So my doctor wants me on an Anti-inflammatory diet. From everything I have researched, the diet I have been given is stricter than the actual "official" Anti-Inflammatory Diet or (AF diet).
The picture above shows what I am supposed to eat according to the AF diet , but my doc also eliminated gluten. The pictured diet wouldn't have been as hard to stick to, I'd just be losing milk basically and eating more fish, but cutting out gluten AND losing milk throws a wrench into ALOT of meals. Butter isn't on that list, which can be overcome but I have a glass of milk EVERY night before bed, when I wake up and several in between. I am going to try t he milk alternative (except soy) and see...
If it seems like I am complaining, I apologize. I know a lot of people do these diets for allergy reasons so I am impressed. I am also thankful for the MANY suggestions I have also received from friends and family for what to buy, where to buy it and recipes. How it goes, I'll keep you posted...
For more infomation, below is the "break-down" of the AF diet, with explanations of what's pictured above.
HEALTHY SWEETS
How much: Sparingly
Healthy choices: Unsweetened dried fruit, dark chocolate, fruit sorbet
Why: Dark chocolate provides polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa and have an ounce a few times a week. Fruit sorbet is a better option than other frozen desserts.
RED WINE
How much: Optional, no more than 1-2 glasses per day
Healthy choices: Organic red wine
Why: Red wine has beneficial antioxidant activity. Limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start.
SUPPLEMENTS
How much: Daily
Healthy choices: High quality multivitamin/multimineral that includes key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, mixed carotenoids, and selenium); co-enzyme Q10; 2-3 grams of a molecularly distilled fish oil; 2,000 IU of vitamin D3
Why: Supplements help fill any gaps in your diet when you are unable to get your daily requirement of micronutrients.
Click here to learn more about supplements and get your free recommendation.
TEA
How much: 2-4 cups per day
Healthy choices: White, green, oolong teas
Why: Tea is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation. Purchase high-quality tea and learn how to correctly brew it for maximum taste and health benefits.
HEALTHY HERBS & SPICES
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Turmeric, curry powder (which contains turmeric), ginger and garlic (dried and fresh), chili peppers, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme
Why: Use these herbs and spices generously to season foods. Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents.
OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN
How much: 1-2 servings a week (one portion is equal to 1 ounce of cheese, 1 eight-ounce serving of dairy, 1 egg, 3 ounces cooked poultry or skinless meat)
Healthy choices: High quality natural cheese and yogurt, omega-3 enriched eggs, skinless poultry, grass-fed lean meats
Why: In general, try to reduce consumption of animal foods. If you eat chicken, choose organic, cage-free chicken and remove the skin and associated fat. Use organic dairy products moderately, especially yogurt and natural cheeses such as Emmental (Swiss), Jarlsberg and true Parmesan. If you eat eggs, choose omega-3 enriched eggs (made by feeding hens a fl ax-meal-enriched diet), or organic eggs from free-range chickens.
COOKED ASIAN MUSHROOMS
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms (and wild mushrooms if available)
Why: These mushrooms contain compounds that enhance immune function. Never eat mushrooms raw, and minimize consumption of common commercial button mushrooms (including crimini and portobello).
WHOLE SOY FOODS (ELIMINATED from MY diet as I am allergic)
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup cooked edamame, 1 ounce of soynuts)
Healthy choices: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, soymilk
Why: Soy foods contain isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer. Choose whole soy foods over fractionated foods like isolated soy protein powders and imitation meats made with soy isolate.
FISH & SEAFOOD
How much: 2-6 servings per week (one serving is equal to 4 ounces of fish or seafood)
Healthy choices: Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish)
Why: These fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are strongly anti-inflammatory. If you choose not to eat fish, take a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement that provides both EPA and DHA in a dose of 2-3 grams per day.
HEALTHY FATS
How much: 5-7 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 teaspoon of oil, 2 walnuts, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 ounce of avocado)
Healthy choices: For cooking, use extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds - including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy foods. Organic, expeller pressed, high-oleic sunflower or safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries
Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either monounsaturated or omega-3 fats. Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.
WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS
How much: 3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked grains)
Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats
Why: Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes in blood sugar that promote inflammation. "Whole grains" means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not whole wheat bread or other products made from flour.
PASTA (al dente)
How much: 2-3 servings per week (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked pasta)
Healthy choices: Organic pasta, rice noodles, bean thread noodles, and part whole wheat and buckwheat noodles like Japanese udon and soba
Why: Pasta cooked al dente (when it has "tooth" to it) has a lower glycemic index than fully-cooked pasta. Low-glycemic-load carbohydrates should be the bulk of your carbohydrate intake to help minimize spikes in blood glucose levels.
BEANS & LEGUMES
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup cooked beans or legumes)
Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils
Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber. They are a low-glycemic-load food. Eat them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads like hummus.
VEGETABLES
How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced)
Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens
Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and choose organic when possible.
FRUITS
How much: 3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit)
Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears - all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits
Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen, and buy organic when possible.
Additional Item:
WATER
How much: Throughout the day
Healthy choices: Drink pure water, or drinks that are mostly water (tea, very diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with lemon) throughout the day.
Why: Water is vital for overall functioning of the body.
Lunch: For lunch, I made my "famous" turkey burgers. One for me and one for History Boy. I use ground turkey, rather than premade burgers because I found I liked the way the seasoning tasted when it was mixed in with the ground meat, rather than simple on it's exterior. I mix in Tastefully Simple's garden veggie seasoning. Usually I also season with Garlic, Garlic but I grabbed the wrong jar and used Onion, Onion instead. Still came out yummy. I ate mine without bread and ate some raw baby carrots.
Snacks: I had Gratify's Gluten Free Pretzels, Sea Salt Sticks. They tasted great but I think I cheated a little bit because I used one of my fave dips with the pretzels, Tastefully Simple's Bold & Bossy Honey Mustard Sauce. It doesn't contain any dairy or gluten but it is processed in a factory that processes milk, fish, soy and wheat so... Wish I had a way to test how much gluten was in something or to know how much of a risk there is of cross contamination...
Lunch: I made a salad for myself for lunch. Easy Gluten Free. Get my veggies in. I went light on dressing since it didn't say Gluten Free on the label (I didn't see any wheat products on the label but...) I stopped at ShopRite for a prescription for History Boy and picked up some Glutino yogurt covered gluten free pretzel. There Were Yum!! (I think I ate more than one serving LOL)
Here is something just as confusing for me. I purchased a few items that were listed as Gluten-Free. For instance, Dr. Praeger's Sweet Potato Pancakes. It says Gluten-Free RIGHT on the label. Yet, when you read the back of the box, it tells you it was made in a facility that uses wheat, soy, milk, eggs and fish. Do you understand my confusion?
Now I am in a label reading frenzy. It seems ALOT of my favorite foods have ingredients I can't have. (Look in a later blog for my own recipe for Gluten-Free Lasagna!!) I am learning/trying to adapt. There seems to not be alot of labels that read, made in a gluten-free facility. (I will give Ronzoni Gluten-Free their props, it DOES say that.)
Day 3: (Friday, January 3, 2014)
Breakfast. I tried Cream of Rice, which some of you know I posted tasted like wallpaper paste. I added a 
Lunch: I made Bush's baked beans and put in 2 Dietz & Watson hot dogs, which ARE both gluten free. I like pork and beans and even though hot dogs are not a low fat meat, the added protein I felt was needed.
