Law of Attraction Magazine October, 2015 | Page 20

Dr. Andrews Wei l 's Ant i f l ammat ory Di et
Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially
walnuts), avocados, and seeds - including hemp seeds and
freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in
cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy
foods. Organic, expeller pressed, high-oleic sunflower or
safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and
hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a
flavoring for soups and stir-fries
Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either
monounsaturated or omega-3 fats. Extra-virgin olive oil
is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola
oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.
WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS
How much: 3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to
about ½ cup cooked grains)
Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice,
buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats Why:
Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes
in blood sugar that promote inflammation. "Whole grains"
means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not
whole wheat bread or other products made from flour.
PASTA (al dent e)
How much: 2-3 servings per week (one serving is equal to
about ½ cup cooked pasta)
Healthy choices: Organic pasta, rice noodles, bean thread
noodles, and part whole wheat and buckwheat noodles
like Japanese udon and soba
Why: Pasta cooked al dente (when it has "tooth" to it) has
a lower glycemic index than fully-cooked pasta.
Low-glycemic-load carbohydrates should be the bulk of
your carbohydrate intake to help minimize spikes in
blood glucose levels.
BEANS & LEGUMES
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to
½ cup cooked beans or legumes)
Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as
well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils
Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium
and soluble fiber. They are a low-glycemic-load food. Eat
them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads
like hummus.
VEGETABLES
How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is
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equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw
or juiced)
Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach,
collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables
(broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and
cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea
vegetables and washed raw salad greens
Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with
both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a
wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and
choose organic when possible.
FRUITS
How much: 3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1
medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of
dried fruit)
Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries,
peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes,
plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and
pears - all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits
Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide
range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen,
and buy organic when possible.
Addit ional It em:
WATER
How much: Throughout the day
Healthy choices: Drink pure water, or drinks that are mostly
water (tea, very diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with
lemon) throughout the day. Why: Water is vital for overall
functioning of the body.
Andrew Weil, M.D., is a
world-renowned leader and
pioneer in the field of
integrative medicine, a healing
oriented approach to health
care which encompasses body,
mind, and spirit.
Dr. Weil is Director of the
Arizona Center for Integrative
Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds
the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative
Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and
Professor of Public Health. You can find more health articles
at Drweil.com.