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Welcome Are you ready to explore how you can live a life with more ease, more happiness, more nutrition, less stress, toxins and full of health, balance and pleasure? In this 12 weeks, we’ll uncover all of the ways that you can improve your health by nourishing your body, moving your body and healing. Health and vitality are the results of our cells being properly nourished, and functioning in a state of harmony and balance. Today, we eat in ways that are deficient and toxic. We make ourselves sick. We eat incongruently with the genetic requirements for healthy cell function, and the result is pandemic levels of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression and every other chronic illness. Diseases that were once thought to be due to genetics have now been shown to be the direct results of our lifestyle choices. The good news is that with help, we can change our lifestyle choices and move away from disease and towards health and healing. Truly understanding how your body works and functions will lead you to really love your body and know how clever it is and what it does for us all the time. Healthy eating can be enjoyable and easy!! The trick is understanding how to nourish your body through correct food combining. This will allow you freedom to eat what you choose without counting calories and forever being on a diet. I am so excited to share my journey with you so you too can start to nourish your body and give it the tools it needs! I want you to read, learn, experiment and inquire so you can become your own expert and find out what truly works for your own body. I am excited to share your journey towards health with you All my love Page 1 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m 4 easy steps to stay nourished This week we are reintroducing foods back into your diet. You can have an unlimited amount of fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds and vegetarian protein. Please eat and drink so you are satisfied. Please me mindful of correct food combining as fruits and vegetables, proteins, starches and fats all digest differently. Fruit and juice must always be consumed on an empty stomach. Food can only be eaten after 30 minutes of eating fruits. 1. Eat whole foods in their natural state. Enjoy foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Your body can then recognize these foods and assimilate and digest them. Let’s eat food that is simple and real! Lets stick to fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lentils, good fats and vegetarian proteins. 2. Get clean & re-set your body. We will continue to completely eliminate anything that is moving you towards dis-ease and illness and away from health. We will avoid dairy, gluten, coffee and caffeine and sugar. You can still have all your favorite tastes and I will help you create whole food alternatives. 3. Simplify your meals. We have a tendency to overeat when we are offered a wide variety of foods during a meal. By simplifying our meals, we will naturally eat less, without counting calories or worrying about portion sizes. 4 Each meal choose a protein, starch or nut/seed, then fill the rest of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. For example, if you’re craving grains, enjoy quinoa, millet or gluten free pasta with heaps of vegetable sauce on top or a vegetarian curry. If you are craving nuts or tofu or tempeh, enjoy this with a large stir-fry or salad. Fruits There are so many ways you can eat fruit : Whole, Juices, Smoothies, Ice-cream, whizz it by itself with ice Page 2 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Frozen – grapes, mangoes and bananas Hot drinks – apple and pear tea Icy poles, Ice creams Whole avocados (avocado is a fruit) Vegetables Whole cut up carrot, capsicum, cucumber sticks Soups, broths, vegetable, tomato, Stir – fried, Roasted, Steamed, Cauliflower rice Zucchini noodles, Baked Water You must drink a minimum of at least 2 litres of filtered water a day during this program. Cold, Hot, Filtered or bottled Salt 1 tsp daily Wheatgrass, green powder 1 shot of wheatgrass or equivalent green superfood is recommended for this program Probiotics I recommend a daily probiotic Can take metagenics or any reputable companies powder but please make sure it is in the fridge. Coconut kefir and whole-food probiotics are all perfect options. Page 3 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Essential fatty acids, fish oils, omega 3 If you are currently taking a fish oil, please stick to it on this program. What I must avoid on this porgram Meat, Dairy, Dried fruits, Coffee and caffeinated tea, Alcohol, Soy, Sugar, Gluten This week’s sample food plan Monday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: fruit or green smoothie Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: vegetables with dip Dinner: protein or starch option Tuesday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: unlimited fruit and/or green smoothie Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: handful of nuts and veggies Dinner: protein or starch option Wednesday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: fruit or green smoothie Lunch: protein or starch option Page 4 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Snack: Cucumber and Hummus Dinner: protein or starch option Thursday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: fruit and green smoothies Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: vegetables dipped in guacamole Dinner: protein or starch option Friday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: unlimited fruit and/or green smoothie Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: handful of nuts and veggies Dinner: protein or starch option Saturday Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: fruit or green smoothie Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: Cucumber and Hummus Dinner: protein or starch option Sunday Page 5 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Upon waking: hot drink Breakfast: fruit and green smoothies Lunch: protein or starch option Snack: vegetables dipped in guacamole Dinner: protein or starch option The following sample meal plan is intended to show you how to create some structure around your meal times. The easier you make it the more likely you can stick to it, as it will help you have clarity over foods. Choose whether you will enjoy a protein or carbohydrate/starch food type depending on your results of your metabolic food-typing test and what you feel works best for your body. The metabolic food test can be found today in the inquire section of the back end of this program. I often replace lunch with another smoothie as I live in a hot climate and prefer to drink during the day and snack on fruits, juices and smoothies – this is what works best for my body. Please work out what suits your body. Page 6 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m 3 steps for Easy Food Combining Attach food-combining chart here Have a craving? Page 7 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m You can still eat your favourite foods, just modify them so you are still nourishing your body and its correctly food combined! Attach have a craving sheet here Meal ideas Page 8 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Carbohydrate based Mushroom & Spinach Risotto Dahl with cauliflower rice vegetable sweet potato curry Stuffed Baked Potatoes Nuts and Seeds Falafel lettuce Wraps Pesto zucchini Pasta Protein Quinoa & Vegetable fiesta Quiche Tacos with cabbage leaves Mexican fiesta bowl Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers Quinoa Mushroom Burgers Neutral Cauliflower rice Kale chips Mashed Cauliflower zucchini noodles vegetables steamed, raw or baked vegetable based soups or broth salads Page 9 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m How our diet can be deadly Humans have become the world’s sickest animal species. How you eat has a direct impact on the function of your cells and thus your overall health, vitality, appearance and longevity. We know this, and yet we still continue to consume a deadly diet. There is nothing magical about human physiology that allows us to eat toxic or deficient diets without suffering severe health consequences. Just imagine if you fed a monkey the average diet that many of us consume. Would it get sicker, or healthier? Think about it- we’re animals too! We have come to see ourselves as something other than natural animals, and this belief is DEADLY. It impacts our health in negative ways. Many people now feed their children things they would not even feed their pets! In Kentucky, animal rights activists recently took a dog away from a family because they were feeding it a diet of soft drink and chips. This was considered bad Page 10 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m behaviour, and inhumane. However, they left the children in the house who were being fed the very same thing! Everything that you eat affects your cell function and determines whether you express health and vitality, or whether you’re contributing to your own illness and pain. The power to change is within us, because we can make the choice to live healthier lives. What’s the answer? Food combining for health I believe that food combining is essential for our health and well-being. I personally have been food combining on and off for the last 20 years, and when I am sticking to the rules, I feel so much better, my digestion is regular and I lose any unwanted kilos. The Western notion of a 'balanced diet' is simplistic and superficial. Western physicians advise everyone to take 'a little of everything at every meal', jumbling together such different ingredients as meat, milk, starch, fat and sugar. This combination of food is no different than pouring a combination of gas, oil, alcohol and sugar into the petrol tank of your car. These blends will not burn efficiently, will provide little power and will quickly clog up the engine so badly that the entire system grinds to a halt. Food and drink are what we rely on to nurture life. However, if one is not aware of the nature of substances, which may be opposed to each other, and one consumes them together, the vital organs can be thrown out of harmony. It can lead to disastrous consequences. If you want to nurture your health and live a healthy lifestyle, you must become knowledgeable in order to avoid doing damage to yourself. Page 11 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Yin/Yang, and Acid/Alkaline The Western scientific equivalent of Yin/Yang balance in food combinations is something that we all learned about in high school chemistry class: acid/alkaline balance, or 'pH'. We all know that if we add a measure of alkaline to an equal measure of acid, the resulting chemical solution is as neutral as plain water. That's the principle behind reaching for bicarbonate (a strong alkaline) to relieve 'acid indigestion'. The stomach needs to secrete pepsin in order to digest concentrated animal protein. Pepsin can only function when it is found in a highly acidic medium, and it must be maintained for several hours in order to achieve complete digestion of proteins. When we chew a piece of bread, potato, or any other type of carbohydrate or starch, ptyalin and other alkaline, juices are immediately secreted into the food by saliva in the mouth. When swallowed, the alkalized starches require an alkaline medium in the stomach in order to complete their digestion. So then, what do you think will happen when you eat protein and starch together? Acid and alkaline juices are secreted simultaneously in response to the incoming protein and starch, promptly neutralizing one another, and leaving a weak, watery solution in the stomach that can’t digest protein or starch properly. The proteins are left to putrefy, and the starches end up fermenting, due to the constant presence of bacteria in the digestive system. This putrefaction and fermentation end up being the main cause of all kinds of digestive distress, including gas, heartburn, cramps, bloating, constipation, foul stools, bleeding, piles, colitis, etc. How incorrect food combining can cause allergies? Many allergies are the direct result of improper food combinations: the bloodstream picks up the toxins from the putrefied, fermented mess as it passes Page 12 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m slowly through the intestines, and these toxins in turn cause rashes, hives, headaches, nausea, and other symptoms which we commonly call 'allergies'. Interestingly, the same foods that cause us to have these “allergic” reactions when improperly combined often have no negative side effects when they’re enjoyed according to the rules of correct food combining. The bacteria can simply go into a free-for-all when you impair your digestive system by improperly combining foods. It’s the bacteria in the digestive tract that ends up getting all of the nutrients and you are simply left with the pain and suffering! Combining protein and starch This is the worst possible combination of foods to eat together at a single meal, and yet it is the mainstay of modern Western diets: meat and potatoes, hamburgers and fries, eggs and toast, etc. When you consume protein and starch together, the alkaline enzyme ptyalin pours into the food as it's chewed in the mouth. When the masticated food reaches the stomach, digestion of starch by alkaline enzymes continues unabated, preventing the digestion of protein by pepsin and other acid secretions. The bacteria that are always present in the stomach can then attach to the protein, resulting in putrefaction. This renders the nutrients in the protein foods practically useless, and it leaves you with toxic waste and foul gases. You may wonder why the stomach has no trouble handling foods like whole grains, which contain both starch and protein. As Dr. Shelton points out, "There is a great difference between the digestion of a food, however complex its composition, and the digestion of a mixture of different foods." The body is able to adjust its juices easily when you’re eating just one type of food that is a natural protein-starch combination. It also adjusts the strength and the timing, allowing for easier digestion. When two different foods that have different Page 13 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m digestive needs are eaten together, the body simply cannot handle the correct adjustment of juices and needs. Combining protein and protein Different proteins have different digestive requirements. For example, the strongest enzymatic action on milk occurs during the last hour of digestion, whereas on meat, it occurs during the first hour, and on eggs, somewhere in between. Two similar meats, like beef and lamb, or two types of fish, like salmon and shrimp, are not different enough in nature to cause conflict in the stomach. This means that they may be enjoyed together, without issue. Combining acid and starch All physicians agree that when you take any acid together with a starch, it suspends the secretion of ptyalin. What this means is that if you eat oranges, limes, lemons, or other acidic fruits, or even acidic vinegar, with a starch, it causes problems. The mouth doesn’t secrete ptyalin, which is needed to initiate digestion. The starch ends up hitting the stomach without those vital alkaline juices and then bacteria is able to ferment. It only takes a single teaspoon of acidic fruit juice or vinegar to prevent the salivary digestion from occurring. Combining starch and sugar When you combine starch with sugar, the saliva that your mouth secretes does not contain any ptyalin. Starch digestion is then sabotaged right away, before it even hits the stomach. This combination also blocks sugar from passing through the stomach before the starch is digested, which causes the sugar to ferment. The by-products of sugar fermentation are acidic, and this further prevents digestion of starches, which require alkaline mediums for digestion. Page 14 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m While bread, which is a starch, and butter, which is a fat, is a compatible combination, once you add sugar to the mix, it interferes with digestion. Sugar could be from jam, honey, or another type of sweet spread. The same situation occurs when you have sugary breakfast cereal, pies, cakes, etc. Eating melons Melons are an excellent food for us to eat, because they don’t digest in the stomach. They pass through the stomach quickly and move into the small intestines, and that is where the digestion occurs. Unfortunately, this only can occur when the stomach is empty, so melons should be eaten alone, or combined with other fresh fruits in raw form. If you eat melons in combination with foods that require complex digestion, they aren’t able to pass through to the small intestine until the other foods have been digested in the stomach. What happens then is that they end up sitting in the stomach, fermenting fast, and causing uncomfortable gastric pain. Eat fruits on their own. You want to try to eat 5 servings of fruit each day. One single serving is considered to be a banana, a pear, an apple, etc. You could also measure it as a half cup of cut up fruit, or smaller fruits like blueberries or grapes. Fruit is also an excellent source of fibre and water, making them healthy and helpful for your digestive tract. Studies have shown that people who eat mostly fruits and vegetables regularly have significantly lower cancer rates than those who do not. Men who ate an average sized apple daily halved their risk of a heart attack when compared to men who ate less than 18 grams each day. Men who enjoyed fresh fruit on a daily basis were shown to have 70% less chance of developing cancer in the digestive tract, compared to men who ate little to no fruit. Page 15 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Many fruits are cooling and alkalizing, and they are easy to digest on an empty stomach, as well as easy to metabolize. It’s important to note that some fruits are actually warming, like mango and lychee. If you eat fresh fruit after enjoying a big meal, the fruit will have to sit and wait for the other foods to be digested first. The bacteria are then able to attack that fresh fruit, and they will ferment it and remove all of the good nutrients that your body needs. This leaves you with metabolic wastes and gas. When it comes to enjoying fruit, the rule is that you should eat it alone, or simply leave it alone. This is especially true for citrus fruits and melons. Fresh fruits are very cleansing for the digestive tract, even more so than vegetables. Vegetables: The Earth’s most effective alkalizers You want to try to eat at least 5 servings of steamed or raw veggies every day. One serving would be equal to one cup of raw vegetables, or a half a cup of steamed vegetables. Vegetables are another great source of fiber and water, making them beneficial to your digestive system. Vegetables are the earth's most effective alkalizers. The best ways to enjoy them are as fresh juices or in raw form. They can be combined to create a salad. Vegetables are high in fiber, cleansing, and cooling. They help to clean out the digestive tract, getting rid of putrefactive debris. The chlorophyll content that is present in vegetables also helps protect our bodies from cancer, it neutralizes toxins, and it helps to keep vital fluids pure. Fresh veggies should be paired with meats and grains, since they counteract the acidic effects of both. Crucifers Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, mustard greens, and cabbage. They seem to have potent protective properties for mucous membranes, especially in the lungs and digestive tract, making them effective Page 16 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m guardians against cancer, ulcers, and infections in these vital organs. Rich in antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and selenium, crucifers guard your body against all kinds of toxins that we absorb from polluted environments. Cruciferous vegetables have always played important roles in traditional Asian diets, especially in China. Roots Root vegetables are rich in minerals and brimming with the stabilizing energy of the Earth. Some root vegetables are eaten on their own; like turnips and carrots, but many are used as side dishes, condiments, or added as a seasoning. Garlic, ginger, and burdock are known to have potent medicinal properties. Ginger has long been known for its digestive properties, especially in Chinese cuisine. In fact, Confucius supposedly refused to eat a meal without ginger. Onions are known to clear congestion and cut through any excess mucus present in the digestive tract. Garlic has the most pungent flavour, and is considered the most protective root food. For centuries, it has been highly regarded for its healing powers, and has been shown to inhibit tumour growth, increase antibody production, and increase white blood cells and macrophages. It is a rich source of selenium, which is a rare trace element and a potent antioxidant that destroys yeast, like Candida, and fungus. Leaves We know that leafy greens are one of the best detoxifiers and cleansers that nature has to offer. With their abundance of chlorophyll, they neutralize acidity, helping to eliminate unpleasant body odors. In fact, fresh coriander is known to be an effective dietary deodorant. Thanks to their high levels of chlorophyll, green leaves have the capacity to convert the pure energy of sunlight into vegetable matter. When we consume and Page 17 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m metabolize green vegetable matter, this solar energy is released into our own systems. Leafy greens act as transformers that help to store revitalizing solar energy. Nightshades Vegetables that are considered nightshades include eggplants, potatoes, chili peppers, and tomatoes. What distinguishes nightshades is that they are rich in alkaloid content. Alkaloids have a molecular structure similar to proteins, and they have powerful physiological effects when they are consumed and metabolized. Fats: Essential for your brain, heart and immune system Natural unadulterated fats are highly nutritious, and they contain much more energy than any other kind of food on earth. That makes natural fats the most efficient fuel for essence-to-energy food alchemy. Natural fats contain nutrients that are absolutely essential for the brain, heart, and immune system to function properly. Despite this important fact, the Western medical establishment, the media, and the processed-food industry have all condemned natural fats as dangerous killers. They suggest instead that we opt for 'low fat' or 'no-fat' products in which natural fats have been replaced with hydrogenated vegetable oils. Natural fats like butter, nut oils, and fish oils contain important nutrients known as essential fatty acids, which are required for our body’s many metabolic processes and vital functions. These fatty acids are called 'essential' because your body cannot function properly without them. Fatty acids play an important role, and are required to build and repair cellular membranes, especially in brain, nerves, and white blood cells, and to keep blood vessels clean and well lubricated. Page 18 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Two types of fatty acids, linoleic and linoleic acid cannot be synthesized in the body, so they have to be obtained from dietary sources. According to Dr. Cass Igram, one of America's leading nutritional scientists, virtually all Americans are deficient in these crucial essential fatty acids. Fats are about twice as efficient in producing energy as any other type of food, including complex carbohydrates and natural sugars. The essence-to-energy conversion of fats takes place in tiny power plants within each cell, called mitochondria, which prefer fat over all other fuels. However, that fat must be natural and unadulterated in order to yield viable cellular energy. That means we need fat in the form of butter, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed oils. Interestingly, the traditional Eskimo diet included mounds of raw fat from whales, seals, and fish, but Eskimos never experienced problems with arteriosclerosis and heart disease until they switched from natural fats to processed American foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar and starch. The Japanese also eat a lot of natural raw fish oils in the form of sashimi and sushi, which contain abundant supplies of essential fatty acids. Cold-pressed olive oil has been a mainstay in Mediterranean diets for thousands of years, and these countries are known for their relatively low rates of cancer and heart disease. In China, people traditionally used cold-pressed sesame and peanut oil for cooking and making condiments, and in India, essential fatty acids are obtained by abundant use of clarified butter called ghee. Margarine – What is it? Butter became scarce during World War II, so chemists in America started to experiment with vegetable oils in order to create a substitute. The result was margarine, which was achieved by heating vegetable oils over 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and then adding hydrogen through it, as well as using nickel as a catalyst to harden it. This solid fat substitute has a molecular structure that is remarkably similar to plastic. When we eliminate natural fats and replace them with hydrogenated-oil substitutes, our bodies are forced to use these unnatural fat molecules in place of the natural fatty acids that are missing. White blood cells are the pillars of our immune system, and they are especially dependent on essential fatty acids. Here's Page 19 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m how Dr. Igram describes what happens to white cells when hydrogenated oils replace natural fats in the diet, excepted from his book, “Eat Right or Die Young”: These cells incorporate the hydrogenated fats you eat into their membranes. When this happens, the white cells become sluggish in function, and their membranes actually become stiff. Such white cells are poor defenders against infection. This leaves the body wide open to all sorts of issues with the immune system. Cancer, infections by yeasts, bacteria, and viruses can easily take a foothold. One of the quickest ways to paralyze your immune system is to eat significant quantities of deep-fried foods, or fats such as margarine, on a daily basis. It’s no wonder that a high consumption of margarine, shortening, and other hydrogenated fats is associated with a greater incidence of many types of cancers. Besides cancer, regular consumption of hydrogenated-oil products, including nondairy creamers and toppings, and virtually all processed and packaged foods, is closely associated with an increased risk of arteriosclerosis, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, candidiasis, and high blood pressure. Our heart is particularly fond of natural fats as fuel, and heart cells specialize in converting fats into energy. In order to do this, however, a nutrient called 'carnitine' is required to deliver fats into the cells for combustion. “Fats cannot be properly combusted without adequate amounts of carnitine”, writes Dr. Igram. Carnitine is an amino acid synthesized in the liver from two other amino acids, lysine and methionine, both of which must be obtained from dietary sources. If you have sufficient supplies of carnitine, you can eat all the natural fats you want, because carnitine helps burn fat, especially in the heart, which never rests. Eat Nuts and seeds While nuts and seeds are excellent sources of amino acids and essential fatty acids, you must eat them raw and as freshly harvested as possible in order to gain the maximum nutritional benefits. Page 20 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Nuts and seeds can be tough to digest in their dry state because of their enzyme inhibitors, which enables them to be stored for a long time without going rancid. The best way to eat nuts and seeds is to cover them with water and let them soak overnight in the refrigerator. This inactivates their enzyme inhibitors, softens their fibres for easier digestion, and renders their nutrients easier to assimilate. Vegetarians can easily get all the essential amino and fatty acids that meat eaters get from animal protein, simply by eating a handful or two of raw nuts and seeds everyday. The best nuts for nutrition are almonds and pecans, and the best seeds are sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seed. Flax seed is particularly good for the colon (large intestines), and pumpkin is good for the prostate. Do you know where your eggs come from? Today, most commercially sold eggs come from chickens that are cooped up in small cages under bright lights and fed a diet of dry feed that is laced with synthetic hormones and antibiotics. These eggs do more damage than good to the human system, so they really should be avoided. Try to buy free-range eggs, and don't eat them every day. The best way to cook eggs is soft-boiled or lightly poached, with the yolks remaining soft and intact for maximum nutritional value and digestibility. Grains: Edible seeds from plants of the grass family With the exception of the last 10,000 years following the agricultural ‘revolution’, humans have existed as non-cereal-eating hunter-gatherers since the emergence of Homo erectus 1.7 million years ago. A significant body of evidence suggests that cereal grains are less than optimal foods for humans. Research also shows that the human genetic makeup and physiology is neither designed to, nor capable of, dealing with high levels of cereal grain consumption. Page 21 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Anti-nutrients in grains like gluten and gliadin interfere with digestion, kill off good intestinal bacteria, and alter the immune state of the gut. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other grains such as rye and barley. A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 “diseases” that can be caused by eating gluten. These include osteoporosis, obesity, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. The addictive nature of gluten is often overlooked. For some, the first days and weeks of following a gluten-free diet are characterized by food cravings, disorientation, irritability, sleepiness, depression, mental fogginess, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath. As humans became more sedentary, grains became a more desirable food option. This reduced the need for hunting and gathering, allowing humans to settle in specific areas. Whole grains contain sufficient protein for most sedentary human requirements, as well as the complex carbohydrates that are needed to provide the sort of sustained energy associated with mental, rather than physical, work. Due to their protein and carbohydrate content, grains are warming, acidifying yang foods, and like meat, they should be balanced with cooling, alkalizing vegetables. Whole grains also contain fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which make them a truly 'whole' food. Most of the world's population depends on either rice or wheat for the bulk of their calories. As a result of modern milling methods, which scrape away the nutrient-laden bran and germ, leaving only the starchy white pith, most commercial grain foods are nutritionally devoid. Only whole-grains can provide us with whole-nutrition. Page 22 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Grains can cause indigestion and flatulence if they are not thoroughly chewed and salivated in the mouth before swallowing. That's because all carbohydrates have to start their digestive journey in the mouth, where an alkaline enzyme called ptyalin is secreted from salivary glands to initiate the breakdown of starches. A serious problem with many grains that are on the market today is long-term storage in huge silos, which permits the growth of moulds that produce aflatoxin, one of the most potent carcinogens in the world. Corn is especially vulnerable to aflatoxin contamination, but so are wheat and other grains. Beans: Plant sources of essential amino acids You will often find beans together with whole grains in meatless meals. This is because they act as the perfect complement, providing essential amino acids. Chickpeas and millet, lentils and barley, rice and dhal, corn bread and blackeyed peas, rice and kidney beans are the most common examples of the grainand-bean protein combinations. When combined, beans and whole grains provide the full spectrum of essential amino acids that are needed for proper nutrition, usually in a proportion of onepart beans to two parts grain. Beans may also be sprouted before consumption, in which case they may be eaten raw. Bean sprouts are rich in vitamins, enzymes, and amino Acids, and are far easier to digest than whole beans Meat: Make an informed choice Westerners take in a higher quantity of their calories from meat, especially compared to Orientals. This high meat consumption shows on our bodies, not only Page 23 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m as fat, but also in body odor. Beef Meat is highly acidifying and warming, as well as putrefactive. The biggest problem with meat in the Standard American Diet (SAD) is the pervasive contamination of beef with antibiotics and steroid hormones. About 40% of all the antibiotics produced are fed to cattle and other livestock, and this is passed on to the consumer in every hamburger, steak, and other food products that are made with beef. This daily dietary intake of antibiotics depresses the human immune system. In addition to antibiotics, cattle are fed synthetic hormones to accelerate their growth, increase fat deposits, bring entire herds of cows into heat at the same time for breeding, increase milk production, and induce abortions in pregnant cows scheduled for slaughter. These hormones are suspected to be a major cause of the high incidence of breast and ovarian cancer in women, as well as premature puberty in American children. Since steroid hormones cause cattle to grow fat fast, it makes sense then that they can cause obesity in humans who consume the meat and milk from contaminated animals. This is especially true for growing children, and is confirmed by the fact that whenever major fast-food chains offer products featuring beef and milk in Asian countries, children begin to show signs of chronic ill health. These signs of ill health plague American children, and include obesity, premature puberty, pimples and acne, respiratory issues, and even behavioral abnormalities. Another issue with cattle is that they absorb pesticides, herbicides, and even the chemical fertilizers that are found in the feed crops that they are forced to eat. When many of these animals are taken to slaughter, they’re already riddled with tuberculosis and cancerous tumors. As a consumer, you’re receiving all of this poison when you consume meat and dairy from these cattle. If you are going to eat beef, make sure that you choose beef that has been raised organically. It’s always best to choose grass-fed, Page 24 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m antibiotic-free, organic food. All this poison is passed directly on to the consumer, so if you like to eat beef, be sure it has been organically raised without drugs and hormones, and preferably range-fed than pen-fed. Pork When it comes to meat, pork is also a poor choice. Pigs have an omnivorous diet, which makes pork more acidifying than other meats. Pork is very hard on the liver, largely because lard is difficult to digest. Researchers in Canada have established a close link between cirrhosis of the liver and pork consumption in sixteen countries studied. In countries where pork is consumed together with alcohol (beer and sausage, wine and schnitzel, etc.) the likelihood of liver cirrhosis rises significantly. Chicken Chickens that are commercially raised are confined to tight cages and fed a diet of feed that is filled with antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. In the West, chickens that are raised on farms where they are allowed to run free are known as “free-range”, and they are able to get exercise and enjoy a diet of worms, wild vegetation, and other insects. Seafood Deep-water ocean fish are excellent sources of protein, as well as fish oils that are rich in essential fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Salmon and tuna are good examples of deepwater ocean fish. EPA and DHA rank among nature's most effective blood thinners, because they prevent sludging of blood platelets, dissolve clots, and dredge blood vessels of Page 25 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m excess cholesterol and fatty deposits, thereby improving circulation and preventing heart attacks. In countries like Japan and the Pacific Islands, deep-water fish are regularly consumed. These countries experience much lower rates of heart disease than others that do not include much fish in their diet. Fish is warming and acidifying, just like meat. It is most easily digested and yields the most nutrients when eaten raw, such as sashimi in Japan, or when lightly steamed or poached. Due to the pollution of many streams, lakes, and rivers, freshwater fish isn’t a very good choice. It’s best to avoid shellfish and reef fish, as well. This is because the shallow sea beds where they are found are often polluted. Fermented foods Yeast and other 'friendly' bacteria are added to raw ingredients and set aside to ferment, and during the process, the microbes break down complex carbohydrates and proteins into more easily digestible elements. Fermentation increases the vitamin and enzyme content of foods, aids digestion, and facilitates assimilation of nutrients. Page 26 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Fermented foods also colonize the intestinal tract with friendly flora, which control putrefactive bacteria, maintain proper pH balance in the colon, and increase the bulk and frequency of bowel movements. Almost all culinary traditions include some form of fermented food in the diet. Western cultures make yogurt, hummus, and kefir (a yogurt-type drink) from milk, beer from barley and hops, and wine from grapes. In the East, Koreans eat fermented cabbage (Kimchee) three times a day, China has various fermented soy-bean products such as tofu and Soy sauce, the Japanese make soups and sauces with fermented miso paste, Thai cuisine is laced with a pungent ferment fish sauce called nam-pla, and Indians drink a delicious beverage called lassi made with yogurt that is freshly fermented every day. What to Avoid Eliminate all processed foods from your diet If you want to remain healthy and avoid ailments of the digestive system, especially cancer, then you should eliminate all processed foods from your diet. In the age of fast food, precooked frozen dinners, packaged snacks, and other 'convenience foods', abstaining from processed food may seem difficult, but in fact, it's not. It is just as quick to eat an apple as it is a package of potato chips, just as convenient to have nuts and seeds and dried fruit for breakfast as packaged cereal with cow's milk, and just as easy to make an avocado sandwich as a hamburger. It's all about your choice. Today, over 6,000 synthetic chemicals are officially condoned for use in the processed-food industry, including some that are known to have carcinogenic properties. Page 27 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m Processed foods also contain high levels of the debilitating, denatured ingredients that we wish to avoid, such as white sugar, refined starch, pasteurized cow's milk, land mined salt, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. The human immune system correctly recognizes chemical food additives as toxic foreign agents and fights hard to rid the body of them, causing severe biochemical reactions and putting great stress on the immune system. After years of daily exposure to such inorganic chemicals, the immune system finally breaks down and burns out, leaving the body vulnerable to attack by microbes, toxins, and cancerous cells. Non-nutritional and toxic food intake These are foods that your body simply does not require and you should not consume! These are foods that provide no benefit, and do you significant harm. The ideal scenario is to consume zero servings per day. If this seems difficult, ask yourself what kinds of foods you are consuming. Chances are that you are consuming empty calories (calories with no nutritional value for building your body and brain). As Dr. Chestnut says, “If it has a label on it or is packaged then it is probably not real food.” What foods classify as non-nutritional? Foods that have little or no nutritional value. Examples are foods that are composed of ingredients with no nutritional value or have been processed to the point where nutritional value has been removed. Any food that requires “fortification” is a non-nutritional food. Fortification is done with synthetic vitamins, which also have little nutritional value, can be toxic, and have been shown to cause birth defects and cancer. What foods classify as toxic? Foods that have toxic additives such as hydrogenated fat, partially hydrogenated fat, trans fats, added salt, MSG, Page 28 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m hydrolysed protein (which is another name for MSG), aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, any and all chemical food additives and colours such as nitrates and nitrites found in processed meats, refined sugars, corn syrup, and high levels of salt or sodium. Food choices to avoid: • Fried foods (fries, donuts, chips, etc.) • Processed & non-fibre rich carbohydrates (flour, pasta, bread, etc.) • Soda pop • Fruit juices (it’s okay to have limited amounts as long as you dilute them with water) • Alcohol • Processed meats • Processed and packaged foods Synthetic vitamins are not nutrients from food. They are manufactured chemicals that have a different form and structure than the naturally occurring vitamins found in fruits and vegetables. They are toxic, have been shown to cause birth defects and cancer, and can deplete the body of other nutrients. In one study, 22,000 pregnant women were being given synthetic Vitamin A. The study was halted because birth defects increased 400%. In another study, 29,000 male smokers were being given synthetic beta carotene and synthetic Vitamin E. This study was stopped when rates of lung cancer, heart attacks and death increased. Please work to remove the following from your diet: • Caffeine • Sweeteners – white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, cane juice • Sugar alcohols (often found in chewing gum) • Soy milk • Yeast • Alcohol Page 29 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m • Dairy Products • Corn • Gluten • Soy (except miso and tempeh) • Processed foods • Soft drinks, soda • Nitrates (deli meats, etc.) • Artificial Sweeteners • Gluten Gluten is a protein substance found in grains, including barley, wheat, spelt, oats, and rye. If you realize that wheat flour is in thousands of foods, you’ll start to understand that if you have a sensitivity to gluten, you’re getting attacked almost every time you eat. Both glutinous and non-glutinous grains cause a spike in blood sugar, which triggers an inflammatory response. What does gluten do? Gluten is a gut irritant. If you have gluten intolerance, as millions of people do, gluten attacks your small intestines by destroying the villi (finger-like projections on the intestinal surface), and leads to the formation of tiny holes in your intestines. The result is that food particles leak into your bloodstream, and your body’s natural defence system sees these particles as ‘foreign invaders.’ This creates two major problems: 1) you can’t absorb important nutrients; and 2) your body seems to attack itself. Page 30 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m What are the symptoms? Symptoms of gluten intolerance range widely. More and more illnesses are being connected to gluten intolerance. Symptoms may include one or more of the following: • Leaky gut, celiac disease • Skin problems, including chronic rashes, itching, sores, inflammation • Allergic reactions of many sorts • Bowel problems • Bloating • Eczema • Low immunity to illness and disease • Neurological dysfunction • Headaches Removing gluten and dairy can have profound side effects, not just on weight, but also on many inflammatory, digestive, mood, and other health problems. The food facts they forgot to teach us in school Food has become a cause of disease in the modern world. Once regarded as the central pillar of life and the most effective of all medicines, food is now a major contributing factor in cancer, heart disease, arthritis, mental illness, and many other pathological conditions. Monopolized by agricultural and industrial cartels, public food supplies are processed and packaged to produce profits and prolong shelf life, not to promote health and prolong human life. Page 31 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m There are so many diets available these days, like the South Beach diet, low carb diets, Atkins diet and many other unhealthy programs. You need information and a program that not only brings weight loss, but also better health- physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, too. I say unhealthy because any diet that encourages you to consume daily large amounts of animal protein, or is based on continuous high consumption of protein, is bound to leave this muck and toxic waste lying around inside of you... and everyone knows this stuff is bad. A cleansing program is an alternative that you may have never investigated before. I can share a liver and colon cleanse that you can do, ideally 4 times a year, to clean your system out from the insides. So many diets, so many different philosophies Counting calories is the last thing that you need to be doing for your health or weight. Portion control also is a waste of time. And any diet that is high in animal protein is UNHEALTHY BIG TIME... it's highly acidic, and that's dangerous to your long term health prospects to say the least. Every cancer patient has a highly acidic body. A highly acidic diet is also guaranteed to end up bloating your colon, because your colon will need to protect itself from the acids and other harmful substances in the animal meat (like antibiotics for example). Skip the dieting, start genuinely cleansing and nourishing your body! We must eat to nourish ourselves. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular diets: Atkins Page 32 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m The Atkins diet is a high protein/high fat diet that is based on the premise that weight gain and obesity are caused by insulin resistance and hyper-insulins. This diet restricts carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams a day. While it allows you to eat unlimited amounts of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese, it discourages consumption of fruit, bread, grains, starchy veggies like corn and carrots, refined sugar, and most dairy products. South Beach Diet A diet in the high protein camp, this diet is based on the belief that much of our excess weight comes from the carbohydrates we eat, especially the highly processed ones. Decrease the consumption of those "bad" carbs (like white flour and white sugar), studies show, and you begin losing weight and metabolizing carbs properly. After an initial period of no carbs to eliminate cravings, it permits good carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains). The Zone The Zone program is also high in protein, focusing on lean protein sources such as fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy products. It too discourages most grains and breads, starchy veggies, and some fruit. However, unlike Atkins, the Zone allows moderately restricted carbohydrates, and discourages eating egg yolks, red meat, most cheeses, and butter. Pritikin The Pritikin diet encourages you to get at least 75 percent of your calories from complex carbohydrates, and only allows for 10-15 percent of your caloric intake to be comprised of protein, leaving just 5-10 percent for fats. It does this by recommending that most of your foods be plant-based and high in fibre, coming from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It limits you to 4 ounces of animal-based protein a day, and discourages consumption of red meat, fatty poultry and fish, egg yolks, and most dairy products. Page 33 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m I believe that all diets have pluses and minuses, in terms of health. On the plus side, there is emerging evidence that diets higher in protein do work, in part by helping to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels within the body. However, these plans can put you at high risk for inflammatory diseases and estrogen dominance, increase your risk for osteoporosis and coronary heart disease (CHD), and can even worsen existing kidney conditions. The high saturated fat intake of the programs, especially the Atkins plan, increases your risk of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis. They also increase your risk for estrogen dominance-related conditions, such as fibroid tumours, by elevating estrogen levels within the body. Additionally, the high protein content of these diets increases the risk of osteoporosis in women with low bone density by causing mineral loss in bones. While adequate protein intake is essential to bone health, excessive protein, especially from red meat and dairy products, can lead to bone loss by increasing your body's acid load, forcing it to pull valuable calcium and other alkalinizing minerals from your bones in order to bring your pH back into balance. The Atkins plan puts women at a huge risk for CHD, because it's likely to increase your serum cholesterol levels. And all three programs can increase your risk of poor kidney function. According to a March 2003 study from the Annals of Internal Medicine, a diet high in non-dairy animal protein may accelerate kidney function decline in women who have an existing kidney condition, even a minor one. Low Fat, High Carbs The focus on whole grains and vegetables in the Ornish and Pritikin diets can be a huge health boon for women. The fibre in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables helps to lower your risk for estrogen dominance by helping to remove it through elimination. It also helps eliminate excessive fluid from the body. These diets also support strong bones, again due to the emphasis on vegetables, grains, and legumes, all of which are rich in alkaline minerals needed for healthy Page 34 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m bones. Finally, these plans support heart health by lowering serum cholesterol levels, thereby significantly lowering your risk for CHD. There is, however, a significant problem with these programs. While they are rich in plant-based fibre and many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are necessary for optimal health, they lack many other nutrients needed for good health and well being, specifically essential fatty acids (EFAs) and vitamin B12. The lack of EFAs could have a negative effect on ovulation, menstruation, and menstrual cramps in younger women. In older women, lack of oils may lead to dry skin, hair, and vaginal tissues, and could increase the risk for depression, fatigue, and inflammatory conditions. Similarly, low dietary intake of B12 can lead to fatigue, depression, and anaemia. Lastly, it may be difficult for women following these diets to take in sufficient amounts of vegetarian-based protein, thereby leading to fatigue, low energy, and poor immune function. What Should You Do? You'll want to aim for a balanced program that allows for some fat, protein and "good" carbs, and most importantly, helps you eliminate foods that are problematic for you. I would recommend that you first determine your body type. Once you know your body type, it's much easier to learn which foods are right for you. For instance, you may feel tired and lethargic after eating a meal high in carbohydrates, or you may feel energized by it. What works for a high alkaline producer won't work for someone who's overly-acidic. Please contact me to find out more information about which body type you are. 1, Make an agreement to yourself and read it each day Your personal agreement will help you stay on purpose and allow you to move towards your health goals. Re-connecting with your purpose each morning is a Page 35 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m great and positive way to start your day. 2. Create affirmations Read your affirmations out loud and with conviction. Affirmations are very powerful in turning your dreams into reality. Repetition will allow these affirmations to be stored in your sub-conscious body and become a reality. Create your affirmations in your workbook. 3. Daily Journal What you focus on expands. Do not focus on what you did not get done or what you could have done better. Instead, focus on what you did accomplish; even if the things you are grateful for may seem relatively minor. Remember, by focusing on the positive things in life you are conditioning yourself to attract greater successes in the future. 4. Setting Intentions Everything that happens in the universe begins with an intention. Using an intention every day is life changing. Every day choose 3 intentions to focus on. I am hoping you have taken time to understand the chemistry behind food combining and why it is a necessary step to implement in the quest to find out truly how to love and support our bodies. I have been food combining for over 20 years and when I stick with it completely I feel so much better, have more energy, clearer skin and manageable weight. Have a great week and I look forward to our weekly calls and regular facebook contact. Love Join us on fb and share your experience www.drcarliaxford.com Insert social media buttons Page 36 w w w . d r c a r l i a x f o r d . c o m