How to Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Without It Taking Over Your Life

September 17, 2025 / Kevin harson /

Everyone’s talking about the anti-inflammatory diet. In part, that’s because inflammation is often used as an umbrella term to explain a myriad of health woes. It’s said to be the culprit of everything from minor bodily annoyances (like acne) to chronic and life-threatening conditions (like cancer).

Though there’s always a bit of truth to the accusations, like many of our chosen health-world villains, inflammation is slightly misunderstood. First off, you can’t blame it for everything. Inflammation does not cause inherited genetic conditions, broken bones, or disorders caused by nutritional deficiencies, for example. Second, it’s not always bad. Inflammation is the body’s natural, protective response to illness or injury. In the short term, this helps the body heal.

It’s chronic inflammation that’s the real danger. Chronic inflammation can impact the body in a slew of negative ways, including autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, gastrointestinal issues, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

One of the most science-backed ways to protect the body from chronic inflammation is by following the anti-inflammatory diet. “As its name suggests, the anti-inflammatory diet is meant to help reduce inflammation in the body,” says Parker Lane, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Fig Lane Nutrition. Carolyn Williams, RD, PhD, a registered dietitian and author of Meals That Heal, adds that the eating plan centers around foods that contain nutrients that actively protect against cell damage.

Both Lane and Dr. Williams say that anyone can benefit from the anti-inflammatory diet, but if you are already in relatively good health, you likely won’t notice any differences in how you feel day-to-day. But you can rest assured, both say, that you are lowering your risk of experiencing any chronic diseases in the future.

If you are currently experiencing any signs of inflammation (such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or have an autoimmune disease such as lupus), the dietitians we talked to say you can especially benefit from the eating plan and likely will notice a difference in how you feel short-term (namely, less symptoms).

Adrian Hernandez, RDN, a certified gastrointestinal dietitian nutritionist and owner of AEH Nutrition, says that individuals with an autoimmune condition can benefit from a type of anti-inflammatory diet called the autoimmune protocol. “This is highly restrictive and includes an ‘elimination phase’ where a person removes all grains, legumes, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, nightshades, food additives, and food chemicals. This elimination phase is usually recommended anywhere from four to 12 weeks. Then, the reintroduction of eliminated foods is phased in slowly. The pace at which a person reintroduces each food or food group is highly variable and dependent on the individual,” he says. Again, this is a more specialized version of the anti-inflammatory diet for those with an autoimmune condition.

Here’s the thing about any eating plan, including this one: You’re not going to stick with it long-term if you don’t know how to live your normal life while doing it. That’s why we talked to registered dietitians about how to face the biggest hurdles—like going out to eat and socializing at the bar—without falling off the anti-inflammatory wagon. Keep reading to see how it’s done.

What you can eat—and not eat—on the anti-inflammatory diet

If you’re going to commit to the anti-inflammatory diet, it’s important to know the rules. Here’s a rundown of what you can eat and not eat while following the eating plan, according to the dietitians we talked to.

Foods you can eat