As a nutritionist who specializes in autoimmune disease, I buy a type of Mediterranean diet that is very nutritious

Welcome to the new series of The Globe, What’s in My Cart?where we ask Canadians how they stock their kitchens.

It was in the parking lot of North York General Hospital in Toronto that Vanessa Bond, 53, decided she would dedicate her nutrition practice to people with autoimmune and autoimmune diseases.

That happened about six years ago. Bond says the idea to shift his Toronto-based practice, Bond with Health, from general care to one that focuses on autoimmune conditions was actually his daughter’s. She made the decision together with her husband and two children.

Bond’s daughter was diagnosed at age 11 with chronic multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), a rare autoimmune disease that causes pain and bone loss due to inflammation. . Hospital visits had become a regular occurrence for the 11-year-old as he and his family searched for solutions for chronic joint pain.

“I remember my daughter saying, “Mom, I’m doing great, you should help other people like me,'” Bond recalls.

CRMO was previously thought to affect four out of one million people a year, but as awareness of the disease has increased, experts believe it is more common. The disease affects more women than men (75 percent). It can cause inflammation and pain so severe that it affects the spine and spinal column, leaving some patients confined to wheelchairs.

Since her diagnosis in 2018, Bond’s daughter, who is now 17, has been resting. However, the channel has a team of experts at Toronto Children’s Hospital and nutritionists, says Bond.

As part of his nutritional treatment, the 17-year-old received an anti-inflammatory diet called ITIS. It’s more of a Mediterranean diet, which includes eating oily fish, such as salmon, twice a week, and daily sources of monounsaturated fat, such as avocado or nuts, Bond says. Although there has been little research on the ITIS diet, new research is being done on the diet’s ability to help reduce inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis, which is common in patients with with CRMO. Some studies also suggest that the diet, including the Mediterranean, can help reduce c-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation in the body) in patients.

Bond says the diet is easy to incorporate into her teenager’s routine and doesn’t feel too restrictive for a high school student.

“There is not just one diet for people with autoimmune disease; it depends a lot on what works for the person,” he says.

Here’s how to shop with Bond for groceries.

How to save: By using food for more than one meal. We eat a lot of leftovers, and dinner is usually lunch. I also freeze produce that we don’t eat to add to smoothies, soups, omelettes and stir-fries.

How I splurge: From health food stores, like Ambrosia in Toronto, I buy select items, including high-quality dark chocolate. We also plant greens, including kale, spinach and chard, that are sprayed with low-dose pesticides.

The most difficult way to buy: Shopping at different stores, which helps us save money. My family uses three grocery lists: bulk, specialty, and regular, and each adds up throughout the week. It helps us stay organized, but also plan where to buy food in bulk or on sale.

How I changed my eating habits recently: I’ve learned to never go shopping without a list, because otherwise, I go with things I don’t want or need.

Five things are always in my cart:

• Whole organic chicken – butcher’s or Kirkland’s Signature – $47.62 for a bag of two: I can make one chicken out of three meals for the family. I usually cook a whole chicken once a week, and I’ll use the leftover bones and cartilage to make a delicious bone broth.
• Seasonal Blend – Farms That Go Around the World – $6.99: I enjoy the spring mix for salads, as a side dish.
• Three Mixed Berry Roasts – Kirkland’s Signature – $19.89: This is a combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. It tastes great on its own, but it also adds a nice touch to my daily smoothie, which I usually have in the afternoon as a treat.
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – President’s Choice – $5.99: This is often our remedy. My daughter and I got this recipe recently and the cookies are always so delicious.
• Organic Coconut Milk – No – $13.99 for a pack of six: This is a combination that I started buying recently. My daughter and I are making a Thai green curry recipe with lots of vegetables and chicken. This coconut milk makes it delicious.

This interview has been edited and condensed.