How to Start an Anti-inflammatory Diet

Last Updated on November 26, 2023 by Cathy

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can feel overwhelming. But, as you learn how easy it is, it becomes less intimidating. Once you learn the basics to start an anti-inflammatory diet, the better you’ll be able to apply them to your everyday routine.

Unfortunately, the majority of people eat the standard American diet (SAD). This diet is mostly conventional meats, refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods. It leads to many health issues such as:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis 
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• and much more

The standard American diet is the number one cause of death in the United States. The average American eats 77 grams of sugar each day, that’s over 22 teaspoons. This is three times more than what the American Heart Association recommends.

American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day, more than 3 times the recommended amount for women. This adds up to around 60 pounds of added sugar annually – that’s six, 10-pound bowling balls, folks! – American Heart Association 

Knowledge Is Power

Learning which foods to eat and avoid will give you the knowledge to make a well-balanced meal. You will be eating clean, whole foods that will lower your inflammation so your body can heal. 

We grew up too focused on calories and eating overly processed foods. For decades we heard that fat was bad for us when it was really sugar that was causing all the health issues.

Some fats are bad like hydrogenated fats. Other fats are extremely good for you like avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil. There was some controversy over coconut oil because of its saturated fat. But, coconut oil raises your good cholesterol (HDL) which helps reduce heart disease. Plus, it’s beneficial for brain health.

Avoid highly processed fats that are high in omega-6 fats. Instead, eat more omega-3 fats which are good for your brain, central nervous system, and myelin.

Omega 3 fats:

• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Trout
• Tuna
• Walnuts

Getting Started

When you are first starting out it can seem very restrictive at first. There are lots of different foods you can eat. Granted you can’t visit a fast-food restaurant or vending machines. But, with a little planning, you’ll discover how easy and delicious eating whole foods are.

Healthy foods will lower inflammation, give you more energy, and improve your health.

The first step is to throw out all your processed foods. Either donate it, give it away, or throw it away. Don’t keep unhealthy food in your house or it will be too tempting to eat it. If your family isn’t on board ask them not to eat in front of you.

My family was very supportive of my diet but they weren’t willing to change. I cooked healthy dinners that we all ate. But I asked them to not eat processed foods in front of me. They were respectful and kept processed treats out of my sight.

This was very helpful at first. Now, I’ve been eating healthy for such a long time that it doesn’t bother me anymore. If my family is ordering a pizza, I make a healthy pizza so I don’t feel left out. – All it takes is a little planning.

Foods to Avoid

Obviously, you’re avoiding processed foods. Unfortunately, most of the foods found in typical grocery stores are highly processed. As you’re shopping you’ll notice that you don’t visit the middle of the store as often. That’s where stores keep most of their processed foods.

Stop Eating Foods That Feed Diseases Including:

• Dairy
• Gluten
• Refined sugar
• Artificial flavors and sweeteners
• Natural flavors
• Corn (it’s mostly a GMO)
• Soy (it’s mostly a GMO)
• MSG
• Canola oil (it’s mostly a GMO)
• Pork (it’s high in fat and prone to parasites)
• Farmed fish (it’s washed in toxic chemicals due to parasites)
• Processed citric acid (it’s mostly derived from corn)

Foods to avoid to heal faster:

• Beans
• Gluten-free grains

You can add these two back into your diet after you have healed.

Always read the ingredient labels!

Foods to Eat

The main thing you need to eat is vegetables. This is where you get your vitamins and minerals. Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are vitamin deficient so it’s important to eat a huge variety.

Dr. Terry Wahls, the author of The Wahls Protocol, recommends eating 9 cups of vegetables daily. It sounds like a lot but by adding vegetables to every meal you’ll soon be eating nine cups. Don’t be afraid to eat fruits. They are high in antioxidants, fiber, minerals, phytonutrients, and vitamins – everything you need to heal.

Dr. Wahls recommends 3 cups of each:

• Leafy greens (arugula, collards, kale, spinach, etc.)
• Colorful (beets, carrots, orange cauliflower, etc.)
• Sulfur (asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, garlic, onions, etc.)

I recently changed my diet from a paleo diet to eating mostly fruits, vegetables, and herbs. For years I avoided most fruits but then discovered they do NOT spike your blood sugar due to fiber. Now, I start each morning with 16 ounces of lemon water to increase my hydrochloric acid (HCL) to increase my stomach acid and lower the bad bacteria.

To learn more about stomach acid read: Facts About Low Stomach Acid You Need To Know

This is not a diet to lose weight (unless you want to), this is a diet to improve your health.

Foods to eat:

• Vegetables 
• Fruit
• Herbs and spices
• Healthy fats
• Nuts 
• Seeds 
• Wild-caught fish
• Pasture-raised chicken
• Grass-fed meats

Try to buy organic as often as possible. Conventionally raised animals eat grains and soy which are mostly GMOs. Plus the animals get antibiotics to avoid diseases. As the saying goes – you are what you eat.

If you can’t afford organic produce at least avoid produce that is on the Dirty Dozen list. This is a list that shows which produce has the highest levels of pesticide residues. The list starts with the highest and goes down. To see the Dirty Dozen list check out the Environmental Working Group’s website: ewg.org.

What to Eat for Breakfast

Breakfast is no longer your typical cereal, pancakes, or donuts. Don’t try to duplicate the typical American breakfast. Instead, eat fruits and vegetables, for example, eat a fruit salad with strawberries, wild blueberries, papaya, and kiwis. Or have a delicious detox smoothie with Strep Detox Smoothie – it’s easy, quick, and simple.

Keep your healthy fats down, Dr. Roy Swank spent years studying MS and diet and found MS patients who ate lower-fat had fewer MS symptoms. He recommends MS patients should eat no more than 50 grams of total fat per day.

You can learn more about his diet in his book The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book: A Low-Fat Diet for the Treatment of M.S., Revised and Expanded Edition.

Your Success

There are lots of recipes online and cookbooks. There are recipes you may enjoy on my website. Look for anti-inflammatory or Paleo recipes. Avoid recipes with lots of ingredients. Stick to the basics and don’t make it complicated. 

Try new foods like rutabaga or jicama. You never know, you may find a new favorite food item.

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How to Start an Anti-inflammatory Diet