Tip #2 – Part 2: Less Inflammation, More Alkalinity

Ok. So now to explain the reason why inflammation is such a great concern these days. For instance, Dr. Andrew Luster of the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital describes inflammation as follows. “It is like a fire in your body you cannot see or feel. It’s a smoldering process that injures your tissues, joints, and blood vessels, and you often do not notice it until significant damage is done.”

And this fire, it turns out, is at the core of every illness.  So… with that awareness in mind, let’s make sure what we eat daily is delicious, nutritious and anti-inflammatory.

For a refreshing look at this, I love what my good friend, psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher, Elaine Smookler said to herself when she swapped out her old habits of sugar and caffeine for a more balanced way of eating…

 ”It’s NOT a diet… I just don’t want to DIE… YET!” 😂

We cannot heal in an acidic state. So, focus on creating an alkaline internal environment. Alkaline foods help in countering the risks of acidity in your diet and help balance your microbiome and oral/gut and brain biome. They all work as one, a balanced biome = a healthy immune system. The following foods I am suggesting come from my own experience and one of my other mentors, Functional Medicine Expert Andrea Nakayama.

• Over the course of the next two weeks, see if you can avoid inflammatory foods and personal food triggers so as to stabilize your blood sugar.
• If you have not already, remove the largest inflammatory triggers: gluten, dairy, refined sugar, alcohol, processed foods, as well as individual food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances you may have. You can do it!

ALKALINE FOODS:

• Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli, citrus fruits, seaweed, root vegetables, nuts (soaked and dehydrated), onion, garlic, ginger, avocado, celery, and eggplant.
• Concentrate on beta carotene-rich vegetables like carrots, spinach, and kohlrabi for Vit A, as these increase white cell production and protect against infections.
• Elevate your zinc and selenium levels with brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, scallops, lamb, liver, and beef.
• Increase Vit C levels: papaya, red bell pepper, strawberries, lemons and oranges, parsley, kale, thyme, cooked cabbage, plus superfoods like camu camu, goji berries, and Incan berries.
• Consider Vit D, sunlight, liver, grass-fed butter, egg yolks, and fermented cod liver oil.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Hot water, lemon water, herbal tea, broths, golden milk, fresh vegetable juices. Lean into water-rich foods like soup, stews, fruits, and vegetables.

Lots of love! 💜

Christie Grace