Do I need an anti-inflammatory diet?
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Everywhere you look there’s talk about anti-inflammatory diets. On social media, in the news, and even on Netflix! But knowing that there’s a bit of a learning curve, you’re probably wondering “Do I need an anti-inflammatory diet?”
Let’s dig in with a quick recap on anti-inflammatory diets, and discover 10 symptoms that signal your body could benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet.
What Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
An anti-inflammatory diet is an approach designed to take away food that causes inflammation (like these foods). Plus, it’s essential to add in foods that fight inflammation (like these choices). Eating this way helps reduce the likelihood that you’ll develop a chronic disease.
There are lots of health conditions that can benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet, including hypothyroidism and perimenopause. Increasingly, research continues to prove the effectiveness of this approach on hypertension, cognitive decline, and overall health.
And while an anti-inflammatory diet isn’t difficult to figure out, it can have a bit of a learning curve. (This will make it so much easier!)
Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Gut Health
I specifically work with women who have hypothyroidism, and with women who are in perimenopause or menopause. Both of these conditions are hormone related.
It’s exciting to see research confirming that imbalances in the gut microbiome directly impact the balance of hormones in your body. And the good news here is that an anti-inflammatory diet directly impacts your gut microbiome! Tada!
Here’s how it works:
- You need a perfect balance of good and bad bacteria in your intestinal tract (think: perfect harmony like a rainforest)
- When the microbiome is unbalanced, our body tries to fight back. The result is systemic inflammation
- With an anti-inflammatory diet, the goal is to balance gut health, reduce inflammation, and feel better! Bonus: this can look like fewer symptoms from thyroid issues, reduced perimenopause symptoms, and even weight loss! Hurrah!
Do I Need an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
Ok, got it. Better gut health means better overall health. And that can be achieved with an anti-inflammatory diet.
So now you’re thinking: what does that inflammation look like, anyway? Because inflammation is a hot topic in the media these days, we hear about common symptoms of inflammation, like brain fog and sore joints.
But when you’re wondering “Do I need an anti-inflammatory diet”, you probably want to know what other symptoms might help you decide. So, let’s look at 10 lesser known symptoms, that are your body’s way of asking you to reduce inflammation. (Think of them as smoke signals asking for help!)
10 Signs You Need an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- Unexplained weight gain, and inability to lose weight. This is the most common frustration that my clients share with me. When they clean up their gut health, by transitioning to an anti-inflammatory diet, they begin to lose weight! This is partly from removing processed foods, but it’s also due to decreased inflammation (which is the goal!)
- Afternoon energy crash and all-day fatigue. Feeling tired all the time is a signal that your body is working hard internally. It’s asking for rest! Changing up the foods you eat can help your body work more efficiently, and you won’t feel so tired all the time.
- Dropping your words. Ever been in a meeting, or out with friends, and couldn’t remember what you were going to say? If this happens on the regular, it can be embarrassing! Current research shows there is a direct correlation between gut health and cognitive challenges. Choosing an anti-inflammatory diet can stop this from being such a big issue.
- Skin rashes. Have any weird rashes that you can’t explain? For me, they were on the back of my arms, and all the way down the sides of my body. I tried creams, lotions, and even tried changing my deodorant. However, once I stopped eating gluten (which can be highly inflammatory), the rashes went away completely.
- Sensitive skin. Maybe you’ve had sensitive skin most of your life. But have you noticed it getting more sensitive over time? That was me! When I went to wax my perimenopause sideburns (if you know, you know!) it caused bruising and abrasions that wouldn’t heal for weeks. This was definitely a sign that my gut health was off, and my body could be helped with an anti-inflammatory diet
- Joint pain This is one of the more common symptoms talked about, when we’re looking at inflammation. If you struggle to get out of bed, climb the stairs, or do squats during a workout, try changing up your diet and see if it helps
- Startle reflex. This is an unusual symptom, but you’ll know if it applies to you. For a few years I would unnecessarily jump out of my skin if someone came up behind me, and I hadn’t heard them coming. I constantly felt like I was in a scary haunted house. This could signal an issue with your adrenal hormones. But you can tackle this, because an anti-inflammatory diet helps balance those hormones, too!
- Intense sugar cravings. Do you struggle with intense sugar cravings? As in zero willpower around sweets, carbs, flavored yogurt, or anything at all with sugar? (Alcohol also falls in this category). It’s not always a lack of willpower, but more likely that you have unbalanced gut bacteria. Since an anti-inflammatory diet takes out refined sugar and processed carbs, it can help you get your sugar cravings in check. And if weight loss is your goal…this is a great area for you to focus on!
- Mood swings, increased anxiety, depression. 90% of our serotonin (our feel good hormone) is produced in our gut. If your gut balance is off, you might struggle with mood swings, anxiety, and depression. This is a likely correlation when you’re having sustained feelings of sadness or concern.
- Inability to sleep past 3 am. Earlier we looked at feeling exhausted during the day. If you struggle with that, you’d think that you could sleep all night long! But if you wake up frequently at night, and have trouble going to sleep, changing up your diet is definitely going to help you.
Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
It’s important to note that many of these symptoms could be a sign of other health issues. (And please remember that I’m not a doctor). But, without a doubt, these symptoms can definitely improve with an anti-inflammatory diet.
I also want to point out that as women, we get especially good at pushing these symptoms aside. We say to ourselves “it must be my age!”, “I must have walked too much yesterday”, or “maybe I didn’t sleep well last night”. We push these symptoms aside, and keep crushing life…taking care of our family, building our careers, volunteering, etc.
But in the meantime our body is really struggling, and it’s trying to let us know. I did this to myself for the longest time. The stress from my career, being a single mom, and leaving an abusive marriage – it all took a huge physical toll on my body. I kept pushing everyday, from 5 am to 10 pm, without a break. My body eventually broke down, which really forced me to look at my symptoms and figure out what was going on
I want to help you before things get so bad for you. And if you’re already struggling with major symptoms of inflammation, know that it is completely possible to turn it all around!
Getting Started With an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
If you’re convinced that changing up your food could help you feel better, lose weight, and sleep longer, hooray! I’m thrilled that you see how important this connection is!
And if you’re wondering where to start, let me help you out with the best-ever anti-inflammatory diet beginner’s guide. The Family Fork Meal Plan is designed to give you anti-inflammatory dinners for an entire week! Plus, you’ll get family friendly options (in case your household is still eating things like gluten and sugar). And best of all, you’ll only have to cook 3 full dinners for the night!
Download the Family Fork Meal Plan here. It’s free!
Transitioning to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
At the end of the day, if you really want to feel more energetic, rested, and lighter, you HAVE to pay attention to the signals your body is giving you. Transitioning to an anti-inflammatory diet may be a bit of a learning curve. But in a short amount of time you’ll start feeling the way you really want to. Energized. Happy. And full of life!
About the Author
Ashley Malik is a health coach specializing in anti-inflammatory nutrition and weight loss for women with hypothyroidism, perimenopause, or both! As a business owner, wife, and mom of two, Ashley is passionate about showing you practical, sustainable ways to eat for life-long health and wellness.
