Simple swaps to get you started…

If you’re like I was and are dealing with high or chronic levels of inflammation, it makes sense to look at your diet and find some ways to swap out inflammatory foods for those that are anti-inflammatory instead. Our bodies can only work with what we put into them, which honestly is good news. It means we have a real shot at making a positive difference, starting today, just by moving toward an anti-inflammatory diet.

A little about my story

When I started my own health journey, I was eating a pretty standard diet and, if I’m honest, I was not doing so great. Tired, brain fog, aches and pains, poor digestion (a mix of crazy bloating so I looked 6 months pregnant and constipation), sleeping terribly, and honestly I was just feeling pretty lousy most of the time.

With my family’s health history (more on that another time), I realized there was an opportunity to take a positive direction which would allow a long, healthy life. In 2014 I became a certified IIN Health Coach and have been working with clients ever since.

Little by little I started changing things up. Nothing too dramatic, just a swap here and there so it didn’t seem so overwhelming. Fast forward and this is simply how I eat now. It’s not a diet I’m “on,” it’s just my normal. And I feel so much better for it.

I also added a 100% natural activator built on 25+ years of science, which has supercharged my health and reduced my inflammation so much.  

Here’s the thing though. Overhauling your diet and lifestyle all at once is a fast track to overwhelm and feeling like a failure. So let’s break this anti-inflammatory diet for beginners down to bite size steps instead (see what I did there haha!).

Simple swaps 

Here are some simple, everyday swaps that shift you away from inflammatory foods and toward an anti-inflammatory diet, without turning your whole life upside down. You don’t need to do all of these on day one. Pick two, get comfortable, then add more.

Drinks Soda out, herbal tea or sparkling water in.

Grains White bread and white rice out, grainy or rye bread, quinoa, oats or brown rice in.

Proteins Processed meats out, lean meat, lentils, beans or eggs in.

Fats Seed oils out, good quality butter, extra virgin olive oil or avocado in.

Snacks Chips and cakes out, berries, nuts or a square of dark chocolate in.

“Diet” and sugar free products Just… out. These are usually packed with chemicals your body has no idea what to do with, and no amount of “zero calorie” makes that a win.

Vegetables Creamy dressings out, olive oil and vinegar in.

Breakfast Sugary cereal out, oatmeal with berries or eggs in.

Sweets Candy or chocolate bars out, a few squares of 85% dark chocolate or a homemade energy ball (dates, nuts, cacao) in.

Activator As well as swapping out, I also added a 100% natural activator built on 25+ years of science, which has helped me reduce inflammation so much!

Where to start

Pick the swap that you feel will be easiest to achieve. This is not about doing them all at once, that’s a road to feeling overwhelmed. This isn’t a competition, it’s your body asking for a bit of support.

And if you want a hand doing the deeper work too, the stuff underneath the food (stress, cortisol, the survival mode your nervous system has been stuck in), that’s exactly what I help women with. If any of this is landing for you, grab the 5-Minute Cortisol Reset here or book a discovery call and let’s chat about what’s really going on underneath.

Until next time, Kim.

If this resonated, I want you to know it doesn’t have to stay this way. I work with high-achieving women who are done running on empty and ready for more than just managing symptoms, women who want to optimize their health, feel like a million bucks, and actually thrive instead of just getting by.

Get in touch here and let’s talk, no pressure, just a conversation about where you’re at and what’s actually going on for you.