Nutrition-Food is Fuel!

Since the title of my blog is "Food for Thought", I think it's time to talk nutrition.  I am a proponent of the "anti-inflammatory diet", and by diet I don't mean a program of systematic denial and punishment to will your body into a slender form.  I am referring to adherence to a lifestyle  where food is fuel and you experiment to find the highest quality fuel for your particular body.  
The basic tenets of the anti-inflammatory diet (supported by Drs Andrew Weil/Barry Sears & others) are:

1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
2. Minimize saturated and trans fats
3. Eat a good source of omegs-3 fatty acids such as fish (wild Alaskan salmon/sardines), fish oil supplements, walnuts
4. Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates (pastas/white rice)
5. Eat plenty of whole grains (brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat)
6. Lean, animal protein in small amounts (organic if possible)
7. Minimize dairy (high quality, organic)
8. Avoid refined & processed foods
9. Spice it up! Ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effect
10. Water is the beverage of choice, along with decaffeinated green tea

The premise is that the origins of many diseases can be traced back to a state of chronic inflammation in the body.  Eliminate this condition-disease will abate.

View Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid: http://bit.ly/15gG2

Next week: recipes!  They will be low in refined sugar, salt, saturated fat.  Don't worry-they will be delicious.

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants" Michael Pollan