Inflammation is necessary. It helps to heal the body and protect it from illness. But sometimes, the body goes too far. That’s where an anti-inflammatory diet comes in. Filled with fruits, nuts and natural oils, it gives your body a hand when it comes to fighting the chronic inflammation that can come with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and more. As with any lifestyle change, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s where this brand-new title comes in. We’ve laid out tasty recipes, nutritional advice and the science behind it all so that you can help your body help itself, and feel fantastic at the same time.
THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Plan
INTRODUCTION
1 THE SCIENCE
WHAT IS INFLAMMATION? • Before we get into the details of why, when and how inflammation occurs, let’s begin with a simple explanation of inflammation.
Five signs of inflammation
The inflammatory response
Chronic inflammation: when things get out of control • Inflammation can be likened to fire – useful when small and controlled, but dangerous when uncontained.
Acute versus chronic inflammation
HOW INFLAMMATION AFFECTS THE BODY • Here are some examples of how inflammation affects various parts of the body.
ROOT CAUSES OF INFLAMMATION • What causes our immune system to stay in battle mode? Why does something intended to help us cause such chaos?
Sources of toxic exposure
DIAGNOSING INFLAMMATION BE YOUR OWN HEALTH DETECTIVE • If you are curious about your level of inflammation, you can find telltale signs on a routine blood test.
Quiz: how inflamed are you?
2 LIFESTYLE
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS • Alongside diet, forming good lifestyle habits is key to reducing inflammation and preventing chronic disease.
Healthy lifestyle habits
STRESS
SLEEP
Sleep support checklist
EXERCISE • The human body is not designed to be still. For thousands of years we expended a large amount of energy through physical movement throughout the day. Since the technological advances of the twentieth century, however, we have slowly become more and more sedentary.
WEIGHT • Excess weight is a risk factor for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and stroke.
Waist to hip ratio
3 NUTRITION
AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET
POTENTIALLY INFLAMMATORY FOODS • Some foods have the potential to cause inflammation, depending on the quality and whether you tolerate them. To help navigate this, let’s look at three food groups that create the most confusion.
Foods to avoid
WHAT ELSE CAN HELP? • There is no universally perfect diet that will suit everyone – no ‘one size fits all’.
A vegan diet
INFLAMMATION-FIGHTING FOODS • In this section we look at individual foods that have powerful anti inflammatory properties. Although all fresh whole foods can promote good health, research has shown that the following foods in particular are a cut above the rest for fighting inflammation.
Green tea and matcha: what is the difference?
Choosing olive oil
How to make activated nuts
Goitrogen concerns
Signs you’re not drinking enough water
A LOOK AT NUTRIENTS • All nutrients work together to promote good health, but certain nutrients are particularly important for keeping inflammation at bay.
Supplements: can you get what you need from food?
4 RECIPES
RECIPES BREAKFASTS
RECIPES SNACKS AND LIGHT MEALS
RECIPES MAIN MEAL
RECIPES DESSERTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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