Obesity

The diet should consist of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and unroasted seeds & nuts, and legumes. Aim for a high percentage (ideally 80%), of your food in its’ raw form.

Include a wide variety of foods; eat all of the colors of the rainbow. Good vegetable choices include cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, green peppers, celery, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, and turnips. Good fruit choices include apples, cherries, guavas, cantaloupe, watermelon, and grapefruit. Avoid dried fruits and fruit juices as these are concentrated sources of sugar.

Include a wide variety of beans for their high fibre content, and for their protein which will help the body to feel satisfied.

Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole-grain bread, and oats, should be included in the diet, in small to moderate servings.

Essential fatty acids are important for weight management.  Use cold-pressed oils, such as flaxseed, hemp, pumpkin seed, and olive oil on salads or stirred into a cooked dish only after it has finished cooking. Use all oils in moderation.

Vegetable juices are not only healthful, but also filling. Drink vegetable juices no closer than 30 minutes to your mealtime, to help keep the appetite in check.

Drink 1 glass of clean water every two waking hours, to help flush toxins from the body, and to keep the body well hydrated. Often, the signal for thirst is mistaken for hunger.

Do not skip meals, especially breakfast as this will put the body into starvation mode that can increase fat accumulation.

Avoid refined sugars, as these are not only high in calories, but cause moods swings and blood sugar crashes which can increase your craving for food. Fruit sugars, honey, and molasses are less damaging to the body, but should still be eaten only in moderation.

Avoid processed and junk foods, foods made with artificial flavours, colors, and preservatives, foods which have been stripped of most of their nutrients like, white rice, white bread, and pasta.

Once a month, do a short vegetable juice fast of one to three days.

Consume one to 3 Tbsp. freshly ground flaxseed daily, along with several Tbsp. of another fibre such as organic wheat bran or psyllium husk. These fibres can be stirred into smoothies, sprinkled on fruit salad, or mixed into water and drunk.

Exercise is an absolute must. You don’t need to run a marathon, but 15 to 45 minutes of exercise daily, has been shown to maintain a body weight of 11 to 18 pounds less than would otherwise be realized. Ease into your chosen exercise gradually, and work your way up.

To re-set the body’s metabolism, use the following guide for at least 6 months or longer.

Resetting the Body’s Metabolism

Between the shoulder blades lies what is known as “the brown fat”. The brown fat controls weight, appetite, and the rate by which we use energy, by placing a “set point” for the metabolism. This set point for metabolism is adjusted according to what the brown fat senses. For instance, if the brown fat senses a large amount of chemicals or a concentration of chemicals (from eating a large quantity or variety at one time), it will slide the set point up in order to build a larger “storehouse” for all these chemicals.

The set point for metabolism can be re-set, by meticulous attention to the following 8 points: 1) No free fats – margarine, mayo, fried foods, salad oils etc. 2) Never eat after 3 pm. 3) Only 2 meals daily at regular times – no snacking in between. 4) Minimize concentrated foods including nuts & nut butters. 5) Walk for 20 minutes after each meal. (This is in addition to a daily exercise program of at least 30 minutes). 6) Total vegan only. (Animal products produce growth). 7) Limit quantity and variety at meals. 8) Eat nothing but cherries for several days each week, as the high base mineral content counteracts the damage of a white sugar, white flour, and meat diet, and has a very beneficial effect on the metabolism.