P hy s i c i a n D i e t a r y G u i d e 速 Hormone Therapy | Nutrition | Fitness
A wellness plan to restore your energy and vitality for years to come.
balance begins on the inside
Dietary Guidelines Dear patients, please consider the following dietary plan a goal and an ideal to which we all strive. The sources for this plan are books such as The Paleo Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, The Blue Zones, The Zone Diet, The China Study, published research on nutrition, and me and my colleagues’ clinical and personal experience. The ideas in this plan are all based on a solid knowledge of physiology and biochemistry. You may find some parts of the plan surprising and even opposite to what you have been taught—but give it a chance—you and the rest of the American population may have been misinformed by some of our media outlets regarding what is truly a healthy diet. I have no ulterior motive; my only goal is to get you healthy! We realize that it is quite difficult to change eating behaviors that have developed over decades. Nevertheless, if your goal is optimal health, anti-aging, fitness, freedom from chronic disease or effective hormone balance, it is very important to give your body what it needs to build healthy tissues. It is equally important to remove those things in your diet that are preventing you from achieving your goals. For some, the following guidelines may seem tough to implement all at once; others may already be eating this way. Remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and that “Every journey starts with a single step.” Resolve to change things slowly and gradually, but strive for consistency. Add and remove things from your diet in a way that you can understand and enjoy, and your new diet will be a rewarding experience. Try for a 75% correct diet at first, then 80% in a month or so, and finally 90-100%. If you slip up and eat something that is not consistent with the plan, that’s OK—just get back on track and make sure your slips are the exception and not the rule. None of us are perfect, and there are so many temptations and distractions to contend with. But even small changes toward your goal diet will have big benefits for your health. It’s important to remember that healthful changes are best measured off the scale. This is not a fad diet, but rather a guide for eating that you will use for the rest ofyour life. Research indicates that slow, progressive changes in diet and exercise are more readily sustained than abrupt changes. Remember that while the following guidelines are important for everyone, the exact foods you eat and the way you approach those goals are unique to you. Let’s work together to identify those aspects of the plan that you can adopt now, without too muchdifficulty. As you begin to see and feel the positive response from your body, you will become more and more eager to implement all of these nutrition goals. As we balance your hormones and correct your nutritional deficiencies, you will have more energy to enjoy life and exercise. Always remember that we are not prescribing a quick fix; rather this is a dietary plan to restore your energy and vitality for years to come.
Basic Ground Rules 1 Eat all the lean, wild, organic meat, fish and seafood you desire if eaten according to the recommended schedule and quantities. Whey protein or egg protein powders and soy or pea protein are good choices when you don’t have time or access to meat protein. 2 Eat all the in-season fruit and non-starchy vegetables you want as long as it is whole fruit or vegetables, cooked or raw - not peeled, juiced, or processed. Chopped up is OK. Blending in smoothies is OK. You need the fiber! 3 Avoid eating cereals or grains or white potatoes, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Particularly avoid any grain with gluten (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale). 4 Avoid artificial sweeteners. Xylitol, stevia and small quantities of raw honey, agave or real organic maple syrup are acceptable natural sweeteners in very small quantities. 5 Eat moderate legumes (beans, lentils, soybeans, peas, peanuts) and nuts. OK for 1 serving per day, but too many calories for regular eating at meals. 6 Avoid dairy products. 7 Use only cold pressed olive and canola oils for salads or cooking; Ghee (clarified butter) is OK as well. Avoid margarine, shortening or any trans-fats or vegetable/corn/ safflower oil. Take 2 tablespoons of fish or cod-liver oil daily. Flax oil is a good omega-3 oil, but not a substitute for fish oil. 8 Don’t eat processed foods; stay out of the middle aisles in the grocery store! Processed means anything that was done to a food to alter it (ground, smoked, colored, mixed up, cooked, chemically adulterated). Most processed foods are in boxes, jars, or containers and have multiple, often unpronounceable ingredients. 9 Eat frequent, small meals, 5-6 per day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and snack) about the size of your 2 fists for meals; 1 fist or less for a snack. Keep a bag/ container of snacks at work. Snacks are whole fruit, vegetables, a few nuts, a hard-boiled egg, or a mealreplacement/protein bar (not sugary power bars). Meals are 3/4 vegetable+fruit and 1/4 lean protein by volume on the plate. Add lots of spices to your foods as they have many health benefits. 10 Take a high-quality multivitamin, a supplemental probiotic, Vitamin D, essential Omega-3 fats in the form of fish oil or flax oil daily. Other nutraceuticals may be prescribed for your specific condition. 11 Drink plenty of purified water, bottled mineral water, green tea and herbal tea; avoid milk or fruit juices. Avoid beverages from plastic bottles due to the hormone disrupting chemicals in the plastic (BPA). 1-2 glasses of red wine per day are permitted but better if none is consumed. Try to switch from coffee to green tea.
More In-depth 1. Eat a relatively high amount of animal protein compared to the usual American diet recommendation; however, this is high-quality, preferably organic or wild protein. Shop directly from the farmer or at Whole Foods/Trader Joes or websites that sell frozen, wild game and organic meats. Avoid standard meats from supermarkets or “farmed fish” as these contain toxic fats, pesticides, chemical pollutants and unwanted hormones. Absolutely do not eat any smoked, colored or preserved or cured meats unless it says organic and “no nitrates.” These meats are full of cancer-causing chemicals and hormone disruptors. Whey or egg protein powders are good sources of protein when combined in a smoothie with fresh or frozen fruits or vegetables. Don’t forget eggs! The organic eggs with omega-3 fats are excellent sources of protein, great snacks when hardboiled and provide special fats needed by your brain to make memory neurotransmitters. They also contain the raw ingredients to make some important hormones. 2-3 eggs per day are fine.
Fruits & Veggies Raw fruits and vegetables contain live enzymes that help digest food, and are packed with valuable vitamins and fiber.
2. Eat fewer carbohydrates overall; those that you do eat should be complex carbohydrates that digest slowly from more nutritious sources (fruits and vegetables) and not grains, starches or sugars. Raw is best, but steaming or sautéing in olive or canola oil is good too.Try to eat at least some of your veggies in the raw state. 3. Eat a large amount of fiber from non-starchy fruits and vegetables, especially the stalks, peels and leafy parts. 25 grams of fiber per day minimum is a good goal. If you modify your diet to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, you will get plenty of fiber. Add Metamucil if necessary. This will help balance your hormones, improve constipation and improve IBS. Give yourself a few weeks for your bowels to adjust to your new diet. You may have some bloating as you get used to the increased fiber; this is normal. 4. Eat a moderate amount of fat with more good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) than bad (saturated) and nearly equal in ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats. It is nearly impossible to get enough omega-3 fats in our diet alone. If you aren’t already taking a high quality fish oil supplement, consider cod-liver oil. We recommend Nordic Naturals flavored cod-liver oil; it tastes great and comes in peach, lemon, and other flavors. Omega-3 fat is essential for brain function, control of inflammation, heart and bowel health and a stable mood.
Don’t eat any trans-fats (watch out for the word “hydrogenated” in the ingredients). Things with trans-fats include margarine, shortening, baked goods and crackers. As for butter, a clarified form of butter called Ghee is good for you; you can get this in specialty stores and even mix it with flax or olive oil for a nice butter spread that is healthy. Olive oil, flax oil, canola oil are your best choices. Forget the low-fat diet lie! You need good fats for health. 5. Eat food with a high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium. Potassium is found in fresh fruit and vegetables. Don’t add salt to your food. 6. Eat an alkaline diet overall (fruits and vegetables are alkaline; meats and grains are acid; fats are neutral).
7. Eat foods rich in phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Because of the way our food is grown, we are all mineral deficient; particularly in magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium and iodine and we are often toxic with heavy metals like lead and mercury. We recommend a multivitamin that provides the minerals or vitamins that may be deficient in your diet. We can test you for heavy metal toxicity and help you get these and other poisons out of your body. Eat kelp (seaweed); it contains lots of iodine.
8. Consider what you drink as well as what you eat. Green tea is an excellent beverage; it stimulates fat-burning, fights cancer cells and is an antioxidant. Drink at least 3 (preferably more) cups per day. Put a large water thermos on your desk at work or in the refrigerator at home with teabags in it; it will make tea and provide you with a refreshing drink all day. There are many flavors now, mixed with equally healthful herbs. Red wine has some benefits as an antioxidant and contains the chemical resveratrol, which can slow the aging process and improve diabetes and vascular damage. Avoid milk or anything made from milk, that includes yogurt, ice cream and cheese. There is no significant beneficial health effect from beer or liquor. Alcohol is relaxing and this stressreduction can be of benefit; however, alcohol also causes depression and aggravates mental illness, causes gut damage, hypertension, lowers testosterone and causes brain damage. Milk causes allergies in many people, is linked to sinusitis, diabetes and asthma, and has been shown to accelerate cancer cell growth. Get your calcium from sardines, canned wild salmon, meat, greens and a mineral supplement if needed. Avoid fruit juices or juicing fruit. These activities remove the fiber, which is needed to slow the absorption of the natural sugars in fruit. 100% Pomegranate juice is an exception - drink plenty of it.
9. Organic foods contain more nutrients, have no pesticides or chemicals on them and have been grown in a way that replenishes the soil. They are now available even in regular shopping centers. If you absolutely can’t afford organic, it’s better to eat the right type of foods than to buy organic. Just wash everything thoroughly! 10. Grains and starches. Grains that are ground up, bleached, brominated, fumigated or irradiated and made into flour, even if organic, have had their living enzymes destroyed and their vitamins removed or destroyed. To digest them, your body must steal minerals and vitamins from its own tissues, creating a malnourished state. Although they fill you up, refined grain products are therefore “anti-nutrients.” Whole grain products may still have their minerals and some vitamins, but the living enzymes in them are dead after cooking; once ground into flour and used as baked goods or cereals, they are so rapidly digested that they cause out of control spikes of sugar, then insulin. When eaten to excess, they make you fat, leading to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, stroke, acne, hormonal imbalance and all sorts of other ills. There is a big agribusiness lobby that wants you to eat lots of grain and have even gotten it into the base of the “food pyramid,” but don’t believe them! While we humans have been cultivating grains for about 10,000 years and grain products are cheap, and have no doubt prevented starvation at certain times, they are not optimal for human nutrition. 10,000 years is a blink of an eye in evolutionary time periods. Modern humans and our ancestors have been around for about 2 million years and lived on a diet of meat, fish, fruits and vegetables (not grain) for nearly all that time. Fossilized remains of our human ancestors show a deteriorated state of health after changing from a diet of whole fruits, vegetables and hunted meats to a diet of mostly grain and farmed animals. Finally, wheat and some other grains (barley, rye, spelt, triticale) contain gluten, a toxic protein that is associated with all sorts of autoimmune disease and
allergies, from thyroiditis to arthritis to inflammatory bowel disease and other bowel troubles. If eaten at all, grains should be whole (not ground into flour) and as nearly raw as possible, avoiding those that contain gluten. Examples of acceptable grains are wild rice, quinoa, and oats. 1 serving per day. 11. Root vegetables. In terms of causing imbalances in glucose and insulin, the same problem occurs with white potatoes. Yams and sweet potatoes are OK as are other root vegetables, but they are high calorie. 1-2 servings per day. 12. Sweeteners. Most cravings for sweets are due to hormonal imbalance, yeast infestation, adrenal fatigue or due to food allergies and vitamin deficiencies. You will find that as you improve your diet and hormonal condition, many of your cravings for sweets and salt will leave you. If you find you must sweeten your food, stevia or xylitol are safer choices. Honey and agave or maple syrup have the same problem as white flour and cane sugar in that they cause imbalances in your blood sugar and insulin; so eat in very small quantities, if at all. Avoid saccharine, Splenda and aspartame. They can damage your brain and thyroid and they trick your brain into making you eat too much. 13. Low-glycemic eating. Some foods digest quickly and raise your blood sugar too fast (cake, white potatoes, white rice, sugar); others digest slowly and keep your blood sugar balanced (whole vegetables, meat, fats, whole fruits, nuts). The former are “high-glycemic index foods.” The latter are “low-glycemic index foods.” The foods that are good for you are low-glycemic index foods. The good news is that all the food in our diet plan is low-glycemic, so if you stick to the ideas presented here, you don’t have to check on whether the food you are eating is low or high glycemic.
Green Tea
Health benefits range from fighting cancer & heart disease to lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes & stroke, & staving off dementia.
14. Customizing your diet. We can do several tests to determine if you have any particular food intolerances or allergies. We can test the response of your white blood cells to over 200 foods, food additives and metals with the ALCAT test, and we can test your blood for signs of antibodies to certain foods or metals. We can then tell you exactly what food is safe for you to eat and what to avoid.
Grocer y Shopping Guide Meats The key word is lean; try to get grass-fed or even organic (Whole Foods or direct from the farmer) Lean Beef Flank steak Top sirloin Extra-lean hamburger (90% lean) London broil Chuck steak Lean veal Lean Pork Pork loin Pork chops, trimmed Other lean cuts Lean Poultry Chicken breast Turkey breast Game hen Shellfish Eggs (organic) Omega-3 enriched Duck Goose Chicken
Fruits Apple Apricot Avocado Banana Berries Cantaloupe Melons Cherries Figs Citrus
Grapes Kiwi Mango Papaya Pears Lemon Lime Nectarines Orange Papaya Peaches
Other meats Rabbit Goat Wild game Organ meats Beef, lamb, pork, chicken livers Beef, pork, lamb tongues Marrow Sweetbreads Fish & Shellfish Flounder Salmon Sole Tilapia Tuna All cold-water deep-sea fish No farm-raised fish! Clams Crab Mussels Shirmp
Pineapple Plums Pomegranate Raspberries Blueberries Rhubarb Watermelon All other fruits
Vegetables Artichoke Asparagus Beet greens Beets Bell peppers Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Collards Cucumber
TIP
Shop the outer perimeter of the grocery store. Dandelion Eggplant Endive Green onions Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard greens Onions Parsley Parsnip Peppers Pumpkin
Purslane Root Rutabaga Seaweeds Spinach Squash Sweet Potato Swiss chard Tomatillos Tomato Turnip greens Turnips Watercress
Nuts & Seeds (Only if you are at your ideal weight due to high fat/calorie content) Almonds Brazil nuts Cashews Chestnuts Flax Hazelnuts Macadamia Pecans
Avoid boxed, canned, packaged or processed foods.
Pine nuts Coconut Pistachios Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Sunflower seeds Walnuts *No peanuts Grain & Legumes Beans Lentils Long grain brown rice Quinoa Vinegar & Oils Apple cider vinegar White vinegar Extra virgin coconut oil Extra virgin olive oil Cold press nut oil
Super foods
Eat unlimited ammounts of these nutrient rich foods.
Beverages
Green Tea, 100% pomegranate juice, vegetable juice (fresh)
Fruits
Apples, blueberries, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, pomegranates, pineapple
Vegetables
Arugula, asparagus, brussel sprounts, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, leeks, onion, romaine lettuce, scallions, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, sea vegetables (kelp, wakame, dulse), kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, turnip, beets
Meats
Chicken and Turkey (Free Range, no hormones or antibiotics)
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, flax and sesame seeds (raw, fresh, unsalted, Not roasted)
Fish
Flounder, salmon, sole, tilapia, all cold-water deep-sea fish. BEWARE of farm-raised fish!
Grains & Legumes Quinoa, lentils, beans Herbs & Spices
Basil, cardamom, chives, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, parsley, turmeric, apple cider vinegar
Oils
Extra virgin olive, extra virgin coconut and cold press nut
Drink Water Drinking 2 litres of water a day can dramatically improve your health, and the signs will be obvious: Glowing complexion and clear skin, better immunity, better digestion, less aches and pains, weight loss, less cellulite, better concentration and renewed vitality and energy.
good high-protein foods
good Omega-3 fat sources
Skinless turkey breast Shrimp Red snapper Crab Halibut Sweetbreads Clams Pork tenderloin Beef heart Broiled tuna Veal steak Sirloin steak Chicken liver Skinless chicken breasts Beef liver Flank steak Pork chops Mussels Eggs
Brains Cod-liver oil Cold-water fish Flaxseed oil Liver Game meats Free-range chicken Grass-fed beef Eggs with omega-3 Walnuts & macadamia nuts (unsalted) Leafy green vegetables
Spice it up! The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal is by choosing foods that are loaded with herbs and spices. Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally “upgrading” your food without adding a single calorie. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism. Some spices and herbs increase your overall feeling of fullness, so you’ll eat less. Also, by flavoring your foods with spices instead of salt, you will no long have excessive bloating and water retention.
Healing Anti-Aging Herbs & Spices
Create Your Own Healthy Menu
Rosemary & basil
Dementia-fighting power
Cumin & sage
Obesity-fighting power
Cayenne & cinnamon
Sugar regulating power
Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves & saffron
Calming effects on your mood
Turmeric
Cancer fighting power
Oregano
Fungus-beating power
Garlic, mustard seed & chicory
Heart-pumping power
1. Eat plenty of leafy greens, fresh fruits and colorful vegetables.
Basil & thyme
Skin-saving power
Turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron & ginger
Immune-boosting power Natural anti-inflammatory
Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice & black pepper
Depression-busting power
2. When eating bread, choose those made with whole grains and consider trying gluten free. These less-processed, whole grains supply sustained energy for longer periods.
Meal Preparation Suggestions
Helpful TIPS
Cut up vegetables & fruits in small bags for easy snacking on the run.
1
Prepare ahead of time!
2
Use leftovers for breakfast or lunch; eat dinner for breakfast.
3
Start with tossed greens and just add protein to it.
4
Breakfast: 2 eggs and some fruit, or a protein and fruit smoothie.
5
Breakfast: Omelet with vegetables
6
Snacks: Fruit, a vegetable, hardboiled eggs, some nuts.
The trouble with pre-made menus is that often they include foods you don’t like. Build your own healthy style menu by following these guidelines in making careful food choices that fit the cuisine and your taste buds:
3. For dessert, choose fresh fruit or something that supplies one serving of fruit. This can be something like homemade fruit sorbet or baked apple slices sprinkled sparingly with cinnamon. Plan for Eating Out: You’ll be surprised at how many items you can find on a restaurant menu. As a rule of thumb, when eating out, choose items from the menu that offer plenty of veggies but are not loaded with cream sauces or cheese. Broiled fish or baked chicken with a salad or steamed vegetables are always a good option.
Sample Menu Goal
Achieving good health is best accomplished by incorporating small positive changes into your lifestyle -- ones that become habits you can build upon over time. It is about making more good choices than bad choices.
Combining protein, carbohydrate and fat at each meal is beneficial for optimizing the calories. Breakfast 1 cup of green tea 1/3 cantaloupe 2 hard boiled eggs 1 cup of fresh vegetable juice (optional breakfast) protein shake with fresh fruit
Lunch 2 cups fresh spinach salad 2 oz. grilled chicken breast 1 tbs. olive oil 1 tbs. vinaigrette 1 apple
Recipes
Check out Th e Paleo Diet The South Be a The Mediterra ch Diet The Ultrawelln nean Diet ess C Vegetarian Co ookbook okbooks
Dinner 5 oz. fish 1 small sweet potato 2-3 cups broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions sautéed in garlic and olive oil 1 cups fresh fruit
Snacks 1 small handful of raw nuts to be eaten midmorning or mid-afternoon. 1 apple snack size veggies such as carrots, celery sticks
Healthy Diet Tips As you put together a daily menu, follow these tips: • Choose olive oil for your main fat source • Choose whole grains rather than grains which have been refined or processed • Limit unhealthy saturated and trans fats • Fill your plate and your belly with veggies • Eat fresh fruit for dessert • Eat fish and poultry as your main sources of protein • Limit red meat
Benefits Several advantages are derived from following a healthy diet. Primarily, when nutritious, wholesome foods are chosen, hunger and cravings will be satisfied thereby avoiding episodes of overeating. Also, this amount of food can offer variety from all the food groups while supplying energy and well-being to every cell of your body.
Never skip meals. It OK to substitute a protein shake for a meal if necessary. Whey or egg protein powders are good sources of protein and adding fruits or vegetables will make them more flavorful.
Once balanced, consider fasting for 24 hours once per week (continue to drink liquids). This will extend your life, prevent chronic disease, help you to lose weight and give your body a needed rest to repair itself.