Andrew Weil, PhD's Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Makeover Part 4: Simple Steps to Remember

As part of Nutrition Month, each Wednesday in March we are running a series of “kitchen makeover” tips, courtesy of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging.

Now that you have cleaned out your cabinets, understand food labels, and re-stocked your refrigerator, remember these simple steps – each will help you stick to the anti-inflammatory diet when you are shopping, cooking or dining out.

Step One: Look at your carbs. The majority of carbohydrates in your diet should be in the form of less-refined, less-processed foods with a low glycemic load. You can do this by replacing your snack foods (made with wheat flour and sugar) with whole grains, beans, winter squashes and sweet potatoes.

Step Two: Replace your cooking oil. Instead of safflower and sunflower oils, corn oil, cottonseed oil, mixed vegetable oils, butter and margarine, use extra-virgin olive oil as your main cooking oil (for a neutral tasting oil, use expeller-pressed, organic canola oil).

Step Three: Decrease your consumption of animal protein. Except for fish (such as omega-3 rich salmon) and reduced-fat dairy products, animal-derived protein should be limited. You can easily replace meat with vegetable protein such as beans, legumes and whole soy foods.

Step Four: Eat more fiber. Try to eat 40 grams of fiber a day, simple to do if you increase your consumption of fruit, especially berries, vegetables and whole grains.

To learn more about the anti-inflammatory diet – and have access to anti-inflammatory eating guides and recipes - join Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging.

www.drweil.com