I like to read. About once each year I read a book that is about nutrition. I like some good suspense/action novels, and I throw in a few business management books too. I am almost done with If It’s Not Food, Don’t Eat It! by Kelly Hayford, CNC. It was recommended to me to by Minda Coombs, a nutrition consultant in here in Camas–www.eatwellbewell.net
This book is pretty heavy on how “pseudofoods”, or “Frankenfoods” are the cause of all chronic disease. As expected, the author goes on and on about how natural, organic, and whole food will have a huge impact on nearly all health conditions. And much of the food industry is a domestic weapon of mass destruction dooming us to an early demise. I feel like I finally got to the proverbial meat of the book (around page 213), so I wanted to share the best tips I came across. If this interests you, please feel free to read the whole book–these are just the kernels I have digested. (Did you notice all of the food puns I am harvesting?)
- Drink half your body weight in ounces per day (no surprise here), drink filtered, room temperature water.
- Eat fruits alone and on an empty stomach so that it does not get a chance to mess with your blood sugar and you can digest it better.
- Vegetables are the only food that are safe to eat in nearly unlimited amounts.
- Try to eat six different vegetables each day–preferably of different colors.
- Simple carbohydrates like white flour and sugar are fast releasing cause your energy to spike, then drop dramatically. Complex carbs like whole grains, yams, and squash are slow releasing, provide sustained energy.
- Limit meat to 1-3 servings per week (I am not sure how I feel about this one). Cook meat at low temperatures to preserve the nutritional value.
- The best oil is virgin coconut oil. Flaxseed oil is good, but you can’t cook with it.
- Allow 2-3 hours between meals or snacks, and don’t eat for 2-3 hours before bed.
- Don’t drink beverages with food, instead drink 15-30 minutes before a meal, and 30-60 minutes after. This may aid in digestion because saliva and enzymes can be diluted, which can impede proper digestion.
- “Chew your juices and drink your food” meaning slosh juices around so that they mix with saliva, and chew solids until they are completely indistinguishable. This will make the nutrients more available to your body.
- Eat protiens and starches at separate meals to aid in digestion.
- Eat light in the morning, biggest at noon, and nothing after 7PM.
- Eating certain fresh vegetables twice a day, instead of twice a week, can cut the risk of lung cancer by 75%, even in smokers.
- Some studies now show that eggs do not in fact raise LDL (aka ‘bad’) cholesterol.
- Soak nuts overnight (beans too) for easier digestion.
- Eating the same foods over and over can tax the system and deplete enzyme stores, which is how food intolerances can develop
- The most common food intolerances are wheat, dairy, soy, and (darn it) sugar.
- The gluten in wheat makes it sticky, which makes it hard for the body to digest.
- Dairy products are not that great a source of calcium. It is just clever advertising by the “dark side”.
- Soy contains a protein enzyme inhibitor which prevents many nutrients from being properly digested. (The last nutrition book I read talked about how soy is nature’s perfect food, with nearly all of the essential nutrients, in the right proportions. If you look long enough I believe you can find an expert on any view you like.)
- Fermented soy (miso, tempeh, soy sauce) is less likely to cause an allergic response than soy isolates, soybean oil, and pretty much every form of soy that we like to eat.
There is more yet, as I have not finished the book. But there is plenty there for you to “digest” for now. Any thoughts or comments?
My favorite quote from the book: ”The road to good health is paved with good intestines”
Hi Dr. Evan -
Thanks much for reading and reviewwing my book. Just a couple things…
1 – Where do I say to eat animal protein only 1-3x a week? Don’t recall writing that.
2 – In my mind, the ‘meat’ of the book is the 5 universal Eating-for-Health Guidelines, which you didn’t mention.
3 – The feedback I get from people is that the two sections they like best are the section in which I go ‘on and on’ about the effects processed pseudofoods have on the body, and the section about overcoming obstacles to healthy eating.
So for whatever that’s worth to those considering reading the book;-)
For those who don’t want to read the whole book (the whole enchilada, as I call it), there are lots of bite-sized articles on my website http://www.KellyHayford.com and I also have a Facebook page for regular articles, factoids and inspirations: http://www.facebook.com/EatingForHealthWithKellyHayford
Thanks again, Doc!
Kelly Hayford
Author: If It’s Not Food, Don’t Eat It!
Nice puns. Glad you are “harvesting” some good tidbits for good nutrition. I’ll have some of her books for sale at my booth at the Health Fair in May. By the way, my business is in Camas!
Minda, I fixed your location information.
Kelly, thanks for the reply. I thought you big time authors might be too busy for us little guys. Your points are duly noted–on page 235 it says “having animal protein three times a week is a ballpark amount to strive for” and on page 218 it says “eat 0-3 servings of protein daily” (but it does not specify animal protein).
There was lots of good stuff in there, I just chose to write about the points that stood out to me. I took a ‘biased’ approach, so to speak. Great book overall. Your common sense approach is very easy to follow and relate to. I took my whole family through the elimination diet, following your chapter 9 (I think). It was great fun.
If I knew how, I would have linked this right to amazon so that readers can get their own copy.
Wow, you took the whole family through the elimination diet?! — That’s impressive!
I usually say 3-5 times a week is a good amount for animal protein. Some people need more, esp if they have blood sugar issues, some people need less.
Thanks for joining in on Facebook. See you there!
Nice puns. Glad you are “harvesting” some good tidbits for good nutrition. I’ll have some of her books for sale at my booth at the Health Fair in May. By the way, my business is in Camas!