The Foods That Inflame Us

• Simple Carbohydrates
  • Refined Grains (any grain that’s not a whole grain) – think white rice, pasta, white and wheat breads (unless it’s whole wheat), candy and snack cakes, desserts (even most sugar-free desserts), starchy vegetables like brown potatoes (red or Yukon gold are a better choice!), fruit juices, etc.
• Foods high in Omega-6 Fatty Acids

  Before I give you a list of these foods let me say that not all of the foods on this list are unhealthy. Omega-6 Fatty acids can actually play an anti-inflammatory role in the right amounts. So don’t eliminate these from your diet entirely. Make sure that you’re eating less than 1-2 servings per day and you should be fine. But be aware! 1 serving is not one portion.

  Vegetable oil, salad dressings and mayonnaise, some types of nuts and seeds, any packaged snack that’s cheese flavored, most packaged snacks in general, fast food and commercially fried foods, cookies, candies, cakes, pastries and muffins, many pork products like sausages, ham, bacon, and spare ribs along with chicken thighs, beef short-ribs, and most dairy products.

  Try some healthier alternatives. Choose olive oil based dressings or search our recipe blog for a variety of healthy salad dressing options (yes, there’s even a ranch on there!). Instead of mayonnaise consider Vegenaise. It’s low in Omega-6s and is egg-free. And yes. It’s tasty (In a mayo kind of way. Not in a weird health food kind of way…). Eat nuts in moderation. A serving of nuts is 16 maximum. That’s far less than the handful (or two!) we normally go for. Stick with less processed meat choices and go for the lighter meat of poultry. Avoid chicken and turkey thighs. They’re literally the thunder thighs of the poultry world. If you want to incorporate dairy into your diet consider choosing free-range organic options here. The difference in their diets give them a better Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. And seriously, if you buy Starbucks don’t complain about the $1.50 difference on the package of eggs. If budget is a main consideration in your food choices consider limiting dairy consumption.

• Any foods that your body is sensitive to
  • For more information on this make sure to check back for our August focus of intestinal health to learn more about how your GI tract is the absolute foundation to your health.

The solution? Participate in the July 21 Day Challenge!

Need more motivation to eliminate these foods? Check out the article Have You Been Living With Your Killer For Years?