I’m pretty vocal about my chronic illnesses, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I have a few.  I’ll spare you the details here.  But suffice it to say, my body could use all the extra help I can give it to keep it running smoothly. And as I’m in my mid 50s, menopause has thrown all sorts of new things my way.  All the more reason for me to clean my act up to get on the fast-track of health.

I thought I’d share a few things that have helped me reduce my inflammation and feel so much better.  No special tricks, no fancy yoga moves (though yoga is a huge help here!), and no personal chef required.  Just the desire to feel better and not like I’m 200 years old when getting out of bed.

Diary

In 2018 I found out that I’m allergic to dairy.  Not lactose intolerant, but allergic to the proteins found in dairy.  I literally cried when I got the results from my doctor.  I put myself through court reporting school working at a French restaurant, where brie, Fettuccine Alfredo, and French onion soup were staples in my daily food choices. 

I love cheese.  And, yet, since I’ve stopped eating it, my joints feel soooo much better.  I can’t even tell you how much better.  If dairy slips back into a meal accidentally, I totally feel it the next day.  And for point of reference, dairy = butter, cheese, yogurt, and milk. There are some incredible alternatives out there, so I rarely feel like I'm missing out. Check it out for yourself and see if removing dairy from your life makes a difference.

Turmeric

There are a bazillion studies out there touting the benefits of turmeric.  Google search that up and you’ll see what I mean. 

How I add this amazing herb into my  life is by adding it to my scrambled eggs in the morning.  Once my avocado oil is heated up in my pan, I add about four dashes of the golden miracle into it to unlock all of the benefits of the plant.  Then I’ll add in my veggies and eggs and — voila! — a power breakfast to keep me going until lunchtime.

Processed Foods

This one isn’t rocket science.  A good rule of thumb is if it comes out of a box, bag, or can, forget it.  And for sure if you can’t pronounce an ingredient!  Ditch that crap right away.  Driving thru, hell no.  Can be super sized?  No way.  The more veggies and fruits you can eat (especially the veggies!), the better.  Nitrates and sulfites need to be a thing of the past as well. 

Limit Meat

Yes, that includes bacon.  I know, I know.  Honestly.  Meat products are not only not great for you, they’re harmful to the environment.  Now, I’m not telling you that you should turn into a vegan.  You can if you want, but it’s not necessary.  Simply go a couple meals meat-free during your week as a way to make a change in your life.  Then maybe meat products turn into an occasional thing instead of nightly.   And bacon can be more of a splurge than a regular occurrence.

Gluten

Remember that part earlier when I mentioned I worked at a French bakery for a good portion of my life?  This one hit hard.  Not dairy-deletion hard, but still. 

No bread, croissants, doughnuts, crackers?  Yep.  Gluten is in all sorts of things in sneaky ways as well.  But the good news is that there are so many gluten-free varieties of things on the market that you won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything.

Here’s the honest truth:  I’ve felt so much better when I’ve make the necessary additions and subtractions to my lifestyle choices. 

Do I miss a warm, crusty baguette with melted brie?  Um, yeah.  Yes, I sure do sometimes.  And sometimes I’ll give in.  But only sometimes. 

Because when I feel like crap, even mildly, everything else is impacted.  But when my inflammation is reduced, I feel so much better. And life’s too short to cry over cheese, even a melted brie.