It can be extremely hard to figure out what to eat when following any restricted diet as part of healing chronic illness. Nonetheless, it has never been more important to fill your plate and body with nutrient rich, alive, and whole foods than now. In this quick blog I’ll share a few of my daily and weekly goals to support my body in healing.
Goal 1: Adopt a "Best choice" / "Better choice" / "Ok choice" (in small amounts) and "AVOID at all cost" mindset
So many elimination diets focus on the avoids that it can become pretty depressing, and it's common to develop a rigid mindset. To combat this and keep it positive, I try to build all my meals around foods that are the best choices and if I occasionally sneak in an “OK-choice” item then I cut myself some slack. For example, I love coffee and always have. There is strong evidence from my testing that it actually helps me manage my POTS. But regular coffee is loaded with toxins, molds and chemicals, even the organic varieties. So I have invested in Purity Mold free coffee and now limit my intake. Coffee lands squarely in my “OK category”. I know it's not great for me, but is great for my mood and mindset. In contrast, gluten for me is an "avoid at all cost" item. It makes me very ill and triggers a cascade of inflammation.
Goal 2: Maximize the quality, aliveness and nutrients of every food item
If you are trying to support your body healing, then invest in high-quality food. This is a fundamental part of healing, especially if you are needing to follow a restricted diet. Chose meats that are fresh and of the highest quality and nutrient levels. Think grass-fed, organic or wild meats. Select fatty salmon that is Wild Caught to ensure freshness. Invest in a garden, a greenhouse or a farm-fresh delivery scheme. Shop multiple times a week to guarantee freshness of vegetables and splurge on small amounts more pricey items to ensure diversity and nutritional value.
If you are like me and are sensitive to histamine, then many foods that are “go-to” sources of enzymes, probiotics and nutrients will not be available. Sadly, I can no longer use bone broth soup to help repair my gut lining nor enjoy a frothy kombucha. So it is even more important that I eat live, fresh nutrient packed foods.
Goal 3: Eat protein, fats, nutrients and fibre in each meal
This was groundbreaking for me. By having a well-rounded meal I find my energy levels are far more constant, and I am dieting my meals better.
Breakfast: A power shake packed with 2 cups veggies, 6 Brazil nuts, handful of blueberries, a cut of ginger, mint, my lipids rich oils, and minerals and nutrients.
Lunch: a gorgeous colourful salad with veggies, yams, beets, sweet potatoes and a chicken breast.
Dinner: A piece of wild caught salmon and veggies with a side salad dressed with high quality olive oil and salt. Note: I try to further limit my carbs at dinner to avoid the "energy-crashes" that were hitting me mid-meal and so far its been working well.
Goal 4: Each week - aim for 30 different types of foods.
It's easy to sink into a routine of eating the same “safe-foods” day after day, meal after meal. Not only will this get very boring, but it also will limit the enzymes, nutrients and variety your healing body needs.
-You need diversity to ensure that you are getting the macronutrients and micronutrients your body needs. You will be feeding your gut with healthy enzymes and bacteria. The more diverse your food palette: the healthier and more diverse your gut-micro-biome.
Eating a diversity of foods will reduce the chance of you developing a new food sensitivity or allergy. This may seem paradoxical to some, and scientists are still learning why this happens. But if you only eat 5-foods due to food allergies, chances are you might become allergic to one of the 5 formerly "safe-foods".
-Your body will better absorb nutrients when they are combined with other nutrients than if you supplement with a pill or eat only a single food item. This concept of nutritional synergy is still being researched, but it appears the body requires the presence of a diverse set of nutrients to properly absorb.
-You will reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. By having the complete suite of nutrients and chemical compounds available to your cells, your mitochondria will be better able to complete the ATP cycles, thus reducing the byproducts of free-radicals and inflammation that so many of us are swimming in.
Goal 5 : Drink enough water. Doctors recommend about 2 L, but I find I perform better with 3-4L, especially regarding the POTS.
Consider getting a high-quality filter. I live in a small mountain town with excellent water, which is a bonus. When I stay at my folks in Utah, where the water is heavily mineralized, they have invited in a very high-quality water filter. This a far larger topic, that warrants further research. But for now, drink good water, and enough to feed your cells.
Also, become aware of your signs of dehydration. If you have any POTS symptoms, staying adequately hydrated is vital. You also may need to supplement with high-quality salts, electrolytes and minerals. See below.
I love drinking glacier water. Literally, water that I scoop from the melt-water of a glacier. Years ago, while guiding in Argentina, I drank water from ancient ice that was preserved under tons of rock on the high-altitude flanks of Aconcagua. This ice was from the last ice-age, likely about 20,000 years old. It slowly melted into this stream that emerged from an otherwise barren, arid and harsh desert landscape. The dreams I had whenever I drank that ancient water were like none-other. But I digress.
Goal 6: Consider increasing your salt intake. Only use high quality sea salt.
I also salt and add minerals and electrolytes to all my water. This helps my body retain the water and reduce my POTS symptoms. In spite of excessive salt intake, my blood sodium levels remain clinically low. Talk to your doctor before increasing salt, especially if you have high blood pressure. However, if you are like me and tend towards low blood pressure, then increasing your salt may help fill a piece of the puzzle.
Goal 7: Aim for 6-9 cups of non-starchy vegetables a day. Try to choose fresh, organic foods and use fresh spices over dried spices.
3 cups cruciferous vegetables. These are vegetables from the vitally important cabbage or mustard family, Brassicacaea (also called cruciferae), so named for the cross-like shape the four petals of their flowers assume. In addition to being a fabulous source of fibre, Cruciferous vegetables are particularly rich in nutrients, including carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin), vitamins C, E, and K, folate and minerals. They also contain glucosinolates, which are responsible for the bitter flavour and strong smell of these vegetables. These glucosinolates are broken down in the body to form anti-cancer compounds such as indoles and isothiocyanates. Examples include: cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, collard greens, arugula, mustard leaves, radish, daikon, and wasabi.
3 cups leafy greens. There are nearly a thousand plants across the planet that have edible leafy greens that humans can consume. Many come from short-lived herbaceous plants like spinach or lettuce (iceberg, red, romaine and a host of others). Leafy vegetables are surprisingly high in protein for their calorie count in addition to being high in dietary fibre, vitamin C, pr0-vitamin A, carotenoids, folate, manganese and vitamin K. The high levels of vitamin K result from the leaves being the plants source of photosynthesis. Other common examples include: beet greens, arugula, nasturtium, fennel, chard, endive, chicory, carrot tops (yes - they are edible) and basil.
3 cups coloured foods (see below). Choosing colourful foods to add to every meal ensures you will have a healthy diet. See next.
Goal 8: Try to eat every colour of the “rainbow” every day.
Red - red foods are rich in carotenoid lycopene, which helps reduce free-radicals in the cells and protect against cancers, heart and lung disease. E.g. strawberries / cranberries / raspberries / tomatoes / cherries / apples / beets / watermelon / red grapes / red peppers / red onions.
Orange & Yellow - Provides beta cryptpthanxin, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, nutrients that can be converted into vitamin A, may support intercellular communication and may help reduce chances of heart disease. E.g. carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, oranges, bananas, pineapple, tangerines, mango, pumpkin, apricots, winter squash, peaches, cantaloupe, corn.
Green: As mentioned above, these green foods are packed with nutrients, folic acid, vitamin K, carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids. These foods are high in chlorophyll and carotenoids, sulforaphane, isocyanate, and insoles which are thought to limit the action of carcinogens. E.g. Spinach, avocado, asparagus, broccoli, alfalfa, kale, cabbage, Brussel sprout, kiwi, collard greens, green tea, green herbs (mint, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme.
Blue and purple: These foods are rich in anti-oxidants called anthocyanin which are believed to help reduce the impact of cellular ageing and reduce blood clots. E.g. blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, concord grapes, raisons, eggplant, plums, figs, prunes, lavender, purple cabbage.
White / cream: Foods in this group are thought to have antioxidant flaviniods like querctitn and kaempferol which help the body with inflammation. E.g. onions, cauliflower, garlic, leeks, parsnips, daikon, radish, and some meats and fishes.
Brown / gold: These brown foods are full of folate, a B vitamin that helps counteract the amino acid homocyteseine that is linked with blood clots. E.g. Lentils (if you can eat them), grains, cocoa beans, dates, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, potato skins and some squash.
Goal 9: Try to extend the period of “not-eating” overnight. Give your body an extra hour or two in order to digest completely and then focus on the task or resting, replenishing and healing.
Your healing body needs a chance to integrate all the nutrient rich foods into cellular repair and does this best while sleeping. Try to finish your final meal before 7pm and consume only water until your first meal of the day. Aggressive intermittent fasting where all food is consumed within a short winder of 4-8 hours during the day can be hard on a really fragile body. However, giving your body a period of 12-14 hours to “rest and digest” can be a great place to start. E.g.:
Wake up at 7am and eat breakfast at 8am. ** Always try to eat your first meal within 2 hours of waking **
Have lunch at 1pm
Enjoy dinner at 630, finishing by 7.
This gives your body a window of 13 hours of not eating to rest and digest. If this feels good, then try slowly extending this window of rest and digest. Keep in mind that longer periods of intermittent fasting are better tolerated by men (16-18 hours) than women (14-15 hours max).
Goal 10: Add fresh spices and herbs to every meal: Not only will you be enhancing the flavour and fun of your meals, but you will be enhancing nutritional and medicinal impact of your foods.
Basil - provides vitamin K
Holy Basil - helps fight infections and boost immunity
Black cumin seed - helps with asthma, allergies and other respiratory issues
Cilantro - helps rid the body of heavy metals and oxidative stress
Dill - packed with nutrients, dill helps aid digestion.
Garlic - can help with heart health and ease illness
Horseradish - packed with antioxidants that help with skin damage
Licorish - helps with digestion, stomach ulcers, heartburn and inflammation
Mint - may relieve digestive pain and inflammation
Parsley - may improve blood sugar and help with heart and lung health
Rosemary- helps relieve nasal congestion and reduce allergies
Sage - Can improve memory and brain function
Saffron - helps manage asthma
Savoury - aids in digestion and has antiseptic properties
Star anise - packed with vitamin C and anti-oxidants
Majoram - may aid in blood circulation
Kaffir lime leaves - have anti-bacterial properties
Oregano - is a great natural anti-bacteria
Lemongrass - is a great source of flavonoids and antioxidants
Ginger - helps reduce inflammation and ease nausea
Tarragon - may help reduce blood sugar, inflammation and pain
Turmeric - contains curcumin, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacteria.
Cautiously consider (if tolerated)
Coriander, fennugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and sumac.
Goal 11: Develop your intuition and become your own expert!
You are the wisest person about your own body. Once the overwhelming bouts of inflammation, bloating, pains, nausea and symptoms ease you will begin to hear the messages that your body is sending to you about what your body wants and needs. Tap into this. For example, even though I am supposed to be able to eat cauliflower as a “safe” food, I noticed about 5-years ago that every time I eat it I get nauseas, bloated and my skin itches. It never shows up on an allergy test, but my body simply doesn’t want it.
Another example for me is butternut squash. Again, its supposed to be fairly well tolerated, is a gorgeous orange colour, but one night not too long ago when I made this beautiful soup I couldn’t finish a bowl. It was simply unpleasant. Later that week my allergy test came back and low and behold - I am allergic to butternut squash!
On the other hand, I also need to be careful of sugar cravings. Like many people, I have yeast and candida. If I eat a small amount of sugar (or carbs) then I get very strong cravings for carbs. Craving alcohol also seems to be related to this sugar craving. If I feed the beasts, they just get more hungry. So this craving I have to exercise some willpower to avoid.
Goal 12: Continue to ask for help, seek professional support and advice, and experiment
As you become your own expert on your body, you will find there are gaps in your knowledge, or places where you seem to be getting stuck. Use these opportunities to branch out to learn new information, try new recipes, seek or revise a series of allergy tests to see how your body is doing now, check in with a professional nutritionist to see what their take is. But remember, you are your best expert, and only you will know how to best implement new advice or pieces of information into your personalized wellness plan.
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