Anti-inflammatory Diet Plan

An anti-inflammatory diet plan is not just another quick weight loss fad diet, but a complete change in your lifestyle and eating habits, which you could use for the rest of your life. It is highly recommended for slowing down the aging process and to help you stay younger and live longer. An anti inflammation diet is said to help reduce your chances of getting diseases attributed to an inflammatory response from the body, which include arthritis, appendicitis and more recently Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Thus, this particular diet plan helps you stop the process of unnatural inflammation, which might occur in your body, by helping you choose the best foods to slow down this process. It is similar in a number of aspects to the mediterranean diet, high fiber diet and the sonoma diet.

Do You Really Need an Anti-inflammatory Diet Plan?

If you are above the age of 40, then it is recommended that you switch to this diet, combining it with adequate rest and exercise. This lifestyle change would be like investing for retirement. This diet should help you remain young and healthy while you age. An anti-inflammatory diet can also help in weight loss when coupled with moderate exercise, as it encourages healthy eating habits and discourages the use of fatty and unhealthy foods.

Anti-inflammatory Diet Menu

Given below is a simplified list of a good diet plan, in descending order of the quantity to be included daily in the diet:

• Fruits and Vegetables: Try to include as much fresh fruit and raw vegetables as possible. These should constitute a major part of your diet. The more colorful your plate, the better for you. Go for red, yellow and green vegetables and fruits. While cooking the vegetables, avoid too much oil and prefer to steam or boil them to make a soup or spicy curry. Try to always use organically grown fruits and vegetables.
• Whole Grains: Whole grain wheat and rice, and their products like bread, are recommended and should be a part of the daily carbohydrate intake. Choose whole grain cereals like oats to help in regulating blood sugar levels, as they are digested slowly and are absorbed gradually and completely by the body.
• Legumes: Legumes should also be included in the diet as they contain a high amount of necessary nutrients, such as potassium, folic acid and magnesium. They are also a good source of fiber, which helps to improve digestion.
• Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The essential omega-3 fatty acids are present in certain fish oils, avocados, virgin olive oil and canola oil, nuts and whole soy foods. They are different from the usual unhealthy omega-6 fatty acids that are present in a lot of the common junk and fried foods that we eat. The omega-6 fatty acids should be avoided, replaced instead with the foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Soy Foods: Soybean is an excellent source of protein that should be included in your diet. Soy products contain antioxidants and help prevent cancer. Foods that could be had are tofu, soy milk and the soybeans themselves.
• Low Fat Dairy and Poultry Items: These should be taken in moderate amounts but must be included in your daily diet, as they contain numerous essential nutrients. Always choose low fat milk and cheeses. Prefer lean meats such as chicken and avoid fatty food, wherever possible.
• Healthy Spices: Healthy spices like turmeric, ginger and garlic with herbs like rosemary and thyme can be used to add flavor to your diet and also help you fight inflammation.
• Teas: Teas such as green tea, oolong tea and white tea are known to contain a number of antioxidants and other cancer fighting compounds.
• Supplements: You could use some supplements to make sure that you are not missing any necessary nutrients. You could take multivitamins or minerals as supplements to get complete nutrition. Also if you don't eat fish, you could take fish oil supplements.
• Red Wine and Dark Chocolate: These are a few indulgences you can allow yourself. If you need to drink, then choose red wine and if you desperately crave chocolate, then prefer the ones with up to seventy percent cocoa for the most benefits.

Though this plan will help you get closer to the results you seek, be it fitness or a healthy future, yet one must not depend only on diet plans to help you through. You must combine it with exercise and adequate rest, to reap maximum benefits.