Six level approach
Take your nutrition to a level which you can maintain, step by step
In anticipation that not everybody can or want commit fully to a sugar free life why not take it to a level which suits you and your circumstances. The following six levels describe what changes can be applied to make a difference.
1. Use plenty of healthy fats
Healthy fats: Omega 3&6 oil in 2:1 ratio
Why: The body needs ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS (EFAs) to “drive”. Every cell, tissue, gland and organ is dependent upon the presence of EFAs. Our biggest organ, the skin, requires plenty of EFAs (from the inside). The body can’t produce them, they must come from an outside source. Omega 3/6/9 oil made with health in mind provides the body with all EFAs. Do not heat it (e.g. frying) otherwise the molecules get destroyed and the oil turns toxic. Use plenty as it is a foundation and not a supplement.
How much: Here is a guideline based on “Udo’s Choice”, an oil blend high in Omega 3,6 and 9. Use ca. 15ml per 25kg bodyweight per day. For example if your weight is 75kg you use 45ml “Udo’s Choice” per day. If you are an athlete it is ca. 28ml per day and per 25kg bodyweight.
Health benefits: Reduces inflammation and joint pain, increases bone strength, has positive influences on HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, blood pressure etc. If you have skin problems such as Acne the EFA’s oil intake will reduce the inflammations in your skin!
What is wrong with regular oils?: In a profit and long shelf life driven industry fats such as regular oils are subject to high heat (e.g. 245°C for 1 hour) and aren’t protected from light and air. Heat, light and oxygen changes fat molecules from natural and healthy to unnatural and toxic. The body can’t break them down for usage and has to store them instead. One day the storage cupboard (here the cell) is full and can’t take on more of the toxins – that’s when the alarm bells start to ring and the body tries to find a way out of the misery with strategies we call illness.
Recommendations: Udos Choice Oil, a carefully blended mix of the finest organic Omega 3, 6 and 9 varieties of Essential Fatty Acids, is a premium-quality healthy oil with a pleasant, light nutty flavour.
If you live in Germany you can also get the Balance 3 Speiseöl from Egle. Wherever you live, you will be able to find an Omega 3/6 oil in your local health food shop.
2. Avoid most fast food
Fast food: all take away you can order over the phone, get at a fast food chain, or ready to eat meals from the supermarket with the exceptions below.
Exceptions: From my experiences there are two takeaways which suit the sugar free bill when ordered not on a daily basis. First it is a hot Indian meal; you only order the main meal (not the nan bread, rice etc.). Opt for a good Indian restaurant which uses good and fresh ingredients. A spicy hot meal contains rarely sugar. When ordering I always ask that the meal should be without any flour or sugar. The second option is a Döner Kebab, which is very well known and loved in Germany but also available in England and of course its origin Turkey. Basically you eat the Döner with salad and a hot spicy dressing without bread.
Why: Fast food is too high in carbs, too low in protein, contains transfats and lacks nutrients.
Instead: Cook/prepare your meals from scratch. That my sound daunting for students or people with an overloaded schedule, however it is possible. It’s so convenient to pick up the phone and order something? It’s all a question of good organisation. Make a meal plan for one week and go shopping for all ingredients needed that week. When meal time approaches you then have everything you need at home. Cooking itself doesn’t take longer than waiting for the pizza boy. Keep it simple and use lots of herbs and spices. There are plenty of video clips and recipes online of Jamie Oliver, Riverford Organic, Marry Berry and similar to get inspiration and an appetite for good home-made food.
3. Avoid cows milk products
Why: Cows milk is counterproductive if you want to increase your calcium intake. Amongst other things, it is highly mucus forming. When consuming cows milk the intestinal membranes can get clogged up by an almost impermeable coat of mucus, restricting absorption of nutrients including calcium, magnesium and zinc needed to form bones and keep a healthy skin.
Instead: Have goats and sheep’s milk, cheese and yoghurt. Overall lower this alternative dairy intake. If you have skin problem such as Acne avoid all dairy products completely.
4. Stay away from comfort food
Comfort food: sweets, chocolate, biscuits, crisps, cakes, fizzy/energy drinks …
Why: Comfort food is high in carbohydrates (sugar) and high in empty calories (no nutritional benefit). This type of snack is not eaten out of genuine hunger!
Instead: Replace the occasional treat or need with raspberries, nuts, 90% chocolate, goat/sheep yoghurt, cream, piece of goat/sheep cheese, slice of cold meat…Have raspberries, either cold (available frozen) or hot, mixed with plain! goat or sheep yoghurt or cream and seasoned with cinnamon. A piece of 90% chocolate is also fine. Nuts with less than 5% carbohydrate content are a healthy and tasty alternative. I love to roast the nuts with spices such as cardamom, chili or cayenne pepper. As natural sweetener you can use pure Stevia.
How: Observe where and why you have “the urge” for comfort, and ignore the silent “pick me” offers from the candy aisles in stores and petrol stations. Instead of fizzy drinks, try still or sparkling water with a piece of fresh ginger added to the bottle for flavor. Sugar, like alcohol and cigarettes, is an addiction, and efforts to reduce or abstain from it are as difficult as climbing Mount Everest.
5. No draining breakfast
Draining breakfast: cereals, muesli, weetabix, porridge, bread, toast and everything else high in starch and sugar.
Why: All of these “healthy” products are significantly high in carbohydrates. Compare the carbohydrate amount of your cereals to that of chocolate or biscuits (check the label for Nutrition Information) to determine whether your cereals are healthy or comforting. For example, a Snickers bar has 54.3g of carbohydrate per 100g, whereas Kellogg’s Cornflakes has 84g and Quaker Porridge Oats has 60g. Carbohydrates are not depleted during the following few hours because you are either sitting in a car or at a desk and are not continually exercising. Your insulin levels skyrocket, and your body converts the excess carbohydrates into fat. This is the fundamental building block for obesity and a wide range of chronic disorders.
Instead: Eat a breakfast of starch-free veggies, olives, and proteins (egg, goats/sheep cheese or yoghurt, meat, tofu) and a good omega 3/6/9 oil.
6. Cut out starchy food
Starchy food: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fat-reduced products
Why: It is not fat that makes us obese – a long-debunked concept from the 1980s – but an excess of carbs, also known as undeclared fats. Starchy foods are heavy in carbohydrates and are not necessary for our bodies. When eliminating all starchy foods and adhering to the other rules/levels, even an athlete can obtain good results. Most packaged foods (including sausages) include refined carbohydrate. Low-fat yoghurts, for example, are heavy in starch as well as fat.
Instead: Instead, most starchy foods are served as side dishes and are not required for a meal. Simply eliminate these fillers from your meals and boost your intake of vegetables (low in starch), fresh proteins, and healthy oils (omega 3/6). Low fat items are marketing tricks that can simply be replaced with the original counterparts.