Capitolo 7
Healing Through Anti-Inflammatory Eating and Living
After eliminating inflammatory foods, the focus shifts to the abundant, healing foods you can enjoy. The recommended foods are organized by category with suggested daily or weekly amounts:
Clean Protein: Aim for 1-112 palm-sized portions per meal. Seafood is recommended as the primary protein source, with extensive options of low-mercury fish including wild-caught Alaskan salmon and pole-caught albacore tuna. Organic poultry (preferably from pastured birds) forms the second tier, followed by organic, grass-fed meats.
Plant-Based Protein Sources: Options include hempeh, organic natto, tempeh, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, sacha inchi seed protein powder, lentils, mung beans, pili nuts, chickpeas, and almond butter.
Produce: Vegetables should form the foundation of your anti-inflammatory diet, with a recommended minimum of 4 cups daily. Aim for variety of colors and emphasize green leafy vegetables rich in methylation-supporting folate.
Healthy Fats: Include 1-3 tablespoons of healthy fats with every meal and snack. Cold-pressed oils like extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil should be enjoyed raw, while regular olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass-fed ghee, and organic palm shortening are suitable for cooking.
Herbs and Spices: These not only enhance flavor but also provide nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties. Options include basil, bay leaf, cilantro, dill, lavender, lemon balm, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, allspice, annatto, caraway, cardamom, celery seed, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, horseradish, juniper, mace, mustard, nutmeg, peppercorns, sea salt, star anise, sumac, turmeric, and vanilla bean.
Beverages: Recommended options include water, organic tea, unsweetened coconut water, kombucha (the tarter the better), carbonated water without sweeteners, fresh-pressed green juices, and organic bone broth.
Beyond dietary changes, the program addresses eight inflammatory lifestyle habits that can sabotage your health journey:
1. Prolonged Sitting: Human bodies aren't designed for prolonged sitting but for movement. Extended sitting leads to higher blood pressure, poor elimination of waste products, insulin resistance, increased cancer risk, muscle atrophy, and circulation problems.
2. Excessive Screen Time: Screen addiction has become pervasive, with American adults averaging over ten hours daily on smartphones, tablets, computers, and televisions. Studies show screen addiction can cause actual brain atrophy, particularly in areas controlling impulse control, empathy, and brain-body communication.
3. Toxin Exposure: Reducing toxic exposure requires addressing nonstick cookware, personal care products, indoor air quality, chemical air fresheners, and over-the-counter medications. Rather than trying to change everything at once, identify your "deal-breakers" and focus on changing the items you're less attached to.
4. Negativity: Negativity is a habit that can be changed. Negative thoughts trigger stress hormones like cortisol that measurably impact your immune system, while research shows people with positive outlooks live longer, get sick less often, recover more quickly, and have healthier hearts.
5. Monkey Mind: This Buddhist term describes a restless mind that jumps constantly between thoughts like a hyperactive monkey. This anxious, reactive state is common in our culture of sound bites and constant stimulation, making it difficult to focus for more than 30 seconds or sleep peacefully.
6. Emotional Eating: Consuming food to relieve stress or distract from unpleasant feelings becomes problematic when chronic. While occasional celebratory or social eating is normal, regularly "eating your feelings" damages physical and emotional health.
7. Social Isolation/Social Media Addiction: Social media addiction creates constant interruptions that prevent deep engagement and diminish empathy in human communication. Research shows that spending time with friends and maintaining an active social life can extend your lifespan, improve physical and mental health, and even lower dementia risk.
8. Lack of Higher Purpose: Having a purpose that transcends yourself-whether spiritual practice, life mission, or passionate pursuit-gives life meaning and has been scientifically linked to improved health outcomes, better recovery from illness, and enhanced brain function.
