Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet claims that many of today's diseases including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's are actuated by chronic inflammation.

Dr. Andrew Weil, MD

Dr. Andrew Weil designed the Anti-Inflammatory Diet to reduce the risks of age-related disease and optimize health. Losing weight on this diet is a side benefit experienced by those who follow the plan. He attributes the weight loss to the fact that people following this plan stabilize blood sugar and raise metabolism by eating the following:

• Low-glycemic-load meals
• Lean protein with healthy fats
• Drinking plenty of water
• High quantities of fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables

The end result is that the body burns more fat than it stores.

Chronic Inflammation

To understand the premise behind the Anti-Inflammatory Diet, it is necessary to grasp what chronic inflammation means to the body and how it comes about. Most often, inflammation happens when your body responds to an injury or an attack by germs. It's the body's way of supplying increased nourishment and immune activity to the area that needs help. Symptoms of inflammation include:

• Local heat
• Swelling
• Redness
• Pain

The problem lies in the fact that these responses throw the immune system off balance. Over time, if the inflammation continues, it can result in damage to healthy tissue. Dr. Weil proposes that diet is among the lifestyle factors that contribute to chronic inflammation and even goes as far as to say that it is "perhaps the main contributor."

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Like many diets, the Anti-inflammatory Diet, is not intended to be a weight-loss program, however many people who follow it do lose weight. It is also not an eating plan to be followed for a limited period of time. Like many diets before it, it is labeled a "lifestyle change" rather than a diet. It promotes the selection and preparation of foods based on scientific knowledge and is designed to help the body retain optimal health. Beneficial claims made for the people who following this diet include:

• Influences inflammation
• Provide steady energy
• Provides ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and dietary fiber

Healthy Aging

Dr. Weil's Healthy Aging website offers plenty of nutritional information, recipes and diet tips. Tips include pointers like the following:

Reduce intake of saturated fat

Eat less:

• Butter
• Cream
• Cheese
• Other full-fat dairy products
• Un-skinned chicken
• Fatty meats
• Products made with coconut and palm kernel oils

Use extra-virgin olive oil as a main cooking oil

Avoid:

• Safflower and sunflower oils
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Mixed vegetable oils
• Margarine
• Vegetable shortening
• Products listing these oils as ingredients
• Products made with partially hydrogenated oils of any kind

Get your healthy oils by eating:

• Avocados and nuts: walnuts, cashews, almonds, and nut butters made from these nuts.
• For Omega-3 fatty acids eat: salmon, sardines packed in water or olive oil, herring, and black cod; omega-3 fortified eggs; hemp seeds and flaxseeds; or fish oil supplements.

Protein

• Decrease consumption of animal protein except for fish and reduced-fat dairy products.
• Eat more vegetable protein, especially from beans and soybeans.

Fiber

• Try to eat 40 grams of fiber a day

Phytonutrients

• For maximum natural protection against age-related diseases eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and mushrooms.
• Include soy foods in your diet.
• Drink tea instead of coffee, especially good quality white, green or oolong tea.
• If you drink alcohol, red wine is preferential.
• Enjoy plain dark chocolate in moderation (minimum cocoa content of 70 percent).

Vitamins and Minerals

The best source of daily vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients is a diet high in fresh foods. Along with this, Dr. Weil suggests dieters supplement their diet with antioxidants. Suggested amounts can be found on his website.

Water

• Drink 6-8 glasses of pure water a day or drinks that are mostly water.

Available Online

Dr. Weil's Ani-Inflammatory Diet is available on line. If you sign up as a member you receive access to information on how to prevent diseases associated with inflammation as well as guidance in how to make changes in your eating by learning how to shop for foods high in antioxidants and learning to choose sources of healthy oils. Along with this help, members receive exclusive guides equipping members with what they need to help clean out pantries and refrigerators. With all that, members also have access to 150 recipes, so they not only know what to eat, what not to eat, but also receive plenty of creative ways to make eating both healthy and enjoyable too..