The  PACE  Kitchen  Makeover    

Stocking  Your  Pantry  with  
Fat-­‐Burning  Foods  to  Fuel  
Your  Native  Nutrition  
 
By  Al  Sears,  MD  
Wellness  Research  &  Consulting  
   

1  
 
STOCKING  YOUR  PRIMAL  PANTRY  ........................................................................................................................  4  
DON’T  DISCARD  CENTURIES  OF  NUTRITION  WISDOM  ..........................................................................................................  4  
EAT  WILD  GAME,  GRASS-­‐FED  MEAT  ................................................................................................................................  4  
SPICY  FOODS  PROTECT  YOUR  HEART  ................................................................................................................................  5  
DRINK  A  RAW  EGG  DAILY  ...............................................................................................................................................  5  
I’LL  SHOW  YOU  HOW  TO  FEAST  ON  REAL  FAST  FOOD  .........................................................................................................  6  
EXPOSING  THE  BIG  LIE  IN  YOUR  DRIVE-­‐THRU  BAG  ...............................................................................................................  6  
DISCOVER  THE  HOLY  GRAIL  OF  LIFE-­‐SAVING  NUTRITION  .......................................................................................................  8  
MY  TOP  FIVE  WHOLE  FOOD  FAVORITES  FOR  SUPER-­‐CHARGED  HEALTH  .................................................................................  10  
CHOOSE  WHOLE  FOODS  IN  THEIR  NATURAL  STATE  ............................................................................................  11  
CHOOSE  HEALTHY  CARBOHYDRATES  ..................................................................................................................  13  
SAY  NO  TO  ADDED  SUGARS  ..........................................................................................................................................  13  
YOU  ARE  PRE-­‐PROGRAMMED  TO  CRAVE  SUGAR  ...............................................................................................................  13  
END  YOUR  TOXIC  RELATIONSHIP  WITH  SUGAR  ..................................................................................................................  14  
SIX  STEPS  TO  BREAK  YOUR  SUGAR  “ADDICTION”  ..............................................................................................................  14  
Remove the Temptations from Your Environment  ....................................................................................  14  
Eat More Protein and Healthy Fats  .............................................................................................................  14  
Don’t Become Too Hungry  ............................................................................................................................  15  
Control Your Situation  ...................................................................................................................................  15  
Develop a More Natural Palate  ....................................................................................................................  15  
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Naturally  .............................................................................................................  15  
SAY  NO  TO  GRAINS  .....................................................................................................................................................  16  
DUMP  THE  HIGH-­‐STARCH,  LOW-­‐FAT  DIET  NOW  ...............................................................................................................  16  
LOWER  YOUR  CARBOHYDRATE  INTAKE  TO  LOSE  WEIGHT  ....................................................................................................  16  
CHOOSE  YOUR  FATS  WISELY  ..............................................................................................................................  17  
THE  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  “GOOD”  AND  “BAD”  FATS  .......................................................................................................  17  
FARM-­‐RAISED  FISH  .....................................................................................................................................................  18  
AVOID  FAT  FROM  DISEASED  ANIMALS.............................................................................................................................  19  
GRASS-­‐FED  VERSUS  GRAIN-­‐FED  BEEF  .............................................................................................................................  19  
AVOID  TRANS  FAT  ......................................................................................................................................................  21  
VEGETABLE  OILS  .........................................................................................................................................................  23  
CHOOSE  QUALITY  PROTIENS  ..............................................................................................................................  24  
AVOID  TOXIC  CHEMICAL  CONTAMINANTS  .........................................................................................................  26  
ORGANIC  VERSUS  NON-­‐ORGANIC  PRODUCE  ....................................................................................................................  26  
LEARN  THE  LABEL  LINGO  ON  MEAT,  POULTRY  &  DAIRY  PRODUCTS  .......................................................................................  27  
AVOID  ARTIFICIAL  INGREDIENTS  ........................................................................................................................  28  
ARTIFICIAL  SWEETENERS:  DANGEROUS  TO  YOUR  HEALTH  (AND  WAISTLINE)  ..........................................................................  28  
Artificial  Sweeteners  .........................................................................................................................................  30  
Acesulfame  K  .....................................................................................................................................................  30  
Aspartame  .........................................................................................................................................................  30  
Sucralose:  ..........................................................................................................................................................  30  
High  Fructose  Corn  Syrup  ..................................................................................................................................  30  
THE  HIDDEN  DIET  DANGER:  SUGAR  SUBSTITUTES  .............................................................................................................  31  
Can  Diet  Foods  Really  Make  You  Gain  Weight?  ................................................................................................  31  
Artificial  Sweeteners  Interfere  with  Your  Hunger  Mechanism  ..........................................................................  31  
Diet  Drinks  are  Not  Healthy  ..............................................................................................................................  32  
SAY  NO  TO  SOY  ..................................................................................................................................................  32  

2  
 
TOXIC  ADDITIVES  &  PRESERVATIVES  ..................................................................................................................  33  
Nitrites  ..............................................................................................................................................................  33  
OBESOGENS:  CAN  FOREIGN  MOLECULES  CAUSE  OBESITY?  .................................................................................................  33  
Endocrine-­‐Disrupting  Chemicals  .......................................................................................................................  34  
Obesogens  Hijack  Your  Body’s  “Fat  Signals”  .....................................................................................................  34  
TIPS  FOR  LOWERING  YOUR  EXPOSURE  TO  CHEMICALS  ........................................................................................................  36  
SAY  NO  TO  GENETICALLY  ALTERED  FOODS  .........................................................................................................  36  
DIETARY  OFFENDERS  &  HEALTHY  ALTERNATIVES  ...............................................................................................  37  
LOW-­‐FAT  AND  FAT-­‐FREE  PRODUCTS  ..............................................................................................................................  37  
WEIGHT  LOSS  SHAKES  .................................................................................................................................................  38  
CORN  PRODUCTS  ........................................................................................................................................................  38  
RICE  PRODUCTS  ..........................................................................................................................................................  39  
PASTA  &  NOODLES  .....................................................................................................................................................  39  
PROTEIN  &  ENERGY  BARS  ............................................................................................................................................  39  
PROCESSED  NUTS  .......................................................................................................................................................  40  
BURRITOS  &  PIZZAS  ....................................................................................................................................................  40  
SUGAR-­‐FREE  DESSERTS  ................................................................................................................................................  40  
ENERGY  DRINKS  &  DIET  SODA  ......................................................................................................................................  41  
BREAD  PRODUCTS  .......................................................................................................................................................  41  
BREAKFAST  FOODS  ......................................................................................................................................................  41  
CRACKERS,  CHIPS  &  COOKIES  ........................................................................................................................................  42  
COMMERCIAL  SALAD  DRESSINGS,  SAUCES  &  MAYONNAISE  ................................................................................................  42  
CEREALS  ...................................................................................................................................................................  42  
PEANUT  BUTTER  .........................................................................................................................................................  43  
ALCOHOLIC  DRINK  MIXERS  ...........................................................................................................................................  43  
 
   

3  
 
 STOCKING YOUR PRIMAL PANTRY
 
Don’t  Discard  Centuries  of  Nutrition  Wisdom  
 
My  dad  was  health  conscious  in  an  old-­‐fashioned  way.  He  practiced  holistic  health  care  before  
it  had  a  name.  He  knew  how  to  keep  himself  lean  and  muscular  without  much  effort.    
 
He  would  beat  all  the  neighbors  at  parties  in  push-­‐up  contests.  Women  would  steal  glances  at  
his  biceps  and  men  would  marvel  at  his  feats  of  strength.  Many  people  probably  assumed  it  
was  good  genes.  Yet,  I  believe  it  was  about  life  choices.  
 
Our  culture  has  been  critical  of  the  health  choices  of  our  fathers.  They  have  become  politically  
incorrect  –  even  taboo.  Yet,  before  you  throw  away  these  centuries  of  wisdom,  let’s  re-­‐examine  
them  in  light  of  today’s  science.    
 
Dad  never  lifted  a  weight  in  his  life.  He  did  rounds  of  push-­‐ups,  pull-­‐ups  and  crunches.  He  said  
his  diet  of  raw  eggs,  wild  game  and  spicy  food  would  “make  a  man  out  of  you.”  Most  tips  he  got  
from  his  father  and  older  brothers.  They  were  their  own  men’s  club.  He  passed  these  health  
tips  down  to  me  and  now  I  want  to  share  them  with  you.    
 
Eat  Wild  Game,  Grass-­‐Fed  Meat  
 
My  dad  was  a  hunter.  We  always  had  rabbit,  squirrel  and  quail  –  and  occasionally  deer  or  wild  
boar.  He  claimed  that  eating  meat  could  make  you  strong  and  “put  hair  on  your  chest.”  
 
I  never  took  this  literally  until  decades  later,  when  I  found  research  that  red  meat  is  the  best  
source  of  muscle  building  creatine,  provides  the  highest  concentration  of  heart-­‐fueling  CoQ10  
and  increases  testosterone  levels.    
 
As  testosterone  drops,  men  lose  body  hair.  As  testosterone  rises,  men  experience  increases  in  
body  hair  in  a  masculine  distribution.  You  were  right,  Dad;  meat  really  does  put  hair  on  your  
chest.  
 
The  meat  we  ate  was  either  wild  game  or  from  nearby  farms.  The  majority  of  the  meat  we  eat  
today  comes  from  commercial  farms.  Farmers  feed  the  cattle  grain,  animal  by-­‐products,  and  
synthetic  hormones  and  antibiotics.1  
 
Feedlot  cattle  do  not  eat  what  nature  intended  them  to  eat.  As  a  result,  the  cattle  often  have  a  
difficult  time  digesting  the  starch  and  get  sick  or  die.  To  combat  the  disorders  caused  by  a  
starchy  diet,  farmers  inject  the  animals  with  antibiotics.    
 

4  
 
The  percentage  of  livestock  that  is  salmonella  resistant  to  five  different  antibiotics  has  
increased  from  less  than  one  percent  in  1980  to  34  percent  in  1996.2  The  numbers  continue  to  
rise.  A  growing  body  of  evidence  incriminates  feedlot  growth  hormones  as  a  risk  factor  for  
gastrointestinal  cancers.3      
 
How  can  you  follow  this  tradition?  Eat  wild  game  and  grass-­‐fed  beef.  You  can  find  these  
products  at  the  grocery  store  if  you  ask  and  you  can  order  them  online.  The  prices  are  a  bit  
higher,  but  the  health  benefits  are  substantial.  Grass-­‐fed  beef  and  wild  game  is  higher  in  
omega-­‐3,  CoQ10,  beta-­‐carotene  and  vitamin  E.    
 
This  reduces  your  risk  of  heart  disease,  certain  cancers,  depression,  high  blood  pressure,  and  
diabetes.  What’s  more,  grass-­‐fed  beef  is  five  times  higher  in  CLA  than  in  feedlot  beef.  CLA  helps  
convert  fat  to  lean  muscle.4  
   
Spicy  Foods  Protect  Your  Heart  
 
Dad  was  fond  of  the  spicy  foods  that  nutritionists  have  been  telling  us  to  avoid.  He  grew  a  
variety  of  his  own  peppers  and  dosed  much  of  the  food  he  ate  with  hot  pepper  sauces.  He  said  
they  were  good  for  your  heart.  He  also  enjoyed  daring  me  to  eat  them.  
 
It  turns  out  that  many  spicy  foods  contain  powerful  antioxidants  that  protect  against  heart  
disease.  Plants  in  the  pepper  family  contain  capsaicin,  which  has  been  shown  to  speed  up  your  
metabolism  and  your  ability  to  burn  calories.5  
 
Dad’s  love  of  hot  sauce  may  have  helped  him  stay  lean.  If  you  like  spices  and  peppers,  don’t  be  
afraid  to  throw  some  in  your  next  meal.  
 
Drink  a  Raw  Egg  Daily  
 
Right  after  his  nightly  set  of  push-­‐ups,  Dad  drank  a  raw  egg.  He  said  his  father  would  take  one  
directly  from  the  chicken  coup,  punch  a  hole  in  it  with  his  pocketknife,  put  it  to  his  lips  and  suck  
it  down.    He  thought  it  was  important  for  me  to  learn  this  technique  but  usually  we  would  
break  it  into  a  glass.  The  eggs  we  bought  in  those  days  came  right  from  the  farm.  
 
Dad  always  said  that  eggs  were  the  perfect  food,  but  they  were  better  if  eaten  raw.  I  don’t  
know  how  he  knew  this,  but  after  devoting  my  life  to  natural  nutrition  and  health,  I  couldn’t  
agree  more.  
 
Eggs  are  the  only  food  known  to  man  to  have  a  protein  quality  rating  of  100.  They  have  every  
amino  acid  you  need  in  exactly  the  ratios  you  need  them.  The  white  has  every  B  vitamin  and  
the  yolk  has  every  fat-­‐soluble  vitamin.  They  are  an  excellent  source  of  essential  fatty  acids,  and  
the  hard-­‐to-­‐get  brain  and  heart  nutrients  DHA  and  CoQ10.    
 

5  
 
Eating  eggs  raw  maintains  their  chemical  make-­‐up.  When  you  cook  eggs,  the  protein  is  
denatured,  the  B  vitamins  decrease,  and  it  may  destroy  the  DHA.  Raw  eggs  are  additionally  
much  easier  for  your  body  to  absorb.  A  raw  egg  is  absorbed  in  30  minutes  while  it  takes  about  4  
hours  to  digest  cooked  eggs.  In  addition,  eating  eggs  raw  saves  time.  You  don’t  have  to  clean  
pots  or  pans.    
 
The  risk  of  salmonella  poisoning  is  very  unlikely  from  consuming  raw  eggs.  The  U.S.  Department  
of  Agriculture  estimates  that  0.00003%  of  eggs  in  the  U.S.  have  salmonella.6  I  have  eaten  raw  
eggs  for  40  years  and  have  never  suffered.  However,  you  lesson  your  chances  even  more  by  
purchasing  organic  eggs.  
 
My  dad’s  diet  of  meat,  raw  eggs  and  spicy  food  helped  him  stay  strong  and  masculine,  burn  fat,  
feel  great  and  still  enjoy  his  life.  People  assumed  that  he  spent  hours  a  day  lifting  weights  and  
controlled  his  habits  like  a  nun.  He  didn’t.    
 
However,  he  taught  me  a  reverence  for  health  and  diligence  to  my  own  body  that  I  will  never  
forget.  I  share  his  story  as  an  example  that  I  hope  helps  you  take  action  to  promote  wellness  in  
your  own  life.      
 
I’ll  Show  You  How  to  Feast  on  REAL  Fast  Food  
 
Picture  this:  A  patient  walks  into  my  office.  When  I  look  up  from  her  chart,  I  advise  her  to  eat  
more  fast  food.  She  flashes  me  a  look  of  horror…  as  if  I  had  just  told  her  to  jump  off  a  bridge.  
Let  me  explain.  I’m  not  talking  about  a  bucket  of  fried  chicken  from  the  Colonel  or  a  
cheeseburger  combo  meal  from  your  local  drive-­‐thru  window.      
 
I’m  talking  about  real  fast  food…  what  I  call  whole  food.  Whole  foods  are  healthy  and  
unprocessed.  It  can  be  as  fast  as  picking  up  an  apple  and  taking  a  bite  –  or  as  simple  as  a  fistful  
of  walnuts  and  a  bag  of  dried  cranberries.    
 
Whole  foods  are  foods  that  come  to  you  as  nature  intended  –  without  corporate  or  chemical  
interference.  But  you  don’t  have  to  sacrifice  on  taste,  flavor  or  satisfaction.  How  about  a  grass-­‐
fed  New  York  strip  or  a  marinated  chicken  breast  with  mango  salsa?  These  whole  foods  are  fast  
and  easy  to  prepare.  And  they  represent  real  value.  Whole  foods  keep  you  happier,  healthier  
and  alive  longer.  
 
It’s  easy  to  be  tempted  by  dollar  menus  and  drive-­‐thru  windows  –  especially  when  the  economy  
is  bad.  But  these  foods  are  not  really  fast.  (They  take  months  to  prepare.)  Even  worse,  the  
chemical  additives  and  fake  fats  put  you  on  the  fast  track  to  chronic  disease.  
   
Exposing  the  Big  Lie  in  Your  Drive-­‐Thru  Bag  
 

6  
 
When  you  pull  away  from  the  drive-­‐thru  window,  visions  of  a  fresh,  hot  hamburger  dance  in  
your  head.  But  what’s  really  inside  that  wrapper  is  far  from  what  you’re  imagining.    
 
Imagine  growing  up  on  a  farm  as  I  did.  You’d  savor  the  smell  of  a  fresh  hamburger  cooking  and  
couldn’t  wait  to  sink  your  teeth  into  it.  From  start  to  finish,  that  burger  was  the  result  of  a  very  
simple  process:  
   
• A  cow  was  born    
• It  grew  up  eating  grass  in  the  pasture    
• At  full  maturity  (roughly  3  to  4  years),  you  took  the  cow  to  the  butcher  
• You  brought  the  fresh  hamburger  meat  home  and  cooked  it  
 
That’s  it.  That  was  the  complete  lifecycle  of  a  hamburger.  It  was  a  whole  food  –  complete  in  
nutrition…  nothing  altered  or  stripped  from  what  nature  intended.  Now  let’s  take  a  look  at  the  
lifecycle  of  a  modern  drive-­‐thru  “junk  food”  burger:  
 
• A  cow  is  born.  
• Ranchers  rip  the  un-­‐weaned  calf  from  its  mother  and  send  it  off  to  a  commercial  
feedlot.    
• The  calf  lives  with  tens  of  thousands  of  other  cows  among  giant  mounds  of  manure.  It  
gorges  daily  on  a  concoction  of  corn  (a  completely  unnatural  food  for  cows),  antibiotics  
(to  fight  the  bacteria  of  its  living  conditions)  and  hormones  (to  make  it  grow  fatter  
faster).    
• The  cow  begins  to  get  sick  from  the  unnatural  diet  and  living  conditions  (13%  of  all  cows  
at  slaughter  have  abscessed  livers1).  It’s  given  more  antibiotics  and  a  hormone  implant.  
• At  only  14  to16  months  old,  they  send  the  sick  and  obese  cow  to  slaughter.    
• An  industrial  slaughterhouse  processes  as  many  as  400  cows  per  hour.  The  speed  of  the  
lines  in  the  name  of  profit  makes  it  difficult  to  keep  manure  out  of  the  meat.  This  is  why,  
out  of  all  foods,  ground  beef  is  the  leading  source  of  E.  coli  infections  in  the  U.S.2  
• The  slaughterhouse  sends  the  meat  to  a  food  processing  plant,  where  they  mix  the  
ground  beef  with  chemical  flavorings,  preservatives  and  other  ingredients.  
• They  cook  the  meat,  freeze  it,  package  it,  and  ship  it  to  your  local  junk  food  restaurant.  
• Your  junk  food  vendor  re-­‐heats  your  burger  from  frozen  to  done  in  around  40  seconds.  
• They  top  your  burger  with  chemically  enhanced  condiments.  McDonald’s  mayo  has  19  
ingredients  including  preservatives  and  coloring.  There’s  also  the  pickles  and  catsup  –  
equally  as  chemically  laden.  
• They  wrap  your  burger  and  put  it  under  a  heat  lamp  where  it  sits  for  an  undetermined  
amount  of  time  until  you  pull  up  to  the  window.  
 
Hardly  a  natural  process,  is  it?  Now  you  know  why  it’s  called  junk  food.    
7  
 
  
“Okay,”  you  think.  “You’re  right.  I  should  limit  my  drive-­‐thru  stops  to  breakfast  on  my  way  to  
work.”  Sorry,  but  it’s  no  better…  
 
Even  breakfast  is  an  over-­‐processed  chemical  nightmare  at  the  mega-­‐chain  drive-­‐thrus.  For  
example,  if  you  ordered  eggs  you’d  expect…  well,  eggs.  But  here’s  the  official  McDonald’s  
ingredient  list  –  word  for  word  –  of  2  plain  scrambled  eggs  from  their  menu:  
   
“Pasteurized  whole  eggs  with  sodium  acid  pyrophosphate,  citric  acid  and  monosodium  
phosphate  (all  added  to  preserve  color),  nisin  (preservative).  Prepared  with  liquid  
margarine:  Liquid  soybean  oil,  water,  partially  hydrogenated  cottonseed  and  soybean  
oils,  salt,  hydrogenated  cottonseed  oil,  soy  lecithin,  mono-­‐  and  diglycerides,  sodium  
benzoate  and  potassium  sorbate  (preservative),  artificial  flavor,  citric  acid,  vitamin  A  
palmitate,  beta  carotene  (color).”7  
 
As  you  can  see,  the  commercial  junk  sold  by  mega-­‐corporations  isn’t  really  “fast  food”.    
If  you  want  to  save  your  health,  it’s  time  you  learn  about  real  –  and  healthy  –  fast,  whole  foods.  
 
Discover  the  Holy  Grail  of  Life-­‐Saving  Nutrition  
 
The  “processing”  of  whole  food  is  simple.  Mother  Nature  grows  it;  the  farmer  harvests  it;  you  
eat  it.  What  could  be  simpler  –  or  faster?  It  is  food  the  way  nature  intended  you  to  eat  it…  the  
“holy  grail”  of  food.  
 
With  whole  food,  there  is  no  giant  “processing  plant”  between  the  field  and  your  stomach…  no  
factory  making  chemical  preservatives  to  inject  into  your  food…  no  laboratories  inventing  ways  
to  enhance  the  flavor  or  color…    
 
It’s  clear:  Big  corporations  focus  on  profit  –  not  nutrition.  Massive  food  processing  plants  
smash,  grind,  boil,  nuke  and  chemically  alter  your  food  in  the  name  of  convenience  and  flavor.  
When  they  do  that,  they  destroy  vital  nutrients  in  the  food…  nutrients  your  body  needs.  
 
Think  about  this  for  a  moment.  Which  one  is  a  whole  food:  an  apple,  or  applesauce?  Here’s  the  
“process”  of  eating  an  apple:  You  (or  a  farmer)  pick  an  apple  from  a  tree,  and  you  eat  it…  that’s  
it.  It’s  perfect…  whole…  nutritious...  
 
But  to  sell  you  a  jar  of  applesauce,  “mega-­‐food”  corporations  grow  nutrient-­‐poor  apples  (due  to  
over-­‐farming  and  using  chemical  fertilizers  and  pesticides).  Then  they  wash  the  apples  in  a  
chemical  bath,  peel  them,  cook  them,  and  finally  add  chemical  preservatives,  colors  and  flavors.    
 
Which  one  do  you  think  has  more  nutrients  intact?  
 

8  
 
In  fact,  check  out  this  table.  It  shows  you  just  how  much  of  the  nutrition  is  lost  from  common  
processing  methods.  
 

Typical  Maximum  Nutrient  Losses  as  Compared  to  Raw  Food  

Cook  +  
Vitamins   Freeze   Dry   Cook   Reheat  
Drain  
Vitamin  A   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Retinol  Activity  
Equivalent   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Alpha  Carotene   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Beta  Carotene   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Beta  Cryptoxanthin   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Lycopene   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Lutein+Zeaxanthin   5%   50%   25%   35%   10%  
Vitamin  C   30%   80%   50%   75%   50%  
Thiamin   5%   30%   55%   70%   40%  
Riboflavin   0%   10%   25%   45%   5%  
Niacin   0%   10%   40%   55%   5%  
Vitamin  B6   0%   10%   50%   65%   45%  
Folate   5%   50%   70%   75%   30%  
Food  Folate   5%   50%   70%   75%   30%  
Folic  Acid   5%   50%   70%   75%   30%  
Vitamin  B12   0%   0%   45%   50%   45%  
Cook  +  
Minerals   Freeze   Dry   Cook   Reheat  
Drain  
Calcium   5%   0%   20%   25%   0%  
Iron   0%   0%   35%   40%   0%  
Magnesium   0%   0%   25%   40%   0%  
Phosphorus   0%   0%   25%   35%   0%  
Potassium   10%   0%   30%   70%   0%  
Sodium   0%   0%   25%   55%   0%  
Zinc   0%   0%   25%   25%   0%  
Copper   10%   0%   40%   45%   0%  
 
Source:  USDA  Table  of  Nutrient  Retention  Factors  (2003)  
 
As  you  can  see,  you  lose  a  lot  of  nutrition  when  you  process  foods  using  even  traditional  
methods.  But  here’s  the  thing;  the  giant  food  processing  plants  that  make  your  modern  food  
are  processing  to  the  extreme.    

9  
 
  
They’re  not  just  cooking  –  they’re  blasting.  They  don’t  just  chop  –  they  mutilate.  It’s  what  
happens  when  machines  replace  humans.  
 
Then  there’s  the  additional  processing  like  the  addition  of  chemicals  and  irradiation.  What  do  
you  think  irradiation  does  to  your  food?    
 
The  only  way  to  avoid  this  insanity  –  and  stop  it  from  stealing  your  health  –  is  to  eat  whole  
food.  Whole  food  gives  you  all  of  the  nutrition,  and  none  of  the  junk.    
 
My  Top  Five  Whole  Food  Favorites  for  Super-­‐Charged  Health  
 
You’ll  not  only  find  whole  foods  to  be  healthier  when  you  calculate  cost  per  serving.  Of  course,  
you  have  to  make  an  accurate  comparison  –  just  how  many  processed  burgers  would  it  take  to  
get  the  same  nutrition  as  one  natural  burger?    
 
Here  are  my  top  five  favorite  whole  foods:  
 
1. Grass-­‐fed  Beef  –  Your  body  relies  on  protein  for  nearly  every  function  it  performs.  And  
beef  is  one  of  the  best  sources  of  whole  food  nutrition  there  is.  The  emphasis  here  is  on  
grass-­‐fed  beef.  Most  commercial  beef  is  grain  fed,  which  causes  an  imbalance  in  the  
fatty  acids  of  the  cow.  You  get  an  unhealthy  ratio  of  omega-­‐6  to  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids  
when  you  eat  grain-­‐fed  animals.  It’s  that  imbalance,  not  animal  fats  in  general,  that  
contribute  to  heart  disease.    You  can  find  grass-­‐fed  beef  at  health  food  stores,  or  online.  
I  prefer  U.S.  Wellness  Meats.  Find  them  at  http://www.grasslandbeef.com/.    
 
2. Raw  Milk  and  Butter  –  It’s  a  great  misconception  that  animal  fats  are  the  cause  of  high  
cholesterol.  You’re  cheating  yourself  of  critical  nutrients  if  you  avoid  them.  Raw  milk  
and  butter  deliver  powerful  heart  healthy  nutrition,  but  raw  is  the  key.  Homogenization  
and  pasteurization  destroy  the  most  beneficial  nutrients  found  in  milk  and  butter.  You  
may  have  to  dig  a  little  to  find  raw  products,  as  laws  vary  from  state  to  state  regarding  
whether  it  can  be  sold  for  human  consumption.  
 
3. Eggs  –  Eggs  offer  the  most  complete  protein  of  any  food.  They  contain  all  the  amino  
acids  (the  building  blocks  of  cells)  used  by  the  human  body.  It’s  important  to  eat  only  
eggs  that  come  from  free  range,  natural  farming  methods.  Commercial  farming  
practices  have  hurt  the  healthy  nutritional  make-­‐up  of  eggs  too.    
 
4. Dark  Green  Veggetabls  –  Dark  green  vegetables  are  a  great  source  of  antioxidants,  
vitamins  and  minerals.  A  few  of  my  favorites  are  kale,  spinach,  celery,  eggplant,  and  
especially…  broccoli.  In  addition  to  many  other  nutrients,  broccoli  is  rich  in  magnesium  
and  calcium.  And  yes,  commercial  farming  has  even  managed  to  mess  that  up  too.  For  
example,  today’s  broccoli  has  less  than  fifty  percent  of  the  calcium  it  did  just  10  years  

10  
 
 ago.8  So,  just  like  other  foods,  be  sure  to  get  organically  grown  produce.  Local  is  even  
better.  
 
5. Nuts  –  In  addition  to  being  a  good  source  of  protein,  nuts  also  contain  omega-­‐3  fatty  
acids  that  help  ease  inflammation.  I  like  Brazil  nuts,  almonds,  pistachios,  hazelnuts,  and  
my  personal  favorite:  walnuts.  I  grew  up  eating  walnuts.  In  addition  to  being  the  highest  
source  of  omega-­‐3  of  any  other  nut,  they  are  full  of  heart  healthy  flavonoids  and  
arginine,  which  helps  dilate  the  blood  vessels.  
 
You  should  know  that  peanuts  aren’t  really  a  nut.  They’re  a  tuber,  and  they  promote  
inflammation.  So  avoid  nuts  that  have  been  processed  and/or  cooked  with  peanut  oil.  And  
don’t  eat  them  with  other  processed  ingredients  like  sugar-­‐coatings,  colors,  and  preservatives.  
In  the  end,  if  you  feel  you  must  eat  what  the  mainstream  call  “fast  food”,  be  conscientious  
about  it.  Choose  the  healthiest  option  you  can.    
 
For  example,  Boston  Market  offers  decent  nutrition  in  a  hurry.  Their  selections  have  little  trans  
fats  or  processed  carbs,  and  there  are  several  high-­‐protein  choices.    
 
But  if  you  just  can’t  shake  that  addiction  to  your  favorite  mega-­‐chain  burger  joint,  at  least  keep  
these  things  in  mind:  
 
• Choose  the  Leanest  Red  Meats  –  The  saturated  fats  of  quality  beef  are  actually  healthy  
for  you.  But  that’s  a  far  cry  from  what  you’re  getting  from  fast  food  chains.  Fast  food  
chains  are  all  about  profit,  and  that  means  buying  the  cheapest  beef  possible  from  
commercial  sources.  The  fats  in  this  beef  are  out  of  balance,  and  are  quite  harmful.  
 
• Pitch  the  Bun  –  The  processed  carbs  in  white  bread  are  high  in  glycemic  load,  and  cause  
a  host  of  problems  such  as  blood  sugar  problems,  and  arterial  damage.  Eat  your  burgers  
“naked”.  
 
• Skip  the  Dressing  –  Even  the  dressings  for  the  “healthier”  salads  offered  by  fast  food  
chains  are  a  toxic  nightmare.  Full  of  artificial  and  chemical  flavors,  they  are  also  full  of  
trans  fats,  a  big  culprit  in  hardening  of  the  arteries.  
 
• Drink  Water  –  It’s  an  automatic  reflex  for  most  people  to  order  a  soda  with  that  meal  
deal.  But  look  before  you  leap.  The  amount  of  sugar  in  a  typical  soda  is  shocking.  You’re  
drinking  around  12  teaspoons  in  a  16-­‐ounce  soft  drink.  Now,  do  the  math  on  how  much  
you’re  getting  once  you’ve  been  “super-­‐sized”  to  that  64-­‐ounce  cup!  
 

CHOOSE WHOLE FOODS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE

 
The  first  thing  you  need  to  do  to  achieve  your  native  fitness  and  transform  your  body  
effortlessly  is  to  stop  eating  processed,  refined  and  preserved  foods.  90%  of  the  money  
11  
 
Americans  spend  on  food  is  used  to  buy  those  that  are  processed.  And  it  is  no  coincidence  that  
a  majority  of  the  population  is  overweight  and  prone  to  degenerative  disease.  This  is  the  direct  
result  of  the  foods  we  eat.  
 
Not  only  do  these  factory-­‐made  foods  fail  to  provide  the  nutrients  our  bodies  need  –  they  
contain  compounds  that  stifle  weight  loss,  negatively  impact  our  hormones,  contribute  to  
disease  and  even  speed  physical  aging.  These  junk  foods  do  not  fit  into  your  native  blueprint.  
 
As  we  continue  in  this  report,  I  will  discuss  some  of  the  individual  ingredients  and  foods  you  
should  avoid.  But  what  you  need  to  remember  is  very  simple.  Avoid  most  foods  that  come  in  a  
can,  bottle,  box,  wrapper  or  plastic  package.  Instead,  choose  whole  foods  as  close  to  their  
natural  state  as  possible.  
 
You’ll  find  unprocessed,  natural  foods  on  the  perimeter  of  the  store.  So  stay  on  the  outer  aisles  
of  the  supermarket.  And  be  sure  to  read  your  food  labels.  If  the  product  contains  a  long  list  of  
ingredients,  particularly  words  that  are  unfamiliar  or  difficult  to  pronounce,  you  shouldn’t  put  it  
in  your  mouth.  It  is  that  simple.  
 
Not  only  do  these  foods  promote  weight  gain  and  disease,  the  evidence  of  their  immune  
consequences  continues  to  mount.  Food  allergies  and  intolerances,  especially  to  the  staples  of  
the  food  processing  industry  –  corn,  wheat,  gluten  and  soy  –  have  reached  epidemic  
proportions.  There  is  a  good  chance  that  you  have  allergies  or  intolerances  to  these  foods  and  
you  don’t  even  know  it.  I  have  had  countless  patients  tell  me  that  mysterious  health  conditions  
that  had  plagued  them  for  years  simply  disappeared  when  they  removed  grains  and  soy  from  
their  diet.  
 
And  even  if  you  do  not  have  an  allergy  or  intolerance  to  these  foods,  you  will  do  your  health  
and  body  composition  a  world  of  good  by  eliminating  the  bleached,  deodorized,  pesticide-­‐
ridden,  nutrient-­‐depleted,  hormone-­‐pumped  and  artificially  sweetened  junk  out  of  your  home.  
 
Replace  these  fake  foods  with  real,  whole  foods  in  their  natural  state.  Here  are  the  “real  foods”  
that  should  make  up  the  bulk  of  your  diet:    
 
• Naturally-­‐raised  meats  (beef,  pork,  poultry,  eggs,  wild  game,  wild  fish  and  
seafood)  
• Above-­‐ground  vegetables,  whole  fruits  and  berries  (organic  preferred)  
• Nuts  and  seeds  (raw  and  unsalted  preferred)  
• Healthy  fats  and  oils  (coconut  oil,  butter,  olive  oil,  avocado  oil)  
• Vinegars  like  balsamic,  apple  cider  and  red  wine  
• Herbs  and  spices  
 

12  
 
 CHOOSE HEALTHY CARBOHYDRATES
 
Say  No  to  Added  Sugars  
 
For  many  people,  eliminating  excess  sugar  is  the  hardest  dietary  change  to  make.  But  it  is  the  
one  thing  that  you  absolutely  MUST  do  if  you  want  to  be  in  control  of  your  health  and  your  
weight.  Sugar  and  refined  carbohydrates  fuel  the  hormones  that  keep  your  appetite  out-­‐of-­‐
control  and  by  causing  your  blood  sugar  and  insulin  levels  to  soar,  they  contribute  to  every  
degenerative  disease  we  face.  
 
I  don’t  like  to  label  food  choices  as  an  addiction.  I  believe  everything  we  do  is  based  on  our  
conscious  choices.  But  eliminating  sugar  can  be  difficult,  and  many  of  us  do  have  a  very  strong  
physical  and  emotional  attachment  to  it.  When  we  eat  sugar  and  high-­‐glycemic  carbohydrates,  
the  same  pleasure  centers  and  neurotransmitters  are  activated  in  the  brain  as  those  stimulated  
by  certain  recreational  drugs.  This  is  why  we  instinctively  turn  to  sweets  when  we  are  bored  
and  or  depressed.  
 
And  by  causing  glucose  to  enter  your  bloodstream  quickly,  high-­‐glycemic  foods  can  create  a  
temporary  burst  of  energy  and  alertness.  But  this  stimulation  is  short-­‐lived.  Once  the  feeling  
wears  off,  you  end  up  feeling  lower  than  you  did  before  and  needing  another  “fix.”  
 
A  high-­‐glycemic  diet  puts  your  hormones,  your  mood  and  your  energy  levels  on  a  roller-­‐coaster.  
You  also  create  a  constant  cycle  of  cravings  which  override  your  natural  hunger  mechanism  and  
tell  your  brain  to  eat  more  and  your  body  to  store  fat.  
 
And  while  the  amount  of  carbohydrates  most  people  consume  is  completely  unnatural,  our  
body’s  response  to  these  foods  is  perfectly  natural.  
 
You  are  Pre-­‐Programmed  to  Crave  Sugar  
 
Your  desire  to  over-­‐consume  sweet  foods  is  actually  hardwired  into  your  native  blueprint.  For  
your  ancient  ancestors,  sugars  (derived  primarily  from  wild  honey,  fruits  and  berries)  were  only  
occasional  or  seasonal  treats.  
 
In  many  cases  your  ancestors’  survival  depended  upon  eating  as  much  of  these  foods  as  
possible  when  they  came  into  season  (or  when  they  were  able  to  knock  down  a  beehive).  This  is  
how  they  would  add  to  their  fat  stores  and  prepare  for  the  cold  winter  months  when  food  
supplies  were  more  limited.  
 
When  these  foods  are  available,  your  natural  inclination  is  to  eat  as  much  as  possible.  This  
might  have  served  your  ancestors  well,  when  these  foods  were  scarce  and  seasonal.  However,  

13  
 
today’s  extreme  over-­‐abundance  of  sugar  and  high-­‐glycemic  carbohydrates  is  the  primary  cause  
of  obesity  and  disease.  
 
End  Your  Toxic  Relationship  with  Sugar  
 
If  you  have  a  toxic  dependence  on  sugar,  it  is  time  to  end  that  relationship  today.  This  is  one  of  
the  most  rewarding  things  you  can  possibly  do  for  your  health  and  your  weight.  And  the  best  
part  is  that  you  will  notice  the  benefits  immediately.  You  will  have  greater  energy,  a  more  
stable  mood,  your  skin  will  improve,  your  hunger  will  subside,  you  will  shed  needless  fat…  and  
most  importantly,  you  will  dramatically  reduce  your  risk  of  chronic  disease.  
 
If  you  have  an  unhealthy  relationship  with  sugar,  or  if  your  goal  is  to  lose  weight,  I  want  you  to  
make  a  firm  commitment  right  now  to  cut  out  the  added  sugars  in  your  diet  for  the  next  six  
weeks  of  the  PACE3  Program.  
 
You  will  quickly  see  that  this  can  change  your  life.  And  you  will  probably  be  surprised  by  just  
how  quickly  the  cravings  disappear.  Within  just  a  week  of  eating  a  low  glycemic  diet,  your  blood  
sugar  levels  should  begin  to  stabilize  and  your  body  will  become  more  sensitive  to  insulin.  
 
This  will  help  to  even  out  your  mood  and  raise  your  energy  levels.  You  will  also  notice  that  you  
become  more  in  tune  with  your  hunger.  You  will  feel  hungry  when  your  body  needs  nutrients  
and  energy  and  your  belly  is  empty.  But  you  will  not  have  the  same  cravings,  even  when  you  
know  that  you  really  do  not  need  food.  
 
Make  a  commitment  to  cut  out  the  excess  added  sugar  in  your  diet  for  just  six  weeks.  It  could  
very  well  change  your  life  forever.  Now,  here  are  some  practical  steps  to  help  you  do  that.    
 
Six  Steps  to  Break  Your  Sugar  “Addiction”  
 
Remove the Temptations from Your Environment  –  If  you  have  an  unhealthy  
relationship  with  sugar,  or  if  your  goal  is  to  burn  fat  and  lose  weight,  the  first  and  most  
important  thing  you  should  do  is  to  remove  the  temptations  from  your  home.  Get  rid  of  
any  sodas,  sweeteners,  fruit  juices,  candy  bars,  frozen  treats  and  other  desserts.  Don’t  
eat  these  foods  as  a  “fond  farewell.”  Just  throw  them  away  or  give  them  away.  And  
don’t  spend  a  second  worrying  about  the  money.  You  are  making  a  far  more  valuable  
investment  in  your  health.  Do  it  now!  
 
Eat More Protein and Healthy Fats  –  One  sure-­‐fire  way  to  fall  victim  to  sugar  
cravings  is  to  not  eat  enough  protein  and  healthy  fats.  Foods  with  protein  and  fat  are  
very  satiating.  That  means  they  keep  you  full  for  hours.  And  because  they  won’t  spike  
your  blood  sugar,  they  also  help  to  curb  your  cravings  for  carbohydrates.  Start  your  day  
with  animal  protein  and  healthy  fats,  and  include  some  of  each  at  every  meal  and  snack  
throughout  the  day.  

14  
 
  
Don’t Become Too Hungry  –  When  you  allow  yourself  to  become  very  hungry,  you  
are  at  your  weakest  and  most  susceptible  to  temptation.  And  because  your  blood  sugar  
has  fallen,  you  will  be  craving  carbohydrates.  Plan  your  meals  and  be  sure  to  have  some  
healthy  protein-­‐based  snacks  around  if  you  expect  that  you  might  miss  a  meal.    
 
Control Your Situation  –  Breaking  your  sugar  habit  can  be  as  much  psychological  as  
it  is  physical.  So  have  a  plan  to  address  the  situations  where  you  might  give  into  
temptation.  If  there  are  often  donuts  in  the  company  break  room,  don’t  go  in  there.  If  it  
means  skipping  the  occasional  get-­‐together  for  a  few  weeks,  then  so  be  it.  If  it  means  
brushing  your  teeth  or  going  for  a  walk  immediately  after  a  meal,  then  do  that.  Focus  on  
whatever  it  takes  to  break  those  old  habits  and  gain  control  over  your  food  choices.  
 
Develop a More Natural Palate  –  The  fewer  sweet  foods  you  eat,  the  more  
sensitized  your  palate  will  become.  For  someone  who  indulges  their  sweet-­‐tooth  
regularly,  for  example,  a  grapefruit  might  taste  very  sour  without  a  sprinkling  of  sugar  
on  top.  On  the  other  hand,  it  might  taste  perfectly  sweet  to  someone  who  indulges  less  
often.  Learn  to  enjoy  the  natural  flavors  of  foods  and  drinks  without  trying  to  make  
everything  sweet.  As  you  develop  a  more  natural  palate,  you  will  be  satisfied  by  the  
natural  sweetness  of  foods.  
 
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Naturally  –  Your  genetic  ancestors  did  not  indulge  in  
sweet  desserts  made  with  refined  sugar,  but  they  did  enjoy  seasonal  fruits  and  an  
assortment  of  berries.  And  you  should  too!  You  can  also  enhance  the  flavor  of  your  tea  
with  slices  of  oranges,  lemons,  and  limes.  Or  feel  free  to  enjoy  some  high  quality  dark  
chocolate  (not  milk  chocolate).  It  has  just  enough  sweetness  to  satisfy  your  sweet  tooth,  
and  cocoa  is  one  of  the  richest  antioxidants  on  the  planet.  As  you  develop  your  native  
palate,  the  natural  sweetness  of  these  foods  will  help  to  curb  your  cravings.  
 
When  it  comes  to  sweets,  moderation  is  the  rule.  If  you  can  enjoy  a  sweet  dessert  here  and  
there  without  overdoing  it,  you  shouldn’t  feel  guilty  about  it.  And  if  you  are  following  the  PACE  
Program,  your  insulin  sensitivity  will  be  high  and  it  will  cause  no  lasting  damage  to  your  health.    
 
On  the  other  hand,  if  you  do  not  feel  like  you  are  in  control  of  your  eating  habits,  if  you  are  
suffering  any  type  of  degenerative  disease,  or  if  your  goal  is  to  shed  unwanted  body  fat,  then  
your  best  bet  is  to  avoid  sugar-­‐laden  desserts  and  high-­‐glycemic  foods  as  much  as  possible.  
 
And  no  matter  which  category  you’re  in,  I  do  have  some  good  news  for  you.  There  are  now  
several  all-­‐natural  sweeteners,  including  the  herb  stevia,  that  are  very  sweet  and  yet  contain  no  
calories  and  won’t  spike  your  blood  sugar.  
 
 

15  
 
Say  No  to  Grains  
 
You  want  to  avoid  a  diet  that  is  high  in  starches  and  processed  carbohydrates  and  low  in  
protein  and  fat.  That  means  you  need  to  ditch  the  grains.    If  your  diet  includes  pasta,  breads,  
cereals,  crackers,  baked  goods,  muffins,  bagels  or  anything  with  wheat,  you  need  to  change  it.  
 
Eat  simple  sugars  (such  as  honey,  fruit  sugar  and  table  sugar),  and  stick  to  foods  like  vegetables  
and  sweet  potatoes  for  carbohydrates.  
 
Dump  the  High-­‐Starch,  Low-­‐Fat  Diet  Now  
 
Since  the  advent  of  agriculture  and  more  recently  the  food  processing  and  refining  industry,  we  
have  shifted  from  a  dependence  on  slowly-­‐digested  natural  carbohydrates  to  highly  processed  
carbohydrates.    
 
Our  bodies  are  ill  equipped  to  handle  processed  carbohydrates.  Not  surprisingly,  we  have  seen  
a  dramatic  rise  in  heart  attacks,  obesity  and  other  health  problems.  Without  a  thorough  
understanding  of  the  evidence,  scientists  identified  fat  as  the  culprit  in  causing  heart  disease.  
 
Lower  Your  Carbohydrate  Intake  to  Lose  Weight  
 
 Processed  carbohydrates,  especially  starchy  ones,  make  you  fat  and  diseased.  Get  your  carbs  
from  unprocessed  vegetables  that  grow  above  ground  and  skip  the  grains  and  potatoes.  
 
The  body  converts  all  digestible  carbohydrates  into  glucose  or  blood  sugar.  Then  the  pancreas  
kicks  into  gear,  producing  insulin  to  move  the  blood  sugar  into  the  cells  to  use  for  energy.  The  
body  stores  any  excess  as  glycogen  in  the  liver  and  muscles  or  as  body  fat.  
 
Many  studies,  including  a  recent  one  from  Spain,  link  processed  starches  to  heart  attacks.9  
These  processed  starches  can  come  from  lasagna,  bread,  cookies,  spaghetti,  pizza,  crackers,  
chips,  and  cereals.  These  foods  cause  an  unnatural  surge  in  blood  sugar.  Your  body  responds  by  
secreting  excessive  insulin  until  your  blood  sugar  returns  to  normal.  Because  there  is  so  much  
glucose  tightly  packed  into  these  starches  your  body  secretes  more  insulin  for  longer  than  if  you  
ate  sources  of  simple  sugars  such  as  fruit.  This  prolonged  and  excessive  release  of  insulin  makes  
us  fat  –  and  it  causes  heart  disease.  
 
• Avoid  grains,  including  “whole  grains.”  
• Don’t  eat  corn.  It  is  a  grain.  
• Choose  high-­‐fiber  foods.  Fiber  slows  digestion,  so  the  sugar  in  fiber-­‐rich  foods  tends  to  
hit  your  blood  stream  slowly.    
 

16  
 
 CHOOSE YOUR FATS WISELY
 
What  You  Need  to  Know  About  Fat  to  Live  Long,  Lean  and  Healthy  
 
I  believe  the  very  premise  behind  “low-­‐fat”  and  “low-­‐carb”  diets  is  bunk.  That’s  because  they  
both  totally  miss  the  point.  If  you  want  to  optimize  your  weight  and  perfect  your  health,  you  
should  focus  on  the  TYPE  of  fats  and  carbs  you  eat.  Your  goal  should  be  to  eat  “good  fats”  and  
“good  carbs”  and  avoid  those  that  are  unhealthy.  
 
• AVOID  omega-­‐6  fats.  These  fats  strongly  promote  inflammation  and  are  clearly  linked  to  
cancer  and  heart  disease.  Omega-­‐6  fats  are  primarily  found  in  vegetable  and  seed  oils  
(corn,  soybean,  cottonseed,  etc.).  This  would  eliminate  fried  foods  and  most  processed  
foods  from  your  diet.  
 
• CONSUME  omega-­‐3  fats.  These  should  come  from  fish  and  fish  oil,  eggs  and  naturally  
raised  meats.  Walnuts,  flax  seeds  and  hemp  seeds  are  also  excellent  sources  of  omega-­‐
3.  
 
• CONSUME  saturated  fat.  Saturated  fat  should  come  from  the  meat  and  dairy  of  animals  
raised  on  their  natural  diet  (ie.  grass-­‐fed  cows,  free-­‐range  chickens).  Coconut  oil  is  also  a  
very  healthy  source  of  saturated  fat.  
 
• CONSUME  monounsaturated  fat.  The  best  sources  of  these  healthy  fats  are  found  in  
nuts,  avocados  and  olive  oil.  
 
The  Difference  between  “Good”  and  “Bad”  Fats  
 
An  excess  of  omega-­‐6  fatty  acids  –  the  kind  you  find  in  grain-­‐fed  beef  –  and  man-­‐made  trans  
fatty  acids  are  dangerous  and  contribute  to  strokes,  heart  attacks  and  heart  disease.  
 
It  is  true  that  fat  is  relatively  inert  at  affecting  the  hormonal  control  of  your  metabolism  but  
there  are  other  reasons  why  you  do  not  want  to  dine  on  modern  western  derived  fat.  
 
Fat  from  grain-­‐fed  animals  is  not  “natural”  fat.  It’s  adulterated  by  the  unnatural  living  
conditions  of  the  animals.  The  animals  are  prevented  from  getting  normal  exercise  and  fed  a  
diet  of  grains  instead  of  grasses.  
 
This  makes  for  an  obese  and  diseased  animal.  Additionally,  all  of  the  herbicides,  pesticides,  
toxins  and  hormones  that  the  animal  has  been  exposed  to  collect  in  the  fat.  When  you  eat  this  
animal  fat,  you  are  eating  from  the  cesspool  of  these  animal  warehouses.  
 

17  
 
Fat  does  not  spike  your  blood  sugar  or  insulin.  Natural  fats  are  a  healthy  part  of  a  balanced  diet.  
Get  your  fat  from  free-­‐range  or  grass-­‐fed  animals,  eggs,  nuts  and  unprocessed  vegetable  oils.  
These  are  some  of  the  healthiest  foods  you  can  eat  –  not  health  hazards.  
 
The  health  benefit  of  natural  fats  comes  from  their  balance  of  Omega-­‐3  and  Omega-­‐6  fatty  
acids.  Omega-­‐3  fatty  acids  are  a  type  of  polyunsaturated  fat  that  have  a  favorable  effect  on  the  
heart.  Studies  show  that  omega-­‐3s  prevent  irregular  heartbeat,  reduce  arterial  plaque,  
decrease  blood  clotting,  lower  blood  pressure,  and  minimize  inflammation.  Omega-­‐6  fatty  acids  
–  found  in  many  processed  foods  -­‐-­‐  interfere  with  the  functioning  of  omega-­‐3s.    
 
You’re  probably  not  getting  enough  of  the  right  fats  in  your  diet.  But  you’re  not  alone.  We  all  
have  the  same  problem.  Omega-­‐3  and  omega-­‐6  fatty  acids  are  essential  to  life.  Your  heart  and  
brain  depend  on  them.  But  the  natural  levels  of  omega-­‐3s  in  your  food  keep  getting  lower  and  
lower.  
 
That  means  you  often  end  up  with  high  levels  of  omega-­‐6s  and  a  lack  of  omega-­‐  
3s.  And  that  causes  inflammation,  which  is  at  the  root  of  so  many  health  concerns  today.    
 
As  is  often  true  in  nature,  balance  is  essential.  Our  bodies  need  both  Omega-­‐3s  and  Omega-­‐6s,  
but  we  need  them  in  the  right  ratios.  For  most  of  the  time  humans  have  been  on  earth,  we  ate  
foods  containing  Omega-­‐6’s  and  Omega-­‐3’s  in  a  ratio  of  about  2:1.  
 
Over  the  last  75  years,  omega-­‐6s  in  your  diet  have  soared.  Now  the  ratio  is  about  somewhere  
about  10:1  with  some  of  my  patients  eating  even  20  times  more  omega-­‐6s  as  omega-­‐3s.  And,  
the  average  American  eats  10  times  the  absolute  quantity  of  omega-­‐6s  as  is  healthy.  The  main  
sources  of  omega-­‐6s  are  vegetable  oils,  processed  foods  and  grain-­‐fed  beef.  
 
That  is  where  the  health  gurus  of  the  1980s  made  their  next  big  mistake.  They  mistook  the  
culprit  to  be  red  meat  because  Western  livestock  has  that  ratio  of  20:1  of  Omega-­‐6  fatty  acids  
to  Omega-­‐3  fatty  acids.  They  never  bothered  to  explain  why  native  people  who  ate  about  85%  
of  their  calories  as  wild  red  meat  lacked  modern  heart  disease.  
 
If  you  measure  omega-­‐6s  and  omega-­‐3s  in  wild  or  grass-­‐fed  animals,  you  get  a  very  different  
picture.  Their  ratio  is  a  dramatically  reversed  –  and  heart  healthy:  0.16  to  1.  In  other  words,  the  
culprit  is  not  the  fat  in  meat.  It’s  the  environment  in  which  cattle  are  raised  that  changes  the  
ratio  of  fats  in  their  body.  
 
Farm-­‐Raised  Fish  
 
Farm-­‐raised  fish  are  the  same.  Salmon  bred  under  these  conditions  don’t  get  the  chance  to  live  
in  their  natural  environment  or  eat  their  natural  diet.  Instead,  they’re  fed  “fish  f  lakes.”  The  
same  kind  of  stuff  you  would  feed  your  goldfish  at  home.  And  the  results  are  the  same:  A  
drastic  loss  of  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids.  

18  
 
  
Aside  from  eating  grass-­‐fed  beef  and  wild  salmon  –  which  can  get  expensive  –  you  best  bet  to  
restore  natural  levels  of  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids  is  to  take  a  fish  oil  supplement.  
 
Avoid  Fat  from  Diseased  Animals  
 
Despite  the  constant  droning  over  the  dangers  of  red  meat,  I  eat  it  several  times  each  week.  In  
our  natural  environment,  approximately  85%  of  our  total  calories  came  from  red  meat.  Red  
meat  is  the  highest  quality  nutrition  –  bar  none.  
 
In  our  modern  world  though,  if  you  eat  any  animal  you  have  to  concern  yourself  with  the  
environment  of  that  animal.  It  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world.  
 
Keeping  animals  inactive  and  feeding  them  grains  does  the  same  thing  to  them  that  it  does  to  
us.  It  makes  them  obese  with  all  the  wrong  kind  of  fat.  
 
I  much  prefer  grass-­‐fed  beef  or  wild  game.  It’s  full  of  heart-­‐healthy  nutrients  with  none  of  the  
hormones  and  antibiotics  that  can  threaten  your  health.  I  have  found  wild  game  from  a  local  
hunting  group.  You  can  find  out  more  about  grass-­‐fed  beef  at  my  website:  
www.alsearsmd.com.  
 
It’s  true  that  fat  does  not  have  a  significant  effect  on  the  hormones  affecting  your  metabolism.  
But  there  are  compelling  reasons  for  you  to  avoid  typical  Western  fat.  The  animal  husbandry  
industry  is  responsible  for  unnatural  living  conditions  of  the  animals  that  adulterate  the  fat.  
They  prevent  animals  from  getting  exercise.  They  feed  the  animals  a  diet  of  grains  instead  of  
grasses.  This  creates  obese,  diseased  animals.    
 
The  wild  grazing  animals  that  formed  the  centerpiece  of  the  hunter-­‐gatherer  diet  contained  
only  about  3%  fat.  Today’s  beef  cattle  are  from  25  to  50%  fat  or  more.    Segments  of  the  animal  
husbandry  industry  inject  domestic  animals  with  antibiotics,  hormones,  and  other  drugs  to  
make  them  market-­‐ready  in  record  time.  This  mechanization  of  animal  husbandry  produces  
huge  corporate  profits  as  well  as  a  public  health  disaster.  
 
All  of  the  herbicides,  pesticides,  toxins,  and  hormones  that  the  animal  has  been  exposed  to  
collect  in  the  fat.  When  you  eat  this  animal  fat,  you  are  eating  from  the  cesspool  of  these  
animal  warehouses.  
 
Grass-­‐Fed  versus  Grain-­‐Fed  Beef  
 
High  quality,  grass-­‐fed  beef  is  among  the  healthiest  foods  we  can  consume.  But  there  are  major  
differences  between  grain-­‐fed  and  grass-­‐fed  cattle.  To  understand  the  difference,  you  must  
understand  commercial  meat  production.  
 

19  
 
Even  if  you  follow  a  no-­‐grain  diet,  the  meat  you  buy  from  the  grocery  store  has  been  fed  grain.  
The  meat  industry  selects  grains  because  they  are  very  cheap  and  very  fattening.  The  high  
glycemic  index  of  corn  and  other  grains  causes  the  animals  to  become  enormously  fat.  This  is  
just  like  the  effect  that  a  grain  diet  has  on  us.  Then  we  eat  those  unnaturally-­‐raised  and  
diseased  animals.  If  the  cow  is  diseased,  how  can  we  expect  to  stay  healthy  by  eating  it?  
 
If  you  eat  conventionally  raised  meats,  you  are  consuming  the  wrong  type  of  fats.  These  fats  
are  unhealthy  for  your  heart.    
 
Cattle,  in  one  form  or  another  have  been  on  this  planet  for  millions  of  years.  They  have  
successfully  survived  by  grazing  on  grasslands,  prairies,  and  hillsides.  Cattle’s  natural  diet  
consists  of  grasses  and  legumes.  
 
Most  commercial  cattle  no  longer  eat  their  natural  diet.  Growers  feed  them  cheap  grain  and  
other  “feedstuff  ”  in  order  to  fatten  them  up  quickly.  The  feed-­‐stuffs  include  hormones  to  make  
livestock  larger.  Ranchers  even  give  the  animals  antibiotics  to  keep  them  alive  in  deplorable  
living  conditions.  
 
What  Does  Your  Food  Eat?  

Commercial  Cattle   Grass-­‐Fed  Cattle  

Grains,  pesticides,  
hormones,  antibiotics,  
cement  dust,  candy,  
Pasture  grass,  flowers,  
animal  manure,  
clover,  alfalfa,  plants  
cardboard,  nut  shells,  
feathers  and  meat  
scraps  
 
The  old  saying  “you  are  what  you  eat”  comes  to  mind.  As  a  result,  commercial  beef  has  
drastically  less  nutritional  value  than  their  pasture-­‐fed  relatives.  A  study  in  the  November  2000  
issue  of  the  Journal  of  Animal  Science  found  that  the  more  grass  cattle  ate,  the  more  nutritious  
their  beef  became.5  
 
Grass-­‐fed  products  have  three  to  five  times  more  conjugated  linoleic  acid  (CLA)  than  that  of  
commercial  animals.6  CLA  is  an  important  nutrient  that  has  cancer-­‐preventing  properties.  
Grass-­‐fed  beef  also  has  four  times  more  vitamin  E.7  
 
Omega-­‐3  fatty  acids  are  important  to  your  health.  Even  more  important  is  the  ratio  of  omega-­‐6  
fatty  acids  to  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids.  Too  much  omega-­‐6  fatty  acids  have  been  linked  to  heart  
disease,  cancer  and  other  health  problems.  
 

20  
 
 Comparison  of  the  Fat  Ratio  in  Beef  

Type   Omega-­‐6   Omega-­‐3  

Grain-­‐Fed  Beef   20  parts   1  part  
Grass-­‐Fed  Beef   0.16  parts   1  part  
 
Avoid  Trans  Fat  
 
The  vegetable  fat  that  you  get  in  the  modern  western  diet  is  an  abomination.  It  is  not  the  same  
as  the  fat  in  our  natural  environment.  Vegetable  fats  are  highly  processed  to  extend  their  shelf  
lives.  
 
Trans  fats  are  usually  listed  as  “hydrogenated”  oil  on  nutrition  labels.  You  should  eliminate  
these  hydrogenated  fats  from  your  diet.    
 
Man-­‐made  fats  are  completely  foreign  to  your  biology.  Trans  fats  also  block  fat  burning,  help  to  
cause  diabetes,  promote  weight  gain,  create  inflammation,  raise  your  cholesterol  levels,  and  
are  even  associated  with  cancer  and  dementia.  
 
Eliminating  trans  fats  will  leave  your  diet  free  from  almost  all  processed  junk  food.  You  will  
need  to  look  for  the  word  “hydrogenated”  on  nutrition  labels  also  keep  an  eye  out  for  any  
foods  that  come  in  a  package  are  processed  in  any  way.  
 
The  processing  creates  unhealthy  hydrogen  tion  and  cancer  causing  “trans”  fatty  acids.  
 
Trans-­‐fat  is  the  result  of  “hydrogenation.”  When  a  hydrogen  molecule  is  added  to  vegetable  
oils,  it  turns  them  to  fatty  solids.  These  fatty  solids  replace  animal  fats,  allowing  food  makers  to  
label  their  products  “cholesterol  free.”  
 
Industry  took  away  many  of  the  good  fats  we  need  –  and  said  they  were  bad.  As  a  substitute,  
they  gave  us  man-­‐made  fats,  which  turned  out  to  be  dangerous.  
 
Where  to  find  trans-­‐fat:  
 
• Most  hardened  margarines  and  shortenings  
• Salad  dressing  and  mayonnaise  
• Fried  fast  foods,  even  those  fried  in  commercial  “vegetable  oils”  
• Corn  snacks  and  chips  
• French  fries,  fried  chicken  or  fish  
• Biscuits,  rolls,  breads,  cakes,  cookies,  crackers  and  doughnuts  
 

21  
 
After  years  of  widespread  use,  numerous  studies  link  trans-­‐fats  to  heart  attacks,  strokes  and  
cancer  to  name  just  a  few  of  their  many  problems.  They  have  proven  to  increase  your  LDL  (bad)  
cholesterol.  What’s  worse,  they  decrease  your  HDL  (good)  cholesterol.  They  also  cause  
inflammation  and  rob  your  brain  and  heart  of  the  real  fats  you  need.4  
 
Ironically,  doctors  recommended  these  “low-­‐fat”  products  for  years,  thinking  they  were  helping  
their  patients.  Dr.  Walter  Willett,  Chairman  of  the  Department  of  Nutrition  at  the  Harvard  
School  of  Public  Health  had  this  to  say:  
 
“There  was  a  lot  of  resistance  from  the  scientific  community  because  a  lot  of  people  had  made  
their  careers  telling  people  to  eat  margarine  [containing  trans  fats]  instead  of  butter…  When  I  
was  a  physician  in  the  1980’s,  that’s  what  I  was  telling  people  to  do  and  unfortunately  we  were  
often  sending  them  to  their  graves  prematurely.”  5  
 
Trans  fats  lurk  in  low-­‐fat  cookies,  cakes,  cereal,  chips,  crackers,  and  fried  fast  food  like  French  
fries  and  chicken  nuggets.  They  are  in  sauces  and  a  plethora  of  other  processed  foods.  They  are  
a  creation  of  the  modern  food  industry  for  their  convenience.  They  are  the  ugly  fat  that  has  no  
place  in  your  diet.  
 
The  vegetable  fat  that  you  get  in  the  modern  western  diet  is  also  an  abomination.  It  does  not  
resemble  fat  in  our  natural  environment.  Manufacturers  process  vegetable  fats  to  extend  their  
shelf  life.  The  process  creates  unhealthy  hydrogenation  and  cancer  causing  trans-­‐fatty  acids.  
The  number  one  fat  used  in  food  processing  is  corn  oil,  perhaps  the  unhealthiest  fat  of  all.  
 
Made  in  a  factory,  trans-­‐fats  are  patentable  and  dirt  cheap.  They  can  dramatically  lengthen  the  
shelf  life  of  a  packaged  product,  sometimes  for  years.  And  because  these  unnatural  vegetable  
oils  have  no  cholesterol,  they  could  be  sold  as  “cholesterol  free.”  
 
With  no  knowledge  of  long-­‐term  effects,  the  FDA  approved  hydrogenated  oils  for  food  and  we  
began  an  enormous  experiment  with  the  public’s  health.  As  shocking  as  it  seems,  a  product  
originally  used  as  candles  made  its  way  into  thousands  of  foods  around  the  world  with  no  long-­‐
term  testing.  
 
After  decades  of  very  widespread  use,  numerous  studies  link  trans  fats  to  heart  attacks,  strokes  
and  cancer  to  name  just  a  few  of  its  many  problems.  
 
Trans-­‐fats  are  proven  to  increase  your  LDL  (bad)  cholesterol.  What’s  worse  is  that  they  
decrease  your  HDL  (good)  cholesterol.  They  also  cause  inflammation  and  rob  your  brain  and  
heart  of  the  real  fats  you  need.  They  can  also  make  you  fat.  
 
Ironically,  doctors  recommended  these  “low-­‐fat”  products  for  years,  thinking  they  were  helping  
their  patients.  Dr.  Walter  Willett,  Chairman  of  the  Department  of  Nutrition  at  the  Harvard  
School  of  Public  Health  had  this  to  say:  
 

22  
 
“There  was  a  lot  of  resistance  from  the  scientific  community  because  a  lot  of  people  had  made  
their  careers  telling  people  to  eat  margarine  [containing  trans-­‐fats]  instead  of  butter…  When  I  
was  a  physician  in  the  1980’s,  that’s  what  I  was  telling  people  to  do  and  unfortunately  we  were  
often  sending  them  to  their  graves  prematurely.”  5  
 
As  common  as  they  are,  trans  fats  can  be  hard  for  you  to  identify.  Fortunately,  a  law  was  passed  
in  2006  requiring  food  makers  to  label  foods  containing  trans  fat.  But  food  producers  have  
found  many  clever  ways  to  disguise  the  label.  What’s  more,  if  a  food  contains  less  than  1  gram  
of  trans  fat,  companies  are  not  required  to  label  them.  
 
That  may  not  sound  like  a  problem,  but  consider  this:  If  a  serving  of  three  Oreo’s  contains  0.5  
grams  of  trans  fat,  Nabisco  –  the  maker  of  Oreo’s  –  doesn’t  have  to  put  a  warning  label  on  the  
package.  As  a  result,  you  may  think  Oreo’s  are  “trans  fat  free.”  But  if  you  eat  nine  Oreo’s,  or  
three  servings,  you’ve  consumed  1.5  grams  of  trans  fat!  
 
To  avoid  trans  fat,  stay  away  from  any  package  labeled  with  “shortening,  cottonseed  oil,  corn  
oil,  soy  products  and  vegetable  oils.”    
 
You’ll  find  trans  fats  in  cookies,  cakes,  breads,  crackers,  potato  chips,  pudding,  pies,  frozen  
foods,  salad  dressing;  “butter”  flavored  popcorn  and  French  fries.  Even  so-­‐called  “health”  foods  
like  granola  bars,  high  fiber  cereals  and  multi-­‐grain  snack  chips  have  trans  fats.  Most  “no  
cholesterol”  margarine  is  still  loaded  with  trans  fat.  Trans  fats  lurk  in  the  majority  of  the  
processed  foods  on  supermarket  shelves  –  from  treats  like  chocolate-­‐chunk  cookies,  Krispy  
Kreme  doughnuts,  and  cheese  curls  to  presumed  healthy  foods  like  granola  bars,  multigrain  
snack  chips,  low-­‐fat  cookies,  and  high-­‐fiber  breakfast  cereals.  Worse  yet,  many  foods  with  trans  
fats  bear  labels  bragging  that  they  contain  low  cholesterol  or  low  saturated  fat.  
 
A  generation  ago,  food  manufacturers  concocted  trans-­‐fats  through  a  process  called  
hydrogenation.  Trans-­‐fats  increase  shelf  life  and  stabilize  foods.  But  this  process  also  changes  
the  biological  function  of  your  essential  fatty  acids.    
 
Trans  fats  have  no  place  in  your  diet.  Food  manufacturers  add  these  to  your  food  without  your  
consent.  We  are  unwitting  participants  in  an  experiment  with  our  food  supply.  These  harmful  
trans  fats  trigger  heart  disease  and  additional  health  problems.  
 
Avoid  foods  that  list  “hydrogenated”  or  “partially  hydrogenated”  vegetable  shortening  or  
vegetable  oil  among  the  ingredients.    
 
Vegetable  Oils  
 
Vegetable  oils  man-­‐made  fats  like  vegetable  and  seed  oils  (soybean  oil,  cottonseed  oil,  
vegetable  oil,  corn  oil,  canola  oil,  etc.)  
 

23  
 
For  years  you’ve  been  told  that  vegetable  oils  (such  as  canola,  cottonseed,  grapeseed,  corn,  
safflower,  sunflower  and  soybean  oils)  and  even  hydrogenated  margarine  and  shortening  are  
healthy  alternatives  to  animal  fats.  Nothing  could  be  further  from  the  truth.  These  oils  are  
loaded  with  omega-­‐6  fats  that  promote  inflammation,  insulin  resistance,  and  weight  gain.  
Offenders  include:  Crisco,  Smart  Balance,  Fleischmanns,  I  Can’t  Believe  It’s  Not  Butter,  
Country  Crock,  Brummel  &  Brown  and  others.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Rid  your  pantry  of  the  vegetable  and  seed  oils  and  instead  rely  on  
monounsaturated-­‐rich  nut  oils,  as  well  as  real,  pasture-­‐raised  butter,  ghee  and  lard.  The  high  
monounsaturated  content  of  these  fats  slashes  inflammation  and  reduces  belly  fat.  They  are  
also  safer  for  cooking  thanks  to  their  higher  flash  points.  Here  are  the  healthiest  fats  you  can  
use  and  the  safe  temperatures  at  which  to  use.    
 
Fats  suitable  for  sautéing  include  coconut  oil,  palm  oil,  and  butter.  Extra  virgin  olive  oil  (a  
monounsaturated  fat)  can  be  used  for  low  temperature  sautéing.  Because  it’s  prone  to  
oxidation,  polyunsaturated  fat  (rich  in  omega-­‐3  or  omega-­‐6  fatty  acids),  such  as  flax  oil  or  
sunflower  oil  should  not  be  used  for  high-­‐temperature  cooking.  
 

CHOOSE QUALITY PROTIENS

 
Meat  and  poultry  is  another  big  source  of  EDCs.  But  that  doesn’t  mean  you  have  to  start  eating  
bird  food  or  tofu  burgers.  I  encourage  you  to  eat  meat.  It’s  what  our  ancestors  thrived  on.  But  
you  should  know  where  it  comes  from.  
 
Your  best  bet  is  grass-­‐fed  beef,  although  depending  on  where  you  live,  it  may  not  be  readily  
available.  You  can  buy  grass-­‐fed  beef  online  if  you  like.  A  good  resource  is  U.S.  Wellness  Meats.  
Your  other  option  is  looking  for  meat  that’s  been  raised  without  drugs.  It  won’t  necessarily  be  
grass-­‐fed,  but  it  will  be  free  of  estrogen  and  antibiotics.  There  are  usually  brands  at  your  local  
grocery  store.  If  they’re  not  labeled,  just  ask  someone  behind  the  counter  to  help  you.  
 
Probably  the  most  important  component  of  your  diet  is  where  your  meat  comes  from  and  how  
it  is  raised.  Most  commercial  meats  are  raised  on  the  cheapest  feed  available,  kept  in  cramped  
unsanitary  conditions,  and  fattened  quickly  to  produce  meat  as  cheaply  as  possible.  
Unfortunately  the  grains  and  soy  fed  to  these  cows,  chickens,  pigs,  and  sheep  are  anything  but  
their  natural  diets  and  it  affects  the  meat  that  they  produce.  
 
If  you  want  to  live  a  long  and  healthy  life,  eat  like  your  pre-­‐agrarian  ancestors  did.  To  do  this  we  
must  look  beyond  the  counting  grams  of  fat  the  AHA  recommends  or  the  counting  grams  of  
carbohydrate  that  has  become  so  popular.  We  must  return  to  the  balance  of  high  protein  and  
fat  and  low-­‐carbohydrate  and  we  must  restore  the  quality  of  these  nutrients  we  have  lost.  
 
The  biggest  health  changes  come  the  fastest  when  you  focus  on  quality  protein  first.  The  
Greeks  knew  protein  was  the  most  important  food  when  they  named  it:  ‘pro-­‐’  means  first,  
24  
 
primary,  of  most  importance,  and  ‘-­‐tein’  means  food.  In  chapter  6,  you  can  target  healthy  
sources  of  the  highest  quality  protein  for  your  diet.  
 
Most  commercial  growers  fatten  their  cattle  as  quickly  as  possible  by  feeding  them  cheap  grain.  
As  you  have  already  learned,  this  causes  the  beef  to  have  an  unnatural,  and  very  unhealthy  fat  
ratio.  
The  unnatural  diet  also  compromises  the  immune  systems  of  the  cows  and  causes  them  to  
become  diseased.  To  keep  the  animals  just  healthy  enough  to  reach  processing,  the  commercial  
feedlots  are  forced  to  feed  them  antibiotics  throughout  their  short,  sick  lives.  
 
Commercial  feedlots  also  “supplement”  the  grain  feed  with  “feedstuff”.  This  can  include  an  
unsavory  combination  of  grain,  pesticides,  hormones,  antibiotics,  cement  dust,  candy,  animal  
manure,  cardboards,  nut  shells,  feathers,  and  meat  scraps.10  No  kidding.  
 
If  you  want  to  live  a  long  and  healthy  life,  eat  all  the  natural  foods  you  love  –  steak,  omelets,  
salmon  and  lobster  are  good  choices.  Yes,  you  can  become  lean  and  healthy  -­‐-­‐  improve  your  
cholesterol  profile,  lower  your  blood  pressure,  reverse  your  diabetes,  and  lower  your  heart  
attack  risk  -­‐-­‐  while  eating  these  fabulous  foods.  
 
Fish,  lean  meats,  eggs,  cheese,  organic  milk,  beans  and  nuts  are  all  good  sources  of  protein.  Eat  
as  much  of  these  foods  as  you  like.  You  can  eat  these  foods  until  you  are  full  but  you  mist  chose  
the  foods  in  their  natural  forms.  Follow  these  guidelines  for  selecting  natural,  unadulterated  
sources  of  quality  protein.  
 
Eat  wild  fish  and  seafood.  You  may  see  conflicting  information  about  whether  seafood  is  safe  
and  if  it  improves  cardiovascular  health.  Research  will  continue  to  produce  seemingly  different  
answers  to  this  question  because  it  depends  on  the  seafood.    
 
We  know  that  many  types  of  seafood  definitely  contain  mercury  from  industrial  pollutants.  We  
know  that  high  enough  levels  of  mercury  are  powerfully  toxic  to  the  nervous  and  circulatory  
systems  of  animals  and  humans.  But  can  we  show  that  current  mercury  levels  in  humans  are  
actually  affect  their  heart  health?  The  question  is,  is  it  enough  mercury  to  matter?  In  a  recent  
Johns  Hopkins  study,  researchers  analyzed  toenail  clippings  from  about  1400  men,  half  of  
whom  recently  had  heart  attacks.  Mercury  levels  were  15%  higher  in  men  who  had  heart  
attacks,  indicating  that  higher  mercury  levels  are  associated  with  increased  rates  of  heart  
attacks.    
 
Seafood,  however,  is  such  an  excellent  source  of  high  quality  protein  (third  after  eggs  and  red  
meat)  and  other  nutrients,  some  of  which  are  hard  to  get  from  alternative  sources,  that  it  is  
worth  searching  for  safe  varieties.  Fish  is  one  of  the  best  sources  of  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids,  and  
many  studies  (see  a  listing  at  the  end  of  your  Heart  Cure)  show  that  omega-­‐3  fats  keep  the  
heart  healthy.  
 

25  
 
The  bottom  line?  While  scientists  continue  to  learn  more  about  mercury’s  effect  on  the  heart,  
stay  away  from  fish  with  the  highest  amounts  of  mercury.  As  a  general  rule,  the  higher  up  the  
food  chain  a  fish  is,  the  more  mercury  it  will  accumulate.  This  means  favoring  small  fish  over  
larger  ones.  Reserve  eating  large  apex  predators  for  rare  occasions.  They  include  swordfish,  
tilefish,  tuna,  and  shark.  Instead,  opt  for  Pollock,  trout,  flounder,  and  salmon,  or  the  very  small  
fish  like  anchovies  and  sardines,  which  tend  to  have  low  levels  of  mercury.  
 
One  of  the  very  best  fish  to  eat  is  wild  salmon,  especially  Alaskan  salmon.  It  has  very  low  levels  
of  mercury,  high  levels  of  omega-­‐3  fatty  acids,  and  one  of  the  few  fish  with  the  vital  heart  
nutrient,  CoQ10.  Avoid  farm-­‐raised  or  Atlantic  salmon,  which  contains  higher  levels  of  mercury  
and  PCBs  (pesticides)  than  wild  varieties.  
 
It’s  also  important  to  prepare  fish  in  a  way  that  preserves  their  heart-­‐healthy  omega-­‐3  fats.  A  
recent  study  in  Circulation  followed  4,000  participants  monitoring  their  heart  health  for  nine  
years.  Those  who  ate  fried  fish  failed  to  reap  any  of  the  heart-­‐protection  benefits  normally  
association  with  fish  consumption.11  This  applies  to  that  fast  fish  sandwich  at  the  drive-­‐through.  
Instead  of  choosing  fried,  chose  fish  prepared  by  broiling,  baking  or  grilling.  
 

AVOID TOXIC CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS

 
Organic  versus  Non-­‐Organic  Produce  
 
Fruits  and  vegetables  are  one  of  your  biggest  exposure  risks  to  chemicals  and  pesticides.  Eating  
organic  helps,  but  you  don’t  have  to  buy  organic  produce  exclusively,  just  the  ones  that  have  
the  worst  record.  I’ve  written  to  you  before  about  the  Environmental  Working  Group.  They’re  a  
non-­‐profit  dedicated  to  uncovering  the  biggest  environmental  threats  to  your  health.  They  put  
together  a  “dirty  dozen”  list  of  foods  with  the  highest  levels  of  pesticides  and  other  obesogens.  
 
If  you  can’t  afford  to  go  fully  organic  with  your  produce,  then  you  don’t  have  to!  First,  
conventional  produce  (even  frozen)  is  better  than  not  eating  produce  at  all.  You  can  peel  your  
produce  if  you’re  especially  concerned.  The  table  below  outlines  the  12  most  and  the  12  least  
pesticide-­‐laden  fruits  and  vegetables.  So  if  you  have  extra  money  to  spend  on  organic  fruits  and  
vegetables,  start  with  those  on  the  left  side  and  stick  with  the  more  conventional  of  those  on  
the  right.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

26  
 
 Pesticide  Contamination  on  
Fruits  and  Vegetables  
The  Dirty  Dozen   The  Clean  Fifteen  
Celery   Onions  
Peaches   Avocado  
Strawberries   Pineapple  
Apples   Mango  
Domestic  blueberries   Asparagus  
Nectarines   Sweet  peas  
Sweet  bell  peppers   Kiwi  
Spinach,  kale  and  collards   Banana  
Cherries   Cabbage  
Potatoes   Broccoli  
Imported  grapes   Eggplant  
Lettuce   Cantaloupe  
    Watermelon  
    Grapefruit  
    Sweet  potatoes  
 
 
Learn  the  Label  Lingo  on  Meat,  Poultry  &  Dairy  Products  
 
Advertisers  and  food  producers  only  want  to  provide  the  most  favorable  features  of  their  
product.  And  many  of  these  products  display  ambiguous  labels  that  can  deceive  most  
consumers.  A  little  knowledge  on  your  part  can  help  you  “read  through”  the  confusing  label  
lingo  to  know  the  facts  of  what  you’re  considering  eating.  
 
Two  commonly  misleading  terms  are  “Cage  Free”  and  “Free  Range”.  Because  these  phrases  are  
not  well  defined,  manufacturers  can  use  them  as  they  see  fit.  
 
“Cage  Free”  is  a  label  on  poultry  and  eggs.  But  this  only  means  that  the  manufacturer  did  not  
confine  the  animal  in  an  individual  cage.  The  “cage  free”  label  can  still  be  used  in  cases  where  
dozens  of  chickens  are  bound  in  an  unsanitary  pen,  with  little  room  to  move.  
 

27  
 
“Free  Range”  means  that  an  animal  has  access  to  the  outdoors  for  an  unspecified  period  of  
time  every  day.  Individual  manufactures  regulate  the  time  period.  This  means  that  a  door  could  
be  open  to  the  outside  for  a  few  minutes  a  day.  Whether  or  not  the  animal  goes  outside  is  
irrelevant.  The  manufacturer  can  still  use  the  “free  range”  label.  
 
Look  for  the  USDA  “Free  Farmed”  label  on  poultry,  dairy,  and  eggs.  And  look  for  the  USDA  
“Grass  Fed”  label  on  beef.  These  labels  are  well  defined  and  verified  by  the  USDA,  and  it  means  
that  these  animals  remained  on  pasture  from  birth  to  market.  These  products  are  far  more  
nutritious  and  do  not  carry  added  hormones,  pesticides  and  antibiotics.  If  you  cannot  find  these  
foods  in  the  supermarket,  buy  pastured  poultry  and  grass-­‐fed  beef  from  a  private  farmer.  You  
can  find  a  comprehensive  list  of  farmers  at  www.eatwild.com.  
 
“Hormone  Free”  and  “Antibiotic  Free”  are  two  other  labels  that  can  be  misleading.  These  
labels  only  guarantee  that  the  meat  or  poultry  product  had  undetectable  levels  of  hormones  
and  antibiotics  at  the  time  of  processing.  This  claim  does  not  mean  that  the  grower  never  
injected  the  animal  or  fed  it  hormones  or  antibiotics  throughout  its  life.  
 
The  “Organic”  label  on  meat,  poultry,  eggs,  and  dairy  products  means  that  the  food  producers  
fed  the  animals  organic  feed  and  no  detectable  levels  of  antibiotics  or  hormones  are  present  in  
their  body  at  the  time  of  slaughter.  Additionally,  the  food  producers  did  not  use  most  
conventional  pesticides,  petroleum-­‐based  or  sewage-­‐based  fertilizers,  genetically  modified  
ingredients,  or  irradiation.  However,  do  not  be  fooled  by  “organic”  beef.  If  it  does  not  say  
“grass-­‐fed”  then  these  cattle  still  ate  nutritionally  deficient  grains.  
 

AVOID ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS

 
Artificial  Sweeteners:  Dangerous  to  Your  Health  (And  Waistline)  
 
In  1981,  aspartame  was  approved  for  use  in  foods.  You  know  it  by  the  brand  names  of  
NutraSweet  and  Equal.  Diet  sodas  account  for  over  70%  of  the  consumption  of  this  product.  Yet  
it  is  also  in  over  7,000  other  products.  Aspartame  is  a  synthetic  composite  of  three  naturally  
occurring  compounds:  aspartic  acid  (40%),  phenylalanine  (50%),  and  methanol  (10%).  
 
Aspartame  accounts  for  over  75%  of  adverse  reactions  reported  to  the  FDA  annually.10  
Although  aspartic  acid  is  a  naturally-­‐occurring  amino  acid,  it  does  have  negative  consequences  
in  excess.  
 
Too  much  aspartic  acid  over  stimulates  your  nerve  cells  to  death.  This  happens  by  allowing  too  
much  calcium  into  the  cells.  Nerve  cell  death  contributes  to  a  number  of  chronic  illnesses  
including  Alzheimer’s  disease,  brain  tumors,  dementia,  epilepsy,  and  Parkinson’s  disease.  
 

28  
 
Methanol  is  highly  toxic.  It  breaks  down  into  formic  acid  and  formaldehyde  in  your  body.  Some  
of  the  symptoms  associated  with  methanol  poisoning  from  aspartame  use  are:  
 
• Headaches  
• Nausea  
• Depression  
• Dizziness  
• Chills  
• Fatigue  
• Vertigo  
• Vision  problems  
• Anxiety  
• Memory  loss  
• Joint  pain  
• Sleep  disturbances  
• Hearing  loss  
• Seizures  
• Heart  palpitations  
 
In  1988  the  FDA  approved  acesulfame-­‐potassium  (Ace-­‐K)  for  use.  I  did  not  find  any  reports  of  
adverse  reactions.  But  this  product  is  often  blended  with  aspartame,  which  as  you  just  learned,  
has  plenty.  
 
Sugar  alcohols  are  another  popular  alternative.  There  are  five:  maltitol,  mannitol,  sorbitol,  
isolmalt,  and  xylitol.  All  of  them  are  derived  from  dextrose.  Sugar  alcohols  are  the  sweeteners  
in  a  many  chewing  gums,  candies,  and  dietetic  foods.  Sugar  alcohols  can  cause  intestinal  
discomfort  and  diarrhea  in  some  people.  
 
And  if  you  are  diabetic,  using  these  products  may  not  be  very  helpful.  There  is  a  nominal  
difference  of  carbohydrate  grams  and  calories  between  sugar  and  no-­‐sugar  varieties  of  cookies.  
For  the  most  part,  it  is  the  total  amount  of  carbohydrates  eaten  that  will  influence  glucose  
(blood  sugar)  levels  in  someone  with  diabetes,  not  just  the  amount  of  simple  sugar.11  
 
In  1998  sucralose  was  approved  by  the  FDA.  You  know  sucralose  by  the  brand  name  Splenda.  
Sucralose  is  chlorinated  sugar.  Consuming  more  chlorine  is  definitely  not  desirable.  Research  in  
animals  has  shown  that  sucralose  can  cause  many  problems  in  rats,  mice,  and  rabbits,  such  
as12:  
 
• Shrunken  thymus  glands  (up  to  40%  shrinkage)  
• Enlarged  liver  and  kidneys.  
• Atrophy  of  lymph  follicles  in  the  spleen  and  thymus  
• Reduced  growth  rate  
• Decreased  red  blood  cell  count  

29  
 
 • Diarrhea  
 
Splenda  also  contains  small  amounts  of  lead,  arsenic,  and  methanol.  
 
Artificial  Sweeteners  
 
Acesulfame  K  
 
Sold  under  the  names  ace-­‐K,  Sunette  or  Sweet  one,  this  sugar  substitute  has  been  found  to  
cause  cancer  in  animals.  As  it  breaks  down,  it  also  forms  acetoacetamide  –  a  compound  that  
has  negative  effects  on  the  thyroid.  Among  other  things,  your  thyroid  is  extremely  important  
when  it  comes  to  weight  regulation.  
 
Aspartame  
 
Sold  commercially  as  Nutra-­‐Sweet  or  Equal,  aspartame  breaks  down  to  methanol,  and  then  
formaldehyde  in  the  body.  Aspartame  is  also  an  excitoxin  that  kills  brain  cells  and  has  been  
linked  to  brain  tumors,  Parkinson’s,  ADHD,  Alzheimer’s  and  other  neurological  conditions  
 
Sucralose:  
 
High  Fructose  Corn  Syrup    
 
In  1976  high  fructose  corn  syrup  (HFCS)  was  introduced.  It  is  the  most  common  sweetener  on  
the  market,  generating  $4.5  billion  in  annual  sales.7  HFCS  is  made  from  cornstarch,  fructose,  
and  glucose.  But  it’s  a  genetically  modified  product  and  is  completely  unnatural.  
 
HFCS  sweetens  a  wide  variety  of  products.  It  is  in  soda,  Ocean  Spray  CranApple  juice,  Gatorade,  
Campbell’s  tomato  soup,  Oreos,  Chips  Ahoy,  Smucker’s  jellies,  Heinz  tomato  ketchup,  Kraft’s  
Thousand  Islands  salad  dressing.  It  is  even  found  in  so-­‐called  health  foods  like  Slim  Fast  meal  
bars,  Arizona  Green  Tea,  SoBe  Green  Tea,  and  Kellogg’s  Raisin  Bran.  
 
What’s  interesting  about  Arizona  Green  Tea  is  that  it  also  contains  plum  juice.  Apparently,  the  
plum  juice  didn’t  make  it  sweet  enough  so  they  added  HFCS.  Why  is  it  in  so  many  food  items?  
Because  it  is  cheaper  than  natural  fruit  sweeteners.  The  syrup  is  also  easier  to  blend  than  
sucrose.  
 
HFCS  is  absorbed  differently  than  other  sweeteners.  This  difference  may  contribute  to  the  
obesity  problem  in  America.  Fructose  produces  high  levels  of  insulin,  and  disturbs  the  f  low  of  
two  hormones  that  are  critical  in  appetite  control.  Leptin  is  inhibited  and  ghrelin  is  stimulated  
by  HFCS  which  may  lead  you  to  overeat  and  gain  weight.8  
 

30  
 
One  study  found  that  fructose  produces  significantly  higher  blood  levels  of  triglycerides  in  
men.9  This  does  not  mean  you  should  stop  eating  whole  fruit.  The  amount  of  fructose  present  
in  natural  fruit  is  small  compared  to  the  amount  you  receive  from  a  glass  of  regular  soda.  
 
The  Hidden  Diet  Danger:  Sugar  Substitutes  
 
Both  Atkins  and  the  USDA  never  talk  about  the  dangers  of  sweetened  food.  An  excess  of  regular  
sugar  is  bad  enough.  But  artificial  sweeteners  pose  an  even  bigger  threat.  
 
It’s  been  125  years  since  the  discovery  of  the  first  sugar  substitute.  But  their  attempts  to  find  
something  sweeter  than  sugar  but  without  the  calories  has  repeatedly  failed.  
 
Far  from  finding  a  panacea  for  our  sweet  tooth,  the  industry  has  launched  one  product  after  
another  with  health  problems  far  exceeding  those  of  sugar  itself.  
 
In  1879,  John  Hopkins  University  scientists  discovered  saccharin  by  accident.6  
You  know  saccharin  by  its  brand  name  Sweet  ’N  Low.  In  recent  decades,  the  little  pink  packets  
caused  a  great  deal  of  controversy  because  they  caused  bladder  cancer  in  lab  rats.  
 
You  would  have  to  drink  a  lot  of  soda  to  equal  the  amount  of  saccharin  given  to  the  rats.  
However,  all  products  containing  saccharin  must  bear  the  warning  that  it  may  be  hazardous  to  
your  health.  
 
Can  Diet  Foods  Really  Make  You  Gain  Weight?  
 
Recently,  epidemiologist  Sharon  Fowler,  from  the  University  of  Texas,  presented  research  data  
to  the  American  Diabetes  Association  on  soda  consumption.  In  her  words,  "What  we  saw  was  
that  the  more  diet  sodas  a  person  drinks,  the  more  weight  they  were  likely  to  gain."  
 
Another  study  looked  at  the  weight  and  soda-­‐drinking  habits  of  600  normal-­‐weight  subjects  of  
various  ages.  Then  they  followed  up  with  these  subjects  eight  years  later.  Those  who  drank  one  
diet  soda  a  day  were  65%  more  likely  to  be  overweight  than  if  they  drank  none.  Those  who  
drank  two  or  more  diet  drinks  raised  the  odds  even  higher.12  
 
There  are  several  reasons  why  this  is  true.  
 
Part  of  it  may  be  psychological:  diet  soda  drinkers  feel  like  they  can  “spare”  the  calories  and  
they  use  it  as  an  excuse  to  overeat.  But  the  connection  is  not  just  psychological.  It  is  also  
physiological.  
 
Artificial  Sweeteners  Interfere  with  Your  Hunger  Mechanism  
 

31  
 
The  scientific  research  clearly  shows  that  that  the  chemical  sweeteners  found  in  diet  sodas  and  
“sugar-­‐free”  dessert  products  actually  makes  you  feel  hungrier  and  prompts  your  body  to  eat  
more.  
 
Peter  Dingle  –  a  nutritional  toxicologist  at  Murdoch  University  in  Australia  –  found  that  diet  
products  don't  satisfy  the  way  real  food  does.  Two  professors  at  Purdue  University  came  to  the  
same  conclusion,  when  they  discovered  that  artificial  sweeteners  disrupt  your  satiety  levels,  or  
the  feeling  of  satisfaction  you  are  supposed  to  get  from  your  food.  In  other  words,  your  brain  
never  gets  the  "I'm  full”  message.  
 
Even  worse,  chemical  sweeteners  are  neuro-­‐stimulants  which  can  actually  fire  up  your  appetite  
and  cause  powerful  craving,  especially  for  carbohydrates.  
 
The  International  Journal  of  Obesity  published  a  study  showing  that  when  rats  drank  an  
artificially  sweetened  liquid,  they  consumed  three  times  more  calories  than  another  group  of  
rats  that  did  not  receive  the  sweetened  liquid.  Both  rats  had  the  same  access  to  food.13  
 
And  not  only  will  these  products  add  to  your  waistline,  they  have  clearly  been  shown  to  be  a  
hazard  to  your  health.  
 
Diet  Drinks  are  Not  Healthy  
 
The  excito-­‐toxic  chemicals  in  artificial  sweeteners  have  been  linked  to  dozens  of  ill-­‐health  
symptoms  and  may  also  be  linked  to  cancer  and  damage  to  the  brain  cells  that  appears  very  
similar  to  that  of  Alzheimer’s.  
 
I  strongly  advise  you  to  avoid  artificial  sweeteners  and  “diet  drinks”  entirely.  
 

SAY NO TO SOY
 
Soy  is  in  thousands  of  different  products  –  everything  from  cookies  to  mayonnaise.  The  USDA  
says  it  is  a  healthier  source  of  protein  than  meat.  And  food  makers  love  it  because  it’s  cheap  
and  easy  to  process.  In  fact,  the  soy  industry  now  provides  71%  of  the  edible  fats  and  oils  in  the  
U.S.  food  supply.  
 
The  FDA  says  it’s  perfectly  safe  for  you  to  eat.  But  scientific  research  says  otherwise.  
 
Researchers  at  the  Harvard  School  of  Public  Health  discovered  that  men  who  regularly  ate  even  
small  amounts  of  soy-­‐based  foods  had  41  million  fewer  sperm  per  milliliter  than  men  who  
didn’t.  Ironically,  the  99  men  who  took  part  in  the  study  were  already  patients  at  a  male  fertility  
clinic  who  couldn’t  get  their  partners  pregnant.  
 

32  
 
It  turns  out  eating  as  little  as  four  ounces  of  tofu  or  drinking  a  single  cup  of  soy  milk  every  other  
day  can  cause  men’s  sperm  counts  to  plummet.  That’s  because  soy  is  packed  with  plant-­‐based  
compounds  called  phytoestrogens,  which  your  body  treats  just  like  the  female  hormone.  These  
“estrogen  mimics”  can  make  men  grow  “breasts”  and  put  them  at  greater  risk  for  prostate  
cancer.  
 
Remember,  even  a  little  soy  can  make  a  big  impact.  About  four  ounces  of  tofu  amounts  to  a  
single  serving.  And  that  is  twice  the  amount  that  made  men  virtually  sterile  in  the  study.  
 
Soy-­‐based  ingredients  are  hidden  in  plain  sight  in  a  wide  variety  of  foods,  from  baked  goods  to  
salad  dressings.  Here  are  the  names  of  the  food  industry’s  favorite  soy–based  products  you  
should  avoid:  
 
Soy  Flour    
Soy  Isolate    
Soy  Isoflavones    
Soy  Protein    
Soybean  Oil    
Textured  Vegetable  Protein  (TVP)    
Vegetable  Oil  
 

TOXIC ADDITIVES & PRESERVATIVES

 
Before  we  explore  the  specific  foods  you  need  to  avoid  (and  the  healthy  alternatives  to  take  
their  place)  let’s  take  a  quick  look  at  the  most  toxic  additives  and  ingredients  in  food  products  
today.  
 
Artificial  colors  and  flavors:  These  synthetic  compounds  have  been  linked  to  food  sensitivities,  
gastrointestinal  disturbances,  liver  problems  and  cancer.  
 
Nitrites  
 
Processed  meats  (deli  meats,  hot  dogs,  fast  food  burgers)  
 
Obesogens:  Can  Foreign  Molecules  Cause  Obesity?  
 
There  is  a  new  category  of  chemicals  known  as  “obesogens,”  and  just  as  the  name  implies  these  
invisible  food  toxins  can  make  your  fat.  And  unless  you  take  action,  they  won’t  just  add  to  your  
weight  on  the  scales,  you  could  wind  up  sick  and  diseased,  too.  
 

33  
 
These  foreign  molecules  are  found  in  more  places  than  you  might  imagine.  Take  a  sip  from  your  
water  bottle.  Sizzle  your  salmon  in  a  nonstick  pan.  Brew  a  pot  of  coffee  in  a  plastic  coffee  
maker.  Eat  canned  sardines.  Snack  on  a  basket  of  strawberries.  
 
Seems  completely  healthy,  right?  Think  again.  
   
These  chemicals  make  their  way  into  a  wide  variety  of  foods  due  to  the  way  they  were  raised,  
processed  or  packaged.    Here  are  the  most  common  obesogens  and  the  easy  ways  you  can  
avoid  them.  
 
Toxins  and  additives  in  your  food  can  definitely  interfere  with  your  weight  and  metabolism.  One  
of  the  ways  they  do  this  is  because  your  body  stores  toxins  and  other  molecules  in  the  fat  cells.  
They  are  sequestered  and  kept  there  to  prevent  the  offending  molecules  from  damaging  the  
organs  and  other  sensitive  systems  of  your  body.  That  is  why  you  are  advised  to  trim  the  fat  off  
of  animals  that  may  be  contaminated.  That  is  where  all  of  the  toxins  are.  
 
Toxins  interfere  with  your  metabolism,  they  overload  the  detoxification  systems  of  your  liver  
and  kidneys.  They  disrupt  your  brain’s  weight  control  systems,  promote  insulin  resistance,  alter  
your  circadian  rhythms,  activate  the  stress  response,  interfere  with  thyroid  function,  increase  
inflammation,  damage  or  mitochondria  (your  body's  calorie  and  fat  burning  furnace),  and  lead  
to  obesity.  
 
Toxins  affect  your  metabolism  in  several  ways.  First,  thyroid  hormone  function  is  altered  by  
toxins.  Toxins  also  promote  inflammation.  This  increases  insulin  resistance,  which  promotes  fat  
storage  and  leptin  (the  feeling  full  hormone)  resistance,  which  prevents  your  brain  from  
recognizing  that  you  are  full.  
 
Endocrine-­‐Disrupting  Chemicals  
 
Endocrine-­‐disrupting  chemicals  (EDCs)  in  your  food  and  water.  
These  chemicals,  which  have  a  structure  that  closely  resembles  the  hormone  estrogen,  go  from  
your  food  into  your  bloodstream,  where  they  send  out  the  “store  fat”  signal  to  the  cells  in  your  
body.  
 
Your  body  can’t  tell  the  difference  between  these  estrogen  mimics  and  the  real  thing.  
And  whether  you’re  a  man  or  a  woman,  too  much  estrogen  makes  you  fat,  slow,  tired,  and  
diseased.  
 
Obesogens  Hijack  Your  Body’s  “Fat  Signals”  
 
Obesogens  are  thought  to  act  by  hijacking  the  regulatory  systems  that  control  body  weight.  
What  we’re  seeing  is  an  actual  takeover.  Your  body  gets  commands  from  an  external  source  
telling  it  to  pack  on  more  fat.  
 

34  
 
 The  Endocrine  Society,  the  largest  research  organization  on  hormones,  said  in  a  recent  report:  
“The  rise  in  the  incidence  in  obesity  matches  the  rise  in  the  use  and  distribution  of  industrial  
chemicals  that  may  be  playing  a  role  in  the  generation  of  obesity,  suggesting  that  EDCs  may  be  
linked  to  this  epidemic.”14  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Obesogen   Where  It’s  Found  &  How  It  Works   Safer  Alternatives  
Avoid  plastics  in  general.  Opt  for  
Each  year,  we  produce  six  billion  pounds  of  the  
filtered  water,  instead  of  bottled.  
obesogen  BPA  and  this  gender-­‐bending  chemical  is  
Avoid  all  canned  foods  except  those  
Bisphenol-­‐a   detectable  in  93%  of  Americans.  BPA  is  found  in  
made  by  companies  which  certify  
(BPA)   plastics  with  recycling  codes  3  or  7,  food  and  beverage  
that  their  packaging  is  BPA-­‐free  
can  liners,  and  other  packaging  that  leaches  into  foods  
(Eden  Foods,  Vital  Choice  and  Wild  
and  beverages.  
Planet  use  BPA-­‐free  cans).  
Choose  organic  fruits  and  vegetables,  
The  average  American  consumes  10  to  13  different  
especially  for  the  “Dirty  Dozen”  most  
pesticides  through  food,  beverages  and  drinking  water  
contaminated  crops  including  
every  day.  Pesticides  have  a  structure  similar  to  
Pesticides   peaches,  apples,  sweet  bell  peppers,  
estrogen  which  promotes  fat  storage  and  undermines  
celery,  nectarines,  strawberries,  
our  muscle-­‐building  ability.  Pesticides  are  biologically  
cherries,  kale,  lettuce,  imported  
active  in  amounts  as  small  as  one  trillionth  of  a  gram.  
grapes,  carrots  and  pears.  
Sucralose,  also  known  as  Splenda,  is  an  organochlorine  
–  a  close  chemical  cousin  to  pesticide,  bleach  and   Choose  natural  low-­‐glycemic  
Sucralose   Agent  Orange.  It  is  a  hormonal  disruptor  and  obesogen   sweeteners  including  stevia,  xylitol,  
found  in  thousands  of  low-­‐carb  and  diet  products,   erythritol.    
from  drinks  to  desserts.    
PFCs  are  fluorine-­‐containing  chemicals  used  to  make  
materials  stain  and  stick  resistant.  PFCs  are  endocrine  
Perfluorinated   disruptors  and  obesogens  and  have  been  linked  to   Cook  with  the  safe,  inert  cookware  
Compounds   liver,  pancreatic,  thyroid,  testicular,  and  mammary   that  does  not  contain  PFOA/PFTE.  
(PFCs)   gland  tumors.  PFCs  are  found  in  non-­‐stick  pans,  and   Avoid  packaged  foods  in  general.    
grease-­‐resistant  food  packaging  and  paper  products,  
such  as  microwave  popcorn  bags  and  pizza  boxes.  

35  
 
 These  related  chemicals  are  found  in  farmed  fish  and  
Polychlorinated  
conventional  meats  and  dairy.  They  have  a  wide  range  
biphenyls   Choose  only  wild  fish,  pastured  
of  toxic  effects  including  endocrine  disruption,  
(PCBs)  &   poultry  and  pork  and  grass-­‐fed  beef.    
alteration  of  gene  transcription,  cancer,  neurotoxicity,  
Dioxins    
and  thyroid  disruption.  
Recombinant   Dairy  cows  raised  in  confinement  are  given  rBGH  to  
Bovine  Growth   boost  milk  production.  In  addition  to  acting  as  an   Choose  only  grass-­‐fed  beef  and  dairy  
Hormone   obesogen,  this  hormone  has  been  linked  to  hormone-­‐ products.  
(rBGH)   dependent  cancers  –  especially  prostate  cancer.    
Soy  foods  are  high  in  phytoestrogens  –  compounds   Avoid  soy  foods.  (Note:  Fermented  
that  mimic  estrogen  and  promote  fat  storage.  High   organic  soy  products,  such  as  tamari  
Soy  Foods   consumption  of  soy  foods  has  been  linked  with   are  safe  in  small  amounts.  The  
gynecomastia  (breast  tissue  in  men),  as  well  as   fermentation  process  helps  to  breaks  
hormone  dependent  cancers.   down  the  estrogen  mimics.)  
     
Tips  for  Lowering  Your  Exposure  to  Chemicals  
 
• Avoid  canned  foods  as  much  as  possible.  Food  cans  often  have  high  levels  of  
endocrine-­‐disrupting  chemicals  leach  into  the  food  
• Reduce  your  use  of  plastic  products  like  bags,  bottles,  and  plastic  wraps  
• Eliminate  pesticides  from  water  with  a  high  quality  water  purifier  
• Buy  organic  produce  
• Wash  all  fruits  and  vegetables  thoroughly  (although  do  not  be  fooled  that  washing  
will  remove  the  pesticides  from  produce,  it  will  only  remove  anything  that  may  be  
on  the  surface,  but  most  of  the  chemicals  are  so  small  that  they  readily  penetrate  
the  plant)  
• Buy  grass-­‐fed  or  hormone-­‐free  meats.  If  you  get  meat  from  other  sources,  trim  off  
the  fat.  Chemical  contaminants  collect  in  the  fat.  
• Avoid  processed  meats;  they  have  fat  ground  in  and  usually  have  other  chemicals  
and  preservatives  added.  
 

SAY NO TO GENETICALLY ALTERED FOODS

 
Genetically-­‐altered  foods  are  not  the  stuff  of  science  fiction.  These  foods  are  on  our  grocery  
store  shelves  right  now.  In  fact,  by  the  US  Department  of  Agriculture’s  own  estimates,  an  
astounding  70%  of  processed  foods  sold  in  the  United  States  contain  genetically  modified  
organisms  (GMO).  You  probably  eat  these  foods  every  day,  but  you  may  not  know  it  because  
the  USDA  doesn’t  require  food  manufacturers  to  tell  you  if  there  are  GMOs  in  your  food.  
 
The  United  States  is  one  of  the  only  countries  that  does  not  make  a  distinction  between  genetic  
engineering  and  breeding.  In  other  words,  they  treat  genetically-­‐altered  organisms  as  if  they  

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were  natural  foods.  The  U.S.  requires  no  pre-­‐market  safety  testing  of  GMOs  and  they  do  not  
need  to  be  identified  on  food  labels.  
 
Bioengineering  has  spread  from  tomatoes  to  strawberries,  corn,  soybeans,  tobacco,  wheat,  and  
rice,  among  other  foods.  And  these  ingredients  have  since  made  their  way  into  sports  drinks,  
cake  mix,  baby  food,  frozen  dinners,  bread,  cereal,  and  just  about  every  other  food  you  can  
imagine.  
 
Here  are  a  few  steps  you  can  take  to  regain  some  choice  in  the  matter.  Buy  foods  labeled  “non  
GMO.”  Avoid  all  processed  foods.  Buy  organic  fruits  and  vegetables.  You  can  find  a  
comprehensive  Non-­‐GMO  Shopper’s  Guide  at  the  Center  for  Food  Safety  website:  
http://truefoodnow.org/shoppers-­‐guide/  
 

DIETARY OFFENDERS & HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

 
Low-­‐Fat  and  Fat-­‐Free  Products  
 
It  is  now  not  surprising  that  studies  find  low-­‐fat  diets  are  disastrous  for  your  health  and  
ineffective  for  weight  loss.  The  University  of  Cincinnati  study  concluded  that  patients  on  a  very  
low  carbohydrate  diet  lost  significantly  more  weight  than  those  on  a  low-­‐fat,  low-­‐calorie  diet  in  
a  six  month  period.  Even  more  importantly,  the  low  carbohydrate  group  also  lost  more  body  fat  
than  the  low  fat  group.    
Another  study  that  examined  people  eating  very  low  fat  diets  (14%  fat)  concluded  that  there  
was  no  improvement  in  body  composition,  blood  sugar  levels,  insulin  levels,  or  blood  pressure  
levels.  The  study’s  authors  called  very  low-­‐fat  diets  “counterproductive”  to  health.  
 
Foods  like  rice  cakes  often  advertise  themselves  as  low-­‐fat,  diet  friendly  products.  And  while  
they  might  not  have  any  fat,  they  are  processed  carbohydrates  which  increase  your  blood  sugar  
rapidly.  This  drives  up  your  fat-­‐storing  hormone,  insulin.  And  as  your  blood  sugar  drops  just  as  
quickly  it  will  result  in  hunger.  
 
If  a  package  bears  a  “low-­‐fat”  label,  avoid  it.  It  is  probably  bad  for  your  heart  and  your  waistline.    
Manufacturers  add  more  carbs  to  compensate  for  the  loss  of  taste  caused  by  removal  of  the  
fat.  And  the  added  carbs  are  the  worse  kind  of  refined,  processed  carbs  –  the  major  cause  of  
heart  disease.  In  a  study  of  80,000  nurses,  Harvard  researchers  calculate  that  substituting  an  
equal  number  of  calories  of  carbohydrates  for  the  polyunsaturated  fats  increases  the  risk  of  
heart  disease  by  over  50%.  Removing  the  natural  fats  and  adding  carbohydrates  is  bad  for  your  
heart.15  
 
The  food  industry  produced  a  wide  range  of  “low-­‐fat”  products.  But  without  the  tasty  fat,  the  
food  was  bland.    The  manufacturers  solved  that  problem  by  adding  sugar.  And  in  the  end,  we  
replaced  dietary  fat  with  refined  carbohydrates  and  sugar  in  our  diets.  The  amount  of  calories  

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from  fat  in  our  American  diet  decreased,  and  the  amount  of  calories  from  refined  
carbohydrates  increased  –  dramatically.  
 
Weight  Loss  Shakes  
 
Meal  Replacement  Drinks  /  Diabetes  Shakes  /  Smoothies:  Despite  their  claims,  guzzling  a  
sugar-­‐laden  drink  in  place  of  a  real  meal  won’t  help  you  shed  pounds,  get  an  “antioxidant  
boost”  or  control  diabetes.  In  fact,  you’ll  worsen  blood  sugar  control  and  gain  weight  over  time  
by  consuming  these  drinks.  
 
Many  smoothie  shops  use  fruit  that  is  soaked  in  syrup.  These  drinks  can  pack  more  than  400  
calories  and  80  grams  of  sugar  into  a  single  serving.  Some  also  add  harmful  artificial  sweeteners  
to  their  products.  
 
And  here  is  something  that  might  seem  hard  to  believe.  Many  of  the  so-­‐called  “weight  loss  
drinks”  and  meal  replacement  shakes  –  such  as  Slimfast  and  Ensure,  among  others  –  actually  
contain  refined  sugars  and  high  fructose  corn  syrup!  These  products  also  often  contain  soy  
protein,  soybean  oil,  hydrogenated  oils  (trans  fats)  and  a  long  list  of  artificial  chemicals.  
 
Of  course,  none  of  these  products  actually  work  to  help  people  lose  weight.  They  can’t  work.  
They  are  made  with  ingredients  that  promote  intense  cravings,  disrupt  your  blood  sugar  and  
cause  your  body  to  store  fat.  
 
Offenders:  Slim-­‐Fast,  Ensure,  Boost,  Glucerna,  Jamba  Juice,  Smoothie  King.  
 
Healthy  Alternatives:  Whip  up  an  organic  whey  protein  smoothie  with  antioxidant-­‐rich  berries  
and  raw  eggs  from  pasture-­‐raised  hens.  Or  enjoy  my  cleansing  Ultra  Greens  Elixir,  which  you  
can  find  at  www.primalforce.net.    
 
Corn  Products  
 
Microwave  Popcorn,  Popcorn  Cakes,  Corn  Chips:  Corn  is  a  grain,  not  a  vegetable.  It  is  a  high-­‐
glycemic  food,  which  means  that  it  spikes  your  blood  sugar  and  promotes  fat  storage.  So  don’t  
be  fooled  by  the  low  calories  on  the  back  of  popcorn  packages  or  corn  chips.  It  doesn’t  take  
many  of  the  wrong  kind  of  calories  to  send  your  body  into  a  fat-­‐storing  tailspin.  
 
Corn  is  the  most  frequently  genetically  modified  food  on  the  planet.  It  is  highly  allergenic.  And  if  
you’re  eating  the  microwave  popcorn  they  sell  in  grocery  stores,  you’re  also  ingesting  the  
carcinogenic  and  endocrine  disrupting  chemical,  PFOA.  This  contaminant  leaches  into  the  
popcorn  from  the  bag  liner  during  popping.  Offenders:  Jiffy  Pop,  Orville  Redenbacher,  Tostitos,  
Doritos,  Fritos,  Garden  of  Eatin’  Blue  Chips,  etc.    
 

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Healthy  Alternative:  Enjoy  grain-­‐free  flax  crackers  rich  in  essential  fats  (like  Go  Raw  and  Foods  
Alive  at  most  health  food  stores),  topped  with  raw  cheese,  ripe  avocado,  wild  sardines  or  nut  
butter  and  fresh  sliced  strawberries.  And  see  the  recipes  section  for  delicious  Caveman  
Crackers  and  Cheddar-­‐Almond  Bites  which  you  can  make  at  home  for  just  pennies  per  serving.  
 
Rice  Products  
 
Rice,  Rice  Cakes,  Rice  Crackers,  Rice  Syrup:  Contrary  to  popular  belief,  rice  is  NOT  a  health  
food.  Like  the  other  grains  it  will  put  you  on  a  blood  sugar  rollercoaster.  And  while  brown  rice  
syrup  is  touted  as  a  “healthier”  substitute  for  sugar  or  high  fructose  corn  syrup,  it  is  just  as  bad.  
So,  don’t  be  fooled.  Your  body  isn’t.  Offenders:  Uncle  Bens,  Far  East,  Lundberg,  many  more.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Most  people  don’t  realize  that  it’s  often  texture  –  not  taste  –  that’s  wired  
to  the  pleasure  centers  of  our  brain.  But  guess  what?  You  can  mimic  the  textures  of  grain-­‐based  
foods  with  a  variety  of  seeds,  nuts  and  veggies  without  sending  your  blood  sugar  off  the  charts  
and  causing  the  scale  to  creep  up.    
 
Pasta  &  Noodles  
 
This  one  strikes  close  to  many  hearts.  And  it  does  visible  damage  in  the  belly  region  too.  Kidding  
aside,  I  know  that  most  people  love  pasta.  But  it  is  a  grain-­‐based  food  that  has  virtually  no  
inherent  nutrients  when  taken.  And  with  so  many  starchy  carbohydrates,  a  bowl  of  pasta  can  
spike  your  blood  sugar  more  than  a  sweet  dessert.  Offenders:  Muellers,  DeBolles,  Barilla  and  
more.  
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Pasta  is  merely  a  delivery  vehicle  for  sauces,  right?  So  the  solution  is  to  
find  a  better  delivery  vehicle.  And  we’ve  done  just  that.  Cook  your  delicious  Grass-­‐Fed  Beef  
Bolognese  (see  the  recipes  section)  and  pour  it  over  spaghetti  squash  or  zucchini  spirals.  Or  try  
Miracle  Noodles  made  from  konjac  root.  They  have  zero  calories,  zero  carbs  and  contain  no  soy  
or  grain.  Check  out  their  website  to  order:  www.miraclenoodle.com    
 
Protein  &  Energy  Bars  
 
Meal  Replacement  Bars:  The  primary  ingredient  in  these  so-­‐called  “health  foods”  is  usually  soy  
protein  isolate.  Most  bars  also  contain  processed  fats,  including  hydrogenated  oil  (trans  fat).  
They  may  also  contain  up  to  30  grams  of  sugar  in  a  single  bar.  And  if  they  are  low  sugar,  it’s  
because  they’re  chemically  sweetened  with  Sucralose  or  aspartame.  Any  way  you  look  at  it,  
most  “meal-­‐replacement”  bars  are  bad  news  for  your  waistline  and  your  long  term  health.  
Offenders:  South  Beach  Bars,  Clif  Bars,  SoyJoy,  PowerBar,  Balance  Bar,  Think  Bar  and  many  
more.  
   
Healthy  Alternative:  You  should  never  replace  a  meal  with  a  bar.  Your  body  requires  a  wide  
range  of  nutrients  found  only  in  whole  foods  –  not  isolated  synthetic  nutrients.  That’s  one  

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reason  you’ll  find  yourself  hungry  soon  after  eating  a  300  calorie  “power  bar”.  For  a  healthy  
snack  try  the  Raw  Energy  Bars  in  the  recipes  section.  They  are  low  glycemic,  plus  a  good  source  
of  fiber  and  healthy  fat  that  will  keep  your  blood  sugar  stable  and  your  belly  feeling  full.  Also,  
try  making  your  own  nut  &  seed  mixes  with  nutrient  rich  pumpkin  seeds,  sunflower  seeds,  
almonds,  walnuts,  macadamias,  pecans,  cacao  nibs,  and  unsweetened  coconut  flakes.    
 
    Contain  PHVO,  high  sodium  and  Nuts,  boiled  eggs,  
  Energy  boost   and   quick   the   worst  junk  carbs  that  rob   fresh  fruit,  raw  
Energy  Bar   compact   meal   nutrients   and   energy   veggies  
 
Processed  Nuts  
 
Several  studies  show  that  those  who  eat  nuts  are  less  likely  to  die  from  heart  disease  than  
those  who  don’t  eat  nuts.  One  study  in  the  Archives  of  Internal  Medicine,  a  17-­‐year  review  of  
over  21,000  men,  shows  that  nut  eaters  are  50%  less  likely  to  diet  from  heart  rhythm  problems  
and  30%  less  likely  to  die  from  heart  disease  than  non-­‐nut  eaters  are.  
 
But  you  should  avoid  nuts  that  contain  processed  ingredients,  such  sugar  coatings,  artificial  
colors,  and  preservatives.  Lastly,  check  the  label  for  the  type  of  oil  used  to  process  the  nuts.  
Many  manufacturers  cook  nuts  in  peanut  oil,  which  is  inflammatory.  Look  for  nuts  prepared  
with  safflower,  sesame  or  no  oil  instead.  
 
Avoid  roasted  nuts.  The  roasting  process  causes  the  fats  and  oils  to  go  rancid,  and  rancid  oils  
increase  free-­‐radical  damage  in  the  body.  (Free  radicals  accelerate  aging.)  All  almonds,  walnuts  
and  almond  butter  must  be  raw.  They  can  not  be  roasted.  Roasting  nuts  takes  a  good  food  and  
turns  it  into  a  bad  food!  
 
Burritos  &  Pizzas  
 
Organic  burritos?  Pizzas  made  with  whole  grains?  These  frozen  foods  are  high-­‐glycemic  meals  
that  fuel  the  growth  of  fat  on  your  body,  not  to  mention  heart  disease  and  diabetes.  Leave  the  
health  food  fakes  where  they  belong  –  in  the  freezer  case.  Offenders  include:  Amy’s,  
Cedarlane,  California  Pizza  and  many  more.  
 
Healthy  Alternative:  You  can  enjoy  pizza  and  Mexican  food  while  going  against  the  grain.  Check  
out  our  Deep  Dish  Pizza  and  Mexican  Lettuce  Wraps  in  the  recipes  section  for  a  healthy  riff  on  
these  comfort  foods.  
 
Sugar-­‐Free  Desserts  
 
Most  low-­‐carb  and  low-­‐calorie  desserts  are  loaded  with  artificial  sweeteners  and  chemical  
additives  that  act  as  obesogens.  Don’t  fall  for  the  marketing  gimmicks.  These  foods  won’t  help  

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you  lose  weight.  And  they  aren’t  healthy,  they’re  toxic!  Offenders  include:  Carb  Smart,  Atkins,  
South  Beach,  Carb  Solutions,  Keto  and  many  more.  
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Satisfy  your  sweet  tooth  with  an  ounce  of  organic,  dark  chocolate  like  
Green  &  Blacks  Dark  Chocolate  Bar  85%  with  fresh  organic  berries.  And  be  sure  to  choose  dark  
chocolate.  Milk  chocolate  has  very  little  health-­‐enhancing  cocoa  and  too  much  sugar.  You  can  
also  make  your  own  healthy  desserts  at  home  using  the  super-­‐sweet,  zero-­‐glycemic  herb,  
stevia,  and  grain-­‐free  alternatives  like  coconut  and  almond  flour.  Check  out  the  recipes  section  
to  learn  how  to  make  low-­‐glycemic,  grain-­‐free  desserts  including  Flourless  Chocolate  Cake,  
Peanut  Butter  Cookies,  Chocolate  Chip  Cookies,  Dark  Chocolate  Brownies,  Cheesecake  and  
Crème  Brule.    
 
Energy  Drinks  &  Diet  Soda  
 
These  canned  chemical  cocktails  will  raise  your  insulin  levels,  promote  weight  gain,  tax  your  
liver  and  cause  cellular  damage.  Offenders  include:  Red  Bull,  Rockstar,  Monster,  Diet  Coke,  
Diet  Pepsi,  and  many  more.  
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Make  filtered  or  spring  water  your  drink  of  choice.  Enjoy  organic  teas  and  
coffee.  And  if  you  want  the  taste  of  a  soda  without  the  sugar  or  chemicals,  add  a  splash  of  
whole  fruit  juice  and  a  dash  of  stevia  to  eight  ounces  of  sparkling  water.  
 
If  you  want  a  healthier  alternative,  mix  an  ounce  or  two  of  fruit  juice  (or  even  better,  low  sugar  
fruit  juice  concentrate  which  you  can  find  at  just  about  any  health  food  store)  with  sparkling  
water.  If  you  would  like  it  a  bit  sweeter,  add  a  few  drops  of  all  natural  stevia.  
 
Bread  Products  
 
Loaves,  Wraps,  Bagels,  Pitas  and  More:  Whole  wheat,  refined  wheat,  organic  wheat,  sprouted  
wheat,  spelt,  rice,  buckwheat,  kamut  –  almost  all  of  it  is  high-­‐glycemic  and  will  spike  your  blood  
sugar.  And  none  of  it  was  present  in  our  native  diet.  Do  your  body  a  favor.  Try  avoid  bread  
products  as  much  as  possible.  Offenders  include:  ALL  bread  products.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  As  you  move  away  from  grains,  your  desire  for  these  foods  will  begin  to  
subside.  But  when  the  craving  does  strike,  rely  on  delicious  grain-­‐free  breads  including  Zucchini  
Walnut  Bread  and  Caraway  Bread.  
 
Breakfast  Foods  
 
Pancakes,  Waffles,  Breakfast  Bowls,  Burritos  &  Sandwiches:  These  fake  foods  promise  to  make  
your  life  easier  in  the  morning.  But  the  little  amount  of  time  you’ll  save  isn’t  worth  the  damage  
they’ll  do  to  your  waistline  and  long  term  health.  Offenders  include:  Amy’s,  Hungry  Man,  Aunt  
Jemima,  Smart  Ones,  Kraft,  Kellogg’s,  South  Beach    

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Healthy  Alternative:  Breakfast  is  your  most  important  meal  of  the  day.  And  it  is  especially  
important  to  consume  protein  and  healthy  fats  at  that  time.  So  ditch  the  carbs  and  take  five  to  
ten  minutes  in  the  morning  and  prepare  a  real,  protein-­‐rich  breakfast  to  fuel  your  day.    
 
Crackers,  Chips  &  Cookies  
 
With  a  stroll  down  the  snack  aisle,  you’ll  find  claims  for  crackers  that  are  packed  with  fiber  and  
nutrients,  cookies  that  are  “reduced  fat”,  chips  that  are  “baked  not  fried”  and  low  cal  pretzels.  
Don’t  buy  into  it.  All  of  these  foods  –  even  the  “lesser  evil”  ones  –  are  packed  with  
hydrogenated  fats,  inflammatory  omega  6  oils,  and  processed  grains  that  will  trigger  fat  storage  
and  promote  disease.  Offenders  include:  Snackwell,  Dixie  Diner,  Dr.  Seigels  Cookie  Diet  
products,  South  Beach,  Atkins,  Frito  Lay,  Kashi,  Snyders  of  Hanover  and  more.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Avoid  the  snack  aisle  altogether.  Snack  on  real  foods  that  provide  
nutrients  –  not  empty  calories.    
 
Commercial  Salad  Dressings,  Sauces  &  Mayonnaise  
 
Almost  all  commercial  salad  dressings  and  mayonnaises  (even  the  organic  ones)  contain  
unhealthy  vegetable  oils  –  primarily  soybean  oil.  Plus,  many  are  loaded  with  high  fructose  corn  
syrup  and  a  long  list  of  artificial  ingredients.  Offenders  include:  Wishbone,  Ken’s,  Newman’s  
Own,  Kraft  and  many  more.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  You’ll  find  quick  and  delicious  salad  dressing  recipes  you  can  prepare  in  
less  than  five  minutes  in  the  recipes  section.  They’re  packed  with  heart-­‐healthy  olive  and  
avocado  oils  and  rich  in  monounsaturated  fat.  For  a  shortcut,  try  Bragg’s  Organic  Healthy  
Vinaigrette.  For  a  delicious  organic  mayonnaise  made  with  olive  and  coconut  oil  try  Coconut  
Mayonnaise  made  by  Wilderness  Family  Naturals.    
 
Cereals  
 
Even  Lucky  Charms  and  Fruit  Loops  are  being  touted  as  healthy  and  “whole  grain”  these  days.  
The  truth  is  all  cereals  –  even  the  supposedly  healthy  kind  –  are  about  as  natural  as  the  box  
they  are  sold  in.  These  nutrient-­‐void  foods  pack  an  unhealthy  helping  of  grain  that  isn’t  suited  
for  our  native  blueprint.  The  result  is  a  blood  sugar  spike,  a  decrease  in  insulin  sensitivity  and  
loud  signal  to  STORE  FAT!  Don’t  be  fooled  by  the  healthy  halo  of  cereals  –  they  are  anything  
but.  Offenders:  General  Mills  products,  Kellogs,  Kashi,  Quaker,  Cascadian  Farm  and  anything  
else  that  comes  in  a  box,  can,  packet  on  the  cereal  aisle.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  When  you  begin  to  move  away  from  grains,  you’ll  find  your  cravings  for  
these  health-­‐hindering  foods  begins  to  diminish.  This  is  a  really  good  sign  that  you  are  getting  

42  
 
off  the  sugar  rollercoaster.  When  you  find  yourself  craving  grain,  try  the  Paleo  Cereal  with  
Blueberries  recipe  in  the  recipes  section.    
 
Peanut  Butter  
 
Nut  butters  are  a  healthy  staple  that  you  should  have  on  hand  for  spreading  on  apple  slices,  
dipping  celery  and  mixing  into  your  own  healthy  protein  shakes.  But  peanut  butter  is  a  sticky  
subject.  That’s  because  many  peanut  butter  manufacturers  use  hydrogenated  oils  to  prevent  
peanut  butter  from  separating.  And  most  add  loads  of  sugar  or  chemicals  to  create  a  “reduced  
fat”  peanut  butter.  And  don’t  be  fooled  by  “Omega-­‐3  Peanut  Butters”  –  made  with  tilapia  
gelatin  along  with  their  standard  hydrogenated  oil  –  they’re  junk  too.  Offenders:  Jif,  Skippy  
Peter  Pan,  Smuckers,  and  more.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Good  news  –peanut  butter  can  be  healthy  in  moderation.  But  you  need  to  
be  sure  you’re  buying  the  right  kind.  Because  peanuts  are  often  contaminated  with  aflatoxin  –  a  
mold  toxin  and  potent  liver  carcinogen  –  it’s  important  to  choose  Valencia  peanuts  that  are  
grown  in  an  arid  climate.  MaraNatha  and  Arrowhead  Mills  are  good  options  made  with  only  
Valencia  peanuts  and  salt.    
 
Alcoholic  Drink  Mixers  
 
In  moderation,  alcohol  can  be  healthy  for  most  people.  (And  by  moderation,  I  mean  no  more  
than  two  drinks  per  day  for  men  and  one  drink  per  day  for  women.)  While  it  is  true  that  
consuming  alcohol  slows  the  body’s  ability  to  burn  fat,  an  often  overlooked  issue  is  the  added  
calories  and  sugar  in  mixed  drinks  like  Margaritas,  Pina  Coladas  and  others.  In  fact,  just  one  
serving  of  Bacardi’s  Margarita  Mixer  contains  150  calories  and  32  grams  of  sugar  –  and  that’s  
without  the  alcohol!  Offenders:  Bacardi  Mixers,  Stirrings  Mixers,  Baja  Bobs  and  more.    
 
Healthy  Alternative:  Opt  for  organic  red  wine.  You’ll  tally  just  84  calories  for  a  6  ounce  glass,  
plus  a  nice  punch  of  resveratrol  –  a  powerful  anti-­‐aging  phytonutrient.  For  lighter  mixed  drinks  
that  are  naturally  sugar-­‐free,  rely  on  fresh  citrus  juices  and  sweeten  with  stevia.  
 
                                                                                                           
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2
 Robinson  J.  “Why  Grassfed  is  Best!  The  Surprising  Benefits  of  Grassfed  Meet,  Eggs,  and  Dairy  Products.”  2000,  
Washington:  Vashon  Island  Press  
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 Epstein,  SS  (1996).  “Unlabeled  milk  from  cows  treated  with  biosynthetic  growth  hormones:  A  case  of  regulatory  
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 Rule  D.C.  (2002).  “Comparison  of  muscle  fatty  acid  profiles  and  cholesterol  concentrations  of  bison,  beef  cattle,  
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 Hope  BK,  Baker  R,  Edel  ED,  Hogue  AT,  Schlosser  WD,  Whiting  R,  McDowell  RM,  Morales  RA.  (2002)  An  overview  of  
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7
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9
 Serra-­‐Majem  L,  et  al.    “How  could  changes  in  diet  explain  changes  in  coronary  heart  disease?”    The  Spanish  
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12
 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/06/30/diet-­‐sodas.aspx  
 
13
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14
 Pizzorno  JE.  Textbook  of  Natural  Medicine,  2nd  Edition,  1999:1377-­‐1387.  
Carlsen  E,  et  al.  “Evidence  for  decreasing  quality  of  semen  during  the  past  50  years.”  British  Medical  Journal.  Sep  
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15
 Renauld  S,  de  Lorgeril  M.  “Wine,  alcohol,  platelets,  and  the  French  paradox  for  coronary  heart  disease.”  The  
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