Basic Dietary Guidelines

These dietary guidelines were inspired by James Simmons book Original Fast Foods. I’ve included other things that I think are important, but James’ chart is more detailed and explicit about weight/ quantity and nutrients. I highly recommend his book to anyone who is looking to overcome illness and gain researched based knowledge.

 

When you are working to cure yourself of any illness or injury, it is very important that you avoid animal products completely (especially red meat and milk products) as they slow down the eliminatory pathways and keep your body from absorbing the healing nutrients that you are consuming. They also cause the body to become acidic, disrupting the PH balance that is necessary for healing and good health. Oils should also be avoided if you are struggling with obesity.  Nuts and seeds and fatty fruits like avocados will provide you with plenty of fat during the healing period (about six months).  During this period, your focus should turn to healing foods like sprouts, herbs, wheatgrass juice and other fresh juices, fruits and vegetables. Grains, legumes and nuts and seeds will help to satiate any hunger you may feel as you make the transition from an highly processed animal-based diet to an all natural, significantly raw plant-based diet.  It is also important that you review your life habits and make changes that lend to peace of mind and peaceful living.  Go to bed early, get up early, take a walk in the sunshine, read a book, take time to enjoy the food you eat and the teas you drink, practice yoga (especially if you are overly stressed, have back pain or arthritis) and in general slow down. It’s not always easy or convenient to take time to be healthy.  You must learn to slow down, stress less and enjoy life as you live it.  You can take time to be healthy or take time to be sick.  If you find that you are struggling to be active, turn off the TV or internet (getting rid of it might be beneficial), get up, get dressed and get out in the fresh air.  Garden, go for a walk (with the kids, if you have them), talk to a neighbor.  Keep your windows open as much as possible to allow fresh air to flow through your house and invigorate your body.  A healthy life is one that finds a good balance between work and play and takes pleasure in the miracles and beauty all around us every day. It also includes a nutritious, well balanced diet that avoids stress when it comes to meal times.  Sitting down together as a family, or by yourself if you are alone, for at least 1 well balanced meal (3 is better) is necessary for a healthy, balanced, satisfying life. I know of one study that indicates that people who make it home in-time to sit down to dinner with there families are more likely to be satisfied with and retain their jobs longer than those who don’t. The point is to stop, sit and eat without distraction.  Don’t eat in front of the TV if you can possibly avoid it. Take 20-30 minutes each meal and enjoy your food and your company, even if it’s a cat or a newspaper.

During the healing phase, you should eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits and include some sprouted grains into your diet as well as fresh vegetable juices.  If you have cancer or another degenerative disease, drinking 10-16 ounces of fresh raw carrot juice 6 days a week is essential.  Drinking 2 ounces of wheatgrass juice a few times a week is also advisable, especially if you have opted to do chemotherapy as it will increase you white blood cell count and help to counteract the effects of radiation on your body.   Eating plenty of leafy greens (1 to 2 lbs) including sprouts is also needed because they are the most nutritious foods and will help your body heal more quickly.  It is also important that you drink at least 6 glasses of quality water each day. Adding raw live-cultured foods and drinks can be a very good idea, especially for people suffering from diseases of the gut and malabsorption of nutrients.

Here’s the breakdown in percentage of quantity of foods, though perhaps not weight or calories.  Just keep these percentages in mind as you plan your meals and snacks. Most of your food (65-70%) should be raw fruits and vegetables, sprouts and juices. It is permissible to lightly steam some of your vegetables to take off the raw edge, or slow-cook them in soups, consuming the broth as well:

Healing Phase:

  • 30% Raw Leafy greens, sprouts and wheatgrass juice (2 ounces per day, 3-6 times per week)
  • 35% Fresh Fruits and vegetables (most of which should be eaten raw or lightly steamed) including fresh juices which are always consumed raw (I recommend drinking 10 to 16 ounces of carrot juice 6 days if you have cancer and at least 3 days a week for all other diseases)
  • 7% Raw Nuts, Seeds (avoid peanuts during this phase)
  • 14% Cooked Whole Grains, Whole Grain Pasta and Whole Meal Breads
  • 10% Cooked Legumes
  • 2% Herbs (more if you are doing an herbal cleanse)
  • 2% Fats and Oils (only use raw extra-virgin or coconut oil).
  • 0% Honey or Pure Maple syrup; especially with diabetes and cancer
  • 0% Animal Products (meat, fish, eggs and milk products; if you feel like you just can’t give up all animal products, then eat fresh eggs and fresh fish only, though I recommend going off all animal products for at least 6 weeks)
  • Limit your salt intake by using fresh herbs to season. Use only sea or kosher salt without any additives.

Note there is a transition period (6 to 8 weeks) in which you may feel very hungry, tired and agitated (from breaking chemical addictions).  Eat as much as you can or like of the healing foods to help you deal with this feeling, drink a lot of clean water and rest a lot.  Eating a slice of whole grain bread with raw almond butter and a little honey goes a long way to ward off cravings for sweets.  A slice of toast with avocado butter also works well, especially if you crave other junk foods like chips and crackers. Your body will soon adjust and you will find that you have more energy and prefer the satisfied but not full feeling of an unprocessed, plant-based diet.  I recommend that you commit to the Healing Period for at least 6 weeks, take a break for the 7th,if you feel the need, and continue on as before until you reach your health goals.

Example of a day on the healing diet:

  • 2 ounces wheatgrass juice
  • a cup of herbal tea (non-caffeinated)
  • 1 bowl of sprouted oatmeal or raw granola with 1/2 cup almond  or other nut milk (and almond butter if desired)
  • a glass of green smoothie
  • a big green salad with sprouts and guacamole for lunch and a whole grain pita bread with hummus
  • 10-16 ounces carrot juice
  • raw power bars (oil-free version in cases of obesity) and fresh fruits and vegetables with cashew ranch dip for snacks
  • a bowl of vegetable and cashew curry over steamed brown rice for dinner
  • a cup of herbal tea such as yarrow, red clover or dandelion and nettle (sweetened with a little honey, if desired)
  • 6-10 glasses distilled, re-mineralized water throughout the day; adding a TBS of lemon juice or a tsp of raw apple cider vinegar to your water will improve the digestion of your food and help with acid reflux.

 

Health Maintenance Period (after about 6 months on the healing diet):

Once you have reached your goals of healing and weight loss it is important to maintain a good diet, free of processed foods and rich in nutritious plant foods, including plenty of raw foods. After ridding your body of many chemicals and toxic build-up, you will be better able to know what your body needs by its cravings.  If you find yourself craving fattening desserts that you used to eat, you probably need more fat and carbohydrates in your diet.  Eat nuts and dried fruit and cook your food in a little good quality olive oil.  If you are craving red meat, try a bowl of cooked lentils first.  If the craving persists, eat an ounce or 2 of red meat.  Listen to your body, think about what you need and stick with the program while meeting your needs.  You may go back to the healing phase as needed or wanted.

  • 44% Fruits (including dried), Vegetables, Sprouts, Juices and Leafy greens
  • 25% Cooked Whole grains and Legumes
  • 12% Nuts and Seeds
  • 5%   Animal Products, (about ½ ounce per day, 3 ounces per week, wild game or home-raised animal products are best )
  • 2%   Herbs (drink herbal tea at least once a day)
  • 2%   Fats oils and natural sweeteners (honey and maple syrup)

Note if you are suffering from a long-time or genetic illness, you will likely experience recurring symptoms later on, even if you are maintaining a nutritious plant-based diet.  Your body will experience multiple cleansing periods, sometimes years later.  It is thought by some that healing periods come in 7’s: the seventh day, week, month and year.  Go back to the healing phase diet as needed/ tolerated. It has taken me 3 ½ years to overcome my health problems with some periods of very good health and some of very poor.  Working with a naturopath may be beneficial to you in conjunction with a nutritious diet.

For educational purposes only.  This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.