Believing that what you eat plays a role in whether your body develops inflammations, Dr. Andrew Weil created the anti-inflammatory diet. As he explains, his eating program combines the right types of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to prevent inflammation. Weil organizes food groups in a pyramid form, starting with fruits and vegetables -- which you should eat often -- at the base and ending with dessert -- eaten occasionally -- at the top.
The Basics
The anti-inflammatory diet is an eating guideline for all ages. Unlike some other nutritional programs, weight loss is not its goal, though a drop or rise to an ideal weight is often a consequence of nutritious eating. The basic idea behind this diet pyramid is to eat a variety of foods that include an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, and to curb consumption of fast and other processed foods. Weil's meal plan is not a "miracle" or "secret" diet. It is a common-sense recommendation for you to eat natural foods rich in antioxidants and nutrients, and to avoid processed foods, the basis of health for everyone.
Pyramid's Blocks
Above the fruit and vegetable base are three compartments, with one for beans and other legumes, one for pasta and the third for whole and cracked grains. Healthy fats sit on top of them. Weil recommends olive and canola oils, nuts, seeds and avocado as your best sources. Seafood, soy products and Asian mushrooms add three more blocks to the pyramid. The tip is made of the final six blocks: additional proteins such as eggs, lean meats and dairy; herbs and spices; white, green and oolong teas; dietary supplements; optional red wine; and at the very top what Dr. Weil calls "healthy sweets." He offers dark chocolate as an example.
Calorie Distribution
In this diet, 40 to 50 percent of your daily calories need to come from carbs. Thirty percent should be from fat. Protein makes up the remaining 20 to 30 percent.
Servings Definition
The American Heart Association describes a serving of grains as one bread slice, 1 oz. cold cereal or ½ cup hot cereal, rice or pasta. One vegetable serving translates into 1 cup raw greens, ½ cup other vegetables or ½ cup vegetable juice. One serving of fruit is equal to one baseball-size fruit; ½ cup cut, cooked or canned fruit; or ½ cup fruit juice. One serving of meat consists of 2 to 3 oz. cooked lean red meat, fish or poultry. One-half cup prepared dry beans is also one serving, as are 2 tbsp. peanut butter. You also have one serving of dairy in 1 cup yogurt or milk or in 1½ oz. cheese.
Diet Daily Servings
The anti-inflammatory pyramid diet requires that you eat a certain number of food servings daily. You need four to five servings of raw or cooked vegetables. Also include three to four servings of fresh or frozen fruit, as well as three to five servings of whole or cracked grains. Also, eat up to two servings of non-soy legumes in addition to the same amount of soy products. The diet also calls for five to seven servings of fats and two to four cups of tea. Limit the optional wine consumption to two glasses and drink six to eight glasses of water daily. Supplement this meal plan with 200 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 international units, or IU, of vitamin E as mixed tocopherols. In addition, take 200 micrograms of yeast-based selenium, as well as 10,000 to 15,000 IU mixed carotenoids. Add to the daily diet one multivitamin pill with 400 mcg of folic acid. Select a formula that does not contain iron or vitamin A. According to Weil, you should also take 2,000 IU of vitamin D. Add 500 to 700 mg of calcium to your daily supplement list if you are a woman.
Other Servings
Work into the week's menu two to three servings of pasta, two to six servings of seafood and one to two servings of a protein source not listed, such as red meat. This diet also calls for unlimited servings of cooked Asian mushrooms, herbs and spices. On occasion, you may have dessert.
