Inflammation Is the Root of Most Diseases!!

Too much inflammation in the body can cause or contribute to the following…

• leaky gut,
• fibromyalgia
• crohns disease
• irritable bowel syndrome
• rheumatoid arthritis
• osteoarthritis
• heart disease
• alzheimers disease and even cancer

The goal for The Get Lean Club would be to move toward an anti-inflammatory diet which is commonly known as the Mediterranean diet and move away from overly processed foods that are prevalent in Western cultures. (good old USA)

A Mediterranean diet is comprised of plenty of vegetables, fresh fruits in moderation, and an abundance of omega-3 foods like fish and certain leafy greens.

Here is a list of some of the the best Anti-Inflammatory foods:

Leafy Greens                                                     Pineapple
Bok Choy                                                           Salmon  (preferably wild)
Beets                                                                 Walnuts
Celery                                                                Chia and Flax Seeds
Broccoli                                                              Tumeric
Blueberries                                                         Ginger
Cod Liver Oil                                                      Brussel Sprouts
Mackerel                                                             Herring

Foods to avoid:

• Sugar!
• Trans Fats (Fried foods, cookies, donuts, crackers)
• Omega-6 fatty acids, found in: corn, safflower, sunflower, soy, peanut, and vegetable oils; mayonnaise; and many salad dressings
• White flour products
• MSG (often found in Asian cuisine, fast food, deli meats)
• Gluten, found in: wheat, rye, barley, and any foods made with these grains
• Casein, found in: whey protein products.
• Aspartame, the artificial sweetener in Diet Coke and many other products (even gum!)
• Alcohol
• Perhaps even Nightshade Veggies (which I wrote about here)
• Red meat in moderation (buy it organic, grass fed and without chemicals or additives)

What else can you do to avoid inflammation?

Give intermittent fasting a try along with an anti-inflammatory diet!  There has been some research on the positive impact of intermittent fasting helping prevent chronic inflammation, especially with reversing rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension (high blood pressure). [1]

Have a great weekend!! Let me know if you have any questions!

– Brian

briangryn.com

[1] Longo VD, Mattson MP. Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. Cell metabolism. 2014;19(2):181-192. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008.