Inflammation can be a localized or systemic physical condition in which part(s) of the body become reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection. Injury can result from both external (e.g., a fall or overexertion) or internal (e.g., toxins, painful emotions) factors. There are many inflammatory conditions that are systemic—i.e., they affect the whole body. This is especially true of the autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. There are also instances in which there are overlapping inflammatory conditions occurring at the same time, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.
• THCa tincture: THCa is the most potent anti-inflammatory of all the cannabinoids, and tincture is the most effective way to administer it. Many patients also use THCa tincture preventively for inflammation.
• High-CBD strains of flower: Harlequin (a 50:50/S:I hybrid), Lucy (a 70:30/I:S indica), and Cannatonic (a 50:50 hybrid).
• High-CBD tinctures: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 6:1, or 20:1/CBD:THC.
• High-CBD hash oil: 3:1, 6:1, or 20:1/CBD:THC. The 20:1 hash oil, if available, has been effective in some instances in which THCa tincture was not.
• 3:2/CBDa:THCa transdermal patch
• THCa transdermal patch
• 1:1/CBD:THC transdermal patch
• Indica strains of flower
• Indica and hybrid edibles
• Any strain or MMJ product containing CBG. I found one local MMJ dispensary that had a high-CBG indica strain called Permafrost, a 70:30/I:S.
NOTE: Use caution with sativa strains and high-THC products: Although THC has anti-inflammatory properties and can be useful to some patients, it can also increase anxiety, which has the potential to increase inflammation.
Nearly all chronic pain is accompanied by some degree of inflammation. The foundation for holistically treating inflammatory conditions is an anti-inflammatory diet. You can’t expect to manage or overcome chronic pain if you are eating a diet that is fueling chronic inflammation. The majority of Americans are eating 160 pounds of sugar a year, 200 pounds of unhealthy fats, excess refined carbohydrates, and too few vegetables, and are generally eating too much junk.
Inflammation is often fueled by higher levels of acidity, food allergies, candida overgrowth, and increased anxiety. Diet can profoundly impact each of these factors. This is the reason for recommending the following anti-inflammatory, alkalinizing, candida-control, and hypoallergenic diet. I call it the Fully Alive Diet, since it can play such a pivotal role in experiencing optimal health.
As I have previously mentioned, MMJ is effective for pain relief and pain management. But the anti-inflammatory diet is critical for long-term reduction of the underlying causes of inflammation, which can dramatically lessen inflammatory-based symptoms. Since this basic diet can be applied to treating most of the conditions in Part II, I am presenting it here rather than including it in each of the subsequent chapters. Regardless of what pain condition you are experiencing, I urge you to seriously consider making a commitment to following these dietary instructions to get the best outcome you can.
After reviewing the diet, you may be thinking, “There is nothing for me to eat.” You may not find your favorite foods on this diet, but I can assure you there are plenty of nutritious and appetizing options from which to choose. There are also several good cookbooks available at most health food stores. I recommend The Candida Cure Cookbook: Delicious Recipes to Reset Your Health and Restore Your Vitality, by Ann Boroch, and Erica White’s Beat Candida Cookbook, by Erica White.
If you can closely adhere to the dietary recommendations for at least the first month, you should notice a definite improvement in your pain level, even without medical marijuana. If this is the case, then you can loosen the dietary restrictions just a bit, and see how your body responds.
Vegetables: Eat freely; 50 to 60 percent of total diet; raw or lightly steamed; organic and clean (wash well); high-water-content and low-starch vegetables (3 percent and 6 percent on glycemic index are best—refer to “Glycemic Index” on page 104 and “Carbohydrate Classification of Fruits and Vegetables” on page 105).
• Green leafy: all lettuce, spinach, parsley, cabbage, kale, collard greens, watercress, beet greens, mustard greens, bok choy, sprouts
• Low starch: celery, zucchini, summer squash, crookneck squash, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, radishes, bell pepper (green, red, yellow), asparagus, cucumber, tomato, onion, leek, garlic, kohlrabi
• Moderately low starch: carrots, beets, rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, eggplant, artichoke, avocado, water chestnuts, peas (green, snow peas), okra
Protein: Emphasis at breakfast and lunch with no less than sixty grams per day; meats should be antibiotic- and hormone-free; fish should be fresh deepwater ocean fish; seeds and nuts should be raw and organic. Acceptable proteins include: fresh ocean fish (salmon, sole, cod, halibut), canned fish (salmon, sardines, and tuna—no more than two times per week), turkey, ground turkey, chicken, lamb, wild game, Cornish hens, eggs (especially organic, free-range, high-omega-3-fat yolks—limit two to four per week), seeds and nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, filberts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds—raw and unsalted).
Complex carbohydrates: whole grains (non-gluten is preferable); eat only enough to maintain your energy (try to limit yourself to one serving or half a cup a day or less); restriction varies according to food allergy, which can be determined with an elimination diet (see page 108).
Non-gluten grains: brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth; eat sprouted or cooked; organic and clean; available in bulk at health food stores; rotate grains every four days; tasty as breakfast cereals, in salads and soups, in casseroles and stir-frys; store away from light and heat in airtight containers; other whole grains (with gluten) that should be eaten in only limited amounts include barley, spelt, wild rice, corn, oats, cornmeal, bulgur, and couscous.
NOTE: Flour of any kind, whole grain or not, may be high glycemic (rapidly increasing your blood sugar load), which creates a surge of insulin that might increase inflammation. During the first twenty-one days, try avoiding flour products in general and then minimize after that. See page 104.
Oils: flaxseed, avocado, raw coconut, extra virgin olive oil—1 to 2 tablespoons daily; use on grains or vegetables or as a salad dressing; as much as possible do not heat or cook with these oils, although cooking with olive or coconut oil is OK in moderation; keep flax oil refrigerated and away from light; other acceptable oils (cold-pressed) are walnut and macadamia nut; use within six weeks of opening.
Fruits: Introduce fruits into your diet slowly, limiting yourself to one serving per day until you are sure they do not make your symptoms worse. Start with melons, berries (blueberries, raspberries, huckleberries, blackberries), lemons and grapefruit, and other fruits on the 3 percent “Glycemic Index” list (only after first twenty-one days of the diet); then choose from among most other fresh fruits, all of which are generally sweeter than the first group. These include apple, pear, peach, orange, nectarine, apricot, cherry, and pineapple. Fruit juices should be very diluted, at least 1:1 with water. Freshly squeezed is best. Avoid full-strength fruit juices, canned fruit juices, and all dried fruits.
Starchy vegetables: new and red potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash (acorn, butternut), pumpkin, Yukon Gold potatoes
Legumes: lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas, beans (kidney, garbanzo, black, navy, pinto, lima, adzuki)
Fermented yeast- and mold-containing foods: These are allowable only if you’re not allergic. However, I would introduce them very gradually (eat a particular food no more than once every three to four days) and do not begin until you have been on the diet for at least three weeks. These foods include: fermented dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, low-fat cottage cheese, and sour cream; fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented vegetables, tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy sauce.
NOTE: If you have chronic sinus or respiratory problems, avoid all dairy products.
Seed/nut butters: raw almond butter, raw sesame tahini, raw pumpkin seed butter, raw walnut butter, raw filbert butter, raw sunflower seed butter
Carbohydrates act like a powerful drug elevating insulin in the body. This in turn can increase fat deposits, LDL cholesterol (the unhealthy kind), and inflammation, while decreasing immunity. The amount of insulin the body produces is based on the amount of carbohydrate that actually enters the bloodstream as the simple sugar glucose. This is why you can consume a large amount of the 3 percent or 6 percent vegetables and fruits (refer to “Carbohydrate Classifications of Fruits and Vegetables”) in comparison to the amount of grains, starches, breads, or pastas at any given meal (example: 11/2 cups of broccoli, or any other 3 percent vegetable = 1/4 cup pasta).
It is best to focus on the low-density carbohydrates (3 percent and 6 percent). Not only can you eat more, but there are many other benefits, including high water content, high fiber content, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. People are genetically designed to eat primarily fruits and vegetables as their major source of carbohydrates.
All carbohydrates, simple or complex, have to be broken down into simple sugars before being absorbed by the body and entering the bloodstream. The only simple sugar that can actually enter the bloodstream is glucose. The faster glucose enters the bloodstream, the more insulin you make. This is important for you to know when you are making your choice of carbohydrates. The higher the glycemic index of a carbohydrate, the faster it enters the bloodstream as sugar.
• Fructose has to be converted into glucose via the liver, so fruits have a lower glycemic index than grains and starches. Three to eight cups of 3 to 6 percent vegetables per day are recommended, as well as two to three servings of 3 to 6 percent fruits (1 cup = 1 serving).
• Cornflakes are pure glucose linked by chemical bonds. These bonds are easily broken in the stomach and glucose rushes into the bloodstream. Table sugar is one half glucose and one half fructose, so it actually enters the bloodstream slower than a bagel.
• There are other factors involved that have an effect on how fast the carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugar. Fat and soluble fibers slow the entry of glucose, and this is an important distinction. There are two types of fiber, soluble (pectin, apples) and insoluble (cellulose and bran cereal). And because fat slows down the entry of glucose into the bloodstream, the sugar in ice cream actually is absorbed more slowly than that of a bagel. High-fiber, low-glycemic foods are the slowest to release sugars.
• The more the carbohydrates are cooked, the higher the glycemic index will be. This is because the cell structure is broken down by cooking and processing. The glycemic index is dramatically increased in instant foods like rice and potatoes.
• The body needs a constant intake of carbohydrates for optimal brain function. Too much carbohydrate and the body increases insulin secretion to drive down blood sugar. Too little and the brain will not function efficiently. High-glycemic food should always be avoided with candida overgrowth.
• Remember, protein stimulates glucagon, which reduces insulin secretion, while fat and fiber slow down the rate of entry of any carbohydrate.
• Refined sugar and sugar-containing foods: cakes, cookies, candy, doughnuts, pastries, ice cream, pudding, soft drinks, pies, etc.; anything containing sucrose (table sugar), fructose, maltose, lactose, glucose, dextrose, corn sweetener, corn syrup, sorbitol, and mannitol; honey; molasses; maple syrup; date sugar; barley malt; rice syrup; NutraSweet and saccharine; table salt (often contains sugar; use sea salt). (To diminish sugar cravings, use chromium bis-glycinate, 200 mcg two times a day; biotin, 500 to 1,000 mcg two times a day; and a methylated B-complex such as B-Activ from Xymogen. Dosage is one capsule two times a day with food—only if you’re not already taking a comprehensive multivitamin. Four days without any sugar will also usually eliminate this craving.)
• Milk and dairy products: all cheeses (unsweetened soy milk is okay and so is organic butter from grass-fed cows, but not in excess)
• Bread and other yeast-raised baked items: including cakes, cookies, and crackers; whole grain cereals; pastas; tortillas; waffles; muffins
• Beef and pork
• Mushrooms: all types
• Gluten grains: wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and oats (there are certified gluten-free oatmeal—e.g., Bob’s Red Mill—and granolas; avoid for first three weeks)
• Fresh fruit (avoid for first three weeks) and canned fruit and canned vegetables
• Alcoholic beverages: especially fermented—e.g., beer and wine (alcohol is inflammatory; fermented alcohol is the worst for aggravating candida)
• Caffeine: one to two cups of organic coffee a day are okay (Coffee is acidic; green tea is an acceptable substitute)
• White or refined flour products: packaged/processed and refined foods
• Fried foods, fast foods, sausage, and hot dogs
• Vinegar, mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, olives, and pickles (raw apple cider vinegar is allowed)
• Margarine, preservatives (check frozen vegetables)
• Refined and hydrogenated oils
• Leftovers (freeze them for a later date)
• Rice milk: high carbohydrate content
This diet is meant to be a guide. The responses to it will vary greatly depending on the severity of the inflammation, yeast overgrowth, food allergies, and the type of medication (if any) or anti-inflammatory or antifungal supplements you may be taking to reduce inflammation and candida. The majority of people who closely adhere to the diet will experience a significant improvement within one month.
If you’ve followed this diet for three to four weeks in addition to taking the dietary supplements I’ve recommended and see no improvement, then I’d recommend going back to the basic vegetable (low-starch) and protein diet and being suspicious of a food allergy. The food you’re allergic to is often something you eat every day and have developed a craving for.
If you reintroduce new foods very gradually, one new food every three to four days, then you should be able to detect the offending food from the symptoms that arise after eating it. Please pay close attention to your pain (or other symptoms, such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, headache, urinary frequency, nasal congestion) in the first few hours following the introduction of a new food. This trial-and-error method is a simple way to determine food allergies and sensitivities.
When you are first starting to change your diet and reduce inflammation, it is vital to eat in a way that makes your body more alkaline, rather than acidic. The standard American diet (SAD) tends to be highly acidic. The combination of sugar, coffee, fried fat, excess meat, grain-based carbohydrates, additives, and carbonated sodas contributes too many metabolic acids and increases the acidity of your tissues; i.e., a pH below 7.0. This is especially true if you are over forty years of age. High acidity wreaks havoc on your tissues, by increasing inflammation, slowing down your ability to detoxify, and slowing your metabolism. The result is increased pain!
This occurs as a result of high acidity interfering with optimal enzyme activity throughout the body. You have hundreds of enzymes performing countless functions in your cells every moment of every day. These enzymes depend on a multitude of vitamins and nutrients to function normally, but they are not able to utilize these nutrients in an acidic environment. Your body cannot “water down the fire” of inflammation because these enzymes aren’t working properly.
The Fully Alive Diet I’ve outlined above is naturally more alkalinizing because it emphasizes a high vegetable intake that neutralizes acids with minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. You can easily measure if you are more acidic or alkaline by using pH paper test strips that you can find in most pharmacies or health food stores. You can measure either urine or saliva. I think urine is a bit more accurate. The goal is to raise your body’s pH to a slightly alkaline level—7.0 to 7.4 is the optimal range. If you start eating a more alkaline diet and your pH continues to measure 6.2 or below, you should seek a personalized program with a holistic medicine professional.
I suggest you measure your pH every day for the first thirty to ninety days of your dietary changes and record the numbers. The numbers can quickly go to the acidic side of the scale if you get too far off your dietary program. You can learn from this, adjust your dietary choices back to the more alkaline side, and watch the pH number get back to 7 or more. Most likely you will feel much better as you stay in this range.
The “Acid/Alkaline Food Chart” on the following pages was created by Russell Jaffe, MD. It is also available online at http://www.drrusselljaffe.com/alkaline-food-chart/.
Although it is well known that several of the cannabinoids are anti-inflammatory (e.g., CBD, THCa, CBG), THC is in fact weakly acidic. I would only be concerned about it affecting your body’s pH if you are using high-THC products multiple times per day, which I’m not recommending for treating chronic pain.
Since the majority of chronic pain conditions involve inflammation, I will mention the specific anti-inflammatory vitamins and supplements targeted to each of the conditions in the following chapters.
However, the following four dietary supplements are recommended for anyone suffering with significant inflammation. They should be taken on a daily basis and can be purchased through the professional websites listed in the Resources section.