Chronic inflammation is the underlying cause of many illness and diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, gouty arthritis, and even some cancers. The good news is there are many foods out there that can reduce chronic inflammation. That’s why I created an anti-inflammatory foods list to help you get started.

But first, let’s go over some foods that cause inflammation that you should avoid:

• Trans fat
• Refined grains
• Processed foods, drinks, and snacks
• Processed meats
• Dairy
• Sugar
• Too much alcohol
• Fried foods
• Excessive amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids

If you want to change your current state of chronic inflammation, you definitely want to cut out these foods. However, I know exactly what you’re thinking. “What the heck am I supposed to eat if I can’t eat those foods?” Well, I got you covered!

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What Is Inflammation?

Your immune system is incredibly smart. It’s constantly keeping guard and watching for anything abnormal. Whenever something goes wrong, your body sends substances found in your white blood cells to the infected region. This may cause redness or a warm sensation.

However, whenever the body cannot rid itself of the harmful triggers found in the body it stays in ‘chronic inflammation mode’. The body can remain inflamed for years. After so long, the body starts attacking the inflammation or itself. This causes wearing down of cartilage, irritation, and swelling of the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis are all by-products of chronic inflammation.

Fortunately and unfortunately, the foods that enter our mouth have a huge impact on inflammation. You see, when we eat things our body cannot use for nutrients it identifies it as an intruder. And who could blame it? Chemicals and other substances that are made in a lab are far from food. Constantly eating a diet high in processed foods with no nutritional value is a sure way to trigger chronic inflammation.

Luckily, by switching our diet to one high in nutrition and whole foods we can give the body what it’s been craving: health!

But first, let’s cover foods that can cause chronic inflammation as well as some solutions for eliminating these foods. Read more

This Chinese fried rice recipe is one my family has enjoyed time and time again. Although it tastes just like the real stuff, you know exactly what’s in it.

To make this dish healthy, I use brown rice instead of its refined counterpart white rice. Most Chinese rice contains a scrambled egg that gives it a greater taste and texture. But since this is a vegan recipe, I omitted that ingredient.

Therefore, this recipe contains whole grain, vegetables, and some seasonings. Sounds great to me!

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

Things to keep in mind about this recipe:

• You can replace the coconut oil with vegan butter. It would probably work better since the coconut oil evaporates so quickly.
• You need to use chilled brown rice, which means cooking it ahead of time and storing it in the fridge. I usually cook mine the previous day so it’s ready for me. However, you can cook it and put it in the freezer for around 20 minutes. Just be sure it doesn’t freeze!

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After going vegan, I had a really hard time finding pancakes that were free of dairy. They all had egg whites or buttermilk. Even the healthier alternatives had dairy! I found one by Aunt Jemima without dairy products, but the label said, “May contain traces of egg and dairy”.

Ugh! I know there are many recipes to make your own pancakes, but I didn’t have one ready and I was with my whole family.

Later that day, we were at a Burlington store. We were just browsing and I saw a package that said “organic pancake mix.” I immediately walked down the aisle and picked it up. I couldn’t believe it! Dairy free pancake mix!

Since I’ve never heard of this brand, I wanted to do a review on it. Plus, you can purchase this product online without leaving your home! Read more

This blueberry banana oatmeal recipe tastes so good. Not only does it taste good, but it is good! Oatmeal contains fiber and protein. Blueberries and bananas are rich in antioxidants. Another thing I love about this meal is how filling and cost-effective it is. You can get a big container of old fashioned rolled oats for less than $5!

My family absolutely loves this meal. There’s no doubt in my mind, this recipe is a great way to start the day!

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

A few things to keep in mind about this recipe:

1. You can replace the almond milk with another milk or water. However, make sure you follow the directions on the package (or use 2 cups water per 1 cup rolled oats).
2. If you are swapping out certain ingredients, you may have to add another tablespoon of maple syrup as a sweetener.

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I grew up in a Spanish home and Arroz con Gandules (Spanish rice) was always on the menu. It was a staple in our home and we never grew tired of eating it. When my health journey began, I learned that the traditional Spanish rice recipe I had known was bad for your health.

For example, white rice is bad for humans. You can probably imagine how shocked I was. The stuff I ate my entire life was actually detrimental to my health. How could this be? However, the good news is brown rice is good for you. By making this simple switch, I turned an unhealthy meal into a healthy one.

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

Another concerning issue about Spanish rice is the use of vegetable oils. These oils are very bad for you. Again, I switched to coconut oil and the health threat went away.

So yes, this Spanish rice recipe is 100% good for you and it tastes great! Read more