Don't worry about the people in your past; There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.
Blue Zones Diet
The Blue Zone Diet is inspired by the eating habits of the world’s longest-living people — those who live in the “Blue Zones,” a term coined by National Geographic researcher Dan Buettner. This diet style is mostly plant-based, moderate in calories, and high in antioxidant-rich foods. These are five regions where people consistently live the longest, healthiest lives: Okinawa- Japan, Sardinia- Italy, Nicoya Peninsula- Costa Rica, Ikaria- Greece and Loma Linda- California
Key features:
95–100% vegetarian
Beans and lentils as a cornerstone
Whole grains (like barley, oats, brown rice)
Fermented foods and teas
Minimal sugar and processed food
Foods recommended in blue zone diet:
Beans -black, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, fava
Whole grains -oats, barley, brown rice, corn, sourdough bread
Fruits -lots of berries, citrus, bananas, apples, and stone fruits
Nuts and seeds -almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
Olive oil -as a main fat source
Herbs and spices -garlic, turmeric, oregano, rosemary
Fermented foods -miso, natto, sourdough, yogurt/curd if dairy is used.
Minimal or no processed foods and sugars
Some people who follow this diet as an exception eat small amounts of fish -only a few times a week and consume minimal dairy -goat’s or sheep’s milk products.
Health benefits: Lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer, strong gut health from fiber and fermented foods, lower inflammation due to whole, nutrient-dense foods, supports longevity, mental clarity, and emotional wellbeing.
Image credit: By The RedBurn – Own work, based on File:Vendiagram.gif, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80151900
This is more traditional but deeply rooted in eastern anti-inflammatory wisdom. It emphasizes seasonal eating, balance, and digestion. The Ayurvedic vegetarian diet is a plant-based way of eating rooted in Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine from India that dates back over 5,000 years. It is not just about food — it is about eating for your body type called dosha, supporting digestive health (Agni), and aligning your meals with seasons and energy balance. The goal is harmony, healing, and prevention of disease.
Core principles of the ayurvedic vegetarian diet:
1. Eating for your dosha (body-mind type): Ayurveda classifies people into three main doshas:
Vata: Air + space → light, dry, cold means needs grounding, warming foods.
Pitta: Fire + water → hot, intense mean needs cooling, soothing foods
Kapha: Earth + water → heavy, stable means need light, warming, stimulating foods.
Your ideal food depends on your dominant dosha, but all meals should support balance, not excess.
2. Emphasis on digestibility
Lightly cooked foods are preferred over raw.
Use of warming spices like ginger, cumin, turmeric, and coriander to support digestion
Meals are best eaten warm, fresh, and mindfully.
3. Plant-centered and sattvic: Ayurvedic vegetarian diets are typically sattvic, meaning they promote clarity, calm, and vitality. These include:
Fruits -in season and not combined with dairy.
Vegetables -lightly cooked, especially root and green vegetables
Legumes -mung beans, lentils, toor dal
Whole grains -rice, barley, quinoa, millet
Dairy (optional): Often used mindfully — like warm milk with spices or homemade ghee.
Nuts and seeds, in moderation.
Herbs and spices to balance doshas and enhance digestion.
The Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet is a nutrition-forward, inflammation-fighting way of eating that is especially popular among health-conscious vegetarians and vegans. It is science-backed, clean, and healing — great for disease prevention, longevity, and reducing chronic inflammation.
This is one of the most studied anti-inflammatory diets and it is easy to adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle.
Key features:
Olive oil as the main fat
Loads of fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, andcruciferous veggies
Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
Whole grains (farro, bulgur, quinoa)
Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds.
Optional: Dairy (like plain yogurt or kefir) for those who include it
Foods to avoid in mediterranean vegetarian diet (or minimize):
Highly processed foods: packaged snacks (chips, crackers, cookies) fast food, frozen ready meals (unless they are super clean),
Refined grains: white bread, regular pasta (opt for whole grain or ancient grains instead) white rice (swap for brown rice, farro, quinoa, etc.)
Added sugars: sugary cereals, candy, soda and sweetened beverages, sweetened yogurts (go for plain and add fruit yourself)
Unhealthy fats: margarine, vegetable oils high in omega-6 (like corn oil, soybean oil), fried foods (deep-fried stuff)
Heavy/processed dairy: highly processed cheeses (like American cheese slices), cream-heavy dishes (moderate dairy is ok, but avoid overloading)
Artificial ingredients: additives, preservatives, food colorings, “fake meats” that are heavily processed (some plant-based meats are okay if they are clean, but many are super processed)
Image credit: Image by Rani Shoket from Pixabay (Free under Pixabay content license)
Anti Inflammatory Vegetarian Diets For Chronic Inflammation
There are several anti-inflammatory vegetarian diets that are not only plant-powered and sustainable but also grounded in research. These eating patterns emphasize whole, minimally processed foods, healthy fats, and a rainbow of phytonutrients that fight inflammation naturally. An anti-inflammatory vegetarian diet helps reduce inflammation by giving your body foods that fight off the causes of chronic inflammation, like oxidative stress, high blood sugar, and gut imbalance.
How Anti-inflammatory Vegetarian Diets help to reduce chronic inflammation?
1. High in antioxidants: These antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause inflammation and cell damage.
2. Balances blood sugar: Big blood sugar spikes can trigger inflammation, so keeping blood sugar steady means a calmer, happier body.
3. Rich in healthy fats: These “good fats” reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body.
4. Supports healthy guts: A vegetarian diet rich in fiber feeds good gut bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome naturally produces anti-inflammatory compounds and helps regulate your immune system.
5. Low in pro-inflammatory foods: No red or processed meats which can trigger inflammation. Limited refined sugars, refined carbs, and processed oils.
Four types of vegetarian diets one can follow to reduce chronic inflammation explained in the next few slides-
