So many people fear weight gain over the holiday more than any other time of the year. If you seem to gain weight simply by looking at food, you might have internal inflammation.
There are several things you can do about that.
First, try eliminating the following foods which are known to cause irritation in the gut for many people. Irritation leads to inflammation.
- Wheat or other gluten-containing or gluten-contaminated grains such as barley, oats, rye, spelt, and even rice (wild rice is okay). Instead, try quinoa, buckwheat, millet and amaranth
- Dairy foods. Substitute almond or rice cheeses, coconut yogurt, and a variety of nut or seed milks. Read the label though because often the sugar content is too high. Buy dairy substitutes that have under 5 grams of sugar
- Soy-based products. Not only is soy an irritant but it is often genetically modified (GMO).
- Chocolate. I’m soooo very sorry to tell you this. If you MUST eat chocolate, limit it to the very darkest chocolate you can find and also look for the fewest ingredients. Organic is also better.
- Corn. Another often genetically modified food that has found its way into almost everything that is packaged. This means reading labels and eliminating corn syrup along with high fructose corn syrup.
- Eggs. Sometimes it’s the egg white that people are sensitive to. It can also be the yolk. In addition, chickens are often fed corn and soy as part or all of their diet. Remember, you are what your food eats!
- Eliminate nightshade vegetables. Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplant can cause arthritic flare-ups in many sensitive people
Second, follow these easy suggestions to help counteract inflammation.
- Eat more fresh fruits: apples, blueberries, fresh pineapple, lemons, limes
- Vegetables, such as onions, greens (spinach, broccoli, kale, collards), garlic, leeks
- Use spices and herbs, such as cinnamon, ginger, basil, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme and oregano
- Nuts and seeds, such as sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts
- Eat a variety of fish, such as smaller tongol tuna, halibut, salmon, sardines, oysters, clams
- Olive oil and coconut oil
- Be picky about beverages, drink green tea, black tea, red wine, and lots of water! Eliminate soda
- Consider taking digestive enzymes, probiotics, additional fiber and hydrochloric acid supplements, especially if you have gas or bloating shortly after meals
If you eat something from this list with every meal and eliminate the known irritants above, you may see vast improvement in eliminating holiday weight gain. Plus, you may also notice improved digestion, elimination of skin problems, more energy and better sleep – to name just a few benefits.
Oh, and you will probably lose weight too.
Visit the products page of my website for additional healthy weight management resources.
