Posted 2/5/2013 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Almost Medfree
Here are some notes from the book. If this sounds interesting, I recommend reading the book forst to get the additional context which is valuable. The results have been amazing and we are now working to reintroduce foods. My wife already found a major allergy - Kefir.
I would love to learn if this helps everyone else. Good luck!
The Anti-Inflammation Diet
First 30 days:
The list of foods to avoid for the anti-inflammation diet includes:
All wheat products
Dairy products
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Corn
Sugar
Citrus fruits (Lemon Juice okay)
Pork
Commercial (nonorganic) eggs
Shellfish
Peanuts and peanut butter
Coffee
Alcohol
Juice
Caffeinated teas, soda
Anything containing hydrogenated oils
Processed foods
Fried foods.
The list of foods to enjoy for the anti-inflammation diet includes:
Vegetables:
Vegetables are classified progressively according to carbohydrate content. Those in-group
1 have the least amount of carbohydrate; those in-group 4 have the most. Eat mostly lower-carbohydrate vegetables (those in groups 1 and 2).
Lightly steaming vegetables improves the utilization or availability of the nutrients,allowing the GI mucosa to repair itself.
Minimize your intake of raw vegetables, except in salads. Include at least 1-2 servings of green vegetables per day, though even more is preferred.
Group 1:
• Asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, broccoli, red and green cabbage, cauliflower,
celery, Swiss chard, cucumber, endive, lettuce (green, red, romaine, mixed greens),
mustard and dandelion greens, radishes, spinach, and watercress
Group 2:
• String beans, beets, bok Choy, Brussels sprouts, chives, collards, eggplant, kale,
kohlrabi, leeks, onion, parsley, red pepper, pumpkin, rutabagas, turnips, and
zucchini
Group 3:
• Artichokes, parsnips, green peas, winter squash, carrots
Group 4:
• Yams and sweet
Vegetables to avoid: Tomatoes; potatoes
Grains
Include 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day unless you desire to lose weight.
Amaranth, spelt, barley, buck-wheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati or brown rice,rye, teff Rice crackers and Wasa brand rye crackers
Grains to avoid: All wheat products, including breads, cereals, whole-wheat flour,
white flour, and pasta that is made from wheat
Legumes:
Soak legumes overnight and cook them slowly the next day.
Split peas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans,
fermented soybeans (tempeh or miso), mung beans, and adzuki beans
Legumes to Avoid: Tofu can cause reactions in some people. Experiment with both
including it and eliminating it from the diet.
Seafood:
Wild (versus farmed) deep-sea, cold-water fish are an excellent source of essential fatty
acids and should be eaten 3-4 times per week. Poach, bake, or broil the fish.
Wild salmon, cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, sardines, tuna, trout, and summer flounder
Seafood to Avoid: Shellfish, including shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, and mussels
Meat:
Eating protein with every meal helps to regulate and maintain steady blood sugar and energy levels.
Meat only (i.e., not the skin) of organic free-range chicken and turkey, Wild game,
venison, and elk, Organic free-range lamb and buffalo
Meats to Avoid: Pork, Conventionally raised beef (small amounts of organic, grass-fed beef are okay)
Spices and herbs
Use any favorite herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of your food.
Fruits:
Eat only 1-2 servings of any fruit per day. Try to eat mostly fruits from the lower-carbohydrate categories (Groups 1 and 2).
Group 1:
• Cantaloupe, rhubarb, melons, strawberries
Group 2:
• Apricots, blackberries, cranberries, papayas, peaches, plums, raspberries, kiwis
Group 3:
• Apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, pears, pineapples, pomegranates
Group 4:
• Bananas, figs, prunes
Fruits to Avoid: Citrus fruits (lemon is okay) Limit your intake of dried fruits, and
eliminate them if you are diabetic.
Sweeteners:
Use sweeteners only occasionally
Pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, raw honey, agave syrup, stevia
Sweeteners to Avoid: Absolutely no sugar, NutraSweet, or any other sweetener is allowed.
Butter and oils:
Mix 1 pound organic butter with 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil to use as a spread. Store in
refrigerator.
A small amount of organic butter is okay.
Use olive oil for cooking,
Coconut oil for baking,nut or seed oils for salads.
Butter and Oils to Avoid: Hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
Avoid overheating oils, which in the process can convert to trans fats.
Eggs and dairy products
Dairy to Avoid: Dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, animal milks and commercial eggs
Nuts and seeds:
Eat them raw or grind and add them to steamed vegetables, cooked grains, salads, cereals,etc.
Flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds Most nuts and nut butters
Nuts to Avoid: Peanuts and peanut butter
Beverages
Minimum of ½ your weight in fluid ounces per day of filtered water
Small amount of rice, oat, almond, soy milk, or Herbal teas (substitute for coffee and juice)
Avoid: Coffee, soda, juice, caffeinated teas, and alcohol
Miscellaneous
Void: Corn products, Processed foods, Fried foods
Tomatoes and potatoes should definitely be avoided by anyone with arthritis of any kind.
There are many non-dairy sources of calcium, including fortified soy, rice, oat, almond, and other nut milks.
Liquids to consume as part of the anti-inflammation diet include filtered water and
herbal teas made with filtered water.
All caffeinated beverages and beverages containing sugar are avoided.
Juice is avoided because it is a large source of concentrated sugar, even though it is a natural sugar.
Alcohol should be avoided because it turns into sugar once in the body.
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages are very taxing to the liver due to their
toxin load and are taxing to the adrenal glands because of caffeine’s effect on
cortisol levels. The adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, are responsible for
maintaining energy, producing sex hormones, balancing blood pressure and blood sugar, and moderating the stress response.
Commercial eggs, beef, and pork are included on the list of foods to avoid largely
for the same reasons that dairy is to be avoided: because of the toxin content and
acidifying nature of the animal protein. Pork and beef are high in arachidonic acid
Pork is not allowed on this diet for more than one reason: because of its high levels
of arachidonic acid and because of its potential to create immune-system imbalance.
Shellfish and peanuts are avoided as part of the anti-inflammation diet because many people have allergies to them.
Corn is another common allergen that needs to be avoided. Conventionally grown
corn has often undergone a significant amount of genetic engineering and been subjected to heavy bombardment with pesticides.
Wheat has been greatly genetically modified; furthermore, many nutrients are
removed in the refining and processing of wheat. Genetically modifying wheat has
increased its gluten content to 90 percent, which is highly irregular. It is possible
that the genetic modification of wheat has changed its structure into something our body does not recognize as “safe to pass.”
Citrus fruits may increase inflammation in the body; they also tend to aggravate arthritis symptoms.
Re-introduction of Foods:
1. Remember that during the elimination and challenge phase of the diet, you may
begin to consume these foods again to see if you react to them.
2. For example, if you reintroduce peanuts and do not react to them in a negative way,
you can eat them, but not every day. (Remember that one of the key features of a healthy diet is variety.)
3. Knowing your food reactions will be helpful in treating and preventing chronic disease.
4. Interestingly, a person may find that they react to nonorganic corn, but not to organic corn.
Symptoms of intolerance:
1. Headaches,
2. Constant clearing of the throat,
3. Mucous in the throat,
4. Abdominal complaints such as bloating or cramping,
5. Irritable bowel syndrome,
6. Irritable bowel disease,
7. Fatigue,
8. Migraines,
9. Arthritis,
10. Asthma,
11. Eczema,
12. Psoriasis,
13. Most skin complaints,
14. Acne,
15. Aphthous (mouth) ulcers,
16. Sinusitis (inflammation of the sinus cavities, resulting in runny nose and/or
congestion),
17. Otitis media (ear infection),
18. Chronic cough, and chronic allergies to pollens, molds, or other environmental
agents.
19. Food allergies may also trigger minor or major mood changes, including depression, anger, hyperactivity, or anxiety.
Other Common Allergens:
Besides the list of foods to avoid on the anti-inflammation diet, other foods that may
trigger allergies or sensitivities include food dyes, especially yellow and red; dried
fruit, especially for diabetics due to its concentrated sugar; chocolate, which contains
caffeine, and, in the case of milk chocolate, dairy; aspartame (NutraSweet); bananas; meat
preservatives (nitrites); monosodium glutamate (MSG); onions; pickled herring; and some vinegars.
This diet removes most major food allergens. If you still experience symptoms after
following the diet closely, consider removing the rest of these potential irritants from your diet.