Dietary Recommendations To Inhibit Both Acute & Chronic Conditons Of Inflammation

Gaye Leto, M.S. Clinical Nutrition

 

The heightened level of stress that is characteristic of the Target experience usually results in a rapid deterioration of one's emotional & physical state of equilibrium.  Most Targets are therefore contending with chronic, sometimes systemic, cellular inflammation causing any number of symptoms not the least of which is extreme fatigue, light-headedness & local or generalized pain. 

 

The concept of inflammation in this context can be somewhat confusing because it can have little, or sometimes nothing, to do with surface swelling.  Rather, it is the process of all cellular degeneration.  Thus, diabetes is an inflammation of the liver & pancreas, heart disease is inflammation of cardiac tissue & an inability to relax the body indicates inflammation of the adrenal glands & nervous system.

 

Since my degree is in clinical nutrition, I have decided to provide you with some basic guidelines to help you nutritionally defend yourselves while living under these unusual conditions of stress.  If you adhere to the suggestions I am making most of you should start to feel MUCH, MUCH better than you do right now PROVIDED YOU ALSO DO THE FOLLOWING: 

 

• Get to bed early so that you rest during the dark hours & function when the sun is up. 

• Stop eating at least 3 hours before going to bed.

• Drink at least 8 glasses (64 ounces) of CLEAN water a day.

• Do not smoke, drink alcohol or take recreational drugs.

 

One more thing:  Turmeric, because of its excellent anti-inflammation properties, should be taken daily especially during the high allergy seasons.  The most cost effective way to do this is to purchase a one pound bag of Turmeric powder from Nuts.com along with empty gelatin capsules, size OO, from Vitacost.com.  Until you start to feel better you can take up to 8 capsules/day-4 in the morning & 4 in the evening.  

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

During an Inflammation Response it is necessary to eliminate those foods that are known contributors to the response & to test those foods which are suspected contributors.  When I say “Suspected Contributors” I am referring to those foods which cause the Allergies, Sensitivities & Intolerances that are unique to each individual.  These must be addressed in the Clinical Setting.  What I will discuss here are general probabilities.

 

I will begin by presenting a list of foods that usually contribute to the Inflammation Pathway, referring to them as ‘known contributors’. 

 

KNOWN CONTRIBUTORS

 

ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS:  Milk, Cheese, Eggs, Yogurt, Cream, Butter, Ice Cream, etc.

 

HYDROGENATED OILS & PRODUCTS MADE WITH THESE:  Margarine, Salad Dressings, Cookies, Potato Chips, Non-Dairy Creamers

 

HEATED OILS & FATS:  Heating oils & other fats will produce free radical molecules.  Oils are especially volatile & must be handled with great respect.  They are to be stored in refrigeration & added only after foods are cooked.  Fried foods damage cell structures & must be avoided.

 

MOST ANIMAL FATS: Butter, Shortening, Chicken & Turkey Fat, All Red Meat Fat

 

RED MEAT:  Beef, Pork, Lamb, etc.  (with the exception of lean, grass-fed meats)

 

PROCESSED MEAT:  Frankfurters, Cold Cuts, Smoked Meats, Sausage, Canned Meats, Etc.

 

RANCID NUTS OR SEEDS:  Nuts & Seeds are high in Fat content.  When they are maintained in Dirsct Light, Air or Heat they will become rancid like any other oil & cause cellular damage inside the body.  Unfortunately, it is not always possible to detect rancidity through taste.  Therefore I recommend purchasing them at stores with rapid product turnover & adequate air conditioning.  After purchase maintain these products tightly sealed & in refrigeration.

 

CERTAIN NUTS:  A harmful fungus called AFLATOXIN is found on many nuts, most notably PEANUTS.  The nuts least likely to carry significant amounts of this fungal toxin are CASHEWS & ALMONDS.

 

ALL CITRUS FRUITS:  Oranges, Tangerines, Nectarines, Lemons, Grapefruit, Limes, etc.

 

ALL HOT PEPPERS:  Cherry Peppers, Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne, etc.

 

ALL PEPPER CONDIMENTS:  Black Pepper, White Pepper, etc.

 

ALL SWEET PEPPERS:  Green, Red, Yellow, etc.

 

NIGHTSHADES:  Eggplant, Tomatoes, White & Red Potatoes, Peppers

 

SUGAR:  White or Brown, Refined or Course, Honey, Maple Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Rice Syrup, Barley Malt, Molasses, etc.

 

SUGARY FOODS:  Grapes, Sweet Melons, Bananas, Fruit Juices, Dried Fruit, etc.

 

CAFFEINE:  Coffee; Caffeinated Teas & Drinks; Chocolate (I’m sorry.)

 

GLUTENOUS GRAINS:  Wheat, Oats, Rye, Barley, Spelt

 

Now I will switch to identifying those foods that help to block an inflammation response.  These I will call 'known inhibitors'.

 

 

 

KNOWN INHIBITORS

 

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS THAT ARE FOUND IN:

 

• FATTY FISH:  Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel, Herring & Bluefish are the richest of the fish sources.

• SEEDS:  Flax & Hemp

 

(Please note:  Tuna also contains Omega 3 oil,

but because of its high mercury content it is not recommended for consumption.)

 

ALKALINE RICH FOODS:

 

• VEGETABLES (Non-Starchy & Starchy)

• FRUITS (Avoid those with the highest sugar content.  Sugar is converted to fat in the body.)

• CERTAIN GRAINS:  Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat, Amaranth

• CERTAIN HERBS & SPICES:  Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric & Cinnamon

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

SUGGESTED PROTEINS:  Wild Fatty Fish; Beans or Lentils combined with an Alkaline Grain; Avocados; Olives; Coconut; Nuts (especially Almonds & Cashews); all Seeds (especially Flax & Hemp); Organic White Chicken & Turkey Meat (in moderation).

 

I have listed White Chicken & Turkey Meats as acceptable in moderation.  By moderation I mean once or twice a week & only if the meat comes from an organically raised source.  However, if you are in a severe state of inflammation, I would suggest avoiding these meats entirely.

 

Please refrain from overeating.  Pushing the body beyond its optimal digestive capacity will result in negative inflammation effects from even the most thoughtfully chosen foods.  When eating foods such as Avocados, Coconut, Nuts & Seeds remember that they contain high amounts of Fats & should not be consumed in large quantities at any one time.

 

SUGGESTED FAT SOURCES:  Wild Fatty Fish; Flax & Hemp Seeds & their oils, Olive Oil

 

The best Fatty Acid to control inflammation is Omega 3 which is found in abundant supply in Fatty Fish & Flax & Hemp Seeds.  Olive Oil is a better source of Omega 6 than Omega 3.  However, Omega 6 is also required in a balanced diet & Olive Oil is known to be a wonderful source provided it is not heated.   

(If you have the funds,

 try to buy only Wild-caught Fish

since Farm-Raised Fish contain many harmful pollutants.)

 

SUGGESTED CARBOHYDRATES:  Vegetables, Beans & Lentils, Alkaline Grains

 

SUGGESTED SUGARS:  Fruit (avoiding those with the highest sugar content)

 

HERBS & SPICES:  Garlic, Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon, Oregano, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Tarragon, etc.  (Exclude Pepper & Paprika.)

 

 

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