By Lawrence Wilson, MD
© April 2011, The Center For Development

Organically grown, high quality food is the basis for all diet suggestions. A more yang diet, in terms of macrobiotic principles of eating, is also suggested. Read more by clicking on Macrobiotics.

Slow oxidizers require plenty of fresh, and cooked vegetables, twice or better yet, three times daily. They also need some high quality animal protein at least once daily. They may also have some complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, quinoa and other whole grains, but not wheat. Have less whole grains if they are not well tolerated. Eat at least three meals daily and do not skip meals.

Harmful foods include all sugars, honey, fruit, fruit juices, smoothies, raw meat and eggs, fermented foods except yogurt and kefir, and refined starches. Slow oxidizers need to obtain the bulk of their calories from cooked vegetables, some high-quality fats and oils, and some whole grains if they are well-tolerated.

This diet will seem very strict to some people. I have found the closer one follows the diet, the better one feels. Change over slowly if you need to, substituting healthier foods for less healthy ones. For best health, if you have a slow oxidation rate, eat as follows:

WHAT TO EAT

1. 70-80% cooked vegetables. You will need to eat these at least twice and perhaps three or four times daily to obtain this much. Eat them in simple combinations for best absorption.
2. 15% protein, mainly of animal origin.
3. 7-8% complex carbohydrates. These include brown rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth and others. However, avoid all wheat products.
4. 6-7% high-quality fats and oils. If possible, they should contain omega-3 fatty acids found in such foods as sardines, raw dairy products and grass-fed meats.
5. 0% simple carbohydrates. These are fruits, fruit juices, honey, maple sugar, agave nectar, other sugars, and all other sweets.
6. 0% chemicalized and fast foods.
7. Eat the Special Foods for health and mental development:
• A. Plenty of cooked vegetables, except avoid the nightshades (explained below).
• B. Organic blue corn chips or blue corn tortillas. This is the best. Have at least 2 bags of blue corn chips weekly or a few organic blue corn tortillas several times a week.
  Some yellow corn is also good. I suggest having one to two bags per week of just one brand of yellow corn tortilla chips by Santitas. This product has some herbs in it that may not be listed on the label that are helpful. They are sold at many supermarkets. In addition, you may have several organic yellow corn tortillas every other day.
• C. Lamb. Have a full portion at least once and preferably twice each week. While any lamb will do, lamb loin chops are the best. They can come from the supermarket, and need not be organic, as most are quite good.
• D. Sardines. Have one can every other day or 3-4 cans weekly. Any brand is fine.
• E. Kelp. You may take this in the form of capsules (3-6 daily) or granules (about 1-2 tablespoons daily). Avoid most other sea vegetables and all fish except sardines.
• F. Carrot juice. Have 10-12 ounces daily, preferably freshly made, but you may buy it at the market if needed. You may add a small amount of greens to your carrot juice. An alternative once or twice weekly is 1 or 2 ounces of wheat grass juice.
• G. Hawaiian Bamboo Jade sea salt. Use this product instead of other sea salts for cooking and adding to all foods. See the Links page for ordering information.
• H. Other. Have a little ginger, mustard and garlic daily, ideally, as spices or condiments.

HOW TO EAT

1. Cook all or almost all food. Raw food is too yin for slow oxidizers. Also, most people cannot absorb their minerals nearly as well from raw or fermented foods. See below for other reasons for cooking foods.
   The exception is fats and oils of all kinds, which should be eaten as raw as possible. For example, raw dairy products are best, along with lightly cooked meats and soft-boiled eggs rather than hard-boiled or fried eggs.
2. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly and always have sit-down, relaxed meals. Do not eat on the run, in your car, standing up or while working.

MORE DETAILS ON THE DIET

70-80% cooked vegetables. Eat a variety of cooked vegetables, with the exception of the nightshade vegetables and a few others, as explained below.

Fill at least 2/3 of your plate with vegetables. You may also have a meal of just a vegetable or two, such as a bunch of steamed carrots, or a half head of broccoli or spinach. Fresh and organic are best, although some frozen vegetables such as peas and green beans are acceptable, too.

Root vegetables such as turnips, carrots, onions, garlic, and rutabaga are excellent. Cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,bok choy, cauliflower and most green leafy vegetables are also superb.

Avoid the nightshade family of vegetables. These are red and white potatoes, all tomatoes, eggplant and all peppers. These are irritating to the body, somewhat toxic, and very yin as they are mainly fruits, not vegetables. Anything that contains seeds is a fruit.

Acorn and winter squash are okay in moderation. The summer varieties of squash such as zucchini and sunburst squash are less recommended. They are too yin. A few other vegetables such as all mushrooms, okra, cucumber, jicama, asparagus and other salad greens such as lettuce are also not recommended. These are not as healthful for various reasons.

Avoid most canned vegetables, canned soups and spoiled or old vegetables that are not fresh.

Very few people eat anywhere near enough cooked vegetables. You will need to eat them twice or preferably 3 or 4 times daily. Eat simple food combinations.

If you do not like vegetables, add flavor by putting some mild herbs, cheese, butter, yogurt, cream, olive oil, garlic, or diluted nut butter on top as a dressing. Read How To Add More Vegetables To Your Diet for many other vegetable suggestions.

About 15% protein, mainly of animal origin. Natural, hormone-free meats are best. Have 4-5 ounces of protein twice daily, and less for children depending on their size (see babies and children sections below). The best protein foods are:

Red meats: Lamb and wild game of all kinds are best. Wild game and lamb contain some omega-3 oils, as well. Lamb from the supermarket is usually fine.

Poultry: Naturally-raised chicken, turkey and some duck if available. Natural chicken and turkey sausage are also okay, but not as good as fresh meat. Turkey or beef jerky are also okay for snack food if it is not laced with chemicals.

Eggs: Eat healthy eggs from the store or from a farm, up to about 8 per week or perhaps a few more in some cases. Always cook eggs lightly so the yolks are runny. Soft boiled are best, or poached, or even fried but always with the yolk runny.

Raw Dairy: An excellent food for most people is some raw goat milk, raw goat cheese, or raw goat yogurt. Cow's dairy is not quite as good, although raw cream and butter are excellent. You may also have some raw kefir and full-fat raw yogurt. If you cannot find raw dairy, Horizon brand organic dairy products are the next best. Avoid most other brands.

Fish and seafood: Sardines are an excellent food. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, RNA and DANA, and the nerves, skin and organ meat are helpful for most people. Also, they are so small that mercury does not usually accumulate in them to any great extent. All other fish, sadly, along with seafood, are not recommended, as they are all contaminated with mercury today. If one eats 3 or 4 cans of sardines weekly, no additional supplemental omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D should be needed.

Less desirable protein foods, but okay once or twice weekly.

1. Other small fish. In addition to several cans of sardines, which are highly recommended, once or twice weekly you may have very small fish such as anchovies, herring, cod, and sole. Wild caught may be more healthful, but not necessarily.
2. Beef. Once a week you may have a meal with naturally-raised beef. Almost all beef is quite hybridized today. For this reason, it is not quite as good a food.
3. Dried beans. Twice weekly you may have dried beans that are well-cooked. Lentils are among the best. Others include pintos, black beans, split peas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans and others. These foods are much more yin, and they are low in etheric energy, an energy that is helpful for most people. Also, they can be slightly toxic in subtle ways.
4. Soy products. Once a week you may have a small amount of tofu or tempeh. These are lower quality proteins. Avoid all other soy products such as soy milk, protein powders, Hamburger Helper, and "textured vegetable protein".
5. Peanuts and peanut butter. Even natural peanut butter may contain some aflatoxin, and for this reason peanut products are less recommended. Peanuts are also beans that are more yin and slightly toxic.
6. Protein powders and drinks. These are much less recommended. If you must have some, use protein powder made from egg or whey. However, whole protein foods are preferable to powders and liquids. The reasons are that the powders and smoothies are: 1) horrible food combinations, 2) too yin, 3) often contain toxic substances, 4) generally contain much less nutrition than the whole food, and 5) are eaten in a hurry, rather than cooked, eaten warmed, and chewed thoroughly for proper absorption.

Protein Foods To Avoid:

1. All medium-sized and especially all large fish. Fish such as tuna, shark, ahi, mahi mahi, halibut, game fish and even salmon, except on occasion, are too high in mercury to be eaten.
2. All shellfish. These are too high in toxic metals in almost all areas of the world as they are caught close to shore.
3. All pork, ham, bacon, pork rinds, pig intestine used in sausage, and other pig products. These often contain parasite eggs, no matter how well cooked they are.
4. Most processed meats. These include most hot dogs, bologna, salami and sausages. Most contain toxic chemical additives and are often not fresh enough. 100% natural processed meats with no additives are okay, though not ideal, but only if made without any pig products. Note that pig intestines are usually used to make all types of sausages and some hot dogs.
5. Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are not highly recommended foods because they are quite yin and slightly toxic. An exception is roasted almond butter, which is helpful for many people and may be eaten in moderation. Nut and seed butters are slightly more yin, but much more digestible than the whole nuts and seeds, providing they are fresh.
6. Read the article entitled Proteins for more on this subject.

7-8% complex carbohydrates. These may include organic blue corn or organic yellow corn tortillas or tortilla chips, brown rice or even a little white Basmati rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and perhaps some oats, rye, barley, kamut and amaranth.

Some people should avoid all gluten-containing grains such as rye, oats and barley, at least until their digestion improves. Pasta or noodles can be eaten that are made from rice, corn or quinoa.

Avoid all wheat products, including organic whole wheat, flour products and all prepared foods made with wheat. Wheat is too hybridized today and not a quality food any more. It is irritating to the intestines and has a lower protein content and a high content of glutamic acid, which is irritating.

5% Fats And Oils. Eat about 1-2 tablespoons of quality fat or oil daily. Those with sympathetic dominance pattern need a little more. Excellent sources are meats such as dark meat chicken, dark meat turkey, lamb, wild game, eggs, butter, olive oil, some beef, perhaps, and raw or organic dairy products such as whole milk or full-fat yogurt or full-fat cheeses.

Somewhat less recommended sources of fats and oils are the oils of flaxseed, hemp, sesame and other seeds, nuts and nut butters. Some refined vegetable oil is okay, but not ideal. These are oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, canola or soy.

Avoid most tropical fats include coconut oil, palm oil and avocado. They are too yin. Some health authorities believe these are healthful. However, they are all extremely yin, so they are best avoided or eaten in small amounts only.

Other oily foods that can be eaten on occasion are raw or toasted almond or other nut butters. An excellent snack or part of a meal is to have a few botija olives several times a week only. These are black, dried Peruvian olives that are especially rich in many nutrients. They are available in some stores or via the internet.

Avoid poor quality oils such as those found in fast-food French fries, restaurant deep-fried foods, margarine, shortening, bacon, lard and other butter substitutes. Also avoid processed and canned meats that often contain oxidized fats.

If you are very concerned with high cholesterol: Cholesterol will normalize on a nutritional balancing program in almost all cases without the need for dietary restriction.

If you are very afraid of cholesterol, begin with less meat, eggs and butter. Have more olive oil, flaxseed oil. and perhaps some roasted almond butter, a little natural peanut butter, and perhaps and a little coconut oil to obtain your fats and oils.

0%, or close to it, simple carbohydrates. These include fruits, fruit juices, sugars, honey, maple sugar and other sweets. Fruit, unfortunately, causes many problems today. Reasons for this are that it is 1) extremely yin in Chinese medical terminology, 2) too high in sugar so it upsets the blood sugar, 3) contains fruit acids that upset the digestion, 4) favors the growth of candida albicans and other yeasts and fungi in the body, 5) often sprayed with pesticides even if labeled organic, and 6) often low in nutrients today due to hybridization. Most of our clients feel much better avoiding all fruit. You may have a few berries or an apple occasionally, but fruit is not really permitted with this program.

Avoid all foods in which one of the first four ingredients is sugar, honey, dextrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, rice bran syrup, chocolate or malt sweetener. Also avoid candy, cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream, soda pop and other sweet prepared foods. These cause wide fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels.

Artificial sweeteners. Try not to substitute Nutrasweet, aspartame, Equal, Splenda, saccharin or other artificial or non-caloric sweeteners. If you must use a sweetener, use a very small amount of xylitol, mannitol or stevia. Weaning yourself off sweets may take some time but is well worth the effort.

0% chemicalized, "junk" foods and "fast" foods. These are of much poorer nutritional quality, in general, and are often irritating or toxic for the body. They make up the bulk of most restaurant food, and occupy the middle isles of the supermarkets. They cost more for what you get, and will ruin your health.

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DIET

Cooking and Food Preparation. For cooking use glass, enamel, stainless steel, non-stick or coated aluminum. Crock pots and food steamers are fabulous for those who want easily prepared, healthful meals.

If you cannot shop more than once a week, place your vegetables in the bottom of the refrigerator. A simple, inexpensive device called the Fridge Freshener will keep vegetables and meats fresh much longer. To order, call 1-877-877-0747 or go to www.naturesalternatives.com. To keep meats, place divide meats into meal-size portions. Then place the fresh meats in plastic bags in the freezer. However, try to eat meats quickly, rather than leave them in the freezer for weeks or months. Defrosting meat is often unnecessary, provided it is not too thick. It will cook rapidly if sliced thin or is naturally not more than about 1 inch thick.

Avoid exposed aluminum cookware and microwave ovens. Aluminum is quite toxic. Microwaves seem to damage the food more than standard cooking methods. Making the simple effort to nurture yourself by preparing healthy meals is often important for healing and maintaining health.

Beverages. Adults need to drink about 3 quarts of preferably spring water daily. A second-best option is carbon-filtered tap water. Do not buy fancy water filters containing KDF media and others. These damage the water. Only use carbon filtration, even though it does not remove most toxic substances from the water.

Buying spring water in plastic jugs at the supermarket is perfectly safe, in my long experience with water. Another option is to have spring water delivered to your home in recycled plastic containers or find a spring nearby where you can fill up your own containers. Go to http://www.findaspring.com to locate springs.

Avoid reverse osmosis water. It does not seem to hydrate the body well enough. Wells and plain tap water are often contaminated with various chemicals. Also avoid alkaline water and most other types of water. Alkaline water is too yin and often passed over platinum plates which may be toxic. For much more on water, read Water For Drinking.

Mild teas and up to one cup of coffee daily are okay, but coffee is not recommended. Also, up to 8 ounces of raw or Horizon brand organic milk daily is fine.

Carrot juice. Ten to twelve ounces of carrot juice or 1-2 ounces of wheat grass juice are also excellent for almost everyone. Carrot juice is preferably made fresh at home. However, it can also be bought at the health store or other outlet.

Eating Habits. Eat regular, relaxed, sit-down meals. Eat slowly and consciously, and chew thoroughly. Chewing each mouthful at least 15-20 times will assure better digestion. Keep the conversation pleasant. Stop before you feel stuffed. Sit for at least ten minutes after you finish eating.

Do not criticize children or discuss very negative issues at meal times. Make your meals a pleasant activity.

Avoid eating in the car, while standing up, on the phone or while rushing around. These habits impair digestion and reduce the value of the food. Also avoid drinking a lot of liquid with meals, as this tends to dilute the digestive juices. Drink up to 15 minutes before meals and one hour or more after meals.

Meal Suggestions. Mainly cooked vegetables, some fats or oils with each meal, and protein twice daily or so, is the basis for fast oxidizer meals in the nutritional balancing approach to health. Ideally, have only one or two foods per meal, as this is far easier to digest than more complex meals. Also, ideally rotate your foods so you do not have the same food every day or at least every other day.

Condiments. Mustard, sea salt, ginger, garlic, curry powder and a little bit of other mild spices and herbs are best as condiments. Avoid refined table salt that can raise blood pressure. Also avoid table pepper, which is often rancid and can cause joint problems in some people.

Snacks. If your blood sugar is unstable, have a snack or preferably a small meal in between your main meals that contains some fat and perhaps a little protein. Examples are an egg or two, some raw goat cheese, or a little roasted almond butters on a rice cracker. If blood sugar is very unstable, you may need five or six small meals per day for a few months or so, until your health improves.

Eating Out. Eating in restaurants is not recommended unless you have absolutely no other choices. Problems with eating out are: 1) limited food choices, 2) cleanliness and safety problems, 3) low food quality, 4) hidden chemical additives, and 5) noisy environments that are not ideal for digestion.

The best restaurants are those that offer plenty of cooked vegetables such as Chinese East Indian, and Thai restaurants. Some are not clean, but many are acceptable.

Less recommended are Mexican restaurants, as they usually serve too many carbohydrates and not nearly enough cooked vegetables. Italian often offers too much wheat and salads, and not enough cooked vegetables. Even worse are most fast-food and chain restaurants. They often cut corners, and serve up too many chemicals and junk foods.

When eating out, always ask for what you want. Ask for double or triple orders of cooked vegetables. If bread is served, ask that it be taken away.

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