Tips to Decrease Inflammation

• Practice a positive mindset, mindfulness, meditation, and gentle movement

• Eat less sugar, gluten, dairy, and ultra-processed foods like sodas and long shelf-life snacks

• Eat more alkaline foods by substituting a more alkaline choice for an acidic one at each meal

• Try to eat mostly “whole foods” that are fresh or minimally processed. Things like fruits and vegetables. Wild-caught fish. For a sweet treat, try eating a few dates or some unsweetened dried fruit to satisfy cravings.

• Drink lots of water. Water is good at flushing out the kidneys and removing toxins from the body. Try to cut out sweetened soft drinks completely over time.

• Work with a certified nutritionist or dietician to develop a plan that works for you.

Start by making small changes . . . one step at a time

Don’t try to change everything at once, start by making substitutions that feel manageable. Focus on alkaline foods (less likely to cause inflammation). Aim to eat 80% alkaline foods.

Using a chart of alkaline foods like this one by Jaffe, I gradually learned how to substitute alkaline foods for more acid forming foods, and eliminated some foods like highly processed foods altogether.

https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/alkaline-food-chart/

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce is a great resource to tap into when learning about the quality of food.

Each year, the EWG publishes updated Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists that consumers can use to help guide choices when shopping for produce.