Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Grapeseed oil
2-3 teaspoons dried minced onion
4 teaspoons dried minced garlic
2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans
2 cans (15 oz. each) sweet potato puree
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or chili powder for a bit more spice)
Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese
10 whole wheat tortillas
1. Put dried minced onion and dried minced garlic in a small amount of water until "puffy". (Or you can skip this step and use a fresh onion, diced, and 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced.)
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium/high heat.
3. Cook onion and garlic until fragrant.
4. Add black beans, water, cumin, and taco seasoning to skillet.
5. Cook, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated and the spices have made a paste/sauce.
6. Put some bean mixture and sweet potato puree in each tortilla. Add a pinch of chopped cilantro and a pinch of shredded cheese.
7. Roll each enchilada and line them up in a slightly oiled baking pan/casserole dish.
8. Top the rolled enchiladas with shredded cheese and chopped cilantro (and any left over sweet potato puree or bean mixture you may have).
9. Bake in a 350 degree oven (preheated) until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted. Tortillas may be a bit brown and crispy.
10. Top with sour cream and guacamole, if desired. (I make a simple guacamole with mashed avocados, salt, garlic powder, lemon juice, and lime juice.)
Yummy and inflammation free!!!
Showing posts with label Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Show all posts
March 6, 2009
March 2, 2009
Food allergies
In reading many things about autoimmune disorders and anti-inflammatory diets, it seems that it all boils down to what foods in particular you may be allergic to that can set off your symptoms. I recently had a blood test to determine what foods I may be allergic to (I am hoping this will be a quick route to the things that can be discovered through something like an elimination diet), and I wanted to share some information I found about how they do allergy testing via blood. You can read up on it at labtestsonline.org.
February 28, 2009
Stroga-not
I had some of the ingredients on hand for stroganoff (and they needed using before they went bad), but wanted to make a dairy-free version. (And from my limited knowledge of glutens, I believe this can also be gluten-free if you just substitute a gluten-free flour for the one I used.) Of course it is not as creamy as regular stroganoff that uses sour cream and milk, but I really liked how it turned out.
Here is the recipe:
Stroga-not
Grapeseed oil
1 pound ground turkey (I like the kosher kind from Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms (I chop the mushrooms because my kids don't care for them and this keeps them at a similar size as the cooked ground turkey)
3 cups rice milk, almond milk, or a combination of the two (I used a combination)
8 tablespoons whole wheat flour (toasted*, if desired)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli (from Trader Joe's), cooked and drained
1. Place dried minced garlic and dried minced onion in a small amount of water until it plumps up. (You can substitute with 1-2 cloves minced garlic and about 1/2 of an onion, chopped.)
2. Heat a skilllet and brown the ground turkey with the garlic, and onion. I cook in a cast iron skillet and use a very lean turkey, so I added some Grapeseed oil to my skillet to keep it from sticking.
3. When the turkey is almost browned, add the chopped mushrooms.
4. When the turkey is fully cooked, add the rice/almond milk to the pan, stirring occasionally.
5. When the "milk" is warmed, whisk in the flour. Stir often until sauce is thickened.
6. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir.
7. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Serve warm.
*To toast the flour, place it in a dry skillet and heat until it is slightly darker than normal. This just intensifies the flavor a bit.
Here is the recipe:
Stroga-not
Grapeseed oil
1 pound ground turkey (I like the kosher kind from Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms (I chop the mushrooms because my kids don't care for them and this keeps them at a similar size as the cooked ground turkey)
3 cups rice milk, almond milk, or a combination of the two (I used a combination)
8 tablespoons whole wheat flour (toasted*, if desired)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli (from Trader Joe's), cooked and drained
1. Place dried minced garlic and dried minced onion in a small amount of water until it plumps up. (You can substitute with 1-2 cloves minced garlic and about 1/2 of an onion, chopped.)
2. Heat a skilllet and brown the ground turkey with the garlic, and onion. I cook in a cast iron skillet and use a very lean turkey, so I added some Grapeseed oil to my skillet to keep it from sticking.
3. When the turkey is almost browned, add the chopped mushrooms.
4. When the turkey is fully cooked, add the rice/almond milk to the pan, stirring occasionally.
5. When the "milk" is warmed, whisk in the flour. Stir often until sauce is thickened.
6. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir.
7. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Serve warm.
*To toast the flour, place it in a dry skillet and heat until it is slightly darker than normal. This just intensifies the flavor a bit.
February 27, 2009
Crock-Pot White Chili
A tomato-free chili! I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds good.
Crock-Pot White Chili (from GE Recipes)
Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients
4 cans (approximately 14 ounces each) navy beans
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
3 cups chicken broth
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (approximately 4 ounces each) diced green chilies
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Preparation
1. Place beans, chicken, and chicken broth together in crock-pot.
2. Saute chopped onion and garlic in oil until transparent.
3. Add spices and green chiles to onion mixture and stir well.
4. Add to crock pot mixture and stir well.
Cook in crock- pot on low for at least 2 hours. Garnish with sour cream, chopped green onions and Monterey Jack cheese if desired.
Crock-Pot White Chili (from GE Recipes)
Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients
4 cans (approximately 14 ounces each) navy beans
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
3 cups chicken broth
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (approximately 4 ounces each) diced green chilies
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Preparation
1. Place beans, chicken, and chicken broth together in crock-pot.
2. Saute chopped onion and garlic in oil until transparent.
3. Add spices and green chiles to onion mixture and stir well.
4. Add to crock pot mixture and stir well.
Cook in crock- pot on low for at least 2 hours. Garnish with sour cream, chopped green onions and Monterey Jack cheese if desired.
February 20, 2009
Lentil-loaf
This is a wonderful "meat"loaf recipe (I call it lentil-loaf). It will take a few modifications to get it completely in line with an anti-inflammatory diet...mainly finding a good non-tomato based sauce to substitute for BBQ sauce. Maybe some Worcestershire sauce would accomplish the same "tang"?
Lentil-loaf:
{Started with this recipe and adjusted.}
2-4 servings
1½ hours - 10 min prep
2 cups water
1 cup lentils
1 small onion, finely diced (or to taste)
1 cup oats
3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, jack or american)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I think substituting with 1/2 cup applesauce would be tasty, but I haven't tried it yet)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Sauce/Topping if desired (but it is great without it):
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-4 tablespoons dark brown sugar (to taste)
1/2 cup ketchup
(or mix some brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce to taste)
1. Boil water in a saucepan.
2. Add lentils and simmer covered 25-30 minutes or until lentils are soft and most of water is evaporated.
3. Drain and partially mash lentils.
4. Scrape into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
5. Stir in onion, oats and cheese until mixed.
7. Add egg, BBQ sauce, garlic, basil, and parsley.
8. Mix well.
9. Spoon into loaf pan that has been well-greased.
10. Smooth top with back of spoon.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes until top of loaf is dry, firm and golden brown.
12. Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes.
13. Run a sharp knife around edges of pan then turn out loaf onto serving platter.
Lentil-loaf:
{Started with this recipe and adjusted.}
2-4 servings
1½ hours - 10 min prep
2 cups water
1 cup lentils
1 small onion, finely diced (or to taste)
1 cup oats
3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, jack or american)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I think substituting with 1/2 cup applesauce would be tasty, but I haven't tried it yet)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Sauce/Topping if desired (but it is great without it):
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-4 tablespoons dark brown sugar (to taste)
1/2 cup ketchup
(or mix some brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce to taste)
1. Boil water in a saucepan.
2. Add lentils and simmer covered 25-30 minutes or until lentils are soft and most of water is evaporated.
3. Drain and partially mash lentils.
4. Scrape into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
5. Stir in onion, oats and cheese until mixed.
7. Add egg, BBQ sauce, garlic, basil, and parsley.
8. Mix well.
9. Spoon into loaf pan that has been well-greased.
10. Smooth top with back of spoon.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes until top of loaf is dry, firm and golden brown.
12. Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes.
13. Run a sharp knife around edges of pan then turn out loaf onto serving platter.
February 19, 2009
Cooking Allergy Free
This site is wonderful!
When you log in as a user, you can add any food allergies (foods you want to avoid in recipes) and the site automatically will show you warnings based on the allergens your have entered.
For example, if you are trying to avoid the nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers), you will go into "Edit My Allergies" and check the "Nightshade" box found under "Sugar". Now, when you look at the recipes, a big red exclamation point will show up next to recipes that contain these foods. What a great resource!
Check it out:
http://www.cookingallergyfree.com/
When you log in as a user, you can add any food allergies (foods you want to avoid in recipes) and the site automatically will show you warnings based on the allergens your have entered.
For example, if you are trying to avoid the nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers), you will go into "Edit My Allergies" and check the "Nightshade" box found under "Sugar". Now, when you look at the recipes, a big red exclamation point will show up next to recipes that contain these foods. What a great resource!
Check it out:
http://www.cookingallergyfree.com/
February 18, 2009
The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Book Review
The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica Black - Find it on Amazon
I checked this book out from our local library recently and really enjoyed it. I liked the informational part of the book...not too in depth and not too sparse, either. The recipe section was great inspiration, even if you never use the specific recipes (although they do look good). It just gives you an idea of how you can modify foods and recipes to fit a new way of eating. The tips in the recipe section are great!
The author is a Naturopathic doctor in Oregon, and because of this she is not just trying to push medicine to help in anti-inflammatory living like so many books about inflammation that are written by medical doctors - she focuses on foods to eat and foods to avoid.
I was able to contact the author and ask a few questions. Here they are and the answers she gave:
Question:
"Tomatoes and potatoes are omitted in your diet plan, but what about peppers and eggplant that are also from the nightshade family [and also paprika (you explain on p 58 that it is part of the nightshade family)]? Is there a reason you chose to include these in your diet while omitting only tomatoes and potatoes? From my reading I have seen most folks say to avoid the entire nightshade family."
Answer:
"I only included eggplant and peppers as a way to not have the diet be too strict. This diet is a mere suggestion for "most" people but for most of my patients, I fine tune the diet for them. If someone was having arthritis problems, then I might have them avoid all nightshades. But for someone who seems to be fine with some foods and their main concern is hormone issues and depression, they may be able to eat nightshade vegetables."
Question:
"What are your thoughts on Grapeseed (not rapeseed) oil? I currently use this as my main oil for cooking or baking and haven't heard much about it compared to olive oil."
Answer:
"I love grapeseed oil - it is made from vitis vinifera. We use Vitis vinifera as a remedy and I know it is high in resveratrol which helps in cholesterol conversion. It is also high in many antioxidants including proanthocyanidins and also has linolenic acid. Also has a high smoke point so great for cooking with. I wrote this book a few years ago when I was not using grape seed oil."
I checked this book out from our local library recently and really enjoyed it. I liked the informational part of the book...not too in depth and not too sparse, either. The recipe section was great inspiration, even if you never use the specific recipes (although they do look good). It just gives you an idea of how you can modify foods and recipes to fit a new way of eating. The tips in the recipe section are great!
The author is a Naturopathic doctor in Oregon, and because of this she is not just trying to push medicine to help in anti-inflammatory living like so many books about inflammation that are written by medical doctors - she focuses on foods to eat and foods to avoid.
I was able to contact the author and ask a few questions. Here they are and the answers she gave:
Question:
"Tomatoes and potatoes are omitted in your diet plan, but what about peppers and eggplant that are also from the nightshade family [and also paprika (you explain on p 58 that it is part of the nightshade family)]? Is there a reason you chose to include these in your diet while omitting only tomatoes and potatoes? From my reading I have seen most folks say to avoid the entire nightshade family."
Answer:
"I only included eggplant and peppers as a way to not have the diet be too strict. This diet is a mere suggestion for "most" people but for most of my patients, I fine tune the diet for them. If someone was having arthritis problems, then I might have them avoid all nightshades. But for someone who seems to be fine with some foods and their main concern is hormone issues and depression, they may be able to eat nightshade vegetables."
Question:
"What are your thoughts on Grapeseed (not rapeseed) oil? I currently use this as my main oil for cooking or baking and haven't heard much about it compared to olive oil."
Answer:
"I love grapeseed oil - it is made from vitis vinifera. We use Vitis vinifera as a remedy and I know it is high in resveratrol which helps in cholesterol conversion. It is also high in many antioxidants including proanthocyanidins and also has linolenic acid. Also has a high smoke point so great for cooking with. I wrote this book a few years ago when I was not using grape seed oil."
February 16, 2009
Gettin' Saucy...
Since I have ditched all things tomato (including basic marinara/spaghetti/pizza sauce), I have started using some basic white sauce recipes for pastas and pizza. Here they are:
Basic White Sauce
Makes enough sauce for a lasagna or plenty for 1 lb. of cooked pasta.
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons flour
1. Saute garlic in butter over medium heat until tender and fragrant.
2. Mix flour and some of the milk in a measuring cup well and add to butter and garlic. Add the remaining milk.
3. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Variations:
-Add a large pinch of ground nutmeg for a fun flavor change.
-Add 2 or more tablespoons dried basil or other herb.
-Add about 1/2 cup (to taste) grated parmesan cheese after cooking.
-Add about 1/4 cup (to taste) prepared pesto.
Cheese Sauce
Great for topping veggies or I like to use this over breaded chicken and add some steamed or cooked broccoli and serve over rice.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 + cup shredded cheese (to taste)
Salt & pepper (to taste)
1. Melt butter over medium heat (don't brown).
2. Add butter and whisk to get rid of clumps.
3. Add milk and cheese.
4. Stir, simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Variations:
-Add 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to make it zesty.
-Substitute 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for all the cheese to make a Dijon Sauce.
Last Minute Pizza Sauce
Makes sauce for 2 pizzas
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (you can use olive oil, but grapeseed oil is my oil of choice)
3/4 cup Half and Half or milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
I mix the first three ingredients in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for a bit (watch for foaming over - it can get messy) and then add the Parmesan cheese and mix and pour half on each uncooked pizza crust.
Basic White Sauce
Makes enough sauce for a lasagna or plenty for 1 lb. of cooked pasta.
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons flour
1. Saute garlic in butter over medium heat until tender and fragrant.
2. Mix flour and some of the milk in a measuring cup well and add to butter and garlic. Add the remaining milk.
3. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Variations:
-Add a large pinch of ground nutmeg for a fun flavor change.
-Add 2 or more tablespoons dried basil or other herb.
-Add about 1/2 cup (to taste) grated parmesan cheese after cooking.
-Add about 1/4 cup (to taste) prepared pesto.
Cheese Sauce
Great for topping veggies or I like to use this over breaded chicken and add some steamed or cooked broccoli and serve over rice.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 + cup shredded cheese (to taste)
Salt & pepper (to taste)
1. Melt butter over medium heat (don't brown).
2. Add butter and whisk to get rid of clumps.
3. Add milk and cheese.
4. Stir, simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Variations:
-Add 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to make it zesty.
-Substitute 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for all the cheese to make a Dijon Sauce.
Last Minute Pizza Sauce
Makes sauce for 2 pizzas
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (you can use olive oil, but grapeseed oil is my oil of choice)
3/4 cup Half and Half or milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
I mix the first three ingredients in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for a bit (watch for foaming over - it can get messy) and then add the Parmesan cheese and mix and pour half on each uncooked pizza crust.
January 12, 2009
Refried Beans & Mexican Rice
I love Mexican-style foods, and sometimes that can be hard when I am not using tomatoes or tomato products. Recently I came across some recipes for homemade refried beans and Mexican style rice and altered them to my taste and to keep the inflammatory properties down, and here's what I came up with:
Refried Beans:
2 tbsp. oil (I use Grapeseed Oil from Trader Joe's)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (you can substitute with 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed, if desired)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. water
1 tsp. taco seasoning
2 tsp. ground cumin
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste (I use about 1/2 - 1 tsp. of ground sea salt)
1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
1. Saute garlic in oil over medium heat until fragrant.
2. Add beans, water, and spices (not lime juice) and bring to a simmer/small boil. Cook until heated through.
3. Smash beans with a fork. It is okay if they don't get completely smashed, some texture is good.
4. Continue to cook until you reach the desired consistency. (Once the beans are smashed, cooking will thicken the mixture).
5. Sprinkle with lime juice and mix and serve warm.
Mexican Rice:
2-3 tbsp. oil (I use Grapeseed Oil from Trader Joe's)
1 c. rice (I use brown Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's)
2 c. chicken broth
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
minced onion, if desired (I use about 1/2 tbsp. dried minced onion and mix it with a small bit of water to fluff it back up)
1/4 tsp. taco seasoning
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed bay leaves
1. Saute rice in oil over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes (rice will start to brown).
2. Add liquid and spices & bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve warm.
These recipes make enough for our family of four good eaters and usually we have enough for left-overs for my husband's lunch the following day. When we have burritos for dinner I saute some chopped zucchini and mushrooms (or any veggies - broccoli, carrots, etc. - if I don't have those around) and wrap them up with some of the rice and beans in a tortilla and top with a bit of shredded cheese, chopped avocado, and sour cream. I think they are delicious!
Refried Beans:
2 tbsp. oil (I use Grapeseed Oil from Trader Joe's)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (you can substitute with 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed, if desired)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. water
1 tsp. taco seasoning
2 tsp. ground cumin
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste (I use about 1/2 - 1 tsp. of ground sea salt)
1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
1. Saute garlic in oil over medium heat until fragrant.
2. Add beans, water, and spices (not lime juice) and bring to a simmer/small boil. Cook until heated through.
3. Smash beans with a fork. It is okay if they don't get completely smashed, some texture is good.
4. Continue to cook until you reach the desired consistency. (Once the beans are smashed, cooking will thicken the mixture).
5. Sprinkle with lime juice and mix and serve warm.
Mexican Rice:
2-3 tbsp. oil (I use Grapeseed Oil from Trader Joe's)
1 c. rice (I use brown Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's)
2 c. chicken broth
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
minced onion, if desired (I use about 1/2 tbsp. dried minced onion and mix it with a small bit of water to fluff it back up)
1/4 tsp. taco seasoning
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed bay leaves
1. Saute rice in oil over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes (rice will start to brown).
2. Add liquid and spices & bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve warm.
These recipes make enough for our family of four good eaters and usually we have enough for left-overs for my husband's lunch the following day. When we have burritos for dinner I saute some chopped zucchini and mushrooms (or any veggies - broccoli, carrots, etc. - if I don't have those around) and wrap them up with some of the rice and beans in a tortilla and top with a bit of shredded cheese, chopped avocado, and sour cream. I think they are delicious!
December 12, 2008
Inflammation Nation: Book Review
Inflammation Nation by Floyd Chilton - Find it on Amazon
I was able to read/skim this book in about an hour. While there is some helpful information in it, the end result of the actual "diet" portion of the plan was nothing groundbreaking, in my opinion. I have been having autoimmune/inflammatory issues for over a year now and have done quite a bit of research and although his initial approach from the scientific side is different, the end result was really nothing new. I was all excited to see his amazing diet tips after reading about his research (which was interesting)...only to find out that I already eat within the parameters of his "breakthrough diet" and still have inflammatory issues.
Yes, more people need to watch what they eat. Yes, eat more healthy veggies. Yes, stay away from foods not made from whole grains. Yes, we need to stay away from high sugar foods. Unless you eat things like chitterlings, pork liver, beef brain, fried everything, white flour everything, cakes, cookies, and no veggies...and if you watch at all what you eat, you may be pretty close to his "breakthough diet" already.
I felt more like the book should have been about wild salmon versus farmed salmon since that seems to be the bulk of his main argument. I do think it is important to note the difference, but again...you can find that out on the internet.
There are a few important pieces of information I believe were pointed out in this book:
-All fish is not created equal. Some fish can cause serious pain and inflammation and some will help you. (You can see his findings about specific fish in a concise list in Chapter 15...pages 172-175.)
-Egg yolk can pose a serious inflammation risk.
-Do not take a GLA supplement without having EPA (in supplement or food form)...it can cause serious harm.
I did find it interesting that he includes some of the major inflammatory foods (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, and citrus) on his "foods to eat often" lists. Personally, I have seen a direct link between these foods and my pain levels and therefore have decided to avoid them, as much as I love them. I would be curious to see more information on why he does not see these as inflammatory foods when they are some of the most common that will pop up in a Google search about inflammatory foods.
I recommend borrowing this book from your library. First, look at the indexes (unless you are very curious about scientific things) from page 165 through 175, maybe make a few lists of what to buy or avoid, and then take it right back to the library for someone else to borrow.
I was able to read/skim this book in about an hour. While there is some helpful information in it, the end result of the actual "diet" portion of the plan was nothing groundbreaking, in my opinion. I have been having autoimmune/inflammatory issues for over a year now and have done quite a bit of research and although his initial approach from the scientific side is different, the end result was really nothing new. I was all excited to see his amazing diet tips after reading about his research (which was interesting)...only to find out that I already eat within the parameters of his "breakthrough diet" and still have inflammatory issues.
Yes, more people need to watch what they eat. Yes, eat more healthy veggies. Yes, stay away from foods not made from whole grains. Yes, we need to stay away from high sugar foods. Unless you eat things like chitterlings, pork liver, beef brain, fried everything, white flour everything, cakes, cookies, and no veggies...and if you watch at all what you eat, you may be pretty close to his "breakthough diet" already.
I felt more like the book should have been about wild salmon versus farmed salmon since that seems to be the bulk of his main argument. I do think it is important to note the difference, but again...you can find that out on the internet.
There are a few important pieces of information I believe were pointed out in this book:
-All fish is not created equal. Some fish can cause serious pain and inflammation and some will help you. (You can see his findings about specific fish in a concise list in Chapter 15...pages 172-175.)
-Egg yolk can pose a serious inflammation risk.
-Do not take a GLA supplement without having EPA (in supplement or food form)...it can cause serious harm.
I did find it interesting that he includes some of the major inflammatory foods (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, and citrus) on his "foods to eat often" lists. Personally, I have seen a direct link between these foods and my pain levels and therefore have decided to avoid them, as much as I love them. I would be curious to see more information on why he does not see these as inflammatory foods when they are some of the most common that will pop up in a Google search about inflammatory foods.
I recommend borrowing this book from your library. First, look at the indexes (unless you are very curious about scientific things) from page 165 through 175, maybe make a few lists of what to buy or avoid, and then take it right back to the library for someone else to borrow.
December 10, 2008
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
When I talk about an anti-inflammatory diet, I am not talking about the typical help-me-lose-weight kind of dieting. I am just talking about the foods we may consume that might promote inflammation (and in the cases of people with autoimmune disorders, inflammation means pain).
Although a diet free of items like wheat, dairy, etc. may be helpful, sometimes such a drastic change may not be necessary as the inflammation may only be caused from allergies to specific ingredients and you may not necessarily be allergic. If you have autoimmune issues, you can get allergy tests done or try a diet that eliminates those foods from the start and slowly brings some back in to see if they are part of the problem.
Here is what I have found personally (I will discuss in another post later some tidbits I have found about supplements):
Lots of doctors try to just dope you up instead of trying to help you. Some major pain-causers are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers. For most people with an autoimmune diease, you will want to steer clear of those. Staying away from tomatoes can be hard because it is in so many things (pizza, spaghetti, ketchup, etc.), but it is worth it. Also citrus can cause lots of pain. Alfalfa sprouts should also be avoided, especially in people with lupus.
One food that is helpful is pineapple because of its anti-inflammatory properties (mainly from the bromelain found in it).
Here is one resource that may be helpful in information and recipes:
The Anti-Inflammation Diet & Recipe Book
There is a great review for the book that has a condensed version of the information included in it. Here are the basics of the anti-inflammatory diet:
An anti-inflammatory diet should emphasize pineapple, most fruits (though limiting citrus), vegetables, garlic, ginger, turmeric, flaxseed oil, nuts (not peanuts), seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower), flaxseed oil, olive oil, and filtered water. Additional good food choices include: flaxseeds, avocados, fish (wild salmon, cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, sardines, tuna, trout), whole grains (amaranth, spelt, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati, brown rice, rye), legumes, beans (black, pinto, navy, mung), split peas, curry, and tofu (or better choice fermented tempeh or miso.)
Inflammation-promoters include wheat products, dairy products, corn, peanuts and peanut butter, sugar, fried foods, foods containing hydrogenated oils, processed foods, alcohol, juice, coffee, caffeinated teas and sodas, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, pork, nonorganic eggs, shellfish, and citrus fruits (except lemon). Avoid shellfish such as shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, and mussels.
Staying away from all those fun things is hard, but you can find some ways to kinda work around it. Here are some of the things I have done (I have not yet gone to the extremes of avoiding wheat and dairy, but may end up doing so eventually):
If you like soda a lot but want to cut out caffeine, there are sodas like Hansen's that are caffeine free and don't have high fructose corn syrup. Sure, they still have sugar, but it is better than the high fructose stuff.
Instead of using tomato sauces I make white sauces for pasta and pizza...it is very easy. A basic white sauce has approximately equal parts milk or cream and butter or oil and then add in some parmesan cheese or flour to thicken it. You can also give it good flavor if you cook some garlic while the butter is melting. (Obviously I haven't cut out wheat or dairy yet...)
Instead of having potatoes with meals, I have started substituting rice. I buy the brown Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's and love it. They also have brown basmati rice, but I haven't tried that just yet.
Staying away from things like salsa is hard for me, but you can make peach or mango salsa without tomatoes if you are wanting some...just chop up peaches or mangoes, add some chopped cilantro, garlic powder, and cayenne to make it spicy.
If you have an autoimmune disease, you can Google things like "anti-inflammatory diet", "arthritis foods to avoid", "arthritis diet", etc. to find out about specific foods to eat or avoid. If you have been diagnosed with a certain autoimmune disease, you may want to check into certain dieting needs for that disease, as some things may be harmful for you that wouldn't be harmful to someone with another disease. Sadly, it is kind of a testing process and can make for some very awful days if you eat something wrong. You may also want to get exercise, but depending on your specific disease needs, too much exercise can also cause lots of pain.
Another website I encountered with Anti-Inflammatory Diet tips:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet
Although a diet free of items like wheat, dairy, etc. may be helpful, sometimes such a drastic change may not be necessary as the inflammation may only be caused from allergies to specific ingredients and you may not necessarily be allergic. If you have autoimmune issues, you can get allergy tests done or try a diet that eliminates those foods from the start and slowly brings some back in to see if they are part of the problem.
Here is what I have found personally (I will discuss in another post later some tidbits I have found about supplements):
Lots of doctors try to just dope you up instead of trying to help you. Some major pain-causers are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers. For most people with an autoimmune diease, you will want to steer clear of those. Staying away from tomatoes can be hard because it is in so many things (pizza, spaghetti, ketchup, etc.), but it is worth it. Also citrus can cause lots of pain. Alfalfa sprouts should also be avoided, especially in people with lupus.
One food that is helpful is pineapple because of its anti-inflammatory properties (mainly from the bromelain found in it).
Here is one resource that may be helpful in information and recipes:
The Anti-Inflammation Diet & Recipe Book
There is a great review for the book that has a condensed version of the information included in it. Here are the basics of the anti-inflammatory diet:
An anti-inflammatory diet should emphasize pineapple, most fruits (though limiting citrus), vegetables, garlic, ginger, turmeric, flaxseed oil, nuts (not peanuts), seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower), flaxseed oil, olive oil, and filtered water. Additional good food choices include: flaxseeds, avocados, fish (wild salmon, cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, sardines, tuna, trout), whole grains (amaranth, spelt, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati, brown rice, rye), legumes, beans (black, pinto, navy, mung), split peas, curry, and tofu (or better choice fermented tempeh or miso.)
Inflammation-promoters include wheat products, dairy products, corn, peanuts and peanut butter, sugar, fried foods, foods containing hydrogenated oils, processed foods, alcohol, juice, coffee, caffeinated teas and sodas, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, pork, nonorganic eggs, shellfish, and citrus fruits (except lemon). Avoid shellfish such as shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, and mussels.
Staying away from all those fun things is hard, but you can find some ways to kinda work around it. Here are some of the things I have done (I have not yet gone to the extremes of avoiding wheat and dairy, but may end up doing so eventually):
If you like soda a lot but want to cut out caffeine, there are sodas like Hansen's that are caffeine free and don't have high fructose corn syrup. Sure, they still have sugar, but it is better than the high fructose stuff.
Instead of using tomato sauces I make white sauces for pasta and pizza...it is very easy. A basic white sauce has approximately equal parts milk or cream and butter or oil and then add in some parmesan cheese or flour to thicken it. You can also give it good flavor if you cook some garlic while the butter is melting. (Obviously I haven't cut out wheat or dairy yet...)
Instead of having potatoes with meals, I have started substituting rice. I buy the brown Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's and love it. They also have brown basmati rice, but I haven't tried that just yet.
Staying away from things like salsa is hard for me, but you can make peach or mango salsa without tomatoes if you are wanting some...just chop up peaches or mangoes, add some chopped cilantro, garlic powder, and cayenne to make it spicy.
If you have an autoimmune disease, you can Google things like "anti-inflammatory diet", "arthritis foods to avoid", "arthritis diet", etc. to find out about specific foods to eat or avoid. If you have been diagnosed with a certain autoimmune disease, you may want to check into certain dieting needs for that disease, as some things may be harmful for you that wouldn't be harmful to someone with another disease. Sadly, it is kind of a testing process and can make for some very awful days if you eat something wrong. You may also want to get exercise, but depending on your specific disease needs, too much exercise can also cause lots of pain.
Another website I encountered with Anti-Inflammatory Diet tips:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet
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