Deadly Harvest: The Intimate Relationship Between Our Heath and Our Food (36 page)

BOOK: Deadly Harvest: The Intimate Relationship Between Our Heath and Our Food
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Take it at a pace that is comfortable for you. You can even decide to stop at some intermediate stage. Each stage is a summary of the more detailed advice already given in the book. If in doubt, refer back to the earlier chapters. For each stage, there follows examples of foodstuffs in the various categories used in the Owner’s Manual.

Note: Earlier in this chapter, we gave an example of how we might eat during the day. Typically, we would eat less at a time but more often. Some might be light meals taken at regular mealtimes like lunch or dinner, others are light meals taken between them, like afternoon tea and supper. In the following segment, we talk about these eating occasions as “sessions.”

 

Stage 1: The Lift Off

This stage is the most important—here you have opened the portal to a new world, one that will change your life. Most of the changes are not difficult: much of it is the simple exchange of one food for an equal substitute. Other changes have to do with the order in which foods are eaten. None of it demands a lot of willpower.

 

Stage 1

Food Group 1: Grains
(Bread, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta)

Bread—have one day per week bread-free (none is best).

Pizza—have three days per week free of pizza (none is best).

Breakfast cereals—have three days a week free of breakfast cereals (none is best).

Pasta—have three days a week free of pasta (none is best).

Food Group 2: Vegetables, Starchy

Restrict French fries to no more than 3 servings per week (none is best).


Red” foods—have one day per week free of “Red” products.

Limit “Red” products to 1 serving per day (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—have one day per week free of “Amber-Red” products.

Limit “Amber-Red” products to 2 servings per day (none is best).

Food Group 3: Vegetables, Non-Starchy

Eat at least 1/2 lb. mixed salad per day, “Green-Green” and “Green.”

Eat at least 1/2 lb. vegetables (cooked) per day, “Green-Green” and “Green.”

Food Group 4: Fruit

Eat at least 1 piece (serving) of fruit per day.

Focus on “Green” and “Green-Amber” fruits.

Avoid “Amber-Red” fruits (none is best).

Restrict total of “Amber” fruits per session to 1 serving.

Restrict total of Food Group 4 per session to 3 servings.

Food Group 5: Dairy
(
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese)

Replace whole milk by skimmed—no more than 1 cup per day (none is best).

Limit ice cream to 3 servings per week (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—limit cheese to 1 serving per day (none is best).

Food Group 6: Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Fish


Green-Green” foods—consume at least 3 servings a week.


Green” foods—can consume 2 servings a day.


Amber” foods—limit to 3 servings a week (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—limit to 3 servings per week (none is best).


Red” foods—restrict to no more than 3 servings per week (none is best).

Hens’ eggs—use only omega-3-rich, free range varieties.

Restrict total of Food Group 6 servings per session to 1.

Restrict total of Food Group 6 servings per day to 2.

Food Group 7: Legumes—Dry Beans, Peas
(includes peanuts and soy products)


Red” foods—no more than 3 servings per week (none is best).


Red-Amber” foods—no more than 7 servings per week (none is best).

Food Group 8: Nuts


Green” foods—consume at least 3 servings per week


Green-Green” foods—consume at least 3 servings per week.

Restrict total of Food Group 8 servings per session to 1.

Restrict total of Food Group 8 servings per day to 2.

Food Group 9: Fats and Oils
(includes cream, ice cream, butter, and spreads)


Green-Green” oils—use 1 tbsp. at least 3 times a week.


Amber-Red” fats and oils—limit to 5 tbsp. per week (none is best).


Red” Fats and Oils—avoid altogether.

Replace butter and margarine with “Green” spreads.

Replace cream with almond cream.

Restrict total of Food Group 9 consumed to 5 tbsp. (80 ml) per day.

Food Group 10: Sugars and Sweeteners

Replace “Red” table sugar with “Green-Amber” sugars (none is best).

Limit intake of “Red” sugars and sweeteners to 2 oz. (60 g) per day.

Avoid overdosing on fructose, agave syrup, and sugar replacements.

Limit intake of “Green-Amber” confectionary to 1.5 oz. (50 mg, 1/2 bar) per day.

Limit intake of “Green” confectionary to 1 oz. (30 mg, 1/3 bar) per session.

Food Group 11: Salt and Sodium

Replace “Red” seasonings with “Amber” seasonings (none is best).

Food Group 12: Beverages

Replace regular colas and soft drinks with “diet” versions (none is best).

Eliminate sweetened fruit juices.

Focus on “Green” and “Green-Amber” beverages.

Restrict “Amber” beverages to 5 servings (12 oz. mug/can) per day (none is best).

Restrict “Amber-Red” beverages to 2 servings (12 oz. mug/can) per day (none is best).

Restrict “Red” beverages to 1 serving (12 oz. mug/can) per day (none is best).

 

Cooking and Food Preparation

Avoid deep-frying.

Reduce consumption of processed foods, fast foods, ready meals, etc., to no more than 1 serving per day (none is best).

 

Dietary Tips

Eat fruit on an empty stomach.

Avoid protein/starch combinations—Group 6 foods (Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Fish) with Group 2 foods (Grains) and/or Group 3 foods (Vegetables, Starchy).

 

Accumulation of Lapses


Red” foods—limit to no more than 4 per day (none is best).


Red-Amber” foods—limit to no more than 6 per day (none is best).


Amber” foods—limit to no more than 8 per day (none is best).

 

Stage 2: Escape Velocity

In this stage, we turn the screw a little tighter, but when you have mastered it, you will have escaped the gravity of your old earth-bound ways. You are “over the hump” and already fueling your body in ways that it recognizes and responds to.

 

Stage 2

Food Group 1: Grains
(Bread, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta)


Red” foods—have four days per week free of “Red” products.

Limit “Red” products to 1 serving per day (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—have three days per week free of “Amber-Red” products.

Limit “Amber-Red” products to 1 serving per day (none is best).

Food Group 2: Vegetables, Starchy

French fries—eliminate.


Red” foods—have four days per week free of “Red” products.

Limit “Red” products to 1 serving per day (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—have three days per week free of “Amber-Red” products.

Limit “Amber-Red” products to 1 serving per day (none is best).

Food Group 3: Vegetables, Non-Starchy

Eat at least 1/2 lb. mixed salad per day, “Green-Green” and “Green.”


Green-Green” foods—eat at least 3 servings per week.

Eat at least 1.5 lb. of salads and vegetables per day, “Green-Green” and “Green.”

Food Group 4: Fruit

Eat at least 3 pieces (servings) of fruit per day.

Focus on “Green” and “Green-Amber” fruits.

Avoid “Amber-Red” fruits.

Restrict total of “Amber” fruits per session to 1 serving.

Restrict total of Food Group 4 per session to 3 servings.

Food Group 5: Dairy
(
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese)

Replace skim milk with unsweetened almond milk.


Red” products—eliminate


Amber-Red” cheese—limit to no more than 3 oz. three times a week (none is best).

Food Group 6: Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Fish


Green-Green” foods—preferably consume 2 servings a day.


Green” foods—can consume 2 servings a day.


Amber” foods—limit to 1 serving a week (none is best).


Amber-Red” foods—limit to 1 serving per month (none is best).


Red” foods—eliminate.

Hens’ eggs—use only omega-3-rich, free range varieties.

Restrict total of Food Group 6 servings per session to 1.

Restrict total of Food Group 6 servings per day to 2.

Food Group 7: Legumes—Dry Beans, Peas
(includes peanuts and soy products)


Red” foods—eliminate.


Red-Amber” foods—no more than 1 serving per week (none is best).

Food Group 8: Nuts


Green” foods—consume at least 3 servings per week.


Green-Green” foods—consume at least 5 servings per week.

Restrict total of Food Group 8 servings per session to 1.

Restrict total of Food Group 8 servings per day to 2.

Food Group 9: Fats and Oils
(includes cream, ice cream, butter, and spreads)


Green-Green” oils—use 1 tbsp. at least seven times a week.


Amber-Red” and “Red” fats and oils—avoid altogether.

Replace butter and margarine with “Green” spreads.

Replace cream with almond cream.

Restrict total of Food Group 9 consumed to 5 tbsp. (80 ml) per day.

Food Group 10: Sugars and Sweeteners

Replace ”Red” table sugar with “Green-Amber.”


Red” sugars and sweeteners—avoid altogether.


Amber” foods—limit to 2 oz. (60 g) per day.

Avoid overdosing on “Green-Amber” sweeteners.

Limit intake of “Green-Amber” confectionary to 1 oz. (30 mg, 1/3 bar) per day.

Limit intake of “Green” confectionary to 1 oz. (30 mg, 1/3 bar) per session.

Food Group 11: Salt and Sodium


Red” seasonings—avoid altogether.

Replace “Red” seasonings with “Amber” seasonings (none is best).


Amber-Red” seasonings—avoid altogether.

Reduce “Amber” seasonings to bare minimum.

Eliminate salt added in cooking; replace with herbs and flavorings like lemon juice.

Food Group 12: Beverages

Sweetened fruit juices—eliminate.

Freshly pressed fruit juices—reduce to 3 servings a week (none is best).

Focus on “Green” and “Green-Amber” beverages.


Amber” beverages—no more than 3 servings (12 oz. mug/can) per week (none is best).


Amber-Red” beverages: no more than 2 servings (12 oz. mug/can) per week (none is best).


Red” beverages—avoid altogether.

Maximum total of “Amber,” “Amber-Red,” and “Red” beverages—4 servings (12 oz. mug/can) per week (none is best).

 

Cooking and Food Preparation

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