There is no perfect diet. But there are sensible ideas and here are some to help you get started.
Some people do well with a blood group specific diet, others with no meat, some completely paleo. You will need to find out what works for you and your budget and the people you live with!
Fresh Vegetables
Key Principles in supporting health and reducing cancer risk
•Give body vital nutrients to function, to build resources and immunity
•Macronutrients: carbs 55%, protein 15%, fats 30% plus micronutrients of vitamins/minerals and phytonutrients such as flavonoids to support circulation
•REMOVE the stressors (see below)
•Eat unrefined, unprocessed food as near to its natural state as possible, preferably organic.
•Eat some cleansing raw vegetables daily. If you must cook, cook simply (poach, steam bake)
•Eat a variety of foods – the more colors the better!
•Eat more plant foods and less meat
•Reduce or remove dairy products -or use goat or sheep’s instead. Fermented (i.e. natural yogurt) is OK
•Eat slowly to allow digestive juices to break down and absorb your food. NB: you are not what you eat – you are what you absorb!
•Don’t feel guilty if you can’t do this every day – do your best and aim in the right direction. Enjoy your food!
Immune Building and other Super Foods
•Mushrooms – Shiitake, miitake, turkey tails
•Fruits and vegetables
•Olives and extra virgin olive oil
•Brassicas – cabbage, broccolli. Spouts and kale
•Carrots, beets
•Oatmeal
•Nuts, seeds, raw
•Red peppers, tomatoes
•Green leafy veg, avocado, beans
•Eggs (organic preferred)
•Garlic/onions/leeks
•Beans – pinto, black, lentils etc.
•Parsley, coriander, nettles – mineral rich
•Buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, barley – all cook like rice
•Seaweed – wakame, dulse, kelp, – iodine and mineral rich.
Reduce Stress
•Keep sugar levels even by eating “low glycemic” foods – think stone age diet! In which food hasn’t been broken down and refined by machine. Your body needs to do the cooking! By preventing sugar/insulin highs and then lows these fiber rich foods reduce weight gain, tiredness, drowsiness, improve concentration and prevent mineral loss. Free insulin acts as a cell growth enhancer and along with estrogen encourages cells to divide fast (i.e. promotes cancerous states). Low glycemic foods include pulses/beans/lentils, peas, nuts seeds, quinoa, brown rice, barley.
•Eat more nuts and oils to ensure enough omega-3 fatty acids. (EFA’s). EFA’S are anti-inflammatory, support immunity and help healthy fat balance.
•Aim for 8 veg, 3+ fruit a day – these alkalizing foods are less stressful than high protein meat/cheese type foods. They are rich in micronutrients and enzymes, as well as antioxidants.
•Chew thoroughly – let the enzymes do their job.
•Drink more water – minimum 1l a day, preferably 2.
•Herbal teas – green, redbush, chamomile, peppermint (unless you have reflux), limeflowers, marigold, nettle etc. 2-3 cups daily.
Avoid the Stressors – the “s’s”
•Sugar – sets up stress reaction in the body, reduces antioxidant activity, stresses the heart. Sugary foods have few nutrients, sugar reduces immunity. Cancer cells are mostly fueled by sugar so starve the cancer by eliminating sugar. This also reduces the formation of fat from excess sudden sugar peaks. Watch out for sugar in sodas, cakes bread (even wholemeal). Rye or seed rich bread is better.
•Smoked, salted, pickled char-grilled and fried foods.
•Salt. May raise blood pressure, lower hydration in excess.
•Saturated fats, in diary, red meat (esp. pork) and fast/convenience foods.
•Saccharins, aspartame, nutrasweet and splendor. In thousands of foods…..
•Smoking. Nicotine reduces antioxidants etc.
•Soy foods (except fermented ones like miso) – affact thyroid function, and may aid cancer formation
•Margarine, spreads and trans fats – raises LDLs and lower HDLs and other harmful effects. Use olive oil, virgin coconut oil or butter in small quantities.
•Caffeine – stimulant, stressor
•Alcohol – liver stress.
•Red meat – choose rather chicken, turkey, lamb or game, organic if possible.
Eating Well – some ideas
•Start with breakfast – for vital nutrients thatare easily absorbed, even sugar levels up until lunch – a fruit smoothie – berries and cherries, are best.
Fruit, oats, nuts and seeds(raw). You can hide a carrot in there too: A dandelion leaf or kale leaf can disappear in a smoothie and you won’t know it’s there.
Oats, raw nuts and seeds can be used as toppings
•Lunch/Dinner – Include some raw vegetables/salad if possible.
Soups, rye bread, Pulses/beans Quinoa, barley/brown rice, lentils, with or without some meat or fish.
Crudities and dips of mashed avocado, beans.
Green, red orange vegetables, some root veg (like ratatouille, or steamed/sauteed)
Big salads full of nutrient rich color and crunch, including leeks, onions (especially red) and garlic.
Oily fish – sardines, salmon, mackeral, herring, tuna. Canned is OK, frozen probably better. White fish is good too. Avoid all farmed fish as these have higher concentrations of pesticides and waste products.
Chicken, turkey and other lean or white meat, but not deli meat.
