I recently discovered that I have IBS. When I eat certain foods (like nutty meals, breaded, or greasy food) I get extremely bloated, and my digestive system goes out of wack. I decided to take control of the situation and try an anti inflammatory diet. I chose this route instead of taking pills since, at least for me, it’s more cost-effective to take something out than put something in. Sometimes a lifestyle change is necessary to keep your mind, body, and spirit running smoothly.
If you’ve been curious about trying an anti-inflammatory diet either out of interest or to help with gut health overall I encourage you to read on, it’s more achievable than you think.
Anti-inflammatory diets have gained a lot of popularity lately since it can help reduce disease risk to calming systems caused by stress. Because Irritable Bowel Syndrome( IBS ) is thought to be caused by inflammation of the gut this type of diet can be helpful.1
What Is A Anti Inflammatory Diet?
Believe it or not, there are many types of anti inflammatory diets! An anti-inflammation diet is just a diet that doesn’t trigger your autoimmune system to inflame. It can vary from person to person. The key difference is what you don’t eat rather than what you do.
When you decide to try this kind of diet you want to avoid ultra-processed foods. So anything that comes in a package or bag( with the exception of frozen fruits and veggies) so like microwaved dinners, hot dogs nuggets, pizza, sugary foods, and cereals as well as baked goods.2
The good thing about this is most of those foods are very processed and don’t last very long in the fridge or keep you full. They’re often full of salt, refined sugars and can damage the lining of the stomach and trigger inflammation.3
What can you eat on an anti inflammatory diet?
Now to the fun part! What we can eat I mean who doesn’t love food right? Of course, you can eat fruit and veggies, if you’re worried about them going bad before you can use them opt for the frozen veggies and fruit.
I know there’s a big debate on whether frozen fruits and veggies are less nutritious than fresh but when you look into it the nutrients lost in frozen fruits and veggies are minimal, and would be lost when they are harvested as well as when you cook them.4 In other words, it’s a vegetable it’s healthy no matter if it’s fresh or frozen as long as it’s not spoiled then it’s good for you!
You can also add different herbs and spices to your foods like turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. Even adding using herbs to tea can help with gut health. Other great additions to your diet are:
Legumes, Barley, Oats, and Bran
Omega-3 fatty oils like flaxseed and canola oil. Walnuts, spinach, and leafy green veggies too!
Polyphenols are found in berries, dark chocolate, tea, apples, onions, and coffee.
Benefits of An Anti Inflammatory Diet
So why do all of this? Well, it’s easy I want to be comfortable in my body lol. In all seriousness though there are some real benefits to adopting this style of eating. If you have any inflammatory condition like; Psoriasis, arthritis, asthma, Lupus, high blood pressure, Colitis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or anything similar this diet could complement any treatment you might be on.5
It’s always best to remember that no one food can cure everything but simple meals with a healthy dose of fruits and veggies and minimally processed foods is always a good call.
My Experience With An Anti-Inflammatory Diet.
My diet is usually all over the place and since I grew up around a lot of unhealthy vegetarians I know how to skirt around it. It was not good for my health and I would have extreme constipation and I would bloat to the point of looking and feeling pregnant. After that, I decided to change and first just started to make my food at home.
This way I knew exactly what is going on in my food, If I can’t or was just too tired I will order a bowl or a salad so it’s not too bad. I mostly eat bowls now and keep it light with minimal tampering, one of my favorites is tofu, rice, cucumbers, and coconut amino sauce. It takes 5 minutes to make and always gets me full but not stuffed. I’ll share it with you one day.
If you’re having gut health issues or inflammatory issues I recommend trying it out and seeing how you feel after a few days. I did and it was life-changing, I feel more energized and my clothes fit better, and I’m not nervous to eat anymore, so relieving!
