Day 10 - "New-trution"

Maximized Living has published a nutrition book in which there are two basic meal plans. These are NOT diets, rather they are simply nutrition guides for how your body was meant to eat! There is the “core” plan and the “advanced” plan.

The advanced plan is a bit more restrictive and "hardcore", but if followed religiously for 2-3 months it WILL reverse diabetes, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, aid people in getting off of their medications, make you lose weight quickly, increase energy levels, and the list goes on…. After 2-3 months, you can switch to the “core” plan, which allows you to eat a few things you couldn’t on the advanced plan.

So while the advanced plan may not be for everyone, it has a number of benefits. I’m going to give you guys enough information that you can get started on your own if you’re interested and choose to do so. Please read this even if you do not plan to change your diet, as I know everyone will learn something! 

There are 5 keys to the advanced plan and they are as follows:

<1.     Eliminate sugars

<2.     Eliminate grains

<3.     Remove bad fats and add good fats

<4.     Restrict your intake of fruit

<5.    Avoid toxins

Now, let’s delve into each one in further detail…

1. Eliminate sugar.

            We’ve known for a long time that sugar is harmful; and I am sure you are all aware of this. However, just because you don’t eat chocolate bars and candy, does not mean you are not eating a lot of sugar. Almost everything that comes in a box in your grocery store contains sugar. So do basically all condiments, salad dressings, yogurt, juices, etc. Read your labels!

            Sugar = white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, syrups (maple, rice, corn, cane), dextrose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin, honey, agave nectar

           
            BUT, don’t replace all that sugar with “sugar-free” products that contain artificial sweeteners (Remember key #5). These are manufactured chemicals that have been shown over and over again to cause harmful side effects. THE ONLY healthy sugar alternatives are natural sweeteners stevia and xylitol (or similar sugar alcohols like erythritol and maltilol; basically anything ending in –ol). Just watch your consumption of sugar alcohols because excess may cause a laxative effect. (Erythritol has been shown to cause less of a laxative effect than the others). 

           

Also, grains turn into sugar within seconds of you putting them into your mouth, which leads us to key #2…

*Side note, for those who want to read more….
- about grains turning into sugar: http://www.livestrong.com/article/446767-does-whole-grain-bread-turn-into-sugar/
- about how the food industry tried to cover up that sugar is harmful: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/10/sugar-industry-lies-campaign

2. Eliminate grains

           

If the package does not say “sprouted, [100%] whole grain, or stone-ground” then it is refined. See the Livestrong article above if you are unsure what a refined grain is. And don’t be fooled by “whole wheat”, which is not the same as “whole grain”. (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-difference-between-whole-grain-and-whole-wheat.html#b)

            So, although whole grains are better for you than refined grains, these still convert to glucose in your body and cause inflammation (Again, see the Livestrong article above). Therefore, on the advanced plan they are to be completely restricted in order to allow your body to heal. This is going to be the most difficult step for most people, and needs to be done cold turkey if you’re serious about following this plan. After the first 10-14 days you will notice your cravings disappearing. So hang in there! (And on the bright side, there are healthy alternatives, such as almond flour…)

3. Remove bad fats and add good fats

           

Remember that whole “non-fat” craze that started in the 60’s and 70’s and is still somewhat present in today’s society? Well, during that time, butter and meat consumption dropped 50% and margarine consumption rose 400%. Along with this, heart disease incidence increased dramatically. (Just f.y.i., margarine is one or two molecules away from plastic).

            The truth is there are bad fats and there are good fats. By now, everyone knows trans fat is a bad fat. But don’t be fooled by clever marketing techniques that claim to have “No trans fat.” No should really say “low” because as long as your product has under a certain amount of trans fat, you can put “no trans fat” on its label. Again, read your labels! And by read your labels, I don’t mean look at the calorie content; actually read the ingredients that are in the product you are buying. A great example is Skippy peanut butter, which claims to have no trans fat. Turn the label around and one of the ingredients is “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” which, you guessed it, is a trans fat.

            Here is the run down:
BAD FATS = hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats (margarine, synthetic butters, shortening), rancid oils (corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil)
GOOD FATS = extra virgin olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, coconut and coconut oil, RAW nuts and seeds, REAL butter, raw cheese and yogurt, grass-fed meets, free range eggs, whole milk, fatty fish (wild caught)

Side note: Be careful when cooking with olive oil and butter; they are meant for low-medium heat ONLY (sautéing). Once they turn brown or smoke they have gone rancid. Coconut oil can be cooked at any temperature so this is what you should be using for frying, baking, etc. If you do ONE thing after reading this, it should be to go out and buy yourself some coconut oil (while at the same time THROWING OUT that canola oil or vegetable oil you currently have).  J

*Tip for losing weight: Eat 2 tbsp (one in the morning and one in the evening) per day of coconut oil (yep, straight from the jar) to help lose weight!
*Increasing your intake of good fats can help prevent depresseion, osteoporosis, memory loss, cognitive decline, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endometriosis, and other chronic conditions!
*Good fats are necessary for your body to absorb vitamins and nutrients!

4. Restrict your intake of fruit

            Fruit contains a lot of sugar, and although a more natural form, it is still sugar! For the advanced plan, only berries (of any kind) and granny smith apples are allowed due to their lower glycemic index.

5. Avoid toxins

            This is a whole other topic in itself. Toxins can come from the food you eat (what was talked about above as well as pesticides and fertilizers on non-organic produce, grains and antibiotics fed to animals and dairy products you consume, etc), and also from personal care products (lotions, shampoos, makeup, etc), as well as air fresheners, cleaning products, mercury fillings, etc…. If you’ve lost a lot of weight and are now at a standstill, then you are most likely toxic. Toxins are stored in your fat cells and your body is very smart. If you’re toxic, your body will hold onto your fat so as not to release all those toxins into your bloodstream.

            As well, leptin is the hormone that tells your brain to burn fat for energy. Toxicity causes your cells to release too much leptin, thus causing burnout. Burnout means your body becomes unresponsive to exercise and proper diet which otherwise would cause fat burning.

            Milk thistle and probiotics are helpful in cleansing your cells of toxins. Also, you have probably heard that antioxidants are great at protecting your cells from damage. This is true too and you can use your search engine to look up good sources of antioxidants.  

Okay, I know that was a lot of information to absorb. If you have any questions, want to know more, or want to buy your own copy of the book (which contains the plans, more information as to why these changes are beneficial, grocery lists, recipes, and more) just let me know! You can also email me at drrcsorg@gmail.com