How to Switch to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

What’s the secret to a long life so you can enjoy many more adventures on the road? What you put on your plate! Your diet can have a big impact on your longevity, the way you feel, and your overall health and well-being. Making some simple changes to what you eat on a regular basis can boost your health and lower your risk of health problems, especially as you get older. It’s NOT about fad diets or gimmicks. It’s about eating more of what is proven to stop and/or inflammation. This is an introduction to the anti-inflammatory diet.

What should you be eating to slow the aging process? The western diet with the sugar, over processed foods, fast food, dairy, and over-emphasis on red meat has been shown to be the root cause of autoimmune diseases, most inflammation and speeding the aging process.

An anti-inflammatory diet has been shown to have benefits that help you stay healthy. No, this isn’t the latest fad diet. It’s a healthy diet that’s been scientifically proven to boost health. How does this diet work? Find out more about an anti-inflammatory diet, including why you should adopt one and how to make this change. Keep in mind that this way of eating is a long-term change, not a fad diet to adopt for a short time. 

The Dangers of Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural process that occurs in your body when you need some healing. Think about what happens when you get a cut or scrape. The affected area becomes reddish, then starts healing. If you’ve ever pulled a muscle, the soreness you feel is also inflammation. This is part of the process of allowing the injured area to heal, which is normal. You might also have inflammation if you’re sick, such as when you have a cold or seasonal allergies. 

The problem with inflammation is when it becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation puts your body on high alert, which can end up triggering serious diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. Diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and major depression are also linked to chronic inflammation. 

Why does chronic inflammation cause so much trouble? It damages tissues and cells in your body, which can lead to the development of severe diseases. Keep in mind that having these diseases takes a serious toll on your body, which can become worse as you get older. 

Chronic inflammation can actually cause the aging process to happen faster as well. It damages skin cells that produce collagen and elastin in your body, which are proteins that help your skin stay in good condition. The aging process leads to decreased production of collagen and elastin, resulting in wrinkles, fine lines, saggy skin, and other changes. 

Why Switch to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

Getting inflammation under control can put the brakes on the aging process while also helping you feel healthier. If you already have a health condition associated with inflammation, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, or sensitivities to certain foods, an anti-inflammatory diet can help ease your symptoms. Whether you have joint pain, digestive issues, or other symptoms, eating foods that fight inflammation and cutting back on foods that trigger it can go a long way toward helping you feel better. 

You might not have underlying health conditions, but getting older can put you at risk of developing some, especially if you tend to eat a lot of foods that trigger chronic inflammation. Even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms now, that could change as the aging process continues or speeds up in your body. Taking steps to change what you eat can help lower your risk of chronic inflammation and serious diseases.  

An anti-inflammatory diet helps reduce inflammation in your body, protecting your tissues and cells from damage and the effects of aging on your skin and other organs. Foods that reduce inflammation can help slow the aging process, ease inflammation symptoms, and lower your risk of severe health problems. Medical Doctor, Dr. Brooke Goldner was surprised when she discovered that switching to a Raw Vegan Diet reversed her Lupus. She then researched further to discover that the diet reverses many auto-immune and chronic diseases. Now, which foods should you be focused on eating?

Choose the Best Foods for Reducing Inflammation

Foods that have antioxidants are known for being great at fighting inflammation. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation. The following foods are packed with antioxidants:

• Berries
• Beets 
• Dark, leafy greens, such as spinach and kale
• Squash
• Broccoli 
• Carrots 

Overall, your anti-inflammatory diet should include high amounts of fruits and vegetables. These foods also have fiber and other components that help fight inflammation. 

Foods with healthy fats, known as omega-3 fatty acids, are also effective at fighting inflammation. These include:

• Fresh Caught tuna, salmon, and other cold-water fish
• Flaxseed and canola oil
• Walnuts 
• Spinach and kale 

Foods with polyphenols, which are chemicals that help fight inflammation, include:

• Berries 
• Tea
• Citrus fruits 
• Soybeans 
• Dark chocolate (in moderation)
• Onion 

An anti-inflammatory diet includes whole foods rather than processed foods. Other whole foods to include in your diet are:

• Whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta or bread 
• Chicken or turkey breast
• Eggs 
• Beans 
• Oats 
• Seeds
• Nuts 

Avoid Foods That Cause Inflammation

Heavily processed foods are packed with sugar and other ingredients, including chemicals that can trigger inflammation. Foods to avoid in your anti-inflammatory diet include the following:

• Fast Food Establishments
• Processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, and bologna
• Fried foods, such as French fries
• Sugary foods, such as store-bought baked goods, candy, and ice cream
• Packaged foods, such as frozen meals or boxed meals 
• Processed snacks, such as potato chips 
• Processed cheese, such as slices of American cheese

Make an Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan

The meal plan that works best for you will depend on your personal food preferences and whether or not you have any dietary restrictions. The key to creating this kind of meal plan is to include foods on the anti-inflammatory list for all meals and snacks. For example, you might have eggs for breakfast, a salad with chicken breast pieces and spinach for lunch, and salmon with brown rice and broccoli for dinner. For snacks, choose nuts, seeds, fruits, and other healthy foods that fight inflammation. 

For examples of established diets that help fight inflammation, you can try the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet. The Mediterranean diet focuses on healthy fats and whole foods while eliminating processed foods. The DASH diet, specifically designed for those with high blood pressure, includes whole foods, some dairy foods, and lower amounts of protein and processed foods.

Try These Anti-Inflammatory Juice Recipes

Don’t forget that what you drink is just as important as what you eat. When you want a refreshing and healthy drink, try these anti-inflammatory juice recipes. For each of these recipes, gather the ingredients, wash and chop or slice produce if needed, then blend them in a juicer.

Tropical Juice 

For some tropical flair and a juice that’s packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as vitamin C and bromelain, you’ll need the following:

• Pineapple (1 cup)
• Peeled orange
• Half of a yellow bell pepper 
• Small amount of ginger 

Berry Juice

For a sweet juice with a creamy texture that’s filled with antioxidants for fighting inflammation, gather the following ingredients:

• Frozen strawberries (1 cup)
• Frozen banana (cut into chunks)
• Unsweetened pomegranate juice (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• Water (1/4 cup)

Super Juice

For a super juice that assists with digestion, clearer skin, heart health, and that’s filled with antioxidants for fighting inflammation, use a Vitamix and blend the following ingredients:

• Chia Seeds (1/2 cup)
• Flax Seeds (1/2 cup)
• 1 Beet (cut into chunks)
• 1 Carrot(cut into chunks)
• 1 Fuji Apple(cut into chunks)
• 1 Cucumber(cut into chunks)
• Pineapple (1 cup)
• Spinach (1 cup)
• Broccoli Sprouts (1/4 cup)
• Ginger 1 inch
• Turmeric 1 inch
• Wheatgrass Powder (1 tablespoon)
• Water (1 cup, or more for desired thickness)

Green Juice

For a vegetable-heavy juice containing high amounts of inflammation-fighting nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and phytonutrients, you’ll need the following:

• 4 celery stalks 
• Parsley (1/2 bunch)
• 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith (cored, but not peeled)
• 3 collard green leaves
• Mint leaves 
• Fresh ginger root
• Fresh turmeric root 

Tips for Changing Your Diet

Despite the many health benefits that an anti-inflammatory diet offers, you should avoid diving headfirst into this change. If you’re not used to eating most of these foods, you could upset your digestive system. And trying to cut out foods drastically can lead to failure. Instead, give your body time to adjust to your dietary change by slowly switching to an anti-inflammatory diet. 

For example, you might start by adding a serving or 2 of anti-inflammatory foods in a single meal once a week until  that becomes normal which can be 6-8 weeks. Then bump it up to 2 meals a week, then 3, and so on. As your body adjusts to this change, you can keep switching inflammation-causing foods with anti-inflammatory ones until your diet is as anti-inflammatory as possible and you aren’t even craving those other toxic foods. This gradual change is easier on your digestive system. Studies of habit changes show it’s easier to shift your diet this way from a psychological perspective.  This increases your chances of success and sticking to the new healthier lifestyle. 

Having to overhaul your entire diet overnight can seem overwhelming, and you might be more tempted to give up. Slowly introducing anti-inflammatory foods into your diet can be less stressful. The key is adding to rather than cutting out. Eventually, the craving and preferences will shift and your body will tell you what foods to stay away from, by how you feel within 15-20 minutes of eating it. You will start to feel this within 30 days.

P.S. Here’s a Great Idea for Eating Healthy on Your Travel Adventures

When you’re planning your next road trip, forget the fast food stops and gas station snacks. These are convenient, but they’re filled with ingredients that can trigger inflammation. With the suggestions above, you’ll be able to make sure you’re following an anti-inflammatory diet while you’re on the road and have a LOT more energy and mental clarity for all the fun activities you have planned. 

Whether you need an RV for a road trip across the country or a simple weekend getaway, RVnGO has a wide selection of RVs available for rent. You can rent an RV that offers plenty of kitchen and meal prep space, so you can easily make breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your trip. Rent an RV with a fridge and cabinets, and you’ll be able to fill up on anti-inflammatory foods before heading out on the road.