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Anti-Inflammatory Diet Basics
Inflammation is your body’s innate way of providing acute healing to an area of your body, but when it persists on a low level throughout the body, it can do much more harm than good. Because chronic inflammation isn’t something you can see with your eyes, many suffer from its consequences and don’t even know it! It can surface in sneaky ways in the form of allergies, skin rashes, pain, insomnia, migraines, food allergies, and more. In addition, it sets a perfect stage for many serious age-related diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, diabetes, neuro-degenerative diseases, heart disease, and cancer.
The Stress Connection — When you are constantly stressed, the sympathetic nervous system signals your body to produce the stress hormone cortisol to meet the demand. This leads to an increase in blood sugar designed to give you the energy to flee whatever’s “chasing” you. But because nothing’s actually chasing you, you are left with elevated cortisol and blood sugar levels that can lead to a whole host of metabolic imbalances. Because neuropeptides (proteins that deliver messages in your nervous system) that mediate stress also mediate inflammation, it’s likely that stress causes an inflammatory response in your body. And if that weren’t enough, elevated cortisol levels spark inflammatory reactions that diminish immune system function. Obviously, getting stress under control is a key piece of keeping inflammation in check.
Diet Guidelines — Try to eat all organic food if possible to reduce your exposure to pesticides; eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full; don’t repeat the same food more than five times a week; plan meals so they roughly follow this breakdown—40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% healthy fats.
Foods to Steer Clear of — Here’s what you’ll want to wean yourself off of in order to reduce the inflammation in your body: wheat, dairy, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, sugar, citrus fruits (except for lemons and limes), pork, commercial non-organic eggs, shellfish, peanuts and peanut butter, coffee, alcohol, juice, caffeinated teas, soda, anything containing hydrogenated oils, processed foods, and fried foods.
Foods to Eat More of — You can think of the Mediterranean diet as a jumping off point. You want to incorporate a variety of fresh food and think of eating from the rainbow. These foods will specifically help decrease inflammation:
- cold-water oily fish such as wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, and halibut as well as oils extracted from these fish
- organic berries
- fruits and vegetables (except those mentioned above)
- pineapple
- seeds and nuts (except peanuts which contain aflotoxin, a cancer-causing agent)
- garlic, ginger, and turmeric
- flaxseed oil and olive oil (if not heated too high)
To keep you motivated to adopt this truly healthy way of eating just remember this: anti-inflammatory = anti-aging!
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Resources Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid
Sweet On You: The Scoop on Natural Sweeteners
By now you likely know how detrimental highly processed, granulated white sugar is to your health. If you need a refresher, here are some of the many ways white sugar wreaks havoc on your biochemistry, courtesy of UCSF’s Dr. Robert Lustig, a crusader against sugar and author of Fat Chance:
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Sugar contributes to obesity
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Sugar contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes
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Sugar is addictive and toxic
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Sugar makes you want to eat more—and move less!
If sugar is this harmful, it makes good sense to minimize or eliminate it altogether. But some occasions just call for a sweet treat! In those instances, you CAN have your cake and eat it too—with these 5 sweet, all-natural alternatives:
1. Honey
Raw honey has myriad health-promoting qualities. It contains natural antioxidants, although the quantity does vary across varieties (buckwheat honey reportedly delivers the most). Honey is also chock-full of enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Note that baking with raw honey will destroy many of the nutrients in honey. If you want to use it to flavor your tea or coffee, wait until your beverage has cooled enough to drink.
Sugar substitute: In dressings, and slaws; warm beverages
2. Blackstrap Molasses
Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you—it’s high in antioxidants and several health-promoting trace minerals that are difficult to find in other foods, such as: iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Opt for unsulphured blackstrap molasses as it doesn’t contain the processing chemical to which some people are sensitive. Unsulphured means it’ll have a cleaner and more clarified taste.
Sugar substitute: Use in place of brown sugar or when you want to impart a slightly smoky flavor. Great in baked beans and gingerbread.
3. Coconut Sugar
Proponents argue coconut sugar tends to be less refined than granulated sugar; they say it also contains minerals like magnesium, potassium zinc and iron. In addition, coconut sugar has been touted to have a lower glycemic index than the uber-refined white stuff, which means that it can cause a less dramatic spike in blood sugar. As always, moderation is key!
Sugar substitute: Can be used as a 1:1 substitute for sugar in baking and cooking. You can also find it in syrup form; in that case, adjust your measurement in baking to ¾ cup for 1 cup sugar, reduce liquid by 2 tbsp for each cup and reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF.
4. Date Sugar
This may be the rock star of the group. Made from ground dates, this sweetener delivers all the nutrients in dates, including potassium and calcium—and is similar in healthful polyphenols as green tea! But that’s just part of the story: Date sugar is also low in calories, helpful for constipation, and makes you feel full longer. Look for varieties that have one ingredient only.
Sugar substitute: Yummy in bars and cookies, substitute this way: for every one cup of sugar, use 2/3 cup of date sugar.
5. Stevia
Derived from a plant with sweet leaves, it doesn’t get much more natural than this. The glycosides in the leaves of the Stevia Rebaudiana plant account for its incredible sweetness. Stevia is calorie-free, and the powdered concentrate is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is widely used all over the world and is becoming more commonly found in the U.S. Stevia can help keep blood sugar levels in check and despite being very sweet, it doesn’t contribute to cavities.
Sugar substitute: A little stevia goes a LONG way. A fraction of the amount and you’ll have ample sweetness. You can even grow your own!
Above all, for optimal health, try to keep your sugar consumption down to 15-25 grams per day. This means you may have to stop at one cookie, but it doesn’t mean you need to cut out all of the sweetness from your life.
Give up or add in?
Many people give something up for Lent. Are you giving something up or have you considered adding something positive in this season? Perhaps you can make a small difference in someone’s life each day. Another idea is to add in daily physical activity and make healthier food choices.
Registration Ends Tomorrow!
Don’t forget!
Noon tomorrow is the deadline to register for the Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve New Year Nutritional Challenge that starts January 20th.
We would love to have you join us, and I would love the opportunity to support you in your journey.
Get fit and have the opportunity to win an iPad!
January 20th we begin a group New Year Nutritional Challenge! If you register for the program, you will have the opportunity to win. How can you pass that up? You’re giving your body what it deserves AND you get a chance to win a free iPad!
PLUS, if you are on our SNE team, as a coach or affiliate, you have the chance to win a free iPad as well. We are GIVING 5 away by the end of February! So contact me if you’re interested in coming on board!
Here’s how it works:
First: If you want to go through the Nutritional challenge, sign up and register for the 28 Day Evolve Program right now!
http://snenutrition.com/register-28-day-evolve/
Second: Win points every day.
For example: post a healthy recipe on our private Facebook forum for one point, take your supplements every day for one point, try a new exercise and tell us about it for one point, get on our live weekly calls during the program for two points.
My goal is to keep you motivated, engaged and active while you go through the program so you get the best results possible!
Check out the 28 Day Evolve Program details here:
http://snenutrition.com/28-day-evolve-nutrition-program/
Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve Nutritional Challenge Dates:
January 21st – Feb 18th
Live Calls January 20th , January 27th, Feb 3rd, February 10th and February 17th at 5pm MST
Registration closes tomorrow (January 10th) at 12pm
Prizes will be awarded by January 28th after points are totaled for those partaking in the program and by Feb 28th for the coaches on our team that are able to bring in the most volume!
Can’t commit to the 28 Day Challenge? I’ve got shorter plans for you as well. Check out the Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve 7 Day Reset, 7 Day detox and 14 Day Nourish Programs. Program Details are the same but the dates are just shorter. Register for the 14 Day Program and you’ll have the opportunity to win a free Aqua Zinger bottle – my favorite bottle that makes your water more interesting. 🙂
Enjoy!
Click here for details on the 28-day Evolve program: http://snenutrition.com/28-day-evolve-nutrition-program/
Register Here: http://snenutrition.com/register-28-day-evolve/
What’s in your toothpaste?
Have you ever thought about what’s in your toothpaste? My friend Hayley over at nobopilates.com posted this recipe a few days ago. It got me thinking about the ingredients in our toothpaste. If you brush your teeth 2-3 times each day, that’s 730-1,095 times per year. Check your tube and research the ingredients. You may be surprised.
I made my own toothpaste a couple of days ago using the above recipe, and was pleasantly surprised. I used both doTerra peppermint and wintergreen oils. The texture is a little firmer than regular toothpaste. The flavor was good. The only change I will make next time is to reduce the amount of salt by a little bit because it was saltier than I prefer. My mouth felt fresh and clean.
Added bonus: I know exactly what I’m putting in my mouth.
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Resource:
doTerra Essential Oils
Discover Your Exercise IQ
When it comes to staying fit, half the battle is discovering which exercise best fits your lifestyle and temperament. By considering the following questions you can hone in on what’s going to get you excited about moving your body—on a consistent basis!
Do You Need to Lose a Lot of Weight?
If so, you want to start out small and simple. Begin by walking, increasing distance and pace a little bit each week. Look for opportunities throughout the day to be more active, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking far from wherever you’re going; that way, you reap the benefits of being active by taking small, consistent steps that build the foundation of fitness. Also, look for fun ways to workout, whether it’s playing with your kiddos or plugging in the Wii Fit!
Do You Prefer Being Social?
If so, solo outings will make you unhappy and unmotivated to stick to a workout routine. Seek out group classes like Zumba, spinning, yoga, or dance to help you find a tribe of automatic fitness friends. Or, create a cycling group or a swimming group that gathers in the evenings or on weekends for outings. Forcing yourself to go on a solitary swim will only get you so far.
Do You Hate the Gym?
You’re not alone! Many folks feel that way! Fortunately, you have the great outdoors at your disposal and it’s a fitness playground. You can treat your backyard as your personal gym and do all the calisthenics you’d do inside (for much less money). You can lace up your trail runners and hit the pavement or head to the nearest hill for a hike. If you’re social and hate the gym, see the suggestions above for other ways to keep active without having to change in a locker room.
Do You Need a Challenge?
If so, enter a race. That way, you know you have something to work towards and a goal to meet, which should motivate you to keep at it. On the other hand, if the kind of challenge you need is associated with a feeling of having plateaued with your workouts, you may want to invest in a personal trainer who can push you to the next level.
Are You Strapped for Time?
If so you need to try to make even the most mundane activities a little bit more strenuous. For example, when you need to take a bathroom break during the day, walk extra fast to get there, and take the longest route. You can also maximize office time by doing squats while waiting for the next conference call. Try doing some pushups on the side of your desk or hopping in place for five-ten minutes during your lunch hour.
Resources
Find a race — http://www.active.com/
Want To Win an iPad Just By Getting In Shape in 2013?
Happy 2013! Are you willing to get rid of that holiday bloat and have the opportunity to win a new iPad?
There are LOTS of new and exciting things happening at Armed With Health. One fabulous bit of news is that I have partnered with some other amazing health coaches, and we are bringing you SNE (Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve) Nutrition Programs. You will still be getting my one-on-one support and Armed With Health will just be getting better 🙂
The SNE team is excited to host a New Year Nutritional Challenge! If you register for my program, you will have the opportunity to win. How can you pass that up? You’re giving your body what it deserves AND you can win a free iPad!
Here’s how it works:
First, sign up and register for the 28 Day Evolve Program!
Second, win points every day.
For example: post a healthy recipe on our private Facebook forum for one point, take your supplements every day for one point, try a new exercise and tell us about it for one point, get on our live weekly calls during the program for two points.
My goal is to keep you motivated, engaged and active while you go through the program so you get the best results possible!
Check out the 28 Day Evolve Program details here
Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve Nutritional Challenge Dates:
January 21st – Feb 18th
Live Calls January 20th , January 27th, Feb 3rd, February 10th and February 17th at 5pm MST
Registration closes Thursday January 10th at 12pm
Prizes will be awarded by January 28th after points are totaled
Can’t commit to the 28 Day Challenge? I’ve got shorter plans for you as well. Check out the Strengthen, Nourish, Evolve 7 Day Reset, 7 Day detox and 14 Day Nourish Programs. Program Details are the same but the dates are just shorter. Register for the 14 Day Program and you’ll have the opportunity to win a free Aqua Zinger bottle, my favorite way of making my water tastier!
PS: Right now the registration links will take you to hayleyhobson.com. This is completely fine. Please register there, but make sure to put “Kim Bryant” in the referral block so that I know you have registered. We are still in the process of setting up the SNE Nutrition website, but don’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to win the iPad and get rid of that holiday bloat. ________________________________________
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strengthen. nourish. evolve.
Enjoy!
Change in Direction?
The past is important, but it is over. Redirect the compass of your life.
Is it time for you to change direction? Perhaps try something new? Don’t be afraid to take that first step. Ask for help and support if you need it.
Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/armedwithhealth
Fit, Fabulous & Sexy
We often hold ourselves back from reaching our full potential because we don’t believe we are actually worthy to become our best self. Are you letting self-doubt hold you back?
Let it all go, and KNOW that you are WORTHY. You deserve to become your fit, fabulous and sexy self, no matter your past or what other people might say.
Does it mean that you have to be a size zero with perfect skin? NO!
Your best self is just that “YOUR BEST SELF”.
Surround yourself with a positive people and ask for support when you need it.
You can accomplish your goals! Get started right now 🙂
Armed With Health Blog 