What’s all the buzz on anti-inflammatory diets?

Nutrition is something I talk about a lot because I feel that it is important not only for our physical health but for our emotional, spiritual and mental health. It’s particularly on my mind lately as some personal health challenges recently have led to more dietary changes as my doctor has advised me to eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

When I went to research anti-inflammatory diets, I quickly realized I was in over my head. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet! In fact, even the words anti-inflammatory have become such buzz words that it’s difficult to determine what it means for most of us. Fortunately for us, I recently made a new friend in cyberspace: Nancy Popkin, nutritionist and founder of Love More Eat Less.

Nancy found me through my blog a couple of months ago and reached out to me. I’m so glad she did!! We come from very similar places in theory when it comes to mindful living. We had been talking about collaborating on a project for a while when I learned from my doctor through a blood test that I have two health concerns: low thyroid and high C-Reactive Protein.

What is C-Reactive Protein

C-Reactive Protein is essentially a marker for inflammation inside our bodies. The good thing is that it can alert us to inflammation. The bad news is that with this test alone, it is difficult to know where the inflammation is coming from inside the body. It could be a result of narrowing arteries and an indicator of potential heart disease. Because of this, C-Reactive Protein is often treated as a cardiac event predictor, especially if you have other risk factors. It can also be used to test for celiac disease, indicate thyroid function issues, can be found in cases where someone has endured trauma and more. It is something to be taken seriously. Most doctors advice making dietary changes when diagnosed with high levels of C-Reactive protein because food plays such an important role in inflammation in our bodies.

But how do we know what type of anti-inflammatory diet is best for us? Do we all need an anti-inflammatory diet? Can we still eat meat? Are there veggies or fruits off limits? Where do grains fall on an anti-inflammatory diet? Answers to all this and more can be found in Nancy and my video interview.

We’d love to know what you think! Feel free to comment below with any questions or comments.

Please consider checking out Nancy’s blog and her Facebook page. She’s got great content that is sure to be of high value for you and your family.

All my love,

Brenda