An anti-inflammatory diet, along with exercise, can yield many health benefits, such as improved symptoms of many chronic conditions, reduced cancer risk, and a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Learn more about this healthy way of eating and how to get started.

1. Guide to Eating an
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Christina Lavner, RDN

2. QUIZ:
1)Does eating a Mediterranean diet or plant
based diet mean I can only eat Italian or
Greek dishes?
NO!! A Mediterranean diet is a pattern of
eating that can offer health protective
potential by avoiding adult weight gain and
preventing metabolic changes that can lead
to cancer & other disease development.

3. 2) Does eating a Mediterranean
diet or plant based diet mean I
have to become a vegetarian?
NO!! The goal is to increase the
fiber in your diet & change the
way we think about protein
foods.

4. 3) Does eating a Mediterranean diet or
plant based diet mean I will have no flavor
in my food?
NO!! Spices are not only delicious they
are good for us! Many spices such as
Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, etc. are
considered anti-inflammatory foods,
when we EAT them!

5. 4) Is eating green veggies, like Kale,
Broccoli, Spinach better for me than other
vegetables?
NO!! No one veggie is more important than
another. It is the combination of eating a
variety of fruits and veggies that create a
synergistic effect to make our bodies as
healthy as possible & have the ability to
fight off disease.

6. 5) Is diet more important than exercise
in preventing cancer or other diseases?
NO!! Exercise plays a key role in
maintaining good health. A recent
study found that adding exercise,
independent of diet, decreases 17
different types of cancer by 50-55%.
We are meant to move!

7. A few things to note when we talk about
cancer prevention:
1)Any “diet” you choose has to be
sustainable for the rest of your life
2)Exercise should be considered
“medicine” not “torture”
3)No food can cure cancer
4)It’s not just food that keeps us healthy –
our mental/emotional state plays a
big role in our health.
Sometimes we need to feed our soul.

8. How do I
implement a
plant based
diet?

9. Step #1:
It isn’t just about food,
it is why we eat it.
This isn’t just another “diet”,
it is a lifestyle.
A commitment to yourself for long
term good health.
A commitment to allow your body to
be as healthy as possible.

10. Step #2
Get rid of processed foods in your
diet. Move to a more all natural diet.
Increase: fruits, vegetables & whole
grains in your diet.
Decrease: white flour, cakes, candies,
cookies and other processed or fast
foods.

11. Step #3:
Increase healthy fats such
as
Olive Oil, Avocado, Nuts,
Seeds

12. Step #4:
Reduce the amount of red meat in
your diet and increase fish & non-
meat protein sources.
For example, nuts, beans, seeds,
tofu, non-fat dairy products

13. Step #5:
Eat the colors of the rainbow!
The different colors of fruits &
vegetables represent the variety of
different protective compounds they
offer. The more colorful your plate is
the more abundant the nutrients are.

14. Step #6:
Skip the salt!
Use different herbs and spices to
season your food, such as
Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic,
Rosemary, Basil, Oregano,
Parsley, etc.

15. Step #7
Drink Water!!
New recommendations are half
your body weight in oz. of
water.
Start with 64 oz. per day

16. Step #8
Drink red wine in moderate (optional)
No more than 2 glasses per day for
men
& 1 glass per day for women.
AICR recommends no alcohol for
cancer prevention.

17. Step #9
Take small steps!!
You don’t have to be perfect
tomorrow.
Make small changes that are
realistic and achievable.
NO perfection or extremes!!

18. INFORMATION OVERLOAD!!
Doing the right thing
is confusing!!
*90% of health information &/or claims on
the internet are based on someone’s opinion
or information that was made up to sell a
product.
NOT everything you read on the internet is
true!!

19. Small Realistic Changes
Instead of saying “I’m never eating any
CARBS ever again”
Try cutting out processed foods or
sweets,
i.e.: chips, cookies, baked goods, etc.
Change from French Fries to a baked
potato or a side of vegetables instead.

20. Exercise is Medicine!!
Add exercise in as much as possible - the goal is to prevent
metabolic changes.
As we age, we lose lean mass or muscle, you need to work to
maintain it or you can lose up to a pound of muscle every year.
It is replaced with fat!
Muscle burns 9 calories an hour & fat burns 3 calories an hour to
maintain it’s state.
Muscle burns 3x’s more calories!!

21. Less muscle + More fat +
decreased physical activity +
unchanged eating patterns =
Difficulty losing weight &
keeping it off.
Weight Gain = Metabolic Changes =
Increased Cancer Risk

22. Healthy Fats … Not High Fat!
Healthy fats are linked to:
Lower Cholesterol levels,
Healthy Hearts
Weight Loss
Overall Fewer Health Problems
Avocado, Olives, Olive Oil, Walnuts, Seeds,
etc.

23. Drinks Count!
Water is best

25. Summary:
1) Vegetable – At least 6 servings per day
2) Fruit – 2-3 servings per day
3) Dairy – 2-3 servings per day, avoid processed
cheeses
4) Meat – 1x week or less
5) Chicken – 2x week
6) Fish & Seafood – At least 3x week
7) Grains & Breads – Bread 3 slices/day, Pasta 1x
week, other grains 1x week
8) Fats & nuts – At least 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil per week
& 3 servings of nuts & seeds per week
9) Beans – 2-3 servings per week

26. The Secret
Answer is …
The 4 F’s:
Fiber
Fluid
Fitness
Flexibility