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 Table of Contents
Chapter
Page
1. What is ​
Clean ‘16​
?
3
2. One simple rule
6
3. Food Groups
8
4. 4 pillars of health
12
5. Health starts with your digestion
16
6. Let’s make proteins, carbs and fats clear
22
7. Food quality
33
8. Myth busting
38
9. Supplements
41
10. So, what do I eat?
44
2 1 What is ​
Clean ‘16​
? The program ​
Clean ‘16​
is about eating cleanly. No more ‘dirty’ foods that pollute our bodies and minds. It is all about eating natural, wholesome, real foods. We evolved together with nature and we should eat as closely to our natural way of eating as possible for optimal health. I can summarize the program here and now by saying this: Eat real food and you will be healthy, fit and vibrant. Unfortunately, it is not as easy to tell which food is ‘real’ and which food is ‘food’ at all. We often consume chemical concoctions that we call ‘food’, we often don’t know how our food is grown and where it comes from, and we usually have no idea what ‘real food’ even means. For that and many other reasons I felt obligated to create this program where I share my knowledge and experience about the effects of food on the body. My goal is to educate you on how simple it is to eat healthy and how absolutely vital eating healthy is. I will not talk much about processed foods in this program. There is no need to give much attention to something that is so unacceptable to put into our bodies. But I do need to cover the concept of processed food so there are no questions left. What is processed food? Every food that we buy at the store has technically been processed in some way ­ kale cut and washed, chicken killed and picked, tea picked, dried and packaged. However, by the word “processed” we usually mean food that has been ​
chemically​
processed or food that has been made mostly from refined ingredients and artificial substances. These are the processed foods that make us sick and fat. Let’s see how. ● Processed foods are full of unnatural chemicals. Most of those chemicals are toxic to us. The body requires nutrients to get rid of the toxins or stores them in our body (usually in fat cells). 3 ● Processed foods are very high in sugar and refined carbohydrates. Later on I will explain how detrimental those two are to our health, but for now let’s say that they are associated with many diseases like cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues and many more. ● Processed foods are very addictive because they alter our brain chemistry and our hormones, making it very difficult to avoid them and to control consumption amounts. ● Processed foods are high in trans fats and refined vegetable oils. These are unnatural damaged fats that cause metabolic havoc, inflammation and they are associated with many diseases. There is absolutely no place for trans fats in our diets. ● Processed foods lack nutrients. There is really no reason to consume processed foods since we are not getting much out of them but the calories and negative health effects. The bottom line is that processed foods can be connected to basically any and every disease there is. We are the first few generations consuming this so called “food” and as we can see it is not working so well for us. The rates of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergies, mental health issues, neurological disorders and diabetes keep rising. Instead of getting to the core of the problem we start taking drugs to mask the symptoms. While we know that living a healthier life will help us prevent, reverse or manage many of these diseases, we still don’t make any changes. Why? Because we all have a million excuses! Or as I would call them ­ limiting beliefs. Here is the list of the most popular limiting beliefs that I encounter in my practice: ­ Healthy living is difficult. It is much easier to live a healthy life than an unhealthy one! You feel much better and the life seems more enjoyable and simple. Eating healthy is very easy and straightforward, and I am going to show you how in this program. ­
Healthy living is expensive. 4 When you stop eating out and buying unnecessary junk food you will be surprised how much money you will actually save. Also, exercise doesn’t require an expensive gym membership ­ going for a walk or a run is free. ­ I don’t have time. For some reason many people have time to go on Facebook and to watch Netflix, but they don’t have time to spend 20 minutes cooking or going for a 30 minutes run. Being sick takes up way more time than being healthy. ­ I don’t have money. It is all about priorities. How much are you paying for your car? Or your phone and computer? Which “machine” do you think is the most important one? Yes, your body. And no, it is not a machine and when it “breaks” it’s not that easy to fix and you definitely can’t buy a new one. So get your priorities straight. There is NOTHING more important to spend your money on than your food and shelter. ­ Healthy food doesn’t taste good. Maybe​
a ​
kale salad in comparison to McDonald’s burger doesn’t seem that appetizing at first, but there are plenty of delicious healthy foods that will make you full and satisfied. The more you eat healthy food the more you crave it. It’s pretty amazing how your taste buds and food preferences change just within a month or two. Our bodies want to get nutritious foods. ­ All my friends and family eat junk. About 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetimes and 1 in 4 will die of the disease, according to Canadian Cancer Society. An estimated 1.6 million Canadians are living with heart disease or the effects of a stroke according to Heart and Stroke Foundation. From 2015 to 2025 estimated diabetes prevalence increase is 44% according to Diabetes Association of Canada. Do you want to be like “everyone else” and be a part of this statistics? ­ I don’t have energy. You don’t have energy to eat healthy because you are not eating healthy. Where are you expecting to get your energy from? Sure, you are consuming calories, but you are deficient in vital nutrients that actually create energy in your body. So yes, by eating junk your body literally doesn’t have energy. ­ I don’t know how to eat healthy. 5 I'm glad you are here to join the program where I once and for all explain HOW and WHY you can easily switch to a healthy lifestyle!​
​
You CAN make changes to your lifestyle and for the next 30 days I will teach you how to do ​
this. 2 One simple rule There is really just one main rule in this program ­ ​
Eat Real Food​
. It is THAT simple! But we are not that simple. We need to know all the whys, whats and hows. So here we go… Let me answer all your questions once and for all. We already went over the concept of processed foods and now it is time to talk about all the amazing delicious, healthful foods that we should and will eat. Similar to the millions of reasons to avoid processed foods, there are millions of reasons to eat wholesome real foods. I like focusing on the positive not the negative. I like to focus on giving and not taking. I like to focus on satisfying and not depriving. For these reasons my program is focused on the great variety of delicious foods that we should eat rather than on the foods that we should avoid. Since there is so much to say about healthy food, I don’t even want to waste your time talking about each processed food separately ­ I will just educate you on the ways to choose the healthiest, most nourishing foods and why. As simple as the main rule “eat real food and avoid processed food” sounds, it still tends to cause a lot of confusion. So as we go through the chapters I hope it will become more and more clear for you what this rule means so by the end of the program on Day 30 it does become a second nature to you. What are real foods? 6 Anything that was grown and wasn’t made in the lab technically is a real food. We must take into consideration, however, how much that food was altered from its original form. For example, a piece of meat is natural real food, while a processed meat like salami or hot dogs are processed food since they have been refined and had chemicals added to them. So we can’t consider them “real food”. This is similar to whole grains in comparison with whole grain bread. Whole grains were just picked from a plant and dried, while whole grain bread is made out of whole grains that have been pulverized into flour and baked with added ingredients, thus making whole grain bread a processed food. Real foods are whole foods that are made by nature and not in a factory. 7 3 Food Groups Let’s now learn about the most important food groups. All of the foods that we talk about in this program will be part of one of the following groups. Vegetables Vegetables are by far the most nutrient dense food and the healthiest food to eat. Vegetables have endless variety to them and each one is unique in their health benefits. They contain most of the vital vitamins, minerals and micronutrients for a human’s survival. They are h​
igh in soluble and insoluble fibre that is crucial for digestion and balanced gut bacteria. Vegetables vary greatly in the amount of carbohydrates they have, but they are mostly low in fat and proteins. ​
They are an absolutely essential part of our diet and we will focus quite a bit on them. Fruits and berries Fruits and berries are similar to vegetables in that they ​
contain a very high amount of minerals, vitamins and other micronutrients as well as fiber ­ all very important for our health. But unlike vegetables, fruits are high in fructose, which is the “evil” chemical, the effects of which we will talk a lot in this program. For that reason, even though we want to include fruits and berries, we still do want to limit the amounts that we consume. Fruits are usually high in carbohydrates and low in proteins and fats (with a few exceptions like avocado, which is high in fat and low in carbs and proteins). Grains and Legumes Grains and legumes must only be consumed whole and not refined (i.e. whole grain, not anything that is made out of whole grain flour). Grains and legumes do contain nutrients, although they are far less superior to vegetables. Grains and legumes contain lectins, gluten (some grains), antinutrients and phytates that cannot be digested by humans and that damage digestion, decrease nutritional absorption, and have been proven to cause inflammation, autoimmune disorders and digestive issues. Grains and legumes are ​
high in carbohydrates, low in fat and have incomplete protein. 8 Grains containing gluten are wheat (spelt, kamut, couscous, semolina), rye and barley. ­
Gluten free grains are quinoa, buckwheat, millet, rice, teff, amaranth, sorghum and oats. ­
Legumes are beans, lentils, peas and peanuts. ­
Peas like green or yellow peas are treated as vegetables in this program (similar to tomatoes, which are fruits, being treated as vegetable). Even though refined grains are a big no for a healthy lifestyle, whole grains and legumes can be included in moderation if one can tolerate them and chooses to keep them in the diet. Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are great sources of healthy fats as well as other vitamins and minerals. They have incomplete protein and are low in carbohydrates. Nuts and seeds are often made into butters and milks such as almond butter, tahini, or almond milk (refer to the Almond Milk Recipe from the Recipe Book). Nuts and seeds are very healthy but very high in caloric value so they should be portion controlled. A good portion is a handful. One more important note, peanuts are legumes and not nuts (peanut butter in not a nut butter). Dairy Dairy in North America must be pasteurized ­ the process of heating dairy to destroy dangerous microbes. However, pasteurization also destroys most of the valuable minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Furthermore, approximately 75% of adults are lactose intolerant. Unless you are absolutely certain whether you can or can’t tolerate dairy, I recommend following the program and trying to exclude it for the days that the program indicates to see if your body reacts to it when you reintroduce it. Dairy products have complete protein, various fat and carbohydrate contents. Red meat, poultry and eggs Red meat, poultry and eggs are the best sources of protein as well as some B vitamins and iron. They are also high in other nutrients that are important for our health such as creatine and carnosine. Eggs contain literally every nutrient to make a living organism except for vitamin C (think about egg becomes a chick). Meats and eggs are usually 9 higher in fats, but whether they are healthy or not mainly depends on their quality (refer to Meat Quality Guide page 36)​
. Meats and eggs are high in complete protein, usually high in saturated fat and low in carbohydrates. Fish and seafood Fish and seafood are great sources of complete protein as well as essential fat Omega­3, which is absolutely crucial to our health. For that reason fish and other seafood are an important part of our diet. Seafood is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Depending on the type of seafood, it can be high or low in saturated and unsaturated fats. Oils and fats The health effects of oils and fats is a complicated topic that we will discuss in the ​
Fat section of Chapter 5. The most important things to know are: ­ Healthy fats and oils are unrefined virgin oils like ​
olive, hemp, flax seed, avocado, walnut, and pumpkin seed oils. ­ Cook only with coconut oil, butter and ghee. ­ Unhealthy fats and oils are hydrogenated oils and vegetable oils like soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, ​
canola oil​
, cottonseed oil, safflower oil that are pro­inflammatory (high in Omega­6) have trans fats and are highly processed. Fats and oils basically have no proteins or carbohydrates. Fermented foods Fermented foods are a healthy addition to our diets. They improve gut bacteria as well as immune system, brain function, digestion and have many other positive health effects. Fermented foods include sauerkraut and fermented pickles (no vinegar added), kimchi, kombucha, kefir and tempeh. Fermented foods vary in the protein/fat/carb content, depending on what food group they made out of. Sweeteners According to many doctors sugar ​
is the primary factor causing not just obesity, but also chronic and lethal disease.​
Sugar should be strictly limited or avoided. There are 10 natural sweeteners that are still considered sugar but at least they contain other healthy nutrients. Honey and maple syrup must be un­pasteurized and preferably raw ­ if they have been pasteurized they basically can be considered regular sugar. Natural low calorie sweeteners with low sugar content are stevia, xylitol and erythritol. Sweeteners are low in protein and fat, and contain various amounts of carbohydrates. Beverages The only liquids that we should consume are water (still, sparkling or mineral), tea and sometimes coffee. None of the sweetened chemically filled beverages nor alcohol should be consumed on a healthy diet. Clean water, tea and coffee contain basically no proteins, fats or carbohydrates. Herbs and Spices Herbs and spices are an amazing addition to a healthy diet, not only because they make food taste so good but also because they are very high in antioxidants, great for digestion and anti­inflammatory. Herbs and spices have insignificant amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates. These are the general food groups that you need to get to know on your journey to your perfect health. Before you put any food into your precious body, you need to ask yourself these questions: ­
What is this food made out of? ­
Do I know all the ingredients? ­
Do I know what those ingredients do to my body? ­
How are the ingredients altered from their original natural state? If you don’t know what the food is made out of, if you know that the ingredients are damaging to your body or if you know that the food is processed, then the decision is easy ­ don’t eat that food. 11 4 4 Pillars to Health In ​
Clean ‘16​
we mostly focus on the dietary aspects of health. But as a Holistic Nutritionist I have to mention the importance of the healthy balance in other aspects of life. Our health is like a glass top of the table that is standing on the four pillars. If you remove one or more of the pillars then the glass top might break. The same is true with our health ­ if we don’t take care of one or more of the four pillars to our health then our health might “break” and then we get sick. Some illnesses are minor and are just reminders that we need to take a better care of ourselves, while other illnesses are like broken glass ­ no matter how hard we try to glue it together the cracks will still show. For that reason I strongly encourage you to focus on preventative measurements and to start taking care of your body as soon as possible. So what are the 4 pillars to health? 1) Nutrition We are literally made of food and water that we have consumed during our life. Whether it is our skin or our brain, we are made out of the proteins, fats and liquids that we consume through our diet. Our system functions due to the foods and liquids we consume. This whole program is focused on nutrition, so we don’t have to talk much about the importance of it here, but I do want you to know that it is one of the pillars to health. 2) Movement We were born to move. Without movement there is no life. We evolved as species that are not able to but also need to run, jump, climb and use all our joints and muscles. In nowadays society we mostly sit, lay or walk. According to Johns Hopkins Hospital, lack of physical activity is a clear risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, anxiety, depression, certain types of cancer and obesity. 12 Sedentary lifestyle is dangerous to your health and you need to take steps towards becoming more physically active. We all have different bodies and each of us will benefit from different type of exercise. I always say, it is not about going to the gym 3 times a week, it is about staying active every day​
. Brisk walks throughout the day, fun outdoor activities or simply choosing to stand instead of sitting are choices that make all the difference. Why stay at home watching TV and sitting on a couch in the evening, when you can go for a walk and feel a million times better not only physically but psychologically? I challenge you to do this every day for the next week ­ you will get addicted to it. When you move, your body releases feel­good neurotransmitters like endorphins that make you feel happy. So exercise literally makes you happy. During the ​
Clean ‘16​
program I strongly encourage you to set an exercise routine. I recommend keeping track of it and making sure you make it as fun and varied as you can. Options are endless: ­ Winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, skating or just having a snowball fight ­ Going for a run or brisk walk ­ Attending a yoga or a pilates class ­ Going to a bootcamp or circuit training class ­ Trying rock climbing ­ Playing with kids or a dog outside ­ Exploring your city by foot or city museums ­ Going to a swimming pool ­ Trying a martial arts or a crossfit class ­ Playing a team sport like basketball, soccer or volleyball ­ Finding an online exercise routine and doing it at home ­ Hiking at the nearest park ­ Doing 20 burpees a few times per day It doesn't matter what you do as long as you are moving your body. Every day. 13 3) Sleep Sleep is so underrated in our society. We tend to think that it is a “waste of time” and we couldn’t be more wrong. They say that your muscles grow in the sleep, not in the gym, and it’s absolutely true. And not only muscles, during sleep our bodies rejuvenate, repair tissue, and synthesize hormones. Without proper sleep we are not able to recover. As an example, lack of sleep is associated with heart diseases because the vessels and heart don't get proper repair time. ​
Sleep​
​
deficiency is linked to an increased risk of kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. On the other hand, a proper night’s sleep improves memory, decreases inflammation, balances hormones, improves mood, lowers pain, strengthens immunity and improves body composition. Sleep is vital for weight management. There are many reasons for this. Sleep balances hormones, specifically, satiety hormone leptin, which we will discuss in the next chapter. Leptin helps us control our appetite and stops us from overeating. Also, we have less energy when we don’t sleep and we attempt to increase our energy by eating extra food. 4) Relaxation You can eat healthy and exercise but if you are constantly stressed, you will not be able to achieve your optimal health. Prolonged stress is absolutely detriment to our health and there are no questions about it. While short term stress can increase our physical and mental abilities, long term stress is associated with health problems like heart disease, depression, digestive problems, sleep problems, autoimmune disorders and many more. 14 During periods of stress adrenal glands release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Chronically elevated cortisol can cause fatigue, depression, exhaustion, infertility, compromised immune function, bone loss and fat accumulation. Yes, cortisol will make your fat cells more resistant to fat loss. That’s why relaxing is so important for weight management. I often have clients who hit plateaus and start stressing out about it, pushing themselves harder with no result. But as soon as they allow themselves to relax, they drop those pounds in no time. Furthermore, cortisol specifically increases our desire for comfort foods leading to excessive intake of high­fat and high­sugar foods.​
Excessive cortisol can cause a range of symptoms including sleep disturbances, cravings, allergies, asthma, anxiety and fatigue. Relaxing and allowing cortisol levels to go down is needed in order for us to fall asleep since cortisol is also responsible for sleep­wake cycle. Cortisol should be released in the morning to wake us up and it also gets released during times of stress as the day progresses. However, by the end of the day cortisol’s presence should be decreased so that melatonin can be released in order for our body to fall asleep. In my opinion there are two evils in this world ­ sugar and prolonged stress. The good news are that proper diet and exercise really help you manage stress. Decrease your coffee and sugar consumption and increase vegetables and water intake, move your body throughout the day and go to sleep on time, and you will quickly notice the difference. 15 5 Health starts with your digestion Healthy digestion is a key to your well­being. Think about it: How can your body work without nutrients that get absorbed through your digestive system? How will your brain function without Omega­3 since it plays a major role in cell signaling in your brain? How can your heart function if you don’t have enough calcium and magnesium that are responsible for the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle? How can your body produce energy without B vitamins that are part of energy metabolism? How can you repair and build your cells without raw materials like proteins and fats? We need nutrients for literally every function in our body. Nutrients are ​
substances that provide nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. Nutrients include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and water. Where do we get most of the nutrients from? Food. Food that we are able to digest. But do we consume foods with the right nutrients? And do we absorb the nutrients from food that we consume? If we are not eating food with the nutrients that we need to sustain our body or if for some reason we are not properly digesting and absorbing those nutrients, then how do we expect our bodies to function? If we are not feeding our brains, hearts, livers, cells or immune system how can we expect them to function correctly? How can we be healthy if our organs aren’t given the “food” to live? Now let’s look at the Standard American Diet (aka SAD). The day starts with a coffee with cream and sugar, either cereal with milk or bagel with cream cheese. Then there is usually a sandwich for lunch and dinner usually consists of either pasta, pizza, 16 burger or something else made out of refined grains and processed meats. And let’s not forget that cookie, bag of chips or macchiato from Starbucks. So what nutrients did we get from this so­called food? We got a LOT of simple carbohydrates, proteins and fats from processed meats, lots of trans fats from all the poor quality oils, and very, very few minerals and vitamins. There might have been a slice of tomato or a piece of lettuce somewhere that you got minimal amount of nutrients from. If you are thinking that you got calcium from the dairy, think twice and refer to the dairy myth (Chapter 8 Myth Busting page 38). If you think that you got some vitamins from either eating whole wheat pasta, cereal or bread, I also will argue differently very soon. How can we ever logically think that our body can be healthy from eating this kind of diet? Twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years of eating a diet such as this will result in heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, neurological and psychological conditions and many more illnesses because we are not FEEDING our systems and harming it instead. The questions are: When are we going to stop? When are we going to make a decision to live a healthy life disease­free? Are we going to make this decision when it is too late? Or are we going to make the decision now? It’s YOUR choice! The first step in feeding your body is providing the right nutrients. Where do we get most nutrients from? Vegetables! We also get nutrients from fruits, berries, nuts and seeds, good quality meats, fish and eggs, probiotic foods and healthy fats. There are no essential nutrients in grains, legumes and dairy that we need that we can’t get from vegetables or meats. It is very important to remember that whole grain breads/pastas/bagels/muffins are not really ​
whole ​
grains. These products are made out of flour that has been processed from whole grains. Whole grains are foods that have not been refined, like brown rice. White rice, rice pasta, even brown rice pasta, are still considered ‘​
refined grains​
’ and have a very different health effect on the body than actual whole grains. Foods made of flour, even whole grain flour, often lack nutritional value and are enriched with synthetic cheap vitamins like B vitamins, folate and iron which can actually be very harmful to our health. One very important note I want to make is ­ ​
there is no such thing as empty calories​
. 17 When you are eating any kind of food, it will influence your body. When you are eating junk food that is lacking nutrients (that’s where the term comes from), it doesn’t mean that it just gives your body calories from fats, proteins and carbohydrates. When you eat junk food, you are damaging your system. Whether it is the toxic chemicals in the food, the simple sugars, the refined grains or the trans fats, junk food has negative effects on your system; it doesn’t just give you calories. In addition to not providing your body with proper nutrients, it robs your body of the nutrients since the food has to be digested, chemicals detoxified and everything has to be eliminated. I want you to keep that in mind every time you are eating food that is not real and wholesome ­ processed food has a negative effect on your health, while real food has a positive effect on your health. The second step is making sure you are absorbing the vital nutrients from the food that you consume. As I said, health starts with digestion, so if you are ever feeling bloated or gassy, have diarrhea or constipation, have acid reflux or indigestion, then you seriously need to take care of your digestion. To make sure you digestion works well you need to: 1) Eliminate foods that are damaging your digestion such as chemicals, toxins, grains, legumes, possibly dairy or any food that you are sensitive or allergic to. 2) Provide nutrients to repair your digestion. Proteins and healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals from vegetables and meats will provide those nutrients. However, if you really struggle with your digestion, please refer to Chapter 9 ­ Supplements (page 41) 3) Replenish good gut bacteria with probiotics either from fermented food or with probiotic supplement. Healing your digestion might take years, but if you follow ​
Clean ‘16​
you will see a huge improvement in how your digestion feels in a short period of time. 18 Hormones Hormones are chemical messengers that tell other systems throughout the body what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. There are over fifty known hormones that control thousands of body processes. Hormones are very complicated and we still don’t fully understand how they work, but two things are clear ­ they are all interdependent and they have huge influence on us. If one hormone becomes imbalanced, it can cause a domino effect, causing imbalances in the other hormones in your system. Since each hormone controls one or more body functions, an excess or deficiency of a hormone can potentially have very detrimental effects. Hormones have the most powerful effects on our health and thus we need to learn to control them so they don’t control us. Since hormones are interdependent, we can help balance most of the hormones if we just focus on balancing a few of the dominant ones. The two most important hormones that we can easily control with our diet and lifestyle are insulin and cortisol. While cortisol can be controlled by managing stress and sleep, insulin can be controlled mainly by our diets. We spoke about decreasing stress and cortisol levels in the Chapter 4, so now let’s talk about insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas; a six­inch long gland located behind the stomach and is connected to the small intestine. Consumption of sugar increases blood sugar levels, causing insulin to be released. Insulin pushes sugar molecules, or glucose molecules, into your cells to decrease blood sugar level since high levels of sugar in the blood is toxic. The sugar molecule is either used for immediate energy (we all have experienced a “sugar rush”) or it stores sugar as glycogen in the muscles and liver or as fat. I will repeat it again: ​
excess sugar gets stored as fat​
. If we frequently consume a lot of sugar and simple carbohydrates, then we are constantly elevating our blood sugar level as well as insulin levels. After the fat cells are full and the glycogen storages are full, the cells become less sensitive to the signals of the insulin to take up more sugar because excess sugar is toxic for the cell too. As a result the levels of insulin in the blood increase and stay high and over time your body develops a condition called insulin resistance. This insulin resistance puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, cancers, anxiety, hormonal imbalances and it leads to 19 type 2 diabetes, which develops when the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough insulin. When our blood sugar level spikes, it drops quickly, causing an energy crash, mood changes, hunger and cravings. As I have mentioned previously, hormone insulin influences other hormones in the body, primarily ‘satiety’ hormone leptin and sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. Leptin Insulin has a strong correlation with the hormone leptin. Leptin is made primarily by adipose cells (fat cells) and it regulates energy balance and inhibits hunger. When we have enough stored fat, leptin is released, signaling the brain that the body is “full” and that we need to stop eating and start producing energy. However, similar to becoming resistant to insulin, our bodies become resistant to leptin. Leptin resistance develops from overconsumption of energy, i.e. overeating. When we already have enough stored energy (fat) and we keep eating, our brains becomes less sensitive to signals of leptin about the fullness. As a result, leptin levels in overweight and obese people are higher than normal but due to the brain being “resistant” to the signals obese and overweight people don’t feel full from overeating. The more sugar we eat, the more insulin we produce, the more fat we store, the more leptin we make, the more the brain becomes resistant to leptin. It’s a vicious cycle. Sex hormones Insulin has a direct relationship with sex hormones like testosterone and progesterone. High amounts of insulin reduce both of these sex hormone. Reduced amounts of progesterone increase the hormone estrogen. High estrogen levels often promote low thyroid function, which slows our metabolism and causes weight gain. Weight gain causes more fat cells, which produce their own hormones similar to estrogen, which tells body to make more fat cells; thus, it becomes a very vicious cycle again. Insulin lowers testosterone, which plays an important role in both men’s and women’s health. Testosterone is essential to our sex drive, maintenance of muscles, bones, skin 20 and heart. Low testosterone levels can often result in the loss of strength and stamina, cause sleep problems, and is a factor in bone disease. Insulin increases estrogen and decreases testosterone, so it’s no wonder men often get beer bellies, manboobs and a lower libido and women end up with fatigue, depression, PMS and weight gain from having excess insulin. It is clear that unbalanced insulin levels cause many negative health effects, and even though it is practically​
impossible to list all of the possible reactions here, I think I make my point of how important it is to keep insulin in check. Insulin is released into the blood as a result of increased blood sugar level. If the blood sugar level is increased gradually and with moderation, insulin can help glucose molecules get into the cell and be used for energy. Nothing is wrong with that. Carbohydrates from vegetables and moderate consumption of fruit can slowly raise your blood sugar levels to the point where your body will use the sugar for energy and brain functions. However, as soon as there are too many carbs in the diet, or if the sugars come from too many simple or processed carbs, the spike in the blood glucose will cause a spike in the insulin levels. Fat, protein and fibre will slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood. However, this isn’t a great reason to eat a burger with a large white bun containing many poor quality fats and proteins. Sugars from a burger will reach your blood, spike the insulin levels and have just as many negative effects, in addition to all of the other poor influences from highly processed, chemically loaded “food.” On the other hand, you can cook your sweet potato in coconut oil, or eat a banana with nut butter; this will slow down the absorption of carbs from banana and sweet potato, giving you a steadier rise in your blood sugar. It is very important to eat a clean diet rich in vegetables and fruits; then insulin can be our friend. However, when we start abusing its power by eating a diet high in simple carbohydrates and processed foods, it then becomes one of our greatest enemies. Avoiding sugar and sugary food is not enough; it is very important to stay away from refined and processed grains as well. Because they do not have much fiber, fat or protein left, they get digested very quickly and spike blood sugar and insulin levels. 21 6 Let’s make proteins, carbs and fats clear Carbohydrates Carbohydrate is a macronutrient and is the easiest source of energy for your body. Carbohydrates are generally categorized as simple and complex. Carbohydrates are the fastest digested food since they go right through the stomach and get digested in the small intestine, which is one of the reasons they are not very satiating. Simple carbs are sugars that spike your blood sugar level and increase the insulin in your blood. So foods with refined flour such as bread, cereal and pasta, as well as all sugary foods, are high in simple carb, i.e. sugars, and therefore spike blood sugar and insulin. What you might not be aware of is that complex carbs act in a very similar way. So complex carbs like fruits, grains, starchy vegetables, and some dairy also turn into sugar in your body. It takes a bit longer due to more complex structure and fibre content but the end result is the same. There is no such thing as essential carbohydrates and therefore we do not actually need to consume carbohydrates or sugars since our body is able to make them. That being said, vegetables and fruits have plenty of nutrients that we want to have in our diet and they do contain carbohydrates. Healthy sources of carbohydrates: ­ Vegetables ­ Fruits and berries Acceptable sources of carbohydrates: ­ Whole grains ­ Whole legumes Bad sources of carbohydrates: ­ Sugar and sugary foods ­ Refined grains 22 Sugar is absolutely detrimental to your health. Let me give you ten ways sugar poorly influences your health so you can see it for yourself. 1) Sugar promotes inflammation within your body. Chronic inflammation is the cause of many diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, allergies, skin problems and many more. 2) Sugar feeds​
the bad bacteria ​
in your body. Bad bacteria is not only a cause of tooth decay but also digestive issues, yeast infections, mood changes and compromised immune system. 3) Sugar causes insulin resistance, which leads to metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease and especially type II diabetes. 4) Sugar is ​
very fattening​
due to its effects on hormones and the brain. Sugar is 50% fructose; this causes neither satiety in the brain nor lowers the hunger hormone ghrelin. For these reasons sugar dramatically increases the risk of becoming overweight or obese. 5) Sugar causes a large release of dopamine in the brain and is highly addictive. 6) Sugar, not fat, raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and oxidized LDL (very bad). For this reason, sugar is now considered the biggest cause of heart disease. 7) Due to its effects on the blood sugar level and metabolism, sugar causes​
hormonal imbalances ​
and leads to energy and mood swings, cravings, thyroid issues, PMS and many other symptoms of hormonal imbalances. 8) Simple sugars, including glucose, table sugar, fructose, and honey, cause a 50% drop in the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria. These effects last for five hours after the ingestion of sugar. This means sugar significantly weakens the immune system. 9) Sugar causes premature aging of the skin due to advanced glycation end products (AGEs). 23 10) Large amounts of sugar can lead to fatty liver, which is associated with metabolic diseases, digestive issues and diminished liver function. These ten reasons to avoid sugar are only the tip of the iceberg. There are no good reasons to eat processed foods that are high in sugar and simple carbs; they generally lack nutrients and mostly have a negative effect on your health. Easy Sweatner Guide Best option: Stevia and xylitol – minimal influence on blood sugar level, natural. Acceptable in small amounts ­ dates, raw honey, maple syrup, molasses, coconut sugar. They are high in sugar content but have beneficial nutrients. Avoid: Agave syrup, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners,syrup, any other sugars (refer to Hidden Sugars in Downloads) Protein Proteins are chains of molecules called amino acids. There are 22 different amino acids that can be broken down and reassembled by our bodies. However, there are eight amino acids that have to be obtained from diet and they are called essential amino acids. Protein food that has all eight essential amino acids is called complete protein. Incomplete proteins like legumes, grains, nuts and most vegetables lack or are low in one or more essential amino acids. Our ability to use protein is limited by the shortage of one or more of the essential amino acids. For example, lentils have approximately 50% of required amount of the amino acid methionine, so only about 50% of the protein from lentils can be used by the body. Animal products like meats, eggs, dairy and fish all have the complete amino acid profile, making them complete protein, while most of the plant source protein is usually incomplete. Protein digestion happens in the stomach and protein rich foods are therefore filling. Protein consumption is vital for healthy bodily functions. Essential amino acids are needed for building and repairing tissue thus are needed for healthy skin, hair, nails 24 and internal organs. They are also building blocks for hormones, enzymes, immune system, hemoglobin and DNA. Muscles are made of protein and when you exercise, you break down muscle fibres and therefore you need extra protein to repair them after. Protein is needed in every function of our body – amino acids are not called essential for no reason. Vegetarians and vegans are at high risk of having protein deficiency and thus might suffer from symptoms like fatigue, sallow lackluster skin, weak and brittle hair and nails, wicked PMS, weight gain, low muscle tone and lethargy. There is no need of having too much protein, since it is a poor source of energy, it is acidifying, and unlike popular belief, excess amounts can also be stored as fat. Breakfast high in protein will keep you fuller for longer, supplying you with essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of your body. Emphasizing your higher protein intake at the beginning of the day allows a proper digestion and assimilation of amino acids. Slowly digested protein has healthy effects on blood sugar levels and insulin and thus the rest of the hormones. Having protein at each meal ensures optimal usage of the essential amino acids. It also makes you feel full through the day (and no one likes to be hungry). Fat Fat is the most misunderstood macronutrient. There is lots of confusion around dietary fat, but not to worry – I will clear it up for you! Fat gets digested in the stomach and remains there until other macronutrients leave the stomach. Therefore, fat is the most slowly digested of the macronutrients and will keep you full for a long time. Fats have no direct effect on blood sugar level. If insulin is present in the blood stream from excess carbohydrate consumption, your body will not use fat as energy. As a result you want low amounts of glucose present in the blood so that stored fats as well as fats from food get used for energy. To make the point clear, I will have to repeat this. ​
You will not burn fat (stored or from food) for energy in the 25 presence of insulin from sugar in your blood.​
It is very important to understand: If you want to make your body an efficient fat burning machine you must avoid carbohydrate rich foods. Ketones are breakdown product of fatty acids. When glucose, i.e. sugar, is not present in the blood, ketones are used as an alternative source of energy. When we say that the body burns fat, we mean that body breaks down fat into ketones, which are then used by muscles, the brain and other organs for energy. Using ketones for energy lets your body burn body and dietary fat. It also helps stabilize insulin and cortisol as a result, thereby giving you more steady energy and mood, decreasing your stress, decreasing cravings and promoting fat loss. But not all fat is the same, so let’s go over the different types of fat. Fats can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fats have only single bonds and are considered to be very stable, while unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds and thus have a “bent” chemical structure, making them less stable to heat, light and air. The unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; healthy Omega­3 and Omega­6 are part of them as well as the evil trans fats. 26 Easy Fat Guide Saturated fats ● These are found in coconut oil, dairy products, eggs, meats and seafood. ● Saturated fats are needed to make sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, to make cholesterol to heal tissues and absorb vitamin D, for proper immune system function, for healthy gut bacteria and for energy. ● Use butter, ghee and coconut oil for high heat cooking (heat stable). ● Buy organic virgin coconut oil and grass­fed organic butter and ghee. Unsaturated fats ● These are found in nuts and seeds, seafood, olives, avocado. ● Unsaturated fats are needed for healthy brain function, for healthy heart and arteries, for cellular repair in vital organs and for improved insulin sensitivity. ● Use olive oil, hemp seed oil, sesame oil and all other unsaturated oils for cold uses (heat sensitive and become trans fats). Good quality olive oil can be used in low heat cooking. ● Buy organic, extra­virgin, cold­pressed and store in a dark bottle for no more than 2­3 months in a dark place. Avoid ● Damaged fats like trans fats are very dangerous to our body and lead to heart diseases, hormonal imbalances, brain diseases, poor immune system function and much more. ● Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils like margarine, buttery spreads and shortenings ● Vegetable oils like corn oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, sunflower and safflower oils ● Junk foods that contain damaged oils (bakery foods, candies, French fries, fried and deep­fried foods, potato and corn chips and other junk and packaged foods) 27 Saturated fats come mostly from animal products and have earned a bad reputation in the last couple of decades. There is a myth that saturated fats make you fat and cause cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have consistently shown that fat content in the blood, i.e. triglycerides, is increased by glucose, i.e. sugar, not fats. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer and obesity have been linked to excess sugar consumption. Saturated fats are also very different from each other. You can easily see it if you leave a steak or a piece of butter on the counter at a room temperature. Butter that has short­chain fatty acids will melt, while steak that has long­chain amino acids will stay firm. This is due to different chemical structures and different melting points. Saturated fats that have short and medium­chain fatty acids are easily burnt for energy, while long­chain amino acids require more chemical reactions and time. Short and medium chain fatty acids are great sources of energy, and are especially important when you cut out sugars from your diet. These fats also have been proven to enhance the movement of fats from storage, causing fat loss. The best food sources of these fatty acids are butter and coconut oil. Omega­3 and Omega­6 are essential fatty acids that must be obtained from our diet. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are vital for the proper function of our body. Omega­3 and Omega­6 have a delicate balance in our system, and we must keep that delicate balance in the consumption of those two fats. Standard American diet has too 28 much of Omega­6 since Omega­6 is high in conventionally raised animal products, hydrogenated oils, vegetable oils, and a lot of processed food. Omega­6 is proinflammatory and when we consume too much of it and too little of Omega­3 we create inflammation in our body, which causes issues like cancer, heart diseases, arthritis, depression, diabetes and many more. Omega­3 on the other hand is anti­inflammatory, supports hormone secretion and is essential for a proper function of nervous system and the brain. Omega­3 also increases metabolic rate, which causes fat burn and improves athletic performance. Food sources include fish, seafood, nuts and seeds, and good quality meats (refer to the next chapter Food Quality page 33). Bottom line is... Fat, including saturated fat, has the safest and most beneficial effect on blood sugar and insulin. A diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates can be very beneficial for people who suffer with conditions like hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Also, this kind of diet helps ward off candida, which means you will avoid problems like yeast infections and fungal overgrowth. High amounts of Omega­3 in the diet will decrease chances of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, colitis, gastritis, bronchitis or even cancer. Omega­3 also supports the brain and nervous system in addition to being crucial for heart muscle function. Fats are crucial for absorption of fat­soluble vitamins A, E, K and D. Every aspect of our lifestyle needs to be balanced, and diet is no exception. North American culture tends to overdo the good thing turning it into a negative. I recommend eating moderate to high fat diet with a minimal amount of carbs so that your body burns fat for energy instead of the glucose from carbs. That being said,​
​
your diet should consist of a variety of foods, including lots of vegetables and moderate amounts of high quality meat. 29 Trans fats Oh, tricky old trans fats. We have all heard of the detrimental effects of trans fats, but do we understand WHY consuming these fats is so detrimental to one's health? A good way of looking at fats is as if they are puzzle pieces that need to “fit” into the body. All of the different fats – saturated and unsaturated forms – have different molecular make ups and are suited for different “jobs” in our bodies.​
​
Trans fats are damaged fats. Fats get damaged from heat, oxygen and light. Saturated fats are very stable while unsaturated fats are more easily damaged and thus more susceptible to becoming a trans fat. Trans fats are “puzzle pieces” that have no purpose in the body. In fact, they end up being incredibly harmful to the body. Trans fat are sticky and stay solid at body temperature, thus increasing the likelihood of clotting blood vessels and causing heart and circulation problems. Trans fats impair membranes of the cells that are vital for keeping cells alive and healthy. Trans fats interfere with Omega­3 and Omega­6 functions and disrupt the functions of the brain, nervous system, adrenals, blood pressure and immune system. Trans fats are very inflammatory and incredibly carcinogenic. Ingesting trans fats has been linked to degenerative diseases. When assessing trans fats, I believe ​
there is absolutely NO place for them in the diet​
. Sources of trans fats are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils like margarines, shortenings and processed foods that contain them. Overcooked meats and fish, in addition to heating and exposing healthy unsaturated oils to light and air, are the major source of trans fats. So make sure not only to avoid hydrogenated oils, but also to take good care of your healthy unsaturated fats. Heat, light and air cause damage turning healthy fats into trans fats. The unsaturated fats are most susceptible to damage, so it’s important to store them well. Fats should be stored in air­tight containers, out of sunlight in a dark bottle and preferably in the fridge. Saturated fats on the other hand are much more stable, therefore they are less prone to getting damaged and becoming a trans fat. This is why I encourage cooking with organic butter and coconut oil that are both very heat stable. 30 Anytime you see hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, this indicates that this food is or has trans fats in it. ALL trans fats are damaged and are incredibly harmful to the body. * You can download the picture from Downloads on the website www.nadyapeche.com/downloads​
and use it when grocery shopping. 31 Summary ●
All carbs get turned into sugar in the system. ●
Carbs do not get digested in the stomach and are thus not filling. ●
Carbs spike blood sugar level, insulin and cortisol. ●
There are no essential carbs. ●
Carbs from veggies and fruits are a source of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. ●
Protein is digested slowly, giving us a sense of satiety. ●
There are eight essential amino acids that must be consumed from food. ●
Protein is vital for proper function of the body. ●
Too much protein gets turned into fat ●
Protein is a bad source of energy. ●
Fat stays in the stomach the longest, thus filling us up. ●
Fat gets burned only when there is no insulin in the blood, i.e. no carbs. ●
Short and medium­chain triglycerides like butter and coconut oil are excellent source of energy. ●
They also help burn excess body fat. ●
Omega­3 and Omega­6 are essential fatty acids. 32 7 Food Quality The Oxford definition of organic is “of or relating to plants or animals”. Just a few decades ago every living thing was organic including all our food, and for that reason people didn’t need to call food organic; all food was organic. With the invention of chemicals and the increased use of them in our food production, the growing health concern forced activists to reinvent the word organic and give it a meaning of “produced or involving production without the use of chemicals”. There is however a lot of controversy around the word organic and I will clear up some of it for you. Organic labels mean absolutely nothing unless it is Certified Organic. ​
Only a government­approved certifier with strict rules can give Organic Certification. The rules include that a farm needs to be organic for at least 3 years in order to be Certified Organic. Chemicals that are sprayed on our crops include agent orange that was used in the Vietnamese War, DDT that has been proven to cause infertility, disrupt hormones and potentially be carcinogenic. In my opinion, avoiding these chemicals is a good enough reason to buy organic. However, there are other requirements for food to be Certified Organic. Soil that the crops are grown in is more mineralized, and thus nutrient rich. Organic farms are more sustainable and environmentally friendly, so it is also more ethical to support Organic Food Production. There are many reasons why going organic prevents you from ingesting harmful toxins and even more reasons why going organic provides you with life­enhancing minerals and nutrients. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are raised without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, the substances that have been shown to disrupt our hormones, cause cancer and growth retardation. Antibiotic and hormone free are the baseline of meat quality. Organic meat is better. Grass fed and/or pasture raised is the best way cows can be raised, so beef and dairy products should come from those cows. Fat from these cows have a perfect proportion of Omega­3 and Omega­6 and thus are a good source of Omega­3 fatty acids, while grain­fed cows have way too much pro­inflammatory Omega­6. The healthiest chickens are free 33 range, raised without the use of antibiotics and hormones. They shouldn’t be vegetarian­grain fed since it is not a natural diet for chickens. Fish should be wild and not farm­raised. *Refer to Meat Quality Guide on page 36. Conventionally grown meats are not only full of hormones, antibiotics and toxins, but they are also often raised in unsanitary, abusive conditions with unnatural feed. Conventional animals are sick and we can’t expect to be healthy from eating them. It’s not just about avoiding what’s bad for you. It's about eating what’s really good for you! My best recommendation is to get to know the source that your meat comes from. For those who live urban lives and don’t have access to farms, find a healthy meat butcher in your area or order large amounts from the farms around your city. Also, many grocery stores and health food stores carry high quality meats; you just need to look for them in the meat aisle. 34 I have to mention the cost of buying better quality food. It is more pricy. But it is so worth it. It costs more for farmers to raise food naturally and to get the organic certification. However, if you can’t afford to buy the best quality of all foods, you need to prioritise, and buying good quality meat should be your priority. Toxins get stored in the fat so the fattier the food, the more toxins you are consuming. We tend to over­consume meat. Buy less and go for cheaper cuts, which sometimes are even tastier, if you are on a strict budget. For fruits and veggies, follow the popular ​
Dirty ­ Clean Fifteen List​
​
as a guide to what is important to buy organic and what is not. For meats, refer to the Meat Quality Guide. * You can download the picture from Downloads on the website www.nadyapeche.com/downloads​
and use it when grocery shopping. 35 Meat Quality Guide It is very important to buy good quality animal products. Here are the guidelines to buying your meats and fish. Animal products are the most important ones to buy good quality. General rules in Canada are: ● Hormones and antibiotics ­ beef and lamb ● Antibiotics ­ poultry, pork, fish, eggs, fruits, bees ● Free from both ­ dairy cows (dairy products) Meat and Poultry Organic ­ fed organic diet (no GMO or pesticides in food), no hormones or antibiotics, treated humanely with outside access (doesn’t mean they can forage) Grass­fed and finished ­ animal eats only fresh pasture and dried forage like hay, pasture raised Pasture raised ­ fed with organically managed pasture and stored dried forage but receive organic supplemental grains, have outdoor access year­round Free­range ­ ​
animal has been allowed access to the outside for at least part of the day Cage­free ­ chickens are ​
uncaged inside barns, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors Hormone and antibiotic free ­ raised without the use of hormones and antibiotics Fish Wild fish ­ fish was spawned, lived in, and was caught in the wild Wild­caught fish ­ may have been spawned or lived some part of their lives in a fish farm before being returned to the wild and eventually caught Farmed fish ­ fish raised in tanks or large wire pens anchored in coastal areas or other large bodies of water Most Atlantic fish is farmed. The Monterey Bay Aquarium maintains a free list of the most sustainable seafood choices on their website. www.SeafoodWatch.org 36 What's a GMO? A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process of taking genes from one species and inserting them into another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic. They are also known as transgenic organisms. This process may be called either Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM); they are one and the same.The influence of GMOs on human health and the environment is not fully understood due to lack of research. However, various animal studies have resulted in potentially precancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, livers, and testicles and higher death rates. High­Risk Crops in Canada ● Canola ● Corn ● Soy ● Sugar Beets High­Risk Crops imported to Canada ● Cotton ● Papaya ● Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash ● Dairy products Choosing products that are Certified Organic AND Non­GMO Project Verified is the best way to make sure you are getting the safest, healthiest, highest quality food. Also, avoid processed foods that are high in corn (HFCS, corn starch, corn syrup), soy and canola oil. For more information on GMOs, see: Canadian Biotechnology Action Network ​
http://www.cban.ca/FAQs Institute for Responsible Technology: ​
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/faqs If you are serious about avoiding GMO foods, here are the resources to help you do so: Shopping guide: ​
http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/ Other products: http://www.nongmoproject.org/find­non­gmo/search­participating­products/ 37 8 Myth Busting! Fat is bad for you and makes you fat – especially the saturated kind… As you have noticed, my program promotes a diet with a higher intake of fat and lower intake of carbs. Eating the right amounts and types of fat in combination with correct foods can actually promote fat loss, hormonal balance, better nutrient absorption, better brain and nervous system functions, and a healthier body overall. Dietary fats help us maintain steady energy, avoid mood swings and food cravings, while providing us with vital resources for proper body functions and thus inevitably helps us to get rid of extra body fat. Out of all the macronutrients, fats keep you full for longer since they get digested the slowest thus decreasing our desire to overeat or snack. However, that being said, there are lots of different ​
qualities of fat​
. First and foremost, I must stress ​
quality​
! Do your best to only consume fats from organic toxin­free sources. The best fats to consume are saturated short and medium chain like butter and coconut oil, or unsaturated like fish, nuts and seeds and avocados. What about eggs and cholesterol? Dietary cholesterol makes up only 15% of your overall body cholesterol, which is produced by your liver. It’s the overconsumption of refined carbohydrates and abuse of insulin that increases LDL levels in the body, not the overconsumption of cholesterol. Cholesterol has a big job in the body that we tend to forget about. It is an important precursor to synthesis hormones and Vitamin D. Cholesterol also produces bile which is essential for digestion and nutrient absorption. Furthermore, LDL cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol, plays an important role in healing process. Our bodies increase the production of cholesterol often because we have damage and inflammation so that LDL cholesterol can repair the tissues. Poor diet, dehydration, bad environment and stress are usually the causes of the damage in our body; so there is increased production of cholesterol to help heal the body and protect it from toxins and dehydration. So instead of fixing the symptom, 38 high cholesterol, we need to fix the root cause, dehydration, toxicity and inflammation by drinking more water, having proper bowel movement and eating clean. So to make it clear again, dietary cholesterol is not responsible for the high levels of cholesterol in blood. Don’t I need whole grains for fibre? If you consume fruits and vegetables, as I recommend, you will get more than enough fibre for optimum health. As we know, fibre is very important for proper digestion and elimination, so make sure to eat enough veggies and fruits. The fibre content in grains does not outweigh the poor effect that grains – even whole grains – have on insulin and digestion. The micronutrient content in whole grains is less than that of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains have minimal amounts of protein and more often than not that protein has an incomplete amino acid profile, thus not allowing the body to put the protein to good use. Whole grains have also been shown to have detrimental effects on the body through major disruption of digestion. You may have heard of gluten – the protein found in wheat and other grains and how it is becoming more known for its allergenic effects. There are no vitamins or minerals in grains that cannot be obtained from vegetables and meats. Just as an example I want to compare fibre content of a few grains and vegetables. Grains (whole, cooked, Fiber (g.) Vegetables (cooked, 1 cup) Fiber (g.) 1 cup) Brown Rice (216 cal) 3.5 Broccoli (54 cal) 6 Buckwheat (155 cal) 5 Brussels sprouts (56 cal) 5 Oatmeal (166) 4 Split Peas (231 cal) 16 Quinoa (223 cal) 5 Sweet Potato with skin (180 cal) 7 It’s clear from the tables that vegetables most of the time have move fibre and less calories. What about milk and other dairy products for calcium? 39 There is no dairy in the ​
Clean ‘16​
program (except for butter which contains minimal amounts of lactose). I’m not totally against dairy, but I do believe that dairy often is the cause of many health issues and we don’t even know it because we consider it to be “healthy”. Milk and many other dairy products can be offensive to the body and are often poorly sourced from unhealthy cows as well as being pasteurized and homogenized, which “kills” all the enzymes, making dairy products incredibly difficult to digest, and not suitable for humans. There is also a big debate whether calcium from pasteurized milk is absorbable at all. For these reasons I encourage you to eliminate dairy for some period of time to find out if it is causing any health issues in your body. But you must be wondering how we will manage without calcium. Well, actually we get dairy from many non­dairy sources and if we eat a wholesome diet we will get enough calcium similar to how we will get enough magnesium, zinc or other minerals that are not any less vital for our health. These are great sources of Calcium (​
1 cup of milk has 276 mg of Ca​
lcium): Non Dairy Food Quantity Calcium content (mg) Sardines (canned with bones) 100 g 382 Figs (dried) 1 cup 300 Spinach (cooked) 1 cup 240 Collards (cooked) 1 cup 220 Salmon (canned with bones) 100g 213 Muscles 12 muscles 200 Broccoli (cooked) 1 cup 180 Chia seeds 1oz/28g 177 Sesame seeds or tahini 1 tbsp 100 Pumpkin (cooked) 1 cup 90 Orange 1 medium 52 Carrots 1 medium 42 40 9 Supplements I believe in getting nutrients from food sources, but a lot of people choose to take supplements to fill any gaps they may have in their nutrition. Supplements should only be used to supplement and assist you; they are not to be used to replace real foods. The following are the recommended supplements (should you choose to take any). As a precaution, ​
check with your doctor​
before commencing supplement usage. Vitamin D According to David Hanley, MD at the University of Calgary, during some parts of the year “virtually 100% of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient” since Vitamin D is a ‘sunshine’ vitamin and is manufactured on the human skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D helps to regulate the metabolic rate of calcium, making it vital for bone and tooth health, muscle, heart and nervous system functions. Deficiency of Vitamin D is linked to higher rates of depression, heart diseases, kidney diseases, diabetes, flu and even cancer. So especially if you live in Canada, as I do, make sure to supplement with at least 2,000 IU per day. Betaine hydrochloric acid or Betaine HCl Due to the foods that we eat and the environment we live in, we may have low stomach acid. The symptoms of low stomach acid include: ● Heartburn (often thought to be caused by too much stomach acid) ● Bloating and flatulence ● Diarrhea, or constipation ● Indigestions or undigested food in stools ● Acne 41 ● Chronic candida If you have some or all of these symptoms, I would recommend trying Betaine HCl as a supplement. This supports and increases production of stomach acid in order to aid digestion. Start with taking one capsule before or during each meal (a meal should have protein in it; do not take with snacks), increasing every day by one more capsule until there is a burning or warming feeling in the stomach area, indicating that it is too much. After that lower your dose by one capsule and continue taking that dosage with every meal until the burn appears again. Repeat the process until you get a burn in your stomach from even one capsule and then discontinue the use. In the future, to aid digestion, Betaine HCl can be taken before a heavy meal. Betaine HCl actually encourages the production of your natural stomach acid in addition to replacing it while you replenish your system with vitamins that are needed for proper stomach acid production. *Do not take if you are on anti­inflammatory or antacid medications, or if you have ulcers. Omega­3 Omega­3 is an essential fatty acid (EFA), which means it is a type of fat that the body cannot synthesize and therefore must be obtained from food or supplements. Omega­3 is part of cell membrane, hormones and the nervous system and therefore is crucial to the regulation of emotions and mood, brain function and nerve impulses. Latest studies show that major reason for heart disease, obesity, premature aging and some forms of cancer is the imbalance between our intake of omega­6 and omega­3 fatty acids. The ratio should be 1:4; the standard American diet has a ratio of omega­6 to omega­3 closer to 20:1. Since we commonly lack Omega­3 in our diets it is important to focus on eating more Omega­3 rich foods like fish and other seafood, grass­fed beef, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds. We should also avoid Omega­6 since the ratio of the two essential fats is very important, so avoid foods high in Omega­6 like conventional meat (fed by corn and grains), and vegetable oils like soy and corn oils and processed foods. 42 If you don’t eat fish or don’t think you get enough Omega 3 from your diet, it might be a good idea to supplement with it. A few things to remember when choosing an Omega­3 supplement include: ­
The supplement should list the amount of EPA and DHA, not just the amount of Omega­3. ­
Be wary of other unsafe ingredients and added Omega­6 and Omega­9. ­
Make sure there is a purity test information on the bottle that ensures that the oil is not high in toxic mercury. Probiotics Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. Your body has ten times more bacteria than cells! It is very important to keep a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in your body. Probiotics were shown to: ­ Boost immune system ­ Improve digestion and gastrointestinal tract health ­ Increase nutrient absorption ­ Balance hormones ­ Decrease inflammation ­ Improve mood and help control cravings ­ Increase metabolism and reduce hunger I recommend eating fermented foods that are high in probiotics (refer to Fermented Foods in Chapter 3). However, if you are taking antibiotics, if you experience a lot of stress or eat a lot of sugar, then you might want to consider supplementing. You can start with higher dosage of over 20 billion for a few weeks and then go down to 5­10 billion for a few months. 43 10 So, what do I eat? Now that we have covered all the basics that I want you to know, let’s start talking about what exactly you should eat and what you should avoid. Here are the simply dietary guidelines for optimal health. The goal of ​
Clean ‘16​
is to teach you how to eat according to these guidelines. Dietary Guidelines Drink water.​
Drink at least 10 glasses per day; start your day with a glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon to cleanse your liver. Avoid sugary drinks.​
Focus on drinking only water and tea. Sodas, sport drinks and juices are high in sugars. Drink only freshly squeezed vegetable juice. Replace coffee with green tea.​
Coffee gives you an energy crash in the mid afternoon and reduces stomach acid in addition to being toxic to your liver. Eliminate alcohol.​
Alcohol is detrimental to your health and slows down your metabolism. Eat mostly vegetables.​
The majority of your diet should be vegetable. Largest portion of every meal should be vegetables. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables. Make salads, soups or just eat them raw. Except for starchy vegetables, eat unlimited amounts of vegetables. Eat fruits.​
Fruits are great sources of vitamins; include at least one fruit a day but don’t exceed three portions since fruits are high in sugar. Eat berries.​
Including berries into your diet adds phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Eat raw nuts and seeds​
. These must be raw, not salted or roasted. 44 Eat good quality meat​
. Eat grass­fed, pasture raised, organic meats and free range chickens and eggs. Avoid conventionally grown meats that are full on hormones and antibiotics. Eat fish.​
Consume fish that is high in Omega 3 and low in mercury. Best choices are mackerel, herring, trout and wild salmon. Avoid farmed fish. Eat fermented foods.​
Including foods like sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, kefir and kombucha will boost your immune system and improve your metabolism and digestion. Eat healthy fats and eliminate damaged oils​
. Incorporate healthy fats like hemp seed oil, avocado oil, olive oil and coconut oil. Avoid vegetable oils like canola, corn, sunflower or safflower oils. Avoid Sugar.​
Eliminate sugary foods like pastries, chocolates, candies, as well as sugary drinks. Avoid Refined Grains.​
Refined grains include white rice, breads, pitas, bagels, pastries and pastas (even if whole grain or gluten­free). Eat only whole grains like quinoa, wild or brown rice, buckwheat. Eat beans and lentils if you can tolerate them. Eliminate processed, pre­prepared and packaged​
food from your diet. Watch dairy intake​
. Have dairy only if you can tolerate it and in moderation. Buy organic, avoid sweetened or low fat yogurts as they have lots of additives​
. To summarize, focus on eating a variety of vegetables, berries and fresh fruits, seeds, nuts and nut butters, healthy oils, fermented foods, eggs, organic meats and fish or grains and legumes (whole, never processed). 45 Yes No Water & freshly squeezed vegetable juices Sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks Tea (green, black, herbal) Coffee, Alcohol Vegetables Processed foods 1­3 Fruits >3 Fruits Berries Sugar Probiotic Foods Sugar​
y foods Fish Farmed fish Healthy fats Damaged fats & vegetable oils Raw nuts and seeds Roasted and/or salted nuts and seeds Pasture raised/organic meats Conventional and/or processed meats Whole grains & legumes Refined grains (even whole refined grains) Dairy (only if can tolerate) Dairy with added sugar Clean ‘16​
is a 30 day step­by­step program that allows you to go at your own pace. You need to start the journey to your ideal health as soon as possible, but the journey will not take 30 days. It is a lifelong journey, a lifestyle. The goal is not to be “perfect”; the goal is to be balanced. Balance brings optimal health. The program teaches you foods for optimal health, but you need to learn your own balance of these foods to achieve your optimal health ­ only you know what it means through listening to your body. 46 Before the official start of the program we need to set ground rules and then you will get additional rules in each step every 3 days. Ground Rules ­ Drink plenty of water (at least 8­10 cups per day) ­ Avoid sugary drinks like pop, juice, sports drinks, sweetened coffee and tea ­ Avoid junk food ­ Minimize sugar and refined grains intake ­ Cook at home as often as possible ­ Supplement with Vitamin D ­ Move at least 30 min per day ­ Sleep 7­8 hours at night ­ Relax and enjoy your time off These are the rules you have to follow throughout the program. Starting with Day 1 of the program you will receive emails every 3 days with additional rules and lifestyle changes. I encourage you to follow those rules precisely, but you can modify based on your body and preferences. Clean ’16 Recipe Book will further explain the dietary changes that you will be making as well as it will provide you with the necessary recipes and a meal plan. Please continue reading with Clean ‘16 Recipe Book. 47