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Supplements should be chosen based on need, form, dose, safety, and quality, not marketing. A “natural” or “organic” label does not automatically mean better absorbed, safer, or more effective.
For the Pro-Inflammatory Reduction Framework™, supplements are best used to support the body after addressing food quality, gut health, blood sugar balance, stress, sleep, movement, and toxin exposure.
The 6-Step Supplement Selection Checklist
1. Start with the reason
Ask:
Is there a known deficiency?
Is there a lab value to follow?
Is this for prevention, repletion, or symptom support?
Could food meet the need first?
2. Choose the most absorbable and tolerated form
Examples:
Nutrient
Preferred Form
Vitamin D
D3, cholecalciferol
Vitamin K2
MK-7
B12
methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin
Calcium
calcium citrate
Vitamin E
natural d-alpha with mixed tocopherols
Vitamin C
buffered ascorbate or liposomal
Vitamin A
beta-carotene for general support; retinol only when clinically indicated
3. Avoid unnecessary high doses
More is not always better. Fat-soluble vitamins, especially A, D, E, and K, require more caution because they can accumulate in the body.
4. Look for third-party testing
Choose products tested by organizations such as USP or NSF. USP verifies supplement quality, and NSF tests products to confirm contents match the label.
5. Avoid “proprietary blends”
A proprietary blend may hide the exact amount of each ingredient. This makes it harder to evaluate safety, effectiveness, and interactions.
6. Check medication interactions
Important examples:
Vitamin K can interfere with warfarin-type blood thinners.
Calcium can interfere with thyroid medication and some antibiotics.
Vitamin E in high supplemental doses may increase bleeding risk.
Vitamin D with calcium may increase risk of high calcium levels if overused
For Cheese lovers, eliminating cheese on an anti-inflammatory diet may be a dealbreaker, for some. You may find a cheese less pro-inflammatoory for you.
Cashew-based cheeses may work well for people sensitive to dairy.
What About Other Cheeses?
Potentially Better-Tolerated Choices
Mozzarella, Feta, Ricotta, and Cottage cheese
Cheeses That May Trigger Symptoms More Often
Heavily Processed or Aged Cheeses
These may be more problematic for sensitive individuals:
processed cheese products
cheese spreads with additives
highly processed shredded cheeses
ultra-processed cheese snacks
heavily aged cheeses if histamine-sensitive
Anti-Inflammatory Cheese Guidelines
A Simple Framework
Choose:
minimally processed
organic when possible
grass-fed sources if available
shorter ingredient lists
smaller portions
paired with fiber-rich foods
Combine cheese with:
vegetables
olives
nuts
beans
fruit
herbs
This may help reduce blood sugar spikes and support satiety.
Practical Takeaway
There is no single “perfect” cheese.
The better question is: How does your body respond?
A food may be anti-inflammatory for one person and problematic for another depending on:
gut health
immune activity
genetics
microbiome
total lifestyle load
Your body often gives clues:
energy
digestion
skin
congestion
pain
sleep
mood
These patterns matter.
A practical approach is:
reduce ultra-processed cheese products
choose cleaner, minimally processed forms
test tolerance thoughtfully
observe symptoms and patterns
focus on overall inflammatory load, not perfection
This fits closely with your Pro-Inflammatory Reduction Framework™ approach: reducing cumulative inflammatory burden one realistic step at a time.
Cheese is often confusing for people trying to reduce inflammation.
Some people feel fine eating cheese. Others notice bloating, congestion, fatigue, joint discomfort, headaches, or digestive upset afterward.
So is cheese inflammatory? The answer is not always simple.
Symptoms are not random. They may be signals from the body that something is not being tolerated well.
Different cheeses affect people differently depending on:
the type of milk
level of processing
additives and preservatives
gut health
immune balance
overall inflammatory load
Instead of looking at cheese as simply “good” or “bad,” it may be more helpful to ask:
How does this food affect my body over time?
Why Some Cheeses May Increase Inflammatory Load
Certain cheeses and cheese products may contribute to inflammation in sensitive individuals.
Potential reasons include:
reactions to dairy proteins such as casein or whey
lactose intolerance
artificial ingredients and preservatives
excess sodium
inflammatory oils and fillers
histamine reactions from aged cheeses
Highly processed cheese products may contain:
artificial colors
stabilizers
gums
preservatives
ultra-processed oils
These factors may increase inflammatory stress in some individuals.This does not mean everyone must avoid cheese completely.it means quality, quantity, and individual tolerance matter.
Goat Cheese and Inflammation
Goat Cheese May Be Easier for Some People
Many individuals report tolerating goat cheese better than traditional cow dairy.
Possible reasons:
different protein structure
lower lactose content
easier digestion for some individuals
often less processed
Goat cheese is commonly softer and may contain fewer additives when minimally processed.
Good options may include:
plain chèvre
organic goat cheese
herb goat cheese with simple ingredients
Pairing goat cheese with vegetables, herbs, nuts, or beans may help support blood sugar balance and satiety.
Sheep Cheese
Some people also tolerate sheep milk cheeses better than cow dairy.
Examples include:
Manchego
Pecorino
sheep feta
These cheeses are often rich in flavor, allowing smaller portions to feel satisfying. However, aged cheeses may still trigger symptoms in people sensitive to histamines.
Cashew Cheese and Plant-Based Cheese Alternatives
Cashew cheese has become increasingly popular as a dairy-free alternative.
Potential benefits:
dairy-free
often rich in healthy fats
may reduce exposure to dairy triggers for sensitive individuals
However, not all plant-based cheeses are equally supportive. Some commercial vegan cheeses contain:
refined starches
seed oils
carrageenan
gums
artificial flavors
Reading labels matters. A simpler ingredient list is often a better choice.
Look for ingredients such as:
cashews
herbs
cultures
olive oil
nutritional yeast
Homemade versions may provide even cleaner options.
Which Cheeses May Be Better Tolerated?
Some people do better with fresher, minimally processed cheeses such as:
feta
mozzarella
ricotta
cottage cheese
goat cheese
These may contain fewer additives and may be easier to digest for some individuals. Again, tolerance varies from person to person.
A More Practical Anti-Inflammatory Approach
An anti-inflammatory lifestyle is not about perfection. It is about reducing overall inflammatory load over time. A helpful strategy may include:
reducing ultra-processed cheese products
choosing minimally processed options
watching ingredient lists
paying attention to symptoms
pairing cheese with fiber-rich whole foods
focusing on overall dietary patterns
Your body often gives clues through:
digestion
skin changes
energy levels
congestion
sleep
discomfort
mood
These patterns matter.
Final Thoughts
Cheese itself is not automatically inflammatory for everyone.
The better question may be: What type of cheese, in what amount, and how does my body respond? Small, realistic changes may reduce inflammatory burden over time. Symptoms are signals.
Learning to recognize those signals is often the beginning of change.
If you want to better understand how daily foods and lifestyle factors may contribute to inflammation, I teach this step-by-step in my course:
Detecting and Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Lifestyle Factors in 30 Days
Over the past 40 years in health care, I cared for some of the sickest patients.
Many required IV nutrition. Some were living with liver failure, diabetes, kidney and Cardiac disease, or cancer.
This was the work I was trained to do. And it mattered. But over time, I began to ask a different question. Why are we waiting until people are this sick?
When Health Care Becomes Sick Care
Our system is designed to treat illness. In many ways, health care has become sick care. When I was first diagnosed with Cutaneous Lupus, and excess histamine development. I was given a pill so I would not feel nauseated from the medication that I was taking, and then another one, so I would not excessively salivate. At some point I made changes to my care, and a reduction of pro-inflammatory lifestyle factors so I did not need all of the additional pills.
Medical care is necessary. It is often life-saving. But it typically begins after years—sometimes decades—of underlying imbalance. What I saw repeatedly was this:
These conditions did not start overnight.
The Missing Middle: What Happens Before Diagnosis
Before diagnosis, there are often signals:
fatigue
brain fog
digestive changes
joint discomfort
changes in energy or sleep
These are often dismissed or treated individually. But they may be connected.
Understanding the Inflammation Connection
Think of inflammation like a tree.
The roots represent lifestyle factors: nutrition, stress, environmental exposures
The trunk represents inflammation
The branches represent symptoms
When we only focus on the branches, we may miss what is happening at the root level. Over time, this accumulation can increase inflammatory load.
Why This Matters
Chronic inflammation has been associated with many long-term conditions, including:
cardiovascular disease
type 2 diabetes
certain cancers
neurodegenerative conditions
This does not mean every symptom leads to disease.
But it does suggest that earlier awareness may matter.
A Shift Toward Prevention
This is what led me to shift my focus. Not away from care—but earlier in the process.
Helping people:
recognize patterns
identify possible triggers
reduce overall inflammatory load
Because small changes, made earlier, may reduce long-term risk.
Where to Begin
If you have ever wondered whether your symptoms are connected, you are not alone. Learning how to observe patterns and make realistic adjustments can be a meaningful first step.
Learn More
I created a course to guide this process step by step: Detecting and Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Lifestyle Factors in 30 Days
You can find it at: StephanieLarmour.com → Course
If you would like references, ask in the comments.
Have you ever experienced symptoms that didn’t seem to make sense together?
Fatigue, digestive discomfort, joint pain, skin changes, or shifts in mood can feel unrelated. Often, these symptoms are addressed one at a time, without a clear explanation of how they might be connected.
But in many cases, there may be a deeper pattern. Understanding inflammation can help begin to connect those dots.
Connecting the Dots Through Education
Inflammation does not always present in one clear way. It can affect multiple systems in the body, including:
✔ the digestive system ✔ the nervous system ✔ the immune system ✔ the skin and joints
Because of this, symptoms are often treated separately. However, when we begin to look at how these systems interact, patterns can start to emerge.
Common Ways Inflammation May Show Up
✔ Digestive discomfort or irregularity ✔ Fatigue or low energy ✔ Brain fog or difficulty concentrating ✔ Joint discomfort or stiffness ✔ Skin changes ✔ Mood shifts or increased stress sensitivity
These symptoms may change over time, which can make them harder to connect.
📍
You’re Not Alone in This Experience
It is not uncommon for people to feel like their symptoms have not been fully explained. Sometimes everything appears “normal,” yet something still doesn’t feel right. This can be frustrating. If you’ve experienced this, you are not alone. There are many individuals trying to understand symptoms that do not fit into a simple explanation.
Looking at the Body as a Whole
Rather than viewing symptoms in isolation, it can be helpful to look at the body as an interconnected system.
Inflammation can be influenced by:
✔ nutrition and food quality ✔ stress and nervous system balance ✔ sleep patterns ✔ environmental exposures ✔ gut health
Over time, these factors can build and contribute to what is often referred to as an increased inflammatory load.
Where to Begin
The goal is not to change everything at once. It is to begin identifying patterns and making small, consistent adjustments over time. This approach supports the body in a more sustainable way.
Next Step
If you would like guidance in understanding your symptoms and identifying potential inflammatory triggers, I have created a course that walks through this step-by-step:
Detecting and Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Lifestyle Factors in 30 Days
👉 StephanieLarmour.com → click “Course”
Closing
Understanding your body takes time, but it often begins with awareness.
When you start to connect the dots, things can begin to make more sense.
Gently Heat the following ingredients till they mix together(do not boil)
1 cup Water
1 Cup apple Cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt
Optional: 1 tablespoon honey(makes this lightly sweet)
Note if you use ground mustard, instead of mustard seeds, I recomend that you heat gently with the water, vinegar , salt and honey.
Add Mustard seeds(or ground mustard), peppercorns, garlic, lemon peel(items area optional, add as you like)
Directions
Slice or cut your Fennel in strips(see the instructional pictures above) or 1 inch pieces, dependent on how you like it. Place in a jar
Heat the water, vinegar, sea salt, honey(if added: I like this addition), ground mustard) just so all are mixed together. Stir all slowly to mix. Do not boil.
Pour the mixture over the Fennel in th jar.
Add the mustard seeds(if used), peppercorns, garlic lemon peel or zest
Cool or refrigerate. Ready in a few hours.Best after 24 hours. Serve cold
Use it on salads, with fish, or alongside vegetablesDirections
When people are trying to get pregnant, they often think first about hormones. Hormones are important, but they are not the whole story.
Research suggests that inflammation and immune balance may also affect fertility. A healthy body needs a normal, well-regulated inflammatory response for ovulation and implantation. The problem begins when inflammation becomes chronic, excessive, or poorly regulated.
This does not mean all fertility struggles are caused by inflammation. Fertility is complex. Age, structural issues, hormone balance, genetics, metabolic health, and stress may all play a role. Still, inflammation may be one important piece of the picture for some women.
Can Inflammation Make It Harder to Get Pregnant? What Diet Is Recommended?
Inflammation may affect fertility in several ways:
Ovulation and hormone signaling
Egg quality and oxidative stress
The uterine environment
Immune balance
Inflammatory-related conditions
Important Perspective
Inflammation Tree showing root causes such as blood sugar imbalance, stress, poor sleep, toxins, and gut imbalance contributing to fertility challenges.
It is important to say this clearly:Not all fertility struggles are caused by inflammation.
Inflammation is not the only cause of difficulty getting pregnant, and this topic should never be used to blame women. It is best understood as one possible contributing factor within a much broader picture.
What Diet Is Recommended?
The most commonly recommended eating pattern for reducing inflammation and supporting fertility is a Mediterranean-style diet.
This is not a strict diet. It is a pattern of eating that emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods and reduces ultra-processed foods that may contribute to inflammation.
Vegetables daily
Fruit daily
Beans and lentils
Nuts and seeds
Olive oil
Fish
Fewer ultra-processed foods
Less added sugar
Less refined flour
Concrete Recommendations
Build meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fat
Include omega-3 rich foods
Eat colorful fruits and vegetables
Reduce ultra-processed foods
Support blood sugar balance
Use anti-inflammatory herbs
Support gut health
What to Keep on Hand
Eggs
Chicken
Fish
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds
Leafy greens
Berries
Beans
Herbs and spices
Green tea
Final Thoughts
The goal is not perfection. The goal is to create a more supportive environment in the body.For some women, reducing chronic inflammatory load may be one meaningful step toward improving fertility.If you are struggling with fertility, it is important to work with your physician or reproductive specialist for a full evaluation. Nutrition and lifestyle can support health, but they do not replace medical care.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is to create a more supportive environment in the body.
For some women, reducing chronic inflammatory load may be one meaningful step toward improving fertility. If you are struggling with fertility, it is important to work with your physician or reproductive specialist for a full evaluation. Nutrition and lifestyle can support health, but they do not replace medical care.
References
Gaskins AJ, Chavarro JE. Diet and fertility research Chiu YH, Chavarro JE. Nutrition and reproductive health Barrea L et al. Mediterranean diet and fertility American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists American Society for Reproductive Medicine
By Stephanie Larmour Sanders, MS, RDN, CDE, FNLP Anti-inflammatory Dietitian and Nutritionist
Your body is not working against you.
It is communicating with you.You may have symptoms like these listed below:
Fatigue in the afternoon. Cravings later in the day. Brain fog after meals. Sleep that does not feel restorative.
These are often not isolated issues.They may be connected through one underlying pattern:
A hidden inflammatory load.
What Is a Hidden Inflammatory Load?
Inflammation is not always obvious. It may build quietly over time through small, repeated exposures and habits that affect how your body functions.
This can include:
Blood sugar fluctuations
Ultra-processed foods
Poor sleep patterns
Environmental toxin exposure
Chronic stress
Each one may seem manageable on its own. But together, they may create a cumulative burden that your body is working to manage every day.
How Your Body Detoxifies — and Why It Can Become Overloaded
Your body is designed with built-in systems to process and remove unwanted substances. This process is often referred to as detoxification.It is not a trend or a short-term cleanse. It is a continuous process happening every day.
The Body’s Detoxification System
Several organs work together to support detoxification:
Liver — transforms substances so they can be removed
Kidneys — filter waste through urine
Digestive system — eliminates waste through stool
Skin — supports elimination through sweat
Lymphatic system — helps move waste out of tissues
At the center of this system is the liver, which processes both internal byproducts and external exposures.
A Simple Way to Understand the Process
Detoxification in the liver happens in two main steps:
Phase 1: Activation Substances are transformed into intermediate compounds.
Phase 2: Conjugation These compounds are converted into forms that can be safely eliminated.
These processes rely on key nutrients, including:
Protein (amino acids)
B vitamins
Magnesium
Antioxidants
When both phases are supported and balanced, the body is often able to process and eliminate substances efficiently.
Why Detoxification Can Become Overloaded
The body is designed to detoxify. However, it was not designed for constant, cumulative exposure.
Factors that may increase the burden include:
Ultra-processed foods
Blood sugar instability
Chronic stress
Poor sleep
Environmental exposures
Digestive imbalance
When the total load becomes greater than what the body can comfortably process, detoxification pathways may become less efficient.
What Overload May Look Like
When detoxification systems are under strain, the body may begin to signal this in subtle ways. This does not mean the body has stopped working. It means it may be working harder to keep up.
Common patterns may include:
Persistent fatigue
Brain fog
Skin changes
Increased sensitivity to foods or environments
Hormonal imbalances
Digestive irregularity
These symptoms are often not random. They may reflect how the body is responding to its total internal and external load.
Supporting, Not Forcing, Detoxification
The goal is not to push the body harder. It is to support the systems that are already in place.
This may include:
Eating balanced, nutrient-dense meals
Supporting stable blood sugar
Staying hydrated
Promoting regular digestion
Prioritizing sleep
Reducing unnecessary exposures where possible
These foundational habits may help the body function more efficiently over time.
This is exactly what I teach step by step — how to identify your personal load, support your body’s natural processes, and make changes that are realistic and sustainable.
Why Symptoms Often Feel Random
Many people are taught to look at symptoms individually.
Low energy → drink more caffeine Cravings → use more willpower Digestive discomfort → avoid a specific food
But when symptoms are connected to a broader inflammatory pattern, addressing them one at a time often leads to frustration.
You may feel like:
You are doing everything right but not seeing progress
Your energy is inconsistent
Your body feels unpredictable
This is often where understanding patterns becomes more important than chasing individual symptoms.
The Shift: From Reaction to Awareness
The first step is not perfection. It is awareness.
Start by noticing:
When symptoms show up
What you ate before
How you slept
Your stress level
You may begin to see patterns. And once you see patterns, you can begin to change them.
Small Changes Can Reduce a Larger Load
Reducing inflammation does not require doing everything at once. Often, small targeted shifts may support meaningful change.
Examples include:
Eating balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
Supporting stable blood sugar throughout the day
Improving sleep consistency
Reducing ultra-processed foods
Becoming more aware of environmental exposures
These are not extreme changes. They are foundational ones.
Join Me for a Free In-Person Session
I will be teaching a small group session where I walk through:
How to identify your hidden inflammatory triggers
How to understand your symptom patterns
Where to begin with simple, targeted changes
📍 Location: Studio Wellness Center 11650 Riverside Drive PH1 (Second Floor) Studio City, CA 91602
🗓 Date: April 25th ⏰ Time: 2:00–3:00 PM
All attendees will receive 20% off my full course on:
Detecting and Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Lifestyle Factors™
Your Next Step
Start this week with one simple action:
Pay attention.
Notice your patterns. Notice your energy. Notice your responses to food, stress, and sleep.
That awareness is where meaningful change begins.
If you would like to attend the free session:
Comment “INFO” or reach out directly for details.
Educational Use Only
This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
