People would like to believe that if they eat everything in moderation or just add good food or supplements to their typical Western pro-inflammatory diet, they will be in good shape but I don’t think it usually works out that way for many of us.
The body keeps score and as long as you are consistently eating foods that promote an inflammatory immune response, the gut and the rest of your body will not heal. For example, I recently met with a woman who knows she doesn’t tolerate dairy well but still insists on having 1 tablespoon of dairy yogurt most mornings which she correlates with having knee pain; when she skips the yogurt, she doesn’t have the knee pain that day. She insists it’s worth it for her and she is willing to take the pain and my sense is many people would do the same thing as long as the consequence isn’t too great. At some point though, when the consequences do become too great, we are willing to renegotiate that contract we have made with ourselves. You too may be wondering if there is some physical or emotional condition that could be improved within yourself if you were motivated enough to make consistent changes in your lifestyle. In the previous article on “Leaky gut, leaky brain” I mentioned that chronic inflammation can be reversible by addressing environmental factors that led to it in the first place. In this article, I will highlight what that strategy would look like.
1.
The first thing you would need to do is eliminate processed food which includes gluten (and possibly other grains), commercial cow’s milk, sugar, hydrogenated oil (canola, soybean, corn).
Instead of bread try ancient sprouted breads or paleo bread (made with almond and coconut flour); see recipe below.
Instead of cow’s milk try unsweetened coconut milk and unsweetened almond milk.
Instead of dairy yogurt try coconut or almond based yogurt or kefir.
Instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners try stevia, raw honey, dates, and cinnamon.
Instead of vegetable oil and canola oil try coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil and ghee (clarified butter).
2.
Add factors to reduce inflammation and specifically support the gut barrier:
L-glutamine, probiotic supplement, collagen, omega 3 fatty acids, curcumin.
L-glutamine is an essential amino acid with anti-inflammatory qualities as well as health benefits that include repairing the gut and intestinal lining.
Probiotic supplement: A high quality, live probiotic will speed up the healing of the gut by restoring the balance of beneficial bacteria. Beneficial bacteria produce vital nutrients for the body like vitamins (especially B vitamins like B12), minerals, fatty acids, and certain digestive enzymes that help the digestive system break down food.
Collagen: Dietary collagens found in all bone broths like chicken stock reduce inflammation in the respiratory system and improve digestion—which might explain why soup is beneficial for colds and flu. You can also add unflavored collagen protein powder to any hot or cold drink.
Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil): can help reduce inflammation and stabilize mood. These come in supplement form and can be found in cold-water fish, grass-fed meat, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
Curcumin: the golden-colored antioxidant in turmeric is now documented in scientific literature to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
3.
Restore your gut by eating whole foods (i.e no processed foods that are bagged or boxed with long ingredient lists): organic fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, bone broth, fermented vegetables, coconut products. An anti-inflammatory diet resembles a modified paleolithic diet that is low-sugar, higher-fat but the former allows for more fruits and whole grains. Either plan is easier to adhere to with more home cooked meals and packed lunches. There are many resources online to find recipes and sample menus so look around. Even if you can’t commit to this step every meal, I would at least start with a healthy breakfast: a collagen smoothie, eggs with vegetables, or sweet potato pancakes.
4.
Exercise for 20-30 minutes every day at least five days a week: Take your pick—walking, running, dancing, swimming, martial arts, pilates, yoga, spin class—they’re all great stress relievers that reduce chronic inflammation in the body.
5.
Know your number. Everyone has different sleep needs with the average range of 7-8 hours. Lost sleep results in daytime inflammation and can promote a vicious cycle: lack of proper sleep triggers inflammation and inflammation supports more disrupted sleep. It’s also a good idea to avoid late-night eating and leave around three hours between dinner and bedtime so your stomach is settled long before you go to sleep.
I would encourage you to think about the above steps as a 30-day experiment you can do on yourself. If you decide it’s worth a try you will only get the full benefit of the plan without cheating. Choosing a month in the late winter or early spring is a great time for this “detox” when you likely have less social commitments or travel. It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor about beginning this new program, especially if you have serious health issues such as diabetes. Ultimately, whatever benefits you feel emotionally or physically from this lifestyle change will motivate you to stick with it over time.
Paleo (grain free, low carb) flat bread/cracker recipe
Can be easily doubled
The best part of this recipe is how quick it is to make. The ingredients come together in a couple minutes and it’s in the oven and ready within 20-25 minutes. If you feel you need to have something for breakfast that has that bread-like satisfaction this might work for you.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup almond flour
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon collagen powder
6-10 tablespoons of warm water
Other options:
1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend (omit salt above if using this seasoning)
a pinch of stevia
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a parchment baking sheet on a cookie sheet. Does not need to be greased.
Mix together all the dry ingredients and then add the oil and warm water. Mix well after each addition and it should have the consistency of thick pancake batter.
Pour the batter onto the parchment sheet and it will automatically be in the shape of a circle but I like to use a spoon to spread it into a rectangle (6”X10”) so it can be used as sandwich bread. Use warm water to make shape more uniform and flat and make sure there are no empty gaps in between the batter and parchment as that will burn quickly when cooking—it will be as thin as a pancake. Bake in center of oven for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven and how crispy you want the bread. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting with a knife—can make eight pieces. It can keep overnight but after that I would freeze it for later use.
