Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (199 page)

Overconsumption of caffeine.

Stress.

Immune damage from dioxin.

Iodine deficiency.

Action plan

The following plan will help reduce inflammation and improve hormonal balance.

EAT/DRINK

Whole foods: soybeans, lentils, tofu, beans, legumes, vegetables, seaweed (for the iodine which if deficient may trigger the condition), seeds, nuts, brown rice, quinoa, oats, millet, fruits.

Foods rich in beta-carotene: pumpkins, squash, yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots.

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna; flax seeds, nuts, raw shelled hemp seeds, all of which contain essential fatty acids.

Liver-building foods such as artichokes, sauerkraut, cherries, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, apples.

Pineapple for its anti-inflammatory property, bromelain.

Vitamin C-rich foods: lots of berries including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and gooseberries.

Zinc-rich foods: fish, kelp, brown rice, wheat germ, pulses, pumpkin seeds, peas, chicken. Use ginger in your cooking to help improve your body’s nutrient-uptake of zinc from foods.

Magnesium-rich foods: dark green leafy vegetables, parsley, prunes, figs, dates, nuts, seeds, apples, alfalfa, mullein (i.e., tea), wheat germ, seaweed (dulse and nori), dandelion greens, kelp, almonds, Brazil nuts, lemons, watercress, millet, artichokes, avocados, cashews, celery, oats, black-eyed peas, lentils, lima beans, brown rice, kale, spinach.