Term papers!

The typical American diet (lots of take-out; saturated fats; high animal protein, full of artificial flavorings; excess refined sugar, etc) promotes inflammation. According to Richard M. Fleming, M.D., “Inflammation is caused when the immune system sends out immune cells to fight an infection or excess quantities of toxins in the blood.”

Everyday our immune system is working diligently and overtime to fight off invaders. When our immune system becomes overworked, we create a raging fire known as inflammation. The Greeks were the first to use the word inflammation and termed it as, “a fire within the body.”

If you are overweight especially in the abdominal area you most likely suffer from some sort of inflammation. Therefore if weight loss is on your mind this January (new years resolutions!) you might want to rewire your dieting strategy to one that focuses on reducing the fire throughout your cells.

Many of us don’t know we are inflamed until we reach the state of dis-ease. Most, if not all disease, is connected to high levels of inflammation in the body. It’s time to take preventative measures so that you prevent disease and promote healthy within.

Signs of “fire” that many times can’t be physically seen or felt are:

• Pain
• Heat
• Fever
• Loss of function
• Arterial Swelling
• Rashes
• Redness

When you do feel inflammation, it can manifest as pain in a joint. For any sort of discomfort like this, I suggest trying the Emotional Freedom Techniques. I’ve had great success with my clients using these techniques.

One of the best indicators for inflammation is the C-RP blood test. There is also a high association between C-RP levels and LDL (the bad cholesterol). Chances are if you’ve got high LDL, you’ve also got high C-RP (inflammation)! It is also common for inflammation to originate in the gut so taking a good look at one’s gut-health is very important (this can be done through other tests). I work with my clients to understand this blood work and use advanced therapeutic methods to get to the root of the results.

Our diet plays a major role with inflammation and so does physical activity. Processed foods; large amounts of dairy and animal products; vegetable oils; refined sugar are some trigger foods. Pro-inflammatory substances like insulin; estrogen and triglycerides circulate throughout the body under this state.

To lower your inflammation your diet must be altered so that you lose weight and increase your exposure to antioxidants.

Some of my favorite foods to help reduce inflammation are:

• Garlic (anti-bacterial)
• Brazil Nuts (high in selenium)
• Cruciferous Veggies (cancer fighting)
• Root veggies (think squash, sweet potatoes and onions!)
• Apples (high in fiber)

If working out is also on your resolution list for 2008, you are on the right track. Increasing circulation throughout the body (which can be helped through movement) will indeed cut down on inflammation.

Other common causes of inflammation can be:

• Food Allergies
• Environmental Allergies and Pollution
• Injury
• Trauma
• Infections
• Parasites
• Stress
• Digestive problems

In 2008 stop looking to quick-fix diets to solve your weight problems. Instead look to the root cause and focus your attention to where it really matters.

The other day I was searching around the internet for some material on food diaries. In my efforts I stumbled upon the Ten Commandments (of Weight Management). Below you will find the commandments from www.dailyfooddiary.com and beside my commentary.

1. All diets work. All diets are meant to fail. – Yes, this is true. All diets do work but they do not work for every body. All diets are meant to fail – dieting is just a temporary state – lifestyle is the overall aim. Most diets do not keep lifestyle in mind.

2. What’s good for your health is good for your diet. – All food and drink that is good for your overall well-being should be incorporated into your diet. Unless you have a specific health condition, don’t listen to the diets that tell you to cut out a vegetable or fruit. For instance: nightshades are not good for those with arthritic conditions but that doesn’t mean everyone needs to avoid them.

3. To be successful a diet needs to be balanced and offer variety. – Your diet should be in harmony like a beautiful symphony. If you eat grapefruits everyday for 365 days your body will be tipsy and start craving what it’s missing. You might falsely mistake the craving for chocolate when in fact it’s the mineral magnesium that you need!

4. The best diet would be simple: low cost, readily available foods, easy to prepare. – Why slave away in the kitchen? We live in a fast-paced society and the way we eat and how we prepare our foods needs to somehow fit into this way of being. With that said, we must be smart in how we choose to eat, cook & buy our foods. Buying from the bulk bin is low cost; steaming foods keeps nutrients more intact; & a stir fry is easy to prepare and includes much variety.

5. Don’t try to fake out your body! Eat real food. — Get rid of the artificial sugars and butter substitutes. Throw out the concept, “fat free.” Real food is full of healthy fat, sugar & butter. Enjoy it in moderation!!!

6. Knowledge is power. Know what you eat. – Educate yourself by learning the truth about where your food comes from and what nutrients your body needs to thrive. Hire a nutritionist or coach to steer you clear of false promise diets. Learn about lifestyle and get dialed into the most optimal way to “diet.”

7. You didn’t gain the weight overnight, so don’t expect to lose it overnight. – Patience is key in any weight loss plan. Men will typically lose weight faster and as we age it is harder to get the fat off of our bellies. Visualize yourself as a lean, healthy being. Jump start your metabolism by drinking lots of water and cutting out refined carbohydrates.

8. Don’t drink you calories. — It’s o.k. to throw in a shake every now and again (if and only if it’s high quality nutrients – like grass-fed whey or a raw smoothie) But don’t let the shakes be your primary source of nutrients. You will lose weight on a liquid diet but you’ll gain it back just as quickly when your body realizes just how deprived it is. Stop starving yourself and live a little.

9. Walk more. Get your body into motion! Start off by walking to the mailbox daily and then extend it to a 3-5 mile brisk walk. Get the oxygen flowing and feel alive in your body.

10. To change your set point you must change your mindset! Be honest with yourself. — Our beliefs guide us to who we are. If you have a negative core believe like, “I’ll never be my ideal weight” you’ll always be held back and resist getting to your goal. Use affirmations or try EFT and Psych-K to “rewrite the software of your mind.”

Alison Held
Nutritional Consultant & Health Coach
www.healthfuldirection.com