Because I have chronic inflammation due to Lyme disease and POTS, I’m constantly taking supplements and eating the right food to reduce that inflammation.
Yes, that means I have to put in a little extra effort to cook but I’ve noticed a huge difference in things like chest pain due to inflamed cartilage around my heart, headaches and fatigue. So check out these must-haves I use to cook my daily meals and take a look at the things I try to avoid.
Kitchen Necessities
- Coconut Milk (canned for cooking and SO Delicious brand for drinking and morning shakes)
- Cacao power and cacao nibs (for baking chocolate desserts and for shakes)
- Coconut Oil (for cooking)
- Almond Butter
- Almonds (roasted for shakes, raw for making my own milk)
- Chia seeds (to put in pancakes, shakes, oatmeal, etc.)
- Buckwheat flour (for gluten-free pancakes)
- Quick oats and old fashioned oats (For putting in pancakes or for a snack)
- Bananas
- Dried Apricots
- Apples
- Beets (anti-inflammatory)
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Onion
- Quinoa
- Eggs
Kitchen No’s
- Cream-of-anything soup (so much dairy)
- Refined sugar
- Dairy Milk
- Yogurt with lots of added sugar
- Juices with lots of added sugar
- Pasta (gluten-free quinoa-based pasta is good)
- Bread (gluten-free bread is okay, but the yeast could be a problem in those with candida)
Take note: dairy, gluten, refined sugar and anything with added sugar is a no-no for controlling inflammation. Hopefully this list helps you get started on your route to healthy eating!