Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition That Supported Dr. Joseph Jacobs Through Cancer, Chronic Pain, and Fatigue Now Empowers Readers to Thrive
Ignoring nutrition is like trying to build a house while removing bricks from the foundation. Eat to Heal invites people to start rebuilding that foundation—one meal, one choice at a time.”
— Dr. Jacobs
CLERMONT, FL, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As chronic disease and inflammation reach crisis levels in the United States, a cancer survivor doctor is turning his personal battle into a roadmap for hope. Dr. Joseph Jacobs, DPT,
ACN—Doctor of Physical Therapy, Advanced Clinical Nutritionist, inventor, and cancer survivor—announces the release of his new book, Eat to Heal: Unlock the Healing Power of Food to End Sickness and Thrive – Official ASTR Diet.The book introduces the ASTR Diet, a four-pillar anti-inflammatory nutrition framework that grew out of Dr. Jacobs’ fight with cancer, debilitating migraines, and years of chronic pain and fatigue, as well as more than 15 years of clinical work with patients seeking root-cause solutions.
“I wrote Eat to Heal for the person I used to be—exhausted, scared, and stuck in a cycle of sickness,” said Dr. Jacobs. “When I couldn’t find answers, I turned to the science of nutrition and inflammation. Food became one of my most powerful tools. The ASTR Diet is the lifeline that emerged from that journey.”
A Health Crisis Fueled by Inflammation
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes now affect about six in ten adults in the United States, and four in ten adults live with two or more chronic conditions, according to the CDC. These conditions are responsible for the majority of disability and an estimated 90% of the nation’s $4.1 trillion annual healthcare costs.
At the same time, ultra-processed foods account for over half of the calories in the average American diet, with some estimates showing nearly 60% of adults’ calories and close to 70% of children’s calories coming from ultra-processed products. These foods are increasingly linked with higher inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and greater risk of cancers and cardiovascular disease.
Research now consistently shows that diets with higher inflammatory scores are associated with increased mortality among cancer survivors, while anti-inflammatory patterns like Mediterranean-style diets have been shown to lower key inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL-6 and improve cardiovascular risk factors.
“Chronic inflammation is a quiet driver behind so much of what we call ‘age-related disease’,” Dr. Jacobs explained. “We can’t control everything, but we can control a lot of what’s on the plate. Eat to Heal shows people how to use that control wisely.”
From Bedridden to Blueprint: Dr. Jacobs’ Story
Before becoming an expert in anti-inflammatory nutrition, Dr. Jacobs was a patient in crisis. In the midst of a thriving physical therapy career, he was diagnosed with cancer and overwhelmed by a cascade of symptoms:
- Crushing fatigue
- Daily migraines
- Widespread pain
- Inflammation that made even simple tasks difficult
Conventional treatment played a vital role in saving his life, but it did not fully resolve the underlying inflammation and chronic symptoms.
“I felt like a shadow of myself,” he recalls. “My labs often looked ‘fine,’ but I didn’t feel fine. I knew I needed to look deeper—into the way I was eating, healing, and living.” Dr. Jacobs immersed himself in nutrition science, functional medicine, and the emerging research around chronic inflammation. Over time, a pattern emerged—certain foods and patterns consistently fanned the flames of inflammation, while others helped quiet it. These insights became the seeds of what is now the ASTR Diet.
The ASTR Diet: Four Pillars of Healing Nutrition
The ASTR Diet—Anti-inflammatory, Sustainable, Toxin-Free, and Restorative—is the heart of Eat to Heal. Rather than a short-term challenge, it is designed as a lifelong blueprint for lowering inflammatory burden and supporting the body’s natural healing systems.
1. Anti-Inflammatory
The Anti-inflammatory pillar focuses on foods that calm the immune system and reduce chronic, low-grade inflammation that underlies many modern diseases.
Eat to Heal emphasizes:
- Colorful vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants
- Clean, high-quality proteins
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds
- Gluten-free whole-food carbohydrates that support gut and metabolic health
Diets rich in whole plant foods, healthy fats, and minimally processed ingredients have been shown to lower inflammatory markers, improve cardiovascular risk factors, and correlate with better outcomes in people living with chronic disease and cancer.
Dr. Jacobs translates this science into real-world meal plans featuring ingredients like turmeric, ginger, cruciferous vegetables, and omega-3-rich foods, which are known to influence inflammatory pathways in the body.
2. Sustainable
Most restrictive diets fail within a few years, and many people regain the weight they lose, sometimes with added metabolic stress. Eat to Heal tackles this problem head-on.
The ASTR Diet is:
- Flexible, not rigid
- Designed for busy families, not just individuals with unlimited time
- Structured around patterns and principles rather than perfection
“If a diet wrecks your social life, your budget, or your joy, it won’t last,” notes Dr. Jacobs. “Sustainability is a health strategy, not an afterthought.”
Readers learn how to build meals they can enjoy for years, not just weeks—shifting from fad-driven cycles to stable, nourishing routines.
3. Toxin-Free
Modern diets are filled with hidden additives, pesticide residues, and highly processed ingredients that can contribute to oxidative stress and hormonal disruption over time.
The Toxin-Free pillar helps readers:
- Understand where toxins commonly enter the food supply
- Reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods
- Choose cleaner, simpler ingredient lists
- Make strategic swaps—like choosing less-processed oils, more whole foods, and, when possible, lower-pesticide or organic options
Dr. Jacobs offers realistic guidance, acknowledging that not every family can buy all organic or specialty items, while still giving concrete steps to lower the toxic burden in everyday eating.
4. Restorative
The Restorative pillar focuses on rebuilding what chronic stress, poor diet, and illness have often depleted.
In Eat to Heal, readers learn how to:
- Replenish key nutrients through food
- Support gut health and digestion
- Stabilize blood sugar and energy
- Use gentle intermittent fasting and meal timing in a way that aligns with current research on metabolic and cellular repair
The book includes examples of the fasting windows and meal rhythms Dr. Jacobs used in his own recovery, tailored with options that can fit different ages, health histories, and activity levels. He emphasizes that fasting should be individualized and done in partnership with one’s healthcare provider.
What’s Inside Eat to Heal
- Eat to Heal is intentionally practical and accessible. Readers will find:
- A 7-Day Inflammation Reset to help them feel initial changes and momentum
- A 30-Day ASTR Diet Meal Plan with sample recipes and grocery guidance
- “Build-a-meal” templates that make it easy to assemble balanced, anti-inflammatory plates
- Guidance on turning an ordinary kitchen into a “healing pharmacy” with everyday ingredients
- Label-reading tips to spot hidden sugars, inflammatory oils, and ultra-processed traps
- Suggestions for eating out in ways that stay aligned with ASTR principles
“I don’t ask readers to move into a gourmet kitchen or spend a fortune on supplements,” Dr. Jacobs said. “The most powerful shifts often come from simple, consistent changes—what goes in the grocery cart, what’s on the plate, and what we stop doing to our bodies day after day.”
The Science Behind the Hope
Eat to Heal is grounded in current research linking diet, inflammation, and chronic disease. Dr. Jacobs draws from studies showing that:
Chronic inflammation is a central driver of many non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Ultra-processed food intake is strongly associated with higher calorie intake, poorer metabolic health, and increased risk of conditions such as colorectal cancer.
Anti-inflammatory dietary patterns can lower inflammatory biomarkers and are linked with better survival among some groups of cancer survivors.
Rather than overwhelming readers with technical jargon, Dr. Jacobs distills this research into clear, encouraging explanations and specific action steps.
Who Eat to Heal Is For
This new book is written for:
- Individuals living with chronic pain, fatigue, brain fog, or post-cancer inflammation
- People whose lab work looks “normal,” but whose daily experience says otherwise
- Those exhausted by trendy, conflicting diet advice and looking for a grounded, compassionate approach
- Parents who want to model healthier habits and reduce inflammatory load for their families
- Health professionals seeking a patient-friendly resource on anti-inflammatory eating
“Food will never replace good medical care,” Dr. Jacobs emphasizes. “But ignoring nutrition is like trying to build a house while removing bricks from the foundation. Eat to Heal invites people to start rebuilding that foundation—one meal, one choice at a time.”
About Dr. Joseph Jacobs
Joseph Jacobs, DPT, ACN, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Advanced Clinical Nutritionist, cancer survivor, and founder of the ASTR Institute. He is the creator of the ASTR specialty and the ASTR Diet and holds multiple patents for medical and therapeutic tools. Dr. Jacobs has worked with patients from around the world, helping them address root causes of pain and chronic symptoms through a combination of soft tissue therapy, functional medicine, and nutrition. His previous books include Pain No More and Beating Back Pain.
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