Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is one way to reduce inflammation in your body. We have a delicious family-friendly Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan to help you!
What Does Inflammation Do In Our Bodies?
Inflammation might be responsible for more health problems in our country than we realize! Research is showing cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, Alzheimer’s, asthma, eczema, (and of course anything ending with the term -itis) and much much more all have one, underlying cause: Inflammation! Inflammation itself isn’t a bad thing. It’s our bodies natural way to respond to stress or foreign particles. The problem is when this response is chronic, our body gets damaged.
You may wonder what this has to do with children? These chronic issues are usually the LAST symptom! Inflammation begins long before disease or death. And in the case of asthma and eczema, we all know many children are suffering from those while they are young. In an upcoming PBS special, Brenda Watson makes the connection between our diet, our digestive system, and inflammation. I found it super enlightening as of course, I’ve always believed our diet has the biggest impact on our health.
What foods contribute to inflammation?
- SUGAR
- Saturated Fats
- Trans fats
- Eating a diet high in omega-6 and low in omega-3 is associated with increasing levels of cytokines — proteins released from cells that trigger inflammation (source)
- Processed foods
- Refined grains
What foods help decrease inflammation?
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Fish
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Herbs and Spices
- Beans
Whether you decide controlling inflammation is the way to better health, or not, you would have to agree, that decreasing the foods that we believe contribute to the problem, and increasing the healing foods, is definitely a good thing!
One Week Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan
This meal plan includes all of the links for each recipe. If you would like to print this, scroll down for the printable version!
| Breakfast | Lunch | Snack | Dinner | |
| Mon | Strawberry Banana Steel Cut Oats | Hummus and Chicken Wraps | Apple Chips | Salmon, Roasted Sweet Potato, Green Beans |
| Tues | Salmon Frittata | Fruity Rice | Citrus Salad with Greek Yogurt | Asian Vegetable Salad |
| Wed | Cheesy Spinach Bites | Chef Salad | Trail Mix | Greek Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice Filling |
| Thurs | Strawberry Spinach Smoothie | Tuna Salad Sandwich | Cottage Cheese +Salsa on Crackers | Tuscan White Bean Stew |
| Fri | Steel Cut Oats + Berries | Veggie Wrap withHummus | Almonds + Craisins | Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Vegetables |
FREE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PRINTABLE MEAL PLAN
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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Hi Amy- this is definitely food for thought! (no pun intended… I swear!)
I’ve been a firm believer for some time that there should be no leeway in a child’s diet- if we think its bad for us, why should we give it to our kids?
I think that a healthy diet such as the one describe here, and staying away from processed foods is without a doubt the BEST way to keep children fit, healthy, smart and happy.
Thanks again for the informative post Amy!
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We’ve been eating paleo for a few months now and our lives are so much better. Here’s a link to pictures of the lunches I pack for my toddler. http://pinterest.com/rowerowerowe/my-kid-eats/
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Great information Amy! I can’t wait to see this on PBS. I hope you’ll let us know when it airs!
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Nice! I’ll have to check this out. Thanks, Amy.
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Fighting inflammation is definitely a factor for good health. We use tons of garlic and ginger. My wife’s 70-something father is a farmer and drinks ginger tea every morning.
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This is a topic that is near to myy heart…
Cheers! Exactly where are your contact details though?
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So you know children that actually eat this. Stuffed tomatoes! ?
Strawberries and spinach smoothy for a kids breakfast. Wow!they wont love that. Not only are they in need of this diet, but wont try this. Its yucky. What is there that real children will enjoy?!
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I recently been diagnosed with sweet syndrome and looking for an anti-inflammatory diet. I am confused as some sites say no eggs and others have eggs. Also some say no nightshade veggies, while your recipes look good they still include these. Not sure what to eat
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Hi June, thanks for reaching out. I’m not familiar with the details of your diagnosis so I can’t comment on that specifically. But we believe that a balanced diet of minimally processed foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables is the best way to support your overall health. From our perspective, eggs and nightshade veggies are part of a nutritious diet. But if you have questions about specific ingredients, please do take them to your doctor.
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I would say sugar and processed foods make 80% of inflammatory foods. I changed my diet in last few years, trying to consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, also I made green tea my number 1 drink to help me add more antioxidants in my body.
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