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BITESIZE | 5 Dietary Tips to Reduce Inflammation | Dr Andrew Weil #369

Jun 8, 2023 14m 32s 17 insights
Inflammation is a natural and necessary biological response to injury or infection, but due to our modern lifestyles, it’s become a response that doesn’t always go away when it should.  Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 200 of the podcast with a pioneer in the field of integrative health, Dr Andrew Weil.   Chronic unresolved inflammation is now a widely accepted cause of many serious health conditions, thanks in no small part to Andrew’s instincts and research.  In this clip, he shares 5 dietary tips that can help reduce inflammation in our body and improve our short-term and our long-term health. Thanks to our sponsor https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/200 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Contain Inappropriate Inflammation

Actively work to contain inappropriate inflammation, as it is a common root cause of many serious chronic diseases like coronary artery disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, and dietary changes can help reduce it.

2. Prioritize Removing Processed Foods

Prioritize reducing or eliminating processed foods over simply adding ‘superfoods,’ because processed foods are unhealthy on all sorts of levels and cause damage that cannot be fully offset by beneficial additions.

3. Eliminate Processed Foods

Stop eating or greatly reduce consumption of refined, processed, and manufactured foods, as they are at the root of many chronic illnesses in our societies, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.

4. Eat Varied Fresh Vegetables

Eat a wide variety of high-quality fresh produce, especially vegetables of all different colors, because they contain protective compounds that are very healthful.

5. Prioritize Olive Oil & Omega-3s

Use olive oil as your main cooking oil and ensure you are getting omega-3 fatty acids, which are strongly anti-inflammatory, by eating oily fish or taking supplements derived from algae.

6. Cultivate Rituals for Presence

Incorporate ritual and presence into daily habits, such as taking five or ten minutes to prepare green tea, dedicating this time to yourself to be present with a certain process, as this forms an important part of your day.

7. Eat Mindfully & Socially

Approach eating with more attention and time, lingering over meals and sharing food in company as a social ritual, as this attitude toward eating can contribute to better health outcomes like lowered rates of obesity.

8. Drink Matcha for Calm Alertness

Drink matcha green tea, as its leaves are grown to increase antioxidant content and it has a high content of L-theanine, which has a calming effect and causes a state of calm alertness without the jangling effect or crash of coffee.

9. Increase Plant Protein

Increase the consumption of plant protein in your diet, such as legumes and soy protein, as part of an anti-inflammatory eating plan.

10. Reduce Animal Protein

Reduce the amount of animal protein in your diet and restrict animal foods, as this is considered a good idea for overall health.

11. Choose Slow-Digesting Carbs

Select forms of carbohydrates that do not raise blood sugar quickly, preferring truly whole grains that are either entire or cracked in big pieces, as opposed to products made from flour and pulverized grains.

12. Use Anti-Inflammatory Spices

Incorporate spices like turmeric and ginger into your diet, as they are powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

13. Drink Green Tea

Drink tea, especially green tea, due to its many healthful antioxidant properties.

14. Daily AG1 for Gut Health

Consider taking AG1 daily to support digestion and enrich the gut microbiome, as it contains five strains of gut bacteria shown to increase beneficial bacteria and a variety of plant-based compounds that act as food sources for these bacteria.

15. Moderate Fruit Intake

Be more moderate about your fruit consumption, as fruits are often concentrated sugar sources.

16. Eat Moderate Dark Chocolate

Consume dark chocolate in moderation, as it is considered a health food and very good for you.

17. Matcha Preparation as Ritual

Engage in the ritual of preparing matcha, such as whisking it in a bowl, as this process can be very meditative and relaxing.