The Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Action Plans: 4-Week Meal Plans to Heal the Immune System and Restore Overall Health (7 page)

Paleo followers consume red meat, wild game, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, fish, vegetables, and fruits. However, since we know that excess consumption of animal products can lead to inflammation (particularly if it comes from feedlots), this anti-inflammatory plan includes less meat.

RULES AND PRINCIPLES

1.
Consume fewer animal products, particularly red meat.
Traditional Paleo plans include large quantities of meat, including beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, and fish. This anti-inflammatory menu reduces the consumption of red meat and chooses more fish and poultry. Instead of eating animal products at virtually every meal, try to consume more vegetarian meals.

2.
Buy organic, pasture-raised animal products.
Animals raised on hormones, antibiotics, and GMO grains can increase inflammation levels; additionally, the meat from these animals contains higher amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. Organic, pasture-raised meat is richer in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.

3.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Most vegetables and fruits are allowed on this meal plan. That said, it is recommended that you eliminate nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.).

4.
Be mindful of egg consumption.
The traditional Paleo plan includes plenty of eggs. However, if you are intolerant, eliminate them.

5.
Include gluten-free pseudograins.
Quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are often referred to as grains because of the way they are cooked and used, but they are actually not grains at all—they are seeds. They are gluten-free and rich in nutrients, such as amino acids. Consuming these pseudograins can be beneficial to anti-inflammatory Paleo followers who are trying to eat less meat.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS

•
Increased consumption of plant-based foods, most of which are naturally anti-inflammatory.

•
Improvement in symptoms if dealing with an inflammatory condition and, perhaps, even eliminating or reducing medication.

POSSIBLE CHALLENGES

•
Consuming a lot of organic, grass-fed animal products, along with nuts and seeds, can be expensive.

•
Difficulty finding high-quality sources of animal products.

•
A grain-free and nightshade-free diet can feel restrictive and limited.

This plan is perfect if you want to save time in the kitchen while benefitting from an anti-inflammatory diet, but don’t want to follow a strict dietary philosophy like veganism, Mediterranean, or Paleo. This plan allows a wider array of foods to eat—as long as you don’t have any known food allergies or intolerances. The meals on this plan will keep you fueled and healthy.

The recipes for the Time-Saving Plan are quick and easy to prepare—they take 15 minutes or less, with the exception of slow cooker recipes. These involve about 15 minutes of prep work, after which you can leave everything in the slow cooker and forget about it. Healthy, anti-inflammatory eating has never been so simple or delicious!

POTENTIAL BENEFITS

•
Less time in the kitchen prepping and cooking, while still reaping the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet. Plus, the quick prep and cooking times may lead to some stress reduction.

•
A wider variety of foods is available, so you feel less restricted.

POSSIBLE CHALLENGES

•
Symptoms may persist if you are still consuming foods that don’t agree with you (i.e., grains, meat, nightshades, or eggs).

M
enu planning is the number one nutritional tool you can use to support your health. The best intentions to eat well won’t matter if you don’t have a strategy in place to help you reach your goals.

Following a menu plan has many benefits—you take control of your well-being, dine in a way that moderates inflammation, and reduce your risk of disease. On a day-to-day basis, you’ll feel empowered, less stressed, and even excited at the prospect of the delicious meals you prepare at home.

Menu plans teach organizational, culinary, and budgeting skills that are invaluable to a healthy diet. Once you learn how to eat in a way that works best for your body, you’ll
feel
healthy, vibrant, and energetic. Can a menu plan do all that? Absolutely!

There are four wonderful, anti-inflammatory menu plans to choose from:
1. VEGAN

2. PALEO

3. MEDITERRANEAN

4. TIME-SAVING

Each 28-day Action Plan includes suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Each uses affordable, easy-to-find ingredients, and the recipes require only about 30 minutes of active preparation time (except for the Time-Saving Plan, where each recipe takes no more than 15 minutes). Some recipes include substitution suggestions and sensitivity alerts for problematic ingredients.

To set yourself up for success, follow these handy tips to make the plans work for you.

1.
Schedule time each week to grocery shop.
Menu planning won’t happen if you don’t make it a priority. Dedicate a specific day and time each week to purchase and prepare ingredients for your plan. Do this on a less busy day to help reduce stress.

2.
Prep ingredients immediately.
Wash and chop ingredients in bulk for recipes in the upcoming week. Slice vegetables, juice a few lemons, and cut meat into cubes. The time it takes to fix many meals is mostly spent prepping, not cooking.

3.
Cook in advance.
To relieve the pressure of cooking during the busy week, prepare some dishes in advance. For instance, you could make dinner for the first two days of the plan, cook an enormous batch of brown rice to use throughout the week, or place ingredients for your morning smoothie in a jar and leave it in the freezer, ready to blend the next day.

4.
Enlist family or friends for help.
Don’t do everything alone. Ask family, friends, or roommates to help with the prepping or cooking. This completes the job faster and makes it more enjoyable. Get the kids involved, too, teaching them valuable skills that will set them up for success later in life.

5.
Make it fun and pleasurable.
Prepping and cooking doesn’t have to be boring. Turn on your favorite tunes, listen to a podcast, catch up on TV shows, or chat with a friend on speakerphone. Enjoy a non-food reward each week when the prepping is complete—like settling down with a good book you’ve been meaning to read or taking a walk on a beautiful day.

6.
Batch-cook favorite recipes.
As you move through the plans, you’ll undoubtedly discover dishes you love. Double, or even triple, those recipes. Freeze extra portions for later. Your healthy self with thank you. Likewise, dinner leftovers make great lunches, and a large batch of grains one day can be reheated for breakfast the next.

7.
Keep simple options on hand.
Celery and carrots with hummus or nut butter, avocados, nuts, seeds, jicama sticks, and berries are all fast and easy snacks to keep on hand. Make double batches of Mini Snack Muffins (see
here
) or Buckwheat Waffles (see
here
) and freeze in single servings for quick heat-and-eats throughout the week.