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FAQs

About Inflammation

What is inflammation?
Dietary inflammation is your body’s reaction to consuming anti- or pro-inflammatory foods. Consuming a more anti-inflammatory diet reduces inflammation in the body and improves overall health.
What is the difference between acute vs chronic inflammation?
  • Acute inflammation typically occurs when there is an injury to the body.It usually has a sudden onset, but is temporary in nature. Examples or symptoms of acute inflammation might be a sore throat, appendicitis or the tenderness that occurs when one develops a hangnail.
  • Chronic inflammation builds up over time and is a long-lasting or sometimes permanent situation.Besides making one feel achy and lethargic, chronic inflammation in the body leads to other, more serious medical conditions. Examples or symptoms of chronic inflammation may include arthritis, ulcers or weight gain.
Why is addressing inflammation important for my health?
A large, persuasive, and ever-increasing body of scientific evidence links chronic inflammation to virtually all of the diseases that cause the majority of disability and death in the U.S., including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Combined, these conditions affect well over 50% of the population in the United States alone. Research has shown, however, that many of these conditions are largely preventable or mitigated through adopting a less inflammatory diet.
How is the DIIā„¢ Inflammation Food Gradeā„¢ used?
Once a grade has been assigned to a whole food, there is a set of easy to read icons for each one that can be used for food packaging and labels.

About the DII

What is the Dietary Inflammatory Indexā„¢ (DIIā„¢)?
The DIIā„¢ was created to measure how inflammatory foods are to your body and organs, thus providing guidelines to consumers and doctors. The has been established as an effective research tool to measure the inflammatory potential of peopleā€™s diet. As a research tool, the DIIā„¢ has been used in a variety of populations to predict a variety of chronic diseases like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, deaths etc.
What does evidence-based mean?
Dietary inflammation has been clinically studied and documented for more than 25 years by Dr. James R. HĆ©bert of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the University of South Carolina. The DII is uniquely and strongly based on empirical evidence available in the peer-reviewed literature on the relationships between dietary factors and important inflammatory markers (see Derivation/ Computation). It is important to note, however, that, as an index that superimposes on a method of dietary assessment, the DII is dependent on the accuracy of the dietary assessment method used. The DII cannot make up for deficiencies/ inaccuracies in measuring dietary intake.
What is scientific literature?
ā€œScientific Literatureā€ is the aggregate of written and published records that are generated by research or theoretical summarizations and are circulated to inform specialists on the latest achievements of science and on the progress and results of research. Regardless of the specific area of science, the subject of scientific literature is science itselfā€”ideas and the facts, laws, and categories discovered by scientists. Academic publishing is the process of placing the results of one’s research into the literature. Original scientific research published for the first time in scientific journals is called the primary literature. A scientific study is considered to be incomplete until its results have been recorded in written form for dissemination. Publication of a scientific work is essential in cases of a question concerning the establishment of scientific priority.
How can I access the articles
Please click here to visit CHIā€™s corporate website for a comprehensive list of journal articles and scientific literature published by Dr. Hebert and his team.
What is C-reactive protein?
C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the plasma proteins known as acute-phase proteins: proteins whose plasma concentrations increase (or decrease) by 25% or more during inflammatory disorders. CRP can rise as high as 1000-fold with inflammation. (Source: www.medicinenet.com)
What is a biomarker?
A biologic feature that can be used to measure the presence or progress of disease or the effects of treatment. For example, prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a biomarker for cancer of the prostate. (Source: www.medicinenet.com)
How can I be referred by my physician?
While a prescription is not required to participate in IMAGINE, we encourage you to speak to your physician or nutritionist regarding the benefits of reducing inflammation.Health professionals can also reach out to us directly for additional detailed information.
How is the DIIā„¢ score for an individual calculated?
The DIIā„¢ score is computed from what individuals tell us about what they eat.These dietary data can come from recall interviews or from a questionnaire ā€“ either a full-length food frequency questionnaire or from the DII-onDemandā„¢. We then take the information on food intake that individuals provide and link it to our large nutrient database in order to derive nutrient intake values. We then take 45 food parameters (35 of which are nutrients and 10 of which are whole foods and spices) and link them to the inflammatory effect scores for each of the 45 food parameters for which we have estimates of inflammatory potential based on our extensive review of the literature. 1 These are then summed up to get the overall DIIā„¢ score for an individual.
What is the Dietary Inflammation Food Gradeā„¢?
The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DIIā„¢)ā„¢ is the index used to measure how inflammatory foods are to your body and organs. It is derived through a complex mathematical formula. In order to make the raw DIIā„¢ scores easier to understand for consumers, they are converted into a simple ā€œA to Fā€ scale called the Dietary Inflammation Food Gradeā„¢, which can then be used for labeling food products.
Can I connect my wearables?
While we do plan on offering this functionality in the future, at this time IMAGINEā„¢ does not have a direct interface with wearable technologies. They may be used, however, to help monitor the ancillary information they provide which will be helpful in monitoring factors related to reducing inflammation.
How do I track my progress?
The best way to track your progress is through our online tool called DIIā„¢ On Demandā„¢. This in-depth questionnaire generates a DIIā„¢ score calculated by CHI scientists. Users receive a personalized report that includes their DIIā„¢ Score, dietary recommendations and next steps for reducing the inflammatory potential of oneā€™s diet. By repeating the DIIā„¢ On Demandā„¢ assessment, users can get a good sense of how their inflammation levels are changing over time.
Can I provide a testimonial?
Of course! We love to hear from our customers. Please send any testimonials or correspondence to us by clicking here. If we need additional information, we will reach out to you.
How are your counselors certified?
YES! All IMAGINEā„¢ counselors are screened and selected based on their professional qualifications. Many are already certified dieticians or nutritionists. Once they are pre-screened, our IMAGINEā„¢ counselors must then complete our own certification program, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills required to facilitate an IMAGINEā„¢ or other affiliated program.
Can I become certified to teach an IMAGINEā„¢ program?
Absolutely. We are looking to expand our network of certified counselors. If you are already a certified dietician or nutritionist, offering the IMAGINEā„¢ program t your clients is a great way to earn additional income! Want to learn more? Please click here to email us for details.
What is included in the IMAGINEā„¢ program?
The IMAGINEā„¢ program consists of a variety of modules carefully designed to educate and provide a wholistic approach to managing dietary inflammation. The core modules for the program include: IMAGINE Overview, Dietary Inflammation, The DIIā„¢ Food Groups, Spice It Up! Boosting anti-inflammatory foods, Grocery Shopping, Restaurants and Travel, Introduction to Physical Activity, Energy Balance, All About Stress, Stress Management, Battling Barriers, Booster Session, Review and Staying Motivated.

DII Screener

How can I get technical support for DIIā„¢ on Demandā„¢?
If you are having an issues with DIIā„¢ on Demandā„¢, please contact us with your issue and we will try our best to assist!

IMAGINEā„¢

Where is IMAGINEā„¢ Live being offered?
IMAGINEā„¢ is currently rolling out as a face-to-face live class in Columbia, South Carolina. If you live in the area and would like information or to enroll, please contact us! Our plans include to begin expanding throughout South Carolina during the second quarter of 2017, and then, throughout the Southeast, and eventually nationwide.
What do I need to bring to the Live class? How should I dress?
Virtually everything is provided at the classes, although you might want to bring a notepad/notebook and a pen. We will be cooking and perhaps doing some light exercisesā€”so dress comfortably. We will have aprons for you when needed. The class schedule will be provided, so you will have an ideal of what to expect when!
What are the IMAGINEā„¢ course modules? What will I learn?
  • Week 1: Introductions and IMAGINEā„¢ Overview
  • Week 2: Dietary Inflammation
  • Week 3: The DIIā„¢ Food Groups
  • Week 4: Spice It Up! Boosting anti-inflammatory foods
  • Week 5: Grocery Shopping, Restaurants and Travel
  • Week 6: Introduction to Physical Activity
  • Week 7: Planning Your Physical Activity
  • Week 8: All About Stress
  • Week 9: Beating Stress
  • Week 10: Overcoming Barriers
  • Week 11: Group Choice
  • Week 12: Staying Motivated
When will IMAGINEā„¢ Online be offered?
We are planning on launching an online version of IMAGINEā„¢ which will have many wonderful and engaging features built into the experience. The Online version is expected to debut during the second or third quarter of 2020.

DII Certification Course

Who is the DIIā„¢ certification course designed for?
Our DIIā„¢ certification course is designed for health professionals, such as physicians, nutritionists, and dieticians who want to receive a more in-depth understanding of the DIIā„¢–what it is, and how it works. It also provides additional insight into understanding dietary inflammation from a clinical perspective, and finally, it is designed to give a comprehensive overview of the IMAGINEā„¢ counseling program.
Why should I become DIIā„¢ certified?
Clinicians who become DIIā„¢ certified are eligible to teach their own IMAGINEā„¢ Live classes. This affords them the opportunity to expand their client base and develop a new revenue stream within their practice. The prestigious DIIā„¢ certification means that you have been trained in the latest and most relevant research related to the area of dietary inflammation from Dr. James HĆ©bert, the worldā€™s foremost authority on the subject, and creator of the DIIā„¢.
What is involved with becoming DIIā„¢ certified?
The DIIā„¢ certification class will be offered online beginning in the 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2018. If you are interested, or simply want additional information, please click here to contact us now!

Insurance & Costs
Does my insurance or HSA pay for this?
Unfortunately, per federal and state guidelines, the IMAGINEā„¢ counseling and other CHI products are not currently reimbursable through your insurance or HSA. CHI is working towards having this amended. Please check back or contact us for the latest details. We also encourage you to contact your insurance company for additional clarification and information.
Is there a discount if I purchase multiple products?
Yes. Please contact us for additional information.
Is there a discount if my entire family does this?
Yes. Please contact us for additional information.

Tech Support

Did my payment go through?
When you make a payment on our web site, you should receive an email confirmation. If you did not, please contact us.
What browsers are best to use in viewing your web site?
IMAGINEHEALTHY.ORG is compatible with all current versions of the major Internet browsers including FireFox, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge. If you feel you are having a browser issue, please contact us and describe your issue.

About Us
Are you hiring?
We are always looking for talented individuals to join our team. Any positions which we are actively recruiting for will be posted in the Careers section of our web site. If you do not see anything that meets your background, please feel free to submit a resume and cover letter explaining why you would be a great fit for our team and what you can contribute!
Iā€™m interested in being a partner
We are always looking for like-minded partners and investors who want to help in our mission to combat and control dietary inflammation. Weā€™d love to discuss the possibilities with you. Please contact us!
Can you speak to our group or conference? Be interviewed on podcasts or for blogs?
Dr. HĆ©bert and his team, along with outer subject matter experts such as our nutritionists, are available for keynotes, group presentations, interviews and other appearances. Certain fees may be applicable, but letā€™s discuss and see how we can help support your efforts!