Inflammation Nation: The First Clinically Proven Eating Plan to End Our Nation's Secret Epidemic

by Floyd H. Chilton

An internationally renowned scientist sounds the alarm about our country's most critical health issue and provides a simple eating plan that can help stop this secret epidemic one individual at a time.

Here are the chilling statistics:

·One in three American adults suffers from arthritis.

·Sixty-four million people have heart disease in some form.

·Fifty million Americans suffer with allergies and 20 million have asthma.

·More than 18 million people have diabetes, with 1.3 million newly diagnosed each year.

·Sixty-five percent of American adults are over-weight or obese and 16 percent of children are overweight.

At best, these conditions destroy our quality of life; at worst, they are painful, debilitating, and fatal.

What can possibly account for the sharp increase in these diseases over the last few generations? Is there a connection between these afflictions? Is there anything you can do to protect yourself?

As this groundbreaking book makes clear, the root cause of diseases as disparate as heart disease, eczema, and asthma is unbridled inflammation. And the major culprit is right in front of us -- on our plates.

Every day we make food choices -- some of which are perceived as "healthy" -- that introduce poisonous levels of certain fatty acids to our bodies. These fatty acids (found in myriad foods, from farm-raised salmon and eggs to roasted turkey) help to inflame our immune systems.

Backed by twenty years of research, and by an unprecedented six clinical trials, Dr. Chilton presents two anti-inflammatory dietary programs: One is designed to provide a solution for those of us who currently suffer from an inflammatory disease, and the other is designed to prevent the rest of us from getting one. Complete with a new food pyramid and eight weeks of easy-to-follow meal plans developed in collaboration with a world-class medical school, the book also includes charts detailing which types of fish are the best inflammation fighters, which carbs you should enjoy or avoid, and the patented Inflammation Index, which gives you the inflammatory potential of more than 250 foods.

If you're already suffering from one of these diseases and follow the Chilton Program, you will see improvement in your health in as few as seven days. If you think you've dodged this bullet altogether, this book will make it very clear that no one is safe, and it will convince you to completely change the way you eat from this moment forward.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2004

Reviews

[Irene B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

According to this author: Eggs and farm-raised salmon are out because they contain high levels of arachidonic acid that increases inflammation. Wild salmon is good. We're supposed to use the author's food charts to monitor our arachidonic acid intake and eat only foods low in "AA". We should also limit foods with high glycemic index, because these, too, cause inflammation. There: Now you don't have to read this book.

What makes me doubt this author is that he includes unhealthy foods, such as pepperoni and fried foods, in his charts and menus. We KNOW these are bad for you for many reasons, so why list them at all? He also recommends using artificial sweeteners!!! He states that modern food supplies do not contain adequate necessary components for good health and then suggests supplementing with borage oil. He does not explain WHY our food supply is inadequate today but was not in the distant past. If you are looking for alternative ways to eat for good health, check out the Paleo people and read about why we should go back to eating basic unprocessed foods grown/raised organically and locally.

[Michael Hentrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. Probably the best part of this book was that I learned more about the causes and effects of inflammation. I didn't realize that inflammation is so connected to conditions such as arthritis and asthma. I gained a lot of supplemental information and reinforced my understanding of the negative effects of processed carbohydrates that I gained through reading other books.

Overall, worth the read.

[Erin Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal- I wish more doctors practiced with this in mind instead of the bandaid approach

If you are suffering from inflammation- please read! It’s pretty awesome that everything is backed up by science and 6 clinical trials. I just finished the book so I haven’t been able to implement the diet in great length, but have already felt better so far. Who knew, one of my highest consumed foods was one of the top trigger foods? Just hoping this works for others as well! Good luck!

[Lindathrashercox.net · Rating 4 out of 5]

worth reading, lots of useful information.

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wavered on whether to rate this book based on the content or the conduct. If based on content it would have been a 3 and based on conduct it would have been a 1. So I averaged it as a 2. The book spends a significant portion of the time on the "scientific" reasons that someone has diseases or will develop diseases that are or may be caused by inflammation and another significant portion on the maintenance and / or prevention menus that one can eat to avoid this inflammation. On the surface this makes sense....it is necessary to educate readers to why inflammation happens and the outcomes, convince them that it can be stopped and then tell them how to do it. The problem that I continue to have with these books is that while Doctor "A" tells you one thing, Doctor "B" tells you another and sometimes the stance is the same and sometimes they are diametrically opposed. How can that be if you are basing your advice on dietary science? Nevertheless, new or surprising information included in this book was that egg yolks are again "bad"; eat margarine again despite that other health books say to avoid it like the plague....take supplements of GLA and EPA (must have both) if you aren't going to eat the low AA fish three to four times a week. Otherwise nothing too surprising here including the AA index that this author has created.

[V.L. Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

My doctor recommended this book and its diet because I have arthritis and some spinal disc trouble. The book is an easy read with illustrations and easy to understand science. I was amazed at how many foods contribute to inflammation and how many diseases are linked to it, including asthma. Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to understand the inflammatory process and I think all doctors should read it as well. Ask your doctor if he has read it!

[Laurel Bradshaw]

Entertainingly written, but after looking ahead at the diet portion of this book, it is not for me. I won't be wasting my time, so can't give this a rating. Nothing against the book - I do believe that diet is a major player in the host of auto-immune diseases plaguing our nation. However, the diet is very heavily focused on fish and did not look like it could be modified for a vegetarian.

Book description: The average American diet (even when we're making what we think are healthy choices) is inflaming our immune systems. But with Dr. Chilton's revolutionary, all-natural dietary program, you can learn how to choose foods that will help prevent, treat, and reverse the effects of this secret epidemic in as few as seven days.

[Krista Bolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I really hate about all these books that combine glycemic index with anti-inflammation info is that sometimes the two don't go together and then you'll find the same food that's recommended in one book is not recommended in another. Example: whole wheat pasta, which is rated low on the glycemic index in this book is rated high in Zone Points for being to high in carbs (p61 of Barry Sears' Anti-Inflammation Zone). The only thing all these books seem to agree on is that fish oil is important. How much one should take, though, still seems up to debate.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far, this has been the most promising one of the bunch I got. it was written a while ago and he still isn't discussing source of your food. at least, not much. it felt like he had part of the picture, but still is missing some big pieces. all grains were fine on his diet...as was margarine as long as it didn't have trans fat. interesting thoughts about borage oil (GLA) and EPA. will have to investigate further.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good med talk to understand inflammation in the body. Felt like the dr has a similar outlook about foods in our country as I do; however, he still mentioned using artificial sweeteners and margarine - both things I don't think people should eat. Was hoping to have a plan to follow but feel like how we eat is already along these lines. Good fish info in this book tho.

[Daina · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I agree that many of the things we eat today are not good for us and are probably contributing to some of our health problems, this is a difficult book to read - it got too scientific for me - and take too seriously. The author's diet plan allows artificially sweetened drinks, for example. Huh? Since when is a Diet Coke a health food?

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ended up skimming a lot of this one. Whole eggs are out according to this one. Healthy oils are in. A lot of the same information as another anti-inflammation book I just read. The way we eat being the reason we have so much disease and obesity.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info on inflammation. Enough to start awareness on the connection between disease and diet. It needs updating. Some of the dietary suggestions are outdated. Also, the glycemic load is a better way to calculate this information.

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative. Hideously boring. But I really have no clue how you 'spice up' informational books about medical and lifestyle stuff. So only read if you must!!!

[Salsadancer · Rating 3 out of 5]

help inflamation dieeases by eating the right fats; Inflamationnation.com

[Marianne Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my health! I recovered from a diagnosis of fibromyalgia after reading this. Sugar is a major inflammatory agent, and I never knew that!