Dr. Weil's anti-inflammation diet

Are cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases inevitable consequences of aging? Dr. Andrew Weil, leading expert in integrative medicine, answers with a resounding “No.”

Dr. Weil, speaking to the 2009 class of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition on May 16, explained that all of these and other so-called diseases of aging have a common root in inflammation.  Although inflammation is the body’s effort to heal itself, if it persists, it produces disease.

Most people go through life in an inflamed state due to stress and poor diet. To combat this trend, Dr. Weil has designed an anti-inflammation diet, including a food pyramid which he makes available in a wall chart and wallet cards.

The essence of his regimen is quite simple. He sums it up by saying “Eat less and stop eating refined, processed foods.” The most striking change he has seen in the U.S. over his 40 years of practicing medicine is that manufactured foods have replaced home cooked meals. He notes that one positive side effect of the recession is that people may start cooking at home again.

With respect to aging, Dr. Weil says that our aim should be “compression of morbidity,” meaning that we want to live long and well and drop dead suddenly rather than suffering for years with disease. This is the special talent of the Okinawans, who have the highest percentage of centenarians in the world and are for the most part healthy and active throughout their long lives.

Dr. Weil, points out some of the unique dietary habits of the Okinawans, including their love for bitter gourd, which helps maintain level blood sugar, and their cold unsweetened turmeric tea. He even advises that we all add a teaspoon of turmeric to everything we cook to take advantage of its natural anti-inflammatory properties.

But you don’t have to eat strange things to follow Dr. Weil’s diet. He believes that the major obstacle to eating better for most people is their belief that you must deprive yourself. His food pyramid is built on a base of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes and is topped off with red wine and high quality dark chocolate. Seriously, how difficult is that?