# Eating for Recovery: Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
You finally connected the dots between your symptoms and mold. That should have been a relief, but your body still feels raw. Maybe your joints ache. Maybe your head is loud and foggy. You are doing the right things and still waking up tired.
It sounds like you are exhausted by the effort. That makes sense. When your system is already inflamed, even small choices feel heavy.
Food will not fix the exposure problem. It can, however, lower the total inflammatory load so your body has room to breathe. Think of it as clearing static so your healing signals are easier to hear.
## What this is really about
Mold exposure can trigger immune activation, oxidative stress, and gut irritation. In that state, certain foods can amplify the signal. Others can soften it.
The anti-inflammatory approach is not a strict diet. It is a pattern. The goal is fewer flares, steadier energy, and a calmer baseline while you work on the bigger pieces like remediation and medical support.
7,447
Participants
In the PREDIMED Mediterranean diet trial.
4.8
Years
Median follow up in the same study.
~30%
Risk reduction
Lower major cardiovascular events with the diet pattern.
PREDIMED was not a mold study, but it shows how a whole food pattern can change real outcomes. If you want to see the data, here is the trial: [Estruch et al., 2013](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303).
## The science in plain language
Inflammation is a normal defense response. In mold illness, it tends to stay switched on. Food choices can either feed that signal or quiet it.
Here is how the anti-inflammatory pattern works in practice.
### It steadies immune signaling
Omega-3 fats help shift the body away from pro-inflammatory mediators. That is why fatty fish shows up in nearly every evidence-based anti-inflammatory plan. The relationship between omega-3s and inflammation is well described in the literature: [Calder, 2006](https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1505S).
### It lowers oxidative stress
Colorful plants supply polyphenols that act as antioxidants. Berries, greens, and spices like turmeric help reduce oxidative stress, which is a common feature in chronic illness states. Curcumin, for example, has documented anti-inflammatory effects in humans: [Hewlings and Kalman, 2017](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8100672).
### It protects your gut barrier
The gut lining is often more reactive during mold illness. A diet rich in whole foods, protein, and fiber supports the microbiome and the barrier itself. That matters because gut integrity influences immune signaling and how reactive you feel after meals. If you want the deeper gut piece, start with [gut health and the mold connection](/vault/gut-health-mold-connection).
If you feel worse after meals and calmer when you skip eating, it may not be “just stress.” It can be a sign your gut or immune system is reacting to certain foods.
## The foods that usually help
You do not need perfection. You need a short list of foods your body recognizes as safe, and a path to expand when you are ready. Here are the foundation foods that tend to lower inflammation and support recovery.
### 1) Fatty fish and omega-3s
Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are top choices. If fish is a trigger, algae-based omega-3s can be an option to discuss with your clinician. Omega-3s have consistent evidence for inflammatory modulation: [Calder, 2006](https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1505S).
### 2) Leafy greens and crucifers
Spinach, kale, arugula, broccoli, and cauliflower provide antioxidants and support detox pathways. If you are sensitive, cook them well and start with small amounts.
### 3) Berries and low sugar fruits
Berries are dense in polyphenols and easier on blood sugar. If fruit makes you crash, keep portions small and pair with protein or fat.
### 4) Herbs and spices with research support
Turmeric and ginger are gentle additions that many people tolerate. Curcumin has evidence for inflammation control in humans: [Hewlings and Kalman, 2017](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8100672).
### 5) Protein at every meal
Protein steadies blood sugar and provides amino acids for tissue repair. Choose options you tolerate well, and rotate if you notice reactivity.
### 6) Extra virgin olive oil
This is a core fat in Mediterranean-style patterns and has been linked to improved health outcomes in real-world trials: [Estruch et al., 2013](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303).
Omega-3 fats
Support balanced inflammatory signaling.
Greens and crucifers
Antioxidants and gentle detox support.
Berries
Polyphenols without huge sugar spikes.
Olive oil
Healthy fats used in proven diet patterns.
## Foods that often make symptoms worse
This is the part that can feel unfair. The foods that are convenient or comforting are often the ones that raise inflammation. You do not need to remove everything at once. Start with the biggest trigger and build momentum.
### 1) High sugar and refined carbs
Sugar spikes can increase inflammatory signaling and worsen energy crashes. If you do one thing, remove sweetened drinks first. They are the fastest win.
### 2) Ultra-processed foods
Packaged foods are often high in additives, refined oils, and sugar. When your body is already overwhelmed, those inputs can push it further.
### 3) Alcohol
Alcohol is processed by the liver, which is already busy clearing toxins. Even small amounts can trigger symptoms in active mold illness. A short break can be very clarifying.
### 4) High mycotoxin-risk foods
Some foods are more likely to carry mycotoxins because of how they are grown and stored. Common examples include corn, peanuts, some grains, dried fruits, and coffee. The World Health Organization outlines common food sources of aflatoxins here: [WHO Aflatoxins Fact Sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/aflatoxins).
This does not mean you have to avoid all of these forever. It means you may want to pause them during flares and reintroduce later, one at a time.
### 5) Your personal triggers
Gluten and dairy are common ones, but reactions are very individual. If you need help untangling patterns, see [foods that help and foods that hurt](/vault/foods-that-help-and-hurt).
If your safe food list is shrinking fast, ask for clinical help. Over restriction can worsen fatigue, hormone balance, and gut function.
## Why this gets missed
You might be doing “healthy” things and still feel terrible. That is not your fault. If exposure is still happening at home or work, diet cannot outrun it. In that case, food changes feel like they are not working.
Diet is a support tool, not the cure. Exposure control matters most. Start with [mycotoxins explained](/vault/mycotoxins-explained) if you are still piecing the big picture together.
✅ When diet helps most
- Exposure is controlled or reduced
- Symptoms flare after meals
- You can track small changes
❌ When diet feels useless
- Ongoing exposure in your environment
- Severe gut irritation and malabsorption
- Food fear and over restriction
## A simple framework you can start this week
Keep it small. Your nervous system needs safety, not a 60-item list.
Pick two meals you tolerate and can repeat. Consistency lowers the stress of deciding.
If sugar or alcohol is a clear trigger, start there. One change is enough to begin.
Add salmon, greens, or bone broth and track how you feel for three days.
Once stable, add one new food at a time. Rotation can reduce new sensitivities.
- Prioritize protein and vegetables at each meal
- Drink filtered water throughout the day
- Limit high mycotoxin-risk foods during flares
- Track symptoms with a simple 3-day log
- Keep leftovers in airtight glass containers
If you are curious about clinical support tools, read [binders and detox support](/vault/detox-binders-explained). For the bigger clinical framework, see [understanding CIRS](/vault/understanding-cirs).
## A gentle way to think about calories and carbs
Some clinicians use a lower starch approach in CIRS because insulin resistance and leptin issues can show up. That does not mean you must avoid all carbs. It means choosing carbs that feel steady in your body, like berries, squash, or smaller portions of rice if you tolerate it.
If you feel wired, shaky, or foggy after a high-starch meal, it might be a signal to lower portion size and pair carbs with protein and fat. If you feel worse when you cut carbs too low, that is also data. Your body is talking. You are allowed to listen.
## Encouragement for the long run
You are not failing because food feels hard. It is hard. Your body is trying to protect you in a demanding situation.
Start with what is doable. Build from there. The goal is steady progress, not perfection.
Food will not cure mold illness, but the right pattern can lower inflammation, stabilize energy, and give your body room to heal.
## Read next
– [Foods that help and foods that hurt](/vault/foods-that-help-and-hurt)
– [Gut health and the mold connection](/vault/gut-health-mold-connection)
– [Mycotoxins explained](/vault/mycotoxins-explained)
– [Binders and detox support](/vault/detox-binders-explained)
## Sources
– [Estruch et al., 2013. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet.](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303)
– [Calder, 2006. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation, and inflammatory diseases.](https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1505S)
– [Hewlings and Kalman, 2017. Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health.](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8100672)
– [World Health Organization. Aflatoxins fact sheet.](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/aflatoxins)