Table Of Content

NEW ANTIOXIDANTS • PROBIOTICS • NUTRIENT-RICH FOOD • GOOD FATS THE - ANTI INFLAMMATORY Plan Prevent and reduce chronic inflammation to guard against ill health + 3O Easy and healthy recipes ln a o t i it g i d i D E BITE-SIZED THE ELIMINATION SCIENCE GAME N Find out why certain foods can Uncover the diet that shows you HIRD DITIO help your chronic inflammation which foods your body can’t handle TE 6 E L Y T S E F I L THE - ANTI INFLAMMATORY Plan Inflammation is necessary. It helps to heal the body and protect it from illness. But sometimes, the body goes too far. That’s where an anti-inflammatory diet comes in. Filled with fruits, nuts and natural oils, it gives your body a hand when it comes to fighting the chronic inflammation that can come with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and more. As with any lifestyle change, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s where this brand-new title comes in. We’ve laid out tasty recipes, nutritional advice and the science behind it all so that you can help your body help itself, and feel fantastic at the same time. CONTENTS Introduction 7 Part 1: Part 2: THE SCIENCE LIFESTYLE 8 32 What is inflammation? 10 Healthy lifestyle habits 34 How inflammation affects Stress 36 the body 14 Sleep 40 Root causes of inflammation 16 Exercise 43 Diagnosing inflammation 24 Weight 44 Part 3: Part 4: NUTRITION RECIPES 46 84 An anti-inflammatory diet 48 Breakfasts 86 Potentially inflammatory foods 54 Snacks and light meals 96 What else can help? 57 Main meals 110 Inflammation-fighting foods 62 Desserts 120 A look at nutrients 82 Bibliography 124 Index 125 6 E L Y T S E F I L INTRODUCTION 7 There is an underlying process that connects and explains most, if not all, chronic disease. It explains heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis and cognitive decline. It N O I T connects seemingly disparate conditions such as asthma, eczema and fertility C U D issues. It is also the process that lies at the heart of many ailments, such as aching O R T N limbs, stuffy noses and painful migraines. That process is inflammation. I Inflammation is fundamentally meant to be a helpful process, but as you will read in this book, there are many aspects of our diet and lifestyle that can trigger and perpetuate inflammation, sending it into overdrive. When inflammation is sustained over a long period of time, it can wreak havoc on your body and significantly increase your risk for developing various diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Inflammation can also cause you to age prematurely; it is now widely understood to be the main reason we age (so much so that it is now dubbed ‘inflammaging’). More and more people are suffering from chronic inflammation at a younger age, and as a result experiencing poor health and a significantly reduced quality of life. Targeting the underlying causes of inflammation, eating an anti-inflammatory diet and adjusting your lifestyle are the most powerful and effective ways to keep yourself well and prevent disease. In these pages you will discover the main causes of inflammation, including dietary, lifestyle and environmental triggers, and understand the most important changes you need to make to reverse and to prevent inflammation. This advice will help you to uncover the areas of your health that are fanning the flames of inflammation and need the most support and give you valuable tools to nurture your body and set you on the path to optimal health. In the last chapter, you will find a selection of 30 recipes, including breakfast, main meal, snack and dessert options. Each recipe has been carefully created to be fresh, delicious and packed full of anti-inflammatory ingredients. To your health! Anoushka Davy 1 THE SCIENCE In this chapter you will discover why the inflammatory response is such a vital part of keeping you healthy, the difference between acute and chronic inflammation, and how long-term inflammation can increase your risk of developing chronic disease. The environmental, diet and lifestyle factors that cause chronic inflammation are explained, and there is a quiz to help you identify which areas of your health need the most support to keep inflammation at bay. WHAT IS INFLAMMATION? 10 E Before we get into the details of why, of acute inflammation: redness, C N E when and how inflammation occurs, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function. I C S let’s begin with a simple explanation Although these symptoms may be E H of inflammation. uncomfortable, they are essential to our T survival. In fact, without inflammation, Inflammation is the body’s way of we would be dead pretty quickly – responding to things that can cause wounds would fester and infections harm, such as injury or infection. It is would rapidly become life-threatening. a complex process involving many Think of some common incidents – a different chemicals. The body initiates paper cut, a bump on the knee, eating this process in an attempt to protect lukewarm seafood at a dodgy-looking and heal itself. buffet; in these situations the body instantly mounts an inflammatory response to rectify the situation and When inflammation keep you safe. Your immune system is helpful works hard for you every day, While our planet is profoundly responding to danger, helping you beautiful, it can also be dangerous. to heal and preventing minor issues Our bodies are exposed to a multitude from escalating into major threats. of harmful bacteria, viruses and toxic Imagine your immune system as an chemicals every day. The body has army and inflammation as its weapon. an impressive array of defence Within an army, there are many mechanisms to protect us from these different roles – sniper, demolitions dangers and inflammation is one of expert, tank commander, and so on. This its most useful tools. An important is much like the immune system, except biological function of our immune the personnel are white blood cells, system, inflammation protects us antibodies, histamine, complement from harm and keep us healthy. proteins and messaging molecules Inflammation can stop infection, called cytokines (which can either be clear toxic substances, and seal off and pro-inflammatory or anti- heal open wounds. You will know your inflammatory). These troops are body is responding with inflammation stationed throughout your body, waiting by spotting one of the five major signs on standby. After an initial stimulus,