cookie-cutter solution. I think every person has to chart and journal what they’re eating and start to monitor what foods are causing trouble.

Daniluk is open to giving presentations about this issue to schools, rotary clubs or other organizations.

Five steps to healing inflammation
The starting premise of Julie Daniluk’s Meals That Heal Inflammation plan is to eat whole foods and eliminate refined foods. Think of how your great-grandparents ate. Ingest nothing with ingredients you can’t pronounce. She outlines a very detailed and gradual five-step plan. This is a brief summary.

Step 1: Purge your home of all unhealthy foods. Toss out artificial additives, sweeteners, sugar, carbonated beverages, dairy, alcohol, sugar, coffee, black tea, gluten grains, peanuts, corn, yeast, certain fruits and vegetables and some soy foods. Keep or buy natural sweeteners such as honey, oils such as extra virgin olive oil, certain fresh vegetables such as broccoli and sweet potato, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, gluten-free grains and dairy alternatives such as unsweetened almond milk. Meat should be free-range, organic or eco-friendly.
Begin by eliminating the unhealthy foods you find most easy to part with.

Step 2: Eliminate specific foods from your diet. First cut out fried foods, sugar, artificial and processed foods. Then cut out corn products, wheat products, dairy and alcoholic beverages. Lastly, avoid foods with potential inflammation triggers to learn whether you are sensitive to them such as certain vegetables, peanuts and gluten. Aim to eat three fruits and up to 10 vegetable servings daily.

Step 3: Stay the course: Eat three meals and two snacks daily. Carry healthy snacks around with you such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables, almonds and homemade trail mix.

Step 4: Reintroduce one new test food at a time. This will teach you which foods make you feel unwell and help you know your body better. Start with the fruits and vegetables, and then reintroduce dairy, then gluten. Introduce a new food every four days. Keep a food journal and note how you felt after eating each food. Look for physical changes as well, such as fatigue or bowel problems.

Step 5: Make this plan a way of life. Share your knowledge and experience with others.

Top 3 anti-inflammatory foods
1) Berries: Eating berries daily can significantly reduce inflammation, according to a 2007 study in Journal of Nutrition. Blueberries, one of Daniluk’s all-time favourites, are low on the glycemic index, which means it does not spike your blood sugar. They are also high in fibre, packed with antioxidants and also reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.

2) Kale: This form of cabbage is rated one of the highest nutrient-density food. With only 31 calories a cup, it is packed with nutrients.

3) Arctic char: This fish resembles a salmon but is genetically more closely linked to a trout. It is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, a powerful anti-inflammatory.














Carmelina Prete

[tilltheend]

TweetVery interesting thank you.

[yamaha147]

TweetAWESOME ARTICLE THANKS BAY