Why the Anti-inflammatory Diet Didn't Work for Me

I tried the anti-inflammatory diet and I really wanted it to work, but it didn't. I was so excited about it that my friend tried it too. We were both overweight and feeling unhealthy. She lost weight and feels better than she has in years. I gained weight and got sicker.

It has been almost a year, since I posted in this blog or any of my other blogs. My health hasn't been great, but I learned from trying the anti-inflammatory diet that I need certain foods to feel ok, and I've finally started losing the weight.

The problem that I had on the anti-inflammatory diet was not eating enough grains and carbs. Without grains and carbs, I had digestive problems and was hungry all the time. I became obsessed with food.

The diet that has been bringing improvements to my life is a plant-based whole food diet. I haven't completely given up animal products yet, but the fewer animal products I eat, the better I feel.

I've also been counting calories and making sure I get enough exercise every day. Eating plant-based whole foods, I rarely go over the number of calories recommended for my age and body type, which means I am not as hungry anymore. I'm getting more exercise because I feel better.

I'm glad that eating chicken and fish instead of homemade bread helps some people, like it did my friend. I say it just didn't work for me because different people really do have different nutritional needs. My dad can't eat the kinds of fruit and berries that I do. Another friend of mine can't eat wheat.

I simply can't get by with out those delicious whole grains.

20 Ways to Fight Inflammation with Toast

I am a little like Ron Swanson. I love breakfast food. I love all the breakfast food you can get in a diner, except sausage gravy and grits. I love sitting down to a plate with two eggs on it, four slices of bacon, a pile of fried potatoes, and buttered sourdough toast. The anti-inflammatory diet has taken half the eggs and everything else on that plate away from me.

Except for cheat days, my breakfasts menu rotates between four meals: smoothies, oatmeal, tofu scrambles, and avocado toast. Avocado toast is my favourite of those meals. I mash up half an avocado with some organic extra virgin olive oil, a squirt of lemon juice, and a clove of garlic. I shmear the mashed avocado on two slices of toasted whole grain probiotic bread and eat it with a basted egg.

If I am out of avocado, sometimes I have peanut butter and banana on my toast instead. Though, I still wish I could be like Elvis and add bacon. All of that is about to change!

In recent weeks, I found a bread that I love for toast. Now, I want more ways to eat it. I’ve found 20 ways to mix up my meals on toast munching mornings while sticking to my diet and fighting inflammation. If you try any of these ideas, leave a comment and tell me what you think.

1. Pesto Avocado Tomato toast

One slice of toast schmeared with pesto, topped with sliced avocado, topped with a slice of tomato, and garnished with sprouts. - Dr. Weil. 

2. Avocado Pomegranate Toast

Sliced Avocado + Crumbled Feta + Pomegranates + Olive Oil on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

3. Banana Almond Butter and Chia Seeds 

Sliced Banana + Almond Butter + Chia Seeds on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

4. Toasty Ants on a Log Toast

Thinly Sliced Celery + Raisins + Peanut Butter. - Buzzfeed.

5. Berries Edamame and Cheese Toast

Goat Cheese + Sliced Strawberries + Shelled Edamame + Balsamic Vinegar + Sea Salt on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed. 

6. Crunchy Hummus Toast

Hummus + Chopped Walnuts + Pomegranates on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

7. Feta Almond Date Toast

Chopped Mejdool Dates + Sliced Feta + Sliced Almonds on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

8. Plum Butter Toast

Sliced Plums + Sunflower Seed Butter + Flaxseed on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

9. Italian Egg Toast

Marinara Sauce + Poached Egg + Parmesan + Basil on whole grain toast. - Buzzfeed.

This recipe reminds me of shackshouka, but on toast with Italian spices.

Shacksouka. 

10. My Neighbour’s Garden Avocado Toast

It's the time of year when everyone has tomatoes and basil in their backyard. Smashed avocado, schmeared on toast, topped with chopped cherry tomatoes and basil. - The Kitchn.

11. Don’t-Kiss-Me-After-Breakfast Toast

Smashed avocado, schmeared on toast, topped with crumbled feta and chopped green onion. - The Kitchn.

12. The Importance of Being Cucumber Toast

Smashed avocado, schmeared on toast, topped with thinly sliced cucumber and dill. - Little Broken.

13. Sweet Little Monkey Avocado Toast

Smashed avocado, schmeared on toast, topped with thinly sliced banana, sprinkled with sunflower seeds, and drizzled in honey. - Little Broken

No avocado? No problem! Shmear the banana instead like I did: 

14. Two Layer Dip Avocado Toast

Smashed avocado, schmeared on toast, topped with hummus, topped with thinly sliced cucumber and dill. Basically, The Importance of Being Cucumber Toast with more protein! - Kitchen Treaty.

15. Almost Like Pancakes Toast

Mashed banana schmeared on whole grain toast, topped with blueberries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. - Healthfully Ever After.

16. Curried Banana Toast

Mashed banana schmeared on whole grain toast, sprinted with curry powder, crystallized ginger, raisins, lime zest and juice. - Healthfully Ever After.

17. Garlic Shiitake Mushroom Breakfast Toast

The name says it all. The recipe is here, I would just use olive oil, no butter, and whole grain toast.

18. Greek Chick Peas on Toast

Chick peas, tomatoes, spices, and olives. The Recipe is here and again I would use my favourite bread.

19. Masala French Toast

This sounds like it would taste like curried eggs and bread. I would use my favourite bread and olive or canola oil instead of butter. The recipe is here. 

20. Cinnamon Ginger Chilli Peaches on Toast

Exactly what is sounds like the recipe is here.

Armed with these recipes, I might be eating a toast based diet until October. Please share comments, or other anti-inflammatory friendly recommendations below.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

Nightshades and Arthritis

I've been enjoying a bowl full of my friend's garden fresh tomatoes over the past few days, which lead me to thinking about nightshades. Many sources will tell you not to eat nightshades as part of an anti-inflammatory diet, but what are nightshades and should I avoid them?

Tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, and peppers (including cayenne and paprika, but not black pepper) are all part of the Solanaceae family, commonly referred to as nightshades. With the exception of those I just mentioned, most nightshades are poisonous, like belladonna, or the deadly nightshade made famous in MacBeth. Most people have no problem digesting edible nightshades. I rather enjoy cayenne, paprika, and tomatoes, but a case has been made that nightshades can cause problems for people with autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis.

The evidence for health risks associated with rheumatoid arthritis in humans is largely based on personal reports. Although, loads of evidence exists that edible nightshades cause joint and bone problems in cows and horses because of the way that their bodies process the potent form of vitamin D3 specific to nightshades. In cows and horses, nightshades prevent the metabolization of calcium, leaving calcium deposits in the soft tissue, instead of in the bones that need it. This leads to painful arthritis and inflammation in cows and horses.

Humans aren't cows and horses. Our bodies don't process vitamin D3 the same way, but the alkaloids and lectins in nightshades do cause some people to complain of discomfort.

The term 'alkaloid' refers to any nitrogenous organic compound that has a pronounced physiological reaction in humans, including everything from morphine to strychnine. A lectin is a protein that binds certain sugars. Lectins are also thought to play a role in immune function and body fat regulation.

"Because we don’t digest lectins, we often produce antibodies to them. Almost everyone has antibodies to some dietary lectins in their body. This means our responses vary. Certain foods can even become intolerable to someone after an immune system change or the gut is injured from another source. The presence of particular lectins can stimulate an immune system response. There are some lectins that no one should consume. 

Ever wonder why you don’t see sprouted red kidney beans?" - Source.

Alkaloids developed in plants as a defence mechanism against bugs. Humans use them as medicines, addictive drugs, and as insect repellants.

'While the plant is alive, these compounds work as its home-grown “bug spray,” defending it from pests and molds that would otherwise kill it. In other words, they’re designed to be toxic. In the poisonous members of the nightshade family, these chemicals are so concentrated that they have deadly effects on humans, but in the edible nightshades, they’re present in much smaller amounts, and mostly in the leaves and stems (which we don’t eat anyway).' - Source.

Being so much larger than a caterpillar, and because we don't eat kidney bean sprouts or tomato leaves, most people experience no reaction to alkaloids. I imagine it is like eating a non-organic carrot, or anything at most restaurants. The trace amounts in the foods we eat are fairly insignificant to healthy people. But what about me? What about people with autoimmune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis?

"Healthy guts can deal with these chemicals just fine, but people whose digestive system is already compromised by an autoimmune disease have trouble with them. For example, some kinds of alkaloids increase the power of the immune response – exactly what you don’t want when you’re dealing with an autoimmune disorder." - Source.

This can be especially problematic for people dealing with autoimmune disorders that directly effect their digestive system because the cells lining the intestinal tract are often the first victims of alkaloids. Lectins cause the same reaction for some people, but again... the evidence is based solely on personal reports. And this evidence is not as strong as what we've learned from animals, but it's harder to keep us in such a controlled setting as... say... lab mice.

The Arthritis Foundation maintains:

"They also contain solanine, a chemical that has been branded the culprit in arthritis pain. There’s no scientific evidence to suggest that nightshades trigger arthritis flares. In fact, some experts believe these vegetables contain a potent nutrient mix that helps inhibit arthritis pain." - Source.

Certain nightshades have great health benefits. Cayenne pepper, for example (also one of my favourites), is also high in capsaicin, which works as an anti inflammatory in healthy bodies. Tomatoes are considered highly antioxidant, and are believed to help fight cancer (which runs in my family).

Nightshades are like gluten, only people who have a genuine sensitivity to them need to avoid them. For people, like me, with rheumatoid arthritis, it may be worthwhile to eliminate nightshades from your diet for 30 days to see if you notice any improvement. I'd say it can't hurt, but I really love cayenne and still have a bowl of tomatoes in my kitchen.

Rather than wasting my food for something that has yet to be proven, the alkaloid content in the nightshades I east can be reduced by preparing them properly. Peel your potatoes and don't eat them when they are sprouting, or unripe. Cook everything thoroughly. Cooking your food is a good idea most of the time anyway, as cooked foods are generally easier to digest than raw foods.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

I love tofu!

It's been a while since I've written, so I thought I would come back writing about something I love.

My Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wrap recipe is one of the simplest least expensive meals that I make and we usually gobble them up so quickly that I don't get a photo.

Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
10oz frozen shiitake mushrooms
1 14oz package extra firm tofu
1 small white onion
1 head of your favourite lettuce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbspn canola oil
Sriracha (to taste) 

1. Cut tofu so that the cubes are roughly the same size as mushroom slices. Finely chop onion.
2. Pre-heat oil in large frying pan (or wok) over medium heat and divide twelve crisp lettuce leaves across four plates.
3. Add tofu to hot oil and sauté. Add the onion when the tofu begins to get crispy at edges. Add the mushrooms when the onion begins to turn clear.
4. Cook mushrooms for about three minutes, then add two tablespoons of soy sauce. Cook for 3-5 more minutes.
5. Pour remaining soy sauce into a medium bowl. Add vinegar and Sriracha to bowl and mix to make dipping sauce.
6. Spoon tofu mushroom mixture into lettuce leaves and serve!

Everything, but the soy sauce, is included on the anti-inflammatory diet. Luckily, Wellness Mama has a simple recipe for a soy sauce alternative. This meal is vegetarian, unless you use Wellness Mama's soy sauce alternative, but then it won't work with the anti-inflammatory diet. I've been cheating and using regular soy sauce, but will try Wellness Mama's and report back to you soon!

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

Green Chef review

I tried Green Chef for the first time this week. Green Chef is a food box delivery program. They send you three dinners for two once a week. All of their food is organic and sustainably sourced.

Although you don't get to pick which meals they send you in a given week, you can select from a limited range of dietary preferences (vegetarian, omnivore, vegan, gluten-free, paleo), you can see what recipes they will be sending you ahead of time, and skip weeks whenever you want.

FedEx sent the first box that I ordered from Green Chef to the wrong address, leaving me hugely disappointed. I didn't realize how much I would be looking forward to it, especially because I was taking care of a sick husband that week. The mix up wasn't Green Chef's fault and I was not billed for that order, but I got a FaceBook message about a week later from a guy who lives on a different street in my town with the same building and apartment number, claiming the box had been sitting in front of his apartment door for about a week.

I let Green Chef know. They are very friendly, but I was still sad that so much food got wasted.

When my first box finally arrived, this is what was inside:

There are three recipes and all of the ingredients needed to cook them. Everything is measured out to prevent food waste and everything is colour-coded to match the recipe cards. All of the food is fresh and has kept well in my refrigerator. Most of the recipes are compatible with the anti-inflammatory diet. All are low calorie. I've cooked two so far.

First, I made buttermilk-brined chicken, mushrooms, potato & peas, arugula & fig salad.

I think this was the most delicious chicken dinner that I've ever cooked. Because they sent me the recipe card, I can make it again whenever I want!

I was too excited to eat the Memorial Day Mozz Burger & bacon slaw to take a picture, but I kind of wish that I had. I don't think the burger buns are compatible with the anti-inflammatory diet (so I was cheating by eating one). This was a really good burger made from really good beef! However, my husband and I wound up throwing away most of the bacon slaw.

The fact that we hated the bacon slaw is probably not Green Chef's fault either. Bacon just tastes wrong in cole slaw. I felt like I wrecked the two things by mixing them together.

Tonight, I'm looking forward to making Buffalo-Blue Sweet Potato, blue cheese, black bean & corn salsa, spinach.

Based on this experience, I definitely recommend Green Chef. If you are interested in giving them a chance, click here to get four meals (two recipes and all of the ingredients) for free.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

Food as Medicine: course review

I've just completed a three week course called "Food as Medicine." I thought the course would have me blogging more than I have over the past three weeks, but it seems I've barely written anything at all.

In week one the course introduced learners to the concept of evidence-based medicine, which seemed pretty basic to me.

Evidence based medicine is the “conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients” and/or more broadly applied to populations.

The course presented this concept as the alternative to traditional-based medicines.

In the beginning, I thought I was all about evidence-based medicine in my approach to health care, but, in conversations with other learners, I quickly realized that I use food as medicine all the time -- even before I started the anti-inflammatory diet. When my husband is sick, I buy ginger ale and immediately begin making chicken noodle soup. If I am anxious, I have a cup of tea. If I have diarrhea, I drink lots of fluids and eat plain rice. These are habits I learned throughout my life.

The course teaches the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants, prebiotics and probiotics, before sticking a pin in the myth of superfoods. I will have to write a separate post on the myth of superfoods.

In week one, I also started keeping a food journal (it starts on the week I am celebrating my husband's birthday, then my eating habits improve) and gradually I forgot to maintain it. Eventually, I just stopped, but that was fine because the course didn't seem to mention it again.

In week two, we began learning about what controls our appetites, which got me thinking about the factors in my life that make it hard for me to stick to my diet (like celebrating my husband's birthday).

Week two also had a bunch of information on our genes and diet during pregnancy, which I found boring. My baby is grown up already! However, when they started talking about measuring obesity, I paid attention.

I think weight is a bogus way of measuring a person's health. I was in very good shape at age 14 weighing an athletic 158 lbs, which, some years later, is what I weighed when I was 9 months pregnant. I won't tell you how much I weigh now, but since then, I have consistently stayed between a size 10-14 (I am 5'7"). At age 40, I have a 32 inch waste, but the BMI says I am borderline obese... I call nonsense.

Week two of the course taught me about approaching the anti-inflammatory diet as a lifestyle change that will keep me healthier in an ongoing way.

In week three we learned about media literacy in relation to food as medicine and sensationalized health headlines. It also introduced me to Behind the Headlines: your guide to the science that makes the news. Behind the Headlines investigates popular news stories about health sciences, tracing them back to their origins and analyzing the science at their root.

With many thanks to the course's lead educator Helen Truby, I recommend the Food as Medicine course to anyone with an interest in my blog.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

Diet & Privilege

One in nine people on this planet don't have enough food to eat to lead an active lifestyle. People all around me don't know if they have enough food to get through the week. Here I am, like a spoiled little princess, saying I don't want any ice cream.

As a volunteer at the food bank, many years ago, I asked one of our patrons whether he was vegetarian. "Only when I can afford to be," he answered, opting for the omnivore's kit. That didn't make any sense to me at the time; this food bank catered to vegetarian and vegan diets. I understand now that special diets are a form of privilege.

Privilege is a special right or advantage available only to a particular person or group of people. The term is commonly used in the context of social inequality, particularly in regard to age, disability, ethnic or racial category, gender, sexual orientation, religion and/or social class. Two common examples would be having access to a higher education and housing. Privilege can also be emotional or psychological, regarding comfort and personal self-confidence, or having a sense of belonging or worth in society. It began as an academic concept, but has since become popular outside of academia. Source.

Even special diets for health are a form of privilege in a world where you are lucky to have something to eat.  Special diets are a form of privilege even when access barriers to special diets is imagined, like the man who couldn't afford to be a vegetarian at the food bank.

A community food bank in NJ

Now that I know I am exercising a form of privilege by eating and sharing a special diet to benefit my health, how do I address this social inequality?

One way might be by sharing inexpensive recipes that are consistent with the anti-inflammatory diet, like my turmeric tofu scramble, which uses left-over vegetables. I should be looking for lots of those in the future because I'm not rich, just self-entitled: privileged. There have been many times in my life that I had no reservations about buying the organic macaroni  and cheese with my last five dollars, instead of saving $4.50 with the non-organic generic brand.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.