{"id":1389,"date":"2026-07-19T02:54:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T02:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/?p=1389"},"modified":"2026-07-19T02:54:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T02:54:58","slug":"8-steps-to-control-inflammation-chronic-pain-and-autoimmune-disease-naturally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/2026\/07\/19\/8-steps-to-control-inflammation-chronic-pain-and-autoimmune-disease-naturally\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Steps to Control Inflammation, Chronic Pain, and Autoimmune Disease Naturally"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Inflammation is one of the most fundamental processes in the human body. In its acute form \u2014 the redness, swelling, and heat that follow an injury or infection \u2014 it is a critical survival mechanism, marshaling the immune system to repair damaged tissue and fight off pathogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when inflammation becomes chronic \u2014 persisting for months or years, driven not by an active threat but by the accumulated effects of diet, environment, and lifestyle \u2014 it becomes one of the most destructive forces in modern medicine. Chronic inflammation<\/a><\/strong> is now recognized as a central driver of arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and an ever-growing list of autoimmune conditions in which the immune system turns against the body’s own tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Terry Shintani has been treating inflammatory and autoimmune conditions naturally for over 30 years. His patients include people dealing with chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and a range of other conditions rooted in chronic immune dysregulation. Over those decades, he has identified eight foundational steps that form the basis of a natural, comprehensive approach to controlling inflammation \u2014 documented in detail in his full-length book, The Peace Diet, available on Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are those eight steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Avoid Toxins, Chemicals, and Allergens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first and perhaps most underappreciated step is reducing the body’s total toxic burden. Many common environmental exposures \u2014 artificial food ingredients, herbicide and pesticide residues on conventionally grown produce, cigarette smoke, and for some people, specific foods like dairy or even certain cosmetics and personal care products \u2014 can trigger or amplify inflammatory responses in susceptible individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The immune system treats many of these substances as threats, mounting low-grade inflammatory responses that accumulate over time. For people with autoimmune conditions, where the immune system is already dysregulated, reducing this toxic load can meaningfully reduce the overall intensity of immune activation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practical steps include choosing organic produce where possible \u2014 particularly for the highest-pesticide crops \u2014 reading ingredient labels and avoiding artificial colors, preservatives, and flavor enhancers, switching to fragrance-free and chemical-minimal personal care products, and for those with suspected dairy sensitivity, eliminating dairy for a trial period to assess its impact on symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Limit or Avoid Animal Fat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Animal fat \u2014 particularly from conventionally raised livestock \u2014 has a unique property that makes it particularly problematic from an inflammatory standpoint: it bioconcentrates environmental toxins. Fat-soluble chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides, industrial pollutants, and certain hormones, accumulate in animal adipose tissue at levels many times higher than those found in the animals’ feed or environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we consume animal fat, we consume a concentrated dose of these accumulated toxins \u2014 adding to the total toxic burden that the immune system must contend with. Additionally, saturated fat from animal sources has been shown to directly activate inflammatory pathways in the body, independent of the toxins it carries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reducing or eliminating animal fat \u2014 while replacing it with plant-based sources of healthy fat such as avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil \u2014 reduces both the toxin burden and the direct inflammatory stimulus that saturated animal fat provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Eat Plenty of Colorful Vegetables and Fruit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vibrant colors of vegetables and fruit are not merely aesthetic \u2014 they are produced by thousands of different phytochemical compounds, most of which have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Carotenoids in orange and yellow vegetables, anthocyanins in blueberries and red cabbage, lycopene in tomatoes, sulforaphane in broccoli, quercetin in apples and onions \u2014 each of these compounds modulates inflammatory pathways in different and complementary ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research consistently shows that people who consume the greatest variety and quantity of colorful plant foods have the lowest levels of systemic inflammatory markers \u2014 including C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 \u2014 regardless of other lifestyle factors. The goal is variety as much as quantity: eating across the color spectrum ensures exposure to the broadest possible range of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aim for at least five to seven servings of vegetables and fruit daily, prioritizing variety and color over any single “superfood.” Dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, citrus, and deeply pigmented vegetables like beets and purple cabbage are particularly valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Limit Processed Carbohydrates and Sugar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refined carbohydrates \u2014 white flour, white rice, and the products made from them \u2014 and added sugars are among the most potent dietary drivers of inflammation. They cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin, trigger the production of inflammatory signaling molecules called cytokines, and feed the harmful gut bacteria that promote intestinal permeability and systemic immune activation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The connection between sugar and autoimmune disease is particularly significant. Research has shown that high sugar intake disrupts the balance of the gut microbiome, reduces the populations of beneficial bacteria that regulate immune tolerance, and increases intestinal permeability \u2014 allowing bacterial fragments and undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream, where they trigger immune responses that can escalate into autoimmune attacks on the body’s own tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replacing processed carbohydrates with whole, unprocessed carbohydrates \u2014 brown rice, oats, sweet potato, legumes, and whole fruit \u2014 eliminates the blood sugar spikes and inflammatory signaling without sacrificing the energy and fiber that carbohydrates provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Eat More Foods Rich in Omega-3 Oils<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega-3 fatty acids are the most well-researched dietary anti-inflammatory compounds available. They work by shifting the body’s production of signaling molecules called eicosanoids and resolvins away from pro-inflammatory varieties toward anti-inflammatory and inflammation-resolving ones \u2014 effectively changing the immune system’s default setting from inflammatory to regulatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research on omega-3s and autoimmune disease is particularly compelling. Multiple clinical trials have shown that omega-3 supplementation reduces disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis<\/a><\/strong>, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus \u2014 sometimes dramatically enough to reduce the need for pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory medications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant sources of omega-3 include flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts. Fatty fish \u2014 salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies \u2014 provide EPA and DHA, the most bioavailable forms. For those on plant-based diets, algae-based omega-3 supplements provide EPA and DHA directly, without fish-derived products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Limit Omega-6 Oils \u2014 Especially Arachidonic Acid<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, their biochemical cousins \u2014 omega-6 fatty acids \u2014 are largely pro-inflammatory. The balance between omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet has a profound effect on the body’s baseline inflammatory state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern Western diet has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of approximately 15:1 to 20:1 \u2014 far from the 4:1 or lower ratio associated with optimal health in traditional diets. This imbalance is driven primarily by the widespread use of seed oils \u2014 corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil \u2014 which are extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids, and by high consumption of meat and poultry, which contain arachidonic acid \u2014 an omega-6 that converts directly into highly pro-inflammatory compounds in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reducing consumption of these oils and of meat and poultry \u2014 while increasing omega-3 intake as described above \u2014 helps restore a more anti-inflammatory fatty acid balance throughout the body’s cell membranes and signaling systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Eat More High-Fiber Foods for Gut Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gut microbiome \u2014 the community of trillions of bacteria living in the digestive tract \u2014 plays a central and increasingly recognized role in regulating immune function and inflammation. Beneficial gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids and other compounds that directly modulate immune signaling, promote regulatory T-cell development, and maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the gut microbiome is disrupted \u2014 as it is by poor diet, antibiotics, stress, and environmental toxins \u2014 the resulting dysbiosis is associated with increased intestinal permeability, dysregulated immune responses, and elevated systemic inflammation. For people with autoimmune conditions, gut dysbiosis is almost universally present and is increasingly recognized as a contributing cause rather than merely a consequence of disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High-fiber foods \u2014 particularly prebiotic fibers from vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruit \u2014 directly feed the beneficial bacteria that regulate inflammation. Fermented foods \u2014 miso, tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut \u2014 add beneficial bacteria directly. Together, these dietary choices support the gut microbiome’s critical role as the body’s immune regulator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Coordinate These Steps with Your Physician’s Recommendations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not merely a legal disclaimer \u2014 it is a genuinely important clinical principle. Many people with inflammatory and autoimmune conditions are taking medications \u2014 corticosteroids, biologics, immunosuppressants, NSAIDs \u2014 that are managing active disease and preventing serious complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural dietary and lifestyle interventions are most powerful when implemented as a complement to, not a replacement for, appropriate medical care. As the dietary changes described above take effect \u2014 reducing inflammation, improving gut health, and reducing the body’s toxic burden \u2014 medication needs may change, and dosages may need adjustment. This process requires medical supervision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Shintani has spent over 30 years working alongside his patients’ other physicians to integrate natural approaches with conventional medicine \u2014 not as an alternative, but as a powerful complement that often allows for reduced medication dependence over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the complete, detailed version of this approach \u2014 including specific food lists, supplement recommendations, and protocols for specific conditions \u2014 Dr. Shintani’s book The Peace Diet is available on Amazon and provides the comprehensive resource that a brief video or article cannot fully convey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr. Terry Shintani<\/a><\/strong> is a Harvard-trained physician (MD, JD, MPH), a Living Treasure of Hawai’i, and the creator of the Waianae Diet and the Peace Diet. He continues to see patients at his Honolulu practice and shares daily health insights on YouTube.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udf3f Learn more at PeaceDiet.org | Watch the video: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Da9TT6FzMfr\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcda Get the full book \u2014 The Peace Diet on Amazon<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcd6 Also read:<\/em>
\u2014 7 Best Foods to Fight Arthritis: https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/2026\/07\/02\/7-best-foods-to-fight-arthritis-and-pain-naturally\/<\/a><\/em>
\u2014 Top 5 Supplements for Arthritis and Pain: https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/2026\/07\/09\/top-5-natural-supplements-for-arthritis-and-pain-control\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inflammation is one of the most fundamental processes in the human body. In its acute form \u2014 the redness, swelling, and heat that follow an injury or infection \u2014 it is a critical survival mechanism, marshaling the immune system to repair damaged tissue and fight off pathogens. But when inflammation becomes chronic \u2014 persisting for…<\/p>\n

Read More “8 Steps to Control Inflammation, Chronic Pain, and Autoimmune Disease Naturally”<\/span> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1389"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1389"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1391,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1389\/revisions\/1391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drshintani.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}