i started an anti-inflammatory diet

here's why you should too

Hi lovely little over-thinkers <3

Let’s talk about food. Not in the “what’s for dinner?” way, but in the bigger, harder-to-answer sense: what should we actually be eating?

In the U.S., the food landscape is a minefield. One aisle says “heart healthy” and “plant-based” while the ingredients list reads like a chemistry exam. The next is stocked with “natural” snacks full of gut-disrupting oils and unregulated additives. Add in influencer advice, diet culture, and whatever your coworker’s eating this week — it’s no wonder we’re confused, inflamed, and overwhelmed.

To make things even messier: food isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. We eat when we’re tired, stressed, lonely, happy, celebrating, nostalgic — or bored at 3pm. The line between “fuel” and “feeling” is blurry. And for us professional over-thinkers? It’s a full-time job trying to figure it all out.

So I did the research. I tested it on my own body (which, thanks to autoimmune disease, is extremely sensitive to what I eat). And I’m here to help. If you're looking for clarity, ease, or just a way to feel better in your body — I’ve got you covered.

Let’s start at the root.

The Gut is Your Command Center

If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: your gut is running the show.

Dr. Mark Hyman said it best on his podcast – when your gut bacteria are sick, you are sick. It sounds dramatic, but the science backs it up. Your gut houses trillions of microorganisms—collectively known as the gut microbiome—that play a vital role in your overall health. Research shows that these microbes influence digestion, immune function, inflammation, and even brain chemistry. This is why an imbalanced gut microbiome has been linked to a wide range of conditions, including skin issues, mood disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.

When your gut lining (just one cell thick!) is compromised, toxins, allergens, and inflammatory compounds seep into your bloodstream, triggering your immune system to fight back. That constant low-grade inflammation is now being linked to nearly every chronic illness: depression, Parkinson’s, cancer, ADHD, and autoimmune disease included.

So what causes that inflammation?

Our diets sure do. Specifically, the modern diet.

What’s Making Us Sick

Here’s the truth: most of the food in our grocery stores is not food. It's “food-like substances” filled with synthetic preservatives (like TBHQ), inflammatory seed oils (like soybean and canola), and ultra-processed ingredients that hijack our biology and our brains.

Dr. David Perlmutter calls Alzheimer’s “diabetes of the brain” … because high-sugar, low-fiber diets don’t just raise our blood sugar, they damage our brain cells. And activist Vani Hari (aka Food Babe) put it perfectly: “Most of the food on shelves is dead.” She hit rock bottom with eczema, allergies, and brain fog — until she started eating real, living food. That’s when everything changed.

Same for me. I started swapping processed snacks for fiber-rich, whole ingredients. I started reading ingredient lists like they were red flags. I tried to cut seed oils. I simplified. And my body started to come back online.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet 101

A gentle starter pack

If you're overwhelmed, start simple. Here are just a few whole foods to eat more of:

• Fiber-rich foods: legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), oats, brown rice, whole-wheat grains

Sad fact: 95% of Americans don’t get enough fiber. According to the USDA, the recommended daily intake is 25–38 grams, yet the average adult in the U.S. gets only 10–15 grams per day.

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• Colorful fruits + veggies: apples, pears, berries, leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and brussels sprouts

• Healthy fats: avocado, almonds, chia seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter

• Clean proteins: wild-caught fish, pasture-raised eggs, lean meats

• Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, plain yogurt (gut heroes)

And what to avoid:

• Seed oils: soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, safflower

• Ultra-processed foods: anything with gums (i.e. Xanthan gum), “natural flavors,” TBHQ, or a long list of unpronounceables

• Refined sugars + flours

• Artificial sweeteners: sucralose, aspartame, etc.

One simple rule: If it wasn’t made by nature, don’t eat it. Avocado = yes. Twinkie = no.

But Let’s Be Real: It’s Not Just About the Food

I’d be lying if I said switching to anti-inflammatory eating was easy. Especially when emotional eating is part of the story. When I feel grounded and safe, it’s easier to nourish myself well. But when I’m stressed or overwhelmed? Sugar can easily become a crutch. Not because I lack willpower — but because food is emotional. It’s coping. It’s childhood. It’s socializing. It’s comfort.

So, if you’re struggling to “just eat healthy,” please know it’s not a discipline problem. It's an emotional one. And it’s been made harder by a food industry bent on keeping us addicted to the very things we should be avoiding. It’s okay if it takes time.

Change takes time! Educating yourself on products and foods that are good for you AND taste good takes time.

But just know this: gradually changing how I eat – not to punish my body, but to support it – has been one of the most empowering things I’ve done in my early journey of managing autoimmune disease.

Easy Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

• handful fresh spinach

• 1/2-1 ripe banana

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 cup coconut water

• Ice cubes!!

This smoothie is filled with antioxidants, probiotics, protein and fatty acids. And the coconut oil helps boost your brain functioning on days you need it most!!

A few healthier grocery-store products to consider buying (*disclaimer: I’m not a doctor; these are just products with minimal ingredients that I like):

1. Cocoavia Cardio Health Powder - great to sprinkle in your morning coffee. Boosts heart & brain health

2. MALK Unsweetened Almond Milk - no artificial gums, thickeners or sugars

3. Navitas Unsweetened Cacao Powder - rated the best score possible by EWG

4. Once again creamy almond butter - this product got a 100/100 on Yuka. it’s really good for you, and it tastes good. Highly recommend!

5. Figlia’s Non-alcoholic fizzy drink - While some studies suggest moderate red wine consumption may have anti-inflammatory effects, excessive alcohol can contribute to chronic inflammation. Figlia’s alcohol alternatives have no added sugars and taste like an herbal countryside.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be curious. Start reading labels. Start noticing how you feel after certain meals. Start asking, “Is this real food?”

Our government might not fix the food system for us — but we can vote with our dollars, with our meals, with what we put in our carts and on our plates. We can take back our kitchens. We can share what we learn. We can feed ourselves like we deserve to be well.

Because we do. And it starts with today’s breakfast.

<3 Delaney