118: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Anti-Inflammatory Diet with Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN

Welcome, Fellow Health Warriors! Today’s show is packed with valuable information about inflammation. Our focus is on chronic inflammation, how it impacts our health, and how to prevent and reverse it through diet. You’ll learn what chronic inflammation is and why it plays a major role in many diseases. Join us to learn about the anti-inflammatory diet and how you can follow it to better health! Ginger Hultin is a nationally-recognized registered dietitian and health writer. She owns the Seattle-based virtual nutrition practices Champagne Nutrition and Seattle Cancer Nutritionists, where she helps clients solve complex mysteries with an integrative approach. She specializes in vegetarian diets, oncology nutrition, supplements, and nutrigenomics (the scientific study of the interaction of genes in disease treatment and prevention). Ginger currently serves as adjunct clinical faculty at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, where she teaches master’s level nutrition students. She authored the Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep book. 

Show Highlights:

• Ginger’s life in Seattle and why she is passionate about clinical and integrative nutrition and solving complex health mysteries
• The nitty-gritty truth about chronic inflammation, its causes, and why it can make you feel tired and fatigued over time
• How to recognize chronic inflammation in your body
• Common causes of chronic inflammation: cigarette smoke exposure, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, excess stress, etc.
• How the immune system can turn against you because of chronic inflammation
• Categories of foods that cause chronic inflammation: excessive consumption of alcohol, added sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, and highly-processed foods
• Anti-inflammatory food superstars: fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, plant-based proteins, whole grains, herbs, spices, tea, and cocoa (Aim to eat more of these!)
• Why meal prep can be a lifesaver for those with chronic inflammation
• Ginger’s meal prep secrets: make a list, plan the week, and make use of grocery delivery/pickup as a timesaving tool
• How Ginger sets the record straight regarding gluten and dairy in an anti-inflammatory diet (Hint: Research shows that they have nutritional benefits and are anti-inflammatory.)
• Ginger’s research-based opinions on controversial foods, like nightshade vegetables, coconut oil, and turmeric in the anti-inflammatory diet
• Why cinnamon, ginger, and garlic are superfoods in the inflammatory diet
• How Ginger’s book is structured with information about inflammation and nutrition, meal prep tips and sample plans, and helpful recipes 
• How you can increase the nutritional benefit by making your own sauces, marinades, dressings, and vinaigrettes
• Ginger’s favorite recipe in the book, Lasagna Roll-ups, which is vegetarian and plant-based
• Why the anti-inflammatory diet could help you live longer and enjoy a healthy life
• How Ginger is focusing on better sleep and stress management moving into her 40s
• Why focusing on familiar foods with a healthier twist is a good start to a better diet
• Where tofu, tempeh, and edamame fit into the anti-inflammatory diet
• Ginger’s recipe for with Sheet Pan Tofu and Vegetables with Simple Ginger Teriyaki Sauce
• A few more of Ginger’s favorite recipes from her book, like Flourless Banana Pancakes and Vegetable Fried Cauliflower Rice 
• Ginger’s final tips on looking at science-based research and evidence about nutrition and the anti-inflammatory diet

Resources:

Ginger's website: Champagne Nutrition

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep

Ginger on Instagram

Ginger on Facebook

Ginger on Twitter