Basic Eating Suggestions

I chose parsley for this blog post because it is such a simple, yet so powerful herb and I relate that to this diet structure. It is simple, yet so powerful in healing the gut.

THIS BLOG IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A BASIC STRUCTURE TO BEGIN BUILDING YOUR FOOD FOUNDATION.

This is the simple way of eating that I worked to maintain while healing my digestive system from Crohn's. Every body is different and has different needs.

I suggest booking a consultation with Cameron Jewell to build a regime and work with plants and foods specific to your body and it's needs.

This suggested outline was designed for those with chronic inflammation and dis-ease in their digestive system. I highly recommend reviewing the GAPS protocol and reading all of Dr. Natasha's books. You can find some of our favorites on our resource page.

IMPORTANT NOTES: 

Do not eat vegetables and fruits together. If you have to eat them close to each other, eat the fruits first and wait at least 30 minutes before eating vegetables. They compete for nutrients and fruits digest faster than vegetables. I suggest not eating fruits with meat - waiting at least 45 minutes to 1 hour after eating fruit to eat your meat.

Vegetables and meat complement each other and aid in digestion when eaten together.

Put 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder in your smoothies to help ignite digestion. 

I use frozen berries and blend them with boiling water to aid in digestion.

If you can tolerate it, use unfrozen fruits and drink the smoothie at that temperature.

Our digestive system can be viewed as a fire - we need heat to break down and properly absorb the nutrients from our food. When we eat cold foods such as cold smoothies, ice cream, ice cold beverages, etc. our body has to work harder to heat that food in our digestive tract and absorb the nutrients. The way I was taught when learning medicine was that cold is the equivalent of death and heat is life. I recommend warm/room temperature smoothies and cooking our food, even just a little bit, before eating. Cold salads here and there are beneficial, unless you are dealing with extreme, chronic inflammation in your gut such as crohns, IBS, etc.

DO NOT COOK WITH HARMFUL VEGETABLES AND SEED OILS.

I am sorry to say, but not even olive oil is healthy to cook with. The heat denatures the oil and changes the structure, making it toxic to our body. You can drizzle it over your food after you finish cooking though!

I recommend only cooking with: Raw butter, Ghee, Coconut Oil, Tallow, & Avocado Oil.

Please visit Seed Oil Rebellion for more information, education, and resources concerning seed oils.

Avoid cooking with aluminum, Teflon, ceramic, and plastic as much as possible.

All of these contain toxic metals and chemicals that are released into our food when we cook with them. This includes cooking utensils - I recommend only using wooden & stainless steel utensils.

Simplicity & consistency are key.

BREAKFAST:

Start your day with hot lemon water, then coffee if you drink it. I will be writing a blog on coffee soon and will link it here when it is published.

I like to take my probiotic after my hot lemon water and coffee, but before my protein in the morning.

Make a smoothie - an example is:

All the berries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, etc.)

Banana

Organic almond or cashew butter - not everyone will be able to tolerate this at first, do not use if it causes discomfort.

a dash of vanilla extract.

¼ teaspoon ginger powder

I advise against basically all protein powders - the majority of them are synthetic and have many ingredients that our body cannot recognize and digest properly.

Peanut butter, while delicious, is often inflammatory and I recommend not consuming it very often.

Eating melons in the morning such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew would be very beneficial. These are excellent for hydrating the body, working to remove toxins and replace them with nutrients. They will also work to soothe hot, inflamed tissue.

Follow the smoothie with some protein - scrambled eggs, chicken breast, nitrate-free bacon, etc. MAKE SURE EGGS ARE COOKED THOROUGHLY. 

Many people are afraid of eggs due to millions of dollars worth of propaganda blaming eggs for high cholesterol and other dis-ease, however eggs (real, farm laid healthy eggs) are one of the most nutrient dense foods that we can consume and I highly recommend incorporating them into your diet.

I am a big fan of animal products, however the quality of the products is very important.

I encourage getting your eggs and animal products from local farms and farmers markets if possible, however that is not an option for everyone.

Some important things to note when buying these products:

You want PASTURE RAISED, not cage free, if you can afford it - especially with your eggs.

White commercial eggs are devoid of nutrients and harmful to your health, avoid them at all costs.

Anti-biotic and growth hormone free.

Check back soon as I will be providing more resources to help with this.

LUNCH & DINNER:

Lunch & dinner look very similar.

You want cooked veggies - kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots, beets, collard greens, etc. avoiding potatoes as much as you can - though it does not hurt to enjoy them here and there.

I like to toss in pumpkin seeds first and get them cooking - they are rich in omegas, high in protein, and have a wide range of amino acids. You can sprinkle hemp seed on at the end - they are also a great source of essential fatty acids and it has almost all of the essential amino acids that our body can’t make on its own. 

Protein - quality animal products. Chicken, turkey, beef, pork - etc. It's the quality of the meat that matters. You want to make sure the meat does not contain nitrates, anti-biotics, growth hormones, corn, etc. More resources coming soon.

Hot soups with veggies, chicken, and quality bone broth may be eaten at either or both meals.

The goal is to get as many nutrients absorbed with as little irritation to your tissues as possible. 

I squeeze fresh lemon juice over my vegetables, especially the leafy greens, to aid in digestion and nutrient absorption.

EXTRA NOTES:

Seaweeds such as dulse, bladderwrack, kelp, and Irish sea moss can be an excellent source for boosting vitamin and mineral content - sprinkle it over your lunch and dinner.

If you don't like the taste, try our Bio-Minerals formula!