a root cause of chronic illness - maria rickert hong · for epidemic answers, a 501(c)3 non-profit...

Copyright ©2014, Maria Rickert Hong, MariaRickertHong.com

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Discover 12 Powerful Ways to Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is a root cause of many

chronic illnesses such as heart disease,

type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

It can be caused by a variety of factors

such as poor dietary choices, stress,

toxicity and visceral fat.

But did you know that inflammation is also

a root cause of autism, ADHD, allergies,

asthma, eczema, lupus, fibromyalgia,

rheumatoid arthritis and other

autoimmune diseases? Anytime your immune system goes on the attack, which

it’s constantly doing in the case of an

autoimmune disease, there’s

inflammation.

In this handout, I’ll go through a variety of

ways to help you reduce inflammation and

its associated pain, swelling, redness and,

in some cases, neurological problems.

A Root Cause of Chronic Illness

Boost your antioxidants.

“Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

- Hippocrates

Colorful fruits and vegetables contain loads of antioxidants, and fresh herbs and dried spices contain even more.

Best Antioxidants

Turmeric prevents neurological disease and fights cancer and heart disease.

turmeric

Rosemary has been shown to prevent DNA mutations, thus making it a cancer-fighter.

rosemary

Garlic boosts the overall levels of antioxidants in the body and lowers blood pressure.

garlic

Ginger has 25 different antioxidants, making it one of the most versatile.

ginger

One tablespoon of oregano has 42 times more antioxidants than one apple.

oregano

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2 Copyright ©2014, Maria Rickert Hong, MariaRickertHong.com

Discover 12 Powerful Ways to Reduce Inflammation, A Root Cause Of Chronic Illness

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Eat the Rainbow

A rainbow of colors in fruits and

vegetables mean that you’re getting

an abundance of antioxidants,

powerful fighters of inflammation.

Be sure to eat fruits and vegetables

that are naturally red, green, purple,

blue, orange and yellow.

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Spice up Your Life

Adding fresh herbs and dried spices

can enormously boost the ability of

your diet to fight inflammation. Try

to use some form of herb and/or

spice not only to help you fight

disease but also to make your food

delicious. I recommend toasting

dried spices in a pan for a few

minutes until aromatic.

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Choose Organic Foods

Organic foods, by definition, are not

allowed to be grown with synthetic

pesticides or chemical fertilizers,

cannot be genetically modified (GMO)

and cannot be irradiated. By eating

organic foods, you’re not eating

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organophosphate pesticides, which

have been linked to autism and ADHD.

You’re also not eating GMO foods,

which have been linked to birth

defects, autism and allergies.

Organic foods have higher levels of

antioxidants and minerals than their

standard counterparts.

What do eating a rainbow and spicing up your life have to do with recovering your health? Antioxidants.

“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”

Choose Fresh Foods

The fresher the food, the more

energy it has and the higher the level

of antioxidants. When you shop,

choose foods from the perimeter of

the supermarket, as this is where

fresh foods are located. Better yet,

buy your foods from a farmer’s

market or a CSA featuring locally

grown foods.

- Dr. Ann Wigmore



inflammation: The cause of pain in chronic illness.

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Eat Whole Foods

Eat foods as close to their natural form as

possible, as they will retain more

nutrients. Don’t be fooled by labels that

tout “Made with whole grains”. That

means the manufacturer started with a

whole grain and then ground it into a high-

glycemic flour. “Whole grain” means it

should be in the original form, such as

brown rice, wheat berries or quinoa seeds,

for example, and not made into flakes,

pasta, cereals, breads, etc.

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Eliminate/Reduce Sugar

Sugar is THE most inflammatory food.

Period. “Sugar” means evaporated cane

juice, agave nectar, honey, fruit, fructose,

brown rice syrup, maple syrup, etc.

Starches (corn, rice, potatoes, etc.) and

grains made into flour glycemically act like

sugar, which gets us back to the “eat

whole foods” tip. High-glycemic foods are

highly inflammatory.

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Get An Oil Change

The American public has been conned

into thinking that we should be

cooking with vegetable oils, such as

corn, canola, safflower, etc. These

are extremely unhealthy for two

reasons. First, they have been

processed under high heat,

deodorized and bleached, meaning

that they are likely already rancid by

the time they hit the grocery-store

shelf and you wouldn’t be able to

smell the difference. Second, they

are unsaturated fats, meaning that

the high heat of cooking further

destroys the fragile bonds holding

them together. What happens when

the bonds are broken and fats become

rancid? Free radicals are generated

and cause inflammation.

Omega-3 fatty acids are excellent

coolers of inflammation. Good

sources of them are in the oils of

cold-water fish and in the oils of

borage, evening primrose, and

flaxseeds.

Cook with Saturated Fats or Olive

Oil

Saturated fats, because of their

stronger chemical bonds, have the

ability to withstand the high heat of

cooking without generating free

radicals and, thus, inflammation.

This advice goes completely against

what we’re told today, but consider

that autoimmune diseases, heart

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disease, cancer and diabetes are at

record levels today, and these are all

diseases of inflammation. Olive oil,

ghee, butter, coconut oil, lard,

schmaltz, tallow, duck fat are

examples of wonderful healing fats

with which to cook.

Choose Pasture-Raised Foods

Meats, butter, eggs, bones and other

animal products have a better

nutritional profile (fatty acids,

vitamin and mineral content) if they

come from animals that eat what

nature, not a factory, intended them

to. Chickens should be eating bugs,

cows should be eating grass, etc.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that

organic meats are the best choice.

While these animals aren’t eating

foods filled with synthetic pesticides,

they are most likely consuming grain,

especially corn, which is highly

inflammatory.

Reduce Stress

Stress causes your body to produce

cortisol, which causes your body to

make belly fat, which is in itself

inflammatory. Thus, reducing stress

lowers cortisol, which lowers

inflammation. Excess belly fat is

linked to type 2 diabetes, insulin

resistance and metabolic syndrome

(syndrome X).

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Heal Your Gut

Friendly gut flora can quickly degrade

inflammatory messages within your

digestive tract. Eating fermented

foods is one way to heal your gut.

Hire a Health Coach

A health coach works one-on-one with

you on issues related to your health,

nutrition, and lifestyle. A health

coach provides guidance and support

to help you recover, step by step,

from your health issues by guiding you

to choose and cook beneficial foods,

eliminate harmful foods, and offer

advice about which particular diet is

most healing for you.

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+ Putting Out the Fire of Inflammation Is Half the Battle.

Free-radical generation, also known as oxidative stress, is what causes inflammation. Autoimmune diseases, heart disease, cancer and diabetes are at record levels today, and these are all diseases of inflammation.


“I know what it takes to recover from symptoms of chronic illnesses.”

- Maria Rickert Hong

I received my training as a Health Coach from the Institute

for Integrative Nutrition's cutting-edge Health Coach

Training Program. During my training, I studied over 100

dietary theories, practical lifestyle management

techniques, and innovative coaching methods with some of

the world’s top health and wellness experts.

My education has equipped me with extensive knowledge in

holistic nutrition, health coaching, and preventive health.

Drawing on these skills and my knowledge of different

dietary theories, I work with clients to help them make

lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results.

I have recovered my two sons from sensory processing

disorder, asthma, allergies and acid reflux with food,

occupational therapies and a biomedical approach. I have

also recovered myself from adrenal fatigue,

hypothyroidism, systemic Candida and immune

dysregulation with dietary interventions and a biomedical

approach.

I am also the Media Director, a board member and blogger

for Epidemic Answers, a 501(c)3 non-profit whose goal is to

help parents recover their children from chronic illnesses

such as autism, ADHD, SPD, allergies, asthma, acid reflux,

OCD, autoimmune and more.

I am also the Media Director for Epidemic Answers’ Canary

Kids Film Project. We will be documenting the potential

recovery of 14 children with autism, ADHD, asthma, atopic

dermatitis, mood disorders, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

and type 2 diabetes as they receive free healing and

recovery services for 18 months. Dr. Russell Jaffe, founder

of the ELISA/ACT allergy test, and Dr. Martha Herbert,

pediatric neurologist at Harvard University and author of

“The Autism Revolution” are heading up the film’s medical

advisory board.

About Me

From my education at the Institute for Integrative

Nutrition, to my personal experience in recovering my sons,

to my work and research at Epidemic Answers, I know what

it takes to recover from symptoms of chronic illnesses, and

I can help you do the same.

If you would like to learn how I can help you recover your

health, you can reach me on my website,

www.MariaRickertHong.com

You can also follow me on:

Facebook: Maria Rickert Hong Nutritional Healing

Twitter: mariarickert

LinkedIn: Maria Rickert Hong

Pinterest: Maria Rickert Hong

Google+: Maria Rickert Hong Nutritional Healing

Learn How I Can Help You Recover Your Health

a root cause of chronic illness - maria rickert hong · for epidemic answers, a 501(c)3 non-profit...

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