Book excerpt: Combat chronic inflammation, ease over-stressed digestive and immune systems, and make better food choices with this easy-to-follow nutrition plan and cookbook Inflammation in the body shows up in the form of aches, pains, digestive distress, skin rashes, and swelling, and can lead to arthritis, type 2 diabetes, food allergies, skin conditions, and weight gain. Inflammation can result from undiagnosed food allergies or an autoimmune condition, or a diet that contains lots of processed foods, sugar, and meat. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet can help. Health and wellness luminaries such as Dr. Oz, Michael Pollan, and Mark Bittman have all touted the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, and people are becoming increasingly aware of its benefits. Seattle nutritionist Michelle Babb lays out a sustainable diet plan that’s a snap to maintain—it's essentially a Mediterranean, or pescatarian, diet that increases the intake of plant-based foods. With Anti-Inflammatory Eating Made Easy, you’ll eat as much as you want, lose weight, and heal your body. And the great thing is that with this diet, you never go hungry! As long as half your plate is vegetables and fruit, and the other half is starch and fish, you may start to see health improvements in weeks once you adopt the diet. Dramatic lifestyle changes can be difficult, but this easy-to-follow plan makes anti-inflammatory eating approachable, understandable, and delicious.