In this solo video, dietitian Brigid Titgemeier outlines seven core principles—her “pillars”—for managing insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. She emphasizes whole, phytochemical‑rich foods for immune regulation, warns that high‑glycemic breakfasts cause glucose spikes that fuel inflammation and long‑term disease risk, and advocates a diverse plant‑based diet (30+ different plants per week) to boost gut microbial diversity. Titgemeier argues that the omega‑6 to omega‑3 ratio, not the mere presence of seed oils, is the key lipid factor, recommending increased omega‑3 sources and monounsaturated fats like olive oil. She highlights gut health as central to immune function, urging at least 30 g of fiber daily plus polyphenols. Stress management is presented as equally vital, with CGM data showing chronic stress mirrors pro‑inflammatory meals. Finally, she notes that a single night of sleep deprivation can raise inflammatory cytokines as much as a fast‑food meal, stressing the need for sufficient sleep. The video ends with a call‑to‑action to comment “FIRE” for a free guide on inflammation science.
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Pills I will die on as a dietitian specialized in insulin resistance and inflammation. Number 1, whole foods have thousands of phytochemicals, polyphenols, and micronutrients that have immune-regulating properties. That means they can help to decrease immune-mediated conditions. Think about your berries, cabbage, and bell peppers. They can literally help to modulate inflammation, which I think is so cool. Number 2, your healthy breakfast is likely contributing to inflammation. Some people that are eating carb-loaded oatmeal, acai bowls, smoothies for breakfast are creating a blood glucose spike within 1 to 2 hours of eating, which can increase overall inflammation. What this does is it accelerates aging, and then over time it can actually increase your risk of things like heart disease, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. Number 3, let me tell you what matters more than your $90 greens powder: a diverse diet. The data is so clear that eating 30+ plants per week is associated with improvements in microbial diversity. More microbial diversity can help to decrease inflammation. So try to get more variety in your diet every week. Number 4, seed oils are so controversial. Now it's true, there's not a lot of research showing that seed oils are extremely toxic. I also do not agree with the idea that we need more of them. Your omega-6 to 3 ratio is what really matters. Most people should be striving for a 4 to 1 ratio or less. So here's what I want you to do: increase your omega-3 intake with more wild-caught salmon, sardines, etc., and then replace some of those omega-6 rich oils with monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil. Number 5: Your inflammation symptoms are a gut health problem as much as they are a diet problem. More than 70% of your immune system resides in your gut microbiome. A disrupted microbiome equals a chronically overactive immune system, which shows up as things like fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, acne, stubborn weight loss. Eating 30 grams of fiber daily should be a non-negotiable, but I also want you to try to think about adding more polyphenols and phytonutrients to your diet. Number 6, which is very surprising to a lot of people: unmanaged stress can be as detrimental to your metabolic health and inflammation as a pro-inflammatory meal. I've seen this in hundreds of data points of people wearing CGMs. The message here is that you cannot eat your way out of a life that is chronically activating your stress response. Number 7: one night of sleep deprivation can be as inflammatory as a fast food meal. Sleep deprivation can elevate things like interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha, which are key inflammatory markers. So the message here is I don't care how clean your diet is, if you're only sleeping 5 to 6 hours per night, you may be triggering underlying inflammation. If you're interested in learning more about inflammation, you can comment FIRE, F-I-R-E, and my automation will send you a free guide that I put together on the science of inflammation and where I'd recommend starting.
