Anti Inflammatory Diet for Beginners – 9 Quick Wins

This anti inflammatory diet for beginners will reduce inflammation in your body and improve your wellbeing

Written by MasterHealth Staff

Jump To Section

Inflammation is a process that occurs in the body initially as a protective mechanism against harmful invaders or injury. However, when inflammation occurs chronically, this function becomes dangerous to the body as these protective mechanisms now start to attack the healthy cells, causing damage. 

 

Inflammation can occur due to bacteria, viruses and injury, but also because of the foods we consume and the environment we live in. 

 

In these situations, this is when a poor diet and lifestyle can lead to harmful effects on the body.  

 

Luckily, diet and lifestyle are both factors that are modifiable and can be changed when provided with the right knowledge.

Inflammation is necessary in acute situations such as injury like a sprained ankle or when you pick up a bad bacteria on vacation. It’s your body’s way of flushing out the harmful substances to ensure there is no long term harm. Inflammation is actually the body’s way of setting off the healing process and contributes to keeping you in tip top shape.

 

So why is inflammation bad in the long term? The purpose of inflammation no longer applies when it occurs for weeks, months and even years at a time. Instead, the body begins to attack perfectly healthy cells which are mistaken as foreign invaders. This leads to tissue damage, internal scarring and damage of the DNA from our healthy cells. 

 

This can lead to symptoms such as brain fog, joint pain, bloating, headaches, weakness and fatigue. Inflammation has the ability to reduce quality of life and even increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Diet is one of the most critical factors when it comes to inflammation and can be the main cause of many inflammatory processes occurring within the body. 

 

The positive side of this is that we can modify the food we eat to consume an anti inflammatory diet. This starts with understanding the foods that cause inflammation.

Julie Daniluk’s tips for avoiding foods that cause inflammation

Cut out red light foods which are high in sugars and bad fats as well as low in nutrients. 

 

These foods include:

  • Fried foods, which contain a substance called acrylamide that is highly inflammatory 
  • Foods that are prone to mold such as peanut butter and non organic coffee
  • Refined grains increase insulin levels which can elevate inflammation

Limit your sugar consumption. Refined sugars are highly inflammatory when consumed in excess. Instead, try to consume monk fruit sweetener that does not lead to the same spike in blood glucose that refined sugars do, in turn leading to less inflammation.

 

Reduce your alcohol intake. Alcohol in excess can cause damage to cells, tissues and organs. This imbalance in the body can lead to system wide inflammation, most likely due to the activation of something known as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). 

 

Alcohol causes both acute and chronic inflammation in the body. 

 

Acute inflammation leads to the hangover effects such as headache, nausea and facial puffiness. 

 

Chronic inflammation occurs when the effects of this excess consumption leads to long term effects in the body. In this case a something known as C-reactive protein is elevated via the liver. Over time this leads to systemic inflammation throughout the entire body.

An anti-inflammatory diet consists of foods that reduce inflammation and promote optimal overall functioning of the body. 

 

These diets typically consist of fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and herbs that decrease the levels of inflammatory markers within the body.

 

An anti inflammatory diet also involves cutting out foods that are processed, high in sugar as well as avoiding processed and grain-fed meats.

Anti-inflammatory diets don’t have to be complicated. All it takes is understanding what causes inflammation in the first place, what foods to avoid and what foods to eat more of.

 

Holistic nutritionist Julie Daniluk is incredibly knowledgeable in the area of anti inflammatory diets. In the MasterHealth Healing Inflammation program you will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to reduce inflammation and improve your quality of life through dietary and lifestyle changes.

 

You will make these adjustments through actionable steps while being guided by Julie herself. This program will walk you through all the steps week by week to simplify your anti inflammatory diet and lifestyle changes.         

Foods that reduce inflammation

Foods that reduce inflammation are often rich in antioxidants and decrease what are known as free radicals.

 

Free radicals are molecules that can cause damage to cells such as DNA, lipids and proteins. This in turn causes an inflammatory state within the body and can even lead to cancer. These damaging molecules are often found in processed foods, deep fried foods and foods that contain refined sugars.

 

With the help of foods that contain antioxidants, the damage created by free radicals can be reduced and even reversed in some cases. This is done by neutralizing the free radicals and protecting cells from their toxic effects.

 

Polyphenols are another important component of anti inflammatory foods. These organic compounds activate the transcription factor Nrf2 which protects cells against oxidative stress and inflammation.

 

Immune boosting compounds such as essential vitamins and minerals are equally as important when it comes to fighting inflammation. By supporting the immune cells and system as a whole, these compounds help the body to protect and fight against any inflammation. This makes the immune system more effective and therefore more quick to react when cellular damage occurs.

Best anti-inflammatory foods

Bone Broth contains an amino acid known as glutamine that plays a big part in maintaining the function of the intestinal wall. It also has the ability to help heal leaky gut because the gelatin found in bone broth improves the connective tissue function and also maintains the mucosal layer that protects the intestinal walls from harmful microbes. 

 

Glycine and arginine are two other amino acids found in bone broth that each have strong anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine has also specifically been found to help with chronic inflammation. 

 

Cinnamon contains the compound trans-cinnamaldehyde which has anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the damage of oxidation and inflammation. It also has blood sugar balancing properties which aids in reducing chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

 

Ginger inhibits the effects of arachidonic acid which is a fatty acid that is responsible for triggering the onset of inflammation. It is especially prevalent during tissue injury and results in the pain felt at the site of inflammation. Not only does ginger reduce inflammation in the body but it also has pain reducing effects too. 

 

Turmeric is both a powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory. The active component found in turmeric known as curcumin, reduces oxidation in the body’s organs, preventing and reducing existing inflammation. 

 

These spices can be included in many different daily recipes, making them a versatile way to reduce inflammation in your body.

 

Omega 3s are found in fish such as salmon, tuna and herring, olive, coconut, avocado oils and nuts. These healthy fats reduce unhealthy LDL cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol protecting heart health and decreasing inflammation. Omega 3s also inhibit prostaglandin hormones which are responsible for the onset of inflammation.

 

Protein is essential for healing from inflammatory conditions as well as helps to maintain strong muscles and tissues. The amino acid leucine found in some proteins has specifically been found to have anti inflammatory effects. Leucine can be found in foods such as salmon, soy, nuts, chickpeas and eggs.

Julie Daniluk’s Supplements for Reducing Inflammation

Sometimes including anti inflammatory foods in the diet can be difficult on its own.

 

Supplementation can often offer extra benefits on top of diet to promote healing from inflammation even further.

 

Here are Julie Daniluk’s top supplements for reducing inflammation:

 

Digestive enzymes, specifically proteolytic enzymes reduce inflammation in the body by decreasing the swelling of mucous membranes, reducing the ability of harmful substances to pass through the capillaries and preventing the formation of blood clots.

 

Curcumin is one of the best anti-inflammatories out there. Supplementing with this component of turmeric allows for you to receive the therapeutic dosage easily. It’s great for the use of chronic pain and inflammation and has been found to be specifically helpful with reducing joint pain.

 

Digestive bitters contain powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. They have also been found to help protect the body from autoimmune disease. Their ability to aid in the detoxification process allows for harmful substances to be flushed from the body, reducing the need for inflammation in the first place.

 

Spirulina improves the microflora of the gut and reduces inflammation in the body.

 

Collagen stimulates the body to create more collagen which in turn protects the body from inflammation and decreases joint pain.

 

Multivitamins improve the immune system function. This in turn allows for a better response to foreign invaders and tissue damage and reduces the likelihood of long term inflammation.

 

You can find specific supplement recommendations in our Healing Inflammation program on the MasterHealth app.

MasterHealth has worked closely with nutritionist Julie Daniluk to translate the above information into a daily program to help people “decrease inflammation”. 

 

Get started now by clicking the following link to the Healing inflammation program on the MasterHealth website.

Anti Inflammatory Diet for Beginners – 9 Quick Wins
FEATURED MASTERHEALTH PROGRAM
Julie Daniluk – Healing Inflammation

Easily integrate Julie Daniluk's health recommendations into your daily routine, understand why they’re important, stay accountable and consistent, and most importantly – achieve your health goals.

Featured Programs

Watch the Trailer for Julie Daniluk's Healing Inflammation program.

Related Articles

wodify rise service ends december 31 2023
fitness challenge
wellness challenge ideas
visualization meditation beach
wholesome living for the whole family

Categories

Order supplements through my Fullscript store.

Scan the QR code with your mobile phone's camera to download the MasterHealth app

masterhealth-app-download-qr-code

When you scan this QR code, you’ll be redirected to the correct app store on your Apple or Android phone. MasterHealth is a free download.