Transforming your life through

living plant-based whole foods

Increase your Energy
Lose Weight
Improve your Productivity

and Athletic Performance

Prevent Disease and Live Longer

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN

Disclaimer

Copyright
Disclaimer &
Copyright Elkaim Health Fitness Solutions, Inc. (operating as Total Wellness Consulting).
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system.

Disclaimer
The information presented in this work is by no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical counseling. The information should be used
in conjunction with the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your
physician before beginning this program as you would with any exercise and
nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain the consent of your physician
and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using
the recommendations in the program, you are agreeing to accept full
responsibility for your actions.
By continuing with the program you recognize that despite all precautions on
the part of Yuri Elkaim and Elkaim Health Fitness Solutions, Inc., there are risks
of injury or illness which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned
information and you expressly assume such risks and waive, relinquish and
release any claim which you may have against Yuri Elkaim or Elkaim Health
Fitness Solutions, Inc, or its affiliates as a result of any future physical injury or
illness incurred in connection with, or as a result of, the use or misuse of the
program.

What people say about this book

What Other Eating for Energy Clients

and Industry Experts Are Saying
Dear Yuri,
I wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I appreciate Eating For Energy. As fitness professional, I was always
looking for the next big thing. It was only after reading and implementing the strategies in your program that I realized the
error in my ways! Rather than trying to find out ways to work out harder or squeeze in enough calories for dessert, I discovered that returning to my rootsto the way that our ancestors ate long ago.is really the only option if you are serious
about your health. With all of the diet crazes and commercialization of food, it is easy to get caught up in all of the hype.
Even with my background, I can speak from experience that I fell prey to many of these so-called health foods.
You see, for years, I was in great shape. Even after having two children, I was basically able to eat whatever I liked. However, I worked out feverishly for hours a day. Slaving away at the gym so that I could enjoy pizza at night without feeling
guilty. It was only after my 30th birthday that things started to change.
I felt tired all the time. I was moody and irritable. I snapped at my children. I didnt feel like myself. My workouts became
less intense and less frequent. Finally, all of my bad eating habits had caught up with me. Within a matter of a year, I had
gained nearly 20 pounds. I looked and felt horrible. I started to explore options for weight loss through food.
I cant tell you how many diets I started and failed. And the more I failed, the more driven I became that the next diet was
the real solution to my problem. Weight watchers, calorie counting, low carb.none of them gave me any long-term results. Finally, I decided to start eliminating meat from my diet. After much research, I learned the ramifications of eating
meat. Morally and physically, I was opposed to what meat did to me. After 6 months of taking meat out of my diet, I took
the plunge and went vegan. And although I was feeling better more energy, happier, lighter in my step I still had not lost
the weight. Frustrated but determined that I had made the right decision, I kept on reading and researching. Thats where I
found you.
While browsing Facebook one day, I saw a link to your site. I had read about going raw but friends and family had discouraged it because they thought it was too hard (the same friends and family who discouraged me from going vegan!) After
reading your philosophy and the success stories on your site, I felt a deep connection and grabbed Eating For Energy. I literally devoured it reading it every chance that I had a free moment. Sometimes I would go back and read a section three
times. It all became so clear to me. Something I was making so complex, so difficult, couldnt have been easier. Eat more
fruits and vegetables. Dont eat if you arent hungry. Start your day off with a glass of warm lemon water. Simple mantras I
could easily incorporate into my life.
I proclaimed it the Summer of Raw and strong in my belief that this was the answer, I took my before pictures. They
were awful for me to look at. It made me realize that I was getting as bad as some of my clients who came to me for advice
and training. The very next day, I started following your meal plan. It was easy to follow and the recipes didnt take long
to prepare at all. As a busy mom, I could grab them on the go and prepare them ahead of time. No crazy dehydrators. No
juicers. Just simple instructions for recipes that all of my family enjoyed.
It didnt take long before I started to see a change. The pounds fell off with very little effort on my part. I still ate out once
a week but found that I didnt crave the pasta dishes that I once looked forward to. Instead, I looked for restaurants that
catered towards unique salads or customizable dishes. I still worked out everyday but only spent a maximum of an hour
exercising.
Now, I am proud to say that I have lost 18 pounds. I have lost 6% body fat. I have lost 4 inches from my waist and two inches from my hips. I am almost back down to the weight I was two years ago. Best of all, I look as healthy as I feel. My skin is
clear. My eyes are bright. I am happy to look in the mirror again. My summer of raw has turned my life around and I plan
to continue down the raw path (and encourage those around me to as well!) for a very long time. Thank you Yuri for your
time, dedication, and effort on this subject. I know I am not alone when I say that you have helped me to save myself.

Laura Lesack

What people say about this book

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know how unhealthy you were until you become really healthy.
I have always considered myself healthy; eating what I
thought was right, exercising and enjoying a balanced lifestyle.
What Yuris book, Eating for Energy helped me to understand is
Melbourne, Australia
by making some simple adjustments to my current lifestyle and
eating habits, I could feel Great! After reading his book I have
more much energy and I look and feel lighter. Thanks Yuri!

Irene Marinkovic

TL Bonnar

General Manager, Avalon Woods Health Club for Mature

Adults

What people say about this book

for Energy
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"I found Yuri Elkaim's book Eating For Energy surprisingly innovative. The entire book is framed positively and contains a
wealth of solution-oriented action steps for readers. The recipes are quite extensive as well. Enjoy Eating For Energy and
Have The Best Day Ever!"

David Wolfe

Founder of www.sunfood.com, www.ftpf.org, thebestdayever.

com, and author of The Sunfood Diet Success System, Naked
Chocolate, Amazing Grace, and Eating For Beauty.
l way of explainra
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I just finished re
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r Energy", and
wanted to let yo
u know how blo
wn away I am! I'
searched the wo
ve
rld (World Wide
Web, anyway) o
searching for an
ver,
understandable,
do-able nutrition
plan that would
support my athle
tic lifestyle, my
post-menopausa
l condition, AND
give me the best
health of my life
...and I've found
it! I also appreci
ate your forum a
nd the personali
zed tips you sha
with me. You're
red
the nutritional/fi
tness guru I've b
searching for, an
een
d I'm forever gra
teful!

Kathy Roberts

I've bee
nl
for the p iving a vegan life
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rs, but "
Energy"
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ment to s catapulted my
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read Yur
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Amy Mil

ler

This book is dedicated to YOU

May you enjoy the

health and happiness
that you deserve!
How you heal anything is how you
heal everything.

Yuri Elkaim

Contents

Contents
Foreword

Understanding the nutritional lifestyle

Week 1

111

1: My Reason Why

10

Week 2

112

2: Planting the Seeds of Foundation

17

Week 3

113

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

20

Week 4

114

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything 25

Week 5

115

5: Enzymes... Your Life Depends on Them

36

Week 6

116

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

46

Week 7

117

48

Week 8

118

7: 12 Eating for Energy Super Foods

57

Week 9

119

8: 4 Essential Supplements

65

Week 10

120

9: Making the Transition

70

Week 11

121

Healthy Eating on the Run

73

Week 12

122

What You Need to Get Started

76

Healthy Recipe

The 10 Success Habits

77

5 Recipe Quick Start Tips

124

10: pH Balance and Allergies

79

The Grocery List

125

11: The 5 Essential Pillars

84

Breakfasts

128

1. Alkalize Your Body

85

Soups

136

2. Nourish Your Body with Enzyme-Rich, Living,

Plant-Based Whole Foods

88

Sandwiches & Wraps

148

3. Improve Digestion and Absorption

89

Salads

155

4.Reduce Your Stress

93

Pasta & Noodle Dishes

188

5. Exercise Daily

97

Desserts

201

The Eating for Energy Food Spectrum

Nutrition for Athletes

100

12-Week Meal Plan

Smoothies & Juices

110

123

215

Vitamins and Minerals

216

Nut Milks

218

Fresh Pressed Juices

248

Eating before Exercise

101

Fuel during Exercise

103

Sport Gels and Puddings

104

Post-Exercise Nutrition

105

About the Author

Hydration and Exercise

106

Become an Eating for Energy Affiliate and Help Others! 268

Natural Sport Drinks

107

Other Nutrition Programs by Yuri Elkaim

269

Hydration Protocols

108

Workout Programs by Yuri Elkaim

270

References

271

267

Foreword

Foreword
Foreword

66

Foreword

Foreword
Foreword
Welcome to the beginning of a new YOU.

This very program has already transformed the lives of tens

of thousands of people all around the world from busy moms
desperately seeking more energy to corporate executives in
search of greater productivity and focus, and everywhere in
between.
The nutrition principles youre about to discover have increased our clients energy levels by an average of 70%
(based on self-reported improvements). For many, it has
been the golden ticket to losing weight and preventing/reversing sickness and disease. Most notably, Eating for Energy has given our clients an unparalleled level of knowledge
on how to eat well for ultimate health. After all, knowledge
is power if action is taken. Youll get both as you move
through this program.
And since Eating for Energy was originally my rebuttal to a
world of complicated raw and health-related diets, this program has been a welcome relief for anyone looking to get
into raw foods without all the headaches and complicated
recipes.

But I should mention that Im not a 100% raw foodist. Im

not fanatical nor am I dogmatic. I believe that eating more
raw food (in the way I show you in this program) is the most
significant thing you can do increase your energy and overall
vitality, but by now means do you need to be a hardcore raw
vegan to benefit from what youre about to learn.
If you continue to eat meat and cooked food occasionally,
thats fine youll learn how to balance that out and find
what works best for your body. Were all at different stages
on this journey called life and I hope that this information
will help you evolve to where you need to be to live your
best life ever!

Lets get started!

Part 1: Understanding the nutritional lifestyle

PartUnderstanding
1:
the nutritional lifestyle

88

1: My Reason Why

1: My
Why
1: MyReason
Reason Why

A powerful reason WHY is more important than

a thousand HOW TOs

99

1: My Reason Why

1: My
1: MyReason
Reason WhyWhy
Welcome to a new world of possibilities.

I cannot express how excited am I to share with you the

wonderful information contained within the Eating for Energy program! As you read through these pages, my hope is
that you discover the tremendous importance of this philosophy not only for your own health and performance but for
the health of the world as a whole. This book will show you
the importance and need for eating living plant-based whole
foods for the best possible health, energy, performance, and
body that you deserve. No other time in history has this
information been as needed as it is now. If you apply even
just 10% of the teachings in this book your life will transform
dramatically!

I decided that I needed to write Eating for Energy because of

the ailing state of our world and the people within it. Without a doubt the 21st century is the greatest time in history
to be alive, yet billions of people are suffering. Our planet is
suffering. People from all walks of life are no healthier today
than were the ancient civilizations from thousands of years
prior. In fact, theyre less healthy! Sure were living longer
but are we living in the best health possible? Definitely not!
The motivation for this book stems from several personal,
family, client, and society-wide experiences.

10

1: My Reason Why

Our Current ill State of Affairs

Its not rocket science that the state of health in the western
world is far from optimal. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes the most common diseases in the western world are
truly out of control. These diseases are those of the least
concern in Latin American, African, and even Asian countries.
They obviously have their diseases to contend with but they
are to a lesser extent influenced by lifestyle as are the Big
3 illnesses of western countries. Just think of the amount
of people that you know who suffer from either one or all of
these diseases. Its absolutely staggering!

5% of all cancers are strongly hereditary with the remaining

95% of cases being a result of damage (mutation) to genes
that occur during ones lifetime. These mutations (mainly
caused by free radical damage) may occur from a variety of
exogenous sources including tobacco, excessive sunlight,
x-rays, chemicals (including those in foods), and more. Lung
and bronchial cancer are still the most prevalent forms of
cancer among both men and women, and the numbers are
rising. The incidence of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers are all starting to decline.

According to the American Cancer Society, men have a 1 in

2 chance of developing cancer in their lifetime; while for
women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3, with 77% of all
cases occurring in people who are older than 55 years of age.
However, I personally know several men in their early 30s
who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer!

On a positive note, the 5-year relative survival rate for all

diagnosed cancers between 1996 and 2002 is 66%, up from
51% in 1975-1977. The improvement in survival reflects
advancements in early detection and improvements in treatment. As with most lifestyle-related diseases, cancer is more
easily prevented than treated, hence the importance of
proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.

Fortunately, they have all overcome the disease. Only about

Fatter Than Ever Before!

Being overweight is a major risk factor for all disease. Unfortunately, we are dealing with an epidemic of obesity as
people are inundated with poor food choices, chemically
induced addictive foods, and a lack physical activity, especially in North America. According to Statistics Canada (2004),
59.2% of Canadians are overweight or obese (36% are overweight, 23% are obese)! Similar numbers (actually slightly
higher) are seen in the United States.
The risk of being overweight is highly correlated with diet
and lifestyle. According to another report by Statistics Canada in 2006, children and youth who ate fruits and vegetables
at least 5 times a day were substantially less likely to be overweight than their counterparts who did not. Furthermore,
the likelihood of being overweight/obese rose as screen
time (watching TV, playing video games) increased.
Whatever happened to playing outside or taking a walk
instead of flopping down on the couch for several hours to
watch the latest reality TV shows? When I was young I dont
even remember going to school! My childhood was filled
with road hockey, soccer, and playing adventure games outside I even suffered from bad asthma which forced me to
take breaks every 10 minutes. But that didnt deter me!
To this day, I have ensured that play and activity remain a

priority in my life. I cant even imagine what my life would

be like otherwise. Applying the same (or even greater)
importance on quality nutrition is absolutely paramount. I
truly believe that we can prevent and/or deal with 95% of
all sickness and diseases through excellent nutrition, regular
exercise, and stress management.
Eating for Energy will educate you and then hold your hand,
serving as your guide as you transition into making healthier
food choices for the best and healthiest life ever!
To further illustrate the importance of this book allow me to
present some more startling nutritional findings. Consider
the findings from a recent survey entitled The Changing
Canadian Diet A Report Card by Canada Food Stats. Although Canadian-based, many of these trends are reflective
of all North American habits. Between 1970 and 2004, the
consumption of fats & oils increased from 15 to 25 kg/person/year. The consumption of wheat flour increased from
45 to 53 kg/person/year. The intake of cheeses from 4 to 9
kg/person/year.
However, there are some positive trends as well. During the
same time frame, the consumption of vegetables and fruits
saw a steady increase; while a decline in beef and milk was
also apparent.

11

1: My Reason Why
Things are starting to improve, but we have a long way to go.
My mission is to inspire you to realize that settling for mediocre health and energy is not acceptable! You deserve to
feel radiant energy each and every day. You were put on this
planet to achieve your full potential. You were born to be
the best you can be at what you do. Food is one of the most

powerful tools available to help you reach your true potential! By following the principles outlined in this book you will
see what I mean. Whether it be to gain more energy, lose
weight, perform better in your sport, or simply to prevent
disease it can and will be yours!

My Own Experience
As a former professional soccer player I can personally attest
to what proper nutrition has meant in my life. In my playing days, after having graduated as a Kinesiologist, I thought
I had a pretty good handle on what healthy eating was all
about. In fact, when I played in France, my French teammates used to call me Mr. Vitamine the translation is
pretty obvious.
A typical day for me would begin with Corn Flakes topped
with chopped up banana, strawberries, kiwi, and 2% milk.
Hmmm sounds pretty good doesnt it?! About 2 hrs later
I would be off to our morning training session. After having
exhausted myself during practice, I would come back home
for lunch and prepare myself a beautiful pasta with all kinds
of vegetables and some diced chicken breast or canned tuna.
However, I never stopped to think about why I constantly
needed to take a nap during the afternoon. Was I overtrained? Was I not sleeping well? The signs led me to believe that everything was in check. Yet, there was something
that just wasnt right. My energy was low (compared to
now) and my performance was beginning to suffer. Nonetheless, I was having a great time pursuing my lifes passion (at
least formerly) and was determined to put my troubles aside.
Having worked with hundreds of elite level athletes I now
know that my experience was not unique.
Several years after ending my soccer career, I decided to
pursue studies in nutrition. I had always been interested in
understanding why we all respond differently to the same
foods. I wanted to see if what I was doing was working, and
obviously it wasnt! I always felt that nutritional science was
a vast and undiscovered universe. I desperately wanted to

learn more so I could better help myself and others.

So, I embarked upon studies in Holistic Nutrition, and gratefully so. This intense 1 year program at the Canadian School
of Natural Nutrition opened my eyes to a completely different way of viewing food, the human body, and the interaction of both. The knowledge I acquired was far beyond what
I could have ever imagined and I feel compelled to share it
with the world.
During my studies I began uncovering reasons and solutions
to a condition I had developed when I was 17 years old,
called Alopecia. This is an auto-immune condition whereby
the body attacks its hair follicles. In my senior year of high
school I had lost all of my hair. I went to allergists, dermatologists, and every specialist in between. The only so-called
solution was to get cortisone injections, and that really
irritated me. I wanted to get to the root of the problem, and
not just cover up the symptoms with prescription drugs.
As I dove into studying nutrition and its impact on the body
I began to discover that my condition, which apparently had
no known cause or solution, could in fact be heavily related to the foods I was eating and the health and integrity of
my digestive tract! This blew my mind and to this day I am
making the necessary progress nutritionally to overcome
Alopecia, although Im quite happy with my easy-to-maintain
shaved head. These are nutritional principles youll learn
about in this book and that will tremendously benefit you no
matter your situation.
After all, Hippocrates once said
Let food be your medicine, and medicine your food

12

1: My Reason Why

The Story of Bedstefar

I always tell the story of my late Bedstefar (Danish, for grandfather) who was in great health until his early 70s. He lived
in Adelaide, Australia where he gardened each day, spent a
great deal of time walking, eating relatively healthy foods,
and spending quality time with family. Then, decades later
he decided to move back to Oshawa, Ontario (in Canada)
where he returned to live in the same gloomy apartment
he had left roughly 20 years prior. He was about 75 years old
at this point.
As a young admirer of my grandfather I was always amazed
at how fast and sharp he was when playing cards, talking
about current events, and even when watching the Price is
Right (I think he watched this more so for the lovely ladies).
But as the years passed he began to slow down and his
health deteriorated noticeably. He had not maintained his
healthy Australian lifestyle and became much more sedentary while losing the motivation to prepare healthy meals for
himself. Within a short period of time he had to have his gall
bladder removed, was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and
eventually developed Parkinsons-like symptoms. He was 91
when he passed away in late 2006.
In his later years it always upset me to hear responses like
Theres no use complaining or Not that great when I
asked him how he was doing. We speak our lives. You can

tell a whole lot about someone by the dialogue they employ.

My grandfather was not using a dialogue that demonstrated
vibrant health or even an optimistic outlook.
My grandfathers experience is just one of the reasons I
wrote Eating for Energy. I am extremely passionate about
helping people live their best possible lives and it frustrates
me to no end when, for whatever reason, they dont. Unfortunately, as human beings we are retroactive in nature,
meaning that we dont act until after the fact. I have always
promoted a proactive approach to healthy living. It is my
personal mission to inspire and motivate as many people as I
can to do the same including you!
I want you to realize right now that who you are is not necessarily who you really are. What I mean is that you are not
what you are, rather, what you are, is what you can be. In
essence, you are your potential! You have incredible potential! You have unbelievable potential, and I know that you
know it! You have a feeling deep down inside of you that is
burning to express itself. That flickering flame may represent
your desire to achieve unbelievable health and radiance or
maybe even to pursue a vocation that you absolutely love.
The key is to remember that your potential is endless. You
can achieve whatever you want.

Stories From My Personal Clients

(The names have been changed to protect the innocent)

The following are several real life examples from some of my
personal fitness clients. They are all active individuals with
goals of attaining greater physical and mental well-being.
You can see for yourself that some major nutritional work
was recommended.

Melissa, a retired business owner, would complain of frequent heart burn symptoms (which was actually a hiatal hernia) and digestive difficulty, yet was reluctant to reduce her
consumption of heavy animal protein and starchy meals.

Rose, a mental health nurse, was one of my first clients and

Julie, a tax specialist with a big accounting firm, was regularly also became a good friend. She would regularly consume
drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day, had mid-afternoon sugar 6-10 diet sodas per day!
cravings which would normally be satisfied by pastries, chocThese 4 clients have been highlighted for no other reason
olate, etc and rarely drank water.
than to illustrate that even health/fitness-conscious peoDebra, a young and trendy advertising creative director, was ple dont necessarily know and/or employ the principles of
so concerned with losing 10 pounds but her daily food intake healthy eating. It is very important to remember that you
can be fit without being healthy! Obviously, after applying
consisted of a morning pastry, take-out for lunch, and popseveral of the principles you will learn in this book, these
corn and candy for dinner (and that was a good day). She
wonderful clients have made tremendous improvements in
wanted a magic supplement that would compensate for
her diet and was unwilling to adjust any of her dietary choic- their dietary habits.
es.

13

1: My Reason Why
I have always been fit but not necessarily healthy. Not until
I restructured the way I ate did things start to fall into place.
Aside from a bout of food poisoning from some suspect
Indian food a few years ago, I cant remember the last
time I was sick.
Several of the clients mentioned above would call me to cancel an exercise session due to the flu, bad allergies, the common cold, headaches, and many other reasons. I couldnt
believe how often the same people could get sick in a single
year! If I remember correctly, I had one client who was sick
on about 8 different occasions in just 1 year!
You are what you eat. You are also what your foods eat. You
need to strongly re-evaluate the foods that you put into your
mouth. Ive always told my clients that nutrition accounts
for 80% of the battle. Whether youre looking for increased
energy, weight loss, better health, or greater performance it
all comes down to what foods you are eating and how well
your body processes them.

you are much greater than a Ferrari! You deserve only the
best possible foods to fuel your body. You must not settle
for anything less or your engine will wear down and your
performance will suffer.
I strongly believe we can prevent and solve all disease known
to mankind. Ive seen it with my own two eyes. Ive seen
people with Multiple Sclerosis dramatically regain their quality of life through proper nutrition. Ive seen obese people return to and maintain their intended weight through
proper eating and active living. Ive seen hypertension and
other cardiovascular complications reversed through proper
nutrition. Ive seen athletic performance go from dismally
lethargic to unbounded endurance, strength, and power - All
through the principles outlined in this book!

As you will learn, the principles in Eating for Energy apply

across the board and will have a dramatic and profound benefit on your health and quality of life. These are principles
that have been around for millions of years yet have been
suppressed by technological innovation, big business, govYou need to see yourself as a Ferrari. Would you put anyernment recommendations, and a lack of understanding of
thing but the best fuel into your Ferrari? Obviously not! And
the interaction between foods and the human body.
if you said yes, then Id be happy to take that poor car off
your hands. So, if you would fuel your Ferrari with the best, Think about where we came from and what nature intended
for us to thrive. Thats where were going!
then why wouldnt you do the same for yourself? In fact,

An Old New Way of Viewing Foods

If youre reading this book, then youre probably searching
for something that you currently are not experiencing. Perhaps you want to feel more energetic, improve your health
status, recover from disease, get rid of allergies, dramatically
improve your physical performance, or even lose weight.
Whatever your reason, I feel privileged to help you attain
your objectives and I thank you for allowing me to guide you
through your transformation.
What youll find in these pages is a new way of looking at
food. I have no interest in presenting a typical medical
approach to supposed healthy eating. My intention is to
empower you with amazing insight into how your body operates at the cellular level and how every single food you put in
your mouth either enlivens or drains you!
You will learn some principles which may seem absolutely
unconventional to what youve been told. And thats great!
As a former professional soccer player who thought he had a
clean diet, I was astonished when I began to experience the
teachings of Eating for Energy. I have always been a fairly

knowledgeable person, yet always willing to learn. As mentioned earlier, I used to believe that eating a large serving of
cooked pasta a few hours before training or a game was what
I was supposed to do. I even remember waking up in the
morning each day to Corn Flakes topped with banana, kiwi,
strawberries and smothered in 2% cows milk. WOW, Im
eating so amazingly healthy is what I used to believe. But
when I look back onto my playing days and recount the fatigue and digestive issues I experienced, I almost wish I could
go back and do it all again with my new approach.
The information in this book comes from my years of study
and practical experience in health and wellness that ultimately led me into the field of holistic nutrition. What intrigues me most about nutrition is the myriad of ways the
body can react to food. We are all unique in our biochemical
makeup, yet we are all human, and have roughly 99.993%
similar DNA. This means there is an approach to nutrition
that can apply to and dramatically help at least 98% of the
population. That approach is what youll be introduced to in
this book.

14

1: My Reason Why
Once you understand how your body works and how it is
connected to the foods you eat, you will begin to realize
what I mean.
At the end of each chapter in the first part of this book, Ive
included action steps for you to take. Knowledge is power,
but only if it is applied. Reading the contents of this book is
great but you need to actually apply its teachings to reap the
benefits. Action, action, action! Thats what its all about.
We all know everything dont we? We know that its important to exercise and which foods to avoid but how many of us
actually follow through and do what we know? Not many.

So use this book as your guide. Make notes,

benefit from its information and do your best
to take the action steps and recommendations
outlined.

Action Steps My Reason Why

1. Begin a journal to track your progress as you move through this program. Note how you feel throughout your day.
When do you get hungry? When do you eat, and what do you eat? What emotions do you experience before,
during, and after you eat? Write down whatever you can to give yourself greater insight as you move forward in your
journey.
2. Before beginning the program take a before photo and any appropriate measurements and/or indicators if you
wish. This will give you another means of comparison as you move through Eating for Energy. Its easy to forget just
how far youve come, so this gentle reminder may give you powerful leverage to reach your goals.
3. Write down 3 important goals that you need to achieve and why you need to achieve them. Have the goals visible
and read them aloud at least once per day. I would recommend you write them down as if theyve already been attained.

Heres an example:

I am so happy and grateful now that.

15

2: Planting the Seeds of Foundation

2: Planting
the
Seeds
of Foundation
2: Planting the
Seeds
of Foundation

To achieve ultimate health, you must take 100%

responsibility for your actions. All change begins
with you - as a person.

16
16

2: Planting the Seeds of Foundation

2: Planting
the
Seeds
of Foundation
2 Planting the
Seeds
of Foundation
We are all connected. Human beings, animals, plants, all species, and our beautiful planet are
parts of a whole. But, in order to help our planet, we must first help ourselves.
Our ill planet is nothing more than a mirror image of what
is happening within each one of us and society as a whole.
Therefore, you must first spend time on developing and
cleansing yourself before anything in your outer world will
change.

The focus of Eating for Energy is on vibrant, superior, and

energetic health! If you are suffering from ill health, there
is only one person responsible yourself. Blaming others or
circumstances will not empower you. To achieve ultimate
health, you must take 100% responsibility.

When you strive to become better yourself, everything

around you will become better as well. The environment in
which you live, the people that surround you and all of lifes
situations will improve as you do. By working on yourself, focusing on maintaining a healthy, positive outlook, and being
happy you can begin to experience health, joy, and energy in
endless abundance.

The question I pose to you is this:

In order for this to occur you must begin to take 100% responsibility for your actions. It is important to remember
that each action yields a result: cause and effect. Take full
responsibility for everything that happens in your life good
or bad. Winners take full responsibility for everything that
happens to them. They acknowledge when they do things
well and admit when theyre at fault.

How badly do you want to look and feel amazing, have

abundant energy, live in radiant health, eliminate fatigue,
lose weight, improve your performance, and live a long and
youthful life?
When the emotional desire for a thing is so intense that it
illuminates every fiber of your being, it shall then be fulfilled
and not a moment sooner. What you focus on expands.
Focus on what you want and it will come into your life.
Whether it be an ideal body weight, greater energy, youthfulness, or anything else simply focus your thoughts and
emotions on your desires and they shall be yours.

17

2: Planting the Seeds of Foundation

Like attracts like and things produce after their own kind.
Banana trees will yield bananas and orange trees will yield
oranges. Once seeds are planted they sprout and grow into
physical realities. And just as orange seeds will not grow into
banana tress, nor will negative thoughts grow into positive
physical realities.
Your mind is without a doubt the most fertile soil in the
world. For what you sow, you shall reap. If you plant seeds
of despair, anger, frustration, and stress you shall grow
weeds (or physical realities) that reflect these same things.
On the other hand, if you plant seeds of love, happiness, optimism, and radiant health, you shall grow glorious trees of
abundance in your life.
For many people, thinking in the positive on a consistent
basis is challenging. We have a tendency to complain. Have
you ever noticed how people try to out-complain each other? You tell a friend that something bad happened to you
over the weekend only to hear them respond with something even more tragic that happened to them. It becomes
a battle of whos got the worst life! You must eliminate this
tendency, or the precise things you complain about will continually resurface in your life.
Its time to live a life of endless abundance a life full of radiant energy and optimal health.

Benefits
By following the aforementioned guidelines as well as the
nutrition concepts in this book you will notice the following:
Greater productivity at work or in your business
Greater athletic performance and quicker recovery
Healthy, long-term and sustained weight loss (if desired)
Healthier skin, hair, and nails you will have a glow!
Dramatically improved energy and vigor
More motivation
Less fear and more willingness to take challenges
head-on
Ability to prevent sickness and disease
Increased chance of prolonging your life while living in
great health (my current goal is to live to 200 years of
age!)
And much more

Action Steps Planting the Seeds of Foundation

1. Spend at least 5 minutes each morning expressing sincere gratitude for everything you have in your life. Until youre
grateful for what you have, you wont get any more. This is also a terrific way to minimize stress in your life.
2. I challenge you to not complain for a full 7 days! Its not as easy as it sounds. Each time you catch yourself complaining in anyway shape or form you must start again at day 0. I know you can do it.
3. With absolute conviction affirm the following to yourself each day:

I am responsible for my glowing health. I create my health and deserve every ounce of it!

I am whole, perfect, energetic, joyful, harmonious, and loving

18

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

3: Were
Longer
in Kansas
3: WereNo
No Longer
in Kansas

The world as we once knew it is gone. Times

have changed and so has the quality of
the environment in which we live and the
foods we eat. However, human innovation
and living a more conscious life can help us
overcome any challenges.

19
19

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

3: Were
Longer
in Kansas
3: Were No
No Longer
in Kansas
I simply cannot reiterate the value of proper nutrition enough. It is the essence of what gives
us life. Take away our nutrients and youve taken away life. Having the proper information for
healthy eating nowadays is essential considering the levels to which we are being bombarded
with so many conflicting messages as to how to eat for optimal health, weight loss, disease prevention, and so much else.
For instance, if youre looking to lose weight, advertisers get
you all hyped up to pick up the newest fad diet book or
instruct you to severely restrict your intake of carbohydrates.
Proteins are good carbs are bad. Thats what they tell you!
This is a message that has plagued our society over the last
two decades thanks to the widespread acceptance of Atkins
and other high protein diets. As you can probably tell, Im
not a fan of these approaches to eating at all. They are an
abomination and frankly make me sick to my stomach! In
fact, the healthiest and longest living cultures in the world
follow a balanced diet that is comprised of predominantly living whole foods.
What I will be presenting to you in this book is a new way of
eating that is really an old way of eating. It is truly the way
nature intended for you to eat. I will get into much greater
detail later on, but to wet your appetite, let it be known that
you will be introduced to a nutritional philosophy that is
little, if ever, talked about, which is a shame because it is so

absolutely critical in order to maximize your health, performance, lifespan, energy, and so much more.
No matter if youre a couch potato, a high performance
athlete, a type II diabetic, a cancer patient, or simply looking
for better health, this approach to nutrition will dramatically improve your current situation. This is so because these
eating principles are based on millions of years of proven
success. This natural approach to food has been in existence
since the beginning of time but unfortunately within the last
two centuries it has been sadly overshadowed by the industrialization and commercialization of our food supply.
In science there is a principle called Occams razor. This principle tells us that, amongst competing theories, the simplest
is most likely to be true. Eating foods that are whole, natural, and living is simplicity. It is the way nature was designed.
If we were put on this planet with gas barbecues and
microwaves right from the start, then I would probably

20

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

not be writing this book. However, the simplicity and beauty
of the earths natural fruits cannot be overlooked. All the
nutrition we will ever need can be found in the original state
in which nature has provided it.
One of the major issues facing Western society is the almighty dollar, the quest for which is the reason our food
supply has been absolutely ravaged. Food companies spend
millions upon millions of dollars creating foods that save
you time while promising ultimate nutrition. They like to
trick you into thinking that because theyre accommodating
the latest trends (ie. eliminating trans-fats) that their foods
are tremendously beneficial to your body.

In general, my rule of thumb is to avoid any food or brand

that is advertised period!
Stay true to yourself. Stay true to what nature intended. But
most of all, stay true to what works best for your body!

To make matters even worse is that commercial farmers

have been overtaxing our once mineral rich soils in order
to achieve greater crop yields. Its not so much the farmers,
but the large conglomerates that control every part of the
food cycle and therefore dictate farmer actions. The end
result even the healthiest of organic foods are dramatically
depleted in mineral content compared with what those same
foods would have contained 50 years ago. As an example, it
has been estimated that broccoli, a vegetable which everyI cannot help but laugh at a recent television commercial
from a well-known American fast food restaurant that proud- one knows to be healthy, has on average 50% less calcium
and other important minerals compared to just 50 years ago.
ly boasts they no longer use trans-fats in their deep frying
The pivotal Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 revealed
process. Who cares? It doesnt mean that all of a sudden
some scary statistics pertaining to the declining mineralizatheir deep fried food is any healthier. You need to wake up
tion of the earths soils over the last 100 years. The scientists
and smell the roses my friend! You must avoid being fooled
into believing what large food and drug corporations tell you. at this summit showed that the soils around the world have
I may sound a little extreme, but if you knew what I do, I am been dramatically stripped of the majority of their minerals.
Here are some of their findings:
sure you would agree.

Soil Mineral Depletion Over 100 Years

(Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, 1992)
Continent

North America
South America
Asia
Africa
Europe
Australia

% Depleted Minerals Over Last 100 Years

85%
76%
76%
74%
72%
55%

This table shows that our soils have nowhere near the nutrient quality that they
possessed just 100 years ago! And since our foods derive their nutrients from the soil,
they are obviously compromised as well.

21

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

Look at the following chart to see how our foods have changed:

Changes in Mineral Content of Vegetables, Fruits, and Meat (1940 1991)

Year of Analysis

Mineral

1940
1991
1940
1991
1940
1991
1940
1991
1940
1991
1940
1991
1940
1991

Sodium
Sodium
Potassium
Potassium
Phosphorus
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Magnesium
Calcium
Calcium
Iron
Iron
Copper
Copper

Vegetables

27 varieties

Fruits

17 varieties

Meat

10 cuts

Less 49%

Less 29%

Less 30%

Less 16%

Less 19%

Less 16%

Plus 9%

Plus 2%

Less 28%

Less 24%

Less 16%

Less 10%

Less 46%

Less 16%

Less 41%

Less 27%

Less 24%

Less 54%

Less 76%

Less 20%

Less 24%

It is evident that our soils and food supply have been ravaged. However, by choosing
organic foods you can help ensure that you get more minerals than from conventionally
farmed foods. Organic farming practices promote greater soil quality and greater mineralization of grown foods.
I know that the above information paints a rather gloomy
picture but it just goes to show that there has never been
a greater time in history to ensure that quality living foods
enter your body. You need to nourish your body with the
healthiest possible foods to look and feel your absolute best
and ensure you live a long and vital life! Being lazy is not an
excuse. Choosing foods that have been boxed, bottled, or
packaged is not an option. Yes, they are convenient, but the
problem is straightforward - our body simply cannot handle
and process the present-day pseudo foods we are currently
feeding it. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, evolution
takes a long time; hundreds of thousands or even millions
of years. In your bodys mind, you are still a caveman (or
cavewoman) who is supposed to be feeding on natural whole
foods. How is your body, which is an absolutely amazing machine by the way, supposed to know what to do with foods
that have been processed, microwaved, chemically altered,
fabricated, refined, pasteurized, homogenized, and cooked?

Your body is perfect. It was designed to be able to meet the

needs and demands of nature. If you feed your body a wonderful apple, it says Thank you very much, Ill take these nutrients and put them here, Ill use these enzymes for this, Ill
put these sugar molecules over here, and so forth. However, lets say you decide to eat some type of altered variation
of this apple, for instance, apple chips that have been heated
and injected with chemical preservatives. Now, your body is
saying Im not to sure what this is or I might recognize this
particular molecule but it seems different, why wont it fit?
The point is this - your body doesnt recognize foods that
have been tampered with by human intervention.
Its like the Jurassic Park phenomenon where man decides
to play God and things go horribly wrong. Well, things have
gone horribly wrong. It is more important to your health
than ever to eat according to what nature intended.

22

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

How a Stressful Lifestyle and Contaminated Environment has Made us Sick

Look around you. What do you see? Most likely you see
people who are stressed out. Theyre running to catch the
subway before the doors close or theyre cursing as they sit
in endless traffic. Theyre overworked and underpaid. In
fact, theyre not doing what they love to do, and they dont
even know what that is! They dont sleep properly and require a liter of coffee to start their day. The list goes on and
on

In ancient times, when our Neanderthal ancestors encountered a dangerous animal, a shortage of food, or any other
survival type of situation, this is how the body reacted so
they could hunt, run, find food, and simply survive when
times were hard. To this day the body responds the same
way. Even though you will most likely never encounter a
predatory lion in your lifetime, you still exhibit this fight or
flight response to every single stressor in your life! The key
is to learn how to manage and control your stress; otherwise,
it will be your demise.

It is evident that our lifestyle has become increasingly stressful. Stress is implicated in every single disease and illness
known to human-kind. It is the common thread in cardiovas- The famous endocrinologist Hans Selye coined the term GAS
or General Adaptation Syndrome to describe the process the
cular disease, cancer, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, and
body undergoes under chronic stress.
on and on.
Stress can come in many different forms. There is the obvious emotional or mental stress described above. There
are also physical and physiological stresses which arise from
overexertion and undernourishment. For instance, if youve
never exercised before and all of a sudden embark upon running a marathon, youll put your body into complete shock!
That is a stressor. You need to ease into it and allow your
body to adapt.

In a nutshell, this is how it works:

1. Alarm Reaction In the first stage of GAS the body releases adrenaline, cortisol and a variety of other physiological mechanisms to combat any perceived stress and
stay in control. This is called the fight or flight response.
The muscles tense, the heart beats faster, the breathing
and perspiration increases, the eyes dilate, and the stomach may clench. Believe it or not, this is done by nature
to protect you in case something bad happens. Once the
How about if you eat poor quality foods? That too is a stresscause of the stress is removed, the body will go back to
or on your body.
normal.
Our environment is also a stressor. Consider the polluted
2. Adaptation Phase If the cause for the stress is not reair we breathe, the contaminated water most of us drink,
moved, GAS goes to its second stage called resistance
and the chemicals we use to clean both our clothes and our
or adaptation. This is the bodys response to long term
homes. Im sure you can think of plenty of others.
protection. The adrenal glands secrete further hormones
My goal is not to scare you, but inform you as to what is hapthat increase blood sugar levels to sustain energy and
pening to your body. Stress is all around you, so you need to
raise blood pressure. Overuse of this phase of the dedo the best you can to minimize it and protect yourself.
fense mechanism will eventually lead to disease. In this
stage, an enlargement of the adrenal glands are noticeSo what exactly does stress do to your body? Stress has
able as they try to keep up the on-going demands of
many negative effects, largely regulated by the action of the
stress.
adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce hormones such
If this adaptation phase continues for a prolonged period
as cortisol, adrenaline, aldosterone, and the sex hormones.
of time without periods of relaxation and rest to counterIn a state of acute stress, your bodys first response is a quick
balance the stress response, sufferers become prone to
signal to the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol and adrenafatigue, concentration lapses, irritability and lethargy as
line. These hormones mobilize energy reserves (ie. glucose,
the effort to sustain arousal slides into negative stress.
fatty acids, etc) and prepare you to deal with or run away
3. Exhaustion - In this final stage, the body has run out of
from the situation at hand. This is known as the fight or
its reserve of body energy and immunity. Mental, physflight response. You must realize that any stress encounical and emotional resources suffer heavily. The body
tered by the body will be perceived as if we were living hunexperiences adrenal exhaustion. The blood sugar levels
dreds of thousands of years ago we have not evolved to
decrease as the adrenals become depleted and shrink in
deal with the situation differently.
size, leading to decreased stress tolerance, progressive
mental and physical exhaustion, illness and collapse.

23

3: Were No Longer in Kansas

Research findings indicate that stress and depression have
a negative effect on the immune system. Continually high
levels of cortisol, the bodys main stress hormone will lead
to the suppression of the immune system through increased
production of interleukin-6, an immune-system messenger.
Reduced immunity makes the body more susceptible to
everything from the common cold to cancer. For example,
the incidence of serious illness, including cancer, is significantly higher among people who have suffered the death of
a spouse in the previous year.
The far reaching effects of stress and high cortisol levels in
the body are staggering. For the purposes of the book, we
will focus on stress and how it alters your bodys ph balance,
opening the doors to disease.
In one word, stress creates ACID. Cortisol creates acid.
Stress creates acid in your body and an overly acidic body
can eventually lead to a plethora of conditions including
sickness, low energy, weight gain, and disease, just to name a
few.

To relate the effect of foods to stress, Maurer and his colleagues showed that the acid load inherent in the Western
diet results in chronic high levels of acid in the body (acidosis) associated with a state of cortisol (stress hormone)
excess. A diet more alkaline in nature helps to moderate
the stress response and help the body return to homeostasis (balance). What we have learned here is that a healthy
alkalizing diet can help your body to better deal with stress.
Now that you know how much stress can harm your body,
it is your responsibility to take the empowering actions necessary to reduce and manage it. So how do you go about
reducing the acid load in the body? As youll see throughout
this book, choosing foods that alkalize and energize your
body will have profound preventive benefits and help your
body better cope with stress. Activities like yoga and meditation will also help, and I encourage you to try them.

Action Steps Were No Longer in Kansas

1. Make the decision to support your local farmers. Attend a local farmers market, preferably organic, and get hold of
the great local produce they provide. By supporting big business and their criminal farming techniques we only
further the trouble in which we currently find ourselves.
2. Commit to spending at least 10-15 minutes with yourself each day in quiet meditation. Focus on what you want to
create and visualize your life as you wish it to be. Stress only exists if you allow it to.
3. Take up an activity that brings you tremendous joy, be it walking, yoga, gardening, biking, or playing sports whatever it is just do it. Having several physical outlets is a great way to lessen the stress in your life. Do your best to enjoy
your activities at least every other day!
4. Dont worry about things that are out of your control. If youre stuck in traffic, dont fret. If you cant do anything to
change the situation, then change how you perceive it. Stress is self-induced. Choose your battles. Worry and stress
over things you cannot control will poison your bodys energy. List 5 areas or situations in which you will commit to
no longer waste your energy.

24

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

4: The
Germ
is
Nothing,
the
Environment
is
Everything
4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

Your internal world creates your outer world

reality. Likewise, the health of your internal
environment is more important than the health
of the external environment. Even the nastiest
bugs cant flourish in a healthy body.

25
25

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

4: The
Germis Everything
is Nothing,
Environment
To understand why the nutritional approach described in the book is so powerful, it is important
to learn the basics of how your body works at the cellular level. We live and die at the cellular
level!
To best explain how you operate lets go on a little journey
inside your body. To begin with, I would like you to consider
all of the arteries (blood vessels) in your body. The arteries
are your bodys highways for transporting blood, or your
river of life. Blood is what transports oxygen and nutrients
to all of your bodys cells while helping remove waste products produced in the cells. The blood is probably the most
important tissue in your entire body without it functioning
properly, you die!
Within this river of life reside your red blood cells (RBC)
which carry oxygen to the cells. Each RBC holds 4 molecules
of oxygen; each one bound to hemoglobin (an iron-based
protein carrier). These oxygen molecules eventually go to
the cells of the body to provide the necessary input for metabolism.
From an electromagnetic perspective, (which I will discuss
in greater detail later) each RBC has a negative charge on its
outer surface and a positive charge on the inside. This en-

sures that no two (or more) RBC stick together since two
negative charges repel each other. This is absolutely critical
to understand. Think about it for a moment - what would
happen if all of the RBC started to clump together? Your
blood would become viscous and sluggish, like thick sewage!
Oxygen transport would be impaired and your energy would
be reduced dramatically.
Well, what if I tell you that that exact scenario is taking place
inside of you at this very moment, without your awareness!?
Thats exactly whats happening inside more than 80% of the
population! Pretty crazy, I know!
Next, let us discuss the issue of pH balance and its role
in the blood. First, a definition of pH and the pH scale is
needed. The pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of acid
and alkalinity and is measured on a scale of 0 14, 7 being
neutral. A pH of 0 is very acidic while a pH of 14 is most alkaline. Your blood needs to be at a pH of between 7.35 7.45
for you to live. Right away you can see that your blood

26

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

must be slightly alkaline. This is absolutely critical for normal much acid in the blood strips away the negative charge
around the RBC and as a result these oxygen carrying cells
enzyme function, oxygen transport, and pretty much every
lose their ability to repel one another. So, they coagulate (or
other process that involves the blood.
stick together) and your blood becomes thick, lethargic, and
slow moving. Your body then becomes a reflection of this
situation. You feel tired, lethargic, and sluggish. If oxygen
and nutrients are not being properly delivered to your cells
how can you be expected to operate at your best?

As I mentioned above, there are situations in which the negative charge around the RBC can be diminished or stripped.
This can happen when your blood becomes too acidic. Too

As these compromised RBC continue circulating in this acidic

blood stream, they begin to lose their membrane integrity
and leak their contents into the bloodstream spilling toxins,
bacteria, and debris. So, this spillage caused by the hemolysis (RBC destruction) further adds toxins and acidity to the
blood; which in turn exacerbates the problem.

The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything!

Each of us is at war and we dont even know it! The private
war we each wage is a daily assault on our body by bacteria,
virus, fungus, yeasts, and molds. Our immune systems become weakened and over-taxed in this war. Even the medical
professions first line of defense (the antibiotic) is becoming
less and less effective against resistant new strains being
created daily as the bacteria mutate. Since Louis Pasteur
discovered the germ theory of disease stating that germs are
the cause of disease, time has corrected him. Even Dr. Pasteur himself noted in his dying words: The germ is nothing,
the environment is everything.
The environment referred to in Dr. Pasteurs statement is
now being called the biological terrain and comprises the
bodys digestive tract, lymphatic system, blood, urinary tract,
and interstitial fluids. Our body is alkaline by design and acid
by function meaning that it produces acid as a function of
metabolism. Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for
life, health, and vitality.
Under normal conditions, the millions (even billions) of microorganisms that reside within the body are generally not
dangerous. However, an imbalance of alkalinity creates a
condition whereby these pests can become pathogenic and
promote the growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted
organisms.
All leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance) as the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body. They have
long known that the maintenance of an alkaline pH in the
tissues and cells is critical to cellular health. Dr. Linus Paul-

ing, a 2-time Nobel Prize recipient, was the first to show that
cancer cells cannot grow in alkaline environments! This is a
very significant finding.
In contrast to the intended alkaline blood, the digestive tract
(except for the alkaline mouth and small intestine) has varying degrees of acid by design, and the urinary tract should be
slightly acidic for healthy function.
All of the cells (billions of them) that make up the human
body are slightly alkaline, and must maintain this alkalinity
in order to function and remain healthy and alive. However, their cellular activity creates acid and this acid is part of
what gives the cell energy and helps it function. As each
alkaline cell performs its task of respiration, it secretes metabolic wastes, and these end products of cellular metabolism
are acidic in nature. Although these wastes can be used for
energy and function, they must not be allowed to build up.
One example is the often uncomfortable sensation of rising
lactic acid levels created through intense exercise.
The body will go to great lengths to neutralize and detoxify these acids before they act as poisons in and around the
cell, ultimately changing the environment of the cell. Most
people and clinical practitioners believe the immune system
is the bodys first line of defense, but in actuality it is not. It
is very important, but more like a very sophisticated cleanup service. The biological terrain (ph balance) is truly the
first major line of defense against sickness and disease and
for optimal health and vitality. Like stress, an acidic body
depresses the immune system and reduces white blood cell
activity.

27

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

If we were to ask What is killing us? the answer might be
ACIDOSIS! It has been demonstrated that an acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) body environment encourages the
breeding of fungus, mold, bacteria, viruses, and disease.
Lets look at an example. If you were to seal the door to your
freezer and then unplug it, come back and open the door in
two weeks, what would you find? You will likely see mold,
bacteria, and microscopic bugs. Things will be growing and
multiplying. Where did they all come from? They did not
sneak in - remember the door was sealed. The answer is . . .
they were always there. It is simply that the environment
changed to a more inviting and healthy one for the critters
to live in.
Another example is a garbage strike that occurred in New
York City. With garbage bags piling up and a rotten smell
mounting, a rat infestation came about. Now, would it be

logical to say that the rats were the culprits in bringing the
garbage? Of course not, the environment first became toxic
and putrefied which then invited the rats.
This can be likened to a shift in your biological terrain from a
healthy oxygenated alkaline environment to an unhealthy anaerobic acidic environment. You see, what is healthy for you
is unhealthy for the bodys attackers and what is healthy for
them is what is unhealthy for your body.
A state of acidosis is simply an excessive build up of acid
which causes a lack of oxygen. The blood is your bodys first
priority. If the blood becomes too acidic, your body will take
the necessary measures to reduce its acidity immediately.
Your body normally has alkaline reserves it can use to buffer
excess acid in the blood. However, if you constantly pollute
your body and create a chronic state of acidosis, these reserves will soon disappear.

How Acid Can Make and Keep You Fat

When your body notices that the blood has become too
acidic and there are no longer any alkaline reserves, it quickly makes the decision to alleviate this dangerous situation.
One of the first things your body does to alkalize the blood is
remove the acid from the blood stream and send it to the fat
cells.

If your body is acidic, it will require more fat to store the

excess acid. Not until you start reducing the acidity in your
blood will your body begin to realize that it no longer needs
as much fat. So, less acid means less fat is needed to store
it! Many people will testify that a return to a healthy inner
biological terrain has helped them lose excess fat.

This is critical to understand if you hope to lose weight. You

can exercise all you like and will your way to a leaner body,
but if you do nothing to alkalize your body, your attempts will
be in vain. Think about it the human body is very intelligent. As you become more and more acidic your body starts
to set up defense mechanisms to keep the damaging acid
from entering the vital organs.

As mentioned earlier, stress is a big producer of acid. Consider the example of a woman who is obsessed with losing
weight. Its all she thinks about. Do you think that might
create some unneeded stress? Unfortunately, this scenario is
far too common among women living in the Western world.

Acid gets stored in fat cells. After all, if the acid comes into
contact with an organ, it has the chance to eat holes in the
tissue. Fat cells and cellulite deposits begin to pack up the
acid and keep it a safe distance from your organs. The fat
may be saving your vital organs from damage.

An unattainable media and fashion portrayal of the perfect

body has skewed the way many people see themselves. The
result is that more and more people (not just women) are
stressing about how their body should look. This type of
worry or obsession creates greater amounts of acidity within
the body and essentially works against their mission to lose
weight. So, their weight goes nowhere and they dont know
why!

28

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

Meat and Dairy = Acidity

Considering the acid-forming and disease-provoking nature
of regular animal consumption, it is unfortunate that our
society has placed so much importance on animal protein
intake. Much of this hype has been a result of highly paid
and very influential meat and dairy lobbyists (especially in
North America).
According to John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America,
the National Dairy Council is the foremost provider of
nutritional education in the United States! These councils
and boards have tremendous influence as to what foods our
governments endorse. They also have millions of dollars
to spend on regularly running advertising campaigns. As a
consumer culture we are easily influenced by what we see
on TV and read in popular media print. This plays an important role in our decision making process.
Just look back to the1980s when the entire low fat craze
came to market. For some reason scientists and food manufactures believed that fat foods were making people fat.
However, what we ended up seeing with the surge of low-fat
and diet products was an all-time high in diabetes, obesity,
and cardiovascular disease which stemmed from proportionately higher amounts of added refined sugars and other
man-made chemicals needed to compensate for the lack of
taste in fat-free foods. Unfortunately, we are still dealing
with these issues.
Recently Canada revamped its Canada Food Guide for the
better. One of the greatest improvements is the recommendation that fruits and vegetables become the biggest and
most important food group. However, foods from the meat
and dairy categories still account for nearly 1/3 of an individuals daily caloric intake. You can see there is much room for
improvement.

once worked with a trainer who consumed 300 g of protein

per day! Youll soon learn why this can be crushing to your
health.
According to the World Health Organization, only 4.5% of
your daily calories need to come from protein. The Food
and Nutrition Board suggests that a 6% daily intake would be
suitable to meet the needs of 98% of the population. The
National Research Council even figures in a substantial safety margin and states that just over 8% of your calories need
to come from protein. Coming in even lower is a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which
suggests that human protein needs amount to only 2.5% of
total caloric intake. Many populations have lived in excellent
health on this amount!
If youre not already convinced that were eating too much
protein, consider this: human breast milk, natures perfect
food, is only 5% protein. Cows milk is roughly 15% protein
content because baby cows need more protein! It is imperative that babies get the proper proportion of nutrients
as the early years of life are the most demanding in terms
of growth. Since we get 5% of our calories from protein in
breast milk, doesnt that tell us that nature did not intend
for our bodies to consume 20, 30 or 40% protein on a daily
basis?
In most developed countries, the consumption of animal
products is almost equated with status. There is a noticeable
difference in animal consumption between socioeconomic
classes as well as between 1st and 3rd world countries simply because of the cost associated with eating meat, decadent cheeses, and milk.

Unfortunately, the over-consumption of animal products has

a direct and causal effect on our mounting ill-health and the
For many reasons, most being economical in nature, we have degradation of our environment.
been brainwashed to believe that animal protein is a crucial
Years of research have demonstrated the acid forming proppart of our health. Weve been told that if we dont eat red
erties and negative long term effects associated with the
meat were likely to develop iron deficiency anemia, B12
frequent consumption of animal products such as meat and
deficiency, and not get complete proteins from other sourcdairy. This is one of the reasons that the nutritional apes. Most fad diets highlight the benefits of high protein
proach in Eating for Energy does not endorse consumption
consumption and recommend anywhere from 20-40% daily
of animal products. I must, however, be honest. I would be
protein intake! That is preposterous!
lying if told you that I didnt have the occasional piece of lean
Working in the field of fitness and performance conditioning meat, mainly fish or poultry, once or twice per month. You
may always be in a state of transition, which is entirely o.k. I
I have been surrounded by many clients and trainers who
encourage you to experiment and do what is right for you.
firmly believe that they should be consuming their body
weight (in pounds) in protein! Can you imagine that? I

29

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

As you allow yourself to recognize the amount of suffering
animals go through in the slaughtering process, the way they
are injected with hormones and antibiotics throughout their
lives, the way they are force-fed contaminated feed, and contained in concentration camp-like farms, I would be surprised
if you werent less inclined to eat them. Not only are there
moral/ethical issues, but the health ramifications (especially
if the meat is non-organic) can be staggering.
If you are truly hung up on eating meat, then be sure that
the meat eat is organic. Remember, you are what you eat.
So if cows, chickens, and other animals are not being raised
naturally, their meat will reflect their feeding, living, and
slaughtering conditions. The intense fear that animals feel
during their slaughter may very well add to the acidity inherent in their flesh, and be subsequently incorporated into
your own tissues.
In 1995, a study published in Kidney International concluded
that excessive dietary intake of animal protein resulted in a
consequent increase in metabolic acid production resulting
in mechanisms that lead to progression of kidney stones,

bone disease, renal disease and a catabolic state.

In 1997, a study in the American Journal of Kidney Disease
stated that excessive meat ingestion and aging are two clinical conditions often associated with chronic metabolic acidosis. The bodys response to this pathology is very efficient,
which means that blood pH is frequently maintained within
the normal range. However, pathologic consequences
such as bone demineralization, muscle protein breakdown
and renal growth are caused even though the bigger picture
may look normal.
The link between meat protein consumption and osteoporosis has not gone unnoticed. Over half a century of studies
have conclusively shown the detrimental effects animal consumption has on our bone health.
In short, the more animal protein you consume in your diet,
the more calcium you will lose, regardless of how much you
take in. The net effect is an increased risk of developing
osteoporosis. If you want to continue eating meat thats your
choice (in fact, I do occasionally), just be aware that youll
need to balance it out with alkalizing foods.

The Acid and Osteoporosis Link

In order to supply enough calcium to buffer the blood, you
must have enough calcium being absorbed from your diet
or your body will simply rob the needed calcium from your
bones and teeth. Thus, when your body becomes excessively acidic it begins to leach calcium from your bones, which
Calcium makes up 1.6% of your body weight. It is literally
will predispose you to the development of osteoporosis. Not
the glue that holds the human body together. Calcium is so
good! Many studies have substantiated these claims. Scibiochemically active that it has been likened to an octopus.
entists have discovered that over time (and especially under
A calcium ion can hold onto seven other molecules while it
acidic conditions) the human body becomes depleted of calgrabs onto one molecule of water. No other ion can do this.
cium. In 2001, research in the European Journal of Nutrition
In addition, it is the perfect size to easily get in and out of the
concluded that metabolic acidosis leads to greater loss of
human cell, able to take a chain of nutrients into the cell and
bone mineral and increases the potential for bone fractures.
then exit to get more nutrients. It is a vital mineral for both
bone health and muscular contraction, with many other vital Animal protein greatly increases the acidity of your blood.
This not only includes meat, but dairy as well. Regular conroles throughout the body.
sumption of dairy for the purposes of calcium is absolutely
Earlier we talked about the importance of maintaining a
detrimental to your health. Why? Let me explain.
proper blood pH. A compound called mono-ortho-calcium
phosphate is the chemical buffer that maintains the alkaline First it is important to understand that the relationship between minerals is more important than the actual minerals
level of the blood. Without it you would die. If the acidity
level of your blood changes even slightly, you will die imme- themselves. For instance, the optimal calcium to phosphorus
diately. This is why I cannot stress the importance of alkaline ratio is 2:1, a ratio commonly found in plant-based calcium
sources such as sesame seeds and green leafy vegetables.
foods enough!
One of the bodys greatest alkaline buffers is calcium. As
your body becomes more and more acidic, one of the mechanisms it uses to regain proper pH balance in the blood is by
calling upon calcium to maintain its alkaline balance.

30

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

Cows milk, on the other hand, has a very high protein content which shifts the calcium to phosphorus balance to a
1:1 ratio. Upon ingestion, your body is then required to tap
into its own calcium reserves to compensate for this mineral
imbalance!
John Robbins, in his epic book Diet for a New America, highlights a particular study where young women maintained a
positive calcium balance when their diets provided 1500 mg
of calcium and 800 mg of phosphorus, per day. But when
phosphorus intake was increased to 1400 mg, the women
went into a negative calcium balance even though their calcium intake had not been reduced. The lower the calcium/
phosphorus ratio, the more bone density you will lose.
A landmark 12- year study conducted at Harvard University
on 78,000 milk-drinking women found that those who had 3
servings of milk per day broke more bones than women who
rarely drank milk. A comprehensive meta-analysis of milk intake and fracture risk published in Osteoporosis International
concluded (across 6 studies and 39, 563 men and women)
that a low intake of dairy calcium (less than 1 glass of milk
daily) was not associated with a significant increased risk of
any fractures.
If Ive even got you thinking about why you drink milk, I am
happy. Remember, milk is highly acid-forming in the body.
You dont need it. There are better alternatives. Heres another study showing the effects of an acid physiology on
bone health.
A recent seven-year study published in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition conducted at the University of California,
San Francisco, on 9,000 women showed that those who have
chronic acidosis (high acidity) are at greater risk for bone loss
than those who have normal pH levels. The scientists who
carried out this experiment believe that many of the hip fractures prevalent among middle-aged women are connected to
high acidity caused by a diet rich in animal foods and low in
vegetables. This is because the body borrows calcium from
the bones in order to balance pH.

Osteoporosis is very confusing for many people. Most people think they can avoid it by increasing their consumption
of milk and dairy products. But in countries where the consumption of dairy products is very low, the instances of osteoporosis are rare. Conversely, world health statistics show
that osteoporosis is most common in exactly those countries
where dairy products are consumed in the largest quantities
the United States, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Osteoporosis is an acidosis problem. As the body becomes
more acidic, to protect against the event of heart attack,
stroke, illness, or even cancer, the body attempts to remain
healthy. So, it steals calcium from the bones, teeth, and
tissue. As bone mass becomes depleted, this is what we call
osteoporosis.
As you saturate your body with calcium through healthy
plant-based sources, you will raise your bloods pH (making
it more alkaline) and reduce the acidity in your blood. This
protects and preserves your bones, a giant reservoir for calcium since 97% of your bodys calcium is stored in its bones.
If conditions such as acidosis are constantly present, those
calcium reservoirs will be tapped into to bring the body back
to homeostasis (balance).
One of the first warning signs of an acidic biological terrain
is calcium deposits. Calcium deposits come not from dietary
calcium, but from the structural calcium of our bones and
teeth! There has never been a scientifically proven association between calcium deposits in the body and nutritional
calcium. Calcium buildup is also strongly linked to deficiency of magnesium, another important mineral that balances
calcium.
If calcium deposits are forming, you will have an inner environment that is too acidic. Either your dietary intake of alkaline food is not keeping up with the buffering needed, or you
are simply ingesting too many acidic foods. Either way, the
result is the same: calcium will be pulled from your bones
and teeth to make up the difference!

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4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

Meat and Cardiovascular Disease

This one is fairly evident. If you are or have been at risk
for cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure,
stroke, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, etc , then Im sure
youve heard from your doctor to stop eating meat, especially red meat. Red meat is particularly high in saturated fat,
cholesterol, and arachidonic acid all of which wear down
the integrity of the heart and blood vessels.
Furthermore, if meat is from non-organic sources, then it
has most likely been subjected to the injection of hormones

and antibiotics. This is done to prevent disease in cattle and

to optimize their growth. However, Im sure you can appreciate that these additives are not healthy for your body.
Remember you are not just what you eat. You are also what
your dinner has previously eaten! As far back as 1961, The
Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that
97% of heart disease could be prevented by a vegetarian
diet!

Meat, Acidity and the Athletes Performance

Ive worked with so many athletes, both recreational and
professional, that hold the belief that frequent (daily) meat
consumption is absolutely critical to their ability to perform,
build muscle, and recover from training. Well, guess what?
Thats complete and utter nonsense. Since adopting more
of a raw vegan diet (with very limited meat consumption),
my performance, strength, endurance, energy, and ability to
recover have never been better. Nowadays, I can easily get
two workouts per day into my schedule without feeling the
draining effects I once felt when I was a pro athlete eating
high amounts of lean meat and refined carbohydrates. Although I no longer compete professionally, I still maintain a
very demanding and competitive approach to my training.
If you are an athlete and are interested in performing your
best ever, dont just take my advice, get inspired from some
other real life athletic examples.
In a study published in the Yale Medical Journal, Professor
Irving Fisher conducted a study in which he compared the
strength and stamina of meat-eating athletes versus that
of vegetarian (both athletic and sedentary) individuals.
What the study concluded was that of the 3 groups tested
(meat-eating athletes, vegetarian athletes, and vegetarian
sedentary subjects) the vegetarians (including the sedentary group) average stamina was double that of the athletic
meat-eaters. There is strong evidence that a meat-less diet is
conducive to greater endurance.

acid production and physical and emotional stress of the

given activity), the body is not able to spend its energy on
replenishing and rejuvenating the body. The body must first
alkalize the blood and then get the rest of the body back to
homeostasis. This is all a big waste of time!
If you can give your body a helping hand by alkalizing and energizing it through proper foods, why not give it a little help!?
Remember, your bodys first order of business is keeping
the blood pH in that 7.35-7.45 range. If it deviates above or
below that, extra energy and time will be needed to bring it
back into balance. This means that your body will be able to
spend less of its energy on the task at hand (ie. performance
and regeneration).
More and more, athletes in every sport are realizing that a
plant-based diet is the best way to fuel their bodies and help
them excel.
To name just a few:
World Champion gymnast Dan Milman
Mr. International bodybuilding winner Andreas Cahling
Tennis great Martina Navratilova
Olympian Carl Lewis
Football Hall-of-Famer Art Still
Four-time Mr. Universe title-holder Bill Pearl
(described in more detail later)

Similar results have been demonstrated by several studies

including that of Dr. Ioteyko from the Academie de Medicine
Swimming World Record Holder Bill Pickering
de Paris, in which vegetarian athletes averaged 2 to 3 times
more stamina and required one-fifth the time to recover
World Class marathoner Gail Olinekova
from exhaustion compared to their meat eating rivals!
Canadian champion tri-athlete Brendan Brazier
Can you begin to see whats happening here? As meat consumption adds to an athletes already acidic body (from lactic

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4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

What are you feeding your body?
Again, Im not dogmatic about cutting animal products 100%
out of your diet that choice is yours. What I am proposing

is that limiting their consumption and following a predominantly plant-based diet will revolutionize your health! Do
what works for you.

Is Cholesterol Really the Culprit in Atherosclerosis?

So really, the focus needs to be on preventing this cascade
of events which causes vascular damage and cholesterol
build-up in the arteries. You see, if you improve your bodys
alkalinity, you can provide a healthier cardiovascular platform
for normal function and disease prevention. When it comes
to heart disease, usually the first symptom is a heart attack!
Cardiovascular disease is like a sleeping giant because there
are no symptoms until its too late. Your arteries need an
Weve established that acid in the blood can damage the
80% blockage for any symptoms to be detected! In most
blood vessels. Imagine the inside of your blood vessels being
cases, by the time the blockage has been identified, major
cut almost like cutting your finger with a knife. Your body,
damage has already taken place as a result of hypoxia (lack
being the amazing healer that it is, has built-in repair mechof oxygen) to vital heart tissue.
anisms for such occurrences. Usually, when you have a cut,
There are no specific diseases, only specific disease condia fibrin clot will lay down a meshwork of tissue to close the
wound and new collagen will form over the cut so it can heal. tions, and there is only one disease. And that one disease is
acidosis.
This is how you develop a scab.
Just imagine for a second what would happen if you took an
acidic solution and ran it through your blood vessels. Can
you appreciate that there might be some damage that would
occur? Well, this is one of the mechanisms that may lead to
the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a precursor to many other serious cardiovascular problems.

Interestingly enough, a very similar process occurs within

your blood vessels. Your blood vessels like to have a constant, unimpeded, smooth blood flow. When damage occurs, the body sends its clotting factors, platelets, and fibrin
to repair the damage. However, in most cases this repair
process ends up leaving a scab in the interior (lumen) of
the blood vessel. Because blood wants to flow in a smooth
manner, the body searches within for a substance that will
smooth over this newly formed scab in the vessel to allow for
better blood flow.
Guess what it finds? Cholesterol! Yes, thats right. Cholesterol is brought into the troubled area to provide a smooth
coating over the jagged scab. The trouble arises when this
process repeats itself several times over resulting in a build
up of cholesterol or plaque formation. This is the bodys normal defense mechanism to heal a wound within the blood
vessels. Thus, cholesterol is not really the culprit in the
development of atherosclerosis. This wonderful molecule
is incredibly important for your bodys cell membranes, the
production of sex hormones, and is an active component of
bile (which emulsifies fat).

- unknown
As your biological terrains oxygen level drops, you will begin to feel tired and fatigued, and fungus, mold, parasites,
bad bacteria, and viral infections will flourish and gain a hold
throughout the body. Often, you wont have just a few of
these invaders. For example, if you have Candidiasis (overgrowth of Candida Albicans) you will likely have other bad
bacteria, fungus, and parasites throughout your body because they all flourish in the same acidic environments.
The more acidic you become, the harder it is for oxygen to be
present and your biological terrain will become more anaerobic. Without adequate oxygenation, your cells cannot carry
on their life-giving functions in a very efficient manner because biological chemical reactions need oxygen.
Life and death occur in the biological terrain, so reclaim your
terrain!

33

4: The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

Are You Overly Acidic?

Performance Markers
Here is a simple test you can take to subjectively assess
whether you are too acidic. Answering YES to more than 5
I often feel exhausted after vigorous exercise or work
of the following symptoms could indicate that your body may
be too acidic and in need of alkalinity.
I often experience low energy, fatigue or lack of stamina
Lifestyle Markers
I do not feel the best when I eat fast foods, fried foods,
colas or desserts
I do not feel my best when I eat red meat or red meat
dishes
I do not tolerate acidic condiments like vinegar or red
meat dishes

I run out of breath when running up stairs or walking

briskly
I am physically and mentally tired after an hour of desk
work
I am pessimistic, with little initiative
Physical Markers
I have thin, porous bones

I regularly consume processed and refined foods that con I have poorly developed muscles
tain chemical additives.
I often experience muscle stiffness and soreness
I regularly consume breads and baked goods made with
white flour and sugar.
I am over fifty years old
I eat few fruits and vegetables.

Medical History Markers

I drink more than one cup of coffee or tea a day

I catch colds and flu frequently

I frequently take Vitamin C, aspirin or antibiotics.

I am susceptible to heartburn, canker cores, food

and environmental allergies, and sore throats

I do not tolerate alcohol

I have a history of cigarette smoking
I frequently travel by plane

I have a history of osteoporosis, arthritis, gout, lung

disease or kidney disease.

Action Steps The Germ is Nothing, the Environment is Everything

1. 1. Go to your local drug store and buy a litmus paper kit (they only cost few dollars). Take a strip of litmus and place
it on your tongue to test the pH of your saliva. The reading youre looking for is roughly 6.5-7.0. Even though this is
slightly acidic dont worry as your saliva is naturally slightly acidic.
2. If you have the opportunity and resources I would highly recommend having your live blood looked at through a process called Live Cell Microscopy. You will actually look at your blood under a microscope in its living state. It is a very
powerful eye opening experience.

34

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

5:Enzymes
Your
Depends
5: Enzymes Your
LifeLife
Depends
on Them onThem

A car that wont start needs spark plugs to

get it going. Similarly, a sluggish and unhealthy
body requires enzymes to come back to life. The
most energizing foods are those that havent
lost their spark - their life force - their inherent
enzymes.

35

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

5: Enzymes
Your Life Depends on Them
What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that accelerate metabolic reactions in
the body. They are involved in every single bodily function
from digestion and thinking to heart function. The 3 main
categories of enzymes are digestive enzymes (ones that work
on food digestion), metabolic enzymes (involved in every
other bodily process), and food enzymes (enzymes inherent
in living foods). Enzymes are the key to life. Without them,
you die. And because they are used up in metabolic processes, you must replenish them if you wish to live a long and
healthy life.
Over 60 years ago, the famous Dr. Pearl, of Johns Hopkins
University stated:
In general, duration of life varies inversely with the rate

of energy expenditure during its continuance. In short, the

length of life depends inversely on the rate of living.
Because enzymes and energy expenditure go hand in hand,
enzymes need to be constantly replenished. The more you
use, the faster you age and decay. So, the more enzymes you
have, the better off youre going to be.
Its important to remember that enzymes are very specific
to which substrates they act on. For instance, the enzyme
amylase works on digesting starch but not protein, while the
protease and pepsin enzymes work on protein and nothing
else. So this element of specificity is important when discussing the role of enzymes.

36

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

Why Are Enzymes Important?

Many of the intractable diseases have two causes. The chief
culprit is enzyme deficiency from undernourishment. Enzyme deficiency sets the stage and predisposes the body to
ill health. A deficiency of enzymes speeds up the development of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, premature aging, as
well as many other conditions.
The second more highly advertised cause of disease consists of environmental culprits including x-rays, bacteria,
carcinogens, tobacco, and many others.
Let us look at the enzyme implication in disease. Unfortunately, as scientific literature has illustrated, each of us is
born with a finite number of enzymes. Contrary to popular
belief, enzymes are actually used up after completing their
functions. This can be easily understood using a financial
analogy. Consider for a moment that you have an enzyme
bank account and that this bank account has an opening
balance of 1 million enzymes (arbitrary number) at birth.
Now, as with financial health, its not necessarily how much
money you make, but rather how much you keep and make
work for you that is important. Therefore, the goal is to
make more frequent and larger deposits than withdrawals.
In his classic book entitled Enzyme Nutrition, Dr. Edward
Howell illustrates the enzyme bank account concept. The
goal is to make as many deposits via food (ie. food enzymes)
as possible to offset any withdrawals. As a result, your body
(specifically your pancreas) will not be required to manufacture as many digestive enzymes to digest food. This is vitally
important. When your food contains enzymes, the digestive
enzymes that would have been used to digest the food are
permitted to act as metabolic enzymes and circulate the
body!
These metabolic enzymes will break down any disease processes and foreign invaders rather than having to spend their
energy digesting. This concept of lessening the strain on
your digestive system is one of the most powerful benefits of
eating an enzyme-rich diet. This is one of the key features of
the Eating for Energy nutritional approach.
Making greater enzyme deposits is also highly correlated
with longevity. The more enzymes you bring into your body
through living foods, the longer it will take for your bank
account to run dry. When the account runs dry, so do you!
Several studies have demonstrated lower amounts of enzymes in the elderly. This supports the notion that enzymes
are used up as you go through life.

Research has also shown that the people who live the longest (upwards of 110 years age) tend to have hypocaloric
diets. This means that they consume fewer calories than
conventional protocols advise. Lifespan can be increased by
cutting down caloric intake. This occurs because of the reduced stress on the digestive system. Less food stress means
that fewer digestive enzymes are required. Instead, more
energy can be directed towards resolving problematic situations in the body.
People are eating way too much food these days, and it will
cost them a lot in the end. By choosing to eat a little less
now, we can enjoy a lot more food later! This sounds like a
good deal to me. Except, what if you eat a diet rich in living
foods?! Youll soon see!
The effects of prolonged caloric restriction on health and longevity in the context of an equilibrated diet have been examined in Japan. A study compared data from Okinawa (where
the number of centenarians is several-fold higher than in the
rest of Japan) with the rest of the population. The researchers found that the total energy consumed by school children
in Okinawa was only 62% of the recommended intake for
Japan as a whole. In the adults, energy intake was 20% less
than in the rest of Japan, although protein and lipid intake
was about the same. The rates of death from vascular disease, malignancies, and heart disease were only 59%, 69%,
and 59%, respectively, of those of the rest of Japan. The
study, however, concluded that besides caloric restriction,
other factors, such as genetic and environmental factors,
were important in explaining these differences.
One of the main theories put forward is that by reducing
caloric intake, we minimize the amount of oxidative stress
occurring within our body. And, as mentioned above, when
we consume less food, our body is able to spend more time
and energy breaking down possible disease and repairing
and rebuilding our cells as required.
Having said that, lets turn our attention back to the enzyme
bank account. When we ingest foods that are void of enzymes, we are in essence making withdrawals from our bank
account forcing our pancreas to produce and secrete larger
amounts of digestive enzymes. The more often this takes
place the more we set ourselves up for low energy, digestive
strain, disease, and a shortened lifespan.
Have you ever eaten a heavy meal? Im sure you have, and
if youre like any other human on the planet you probably
noticed a dramatic onset of fatigue within about 30 minutes

37

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

of completing the meal, right? When the digestive system is
strained with excessive food, the body is required to divert
up to 80% of its total energy to the digestion of that food.

This can be a very exhaustive experience. How many other

activities can you name that drain the body of its energy like
a heavy meal?

How We Drain Our Enzyme Bank Account

The consumption of foods that are void of enzymes such
as cooked foods, refined foods, and non-foods (ie. coffee,
refined sugars, processed and fabricated foods, etc) all
place high demands on our pancreas to secrete more digestive enzymes. According to the Law of Adaptive Secretion
of Digestive Enzymes put forth by Dr. Howell, the pancreas
will produce/secrete only the amount and type of enzymes
required to digest a particular food. For instance, if you eat
a meal that is solely meat-based, your pancreas will secrete
an appropriate amount of protease to digest the protein and
lipase to digest the fat in the meat. Because of the lack of
carbohydrates in this meal, there will be little to no secretion
of amylase (which helps with carbohydrate digestion).
Dr. Howell has demonstrated this law by showing that animals eating raw diets have no enzymes in their saliva, but
will begin to produce salivary enzymes when fed a cooked
diet. Dogs taken away from their natural raw diet and put
on a cooked-food diet had enzymes show up in their saliva in
less than one week. The opposite is true as well. When they

returned to their natural raw diet, the frenzied enzymatic

activity in the saliva eventually disappeared.

If you consume high amounts of enzyme-void

foods (ie. cooked foods) then you force your
body to spend more energy on devoting its enzymes to digestion and less energy on producing metabolic enzymes for other bodily functions!
The incorporation of more fresh, living foods into your daily
meals will help you make more deposits into your enzyme
bank account. For instance, fresh fruits and vegetables and
sprouted legumes are great sources of living, enzyme-rich
foods. Well get into specific foods a little later. Just remember that cooking kills enzymes and life. Cooked food is dead
food!

How You Can Make Deposits into Your Enzyme Bank Account for Optimal Health
Its very simple. Eat foods that are high in enzymes! These
are foods that have not been altered by the heating/cooking
process. Enzymes are very fragile and are easily altered and
destroyed. Enzyme activity increases as the temperature
rises but only until about 118 F, above which enzymes become denatured and destroyed. To get the full potency that
enzymes offer you must eat whole, fresh, living foods. As an
example, raw celery has greater enzyme activity than does
cooked, steamed, or boiled celery. You can apply this rule to
every food on the planet, including meat (although I dont
recommend eating raw meat).
In addition to losing inherent food enzymes when cooked,
many of its vitamins, minerals, and important phytonutrients
are also lost. A study in the February 2007 issue of Food and
Chemical Toxicology revealed that boiling broccoli and other
vegetables of the brassica family (ie. brussel sprouts, cauliflower, green cabbage) for as little as 5 minutes leads to loss-

es of 20-30% of their glucosinolates, which are vital cancer

preventing phytonutrients.
Another important consideration when talking enzyme potential is that enzyme-rich foods have greater life energy.
Life energy (or life force) simply refers to the energy (not
calories) that these living foods provide. Traditionally, nutritional sciences have viewed foods from a caloric perspective
when referring to their energy. However, Id like you to reconsider this concept and challenge conventional thinking.
Here are a number of kirlian photographs courtesy of Christopher Wodtke, which reveal an entirely new world of energy. This special type of photography allows us to see what
our naked eye cannot the energy or life force emanating
from living things such as food. In the following photos,
notice the difference in this energy between raw and cooked
foods and between organic and their non-organic couterparts.

38

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

Which would you rather have inside your body?

Steamed Organic Broccoli

RAW Organic Broccoli

Non-Organic Sprout

Organic Sprout

Floridas Finest Orange Juice

Organic Fresh Orange Juice

39

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

Everything is Energy; Therefore, Energy is Everything!

In 1932, Dr. Harold Saxton Burr, professor of anatomy at Yale
University School of Medicine, demonstrated that plants,
animals, and humans possess electromagnetic fields, or energy fields. Using sophisticated equipment, these fields were
shown to represent the vitality of the living organism. Health
and vitality of organisms can be determined by the radiance
of their constantly fluctuating energy fields.
You must first accept that organisms are more than their
physical components, then you can begin to appreciate that
non-visible elements or non-empirical elements can have
a profound effect on how you feel. In fact, they are a representation of how you feel. In her book entitled Food and
Healing, Annemarie Colbin states that a whole living organism, or system
is an aggregate of physical elements and parts, plus an
organizing energy field that makes the separate parts cohere
and establishes them as a system.
To understand the concept of life force, you must realize that
everything is ultimately energy. Everything in this world and
everything in this universe is connected through an amazing
infinite energy. Trees, houses, cars, animals, foods, cement,
and humans we are all energy. The only difference is that
your energy vibrates at different frequencies than that of
other living organisms and objects. This is often discussed in
the realm of metaphysics, the study of the nature of reality.
Before the development of modern science, scientific
questions were addressed as a part of metaphysics known
as natural philosophy. The term science itself means
knowledge. The Scientific Revolution, however, made natural philosophy an empirical and experimental activity unlike
the rest of philosophy. By the end of the eighteenth century
it had begun to be called science in order to distinguish it
from philosophy.
Metaphysics became the philosophical enquiry into subjects
beyond the physical world, and to this day is not well accepted by the masses because it is not measurable. The saying
Ill believe it when I see it is a common objection many
people have to metaphysical ideas and the acceptance of
universal energy.
For example, can you see electricity? Of course not, but you
know it exists dont you? Otherwise many of the things you
take for granted such as lighting, TV, radio, internet, etc..
would not be possible. But you cant touch, see, feel, or
smell electricity.

Ill never forget what a mentor once told me. He said,

The only difference between science and magic is our understanding of how things work.
These words will remain as powerful as they were the first
time I heard them. I truly believe that as we evolve as human beings and become more enlightened, we will start to
look beyond the physical and begin to accept the idea that
perhaps we might have to believe things before we can see
them and not the other way around.
As we evolve into more enlightened and spiritual beings we
begin to appreciate that there is more to life (and to this
world) than our physical bodies. The practice of yoga and
meditation are becoming much more popular nowadays not
only because they are lower impact options for strengthening and stretching but also because they are great media for
connecting us to something greater than ourselves universal energy. A concept of economics states that whenever we
are in a time of high tech there is an increased demand for
more high touch.
Considering the fast pace of our technologically inundated
world, more and more people are searching for answers.
They search for their purpose on this planet and look for
ways to feel more connected to something greater than
them. It all comes back to the connectedness of infinite universal energy.
Every living organism on the planet is made of cells. If you
investigate deeper past the cell you will find that there are
molecules, composed of atoms. What happens when you investigate beyond the atom? What do you find? There must
be something.
Conventional science says that there is nothing to be found,
but metaphysicists and mathematicians will tell you that
atoms and every single thing in the universe are composed
of energy. Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and
electrons which are held in place and/or repelled by energy.
As you continue to investigate deeper beyond these elements you will encounter infinite space which is also energy.
Energy is what holds everything together even us.
If you have a tough time grasping this idea, I highly recommend that you watch The Secret and What the Bleep Do We
Know? These movies will help you understand the connection between your thoughts and your ability to manifest
anything you want in life, simply because you are inherently
tapped into the infinite energy of the universe.

40

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

So, what does this have to do with food? We have established that you are made of physical elements which are held
together by a fluctuating field of energy. Therefore, you are
electromagnetic being. You know this is true because if you
were to stick your finger in an electrical socket (which I dont
advise) you would get shocked, right? This is evidence that
our bodies are great conductors of energy. This concept has
been well established and is accepted as common knowledge
in the study of the body and its physiology. For instance, the
eastern science of acupuncture is based on energy meridians

within the body. So if you can conduct energy from a wall

socket, is it possible that you can conduct energy from food?
YES!
It is important to realize that everything going on around you
can influence your energy field. Food, stress, someone elses
perception of you, atmospheric pressure, and cooking and
food preparation methods will influence you and the list
goes on. You are affected by everything that surrounds you
and you shape and affect the world around you as well.

Energize Through Food!

Im not concerned with the details of how many calories are
derived from various foods. I dont believe that is an effective approach when looking at what food can do for you.
The philosophy of Eating for Energy revolves around consuming a predominantly raw, plant-based, whole foods diet. This
means that as much as possible you want to be eating foods
in their natural whole state. For instance, if you need more
vitamin C, it is much more beneficial to eat an orange or a
piece of broccoli than to supplement with vitamin C.
Our bodies were designed to recognize foods in their natural state, not their fragmented, synthetic components.
Otherwise, we would have been put on this planet with
supplements, microwaves, and barbecues right from day
one. When you eat whole foods, you not only get all of their
macro and micronutrients, but you get these nutrients in
their correct proportions. If you alter this perfect balance in
any capacity you will alter the way your body processes the
food (or supplement) for the worse. Simply put, fragmented foods cannot energize and nourish you as effectively as
whole foods.
A great example is human breast milk which contains the
perfect proportional nourishment for a young human. Per
100 grams, breast milk contains 1.1 g of protein, 4 g of fat,
and 9 g of carbohydrate. This ratio is obviously what nature
intended as the best formula for a human infant. Lets compare that to cows milk. Per 100 g it contains 4 g of protein,
3.5 g of fat, and 4.9 g of carbohydrate. This too is a perfect
formula but for a calf NOT a human!
Many people swear by cows milk for one reason or another, but when you consider that most cows milk products
have been fortified or enriched, further throwing nutrients
proportions out of sync, its no wonder were dealing with
so many health issues (i.e. osteoporosis, allergies, asthma,
eczema) these days.

As human beings we are part of a global ecosystem. Each

organism within this ecosystem subsists on what nature provides. Why should we be any different?
Fragmented foods are often referred to as refined. An
obvious example of this is white bread which has been fragmented by removing its germ and bran. But, since we are
told that bran is important for our colon health, we then go
out and buy a bran supplement to throw on top of our cereal. Why not just eat the whole grain in the first place?
So the message is this: keep it simple. The simpler you keep
it, the healthier and more energetic you will become. Eat as
nature intended and you will be better off than you currently
are. Most people dont realize just how good they can feel.
They tend to think This is it! This is the epiphany of how
good I can feel! Well, Im here to tell you that you have no
idea of the type of health and energy you can experience.
Just because you may never have felt the way Im describing
does not mean you cannot start. Start now.
You need to see food in a different light. You need to understand that everything you put into our body will either energize you or suck your energy.
Lets look at how this occurs.
Remember, every organ in your body works on micro-electricity, this electrical magnetic vibrational frequency made
possible through your bodys bio-chemistry. To Energize
means to eat foods that are high in vibrational energy or that
have great life force. Foods only provide value when they
can be converted into the elements necessary for this chemistry that allows electrical charges to continue.
Food actually gets to the organs through these little electrical
charges. Are all foods equal in energy? For example, are all
carbohydrates equal in the amount of electrical alive vibrational energy they possess? Yes or no? Your common sense

41

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

knows the answer just look at the kirlian photograrphs
from earlier.
Your goal is to minimize or avoid foods that take away more
energy than they provide. Your body operates on a subtle
electro-magnetic current. Nerve signals, the bodys mode
of communication, are electrical charges. Your brain, your
heart, and all the organs in your body emit these fields of
electrical vibrational current, and your cells communicate
with each other through pulses of electricity.
As Anthony Robbins so eloquently describes in his Get the
Edge program, once eaten, food is first broken down into
food particles and then broken down further into colloidals.
A colloidal is the smallest possible size of a nutrient particle.
These nutrient particles are then carried to cells via electrical
charges. If you eat something that is lifeless and void of
electrical charges, then youre not going to get the energy
that your body craves. The food itself will take more energy
than it gives off. This occurs every time you eat foods that
have been cooked, processed, fragmented, altered, etc
Each of the organs in your body has a certain vibrational frequency of electrical energy (measured in megahertz) for it to
function healthfully. The average of your core organs - your
brain, your heart, your lungs is 70 megahertz.
Food has the same measurable electrical energy. For example, chocolate cake has a vibrational energy of 1-3 MHz. A

Big Mac has 5 megahertz of vibrational energy. So, if you

need an average of 70 megahertz of energy, and your primary diet is made up of Big Macs and chocolate cake, you are
going to be in an energy deficit. Your energy is going to be
low. If your energy is low, will the organs of your body be
working at their total functional peak efficiency?
If they are not working efficiently, your organs will begin to
shut down, and you will begin to build up more toxic waste.
Your body would normally get rid of this waste, but your
body no longer has the energy to function properly. This is
the slow decline that most people would call aging, and
write it off as something out of their control. But as you now
know, that does not have to be the case!
Lets take a look at some more vibrational measurements.
Most vitamin and mineral supplements have energies of
10-30 megahertz and thats if your body can absorb them.
Raw almonds are 40-50 MHz. Your liver is 55-60 MHz; your
colon, 58-63 MHz; your stomach, 58-65 MHz; the top of your
head, 60-70 MHz; your brain emits 72-78 MHz. . Your body
is basically in that 60-70 MHz range.
Green vegetables have the highest vibrational energy: 7090 MHz. Live fresh wheat grass has 70-90 MHz. Plus, green
vegetables are extremely alkaline! You want alkalinity, and
green vegetables are some of the most alkaline foods you
can feed your body!

Feeding Your Brain

Dr. Howell also uncovered a very interesting connection between enzyme deficiencies (and thus energy deficiencies) in
a cooked food diet and a decrease in brain size and weight.
In his work, he describes a study in which rats were fed a
factory (cooked-food) diet. Their body weight went up and
their brain weight went down. After reviewing the literature
of over 50 similar reports, Dr. Howell demonstrated a significant relationship between a dead food diet and a decrease
in brain weight.

domesticated counterparts. The brains of wild meadow mice

are twice as heavy as those of laboratory mice. Even Charles
Darwin noted that the domesticated rabbit has a smaller
brain than his wild cousin.

It is important that your brain remain stimulated. Wild animals are constantly stimulated in their environments. They
must find food, shelter, and avoid predators. You too must
stay stimulated through the performance of complex mental
tasks and proper nourishment with foods that will improve
its performance and prevent decay. Its a case of use it or
It appears that food has a similar effect on your brain just like
lose it.
your environment and level of stimulation have an effect on
Proper nutrition is the basis of mental power. Negative
the brain. It is well known that you are more likely to lose
thoughts of failure, pessimism, and despair are all associated
your mental capacity if you do not remain mentally stimuwith states of low energy and enzyme depletion in the body
lated, especially as you age.
caused by eating the wrong food. It is amazing to experience
This downward trend in brain weight may be due to the
the mental clarity, concentration, and creativity that emerge
domestication of our brains. The brains of wild animals are
when energizing foods are consumed on a regular basis.
almost always larger in size and heavier than those of their

42

5: Enzymes Your Life Depends on Them

Brain cells derive nutrients from the foods we eat. Proper
cell function requires basic building blocks such as essential
fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins such as choline. An
enzyme rich diet is crucial in order to supply the enzymes
needed for brain function, the building of neural networks,
and the production of neurotransmitters. Just recently,
the Alzheimers Association predicted that the incidence of
Alzheimers will quadruple by 2050! Several theories have
been put forth for the connection between food and Alzheimers disease. For instance, there is increased risk for the
disease in people who have elevated levels of mercury and/
or aluminum, free radical damage, abnormal magnesium
metabolism, and/or deficiencies of essential fatty acids and
antioxidants.

We live by a sad but true irony. In todays world what we call

health is really an incubation period for the development
of disease!
Its time to put an end to the madness. Its time to nourish
and energize your body. The most critical element is that
YOU HAVE TO START NOW! The best time to start was at
conception. The second best time is now.

Action Steps EnzymesYour Life Depends on Them!

1. Challenge yourself to eat only raw fruits and vegetables for an entire day. Experience the difference enzymes make.
Albeit this is only one day, you may set a long-term success path. Notice the difference in the way you feel. How is
your energy? How do you feel emotionally? Do you have the same cravings?
2. Conversely, spend one day eating only cooked food (for experimental purposes only) and notice how you feel. Feel
free to have whatever you like. You might notice that your body takes much longer to process these foods. Hmmm.
it makes a difference when foods dont have any enzymes.

43

Living the Nutritional Lifestyle Success Guide

Living
Nutritional
Living the
the Nutritional
Lifestyle Lifestyle
Success Guide

44
44

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

6:Creating
Internal
Environment
6: Creatingan
anAlkaline
Alkaline Internal
Environment

Look at the world from outer space and you

see that water accounts for 73% of the earths
surface. The other 27% is filled by abundant
stretches of green land. The human body is
roughly 60% water and achieves peak health
when it is well hydrated and more green foods
are consumed. Coincidence?

45
45

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Creating
Alkaline
Internal
Environment
Creatingan
an Alkaline
Internal
Environment
Weve established with conviction that an overly acidic body is a risk factor for several disease
processes, ill health, low energy, and compromised function across the board. Although this
concept isnt readily discussed in most medical textbooks, it is an absolutely imperative reality to
understand. Acknowledge that a healthy acid-alkaline balance is the key to optimal physical and
mental performance and a healthy, long-lasting life. It is paramount if you are to move forward
into making the commitment to greater health.

In order to get different results you must change your actions. If you keep eating what youve always been eating,
youll keep looking and feeling the way you currently look
and feel. Do you want to feel better? I know you do! Who
wouldnt?

Most people dont even listen to what their body tells them.
Feeling tired or bloated after a meal is not a normal occurrence of human digestion. These symptoms indicate many
possible digestive issues. However, most people dont know
how to listen to their bodies. Most people cruise through life
eating whatever they want. They smoke and they drink withIn Western society, what we define as health is actually just
out understanding what they are doing to their bodys interan incubation period for disease. Its really only a matter of
nal environment. My first piece of advice is LISTEN TO YOUR
time before the majority or people succumb to diabetes, carBODY. Your body will tell you what it needs. JUST LISTEN.
diovascular disease, or cancer. But not you! Youve begun to
take the necessary steps to alkalize and energize your body!

46

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Where to Start?
So how do you go about alkalizing and energizing your body?

How do get to that state of optimal health?

Follow the Eating for Energy Food Spectrum

The Eating for Energy Food Spectrum is specifically designed
to drive more alkalinity and energy into your body! It promotes larger quantities of fruits and vegetables and supports
your body with healthy fats and high quality plant-based
proteins - all in their whole living state (raw). Do you have to
follow my advice to the letter? NO. But the more you do, the
better your results.
By eating whole foods (not fragmented or altered foods) you
will provide your body with the essential elements inherent
in each food that your body needs for optimal performance.
As mentioned in Chapter 5 (enzymes), the food enzymes
present in living foods are absolutely essential to achieving
the goals youre striving toward.

Americans are estimated to only be consuming 1-2 fruit and

vegetable servings per day!
Cooking has never added, and never will add, any benefit to
the nutrient value of a food. It can only alter it and make it
less than nature intended it to be. From my estimation cooking only adds heat, some level of comfort, and slight flavour
to certain foods.
Do I still eat cooked foods? YES, occasionally I do. But I know
full well the compromise Im making and I do my best to balance things out with an influx of natural live foods throughout the day.

Again, Im not here to convert into a raw foodist - thats up

to you. Im not one and thats not my goal. My intention is
So whats wrong with eating foods that are cooked? Well,
simply to open your eyes to a NEW paradigm to show you
its not the end of the world if you cook your foods once in
an alternative, healthier approach to nutrition. If you occaa while. After all, Id rather you steamed veggies than none
sionally cook your food or eat the odd piece of grass-fed beef
at all. But just remember that the enzymes and life force are
or free-range eggs, Im not going to hunt you down. I simdestroyed, and that cooking further leaches vitamins, minply want you to understand that basing your diet on these
erals, and phytonutrients from these foods that are already
traditional foods is not the way to go if you want greater
lower in these nutrients compared to just 50 years ago. So do
health and more energy.
your best to eat raw when you can.
Isnt it interesting that of all the animal species on the planThe recommendation for fruits and vegetables from many
et, human beings are the only ones that need to cook their
authorities is 5-10 servings per day, yet only a small portion
foods? Food for thought?
of the population actually achieves these numbers. Considering that most people only consume roughly half of the
The Eating for Energy Food Spectrum philosophy is foundrecommended number of these vital fruits and vegetables
ed on living plant-based whole foods. Not cooked, altered,
and that of this number the majority are contaminated (unfragmented, or processed foods. The diagram below gives a
less organic) and lower in nutrient content than in the past,
pictorial representation of the Eating for Energy Food Specwere at best only getting of what we really need. In fact,
trum nutritional approach.

47

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

The Eating for Energy Food Spectrum

GREENS

RAINBOW COLOURS

(all other fruits & vegetables)

ALKALINITY

CONSUMPTION

(green land & sea vegetables)

HEALTHY FATS & OILS

GRAINS & LEGUMES
LEISURE FOODS

% energy from CHO & Fat

This category comprises all plant-based foods that are green

in colour (both land and sea-based). The GREEN group occupies the top part of the Food Spectrum because they are
truly the most important group of foods available on our
planet. Greens are the most alkaline of all foods and contain
the highest nutrient density. They contain chlorophyll, the
molecule that gives the plant its green pigment and which
captures energy from the sun. Chlorophyll plays a pivotal
role in the plants production of energy (glucose and oxygen)
through photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll is to plants what hemoglobin is to animals. Chlorophyll is the life blood of plants and only differs from hemoglobin in that it is bound to magnesium instead of iron.
When you ingest chlorophyll-rich foods you directly take
in the suns energy and it radiates throughout your body.
Green foods give you a direct transfusion of sun energy into
blood energy.

a neutralize the acid

and potassium. These alkalizing F
minerals
forming minerals (sulfur, chlorine, and phosphorus) found in
nuts, seeds, onions, garlic, and animal products. Speaking
of alkaline minerals like calcium, we are encouraged to drink
milk because of its calcium, right? Well, where do cows get
their food from? Grass! The grass is green and it contains
huge amounts of calcium and all the other minerals just listed.
% energy from CHO & Fat

GREENS

To further illustrate the point that we dont need dairy, here

are some other sources of calcium from the green family.
Carbmilk
Keep in mind that cows
118 mg of calcium/100
ohyprovides
d
r
a
te (depending on the
g and that the daily recommended intake
authority) is between 800 1200 mg of calcium/day. Therefore, to meet daily requirements and assuming that dairy is a
balanced source of calcium (which it is not), you would need
to consume at minimum 0.88 1.22 liters of 2% milk per day
(considering 1 g of 2% milk = 1.1 ml)! Thats four to five 250
ml cups of milk per day. Thats insane!

Green leafy vegetables are the best source

of highlyDuration
alkalizExercise
ing minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium,

(minutes)

48

6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Non-Dairy/Green Vegetable Sources of Calcium

Green vegetable

mg of Calcium/100 g

Kelp
Dulse
Parsley
Turnip Greens
Watercress
Broccoli

1,093
296
203
184
151
130

Source: Benjamin Barton. Human Nutrition; USDA Handbook No. 8; and Michio Kushi The Book of Macrobiotics.
Although green vegetables provide a great amount of calcium, sesame seeds are the #1 food source providing a whopping 1,160 mg of calcium/100 g. So if youre looking for a
balanced source of calcium then look at having some more
hummus (because of the sesame based tahini see recipe
section) and plenty of green vegetables.

The GREEN group includes (but is not limited to) the following green vegetables:
Leafy Greens: kale, swiss chard, collard greens, beet
greens, mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, watercress,
mache, etc
Herbs: parsley, basil, coriander, etc
Sea Vegetables: dulse, nori, kelp, arame, irish moss, hijiki,
kombu
Blue-Green Algae: spirulina, chlorella
Greens also have the highest percentage of amino acids
(protein) per ounce of any food. However, since greens do
not weigh much, they need to be eaten daily to reap the full
benefits that their amino acid profile offers. As youll learn
later, eating a large green salad and drinking green juice each
day will help ensure that you get the amino acids your body
needs to rebuild and strengthen.

RAINBOW COLOURS All other fruits and vegetables

Little explanation is needed to describe the plethora of
health-promoting benefits that come from fruits and vegetables of varying colours. A good rule of thumb is to combine
lots of different colours in your meals as this will ensure a
wide variety of phytonutrients (i.e. antioxidants, carotenoids,
flavonoids, etc.) that help to prevent and fight cancer and
other disease (among other things). Furthermore, eating
more fruits and vegetables will ensure that you meet your
daily recommended intake of 35 grams of fiber. Fiber is so
important for several reasons. It helps to improve cardiovascular health, improves intestinal motility and bowel function,
helps you lose weight, stabilizes blood sugar, and gives you a
sense of fullness. This is an abbreviated list, so just remember that fiber is critical to your health.

The RAINBOW COLOURS group includes (but is not limited

to):
Fruits: bananas, mangos, berries (all), dates, figs, papayas,
pineapple, watermelon, mangosteen, persimmon, durian,
apples, apricots, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, kiwi,
cantaloupe, honeydew melon, grapes, goji berries, avocados, olives.
Vegetables: carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuces (all),
tomatoes, squash, mushrooms, onions, garlic

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

HEALTHY FATS & OILS

Many people fear fats. Why is this? I believe that most
people dont understand fats. Most people think that if they
eat fats, they will become fat. This is true to a certain extent,
like when you consume high amounts of animal, rancid, or
trans-fats. Without a doubt these fats will destroy your body
and your health. As such, these processed fats have no place
in your diet. They are not metabolically active and are easily
stored as fat in the body.
Trans-fats are especially detrimental to your health. Transfats are fats that have been molecularly altered, usually
by adding a hydrogen ion through hydrogenation. It is important to remember that these fats do not naturally occur

in nature, so your body has no idea how to process them.

Trans-fats increase blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
(bad cholesterol). They have been linked to greater risk in
the development of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other
degenerative diseases. Fats are needed to build cell membranes. When trans-fatty acids are assimilated into the cell
membrane the cell begins to lose control over which substances enter the cell. Salt, carcinogens, damaging free radicals, and chemicals begin to accumulate inside the cell. The
cell then becomes more susceptible to ultra-violet radiation,
cancer, and other damaging forces. All research that shows
the association between disease and fats has been conducted using cooked fats not raw plant fats!

Healthy Fats are Raw Plant Fats

Conversely, healthy plant fats can have an absolutely amazing impact on your body and your health. Fats are required
to transport fat-soluble vitamins, are a vital component to
the cell membrane, and provide protection and insulation for
your vital organs. Without fats we die! In fact, more than
60% of the human brain is made of fat. What makes raw
plant fats so powerful is that they assist in their own digestion and breakdown! Thats right! Because raw plant fats
have not been processed or heated, they still contain their
fat digesting enzyme lipase which helps digest these fats in
the body. Therefore, even if your diet has a higher amount
of raw plant fats, you are less likely to gain weight when
compared to consuming the same amount, or less, of cooked
animal fat. In fact, you will even lose body fat if you are
following an adjunct exercise program. Furthermore, plant
fats contain no cholesterol. Cholesterol is a compound found
only in animals as it is produced in the liver.
Raw fats give you beauty! They make your skin, hair, and
nails shine. Natural plant fats contain oils which lubricate the
mucus linings and joints of the body. They are also beneficial
in the alleviation of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis,
colitis, asthma, bronchitis, and many others.
Some fats are called essential because the body cannot
produce them. Linoleic and linolenic acids are essential fatty
acids in which nearly all westerners are deficient. They are
contained in the highly touted omega-3 and omega-6 fatty
acids, which will be discussed in more detail below.
All fats and oils are composed of fat molecules called fatty
acids. There are two methods of classifying fatty acids. The
one you are most familiar with is based on saturation. There
are saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and

polyunsaturated fatty acids. The second method of classification is based on molecular size or length of the carbon chain
in the fatty acid. There are short-chain fatty acids (SCFA),
medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and long-chain fatty acids
(LCFA). All raw plant fats have LCFAs which help protect cell
membranes from oxidation and free radical damage. Free
radicals are defined as electron-deficient molecules. Raw
plant fats (which have large amounts of spare electrons) help
de-activate free radicals by giving them electrons! Essential
fatty acids (omega-3 and 6) have a particular abundance of
electrons and thus help in promoting optimal health and
longevity.
Another term you will often see in reference to fatty acids is
triglyceride. Three fatty acids join together with a glycerol
backbone to make a triglyceride, so you may have shortchain triglycerides (SCT), medium-chain triglycerides (MCT),
or long-chain triglycerides (LCT).
In a nutshell, (no pun intended) the HEALTHY FATS & OILS
consist of fatty fruit, nuts and seeds, and plant-based oil. The
healthy plant fats and oils that are recommended in Eating
for Energy include the following:
Saturated fats: coconut oil
Monounsaturated fats: avocado, olives, olive oil
Polyunsaturated fats:
Omega-3s - flaxseed (seed & oil), pumpkin (seeds &
oil), hemp (seed & oil), walnut (nut & oil), fish oil
Omega-6s sesame (seed & oil), grapeseed oil,
safflower oil, sunflower (seed & oil).

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Healthy fats & oils are crucial to your health, so I will spend
some more time here to further explain the necessity and

benefits of these fats in your diet.

Saturated Fats
These fats are solid at room temperature (except for coconut
oil) and are very stable when heated which means that they
dont become rancid (chemically altered). As such, they are
safer to use if you cook occasionally. Because the philosophy
of this book is based on living plant-based whole foods, no
animal saturated fats enter the equation. The main source
of saturated fat with our approach will come from the all
mighty coconut.
Coconut Oil the Undisputed Saturated Fat Champion of
the World!
The vast majority of the fats and oils you eat, whether they
are saturated or unsaturated or come from an animal or a
plant, are composed of long-chain triglycerides. Probably 98
to 100% of all the fats we eat consist of LCT. Coconut oil on
the other hand is unique because it is composed predominately of MCT (medium-chain triglycerides). The size of the
fatty acid is extremely important because the physiological
effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinct
from the long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in our
diet. It is the MCT in coconut oil that makes it different from
all other fats and for the most part gives it its unique character and healing properties.
MCT are easily digested, absorbed, and put to use nourishing the body. Unlike other fats, they put little strain on the
digestive system and provide a quick source of energy necessary to promote healing. The digestive health advantages
of MCT over LCT are due to the differences in the way the
body metabolize these fats. Because the MCT molecules are
smaller, they require less energy and fewer enzymes to break
them down for digestion. They are digested and absorbed
quickly and with minimal effort. MCT are broken down
almost immediately by enzymes in the saliva and gastric
juices so that pancreatic fat-digesting enzymes are not even
essential. Therefore, there is less strain on the pancreas and
digestive system. In the digestive system, MCT are broken
down into individual medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Unlike other fatty acids, MCFA are absorbed directly from the
intestines and sent straight to the liver where they are, for
the most part, burned as fuel much like a carbohydrate. In
this respect, they act more like carbohydrates than like fats
and thus provide a great source of energy for physical endeavours.

Eating foods containing MCT (ie. coconut oil) is like putting

high octane fuel into your car. The car runs smoother and
gets better gas mileage. Likewise, with MCT, your body performs better because it has more energy and greater endurance. Because MCFA are funneled directly to the liver and
converted into energy, your body gets a boost of energy. And
because MCFA are easily absorbed by the energy-producing
organelles of the cells, metabolism increases. This burst of
energy has a stimulating effect on the entire body.
Several health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and
osteoporosis are more prevalent in those people who have a
slow metabolism. Any health condition is made worse if the
metabolic rate is slower than normal, because cells cannot
heal and repair themselves as quickly. Increasing metabolic
rate, therefore, provides an increased degree of protection
from both degenerative and infectious illnesses. The MCT in
coconut oil are highly metabolic and thermogenic, meaning
that they rev up your bodys metabolism.
Furthermore, two of the main MCFAs found in coconut oil,
lauric acid and capric acid, are highly health promoting.
These two compounds are big time anti-microbial agents and
are helpful in preventing infection and illness.
Next time you go to the store choose an extra virgin coconut
oil instead of butter or margarine (more on this later)!
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are found mostly in avocados, olives,
olive oil, durians, cacao beans, almonds (and most nuts) and
their oils. The slight electrical nature of these fats allows
them to split and bind with some toxins. Monounsaturated
fats are less stable than saturated fats yet more stable than
polyunsaturated. However, as with the latter, these fats
(especially in oil form) can go rancid with excess exposure
to heat, light, plastic and air. Therefore, when choosing an
extra virgin olive oil, be sure to get one that is cold pressed
and comes in a dark glass bottle. Store it in a cool dark place
such as a pantry.

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats are dominant in the substance and
oil of walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cold water fish,
hemp seeds, and most other seeds. They have a strong electrical nature which allows them to easily split and bind to,
and eliminate toxins. Because of this property, raw polyunsaturated fats are the most healing of all fats for the body.
The highly beneficial omega-3s are a subdivision of this fat
grouping. They are present in many plant and seed sources
(listed above). I recommend the use of fish oil for its high
potency omega-3 fatty acid content. But Yuri, fish oil isnt
plant derived! Yes, I know. Actually, it is in a sense because
many fish feed off blue-green algae which are the ultimate
source of omega-3 fatty acids. Because most commercial
fish is toxic, a high- quality fish oil is the one of the only
animal-based supplement that I would recommend, and for
good cause. The reason I suggest using a fish oil supplement
(liquid form) is that all omega-3s are broken down into two
compounds, EPA and DHA, before being ultimately converted into helpful anti-inflammatory hormone-like compounds
called prostaglandins 1 and 3. A healthy liver is necessary to
convert omega-3s into EPA and DHA; however, it has been
shown that most peoples livers cannot perform this conversion due to being in toxic, unhealthy, and malfunctioning.
Fish oils, on the other hand, already come in the converted

EPA and DHA form and thus are much more readily utilized
by your body.
If you decide to choose a fish oil, ensure that it meets the
following 2 criteria:
Comes from small fish sardines, krill, herring, etc
Has been molecularly distilled ensures removal of all
toxins.
Because polyunsaturated fats are the most fragile and sensitive of all fats, they need to be carefully stored to prevent
rancidity. They should be stored in a cool dark environment
such as a refrigerator for best keeping and should come in a
dark glass bottle. To further avoid rancidity, they should be
consumed within 30 days of opening.
Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in addition to being
converted to good, anti-inflammatory prostaglandin 1, can
be readily converted to pro-inflammatory prostaglandin 2.
And since Omega-6 is easily attained in our diet, I recommend that you focus on consuming greater amounts of omega-3s to ensure a healthier internal environment. Inflammation is associated with all disease, so you want to ensure that
your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio is in favor of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil, flaxseed oil, hemp oil,
blue-green algaes, and walnuts are all very good sources of
omega-3s.

GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Grains and legumes are beneficial to your health. However, because they are slightly acid-forming in the body, they
should be balanced by alkalizing green leafy vegetables from
the GREENS group.
The GRAINS AND LEGUMES group consists of the following:
Non-Glutenous Grains: quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, brown rice
Legumes: lentils, chic peas, adzuki beans, mung beans,
soybeans
I promote non-glutenous grains because they are less irritating to the digestive tract and contain a much higher nutrient
profile than typical grains such as wheat or white rice. In
essence, they are really pseudo-grains because they (except
for brown rice) are actually more closely related to the green
leafy vegetable family than other conventional grains. They
are also substantial sources of protein with protein content
up to 30%.

The consumption of whole grains, such as quinoa, has been

linked to protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke,
diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and premature death.
A new study and accompanying editorial published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains the likely reasons behind these findings and recommends that at least 3
servings of whole grains should be eaten daily. Whole grains
are excellent sources of fiber. In a meta-analysis of 7 studies
including more than 150,000 persons, those whose diets provided the highest dietary fiber intake had a 29% lower risk
of cardiovascular disease compared to those with the lowest
fiber intake.
Legumes are also a great source of plant protein, fiber, and
heart healthy carbohydrates. In combination with leafy
green vegetables, legumes will furnish more than enough
amino acids to build a strong and healthy body, build your
immune system, and reduce the digestive burden on your
stomach.

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

The following chart shows the protein content per 100 gram foods have any trace of cholesterol! To determine your supserving of various plant-based foods as well as several animal posed daily protein intake (in grams) simply multiply your
sources for comparison. Notice how none of the plant-based body weight (kg) x 1.0 (athletes may need a bit more).

Vegetarian Protein Sources

Food
Soybeans, raw
Lentils, raw
Mung beans, raw
Pumpkin seeds
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Spirulina
Spinach
Watercress
Ground beef
Chicken breast

Protein (g/100 g serving)

Cholesterol (mg/100 g serving)

37
28
25
25
24
23
60
5
3
24
29

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
90
84

Source: USDA Nutrient Database: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl

As per the promotion of living foods, grains and legumes
(nuts & seeds as well) should not be cooked. Rather they
should be soaked and/or sprouted! Sprouting/soaking is a
wonderfully simple method of awakening the dormant enzymes and the full nutrient spectrum inherent in these foods.
By soaking/sprouting grains, legumes, and nuts & seeds you
begin the germination process. This is really the halfway
point between the seed and the development of a plant and
is the point at which the food is most nutrient dense.
In the dormant stage, a seed has enzyme inhibitors to preserve and protect it. If you were to eat it at this stage, your
body would need to expend huge amounts of energy to
break it down. As you soak it, though, the enzyme inhibitors are released and the seeds enzymes are activated. The

seed springs to life with an abundance of energy, life force,

enzymes, and nutrients. Even squirrels use this technique to
their full advantage. Upon collecting chestnuts, squirrels will
bury them deep in the soil for several days so that they begin
to germinate. Once this has happened, the squirrel returns
to dig up the activated and alive chestnut for consumption. Isnt that absolutely amazing?
By soaking/sprouting, you can often double and even triple
the nutrient content of the seed while reducing the seeds fat
content and converting some of its denser vegetable protein
into easier to process amino acids. This is invaluable because
it means that you can eat less while getting more from your
food and save money on unnecessary groceries.

Soaking 101
Soaking is as simple as its name implies. All that is required
is some good quality filtered or spring water and the seed,
nut, grain or legume you wish to soak. Remember that when
you soak dried foods they will absorb water, swell and expand, so make sure there is plenty of water to cover them.
It is best to soak them in a bowl or glass jar. For simplicity,
it is easiest to soak the seed, nut, grain, or legume overnight in water at room temperature. After you have soaked

your seeds, nuts, grains, or legumes they should be rinsed

off before consuming or sprouting them. Soaked nuts (and
sunflower seeds) dont necessarily need to be sprouted.
They can be enjoyed in their living state after their overnight
soaking period. If you have soaked a larger quantity of nuts
(or sunflower seeds), then leftovers may be kept soaking in
water in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Sprouting 101
Now that you have your grains, legumes, and seeds soaked
and ready to sprout heres what you need. First, ensure that
youve thoroughly rinsed them after the soaking process.
Next, using a sprouting jar, sprouting tray, or even a common strainer, place your soaked grain/legume/seed inside
and make sure that there is enough ventilation and that the
temperature is not above 80 F. You can easily make your
own sprout jars by taking a wide-mouth glass jar and covering it with some cheesecloth (secured by an elastic band).
Tilt the jar at a 45 angle and place it in your dish rack so that

water from your seeds can drain properly and to ensure the
jar has good ventilation. I personally just throw my soaked
seeds into a strainer overhanging the sink and cover it with a
kitchen towel or paper towel. As the seed goes through the
sprouting process, you need to rinse it once or twice a day to
maintain its moisture. Depending on the seed/grain/legume
you are sprouting different harvesting times will apply. To
test whether the sprouts are ready, chew one. It should be
firm, yet soft and not too crunchy.
Refer to the following chart for some guidance.

Sprouting/Harvesting Time Chart

Nut, Seed, Legume, or Grain Sprouting Time

Nut, Seed, Legume, or Grain Sprouting Time

Adzuki beans
Alfalfa
Buckwheat, hulled
Clover sprouts
Green lentils
Red lentils
Mung beans
Peas
Oat Groats

Quinoa
Chic Peas
Amaranth
Millet

3-5 days
4-6 days
1-3 days
4-6 days
1-3 days
1 day
1-3 days
2-4 days
2-3 days

1-2 days
3-4 days
1-2 days
1-2 days

Once the seed/grain/legume has finished sprouting you

may store it in covered bowl or Tupperware container in the
refrigerator. Most sprouts will keep for several days but its
best to quickly smell them before eating to ensure they havent gone bad.

LEISURE FOODS
I am firm believer in moderation, balance, and sustainability. I understand first hand that maintaining a strict raw diet
is just not practical for most people. Thats Eating for Energy
is raw food diet for REAL people. Considering most peoples
habits, minimal availability of quick-to-go healthy foods, and
lack of practice with raw foods, many people find it difficult
to maintain a 100% raw food lifestyle. However, for the sake
of your health you seriously need to make a concerted effort.
At the same time, I can appreciate the occasional splurge
or indulgence is to be expected and absolutely understandable. My personal vice is pizzaand sweets. So thats why
Ive left some flex in this living plant-based foods approach.
However, dont abuse your privilege. If youre going to have
leisure foods, enjoy them in moderation.
What youll most likely find after following the principles and
delicious recipes in Eating for Energy is that youll no longer
crave traditional foods and even if you consume them on

occasion your body will immediately feel their effects. As

you adopt this new food philosophy you will be cleansing
your body of many of the toxins that have built up from years
of processed food intoxication. As your body becomes cleaner, you will notice marked differences in how you feel and
react to foods that were common place in your diet.
In my case, I grew up eating tons of bread, cereals, dairy,
and sweets. To this day it is still challenging to turn a blind
eye to these foods because my body has been conditioned
to enjoy them. However, as I my diet has evolved to consist
of about 80% raw plant-based foods, the urge or craving for
these foods has dissipated. However, on the occasion where
I indulge in bread or other wheat-based products, my body
feels it immediately. The bloating, gas, fatigue all present
themselves within minutes to hours. Is it really worth it? Ill
let you decide.

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6: Creating an Alkaline Internal Environment

Most often, the foods we crave are the same very foods to
which we are allergic or sensitive. As you move away from
the foods that have handcuffed and debilitated you for so
long, you will feel empowered, in control, and happier. No
longer will food be the boss of you. You were destined to be
free and to live the healthiest life ever.
As human beings we have the potential to live well beyond
the age of 100. We are in complete control of our destiny
through the foods we eat and the lifestyle we adopt. The
choice is yours.
So the LEISURE FOODS group is really to give you the choice
and flexibility to enjoy some of the foods that youve typically enjoyed while simultaneously offering you the possibility
to completely eliminate them. Just remember, it will be difficult to move forward in your growth if youre still dependent
on foods that hold you back.

The key is to make your 80% living foods become your leisure
foods! But even if you cant or dont want to, thats fine as
well. The health and energy benefits you will experience
simply by consuming more whole living plant-based foods,
even its only a fraction more than what youre currently
consuming, will be dramatic. Obviously, since the LEISURE
FOODS group occupies the lowest position on the Eating for
Energy Food Spectrum, these foods should be consumed the
least. For maximum vitality, no more than 20% of your meals
should come from LEISURE FOODS the rest should be raw
and plant-based.

55

7: 12 Eating for Energy Super Foods

7: 12
Energy
Super Foods
7: 12Eating
Eating forfor
Energy
Super Foods

No single food will ever overshadow your overall

diet. In truth, every food that comes from the
earth could be considered a superfood but their
true power is seen when they are combined to
make up a larger portion of your diet.

56
56

7: 12 Eating for Energy Super Foods

12 12Eating
Energy
Super Foods
Eating forfor
Energy
Super Foods
Avocados
The avocado is the new world olive. It is the fatty fruit that
dominates the Americas as the olive dominates the Mediterranean world. The word avocado actually means testicle
tree in the ancient Aztec dialect. Apparently, it not only
resembles a testicle and grows in pairs but it also greatly enhances sexual passion!
As with most fatty fruits, avocados ripen on the ground (not
on the tree), are susceptible to environmental conditions,
and pick up superior taste when grown in mineral-rich soil.
Over 500 different types of avocados have been identified.
Because of their healthy fat content and grounding properties, avocados (and other fatty plant foods) are a great transition food from a cooked diet.
One avocado contains approximately 300 calories and is
packed full of super nutrients. Roughly 90% fat, the avocado
contains mostly omega-9 fatty acids and monounsaturated
fats. Avocados are a great source of B vitamins (except B12),
and antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. They are also rich in
potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese.
For vegetarians who do not eat a lot of fatty foods, avocados
are a terrific source of healthy fats and oils and provide a
feeling of satiety when eaten. As youll see later in the recipe

section, avocados provide a beautiful creaminess that forms

the base of many soups, dips, and sauces. Sometimes, Ill
even just eat an avocado with a spoon by halving it, drizzling
some lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, adding a dash of
fresh ground pepper and sea salt, and voila! Absolutely delicious and nutritious! If youre worried about the calories
then obviously keep your avocado consumption in check
dont over do it. One a day is plenty.
In his book The Sunfood Diet Success System , raw food expert David Wolfe shows that the avocado has the propensity to save the planet and the human race. He claims that
replacing meat and dairy fat (resource-depleting and health
impairing products) with avocado fat would save millions of
acres of land. At least 260 million acres of U.S. forests have
been cleared for cropland to fuel the meat-centered diet and
85% of U.S. topsoil loss is directly attributable to the raising
of livestock. He explains that more than 50% of the water
used in the U.S. is used for livestock production. It takes
2,500 gallons of water to produce just one pound of meat!
Avocado trees, conversely, provide health promoting food,
create clean air, enhance topsoil, and provide homes for
wildlife.

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Olives (and olive oil)

Like its trans-Atlantic cousin the avocado, the olive is a wonderful fatty fruit also touted for its aphrodisiac effect. In
fact, many raw foodists claim that olives may very well be
the worlds most perfect food! In ancient Greece, Solon, the
great law-maker, enacted laws protecting all olive trees and
made it a capital offense to kill a tree or cut one down.

Great source of vitamins A, E, and many of the B vitamins.

High in anti-oxidants
Able to soothe mucus membranes with its oil
The highest mucus dissolver of any fruit (figs are second)

When choosing raw olives, select ones that have not been
Olives and their oil contain some of the most beneficial fats
soaked in vinegar as they are more acid-forming. Canned
monounsaturates. Olive oil has been shown to be cardioproor pre-bottled olives should not even be a consideration as
tective by lowering LDL cholesterol (bad type).
they are loaded with excess sodium, have been pasteurized,
Consider the power and benefits of the amazing raw olive:
and many will have been soaked in ferrous gluconate (an iron
compound which darkens them). If you dont have an olive
Fruit richest in minerals
tree in your backyard (most of us dont) and you cant find
raw organic sun-ripened olives (best option), then choose
Fruit richest in calcium. Contains twice as much calcium
olives that have been water-cured, sea salt-cured and/or
as oranges by weight.
olive oil-cured.
High in magnesium
I personally enjoy olives as an extra topping on many of the
High in amino acids, including leucine, aspartic acid, and
raw pastas and salads that I make. I find they add a wonderglutaminic acid.
ful flavour and provide a greater sense of satiety after eating
my meal. They are also great to use when making tapenades
An alkaline fatty fruit
and other great dips or sauces.
Amazing source of monounsaturated fats but also loaded
with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Coconuts (and their water and oil/butter)

The benefits of this wonderful saturated fat have been described earlier on. However, Ill give you some additional
information to help you incorporate coconuts and their oil/
butter into your diet.

Here are some step-by-step instructions to help you get into

your young coconuts:
1. Lay the coconut on its side, securing it so it wont roll.

2. Holding the knife high, bring it down sharply near the top
First, if you can get your hands on young coconuts then you
of the coconut (be sure to keep your other hand out of
can enjoy the wonderful white fleshy meat they provide.
harms way). The knife should sink in about one-third of
Young coconuts are easier to open then typical mature cocothe way, breaking through the outer shell.
nuts. The difference between the two is that mature coconuts have the traditional brown hair-like hard shell that
3. Quickly set the coconut upright so you dont lose the preyou often see in the tropics. Young coconuts on the other
cious water inside.
hand are white, softer, and come with the husks trimmed
4. Drain the coconut of its water, then use the cleaver to
down. They sit flat with a pointed top. I find that most Asian
finish cutting off the top to get to the meat.
markets carry young coconuts. To open these young coconuts, a cleaver is your best option.
5. The best way to get the meat out is by using the back of
a spoon to pry it from the sides of the coconut, and then
.
trim away any shell residue with a knife.

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The water found inside fresh young coconuts is a natural
sport drink - high in vitamin C, B vitamins, proteins, and electrolytes! Fans of coconut water rave about the beautifying
powers that range from restoring chapped lips to combating the appearance of freckles, sunspots, and skin cancers!
Young coconut water has also been shown to assist the function of the gall bladder, kidney, liver, and thyroid. What you
probably have already seen in stores is coconut milk. This
is the extract of the grated flesh of mature coconuts, which
generally comes pasteurized in a can, and thus would not be
an ingredient that I would recommend.

When selecting coconut oil or butter its important to buy

only cold-pressed extra virgin oil, which is mechanically extracted from the young coconut meat. Be sure to stay away
from hydrogenated coconut oil. This has been chemically
altered (ie. trans-fat production) and is not healthy for you.
Coconut oil will become liquid when stored above 24C and
will turn hard when stored in the refrigerator. I would recommend keeping it in the refrigerator for long term storage
and simply placing its container in warm water thereafter if
you want it in liquid form before using.

Spirulina
This is a true powerhouse! Spirulina is a type of blue-green
algae that has been commonly found, amongst other locations, in Oregons Klamath Lake. It has a very rich nutrient
profile and is commonly used as a high protein nutrient because it contains all of the 22 amino acids the body requires.
Per 100 grams, it contains 60 grams of protein! Because it is
dark green in colour, it is a very good source of chlorophyll, is
considered a rejuvenator of the body, and helpful in building
healthy alkaline blood.

improved energy, and a decreased appetite (weight loss).

Algaes, like spirulina, are the original source of omega-3 fatty
acids. Algaes are what small, bottom feeding fish consume.
These fish are then eaten by larger ones, and then eventually
by humans. Cold water fish, which are well-known for their
omega-3 fatty acids, owe their omega-3 fame to the consumption of algaes, even if indirectly.

Spirulina comes in powdered form and should be stored in

the refrigerator. Ensure that you choose 100% raw, organic
Spirulina is also rich in gamma linoleic acid (GLA), the oil
spirulina. I find that spirulina goes best with fruit juices and
found in evening primrose oil. It is possible that the GLA
fruit-based smoothies. If youre a true warrior you can also
found in spirulina accounts for some of the positive effects of
just mix it with water but watch out for its peculiar taste.
that people experience when using it such as mental clarity,

Parsley
Parsley is native to the Mediterranean. While it has been
cultivated for more than 2,000 years, parsley was used
medicinally prior to being consumed as food. The ancient
Greeks held parsley to be sacred, using it to not only adorn
victors of athletic contests, but also for decorating the tombs
of the deceased.
Parsley contains two types of unusual components that
provide unique health benefits. The first type is volatile oil
components - including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and
alpha-thujene. Myristicin, specifically, has been shown to
inhibit tumor growth and helps to activate the bodys most
powerful antioxidant, glutathione. The second type of heath
promoting component in parsley is flavonoids - including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin, all of which are powerful
antioxidants.

Parsley is extremely high in vitamin C and vitamin A (beta-carotene). It is also the greatest source of iron of any
green vegetable! Another great feature of parsley is that its
a good source of folic acid, a crucial B vitamin which helps
prevent heart disease by converting the heart-dangerous
homocysteine molecule into its benign state. Folic acid is essential for many mothers-to-be, preventing spinal column-related birth defects in their newborns.
Whenever possible, choose fresh parsley over the dried
form since it is fresher and superior in flavor. Choose parsley
that is deep green in color and looks fresh and crisp. Avoid
bunches that have leaves that are wilted or yellow as this
indicates that they are either over-mature or damaged. As
with any other food, try to select organically grown parsley
since this will give you more assurance that the herbs have

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not been irradiated. Irradiation has become common practice in the sterilization of food. It involves exposing food to
radiation in order to kill bacteria and increase shelf life. This
process also kills vital food enzymes.

Fresh parsley should be kept in the refrigerator in a plastic

bag. If the parsley is slightly wilted, either sprinkle it lightly
with some water or wash it without completely drying it before storing in the refrigerator.

Cacao
Cacao (aka. Raw chocolate) is the seed of an Amazonian fruit
tree brought to Central America during or before the time of
the Olmecs, an ancient Mexican tribe. It is the main ingredient in chocolate. Cacao beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money! In 1753 Carl
von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist, thought
that cacao was so important that he named the genus and
species of this tree himself. He named this tree: Theobroma
cacao, which literally means cacao, the food of the gods.

Cacao also seems to diminish appetite, probably due to its

monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) these are different from digestive enzyme inhibitors found
in most nuts and seeds. These rare MAO inhibitors actually
produce favorable results when consumed by allowing more
serotonin and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the
brain. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MAO inhibitors facilitate youthening and rejuvenation.

Cacao also contains Phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA is an adCacao beans contain no sugar and between 12% and 50% fat renal-related chemical created within the brain and released
when we are in love. This is one of the reasons why love and
depending on variety and growth conditions. But rest aschocolate have a deep correlation. PEA also plays a role in
sured there is no evidence that implicates cacao bean conincreasing focus and alertness. Yet another neurotransmitsumption with obesity! Remember that fat in its raw state
ter, anandamide, has been isolated in cacao. Anandamide
contains lipase, the enzyme that metabolizes fat.
is produced naturally in the brain and is known as The Bliss
One of cacaos greatest features is that it is remarkably rich
Chemical because it is released when we are feeling fanin magnesium. Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnetastic. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease your
sium of any food. Because magnesium is a natural relaxant it
bodys ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that
could explain why women crave chocolate during their mennatural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick
strual periods. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds
around longer, making you feel extra blissful when you eat
strong bones, and is associated with more happiness. Magcacao.
nesium is the most deficient major mineral in the Standard
Many people have reported allergies to chocolate. However,
American Diet (SAD); over 80% of Americans are chronically
is it the cacao or the dairy in the chocolate that is causing
deficient in Magnesium!
the problem? Well, a recent study showed that only one out
Cacao does contain subtle amounts of caffeine and theobroof 500 people who thought they were allergic to chocolate
mine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked.
Consider the results from an interesting experiment that
led homeopaths to indicate cacaos stimulating effect to be
significant when cooked, not raw. The experiment, conducted with a mixture of roasted ground cacao beans in boiling
water, produced effects similar to those caused by black
coffee: an excitement of the nervous system, an excited state
of circulation, and an accelerated pulse. Interestingly, when
the same decoction was made with raw, unroasted beans,
neither effect was noticeable, leading the researchers to conclude that the physiological changes were caused by aromatic substances released during roasting. I can tell you from
my own experience that the energy you feel after eating raw
cacao is absolutely phenomenal. And it doesnt produce
withdrawal symptoms as youd experience with coffee.

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actually tested positive. Allergies to cacao are quite rare. It
is typically the case that the person is in fact allergic to milk
and dairy products or some other ingredient in commercial
chocolate.
Cacao has been touted as the number one source of antioxidants of any food on the planet! It blows blueberries out
of the water. Antioxidants are measured using the ORAC or

the oxidative reactive capacity of a given food. Have a look

at the above ORAC chart (from rawfood.com) and youll see
exactly where cacao scores.
NOTE: Since cacao does contain a small degree of caffeine,
enjoy it in moderation. Overconsumption can lead to increased stimulation of the adrenal glands and overtime wear
them down.

Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are one of the most underrated and poorly
understood foods. These seeds are small yet pack a powerful punch full of beneficial nutrients. Most notably, sesame
seeds are very high in copper, magnesium, and calcium (#1
food source).
Just a quarter-cup of sesame seeds supplies 74% of the daily
value (DV) for copper, 31.6% of the DV for magnesium, and
35.1% of the DV for calcium. This rich assortment of minerals translates into many health benefits.
Copper is known for its use in reducing some of the pain and
swelling of rheumatoid arthritis. Coppers effectiveness is
due to the fact that this trace mineral is important in a number of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant enzyme systems.
In addition, copper plays an important role in the activity
of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme needed for the cross-linking of
collagen and elastin - the ground substances that provide
structure, strength and elasticity in blood vessels, bones, and
joints.
The magnesium inherent in sesame seeds is well known to
support vascular and respiratory health. Some of its roles
include: preventing airway spasm in asthma, lowering high
blood pressure, preventing the trigeminal blood vessel

spasm that triggers migraine attacks, and restoring normal

sleep patterns in women experiencing unpleasant symptoms
associated with menopause.
Everyone knows that calcium is important to the body, but
not everyone may know the benefits to be had by consuming
sesame seeds! As the #1 source of calcium, sesame seeds
protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals and help
prevent bone loss that can occur as a result of menopause or
other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. They help prevent migraine headaches in those who suffer from them and
reduce PMS symptoms during the luteal phase (the second
half) of the menstrual cycle. Sesame seeds even provide the
necessary calcium components for muscular contraction.
Sesame seeds are so easy to enjoy. Many of the recipes in
this book add sesame seeds not only for their slight taste but
for their powerful nutritional properties. Tahini (ground sesame), the base for hummus, is a perfect example. I usually
throw a few tablespoons of ground sesame seeds into most
of my smoothies to give them an extra boost of alkalizing
minerals. To grind sesame seeds into Tahini simply throw the
seeds into a coffee grinder and pulse them until they become
powder-like and begin to stick together.

Quinoa
Commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of
leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. A recently rediscovered ancient grain native to South America,
quinoa was once called the gold of the Incas, because they
recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors.

Not only is quinoa high in protein at roughly 30% but the

protein it supplies is complete, meaning it includes all nine
essential amino acids. Not only is quinoas amino acid profile
well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned
about adequate protein intake, but it is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, essential for tissue growth
and repair.

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In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other
health-building nutrients. It is a very good source of manganese and a good source of magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorous, and B vitamins. For this reason, quinoa may be
especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Quinoa has powerful antioxidant
properties and its fiber and lignan content helps lower the
risk for Type II Diabetes, helps prevent gallstone formation,
and protects against heart disease.

Because quinoa is a whole food and not subjected to processing, it is not a common allergenic food and is a nice alternative to typical grains such as white rice and wheat breads
and pastas. It should be rinsed thoroughly before cooking or
sprouting in order to remove the saponin (soaplike) coating. It is wonderful to use as a base for salads, cereals, and
dips like tabouli or hummus.

Nori
Nori is the sea vegetable (aka. Seaweed) used to make sushi.
It is a wonderfully nutritious seaweed that can be used as
an alternative to bread when making sandwiches or wraps.
You can even make your own sushi (see the Healthy Recipe
Guide) in no time.
Nori comes in dark green sheets and is nearly 50% protein!
It is also high in fiber and an extremely valuable source of
sea-based minerals including iodine. Iodine is important
since it supports the thyroid gland, which is the gland that
controls your bodys metabolism. Many people with an underactive thyroid can benefit greatly from consuming more
sea vegetables.

Nearly 40% of noris dry weight is minerals. Most people

these days are eating mineral-void foods because of depleted
soils and the higher cost of mineral-rich organic foods. Sea
vegetables like nori, kelp, kombu, wakame, arame, and dulse
are great avenues for ensuring adequate mineral intake. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling even said that all diseases
can be traced back to a mineral deficiency. So eat more sea
vegetables and youll be off to a great start!

Kale
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica
family, a group of cruciferous vegetables that includes cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts. They have gained recent
widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients.
Kale contains 1300%, 192%, and 88% of the daily value for
vitamin K, A, and C, respectively. Vitamin A is a powerful
antioxidant well known for lowering the risk of developing
cataracts and supporting healthy lung function by protecting
the mucous lining of the airways.
Kale is also an important source of iron which helps in the
prevention of anemia and the building of strong healthy red
blood cells. According to the USDA Handbook No. 456, gram
for gram, kale has 14 times more iron than red meat! And
because vitamin C helps iron absorption, the high levels of
vitamin C in kale significantly help the bodys ability to assimilate the iron inherent in kale. Just another example of the
perfection naturally present in whole foods.

Numerous studies have shown that diets rich in cruciferous

vegetables are associated with lower incidence of a variety
of cancers including lung, breast, colon, ovarian, and bladder.
For instance, in the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and
Cancer in which data was collected on over 100,000 people
for more than 6 years, those eating the most vegetables benefited with a 25% lower risk of colorectal cancers. However,
those eating the most cruciferous vegetables (ie. kale, broccoli) - only 3 to 5 servings per week - did almost twice as well
with a 49% drop in their colorectal cancer risk.
Most notably, kale has been noted for its sulfur-containing
phytonutrients. These compounds actually signal your genes
to increase the production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the cleansing process through which the body eliminates harmful compounds. Because of these organosulfurs,
kale is a liver-friendly food that helps keep the liver in good
health.

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Look for kale with firm, deeply colored leaves and moist
hardy stems. Kale should be displayed in a cool environment since warm temperatures will cause it to wilt and will
negatively affect its flavor. The leaves should look fresh and
unwilted, free from signs of browning, yellowing and small
holes. Choose kale with smaller-sized leaves since these will
be tenderer and have a milder flavor than those with larger
leaves. Kale is at its peak from the middle of winter through
the beginning of spring although it is available all year round.

Kale should be wrapped in a damp paper towel, placed in a

plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator crisper. It should
not be washed before storing since this may cause it to wilt.
Kale can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, although
it is best when eaten within one or two days after purchase.
The longer it is stored the more bitter its flavor will become.

Maca
This is a powdered supplement that originates from the
Peruvian maca root. It contains amino acids, complex carbohydrates, vitamins B, C, and E, and many important minerals
such as calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium, and iron. Its
many benefits include the balancing of hormones, building
muscle, enhancing stamina, and increasing fertility. Most
notably is its ability as an adaptogen - a metabolic regulator
that increases the ability of an organism to adapt to environ-

mental factors - to support the adrenal glands and alleviate

stress on the body. For this reason, I highly recommend it for
anyone who is stressed, has adrenal fatigue, or has any hormonal imbalances. That means pretty much everyone.
Maca has a cinnamony, funny taste, almost like a powdered sweet potato. It goes best in smoothies or if you can
handle itdirectly mixed with water.

Flax (seed and oil)

Flaxseeds are included in this list of superfoods for 3 main
reasons. First, they are a great source of omega-3 essential
fatty acids (more prominent in flaxseed oil). Weve already
discussed the importance of an omega-3 rich diet.
Second, flaxseeds are an incredible source of fiber. Fiber is
important because it adds bulk to the stool, lowers cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease, and moderates
blood sugar just to name a few benefits.
Third, flax is the highest plant source of lignans - compounds
that are increasingly being studied for their potential benefits to both mens and womens health. Flax lignans are
being hailed as one of the emerging new health ingredients.

Flaxseeds have been shown to have similar cholesterollowering benefits to statin drugs. In a study involving 40
patients with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL),
daily consumption of 20 grams of ground flaxseed was
compared to taking a statin drug. After 60 days, significant
reductions were seen in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol,
triglycerides and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol-in both
groups. Those receiving flaxseed did just as well as those
given statin drugs!

Flaxseeds should be purchased whole and organic. However,

because our bodys digestive tract cannot break down these
tough seeds, it is important to grind them in a coffee grinder
before adding them to your foods. Grinding them exposes
their precious omega-3 oils and other fragile phytonutrients.
Lignans are phytonutrients found in unrefined grains,
Once ground they should be consumed immediately or
legumes, certain vegetables and seeds. Flax is the richest
source of lignans, providing 75 800 times more lignans than stored in the freezer. Ground flaxseeds are a great addition
most other plant sources. Lignans have numerous biological to cereals, smoothies, and any other dish that requires
thickening.
properties. They are phytoestrogens, or naturally occurring
plant estrogens, that can have a balancing effect on hormones. Lignans also exhibit strong antioxidant activities.
They have been studied extensively and research has shown
lignans to be beneficial for the health of the bones,
the prostate, the breasts, and the heart, while reducing
symptoms of menopause and minimizing hair loss, acne,
and inflammation.

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8: Bring
inthethe
Reinforcements
8: Bring in
Reinforcements

Supplements are just that - supplements. They

are not in place ofs. Never mistake a pill as a
suitable replacement for natural whole foods,
which have synergistic powers that science will
never understand.

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8: Bring
inSupplements
the Reinforcements
4 Essential
Although the approach in this program is one of natural whole foods, I still believe that most
people can benefit from a few essential supplements that are tougher to attain solely through
foods. Just remember that these are supplements and not replacements. The purpose of
these 4 supplements is to reinforce your already healthy diet.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotic supplements are simply supplements that contain
friendly bacteria that you want in the digestive tract in
large numbers. Prebiotics [ie. fructo-oligossacharides (FOS),
short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, and inulin] contain
the nutrients that these bacteria need to grow and thrive.
There are over 400 different types of these friendly bacteria
in your colon that serve to complete the digestion of undigested foods, keep pathogenic bacteria and yeasts in check,
add bulk to your stool, and produce vitamin K and some of
the B vitamins. Until recently, the importance of a healthy
and balanced gut flora (bacteria) has been neglected, but
thankfully much research has shown its importance not only
to the health of your colon, but to your overall health.

The key probiotic bacteria that you want to look for are
bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Within these categories are
many strains but the most helpful for the health of your
colon are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum,
and Streptococcus faecium.
Naturally, yogurts and kefir are good sources of probiotics.
However, since I dont endorse the consumption of dairy, another great option is fermented food like sauerkraut, kombucha, and miso.

However, perhaps the easiest and most convenient way for

most of us to get enough good bacteria into our system is
through a high quality probiotic oral supplement. A good
probiotic supplement should contain a wide array of bacteriDysbiosis, the imbalance between healthy and unhealthy floal strains, with the 3 mentioned above being the most promra in the colon, is very common in todays society considering
inent. Most importantly, ensure that your probiotic supplehow much we abuse our digestive system. If you ever experiment contains a suitable number of microorganisms.
ence intestinal gas, bloating, stomach upset, allergies, or constipation, then you will definitely benefit from probiotics.

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In general, choose a probiotic supplement that contains
anywhere from 6 to 10 billion microorganisms and take the
dosage once per day. Good probiotic supplements will also
often contain adequate amounts of prebiotics to promote
the proliferation of healthy bacteria. In most cases, its best
to take your probiotic on an empty stomach. I find just before bed works best for me.

Incorporating probiotics into your diet will make marked

improvements in your digestion, elimination, and overall
health. You will notice your bowel movements improve in
consistency and regularity, you will help lessen the risk for
the development of allergies, and you will dramatically improve the health of your colon and the rest of your body.
These friendly bacteria are truly amazing!

General probiotic daily dosages:

Loading dosage = 10-15 billion micro-organisms per day (for
up to 2 weeks)

Maintenance dosage = 6-8 billion micro-organisms per day

In spite of these recommendations, there really is no danger

This would be ideal after taking antibiotics, during flu season, to consuming too many good bacteria. But dont over do it.
or when general digestive support is required (ie. traveling to Be sensible.
3rd world countries).

Fish Oil
The importance of fish oil has already been discussed in the
previous chapter under polyunsaturated fats. However, I
thought Id officially include fish oil in this section because
I truly believe that everyone can benefit from fish oil in
their diet. It has been said that we consume 1/10th of the
omega-3s that we need. In fact, our omega-6 to omega-3
is totally out of whack. Most westerners diets consist of a
10:1 up to 20:1 omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. The problem with
this unbalance is that omega-6 fatty acids, depending on the
pathway they follow in the body, can be readily converted
to inflammatory prostaglandins. Omega-3 fatty acids on the
other can only be converted into the highly beneficial anti-inflammatory prostaglandin 1 and 3 molecules. Therefore,
choosing a high quality fish oil rich in omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
can be highly beneficial to your health.
The scientific literature consistently shows that fish oil is of

great benefit to the cardiovascular system, nervous system,

and immune system. It helps lessen symptoms of depression, slows the aging process, preserves memory and brain
function, is needed for proper cell membrane function, is
helpful for diabetes, and may prevent certain cancers and
improve treatment outcomes in others.
When choosing a fish oil, look for one that has come from
smaller fish (sardines, anchovies, krill, mackerel, arctic cod,
and herring) as they have less potential for toxic residue
buildup. Also, be sure that the oil has been molecularly distilled to remove all potential toxins.
Fish oil can be enjoyed by adding it to your smoothies, juices,
or straight up. Although the daily recommended intake for
omega-3 fatty acids is roughly 2-3 grams, there have been no
studies showing that higher dosages harm the body in any
way. I usually take 1-2 tbsp of fish oil per day.

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Hemp Protein (and Seeds)

Ok, hemp protein can really be classified as hemp seeds (a
whole food) but Im presenting it here as a potential protein
supplement for those interested in getting more protein into
their diet. Ill also be presenting the numerous health benefits of the hemp seeds themselves.
The reason I regularly use hemp protein (most often in
hemp seeds form) is that it enriched with 21 essential
amino acids including arginine, leucine, lysine, methionine,
threonine, trytophan, and valine, which help repair muscle
tissue.

Extracted from hempseed (ie. grinding the seeds of Cannabis sativa), hemp contains proteins that are similar to those
synthesized in our body and provides healthy essential fatty
acids that offer excellent health benefits including improved
body metabolism, enhanced energy levels, lowering of cholesterol levels, better immune activity, and reduced food
craving.
Hemp protein powder is produced when whole hemp seeds
are cold-pressed to expel the oil, leaving behind a dry cake.
This cake is then milled at low temperatures to remove some
of the fibre and produce a concentrated form of protein.

Nutritional Benefits of Hemp

Many plant proteins are labeled incomplete proteins as a
resulting from the low amounts of one or more of the nine
essential amino acids. Truth be told, the incomplete label is
somewhat misleading as all plant proteins do contain each of
the essential amino acids. However, hemp protein supplies
enough of each of the essential amino acids to contribute to
the human bodys requirements.
In fact, an important aspect of hemp protein is that it is a
quality source of the amino acids arginine and histidine,
both of which are important for growth during childhood,
and of the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and
cysteine, both of which are needed in the production of vital
enzymes. Hemp protein also contains relatively high levels of
the branched-chain amino acids that are crucial in the repair
and growth of lean body mass, making a hemp protein shake
after a workout a worthwhile investment. In fact, the overall
protein content (in hemp seeds) of 34.6 g/100 g is comparable to that of soy beans and better than that found in nuts,
other seeds, dairy products, meat, fish, or poultry.
Plus, almost two-thirds of hemp protein is made up of
edestin, a globulin protein found only in hemp seeds. This
makes hemp the superior source for this protein in the plant
kingdom. Edestin is a type of plant protein that is similar to
protein found in the human body, and thus is perfectly suited to aid in meeting the bodys cellular needs such as DNA
repair. Since much of hemps protein resembles that found in
human blood, hemp protein is very easily digested and assimilated. In addition, another one-third of hemps protein is
albumin, another high quality globulin protein also found in
egg whites.
NOTE: When purchasing a hemp protein powder you should
be looking for a brand that supplies at least 50% protein by

weight, supplying 15 grams of protein per 30 gram serving.

Otherwise, you can always just buy and enjoy the hemp
seeds themselves thats what I prefer.
While hemp protein powder may contain more total fat than
many other protein powders available today, it should be
stressed that almost all of this fat comes from the essential
polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-6 and omega-3. Hemp
seeds have, on average, the highest mono and polyunsaturated fat content of all oils, taken collectively, of 89%. Hemp
is also recognized by the World Health Organization as having
what is considered to be an optimal three-to-one balance of
omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids. It is this ratio that
is believed to be ideal in promoting long-term well-being by
decreasing the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and depression.
Importantly, the fat present in hemp is also one of the few
food sources of the fatty acid known as gamma-linolenic acid
(GLA). GLA is showing promise in helping the fight against
chronic diseases (see below for more on GLA).
Conveniently, hemp seeds oils contain the direct metabolites of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid--gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), respectively. Because
of this, it can circumvent the impaired EFA metabolism and
physical compromise that can result from genetic factors,
intake of other fats, aging, and lifestyle patterns.
By contrast with unsaturated fat, only 6.6% of the total calories in shelled hemp seed come from saturated fat--a percentage that contrasts sharply with the 13 to 14% of saturated fat calories in the modern American diet. his gives hemp
seed oil a polyunsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 9.7, in
comparison to the current ratio of 0.44 in the American diet.

67

8: Bring in the Reinforcements

Disease Prevention
The high content of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and
the relatively high phytosterol content of hemp foods (438
mg/100g), make them beneficial to cardiovascular health as
they have been shown to reduce total serum cholesterol by
an average of 10% and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by an average of 13%.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, and especially GLA, have also

been found beneficial in treating various human cancers,
and studies have shown that phytosterols may offer protection against colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Need I say
more???

Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. In
fact, it could almost be the king of amino acids due to its
numerous benefits. Glutamine is converted to glucose when
more glucose is required by the body as an energy source.
Glutamine also serves as a source of fuel for cells lining the
intestines. Without it, these cells waste away. It is also used
by white blood cells and is important for immune function.
Few healthy people are glutamine deficient, in part because
the body makes its own. During fasting, starvation, cirrhosis,
critical illnesses, and weight loss associated with AIDS and
cancer, however, deficiencies often develop.
I recommend glutamine for 2 reasons:
First, it is the most effective nutritional agent for repairing
the intestinal lining. This is critically important as a damaged
gut (leaky gut) is at the root of many problems in the body.
By using glutamine to help repair the cells of the intestinal
lining, you help your digestive function and reduce the possibility for allergy development. Glutamine is clearly the
preferred fuel source of the cells (enterocytes) of the small
intestine, even more so than glucose! Hospitals are even
adding glutamine to tube-fed and intravenous formulas because of its amazing benefits to the intestinal lining.
Second, glutamine is one of the most amazing supplements
for promoting muscle tissue repair and growth and for supporting the immune system. For those looking to develop
strong and lean muscle or improve their athletic performance glutamine can be of tremendous benefit. Intense
exercise can be taxing on the athletes immune system. Glutamines immune supporting ability has been well documented in preventing injuries, infections, and colds in intense
exercising athletes.
Indeed, a study performed in 1996 by L. M. Castell and his
team of researchers looked at the incidence of infections in

athletes undertaking prolonged strenuous exercise based

on evidence that cells in the immune system are less able to
mount a defense against infection after exercise. The researchers monitored levels of infection in 200 runners and
rowers and found that levels of infection were highest in
those running the full marathon distance or further. They
took blood samples from middle distance and marathon runners for the measurement of plasma glutamine and found
that a 5g dose of glutamine after strenuous exercise increased plasma glutamine levels markedly with levels returning to near normal about 2 hours after ingestion.
Athletes taking part in the study also reported less incidence
of infection within 7 days of intense, exhaustive and prolonged exercise after taking glutamine. Indeed, 80% of those
in the group ingesting glutamine reported no infections or
colds compared to only 48% in the control group drinking
a placebo maltodextrin (carbohydrate) drink, a staggering
32% difference. The study concluded that the provision of a
glutamine supplement after exercise and then again 2 hours
later decreased the risk of infection in athletes completing
exhaustive and prolonged exercise. Sounds like the equivalent of discovering the Holy Grail, for distance runners!
Glutamine also helps maintain cell volume and hydration,
speeding up wound and damaged tissue healing. Glutamines healing powers have even stretched so far as to assist
in peptic ulcer repair!
Raw cabbage juice is an excellent source of glutamine. Otherwise, choosing an L-glutamine powder supplement is most
convenient. There are no known side effects of high levels
of glutamine intake but taking excessive amounts can lead
to stomach upsets. Its safest to follow the instructions on
whichever glutamine supplement you purchase. Usually 2 to
5 grams per day is suitable for most active individuals.

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9: Making the Transition

9: Making
the
Transition
9: Making the
Transition

Transitioning to eating more raw foods is not

about becoming fanatical or obsessive. Its about
adopting a level of raw plant foods in your diet
that works best for you. You are unique and your
body requires a dietary approach that is unique
to you. Experiment on yourself. Keep what
works, discard what doesnt.

69
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9: Making the Transition

9 Making
theTransition
Transition
9 Making the
Ok, so now that youve got all this information, how do you go about putting these considerations into practice? Well, I know that it can be intimidating at first but dont worry! As with
anything else you adopt into your life, it does take some getting used to. However, as your body
begins to cleanse from the years of toxic buildup and less than optimal eating habits, it will soon
vibrate with the energy that you crave!
To help you get started, Ive broken this section of the book
into a few categories of checklist-type recommendations to
help you transition from the old you to the new you! This
section will cover several topics and frequently asked questions such as:
1. General transition guidelines
2. Eating healthy on the run restaurants, traveling, and at
work
3. Kitchen Essentials - What you need in your kitchen to get
started
4. The 10 Success Habits

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9: Making the Transition

General Transition Guidelines

1. Take control of your thoughts. What you think about, you bring about. Think about yourself as you could be rather
than as you currently are. Your potential is endless and you can have the health, radiance, and energy you deserve.
Keep focused on the outcome your end result. This is the key to achieving any goal you set for yourself.
2. Be patient and have faith. Rome wasnt built in a day and neither were you. To transform how you look and feel
takes time. Depending on how committed you are to transformation, you will see results sooner or later. I think you
will be astonished as to how quickly the body can be transformed! Whichever the case may be for you, have faith
you are doing your body good and that the healing powers of natural whole living foods will do their job.
3. Surround yourself with supportive people. Negative people who tell you that you are crazy or that what youre
doing wont work are poisonous to your progress and health. These types of people are simply projecting onto you
what they think and feel about themselves. Maybe they are the ones who are crazy! They would be unable to do
what you are doing! As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, What other people think of me is none of my business! So,
spend more time with people who are positive and who will encourage and support you!
4. Transition smoothly away from an animal-based diet. I would advise to first let go of needing to eat meat every day.
If at all, 1-3 times a week is plenty. You can replace meat with avocados, young coconuts, olives, nuts, and seeds. As
you move away from meat and into more of a vegetarian diet you will feel happier, less hostile or aggressive, and
your energy will skyrocket.
5. Likewise, transition smoothly away from dairy foods. Dairy has no place in your diet. First, let go of milk, then
cheese. If you simply cannot live without dairy, then move to raw organic milk or cheese. Replacing dairy foods with
green leafy vegetables and sesame seeds for calcium and avocados, young coconuts, olives, nuts/seeds for their excellent plant-based fat content. Just imagine a world without mucus and congestion it can be yours!
6. Transition away from cooked starches such as wheat and other glutenous grains. Breads, cereals, and pastas are all
cooked grain products that are best minimized and/or avoided. Wheat is one of the top allergenic foods in our society since it is way too abundant and over-processed. Opt for non-glutenous grains such as quinoa, amaranth, millet,
buckwheat, and brown rice. These are much healthier for you and can be sprouted or cooked (if you must!). Instead
of bread, choose rice cakes. Instead of white pasta, choose rice pasta (which is still cooked but better) or a raw veggie pasta (as described in the Healthy Recipe Guide)
7. Continue eating a large percentage of raw plant foods throughout your transition. Using the recipes in this book
will greatly assist you in doing so.
8. Depending on how toxic your body is as you begin to transition to plant-based raw foods you may begin to experience some symptoms of detoxification. Thats OK! These symptoms may include headaches, skin outbreaks, and
the reappearance of past conditions just to name a few. I dont mean to scare you but its important to realize that
if your body is fairly toxic to begin with it will expel these toxins from the inside out. You may experience a healing
crisis whereby physical and emotional issues from your past that have been buried deep inside, may begin to surface. This is part of the process and will surely pass. Be sure to drink plenty of water to facilitate the elimination of
waste from your body and speed up the detoxification process. Detoxifying the body is the first essential stage in
healing it. Transition at your own pace but continue to move forward. To be successful in anything, you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone.

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9: Making the Transition

General Transition Guidelines

9. Eat wild, home grown or local organic foods whenever possible. Organic food is grown without pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. Over time, consuming large quantities of non-organic foods can dramatically overload your
bodys immune system as such chemicals can exceed your bodys toxic load. Although organic foods are more expensive do your best to choose them especially when buying berries, dates, carrots, pears, cabbage, lemons, grapes,
sweet potatoes, peaches, and cherries. These foods are typically sprayed with the greatest amount of pesticides.
Buying locally grown is another important element to your health and to the health of the planet. Choosing locally
grown foods ensures that you eat seasonally (which is really the best for your body), reduces the energy expenditure
of long distance transportation, and supports local farmers. The more you support local organic farmers, the more
you support sustainable agriculture and the preservation of our precious soils.
10. Eat more sweet fruit and/or nuts if you are active. You will need the sugars and healthy fats. Eat more green
leafy vegetables and/or non-sweet fruit if you are more sedentary. But I know that you fall into the active category,
right!?
11. Be aware that certain cooked-food cravings present themselves when you are tired, depressed, and lazy. Therefore, drink a glass of water to curb your appetite until you get your head around making a healthy food choice. Eat
a piece of fruit to tide you over! Do something that makes you feel good, happy, and energized. Dont give in to the
little voice in your head thats craving the junk. Take a nap if you need to. Just do your best not to give in. I know
its tough! My downfall is pizza but Ive made leaps and bounds and I know you can too! Cravings are always temporary and usually related to the very foods to which you are sensitive or allergic. Do your best to avoid them and
you will reap the benefits physically, mentally, and emotionally.
12. Eat when you are hungry and choose foods that agree with you. Dont force things down, especially if you dont
like them!
13. Be sure to exercise each day, in some way, shape or form. By exercising you will unconsciously start to make better
food choices and adopt healthier lifestyle practices.
14. If you are interested in eating a 100% raw diet, I recommend initially experimenting with it on a small scale. First
go 100% raw for a day. Then extend it to a couple of days, then to a week, or a month. Set in advance a specific
date and mark each successful raw day in your calendar. Understand that after you go 100% raw for about 6 months
straight, your body will not readily accommodate a return to cooked foods because you will be too cleansed, sensitized, and purified for your body to handle other foods.
15. Educate yourself. Saturate your mind with knowledge, information, and strategies to help you in your journey to
greatness! Seek out other raw food books, attend raw food cooking classes, or join a group of raw food enthusiasts.

72

9: Making the Transition

Healthy
Eating
onRunthe Run
Healthy Eating
on the
Lets face it no one has time for anything anymore! The majority of us live in a fast paced
world where convenience is king. Processed foods, although convenient and time efficient, will
do your body NO good, robbing you of energy rather than providing it. Most of them are loaded
with preservatives, sodium, and chemicals which most people cannot even pronounce. Its important to do your best and make the healthiest possible food choices in any given situation. All
I ask is that you do the best you can with the knowledge and resources you have. After all, the
choice is yours.

Eating in Restaurants
Who doesnt like going out to eat? Eating out with friends,
2. Try vegetarian options when possible. Instead of steak,
family, or your loved one is what lifes about (ok, maybe not
chicken, or fish try a veggie-based dish. Also notice how
light and comfortable you will feel afterwards. Its nicer
I just got a little excited)! Most cultural traditions revolve
around food and socializing. I think its great and absolutely
than the feeling of being excessively full and ready for
support it. However, when you are faced with going out for
bed.
dinner, healthy dishes (let alone raw plant-based ones) arent
3. Choose a salad instead of French fries or baked potato.
necessarily readily available. So here are some recommenAsk for dressing on the side.
dations to help you make the most of your dinners out while
still enjoying the experience.
4. Go for lighter meals. Avoid heavy, fatty, and deep fried
dishes.
1. Keep it simple. Choose dishes that are fresh and use
simple ingredients. Eating heavy dishes with sauces from 5. Start your meal with a glass of lukewarm lemon water
unknown sources is a disaster waiting to happen.
before eating. This will assist digestion.

73

9: Making the Transition

6. Instead of a main course, try sharing several appetizers
with your dinner guests. This is a great way to try different foods that are usually a lot lighter and still satisfying. However, Im not referring to wings, nachos, cheese
bread, etc

digestion. Take a few capsules before, during, and/or

after the meal as needed. Note that carrying exogenous
enzymes does not give you an excuse to eat whatever you
want!

10. Avoid eating dessert (and fruit) right after your meal. If
you must have something sweet give your body some
7. Order vegetables with anything that you order.
time to process whatever food it is dealing with before
8. If you are going to drink with your meal, enjoy a glass of
the sweet onslaught. Eating sugary foods on a full stomred wine. Red wine is abundant in live enzymes that actuach leads to excessive fullness, abdominal discomfort, and
ally assist in digestion. However, lets keep it reasonable.
gas as the sugar begins to ferment on top of undigested
One glass (not 1 bottle!) is more than enough.
food in your stomach. Listen to your body it will know
when its ready!
9. Carry digestive enzymes (supplements) with you to aid

Eating While Traveling

Have you ever come across an airline that serves healthy
snacks (or meals for that matter)? Have you ever pulled into
a service station off the highway to enjoy a glorious vegetable-based meal? If you answered yes to either one of these
questions, then please contact me to let me know about
your discovery! There are virtually no healthy snacks or onthe-go meals that can be purchased in an airport, on an airplane, or while driving along the highway. So what can you
do to avoid falling asleep at the wheel after a stop-over meal
or minimize your chances of feeling like death after airplane
foods? Well, here is a list of simple tips to help you get great
and convenient nutrition while traveling. The key to healthy
eating on the run is planning ahead.
1. Pack several small snacks. Fill a Ziploc bag with some
nuts, seeds, chopped up apple, or any other combination
you enjoy. My personal snack mix of choice is a combination of raw cacao nibs, goji berries, pumpkin seeds, and
almonds/walnuts. Amazing nutrition and pure energy! I
once played a soccer game after having that mix as my
pre-game meal (not necessarily recommended for optimal performance, but boy was I flying!)

2. Have a water bottle with you at all times. This is especially important if youre flying, as the dry stale air in the
cabin dries your body right out. Try to avoid coffee since
it has a diuretic effect and will promote quicker dehydration.
3. Prepare some transportable meals ahead of time. You
can make a salad to take with you and keep the dressing
in a separate container. You can even make a seaweed
wrap, keep it in Tupperware, and take it with you. How
about freshly made dips like hummus along with some
cut up vegetables? You can take some of the energy bars
and puddings (described in the Nutrition for Athletes section). The choices are endless. The key is to be prepared.
4. If traveling to a foreign country (especially to Mexico or
Europe), take advantage of the locally grown produce.
5. If you are in a less developed country with a questionable
water supply, boil your water to kill any parasites and
bacteria, then recharge it by placing sea salt, fresh lemon
juice, MSM powder, and large quartz crystals (if available)
in the water before drinking it.

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9: Making the Transition

Eating at Work
If you work for yourself and are home-based then you obviously have the luxury of preparing healthy meals at home.
But what happens if your stuck in a corporate office for most
the day? What do you do for food? Do you hop down to the
nearest food court and grab the nastiest of the food court
food? Sometimes it may seem as if theres little to no choice.
Believe me I know! I recently conducted a little experiment
in downtown Toronto. I looked at a very busy intersection
in the city and said to myself Lets see how many healthy
food options I can find within a 2 km radius of this intersection! To my disbelief, I only found 3. However, the fast food
restaurants, pizza joints, bagel stops, and hot dog vendors
were more abundant than I could keep track of. There is
obviously a very serious problem with this scenario. Im sure
your city is the same.
Considering there are few healthy on-the-go options for the
worker who is not home-based, the key to healthy eating lies
in your ability to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time.
The recipes later in this book are great examples of amazingly nutritious and delicious meals that take no more than 10
minutes to make. Whether youre preparing to take them
to work or enjoying them when you get home, they are truly
convenient healthy options for most people. But for now
here are some quick and easy tips to help you eat healthier
at work.

1. Follow tips 1-3 from the Eating While Traveling section

above. The same rules apply.
2. Avoid sodas and high sugar snack foods that are common
in most workplaces. Choose water and/or herbal teas as
your fluid and fresh vegetables, fruit, and nuts and seeds
as your snack.
3. Keep some food at work. If a refrigerator is available,
store some of your healthier foods. If not, you can keep
dried foods (ie. nuts, seeds, dried fruit) in your office for
convenience.
4. Locate and frequent (if needed) local produce markets
and/or healthy food restaurants that are close to your
work. Knowing where to get healthy foods in tight situations can be a life saver.
5. Appoint a group of colleagues to be accountable to. Tell
them to ensure that you stay on track. Better yet, get
them to join you in your quest for a healthier, more energetic life!

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9: Making the Transition

Kitchen
What YouEssentials
Need to Get Started
Because adopting more of a raw vegetarian diet requires no heating or cooking of foods, most
conventional appliances are not even necessary. Stove tops, ovens, microwaves, toasters, and
barbecues are not required to enjoy the recipes in this book. However, having these appliances
(except for the microwave) is always nice to have around for the rare cooked food occasion.
What follows is a list of utensils and small appliances to get your kitchen ready for the Eating for
Energy lifestyle.

Utensils

Small Appliances

Chefs knife top quality is recommended here.

Food processor

Potato peeler

High speed blender or Vita-Mix

Spiralizer

Citrus juicer

Spatula

Juicer or juice extractor

Basic forks, knives, and spoons

Refrigerator/Freezer

Cheese grater (used for garlic and ginger)

Coffee grinder

Tupperware or glassware storage containers

Ziploc freezer bags

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9: Making the Transition

TheThe10
Habits
10 Success
Success Habits
Success Habit 1:
Eat one big green salad every day

Success Habit 2:
Drink one fresh-pressed green juice or green smoothie every
day

Success Habit 3:
Balance your meals with carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats,
amino acids and plenty of colour. Practice proper food combining when possible.

Success Habit 4:
Drink a glass of lemon water first thing each morning and a
half hour before meals.

Success Habit 5:
Eat only when youre hungry.

Success Habit 6:
Drink water throughout the day (1/2 your body weight (lbs)
in ounces)

Success Habit 7:
Eat meat (and dairy) no more than 2-3 times per week
Choose soaked/sprouted grains/legumes/nuts/seeds and
green leafy vegetables instead.

Success Habit 8:
Eat 80% whole living foods (raw)

Success Habit 9:
Avoid NON-FOODS (ie. refined sugars, coffee, processed/
packaged foods, etc) as best as possible.

Success Habit 10:

Ensure variety and rotation in your meals.

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10: pH Balance and Allergies

10:10:
pH
Balance
and Allergies
pH Balance
and Allergies

Humans are humans. Although we all have our

own unique biochemical makeup, we typically
respond well to foods that are healthy for us,
while presenting symptoms of ill health when
we eat foods that are artificial or trigger allergic
responses.

78
78

10: pH Balance and Allergies

10:10:pH
Balance
& Allergies
pH Balance
and Allergies
There are many sources with differing classification for foods along the acid-alkaline (pH balance) forming spectrum. As such, it can be quite confusing for someone to get a definitive and
consistent answer for which foods are acid-forming and which are alkalizing. Acid-forming foods
are those which leave an acid residue once metabolized by the body. An acid is a chemical compound that, once dissolved in water, lowers the pH of a solution below 7.0. On the other hand,
alkaline-forming foods are those which leave an alkaline residue once metabolized by the body.
An alkaline substance (or base) is one that has a free pair of electrons to bind a hydrogen ion or
make a substance less acidic. Ok, now that you are absolutely lost lets fast-forward to what this
means for foods and their effect on your body.
The most accurate way of measuring a foods acid or alkaline
forming capacity is by referring to its PRAL (potential renal
acid load). PRAL is measured by taking a foods protein and
phosphorus content (acid forming) and then subtracting
from that the foods content of magnesium, potassium, and
calcium (alkaline minerals). The end result is a fairly accurate picture of any given foods effect on the body, from a pH
perspective. Please keep in mind that Im referring to the pH
effect or ash that a given food creates in the body after it
has been metabolized, not before it has been ingested. For
instance, citrus fruits are acidic outside of the body but are
highly alkaline once metabolized.

On the following page is a list of various foods according to

their classification as being acid or alkaline-forming in the
body.

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10: pH Balance and Allergies

Typical North American Diet

Foods

SlightlyNeutral
Alkaline Forming

Acid-Forming

Commercial breakfast
cereal
Pasta
Refined wheat flour
White Rice
Bagels, Bread

Grains

Meat

Cold-Water Fish
Venison
Wild Game

Dairy

Milk (raw, unprocessed)

Sugars/Sweeteners
Miscellaneous

Highly
Acid-Forming

Beef
Pork
Poultry
Shellfish
Butter

Cheese (all)
Cream
Milk (pasteurized)
Sugar (all types)
Artificial Sweeteners
Synthetic multivitamins Candy
Coffee
Soft Drinks
Soy/Whey protein
Margarine

Over the page for the Eating for Energy Diet

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10: pH Balance and Allergies

Eating for Energy Diet

Foods

Highly-Alkaline
Forming

Grains
Non-Gluten Grains

Alkaline-Forming Neutral

Slightly
Acid-Forming
Brown rice

Quinoa
Millet
Amaranth
Buckwheat

Legumes

Seeds

Sesame

Nuts
Coconut

Fruit

ALL

Vegetables

ALL

Flax
Hemp
Macadamia
Walnuts

Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Lentils
Pumpkin
Sunflower
Almonds

Artificial Sweeteners
Candy

Soy/Whey protein
Margarine
As you can easily tell, the difference between the Standard
American Diet (SAD) or Western Diet and that of Eating for
Energy is quite different. The typical SAD is very acid forming and thus is highly correlated with illness, lethargy, weight
gain, poor athletic performance, and a shortened lifespan.
Conversely, Eating for Energy foods are highly alkalizing
and provide your body with the nutrients and pH balance it
requires. It has been said that for optimal health, our diet
should be 80% alkaline and only 20% acidic. However, after
looking at these tables we can see that quite the reverse
holds true for the majority of people living in Westernized
countries.
The amusing part, though, is that the leading governmental
authorities actually encourage us to eat more closely to that
of which is being described in Eating for Energy.

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10: pH Balance and Allergies

Fewer Allergies Means Better Health

I must say that Im not a believer of fad diets and I dont
believe that there is ever one diet that is suitable for all
people all the time. Having said that, humans are humans.
Although we all have our own biochemical makeup, we
typically respond well to foods that are healthy for us, while
presenting symptoms of ill health when consuming foods
artificial in nature.
Consider the startling example of the Hunza people who live
in the Himalayas. Often living well into their hundreds, the
Hunza were well known for remaining active and eating an
alkalizing diet consisting mainly of raw fruits and vegetables
and sun-baked breads. The diseases of the Western world
were unknown to these people. However, when westerners
began building railroads into the mountainous region they
introduced processed foods to these formerly untouched
people. Within one year, the first case of cancer was detected among the Hunza people. Today these people have many
of the same diseases that are plaguing the Western world,
and their lifespan has decreased dramatically.

You can develop an allergy to any food that is present in the

body far too often. Here are 2 main ways the body can develop food allergies:
1.
Eating Large Quantities of a Particular Food and Eating That Food Far Too Frequently (several times a day or on
consecutive days)
This is especially true with cooked foods. The reason is that
when you overly consume a given food, your body eventually
runs out of the enzyme necessary to digest that food. For
instance, if you eat eggs every single day, over time youre
likely to deplete your bodys specific enzymes for digesting
eggs and your body will become intolerant to them. This
occurs to a much lesser extent with living foods since these
foods contain enzymes that assist in their own digestion.
2.

Food Sits in Your Digestive Tract Far Too Long

If foods are not being digested properly and not moving efficiently through your intestines, these foods will literally stick
to the intestinal walls where they will give off toxins, irritate
The food philosophy presented in this book is one that is
the mucosal lining, feed bad bacteria, and trigger immune
healthy, alkalizing, nourishing, and empowers your body.
responses. Over time, this food can build up and become
Furthermore it is hypoallergenic. This means that the comimpacted onto the walls of the intestines creating a mucoid
mon food allergens dairy, wheat, soy, peanuts, corn, yeast, plaque. If this develops (and in fact it does for the majority
eggs, alcohol as well as pesticides and other chemicals do
of people in western countries) it reduces the lumen (the
not have a place in this approach.
center of the intestines) and prevents nutrients from being absorbed and assimilated into your body. Think about
The benefit of following a hypoallergenic way of eating is
it how can your body absorb nutrients if the intestines are
that fewer burdens are placed on your digestive and immune
coated with layers of impacted food? Nutrients cant get
systems, so there is less likelihood that food intolerances
through! You will most likely notice loose stools since your
and/or food allergies will be present. Allergies and food
body is trying to rid itself of the foreign invaders that are
intolerances are a serious issue. Do not take them lightly.
upsetting your digestive system.
Dr. Bateson-Koch even entitled her book Allergies Disease
in Disguise! Its a very good book and I would highly recom- This is just another reason to ensure that your bowel
mend reading it.
movements are solid, smooth in passing, and are frequent
throughout the day. You should be passing a bowel moveAlthough several foods and recipes are recommended in this
ment at least twice a day and ideally after every meal. Eating
book, if you find your body doesnt agree with any particuwhole living foods that dont upset your body and drinking
lar one then that is a sign you probably shouldnt be eating
plenty of water throughout the day will help you in this dethose foods. For instance, my girlfriend will often experience
partment.
itchy skin and eczema when she eats dates. These symptoms
do not appear if those dates are organic.
Following Success Habit #10 Ensuring variety and rotation
in your meals will help lessen the possibility of developing
Two hallmark symptoms of food allergies/sensitivities are
sensitivities to the foods you enjoy. By following the 12fatigue and headaches. If you experience them after your
Week Meal Plan later in this book, youll notice how meals
meals use that as feedback to not continue eating those
and foods are rotated so that the same food/meal isnt
foods! However, food allergies/sensitivities can manifest
consumed on consecutive days.
themselves in many different ways. Other signs and symptoms of food allergies/sensitivities include frequent night urination, mucus production, runny or stuffy nose, rapid heart
rate (after eating allergenic food), and many others.

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11:11:
The
Essential
Pillars
The55 Essential
Pillars

A house must be built on a solid foundation.

Your health is no different.
Enter The 5 Essential Pillars

83
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11: The 5 Essential Pillars

11:11:The
Essential
The 55Essential
Pillars Pillars
In order to have more energy, achieve your ideal weight, be fit and strong, live a long and healthy
life free of disease there are 5 essential pillars you must work toward incorporating into your daily life.

1. Alkalize your body

2. Nourish your body with enzyme-rich, living, plant-based whole foods
3. Ameliorate digestion and absorption
4. Reduce stress (emotional, physical, chemical, etc)
5. Exercise on a regular basis
There is obviously a bit of overlap between elements 1 and 2 but I wanted to separate them because they each deserve
special attention.

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1. 1. Alkalize
Alkalize YourYour
Body Body
We have already spent a great deal of time learning why you need to alkalize your body. This
section will focus on empowering you with immediate action steps you can take to start doing so
immediately.

Eat More Green Vegetables (and all fruits and vegetables for that matter)

Theres a reason these form the top of the Eating for Energy
Food Spectrum. Green vegetables are your greatest source
of alkalinity due the alkalizing minerals that they provide and
the high electrical energy (from the sun) that they transfer
to our blood. Remember to get plenty of servings from the

RAINBOW COLOURS group of fruits and vegetables. All of

these plant-derived foods are terrifically alkalizing and provide a tremendous amount of nutrients, anti-oxidants, flavonoids, and much more to your body. Within any given meal
ensure that you have a beautiful array of colours.

Start Your Day with Lemon Water

Upon waking, squeeze the juice of to lemon into a glass

(350 ml) of luke warm water. Be sure to use an actual lemon and not lemon juice from concentrate. Lemon has an
amazing alkalizing effect on your body and serves to gently
cleanse the liver, stimulating gall bladder function and the

gastric activity of your stomach. If you dont feel hungry in

the morning then this lemon water combo will help get your
digestive system started. However, listen to your body. If
youre not hungry, dont force food down.

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Reduce and/or Eliminate Coffee and Refined Sugars from Your Diet

Coffee is by far one of the worlds most popular and loved

beverages. Even I am guilty of the occasional almond milk
latte a habit Im better off without. According to Wirthlin
Worldwide (a market research company), North Americans
consume on average 1.8 cups of coffee per day. Compare
this to our water consumption. It is recommended to consume on average eight to ten 8 oz glasses of living water
(ie. mineral rich, slightly alkaline, and energy producing within the body) each day. However, scary statistics reveal that
20% of North Americans drink no water at all while only 42%
of us consume a mere 2 glasses or fewer.

Please remember that this is by no means an exhaustive list

of coffees effects on the body. Also consider that for each
cup (100 mg caffeine) of coffee you should be throwing back
3 cups of purified living water to make up for coffees diuretic
effect. Aside from all these effects, it is vitally important to
remember that coffee is acid-forming in the body, and more
so if taken with sugar and milk.

For many people, simply reducing coffee from twice a day to

once a day is an amazing accomplishment. Right off the bat,
thats a 50% decrease. Julie, my tax specialist client who I
mentioned in the beginning of the book, would easily drink
3-4 cups of coffee per day. For her this seemed normal. We
Although coffee beans in their original whole state have
potent antioxidant properties, once theyve been processed eventually got her down to 1 cup every few days and she
and roasted they no longer provide much value to your body. feels absolutely phenomenal!
So, before ordering your next mocha latte frappawhatever
With her previous coffee consumption, what Julie failed to
remember the following facts about coffee:
realize was the evident connection between her caffeine
Coffee intensifies stress, causing an average 40% increase intake and subsequent hypoglycemic states (or low blood
sugar). Caffeine is a stimulant (as are refined sugars) and;
in adrenaline. This results in increased blood pressure,
therefore, triggers the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline
heart rate, perspiration, nervousness, and irritability.
into the blood stream. Once adrenaline has been released
Coffee increases the secretion of stomach acid by 400%,
into the blood stream it has a catabolic effect and signals the
contributing to gastritis and peptic ulcers.
breakdown of glycogen into glucose for the blood. With a
sudden rise in blood glucose, insulin is then released to mod According to the British Medical Journal Lancet, coffee
erate blood sugar levels by taking this glucose and storing it
drinkers have a 50% higher risk of heart attack
back into the muscle and liver cells. A subsequent drop in
Coffee causes a significant loss of nutrients, especially
blood sugar is then experienced. This initiates a vicious cycle
alkalizing minerals such as magnesium, potassium,
that leads to sugar cravings or more coffee to fix the blood
calcium, zinc, and B vitamins.
sugar imbalance.
Coffee is a major source of cadmium, a heavy metal that
In most cases, people will opt for quick fixes like pastries,
has been linked to cancer and immune suppression.
chocolate bars, coffee, colas, and other sweets to get their
If youre a woman, please consider the following even scarier blood sugar back up. But because refined sugars are so
quickly metabolized, they too spike blood sugar and the
facts:
entire sequence repeats itself. Eventually, your bodys in Caffeine is linked to ovarian cancer, bladder, and kidney
sulin can no longer do its job because the cells have simply
cancers.
become immune to its effect. When your body no longer
accepts insulins action, blood sugar remains elevated leading
According to the Journal of the American Medical Assoto the development of type II diabetes!
ciation, coffee increases the risk of miscarriage and can
double the rate with just 1 cup (160 mg caffeine) per day!
In sum, consumption of acid-forming caffeine (coffee) and
refined sugars wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. If left
Coffee reduces fertility. More than 1 cup per day makes
unchanged, this diet of coffee and sugar will cause your body
a woman half as likely to conceive (American Journal of
to become resistant to insulin, which will eventually lead to
Epidemiology)!
diabetes. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is an early warning sign for the development of Type II Diabetes. But you can
change that!

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4. Reduce (and hopefully eliminateeventually) Consumption of Animal Products

As alluded to earlier, animal products (meat, dairy, eggs,
etc) are highly acid-forming in the body. They are also very
difficult for most people to digest properly. Simply reducing
how much and how often you eat these flesh foods will
make a big difference and your body will thank you.
Animal foods are also highly inflammatory in the body due
to their significant levels of arachidonic acid. With excess
animal consumption come higher levels of inflammation
n the body. As the body tries to protect itself from this
inflammation it secretes greater amounts of mucus. I have
personally seen many meat-eating clients dramatically
reduce mucus overload in their bodies simply by reducing
and eliminating the consumption of animal products.
More importantly, for people who suffer from inflammatory conditions including (but not limited to): osteoarthritis, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, asthma, colitis,
crohns, pelvic inflammatory disease, eczema, and psoriasis,
getting rid of animal products is a must. Inflammation is
common to all disease. Less animal consumption means less
arachidonic acid, which leads to less inflammation. The only
exception to this rule is the occasional consumption of cold
water fish which has anti-inflammatory benefits due to its
high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids.
If youre concerned about protein intake then just remember
that the biggest, strongest, and longest living animals are all
vegetarian. The elephant, gorilla, and giraffe are all great
animals who subsist on leaves and/or fruit.

red meat in our diet. Yet I can still carry the same amount of
muscle as I did in winning my four Mr. Universe titles. People
cant believe it. They think that to have big muscles you have
to eat meat - its a persistent and recurring myth. But take it
from me, theres nothing magic about eating meat thats going to make you a champion bodybuilder. Anything you can
find in a piece of meat, you can find in other foods as well.
Well put Bill.
Even body-builder extraordinaire Arnold Schwarzenegger
once said,
Bill Pearl never talked me into becoming a vegetarian, but
he did convince me that a vegetarian could become a champion bodybuilder.
Although Bill Pearl was not a strict raw-foodist, his example clearly demonstrates the power of a whole food plantbased diet. I can only imagine what success he would have
achieved had he consumed more raw plant foods.
Following the Eating for Energy philosophy you can easily
get enough high quality protein through plant-based sources
such as spouted lentils and chic peas, hemp, spirulina, green
leafy vegetables, and nuts and seeds. If you feel you need
additional protein because of high physical demands then I
would recommend supplementing with a whole food hemp
protein supplement or a high quality whey protein.

By consuming too many saturated fat-containing animal

products (ie. red meat), and even leaner meats (chicken and
Bill Pearl, who won 4 Mr. Universe body-building titles, was
fish), you force your stomach and digestive tract to work
completely vegetarian! After having been a huge meat eater
overtime in order to fully break down heavy proteins into
for most of his life, Bill had had some blood work done after
their amino acid building blocks.
which his doctor said that his uric acid, blood pressure, and
triglycerides were so high that he was a prime candidate for Ultimately, your body uses amino acids to build its tissues so
a heart attack! He was advised to remove red meat from his why not give your body what it requires right from the start?
diet and so he did. He describes his experiences with the
Plant-based protein sources are much easier to digest since
conversion to vegetarianism.
they come in smaller peptide chains and/or individual amino
acids. Therefore, your body doesnt have to waste as much
With each succeeding year on the diet (lacto-ovo vegetarienergy breaking them down. This is also very helpful for
an), Ive felt better. Im more healthy, I can train with more
people who have an underactive stomach (like me and about
energy, and Im not as much of a hard guy as I used to be.
80% of the population).
Ive become more concerned with my fellow man and the
other inhabitants I share the planet with. I have now been
By following these 4 steps to alkalize your body, youll be on
vegetarian for almost 20 years. We have no fish, fowl, or
your way to a new you a new life a new energy!

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2. 2. Nourish
Body
Nourish YourYour
Body with
Enzyme-Rich, Living,
Plant-Based Whole Foods

Providing your body with living whole foods cannot be underestimated. This is the essence of
the Eating for Energy nutritional philosophy. However, since most people (including myself) find
it difficult to eat 100% raw, I would encourage the following:

Eat At Least 80% of Your Foods in Their Whole Living State (Raw)
Slowly but surely begin to incorporate more living whole
foods into your diet. Even if everything else stays the same,
this alone will make a drastic improvement in your energy,
metabolic function, and overall health. By providing your
body with the food enzymes inherent in living foods you
allow your body to conserve its limited store of digestive
enzymes while spending more of its energy on circulating its
vital metabolic enzymes to assist in all other bodily functions.

I will admit that it is not easy to completely override years of

cooked food conditioning but when you begin to experience
the difference raw living foods have on your life, youll have
a much easier time. From my experience and the experience
of many others the difference is like day and night! It is so
profound that attempting to describe it in words cannot even
come close to doing it justice. As such, I highly encourage
you to start consuming more foods in their living state and
reducing your consumption of dead, lifeless, cooked foods!

Remember, cooked food is dead! Its no wonder that so

many people walk around like zombies. You are what you
eat! Did it ever occur to you that humans are the only species (out of over 2 million) on the planet that eat cooked
foods?! Dont you think all living creatures would have adopted cooked foods if they thought it vital to their survival?
Well, obviously that hasnt happened. Why then are we so
we hung up on cooked foods that deplete and inflame our
bodies?

Heating/cooking alters the structure of protein molecules,

making them more difficult to digest which can promote the
development of food allergies. For instance, its generally
easier to digest a soft-boiled egg compared to a hard boiled
egg. The longer a protein molecule is subjected to high
temperatures, the more it becomes denatured and the more
difficult it becomes to digest. Remember, your body is best
suited to digest whole foods that have not been ravaged
by modern technology.

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Start by eating at least 80% of your foods in their raw living state. Ideally, it would be great to reach 100% raw food
intake but I will admit that this can be challenging especially
if you live in colder climates. However, because I recognize
the importance of moderation, balance, and sustainability in
ones diet, I would rather you listen to your body and satisfy
what it needs. But do differentiate between the need for
cravings such as refined sugars and your bodys calling
for specific nutrient intake. For example, many people crave
chocolate not so much for the quick sugar fix but instead because of its high content of magnesium a mineral in which
most are deficient.

foods, meaning that 20% can be cooked or leisure foods. So

of the 28 weekly meals, roughly 22 of them should be raw
with the other 6 in whatever shape or form you like. This will
be easier to adhere to by following the 12-Week Meal Plan
later in the book.

As your body begins to transform and your taste buds adjust

to this healthier way of eating, you will no longer crave conventional foods as you once did. In fact, when you notice
the energy draining effect they have on your cleansed body
you will no longer even desire them. This is a process but its
absolutely worth every minute of it. If youre serious about
improving your health, losing weight, improving performance
Lets assume that you have on average 4 meals/feedings per in all areas of your life, living longer (and in optimal health),
day. That would amount to 28 meals in one week. Now, lets and want the best life ever, then this process must be underbe conservative and assume that 80% of your diet will be raw taken. You cannot thrive on dead food!

3. Improve
Digestion
and Absorption
3. Improve Digestion
and Absorption
For many people this process is absolutely vital. Not only will improving digestion and absorption help with weight loss but it will dramatically improve your energy and health as your body
begins to actually absorb ALL and not just SOME nutrients.
As the saying goes
You are what you eat, but you are also what you digest and
absorb!
Wouldnt you agree that if you eat the healthiest, organic
raw foods but cannot process and absorb them properly
then you wont receive their full benefit?
From an energy perspective, digestion is a very labour intense and demanding process. Just think back to your last
Thanksgiving dinner to recall what happens when you inundate your body with an overwhelming amount of cooked
food.

ly digested protein molecules seep out of the intestinal tract.

Under optimal conditions, all food molecules are fully broken
down and easily absorbed through their specific channels
or pores in the intestinal tract. However, when larger,
undigested protein molecules make their way through the
intestines, they end up binding to the intestinal walls causing
inflammation, irritation, and a subsequent widening of intestinal pores.

This condition is known as Leaky Gut Syndrome, and is characterized by increased permeability of the intestinal walls allowing undigested protein molecules into the blood stream.
With these unrecognizable protein molecules traveling
through the blood, your body then mounts an immune reTherefore, one of the fastest ways to start feeling more enersponse against these food antigens that are seen as foreign
gized is by correcting any digestive difficulties that might be
invaders. Your body is simply doing what it knows how to do
present. And believe methey are there. Ill describe them in
fighting off unidentified floating objects. So you can see
just a moment.
how important proper digestion is to the body!
But first, the other pressing issue when it comes to impropIncomplete digestion throws the intestinal flora (bacteria)
erly digested foods is the potential for the development of
way out of balance as well. This alone could be the topic for
allergies. You can only ever be allergic to a protein (not a
an entire book.
carbohydrate or fat), and this normally occurs as incomplete-

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Can you relate to any of these symptoms?

Excessive gas, belching, or burping after meals?
Stomach bloated after eating?
Sleepy after eating?
Longitudinal striations on fingernails?
Eat when rushed/in a hurry?
Bad breath?
Full feeling after a heavy meat meal?
Nausea after taking supplements?
Acne?
Undigested food in the stool?

If you answered YES to any of the symptoms, then you most

likely have an underactive stomach (as does about 80% of
the population) which means that, because your stomach
has most likely been damaged from years of abuse, it no
longer secretes adequate amounts of hydrochloric acid and
digestive enzymes to fully break down your food. Your stomach has simply had enough! If you abuse it with terrible
foods, it will no longer respond when you need it to. However, you can re-establish a trusting and loving relationship
with your stomach and digestive system by feeding it whole
living plant-based foods and following fundamental steps to
reducing the stress you impose upon them.
As you can see, not digesting your foods properly can have
profound effects on your body. By putting the following
suggestions into action you will substantially improve your
ability to digest and absorb your foods, and reduce the prevalence of the aforementioned symptoms.

1. Chew Your Food very, very important!!!

This is fairly obvious. Even our parents have always told us
to chew our food before swallowing. I have friends whom I
call human vacuums because they dont even chew their
food at all. You turn your head for a minute and their food is
gone! Im sure you know people like that as well.
Theres an ancient Indian proverb that states: Chew your
food well, for the stomach has no teeth. How true is that!

You should take your time when you eat. Chew your food
thoroughly so that it mixes well with the digestive enzymes
in your saliva. Before swallowing, the food in your mouth
should feel like mush. Just another reason why animal meats
are so hard on your body they take forever to chew and
most people dont even bother!

2. Put Down Your Fork, Spoon, or Food Between Bites

This is another technique I find helpful in slowing me down
when eating. By taking a bite, and putting your food or utensil down, you automatically allow your mouth to finish chewing before taking the next bite. Try it it definitely slows
things down but food is meant to be enjoyed. Dont rush it!

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3. Express Love and Gratitude Towards Your Food

Fully enjoying your food and being grateful for its presence
is critical. When you eat, you dont just eat the food on your
plate but you also take in all the energy around you at the
time. By expressing gratitude for the food that you are eating, you put your body into a state of love and appreciation
which greatly assists digestion. Weve all experienced this.
This even comes into play when preparing foods. By adding
the magic ingredient love into the preparation, you transform the energy of the food making it highly absorbable in
your body. Remember, everything is energy, and you are
connected to everything because of this energy. You can
shape everything around you, including food, through your
thoughts and feelings.

whatever reason cannot be explained.

Loving your food is also absolutely critical when eating LEISURE FOODS (or foods that are not great for you). Even if
you eat an oily, fat-laden hamburger with all the toppings
and French fries on the side, dont beat yourself up or feel
guilty throughout the entire meal! Enjoy it! Yes, thats right,
enjoy it! Your body will have a much easier time at processing the garbage youve just ingested. Ive even heard some
holistic nutritionists theorize that it could even be healthier
to have a non-healthy meal and truly enjoy it, then eating
a wonderfully healthy meal and hating every bite!

So eat well, be grateful for and enjoy your food. And do the
exact same thing when you have your occasional splurge.
Im sure youve had an amazing meal at someones house afFeelings of guilt, self-hatred, and any other negative feelings
ter which you tried to recreate on your own. If youre like me
must be eliminated for they stress your body. When your
Im sure youll have noticed that its never the same! Never!
body is stressed it doesnt digest.
Theres something missing that special ingredient that for

4. Eat in a Soothing, Non-Stressful Environment

Eating while watching the news, eating with people who
stress you out, eating on the run these are all situations
you want to avoid as best as possible. Why? When your
body is stressed, blood is diverted away from the digestive
tract and flows towards the muscles meaning impoverished
digestion. Remember the Fight or Flight response? The

same process is at play here.

By eating in a soothing, relaxing environment you will dramatically help your body digest and assimilate the food
youre eating. Put on some nice music, light a candle, and
eat at the table instead of in front of the TV or computer.

5. Listen to Your Body Stop When Youre Full

This is self-evident yet many people have a problem with
overeating and stuffing their faces until they turn blue. Practice moderation and dont eat past the point of satiety. By
eating more whole living plant-based foods youll actually

find you wont need to eat as much because youll be providing your body with all the nutrients it needs. Choose smaller
plates or bowls. Use smaller glassware.

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6. Practice Proper Food Combining

Food combining is the principle which holds that cooked
proteins and cooked carbohydrates should not be eaten
together. This is because carbohydrates require an alkaline
environment (mouth, small intestine) for their digestion
while proteins require an acidic environment (stomach, large
intestine). Therefore, combining both in the same meal neutralizes their respective digestion environments and doesnt
allow for optimal digestion.

f. Fiber-bound plant proteins such as spouted grains and

legumes should be eaten with alkaline green vegetables
to balance out their acids. Sprouted grains/legumes
typically do not mix well with fats/oils and sweet fruits,
although they seem to be ok for some people.

a. If cooked foods are eaten, try to eat only one type per
meal and eat them with green vegetables.

h. For larger meals, begin with a lukewarm glass of lemon

water (fresh squeezed lemon). This will stimulate
stomach acid secretion and rev up your stomach for the
upcoming food.

g. Avoid drinking water and other liquids with your meals

as it will dilute your stomachs acid and not allow full and
proper digestion. If anything, take little sips throughout
Food combining has made an immense difference for me and
your meal to add lubrication to drier foods. Drink lukewarm
I highly recommend it for most people. Although following
water 10-15 minutes before your meal and/or 15-20
a diet based on living plant foods will allow for more flexibilminutes after your meal. Avoid drinking ice cold water
ity in food combining because of the inherent self-digesting
before, during, or after food as the cold water will freeze
capacity of raw foods, here are my ABCs of Food Combining
shut your stomachs parietal glands, hindering the
that I think will helpespecially as you transition.
stomachs ability to digest.

b. Fruit is best eaten alone because it is highly enzymatic

and self-digesting. You may try eating sweet fruits with
green vegetables and/or healthy fats as long as no gas/
flatulence is created. I personally enjoy mango and avocado together but find what works best for your body.
Avoid eating fruit directly after your meal. Instead, fruit
should be eaten 20-30 minutes before a meal or on its
own completely.

i. Avoid eating sweet foods (desserts, fruits) right after your

meal because the sugar will quickly metabolize and ferment
on top of the rest of the food that is still being processed.
Gas/flatulence, bloating, and fatigue may result.

Do your best to follow these Food Combining ABCs. Doing

so will greatly help your digestion, alleviate stress on your
c. It is best to eat one type of fruit at a time (mono-eating). digestive system, and help your stomach build back its conFor instance, eat berries together. As your digestive
fidence and strength. As you transition further into eating
strength increases, you may wish to combine multiple
raw living foods you will most likely experience the ability to
types of fruit if your body allows.
bypass many of these guidelines as your digestive system will
have greatly improved and because of the enzymes present
d. Green leafy vegetables of different varieties may be eaten
in living whole foods. I personally found it rather easy to
together.
combine plant-based proteins, sweet fruits, and healthy fats/
oils in a single meal after months of having adopted more of
e. Green leafy vegetables should always be eaten with any
cooked starches (bread, pasta, rice, cakes) or animal proteins. a raw foods diet.

A Note on Gas and Abdominal Discomfort With Raw Foods

Most of us are not accustomed to eating large amounts of 1. Lightly steam your cruciferous vegetables to render
them softer and disarming some of their tough fibrous
fiber and thus when transitioning to eating more raw foods
walls. This will make them easier to digest.
some gas and abdominal discomfort may occur depending
on your digestive vitality.
2. Supplement with a full-spectrum digestive enzyme
to give your digestive tract more enzymatic power to
Raw cruciferous vegetables (ie. broccoli, cauliflower, etc)
breakdown your foods. This is a tactic that is very helpand sprouts are typically more bound up in fiber than
ful at alleviating digestive discomfort and gas.
other vegetables and may be difficult for some people to
digest.
Look to take 1-2 enzymes capsules before your meal. DeSo heres what Id recommend to avoid or counteract this
pending on how heavy your meal, you can add an additional
problem.
few capsules throughout and after the meal as well.

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4. 4. Reduce
Your
Reduce Your
StressStress
This may be one of the most important elements to a long and healthy life. Even though whole
living foods can help you fend off stress to a certain degree, being able to manage and minimize
your stress is vitally important. Because stress can be chemical/environmental, physical, emotional, and psychological it is important to look at strategies to decrease it in all areas and to allow your adrenal glands to regain full and optimal function.

A Quick Physiology Lesson in Adrenal Function

The adrenal glands are your fight or flight organs releasing cortisol and adrenaline during periods of stress. These
same hormones are secreted when stress of any kind like
STIMULANTS (ie. caffeine and sugar) enter your bloodstream.
When you become stressed (or ingest stimulants), your
adrenals start ramping up their activity by releasing adrenaline and cortisol two catabolic hormones which break
down your energy reserves for immediate use. Remember,
your body thinks its in a state where it needs to FIGHT or
FLEE so it needs that readily available energy.
Cortisol is the hormone that enables your body to cope with
stress. However, when chronically present in your bloodstream, it can be detrimental, leading to quick glycogen
(stored carbohydrates) depletion, a rise in blood sugar, and
eventually weight gain.

With chronic stress, your adrenal glands simply cannot continue producing enough cortisol and so they tire. Cortisol
output from the adrenal glands eventually diminishes
(Stage 3 Exhaustion from Selyes GAS) and this is known
as adrenal fatigue.
And adrenal fatigue is just one more energy thief. So lets
look at how to prevent and reverse it.

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Reduce Chemical and Environmental Stress

1. Choose Locally Grown Organic Foods Whenever Possible
Foods that are non-organic are loaded with pesticide residues, fillers, preservatives, and who knows what else. Why
would you put such chemicals in your body? Your body can
only take so much toxic load before it wears down and exhibits disease. The liver is your bodys main detoxifier and the
more toxins it has to deal with the more compromised it will
become. Furthermore, the more foreign agents you introduce into your body, the more the immune system is called
into action. If your immune system is constantly bombarded and mounting immune responses to such chemicals, the

quicker it will become fatigued, not function properly, and

breakdown. This is when chronic diseases begin to surface.
Unfortunately, organic foods are slightly more expensive, but
if you can support local organic farmers, eventually those
prices will come down. Do your best to choose organic
especially with fruits and vegetables. If you dont have access to organic foods, be sure to thoroughly wash your fruits
and vegetables (even with a light natural soap) to remove as
much chemical residue as possible.

2. Drink Only Purified Spring Water

Tap water, no matter how healthy authorities may claim it to
be, is terrible. It is full of carcinogens like chlorine and fluoride, and trace amounts of antibiotic and medication residues from people flushing their medicines down the toilet!
I wouldnt even recommend distilled water as it is dead
water and can actually leach valuable minerals from your
body. Your best option is spring water as it contains all the
elements nature intended for water and your body.
If you dont have access to spring water, then do your best to
get either a reverse osmosis or carbon filtration system for
your home.

When youre not at home and need to rely on bottled water,

here are few things to look for:
a. Glass bottle is best
b. The darker the bottle the better
c. If plastic, then make sure it is solid (not pliable)
and darker in colour.
Remember that water is your lifeblood. You are almost
entirely water, so choosing healthy living water can have a
tremendous benefit to your health. In fact, the body can
actually go for more than 30 days on nothing but water and
still feel fully energized.

Reduce Physical Stress

1. Inactivity is Stressful on the Body But So is Too Much Exercise!
Ill discuss this in more detail in the next chapter but for now
realize that a healthy balance of moderate intensity exercise
is necessary for a healthy, energized, and fit body. Never
exercising or exercising too hard and too often can be very
taxing on your adrenal glands - eventually wearing them
down - and your immune system.

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11: The 5 Essential Pillars

Reduce Emotional and Psychological Stress

This is the biggest and most powerful of all stressors. Stress
is something that we impose upon ourselves most of the
time. It is the projection of the possibility of a negative
event in the future. It can also be caused by a feeling of

overwhelm. You create your life. Your thoughts determine

your feelings which in turn determine your actions. And
since your actions yield specific results, it is important to go
back to the source of the problem your thoughts!

1. Turn Down the Mind-Frick

What if I told you that you had 3 minutes to prepare a
speech that you would give in front of 1,000 people immediately? For most people this would be a huge shock to the
system and an immediate stressor. As you read this did you
notice your mind saying certain things like Theres no way!,
I cant do that, and I cant talk in front of large audiences!
These are non-empowering thoughts otherwise known as
mind-frick. It is important to recognize that these thoughts
arise out of your conditioned mind not your true self
which is based in fear and protection.
Being aware of these negative thoughts is the first step in
being able to change them. Realize that whether you think
you can or cant do something, youre right. Your perception
is your reality. It doesnt matter what anyone else thinks
because if you firmly believe that you cant do something
you wont.
I have seen this so many times with clients. First of all Im
astonished at how little credit people give themselves and
how little self-esteem most people have. For instance, Ive
asked clients of mine to perform push-ups on a stability ball
only to hear Oh, notheres no way! I can never do that.
Are you crazy?! I reply by saying YES! Yes I am crazy!
But so are you for not believing in your own abilities! The
amazing part is that within 1 or 2 attempts they have almost
perfected the movement!
As a fitness/nutrition/wellness coach my objective ultimately
boils down to motivating and empowering you to take action
with the tools that I provide to you. Most people know the

importance of eating well and exercising yet so few actually

walk the walk. The limiting factor in 98% of cases is the
limiting and negative psychology that is poisoning peoples
minds.
So, I encourage you right now to make a list of limiting beliefs
that you have about achieving whatever goals are important
to you. Once youve established this list, Id like you to take
each statement or limiting belief and rephrase it in the
positive, crossing out the negative one for good.
For instance, a limiting belief might be the following:
I dont have time to exercise and prepare healthy foods
This should be replaced with a positive statement like:
I always create time to exercise and prepare healthy meals
because I know that they are very important in helping me
achieve my goals!
By replacing negative self-talk with positive affirmations,
your body and mind will automatically change toward the
latter more often. Remember, everything in your external
world started in your internal world. It started as a thought,
a feeling. And according to the Law of Attraction, what
you focus on expands so program your mind to focus
on positive empowering thoughts instead of limiting,
self-destructive, negative thoughts. The great news is that
the choice is yours. The bad news is the choice is yours.
Either way you have the power and control to choose which
conversations occur in your head. Ill let you choose!

2. Take Time Each Day to Meditate, Breathe, and Visualize

This is a very powerful process. Take at least10-15 minutes
either in the morning or at night (or both) to close your eyes,
breathe, meditate, and visualize your life the way you would
like it to be. If you have trouble meditating on your own
then find a meditation centre or audio CD that can help you
get into the state.

Getting your mind off the stresses and pressures of day-today living through these practices can have very powerful
soothing effects on your body. Many scientific studies have
shown this to be the case. Recently, a study published in
Psychosomatic Medicine demonstrated that meditation
changes brain and immune function in positive ways
and contributes to greater health outcomes.

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11: The 5 Essential Pillars

When you sleep you automatically breathe, but you do not
automatically eat. We survive for weeks without food, days
without water, but only a few minutes without breathing!
Breathing brings oxygen into your body and energizes it!

tem strong and healthy. As long as the lymph can circulate

throughout the body via deep breathing and the action of
the lungs, diaphragm, and intercostal muscles, it can be kept
clean and help keep your body energized and strong.

Proper breathing is so important a few of its benefits include:

c. Deep breathing alkalizes your body by removing carbonic

acid.

a. The prevention of overeating

d. Longevity

Simply by practicing some deep breathing before you eat can

help you reduce the tendency to overeat.

Species that breathe deeply and slowly tend to live the longest. Remember that energy expenditure and longevity are
inversely related. The giant tortoise breathes only 4 times
per minute, while humans breathe about 18 times per minute. The giant tortoise is one of the longest living animals on
the planet.

b. Lymph drainage
Lymph (our bodys sewage system) is 4x greater in volume
than our blood and is crucial in keeping our immune sys-

Deep Breathing Technique

When youre ready to unwind, meditate, or simply de-stress
you will find deep breathing to be of great benefit. Try using the following breathing ratio: 1:4:2. The means that you
inhale for 1, hold for 4, and release for 2. I suggest you multiply this ratio by at least 3 times so that you actually inhale
for 3 seconds, hold the breath for 12 seconds, and slowly

release for 6 seconds. The longer you can extend the ratios,
the more benefit you will receive from this exercise. Repeat
for several minutes until you feel your state become more relaxed, centered, and liberated. This is a very relaxing method
of breathing that can literally be done anywhere!

Energizing Breathing Technique

At times when you need a boost of energy the following
breathing pattern is extremely effective. I personally use
this every morning when I walk. The key component to this
breathing method is that you must be moving not sedentary. It helps stimulates blood flow, oxygen delivery, mental
focus, and clarity!
With this energy breathing pattern what youre going to do
is take 4 inhalations through your nose while tapping your
thumb to each one of your fingers (ie. of the same hand thumb to index, thumb to middle finger, etc ending on the
pinky) so each breath in corresponds to a particular thumb/
finger tap.

Once youve reached the 4th inhalation (thumb-pinky tap),

you will then begin your exhalation in a mirroring 4 breath
out pattern, again applying the thumb-finger tap method.
Be sure to exhale through your mouth. Repeat this sequence
for several minutes and youll feel your state transform!
As you perform your breathing, relaxation, or meditation
exercises you can use empowering visualization to further
bring great results into your life. Visualize what you want
to create. See yourself as youd like to look and feel. Put a
smile on your face. It is impossible to feel sad, depressed or
stressed when you think positive thoughts and maintain a
smile on your face!

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5. 5. Exercise
Daily
Exercise Daily
We all know that regular exercise is essential to a long and healthy life. It reduces the risk of
pretty much all disease, strengthening your bodys immune system, cardiovascular system, and
musculoskeletal structure. It helps improve your posture, increases the quality of your sleep and
prevents fat gain which leaves you feeling energized and more confident.
Considering these benefits, why is it that so many people
cannot make exercise part of their lifestyle? Ill tell you why.
Most people associate too much pain to the process of exercising and maintain focus on the possibility of pain. This
consumes their thoughts entirely. They never focus on the
amazing outcomes they know they are going to experience
shortly thereafter. Having worked with thousands of individuals from all walks of life, I can attest that those who succeed
and make exercise a habit are those that focus on the goals
that they want to achieve. Lets be honest, exercise can be a
terrible process for many people. Youve got to sweat, push
your body out of its comfort zone, and do things that you
would not normally consider doing. But thats also why its
such an empowering tool. Exercise can instill confidence and
a sense of accomplishment like nothing else. The key is to
focus on the end result!

Ive received some of the most amazing testimonials from

my clients around the world whose lives have been changed
by my one-on-one coaching or my audio guided workout
programs, like Fitter U. It is an absolutely phenomenal feeling to positively impact peoples lives. If you dont exercise
regularly, then start! If you exercise on a regular basis or are
a high level athlete, then keep it up!
If you are brand new to exercise and dont know where to
start then you can follow the 4 step process I have outlined
for you below. If you still need more structure, motivation,
and guidance, then I highly recommend you get started with
my 12-week Fitter U program. Visit www.myFitterU.com
to learn more about how Fitter U can help you.
In the meantime, you can start getting active by following the
steps on the following pages...

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11: The 5 Essential Pillars

Step #1 - Walk at Least 30 Minutes Every Day!

Walking is one the most beneficial activities you can adopt. It Walk whenever you have the chance be it to work, to the
is low stress on the body and has tremendous benefits when store, or anywhere else. Grab a partner or join a walking
it comes to building an aerobic foundation, reducing body fat, group to give you some extra motivation and accountability.
and maintaining adequate range of motion in your joints.

Step #2 - Engage in Moderate Intensity Aerobic Training 2-4x per Week

Walking is a great start but you also have to ensure that
youre pushing your cardiovascular system a little more than
normal. Instead of using your heart rate as a gauge (many
people find this tedious) you can use what I call the Talk
Test. The Talk Test ensures that you can carry a conversation while exercising. This would be appropriate for your
walking.

But now that you want to step up the intensity, you need to
get to a point where maintaining a conversation is no longer
easy to do. Youre beginning to hear that huff and puff of
your breathing. Choose any cardio/aerobic activity that you
enjoy - running, biking, elliptical, swimming, sports, etc...
You want to do this type of cardio/aerobic training 2-4 times
per week for at least 20 minutes.
Visit www.myTreadmillTrainer.com and
www.EllipticalWorkouts.com to get the best cardio workouts
available!

Step #3 - Strength Train 2-4x per Week

Resistance (or strength) training is absolutely critical to developing lean muscle and burning fat. It will dramatically
increase your resting metabolic rate, strengthen and support
your joints, and leave you feeling strong and energetic.
This type of training can take the form of body weight exercises (ie. push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, crunches, dips, etc...)
or any other method which will stress your muscles (ie. free
weights, tubing, etc...).

These workouts should be well balanced and attend to the

bodys full musculature. They do not necessarily have to be
broken up into chest-biceps types of routines either. I prefer using full-body functional training which means training
movements, not muscle groups. This is the most effective
way to develop total body strength, balance between muscle
groups, and to assist in weight loss.
For starters, choose 6 exercises and do 3 sets of each for 1015 reps with a weight that will challenge you by the last few
reps.

Step #4 - Stretch on a Daily Basis (and especially after exercise)

Stretching is crucial in order to maintain muscle flexibility and fluid body motion. The last thing you want is to be
strong and have great musculature but limited in your range
of motion (especially for athletes). Having a good degree of
flexibility is also correlated with a reduction in injuries.
Stretching after (not before) your exercise sessions is recommended and helpful in restoring normal muscle length,
especially since the muscles have just been subjected to
increased loads and have most likely built up a good amount
of toxins (ie. lactic acid).

Hold your stretches for 20-30 seconds (without bouncing)

and breathe deeply to help further the stretch and deliver
oxygen to the muscles. Activities like yoga are great for keeping the body limber.
Once again, if all this seems a little overwhelming or if youre
looking for greater results from your workouts, then my
Fitter U program will definitely help. Visit www.myFitterU.
com for more information on getting started.
Since were on the topic of exercise, lets move right into a
fascinating chapter of the Eating for Energy program which
will show you exactly how to eat for maximum athletic
performance

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Nutrition for Athletes

Nutrition for

ATHLETES

99

Nutrition for Athletes

Nutrition
Athletes
Nutrition forfor
Athletes
Listen, were all athletes. It doesnt matter if youre a stay-at-home mom, weekend warrior, or
pro athlete. Your body was meant to move and you face tasks and challenges each day that engage your body in ways that are athletic, in some way shape or form.
The value of natural, high-quality nourishment is appreciated
by the nutritionally savvy athlete. Without proper nutrition
it is very difficult to achieve your full physical potential in
your sport. However, the amazing thing is that about 80%
of athletes somehow manage to get by in their respective
sports with poor nutritional habits. It blows my mind! Just
imagine how much better their performance could be if they
improved their eating habits.
I used to train a handful of high level hockey players, from
the NCAA (college) level right up to the NHL (professional).
One of the pros who truly stood out above the rest was in
his mid 30s and made it his mission to fully understand how
nutrition and conditioning could transform his body and thus
his performance. I remember asking him if his colleagues
had the same level of knowledge and application when it
came to eating well and he replied Absolutely not! He
went on to tell me that many pro hockey players had no clue
and that their eating habits were atrocious.

My own experience in soccer confirms these reports. I remember having teammates who would be drinking coffee
one hour before a game on a blistering hot day! Not only
that, we even had some players who smoked! It is truly
amazing how the body somehow finds a way to perform under such conditions.
All elite athletes eventually come to appreciate that the most
crucial element for building athletic performance lies in their
ability to recover. Without a doubt this is the most important aspect of performance. Being able to train every day of
the week, sometimes twice a day, and still manage to improve your performance without injuries is not an easy task.
Now perhaps you dont train as hard or as often as most pro
athletes but the fact still remains that your body is always
under some level of stress be it physical, emotional, or environmental. All of these stressors will eventually wear down
your body, and hence your ability to perform to the best of
your ability. As we have discussed in this book, living plantbased foods have far greater nutrient density,

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Nutrition for Athletes

greater amounts of enzymes, and are much more easily
processed by your body. They should make up at least 80%
of your diet. As a once meat-eating, grain-obsessed professional athlete to an a more balanced plant-based eater and
avid exerciser and health promoter, I have noticed a night
and day difference in all areas of my health and performance
as I have gotten away from commonly held mis-beliefs of
what does a body good, and adopted a way of eating that
actually works!
In general, the closer your workouts are to each other, the
quicker you will improve but only if you provide your body
with the nourishment it requires. Your ability to recover
quickly and bounce back for the next training session or
competition will depend on how you fuel your body and the
degree to which it can rest and repair. If it can do so, the
performance gains will be unmistakable. Whether youre a
high level or a recreational athlete the same rules apply.
Quick cellular repair is paramount. If you eat health promoting foods after exercise, your body will not have to dedicate
as much energy to recovery as it might otherwise need to if

you ate poorly. Proper nutrition allows your bodys other important systems such as the immune and hormonal systems
to remain in better health. For instance, one of the signs of
overtraining is an increased susceptibility to infection and
sickness. This occurs because so much energy is being spent
on regenerating your body that the immune system becomes
so overworked that it can no longer perform its functions of
fending off disease and keeping microorganisms at bay.
It is important to understand which nutrients will allow you
to perform and recover most effectively, as well as when you
should eat relative to your workouts. Remember that the
body needs a combination of carbohydrates, amino acids
(protein), healthy fats, water, and an array of vitamins and
minerals to do its job. The following section will detail what
to eat and drink before, during, and after your exercise session.
The timing of nutrition combined with specifically formulated
recipes for athletic performance is crucial. The following will
go into detail about how applying a living plant-based diet
will help you perform greater than ever before!

Eating before Exercise

CONSUMPTION

% energy from CHO & Fat

This is an important concept to remember since many people

think they can get away with polluting their body for several
days and then all of a sudden eat a healthy pre-exercise meal
and everything will be ok. That just doesnt happen. Fat
Your body is an accumulation of nutrients that you have consumed over the years. Are you built of pizza or energizing
living plant-based foods? The difference is night and day. All
that being said, it is helpful to have a nutritious pre-exercise
snack or meal to top up your energy reservesCabefore
rbohy getting
drate
started.
Your bodys first choice of fuel during exercise is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen,
Exercise Duration
(minutes)
both in the liver and muscle.
The livers
job is to break down

ALKALINITY

So if you go for a run on Saturday morning, the main fuel

GRAINS
& LEGUMES
source for that run will be
derived
from what you ate the
night and day prior, not necessarily what you had for breakfast.
LEISURE FOODS

glycogen into glucose to maintain suitable levels of glucose in

the blood. The muscles on the other hand, tap directly into
their glycogen stores for energy production.
Depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise,
your body will rely on more complex carbohydrates (stored
as glycogen in the muscles and liver) and fatty acids for its
fuel.
The following graph shows the relationship between exercise
intensity and energy used from different fuel sources.

% energy from CHO & Fat

GREENS

The first thing to understand,

fuel perspective, is
(green landfrom
& sea a
vegetables)
that your body will tap into meals you consumed a day prior
RAINBOW
COLOURS meal or snack.
much more effectively(all
than
a pre-exercise
other fruits & vegetables)
The reason for this is that it takes time for the body to digest,
absorb, and then restore
necessary
HEALTHY
FATS energy
& OILS reserves.

te
ydra
h
o
b
Car

Fat

Exercise Intensity (% of VO2 max)

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Nutrition for Athletes

ALKALINITY

CONSUMPTION

Notice that as the intensityGREENS

of exercise increases, there is
(green land & sea vegetables)
more reliance on carbohydrates for fuel. Typically, intensities
greater than 70% of VO2
max (or
maximum heart rate for
RAINBOW
COLOURS
(all
other
fruits
&
vegetables)
our purposes) will have carbohydrates as the dominant fuel
source. However, this doesnt mean that working at high
HEALTHY FATS & OILS
intensities doesnt burn
fat. Working at higher intensities allows more total calories to be burned and thats what really
GRAINS
& LEGUMES
matters if youre looking
to lose
weight.
Compare the intensity graph with this next graph showing
LEISURE
FOODS
the relationship between
exercise
duration and fuel selection:

Carbo
hydrat
e

Exercise Duration (minutes)

Its pretty much the opposite isnt it?

% energy from CHO & Fat

% energy from CHO & Fat

Fat

Blood glucose is the main fuel source for the brain, so Im

sure you can appreciate why its pretty important. As intensity increases, muscle glycogen is increasingly used. Blood
glucose use also increases slightly. However, to offset its
usage and to maintain stable blood sugar levels (for the vital
organs), the liver breaks down its glycogen stores into glucose for the blood.
So, after giving you a rather lengthy lesson in exercise physiology and bioenergetics, all that you have to remember is the
bulk of your pre-exercise meal/snack should come from complex carbohydrates (CHO). Eating too much protein before
exercise will likely lead to cramping since protein requires
more water to be metabolized than does CHO or fat.
ratemeant for
Also protein is not a very good fuel sourceohydits
b
Carwhen
building your body, not fueling it. Also,
protein is used
as fuel instead of CHO, it burns dirty, meaning that toxins
are created from its combustion. The production and elimination of toxins are a stress on the body and cause a stress
response leading to a decline in endurance. Fat

Here are some general pre-exercise guidelines that should

help you:
1. Pre-exercise feeding should contain 1 to 5 grams of CHO/
(% of VO2 max)
kg of body Exercise
weight,Intensity
and should
be taken 3 to 4 hours before exercise.

2. The CHO source should be an easily digestible solid comThe point is that your body chooses different fuels during
plex CHO food, but if taken 1 hour before exercise, it
different situations. Because fats yield more calories and are
should be in liquid or gel form.
slower burning as they are metabolized, they tend to be used
over longer durations when compared to carbohydrates.
3. As an athlete, you should test these feeding protocols in
However, the body wants to conserve its blood glucose and
training before using them in competition.
glycogen stores.
I mentioned earlier that topping up your glycogen stores with
As you become fitter your body will become more efficient
a pre-exercise snack is a good idea. But as you can imagine
at using fats for fuel while sparing your vital carbohydrate
there is a difference between someone who works out in the
reserves. Someone who is totally unfit will obviously fatigue gym and someone who runs a marathon. So there must be
sooner, one of the reasons being that their carbohydrate
varying energizing snack protocols to address these needs.
stores are more quickly dissolved and utilized. Fitter indiIve separated these protocols into 2 separate categories.
viduals can last much longer because they have developed
Type I Activities: High intensity, shorter duration (lasting less
the ability to use the slow burning fats as fuel, and therefore
than 1 hour)
conserve their energy better.
Examples: 3 to 6 mile run, intense gym workout, tennis,
Carbohydrates that are used during exercise come from both
sprinting, basketball
glycogen stores in muscle and from blood glucose. Within
carbohydrate metabolism blood glucose and glycogen are
Type II Activities: moderate intensity, longer duration (lasting
used to varying degrees depending on the nature of the ac1 to 3 hours)
tivity. However, the bodys first order of business is in mainExamples: half marathon, marathon, longer cycling events,
taining healthy blood glucose levels.
hiking, soccer/hockey/tennis matches that last more than 1
hour.

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Nutrition for Athletes

Type I Activities Pre-Exercise Snack Ideas

For short bouts of high-intensity exercise, fuel up on simple
carbohydrates. The healthiest source of these is fruit. Dates
are your best choice since they are rich in glucose, the basic
sugar molecule that goes straight to the liver for immediate
energy, meaning your body doesnt waste precious energy
converting it from another form in order to utilize it.
However, glucose burns quickly which means that if glucose
is your only carbohydrate source, it will need to be replenished every 20 minutes if your exercise session lasts more
than 1 hour, to keep you going strong. The influx of glucose
into the blood means that your blood glucose levels will be
maintained for longer periods of time, thus reducing the onset of fatigue while maximizing your performance.
Another great source of energy comes from fructose fruit
sugar. All fruits (bananas, mangos, oranges, etc) contain
fructose. Fructose is less quick to metabolize because it first
needs to be converted to glucose by the liver. As a result, it
has a lower glycemic index than glucose, meaning that it kicks
in at a slower rate once ingested, and burns more slowly.

Now, Im really going to cause some turmoil! One of the best

sources of fuel for exercise is coconut oil! Yes thats right,
coconut oil. Coconut oil is a tremendous source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are chemically much
different from both short and long-chain triglycerides found
in other foods. MCTs are actually more similar to carbohydrates than fats in regards to how they are processed by the
body.
Most fats get stored as fat if not used for energy right away.
However, MCTs are highly thermogenic (raise the body temperature and cellular activity) and go directly to the liver
where they are metabolized and used as instant energy!
Furthermore, the water that is found inside the coconut is
natures natural sports drink. Coconut water contains an
almost identical electrolyte composition to your bodys interstitial fluid, serving as a healthy and natural hydrator which
will undoubtedly enhance your performance.

Type II Activities Pre-Exercise Snack Ideas

If youre going to be exercising for several hours, youll want
to consume a few more sustainable sources of energy in
addition to the glucose, fructose, and MCT recommendations
from Type I activities. Youll also want to add a small amount

of alkaline protein such as hemp or whey and some essential

fatty acids like fish/flax seed oil or even some ground flaxseeds or ground soaked almonds for more prolonged and
sustained energy.

Fuel during Exercise

As weve already mentioned, glucose is very quickly depleted during moderate to intense activity. Therefore, if you
are exercising for more than 1 hour, your performance can
be enhanced and fatigue delayed by ingesting some quickly
absorbable glucose-based fuels. It is best to get these fuels
in liquid form (ie. sport drinks) or in gels and puddings. This
is not the time to be eating solid foods. You want your body
to direct its energy towards physical performance, not digestion.

Puddings and sport gels are just that mushy like concoctions that contain quickly absorbable sugars and performance sustaining nutrients such as essential fatty acids,
MCTs, and even small amounts of amino acids. As a base
most of them contain glucose-rich dates and easily digestible
fruits like bananas. Agave nectar is also included for its fructose content.

Here are a couple of recipes that you can sneak in during

half-time, while running, or at a pit stop. These gels/puddings can be stored in a plastic bag or gel flasks (which can
Sport Drinks are definitely the best option in long duration
conditions. And Im not talking about your standard corn syr- be bought at most athletic/running stores). Whether the
up-based, dye-infused garbage! I have listed several natural snack becomes a gel or pudding really depends on how much
liquid you add to it do whatever is best for you!
sport drink recipes in the Hydration and Exercise section
just a few pages on to give you some healthy hydration alterThese gels and puddings also make great pre-exercise snacks.
natives.
If you need something quick and energizing before your
exercise session, then grab one of these recipes 1 hour
before you start and youll be good to go.

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Nutrition for Athletes

Sport Gels and Puddings

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Some of these recipes are
adapted from Brendan Braziers The Thrive Diet .

Mint Chocolate Gel

High Octane

4 dates, pre-soaked

5 dates, pre-soaked

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp of raw cacao powder

banana

Juice of lemon

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of sea salt

1 tsp dried mint

Chocolate Monkey

Blue-Green Gel

1 banana

1 banana

5 dates, pre-soaked

4 dates, pre-soaked

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tbsp spirulina

1 tbsp ground sesame seed

cup blueberries

2 tsp raw cacao powde

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of sea salt

Post Workout Pudding

2 bananas

2 tbsp hemp or whey protein powder

1 cup blueberries

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

cup soaked almonds

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp ground flaxseeds

Pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp ground sesame seeds

1 tbsp fish or flax seed oil

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Nutrition for Athletes

Post-Exercise Nutrition
Post workout nutrition is vital to your healthy body. In order to recover properly your body needs essential nutrients
to rebuild and re-energize. Youve worked hard in the gym,
completed your run, or just finished an intense game and
dont want your sweat and effort to go unrewarded, right?
Well, the following information is essential in assuring you
get the most from your training and able your body to recover the best it can.

After your exercise session, fuel replenishment (glycogen

stores), muscle regeneration, and rehydration (discussed
later) are your three main goals. As such, food choices that
stimulate the release of insulin (ie. sugars) will cause the
most effective uptake of carbohydrates into the muscles.
This increase in insulin levels due to consuming carbohydrates after exercise also increases muscle repair because
insulin stimulates muscle protein synthesis.

It is important to realize that making poor food choices following exercise will reduce the benefits of exercise, weaken
your immune system, increase the likelihood of injury, cause
hypoglycemia (drop in blood sugar) and reduce your energy
and performance during subsequent exercise sessions.

High quality protein and essential fatty acids will foster proper recovery of muscle tissue and other cellular damage, respectively. The quicker you can get the proper nutrients into
your body after your workout, the more effective your recovery will be. By ensuring those nutrients come from plantbased whole foods, you will greatly assist your recovery.

Carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats all have an important role in the post exercise nutrition. While working out or
exercising, your body mainly uses muscle glycogen and blood
glucose as its main fuel sources. These glycogen and blood
sugar levels can be severely depleted upon completion of an
intense workout and must be replenished shortly thereafter
to ensure proper recovery.
Exercise, and specifically weight lifting, causes microtears in
the muscle fibers (protein degradation). This is what causes
muscle soreness but also what stimulates their recovery to
a stronger state than before. Since muscles are made up of
protein, post-workout protein consumption is important to
foster quick and full regeneration.
I also highly recommend adding essential fatty acids for the
role they play in reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, and building healthy cell membranes.
Another component I recommend adding to a post-exercise
smoothie is Maca. Maca is an ancient Peruvian root vegetable that has tremendous adrenal supporting benefits. Considering that intense exercise places significant stress on the
adrenal glands, maca can play a noteworthy role in helping
your body come back to balance and reduce its stress load.
Maca powder is the easiest form to use.

The ideal is to consume a quickly absorbable (high glycemic index) form of carbohydrates within 15 minutes of your
workouts end. This can take the form of a sport drink, fruit
juice, fruit, or the sport gels and puddings. After this initial
glucose-rich drink/snack, you can have a more substantial
smoothie that balances carbohydrate-rich foods with high
quality alkalizing proteins (hemp or whey) and essential fatty
acids.
Whey protein has been found to stimulate the release of insulin. Therefore, it would be an effective protein to consume
after an exercise bout as the extra boost of insulin will help
drive nutrients into the muscle cells. Whey protein is also a
very high-quality protein that would help muscles recover
more quickly. You can throw in some Maca if you like as well.
After your smoothie, it is preferable to have a more balanced
and substantial meal no later than 2 hours post workout. As
with your smoothie, this meal should contain good sources
of carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fatty acids. Remember that you want to choose whole living plant-based
foods for they have tremendous life force, contain huge
amounts of enzymes, and are mostly alkaline forming in the
body.

105

Nutrition for Athletes

Hydration and Exercise

Hydration and performance go hand in hand. If your body is
dehydrated it will fatigue faster and you suffer greatly. Staying well hydrated is especially important when exercising in
hot environments. Total body water can have a critical influence on thermoregulation (the bodys ability to maintain an
acceptable temperature) and exercise performance, especially in the heat. Hypohydration (total body water below normal) has been attributed to high sweat rates, and therefore
fluid loss, compounded by inadequate rehydration, or simply
an initial pre-exercise water deficit.
Sweat rates, in athletes performing vigorous exercise in the
heat, have been known to reach 1 2 L/h. During soccer
matches, one investigator found sweat rates to reach 1.5
liters per game under cool conditions (10-15C) and 3.5 to 4
liters per game under hot conditions (30-38C).
With increasing sweat loss athletic performance is significantly disturbed. Studies have shown performance and cognitive impairments to occur with fluid deficits as low as 1.8%
and 2% of body mass.
In order to prevent hypohydration during exercise (especially
in the heat), proper hydration strategies need to be implemented. Although much research has been done in this
field, many coaches, athletes, and recreational exercisers
are ignorant of the importance of proper hydration before,
during, and after exercise.
According to leading investigators in this field, daily fluid
requirements (for sedentary to very active people) can range
from 8 16 L/day! The researchers also identified the need
to replace each liter of fluid lost with a subsequent liter of
ingested fluid to maintain a normal hydration status. Therefore, 1 liter of sweat needs to be replaced by at least 1 liter
of fluids.
Having said that, taking in fluid during exercise may not fully
prevent a fluid deficit. Most athletes typically only replace
between 30-70% of the sweat losses they incurred during
exercise. Therefore, as an athlete or recreational exerciser
you should take several extra gulps beyond what satisfies
your thirst. Remember that when it comes to thirst If youre
thirsty its already too late!

The following are recommendations made by the American

College of Sports Medicine to help prevent the onset of dehydration and to optimize performance in hot environments.
At least 2 hours prior to exercise, you should consume
500 ml of fluid. This promotes proper hydration and
allows time for the kidneys to excrete excess water, if any
exists.
During exercise, you should begin consuming fluids at a
rate equal to your sweat rate. In general, this amounts to
150-200 ml every 15-20 min for most individuals.
Fluids should be cool (15-22C), palatable, and readily
available.
Sodium is an essential electrolyte that is lost when you
sweat. Sodium losses in sweat vary markedly between individuals but overall range from 20 80 mmol/L and depend
on genetics, diet, sweat rate, hydration level, and heat acclimation state.
Since an excessive sweat response in hot environments
causes a significant loss of sodium and other electrolytes
(ie. potassium, chloride), it is imperative to replenish these
electrolytes during and after exercise (especially for durations longer than 1 hour). Commercial sport drinks are okay
but from a natural nutrition perspective theyre not the best
solution because they contain artificial colouring, corn syrup,
and other unnecessary additives.
Natural electrolyte solutions such as coconut water are wonderful healthy alternatives. Throw in a bit of agave nectar
and a squeeze of lemon and lime juice for added alkalinity
and youve just created a natural and delicious sports drink!
Refer to the recipes below for full details on these natural
sports drinks.
Having one of these natural hydrators (or another sports
drink if you dont have access to such ingredients) can be
helpful in preventing the deleterious effects of electrolyte
imbalance (ie. hyponatremia low sodium levels) and dehydration by providing optimal electrolyte and carbohydrate
concentrations.
Sports drinks are beneficial in situations where exercise is
performed for long durations (> 1 hour), and when exercising in hot environments. I wouldnt recommend them for
anything less than an hour. I recommend that my clients get
some simple sugars back into their body after a heavy workout, in the form of fruits, fruit juices, or natural sport drinks
(described below).

106

Nutrition for Athletes

If you are engaged in long-duration sporting activities, then
sports drinks should have an optimal amount of carbohydrates (5-6% = 14g per 8oz) to give the working muscles
more energy to help fight fatigue and provide better cognitive function. Research has shown that more than a 6%
carbohydrate solution is not better since higher carbohydrate
concentrations take longer to absorb and wont further enhance performance. Most likely, sports drinks with greater

than a 6% carbohydrate concentration will lead to nothing

more than stomach cramps.
Instead of commercial sports drinks try these natural alternatives for optimal hydration and performance.
Below the following recipe section you will find a 1-page Hydration Protocol chart that details for you the timing, quantities, and types of fluid to consume when exercising

Natural Sport Drinks

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. For Basic Sport Drink simply stir all ingredients in a
glass.

Tropical Body Replenisher

Basic Sport Drink

1 cup coconut water

3 cups fresh squeezed fruit juice

1 cup water

1 cup water

2 tbsp maple syrup

Pinch of sea salt

Juice of lemon
Juice of lime

Citrus-Coconut Sport Drink

Mint Chocolate Breeze

Juice of lemon

2 dates

Juice of lime

2 cups water (or coconut water)

2 dates, pre-soaked

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 cups water

2 tsp of raw cacao powder

1 cup coconut water

1 tsp dried mint

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp coconut oil

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of sea salt

107

Nutrition for Athletes

Hydration Protocols
Exercise Duration

Timing of Consumption
Before Exercise:

< 1 hr

From 1 4 hrs

During Exercise:
Recovery:
Before Exercise:
During Exercise:
Recovery:

Before Exercise:
During Exercise:
> 4 hrs

Recovery:

1 2 hrs
15 30 min
Every 10 15 min
1 2 hrs
15 30 min
Every 10 15 min

1 2 hrs
15 30 min
Every 10 15 min
Immediately after
and every 2 hrs

Amount and Type

16 oz
Cold water (CW)
10 16 oz
CW or Sport Drink
6 8 oz
CW
adequate fluid to replace body weight losses
16 oz
Sport Drink or Water
10 16 oz
Sport Drink
6 8 oz
Sport Drink
Immediately after and every 2 hrs Sport Drink to
provide 1 g CHO/kg of body weight.
Gel CHO and protein may also be used.
10 16 oz
Sport Drink (5-10% CHO)
10 16 oz
Sport Drink
6 8 oz
Sport Drink + tsp Sea
Salt
Immediately after and every 2 hrs Sport Drink to
provide 1 g CHO/kg of body weight.
Gel CHO and protein may also be used.

108

12 Week Meal Plan

12 Week Meal

PLAN
109

12 Week Meal Plan

The12-Week
Eating
for
Meal
PlanEnergy
The goal of this 12-week meal plan is to include significantly more raw plant foods into your diet.
Whether or not you want to eat all of your meals raw is up to you. At least now you have the
road map if you want to do so. I would also recommend to slowly transition into it since eating
all raw may not be easy at first. Even though all the meals listed below are raw living foods, feel
free to incorporate other dishes as you see fit. But do your best to keep it 80% raw! What follows is a Monday to Friday meal-by-meal dietary plan.
You DO NOT need to eat everything that is listed on any
given day. This meal plan assumes that IF you were to eat 5
meals throughout the day this is what youd eat. But please
dont feel like you have to eat all that food. For many people,
its probably too much.
So remember Success Habit #5 Eat only when youre hungry.
On the weekends, feel free to eat other foods or pick some
of your favourite recipes from the Healthy Recipe Guide.
Although it is specific and structured, it is only a guide. If
you dont feel like following it 100% or cant for whatever
reason then thats fine. Do what works for you. It is meant
to provide you with step-by-step guidance if thats what
youre looking for; however, feel free to take some of these
recipes and create your own meal schedule or even follow a
few days of the meal plan and then eat other foods. I would

rather you feel empowered and knowledgeable to make

healthy decisions on your own.
Depending on your goals, you may also wish to incorporate
more or fewer foods than whats described in the meal plan.
Listen to your body. If you feel hungry and need more nutrients and calories, then add them. If you feel like theres
too much food, then simply eat what you feel like eating and
omit the rest.
By following this 12-week meal plan you will begin to notice
astounding changes. You will notice more energy, improved
body composition, glowing skin, greater mental clarity, improved athletic performance, and much more!
The goal is to see this way of eating as providing abundance
rather than denial of the foods you enjoy. Feel free to include some of your favourite leisure foods as you begin

110

12 Week Meal Plan

to transition, but over time, the idea is to retrain your taste
buds to no longer crave nutrient void foods. Be sure to give
yourself 3-4 days between eating the same foods.
One of the central themes of this meal plan is variety and
rotation. This concept is part of your Success Habits and
is critically important. Variety will provide a wide range of
nutrients to your body and prevent the development of
addictions and food allergies. When you have the choice
of smoothies, juices, or simply fruit, be sure not to drink/
eat the same one at each occasion. Your body can become
sensitive to any food if it is consistently exposed to it. So remember to choose from the wide array of recipes and foods

that are at your disposal.

Most importantly, no matter what you eat be sure to fully
enjoy it! Be grateful for your food and love every bite.
Dont forget to start your day with a glass of lukewarm water with the juice of lemon (freshly squeezed).
To obtain the recipes for all the meals described in the Meal
Plan simply turn to the Healthy Recipe Guide and Smoothie
and Juice Guide.
May you enjoy these meals and begin to flourish with abundant energy and glowing health!

Week
Week11
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

1 apple with handful almonds & pumpkin seeds Snack

Sunset Pudding

Lunch

Waldorf Salad

Lunch

Nori Wrap (side of Olive Tapenade optional)

Snack

Guacamole with cucumber and bell peppers

Snack

Lentil Hummus + broccoli, cauliflower & celery

Dinner

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

Dinner

Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Blue-Green Orange Bliss

Breakfast Morning Muesli

Snack

Small handful goji berries and raw cacao nibs

Snack

Fruit + handful almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

A Date with Kale (6-10 wraps)

Lunch

Popeyes Spinach and Herb Soup

Snack

Hummus with broccoli, cauliflower, and celery

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Yammys Pad Thai

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

Wednesday
Breakfast Blueberry Morning
Snack

Selection of fresh berries

Lunch

Curry Kale Salad

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Fettuccini cheddar pasta

111

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week22
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)

Breakfast Blueberry Morning

Snack

1 pear + handful almonds and sunflower seeds

Snack

A Date with Kale

Lunch

Broccoli soup

Lunch

Nori Wrap with Mango Chutney

Snack

Chocolate Mousse

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Sweet Potato Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Dinner

Everything in the Fridge Salad

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Porridge of Champions

Breakfast Morning Muesli

Snack

Small handful goji berries and raw cacao nibs

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Lunch

A Date with Kale (6-10 wraps)

Lunch

Corn and Lentil Salad

Snack

Lentil Hummus + broccoli, cauliflower & celery

Snack

Strawberry Banana Gelato

Dinner

Salad Slaw with Marinated Broccoli

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

Wednesday
Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)
Snack

handful walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins

Lunch

Mango and Avocado Salad & Cream of Tomato Soup

Snack

Chocolate Energy Pudding

Dinner

Green Beans and Brown Rice in Curry Sauce

112

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week33
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Raw Oatmeal

Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Green veggies with Lentil Hummus

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Lunch

Collard Taco with Tomato Salsa

Lunch

Nori Wrap with Mango Chutney

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Arugula Salad

Dinner

Thai Salad

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Morning Muesli

Snack

handful of fresh coconut meat

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Lunch

Waldorf Salad

Lunch

Carrot Salad

Snack

Pistachio Halvah

Snack

Lentil Hummus with Veggies

Dinner

Salad from the Sea

Dinner

Quinoa Salad with Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday
Breakfast Blueberry Morning
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Quinoa Paella

Snack

Raw chocolate (1 to 2 small bars)

Dinner

Green Beans and Brown Rice in Curry Sauce

113

12 Week Meal Plan

The purpose of Week 4 is to gently cleanse your body.
Although eating according this Meal Plan over the last 3
weeks has been greatly alkalizing and cleansing for your
body, Week 4 introduces much more alkalinity and energy
through green juices and salads. Youll also notice the
absence of snacks on certain days. This is done to give your
digestive system a break from constantly digesting food.
Your body will be able to spend more energy on breaking
down immune complexes within your body and restoring
greater health. Finally, youll notice that the lighter cleanse
days are only every other day during this week.

Week
Week44
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack n/a

Snack

Fruit of choice with Almond Butter

Lunch

Kale Salad

Lunch

Nori Wrap with Mango Chutney

Snack

n/a

Snack

Corn and Lentil Salad

Dinner

Quinoa Tabouli

Dinner

Veggie Sushi

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

handful almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Snack n/a

Lunch

Mock Tuna Salad

Lunch

Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Coconut Chocolate Truffles (2 or 3)

Snack

n/a

Dinner

Waldorf Salad

Dinner

Everything in the Fridge Salad

Wednesday
Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Green Soup

Snack

n/a

Dinner

Smoothie (your choice)

114

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week55
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Morning Muesli

Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Small handful goji berries and raw cacao nibs

Snack

Celery with Nut Butter and Raisins

Lunch

Green Beans and Brown Rice in Curry Sauce

Lunch

Watermelon Soup

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Guacamole Salsa with Veggies

Dinner

Wilted Kale Salad

Dinner

Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Blueberry Morning

Snack

Fruit with handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Lunch

Smoothie (your choice)

Lunch

Nori Wrap with Olive Tapenade

Snack

Mexican Salad

Snack

handful walnuts and sunflower seeds

Dinner

Banana and Strawberry Cream Pie

Dinner

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

Wednesday
Breakfast Coco-Vanilla Porridge
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Quinoa Salad

Snack

Chic pea Hummus with veggies

Dinner

Cal-Mag Soup

115

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week66
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Small handful goji berries and raw cacao nibs

Snack

handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Quinoa Paella

Lunch

Curry Kale Salad

Snack

Traditional Guacamole with veggies

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Everything in the Fridge Salad

Dinner

Sweet Potato Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Porridge of Champions

Snack

Fruit with handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Lunch

Popeyes Herb and Spinach Soup

Lunch

A Date with Kale & Marinated Broccoli

Snack

Celery with Nut Butter and Raisins

Snack

Sunset Pudding

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

Dinner

Salad Slaw

Wednesday
Breakfast Blueberry Morning
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Collard Taco & Tomato Salsa + Mango & Avocado Salad

Snack

Chic pea Hummus with veggies

Dinner

Smoothie (your choice)

116

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week77
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Small handful goji berries and raw cacao nibs

Snack

handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Collard Taco with Tomato Salsa

Lunch

Wilted Kale Salad

Snack

Strawberry Banana Gelato

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Dinner

Yammys Pad Thai

Dinner

Quinoa Paella with Olive Tapenade

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Raw Oatmeal

Breakfast Porridge of Champions

Snack

Fruit with handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Lunch

Red Pepper Cream Soup

Lunch

A Date with Kale & Marinated Broccoli

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Orange Coconut Fudge (1 bar)

Dinner

Sweet Potato Pasta with Marinara Sauce

Dinner

Creamy Tomato Soup

Wednesday
Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Salad from the Sea

Snack

Lentil Hummus with veggies

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

117

12 Week Meal Plan

Week 8 marks the beginning of another mild cleansing week.
Incorporating more green smoothies and juices while limiting the total amount of foods consumed will heighten your
bodys energy and further cleanse your system. The body is
an amazing machine and will naturally cleanse and heal itself
if we would just let it! Unfortunately, most of the time we
pollute it with too much food and too many non-foods that
are not nearly as nourishing as they should be.
The 2 liquid days this week will allow your body to better
heal itself by imposing less stress on the digestive system yet
still providing vital nutrients for repair and rejuvenation.

If you feel any detoxification symptoms such as headaches

or skin outbreaks, drink plenty of water to help flush out the
newly released toxins. These are simply signs that your body
is ridding itself of waste that has built up over many years of
abuse.
In general, the more toxic you are, the greater the intensity
of detoxification symptoms you will experience. Everyone
is different, but more often than not these symptoms will
start to disappear within a few days and you will be cleaner,
healthier, and more energetic than ever!

Week
Week88
Monday liquid day

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack n/a

Snack

handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Smoothie (your choice)

Lunch

Wilted Kale Salad

Snack

n/a

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Dinner

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Quinoa Paella with Olive Tapenade

Tuesday

Friday liquid day

Breakfast Raw Oatmeal

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Fruit with handful almonds, pumpkin seeds

Snack n/a

Lunch

Nori Wrap with Mango Chutney

Lunch

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

n/a

Dinner

Mango and Avocado Salad

Dinner

Smoothie (your choice)

Wednesday
Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)
Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Corn and Lentil Salad

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice(your choice)

Dinner

Quinoa Tabouli & Marinated Broccoli

118

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week99
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Bananas, Berries, and Cream

Snack

Chic Pea Hummus with veggies

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Waldorf Salad

Lunch

Salad from the Sea

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

Dinner

Quinoa Tabouli with Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Coco-Vanilla Porridge

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Snack

Fruit (your choice) with Nut Butter

Lunch

Alkalizing Cucumber Soup

Lunch

Kale Salad

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Pistachio Halvah

Dinner

Zucchini Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Dinner

Sweet Apple Nori Wrap

Wednesday
Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)
Snack

handful almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Sweet Apple Nori Wrap

Snack

Celery with Nut Butter and Raisins

Dinner

Collard Rolls

119

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week10
10
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Chic Pea Hummus with veggies

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Lunch

Wilted Kale Salad

Lunch

Avocado and Mango Salad

Snack

Marinated Broccoli

Snack

Lentil Hummus with veggies

Dinner

Smoothie (your choice)

Dinner

Quinoa Salad

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Snack

Fruit (your choice) with Nut Butter

Lunch

Waldorf Salad and Olive Tapenade

Lunch

Curry Kale Salad

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Dinner

Everything in the Fridge Salad

Dinner

Arugula Salad

Wednesday
Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)
Snack

handful almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Sweet Apple Nori Wrap

Snack

handful goji berries and cacao nibs

Dinner

Collard Taco with Tomato Salsa

120

12 Week Meal Plan

Week
Week11
11
Monday

Thursday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Fruit with Nut Butter

Snack

Fruit with cup almonds, walnuts, seeds

Lunch

Everything in the Fridge Salad

Lunch

Broccoli soup

Snack

Marinated Broccoli

Snack

Lentil Hummus with veggies

Dinner

Raspberry Cheesecake

Dinner

Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayonnaise

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Snack

Celery with Nut Butter and Raisins

Lunch

Collard Taco with Tomato Salsa

Lunch

Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho

Snack

Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Dinner

Quinoa Paella

Dinner

Salad from the Sea

Wednesday
Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)
Snack

handful almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Lunch

Smoothie (your choice)

Snack

handful goji berries and cacao nibs

Dinner

Mock Tuna Salad

121

12 Week Meal Plan

By now you will have experienced 2 weeks of mild cleansing
(Weeks 4 and 8). This Week 12 menu will act as your 3rd and
final cleansing week. Because youve progressed to incorporate more raw foods into your lifestyle your body will have
transformed already. However, this week will feature 2 days
of intermittent water fasting (if you so choose) to further
jumpstart your bodys ability to detoxify and purify itself.
Intermittent fasting is essentially an 18-24 hour fast where all
you consume is water. Contrary to what some people might
think, short-term fasting has immense health, weight loss,
and life-promotion benefits. Thats why Ive included here as
an option for you.

in fuel. Upon completing the fast you will reintroduce nutrients into your body via juices and slowly progress back into
solid foods (simply follow the Meal Plan). It is wise to make
a gradual transition back into a regular diet, rather than just
going out for dinner after a few days of fasting. Your digestion has been at rest, so you need to focus on chewing your
foods really well. Papaya and pineapple may be used as a
good way off the fast as they contain natural digestive enzymes (papain and bromelain) that will get your digestive
system back up and running.

The only rule of intermittent fasting is to drink LOTS of water

during your 18-24 hour fast. And the easiest way to make it
By no means are you obligated to follow this intermittent
work is to start your fast after an early dinner and then finish
fast but if you feel like you can and want to explore it, then
it roughly 24 hours later. For instance, you can start your fast
please do. I would also recommend that you limit your phys- at 6pm (after dinner), then break your fast 18-24 hours later
ical activity during your fasting day, as your body will be low
at least 6-10 of those hours will be spent sleeping.

Week
Week12
12
Monday Intermittent Fast Day #1

Thursday Intermittent Fast Day #2

Tuesday

Friday

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Breakfast Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Snack

Papaya or Pineapple

Snack

Bananas, Berries, and Cream

Lunch

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Lunch

Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho

Snack

Papaya or Pineapple

Snack

Spirulina (mixed with water or juice)

Dinner

Fresh Pressed Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Cal-Mag Soup and Quinoa Salad

Wednesday
Breakfast Smoothie (your choice)
Snack

Papaya or Pineapple

Lunch

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

Snack

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (your choice)

Dinner

Creamy Tomato Soup

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Healthy Recipe Guide

Healthy Recipe

GUIDE

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Healthy Recipe Guide

5 Recipe
Quick
Tips
5 Recipe Quick
Start Start
Tips
Before jumping into the 120 delicious raw food recipes that follow, Id like to give you some quick
start tips to make your life even easier.
1.
If you dont have ALL the ingredients for a particular
recipe, then dont worry about it. For almost every recipe,
missing 1-2 ingredients is not going to make or break its taste
or benefits. Just work with what you have at your disposal
and do your best. For instance, if you dont have access to
kale where you live, then just choose another green leafy
vegetable in its place. Capiche?

4.
Planning and preparation are key. For that reason,
keep the 12-Week Meal Plan readily available so you can
plan your grocery shopping for the week ahead. Also, refer to
the Eating for Energy Grocery List that follows. The last thing
you want is to be starving with no food in your kitchen. We
all know how that turns out.

5.
Choose fresh/raw, local, and organic foods/ingredi2.
When using sprouted seeds or pseudograins, prepare ents whenever possible. Pesticides and chemicals have no
place in your body, so please do your best to get back to nathem ahead of time. Since most seeds/grains take at least
24-36 hours to soak and sprout, youll want to look at the 12- ture and eat foods as they were meant to be grown and eaten. If organics are too expensive in your neck of the woods,
Week Meal Plan in advance to know when to prepare them
then think about selectively choosing only organic foods in
for upcoming meals.
which youd be eating the skin (ie. berries, celery, greens,
3.
Do not allow leftovers (or sprouts) to sit around for
etc).
more than 48 hours. Since all of the recipes in Eating for
Energy use fresh ingredients, they will lose their nutritional
value and flavour pretty rapidly compared to packaged foods.
Do your best to prepare what you need for the day in front
of you and avoid relying on leftovers that will only be thrown
out.

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Healthy Recipe Guide

The Grocery List

The following list represents all of the foods and ingredients in the Eating for Energy recipes.

Vegetables

Fruit

Pseudograins

Nuts

Seeds

Legumes

Alfalfa sprouts
Arugula

Apples
Apricots
(fresh and dried)
Avocado

Buckwheat groats
Oat groats

Almonds
Cashews

Flax
Sesame

Cacao
Chic peas

Quinoa

Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
(dried and fresh)
Cranberries (dried)
Dates
Durian
Figs
Grapes (red and
green)
Grapefruit
Goji Berries
Kiwi
Lemon
Lime
Lychee
Mango

Brown rice

Coconut (fresh young Hemp

and dried shredded)
Macadamia
Pumpkin
Pecans
Sunflower
Pine nuts
Pistachios

Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Celery
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Garlic
Ginger
Green beans
Green onion
Jalapeno
Kale
Lettuce (romaine,
boston, mixed greens)
Mushrooms
(portobello)
Onion (white, red)
Radish
Sauerkraut
Shallots
Spinach
Sweet peas
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Watercress
Zucchini

Lentils

Walnuts

Olives
Oranges
Papaya
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
(fresh and sundried)
Watermelon

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Healthy Recipe Guide

The Grocery List

The following list represents all of the foods and ingredients in the Eating for Energy recipes.

Sea Vegetables

Herbs & Spices

Healthy Fat,
Oils & Vinegars

Natural
Sweetners

Flavour
Other
Enhancers

Arame

Basil

Apple cider vinegar

Maple syrup

Dulse

Black pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Raw honey

Hijiki
Kelp
Miso
Nori

Cardamom
Cayenne
Chili powder
Chives

Coconut butter/oil
Flaxseed oil
Fish oil
Hemp oil

Xylitol

Braggs Liquid
Aminos
Nutritional
yeast
Sesame oil
Tamari
Vanilla extract
Almond extract

Wakame

Cilantro
Cinnamon
Coriander
Cumin
Curry powder
Dandelion root
Dill
Marjoram
Mint
Nutmeg
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pumpkin pie spice
Red pepper flakes
Saffron
Sea salt

Olive oil

Almond butter
Cacao powder
Chlorella
L-Glutamine
Probiotics
Spirulina
Hemp protein
Maca

126

Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Cereals
Breakfast Cereals

Who said breakfast cereals had to come in a

box?

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Breakfast Cereals

Breakfasts
Breakfasts
Most store-bought packaged cereals
are processed and packaged with ingredients
that should not be entering your body.
This section will show you some great tasting
and easy-to-prepare natural healthy cereals
that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Simply add your favourite Nut Milk (see
Smoothie and Juice Guide) and enjoy!

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Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Blueberry Morning
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

cup fresh blueberries

1. Choose favourite nut milk (from Smoothie and Juice Guide)

and pour over top of the berries and other ingredients.

1 banana, chopped (optional)

cup soaked/sprouted
buckwheat (optional)
2 tbsp chopped almonds,
presoaked
2 tbsp ground hemp seeds
1 tbsp ground flaxseed

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Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Porridge of Champions
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

cup buckwheat groats, sprouted

1. Soak ingredients overnight in nut milk of choice.

cup raisins

2. Top with: ground hemp seeds, ground flax seeds,

and a touch of maple syrup.

cup goji berries (optional)

cup dried apricots, diced
cup hemp seeds
cup pumpkin seeds
cup sunflower seeds
cup chopped almonds
1 tbsp maple syrup

130

Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Morning Muesli
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup of nuts (your choice), chopped

1. Mix together all the nuts, berries, and fruit in a bowl.

1 cup berries (your choice)

2. Top with: shredded coconut flakes, ground sesame and

flaxseeds.

1 apple, diced
1/2 banana, sliced

3. Pour your favourite Nut Milk over top and enjoy!

2 tbsp dried shredded coconut

1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1-2 cups Nut Milk

131

Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Coco - Vanilla Porridge
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups almonds, soaked overnight

1. Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender

and process until smooth and creamy.

2 cups young coconut meat

1 cups young coconut water

2. Serve with your favourite berries.

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp raw coconut butter
1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/
or 2 dates (soaked)

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Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Raw Oatmeal
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups oat groats, sprouted

1. Sprout oat groats following Soaking/Sprouting 101.

cup blueberries (and/or any other

berries)

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

3. Pour Nut Milk over top and enjoy.

1 tbsp raisins, soaked

1-2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1-2 cups Nut Milk recipe of your
choice

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Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast
Bananas, Berries, and Cream
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 banana

1. In a food processor, grind the almonds into a fine powder

and then add in cashews and pineapple chunks. This is
your pineapple nut cream OR milk.

1 cup blueberries/strawberries
1-2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
cup chopped almonds, soaked
1 cup cashews

2. Pour the pineapple nut cream over the fruit and and enjoy!
3. Top with ground flaxseeds.

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

134

Soups

Soups
Soups

These soups are great to enjoy on a warm

summers day. In the winter, just blend them
a little longer so that they warm up.

135

Soups

Soups
Soups
Slightly different from their conventional piping hot counterparts,
these refreshing and quick to prepare soups are wonderfully tasty
and nutritious.
I love using them during warmer times of the year. And because
they arent heated, they maintain their inherit wholeness, energy,
and enzyme-rich properties. Since they maintain their life force,
they are best consumed immediately after preparing but if you
absolutely must, they should be ok to keep in the refrigerator for
up to 24 hours.
All you need to prepare them is a blender (or food processor).

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Soups

Soups
Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup
Serves 1 to 2
I absolutely love this soup. The ginger gives it a little kick and its creaminess is so satisfying.
Thanks to Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis for this incredible
recipe.
Ingredients

Directions

3 cups fresh carrot juice

1. In a high-speed blender, puree all ingredients until

completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and add garnish
is desired.

1 small, ripe avocado (pit and skin

removed)
cup coconut meat (optional)
cup lime juice
2 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or 2
dates
1 tbsp minced ginger
tsp cayenne
tsp sea salt
Few sprigs of cilantro for garnish
(optional)

137

Soups

Soups
Popeyes Spinach & Herb Soup
Serves 2 to 4
Eat this enough and youll be strong like popeye!

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups fresh raw spinach

1. Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender

and process until smooth.

1 cup sweet peas

3 cups almond milk
1 kiwi, peeled
2 celery stalks
handful cilantro
4 basil leaves
2 green onions, diced
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt or kelp/dulse flakes

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Soups

Soups
Pineapple-Cucumber Gazpacho
Serves 2 to 4
This is a wonderful dish to serve on a warm summers day. If you like heat add in the jalapeno.
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.
Ingredients

Directions

2 cups chopped peeled cucumber

1. In a blender, add 1 cups each of cucumber and pineapple, the pineapple juice, green onion, jalapeno (if desired),
lime juice, and a pinch of sea salt. Blend until smooth.

2 cups chopped fresh pineapple

cup fresh pineapple juice
green onion, chopped
jalapeno (optional)
tbsp lime juice
handful cilantro leaves

2. Add the remaining cup of pineapple and cucumber,

the cilantro, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Pulse the blender
a few times the gazpacho should remain chunky. Place
in refrigerator to cool if desired.
3. Add macadamia nuts before serving, and drizzle remaining
olive oil.

2 tbsp olive oil

handful finely chopped macadamia
nuts

139

Soups

Soups
Red Pepper Cream Soup
Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado (pit and skin removed)

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups water or almond milk
handful of cilantro, chopped
tsp of dulse flakes
pinch of oregano

140

Soups

Soups
Broccoli Soup
Serves 1 to 2
If you dont like broccoli youre about to start. This is a wonderful way to enjoy
the cancer-fighting powers that broccoli possesses. Again, the creaminess and smooth
texture make it wonderfully palatable. Adapted from Alissa Cohens Living on Live Food .
Ingredients

Directions

3 cups almond milk

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until creamy.

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 avocado
clove of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt (or dulse/kelp flakes)
tsp ground cumin
pinch of black pepper

141

Soups

Soups
Watermelon Soup
Serves 2 to 3
Adapted from Alissa Cohens Living on Live Food .

Ingredients

Directions

5 cups watermelon, seeded and

cubed

1. Place 3 cups watermelon and 1 cup mango in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

2 cups mango, peeled and diced

2. Dice up the remaining watermelon and mango into tiny

pieces and add to the puree.

cup lime juice

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

3. In a small separate bowl, combine lime juice, mint, ginger,

and cardamom. Add this to the previous mixture and stir
well.

Pinch of ground cardamom

4. Chill and serve.

3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

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Soups

Soups
Alkalizing Cucumber Soup
Serves 1 to 2
Cucumber has a neutralizing effect on our body and provides great alkalinity. This is a wonderful
soup for anyone with indigestion. Adapted from Alissa Cohens Living on Live Food .
Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.

1 cucumber, chopped
4 tbsp dill weed or chopped fresh dill
2 tsp lemon juice
tsp sea salt or kelp/dulse flakes

143

Soups

Soups
Cal-Mag Soup
Serves 2 to 4
This soup doesnt need an explanation just look at the ingredients!

Ingredients

Directions

10 kale leaves, chopped

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth

1 handful parsley

2. Add water as needed to get a proper consistency

2 cloves garlic, chopped

red onion, chopped
2 lemons, outer skin removed
1 avocado
1 tomato
2 yellow bell peppers
cup pumpkin seeds
cup ground sesame seeds
cup of dulse strips/flakes
1 tsp of sea salt
3 tbsp flax oil
Water

144

Soups

Soups
Green Soup
Serves 2
Most of us are way too acidic due to our unbalanced diets. This soup is highly alkalizing. The avocado provides healthy fats, as well as a cream-like consistency.
Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until creamy

and smooth.

1 red pepper
1 cucumber, peeled
2 spring onions
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup spinach, packed
cup parsley, packed
1 clove garlic, minced
A pinch of cayenne
Braggs liquid aminos to taste
Juice of 1 lemon or lime

145

Soups

Soups
Cream of Tomato Soup
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

cup diced onion

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until creamy

and smooth.

1 clove garlic
4 stalks celery
2 carrots
cup basil
4 tomatoes
1 cup water
cup cashews, soaked
4 dates, soaked
A pinch of cayenne and Braggs
to taste

146

Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Wraps
Sandwiches &&
Wraps

Say goodbye to sandwiches that leave you

feeling bloated and tired after lunch and say
hello to some exciting and delicious no-bread
alternatives.

147
147

Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Wraps
Sandwiches & &
Wraps
Put away the bread and bagels. Get ready for
some great tasting, nourishing, and energizing
sandwiches and wraps that require no bread or
wheat whatsoever. For these quick and easy
recipes youll be using the leaves of leafy green
vegetables or nori as the base of your sandwich/wrap.
Many of these can be prepared ahead of time
and brought with you to work and they can be
enjoyed within minutes of their preparation.
Feel free to experiment and add some of the
sauces/dips outlined in the Dressings, Dips, and
Sauces section to create a different flavour for
any of the following sandwiches/wraps.

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Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
A Date with Kale
Serves 1 to 2
This has quickly become one of my most enjoyable meals. Its so simple, tastes great, and is
packed full of nutrients. Adapted from David Wolfes Sunfood Diet Success System.
Ingredients

Directions

10 kale leaves

1. Cut the avocado (and mango) into 10 pieces.

10 dates, pitted

2. Place a date with an avocado slice inside a kale leaf

and wrap like a burrito.

1 avocado
1 mango (optional)

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Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Nori Wrap
Makes 6 wraps (1 to 2 servings)
This is one of my all-time favourite wraps. Its so easy to prepare and its packed full of nutrients
and great taste. For even greater taste, add any one of the dips, sauces, or dressings (described
later).
Ingredients

Directions

6 sheets of Nori

1. Lay out 1 sheet of Nori and place within it a desired

amount of each ingredient.

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 mango, thinly sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
cucumber, thinly sliced

2. Roll Nori (with ingredients inside) up into a wrap and enjoy.

3. You can also use any of the sauces, dips, or dressings
(described later) for added flavour.

sprouted grain/legume of choice

(optional)
4 radishes, sliced (optional)

150

Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Sweet Apple Nori Wrap
Makes 2 wraps (1 to 2 servings)
Adapted from Alissa Cohens Living on Live Food.

Ingredients

Directions

2 sheets of Nori

1. Lay out each sheet of Nori and place within it a desired

amount of apple and avocado.

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 apple, thinly sliced
1-2 tbsp raw honey
1 cup chopped lettuce

2. Pour honey over top the avocado and apple, then place a
small amount of lettuce over top.
3. Roll nori together and enjoy!

151

Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Collard Taco with Tomato Salsa
Serves 3 to 4
Ground walnuts give a texture of real taco meat. Combined with the Mexican spices and Tomato
Salsa, this taco will put other ones to shame.
Ingredients

Directions

2 cups walnuts, ground in a food

processor

1. In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they look like

meaty

1 tbsp ground cumin

2. In a bowl, combine the walnuts, cumin, and coriander,

and mix well.

1 tbsp ground coriander

3 to 4 collard green leaves
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

3. Spread of the walnut mixture along the center stem

of each collard green leaf, then add a layer of shredded
lettuce. Top with cup of the salsa and enjoy!

1 recipe Tomato Salsa

152

Sandwiches & Wraps

Sandwiches
Collard Rolls
Makes 2 large wraps (1 to 2 servings)
Adapted from Alissa Cohens Living on Live Food.

Ingredients

Directions

2 large collard leaves

1. Marinate the onions and mushrooms in Braggs or Tamari

for at least 10 minutes. Then drain well.

1 zucchini, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 avocado or 1 recipe Traditional
Guacamole
onion, sliced into ringlets

2. Lay the collard leaves flat with the inside facing up.
3. Place desired amount of ingredients inside the collard
leaves and add in the onion and mushroom mixture.
4. Roll leaf up and enjoy!

1 cup Portobello mushrooms, cut

into bite size pieces
2 cups chopped lettuce
1 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or Tamari

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Salads

Salads
Salads

Salads are the staple of any healthy diet. Enjoy

at least one of these each day.

154

Salads

Salads
Salads
Salads are great! Salads taste delicious and are
tremendously nutritious. If youre tired of the
same old boring salad, then just wait until you
give these a whirl.
They are packed full of high quality ingredients
and will leave you feeling satiated and energized.
Remember, Success Habit #1 Eat one big
green salad every day. Salads should truly be
the foundation of your diet, especially if youre
looking to lose weight.
If you dont want to lose weight, then salads
should still be a major part of your diet for they
can provide substantial amounts of calories
(depending on which ingredients are used)
while still meeting standards for peak nutrition.

155

Salads

Salads
Kale Salad
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 small or 1 large bunch of Kale

1. Clean kale. Tear or cut into small pieces.

2 tbsp olive oil

2. Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp chili powder
pinch of sea salt

156

Salads

Salads
Curry Kale Salad
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

Dressing

Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil

1. Blend everything in a high-speed blender. Add water to thin

it out if needed.

Juice of lemon
1 tsp fresh curry powder

2. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

1 tsp cayenne powder

Salad

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3. Get the kale, roll it up and chop it into thin strips. Place the
kale in a salad bowl and dress up the salad with as much
dressing, as you like.

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

2-4 dates, soaked

Salad
1 bunch kale

157

Salads

Salads
Waldorf Salad
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 apples, chopped (fuji)

1. Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl

2 tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
1 orange or yellow sweet pepper,
chopped
1/2 sweet onion or shallot, chopped
handful sprouts (alfalfa, radish, etc)
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
dash of cayenne pepper and onion
powder

158

Salads

Salads
Thai Salad
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

2 cucumbers

1. Peel and slice the cucumbers into thin circles and transfer
to a bowl.

Juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 tsp hot curry powder

2. Next, finely chop the cilantro and dill and mix with
the cucumbers.
3. Add the onion, lemon juice, and the olive oil.
4. Finish by adding the rest of the ingredients and mixing well.

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup soaked sunflower seeds

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Salads

Salads
Everything in the Fridge Salad
Serves 2 to 4
This salad (like many others) just about throws in the kitchen sink theres so much in it!

Ingredients

Directions

4 cups organic greens

1. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.

1 or 2 fennel bulbs, chopped

2. Add any of the dressings, give it a toss, and enjoy.

1 red onion, diced

1 clove of garlic. minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
4 tomatoes
cup pumpkin sprouts or seeds,
soaked
2 avocados, peeled and stoned
10 olives, pitted
1 cup of watercress
1 cup arame, soaked

160

Salads

Salads
Arugula Salad
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

Dressing:

Dressing:

2 lemons, peeled and quartered

(leave some of the white pith)
1 tbsp raw honey
3 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sea salt

1. Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender makes about

1 cup.

Salad:
2. Toss ingredients in a salad bowl and mix in dressing.

Salad:

4 cups arugula leaves

1 pear, cut into shavings with a peeler
1 carrot, cut into shavings with a peeler
1 tomato, quartered
cup sprouted lentils (or other legumes)
cup chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp dried cherries or cranberries
2 tbsp cup pumpkin seeds

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Salads

Salads
Salad from the Sea
Serves 2 to 4
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

Dressing:

Dressing:

1. In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth makes

about 2 cups.

cup white miso

3 tbsp agave nectar
cup sesame oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp minced ginger

Salad:

cup dried wakame, lightly soaked

cup dried hijiki, lightly soaked
cup dried arame, lightly soaked
sheet dried nori, cut into thin strips
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
2 beets, peeled and julienned
1 radish, peeled and julienned
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp white sesame seeds

Salad:
2. Soak the sea vegetables until soft (but not waterlogged).
This should take about 5-10 minutes.
3. Drain the sea vegetables with your hands squeezing out as
much water as possible.
4. Add all ingredients into a large bowl
5. Add the dressing and serve

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Salads

Salads
Mango and Avocado Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

4 cups mixed greens

1. Toss ingredients in a salad bowl and mix in Simple Vinaigrette dressing.

1 avocado
1 mango
cup red onion

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Salads

Salads
Carrot Salad
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

4 carrots, spiralized or grated in

food processor

1. Toss ingredients in a salad bowl and mix in Simple Vinaigrette

dressing.

2 tbsp raisins, soaked

cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
handful parsley, chopped
1 tomato, chopped

164

Salads

Salads
Mexican Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 corn on the cob

1. De-cob corn using a knife, chop up additional ingredients

bite size and add to a medium bowl.

1 tomato, cubed
1 avocado, cubed

2. Top with dressing of choice (I like the Simple Vinaigrette).

1 red pepper, cubed

cucumber, cubed

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Salads

Salads
Salad Slaw
Serves 2
Say goodbye to your traditional slaw made with mayonnaise! This version is way healthier, and
has replaced the unhealthy heated, trans-fat, canola oil, based mayonnaise with a raw healthy fat
to keep the cell walls in your body flaccid for membrane transport. The sauerkraut provides your
gut with healthy bacteria.

Ingredients

Directions

2 large handfuls mixed greens

1. Place mixed greens in a large bowl

4 carrots

2. Roughly chop the carrots, radishes, and red onion and place
in food processor. Process until finely shredded and empty
onto the greens.

3 radishes
cup red onion
1 orange, juiced
avocado
2 heaping forkfuls of fermented
sauerkraut (found refrigerated in
health food stores)

3. Roughly chop the avocado and place in food processor

(no need to clean it from previous use) with orange juice
and process until creamy. Pour onto Salad mixture and mix
by hand.
4. Heap sauerkraut on top and serve.

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Salads

Salads
Corn and Lentil Salad
Serves 1 to 2
Ingredients

Directions

Dressing

Dressing

1 tomato

1. In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth

2 tbsp olive oil

Salad

2 dates (soaked)

1. Using a knife, skin the corn kernels off each cob/ear.

clove garlic (minced)

2. Add with all other ingredients in a salad bowl and apply dressing

1 lemon or lime (juiced)

or 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salad
1 cup sprouted lentils
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups fresh corn kernels,
(5 or 6 ears)
cup red onion
cayenne to taste
cup cilantro, chopped

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Salads

Salads
Wilted Kale Salad
Serves 2
This salad will absolutely blow your mind. I couldnt believe how good it was the first time I had
it!
Ingredients

Directions

1 head kale

1. Wash kale, remove leaves from stems, and chop finely.

2 tsp sea salt

2. Sprinkle kale with sea salt and work salt into the leaves until
they appear to be cooked. You will know when its ready
because you will be able to squeeze liquid out of the mixture.
Squeeze the salty liquid out and discard.

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp hemp seeds
of an avocado
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp Braggs liquid aminos
1 tbsp olive oil or flax oil

3. Add tomatoes, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds to the kale

and mix.
4. For the dressing: smash up avocado with a knife or fork and
place it in a food processor with the lemon juice, Braggs, oil,
garlic clove, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Process until it
resembles mayonnaise, and mix into the kale mixture.

1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
tsp ground red pepper flakes
(or to taste)

168

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings,
and
Sauces
Dressings,Dips,
Dips, and
Sauces

You might need a little something to pour over

those delicious salads or to dip your veggies in.
Heres your solution.

169

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Simple Vinaigrette
Makes cup

Ingredients

Directions

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1. Using a fork, whisk all ingredients in a cup and pour over salad

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Juice of lemon
Pinch of ground black pepper
Pinch of sea salt

170

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Sesame Avocado Dressing
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup soaked sesame seeds (overnight or 4 hours)

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor

2 small avocados
cup apple cider vinegar
8 mejool dates, soaked
1 cup water
1 tsp sea salt

171

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Ingredients

Directions

1 tomato

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend

until smooth and semi-liquid.

1/3 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
cup sun-dried tomatoes
cup basil
2 dates, soaked

172

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Tahini Fig Dressing

Ingredients

Directions

4 ripe figs

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend

until smooth and semi-liquid.

3 tbsp tahini (ground sesame seeds)

1 tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

173

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Raspberry Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Directions

cup fresh orange juice (2 oranges)

1. Using a citrus juicer, juice both oranges

cup raspberries

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend

until smooth and semi-liquid.

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp minced shallot
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil

174

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dressings
Garlic Dill Dressing
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup cashews, soaked

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor

1 cup water
1 oz fresh dill
1 oz fresh chives
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt

175

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dips
Guacamole Salsa
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado, diced

1. Combine everything together and put the avocado pit

in the mixture to prevent oxidation

1 tbsp minced red onion

4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, marjoram)
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
clove minced garlic
1 tsp cayenne powder
1-2 pinch Celtic sea salt

176

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dips
Traditional Guacamole
Serves 4

Ingredients

Directions

4 ripe avocados

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl with a flat bottom and mash

it with a potato masher. Stir well and keep refrigerated.
This dish will brown on the areas exposed to air within a
few hours, so serve it shortly after making it or just stir
again before serving.

2 roma tomates, diced fine

red onion, minced
handful cilantro, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and
minced fine (optional)

177

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dips
Creamy Cucumber Dressing/Dip
Serves 8-10 as a dip, or keep on hand to use in salads
This is a divine dressing and makes a delicious dip for parties or anytime. This is just wonderful
served over a bed of fresh spinach leaves with tomatoes and orange segments, or you use it as a
dip with fresh veggies.

Ingredients

Directions

1 cucumber, peeled and cut into

large pieces

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely

smooth and creamy

1 avocado
handful chopped cilantro
1-2 green onions
3-4 basil fresh leaves, chopped
2 tbsp flaxseed oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp fresh dill

178

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dips
Mango Chutney
Serves 2 to 4
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

2 mangos

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse to combine well, but keep
it chunky. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

lime juiced
2 tbsp minced ginger
2 green onions. diced
small jalapeno, cored and seeded,
diced
Pinch of sea salt
Small handful cilantro leaves

179

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Dips
Green Olive Tapenade
Serves 2 to 4
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups pitted green olives

1. Process the olives in a food processor.

cup olive oil

2. With the motor running add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until
smooth.

Juice of lemon
1 small handful of parsley
cup sun-dried tomatoes
(optional)

3. Add the parsley and process to combine

4. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of sea salt

180

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Garlic Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado

1. Juice orange using a citrus juicer

orange juiced

2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth

1 clove garlic, minced

181

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Spicy Mayonnaise
This is a great sauce to use with the Sushi rolls.

Ingredients

Directions

1 avocado

1. Juice orange using a citrus juicer

Juice of orange

2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth

tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp onion, minced
1 tbsp flax oil
1 tsp ginger, minced

182

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Marinara Sauce
Serves 2 to 4
This is a wonderful sauce for your raw zucchini pasta and is even great when used as a dip.

Ingredients

Directions

4 cloves garlic, diced

1. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until smooth

1 red bell pepper (optional)

1 cup sun dried tomato, soaked
3 cups chopped tomatoes
4 dates, pitted and soaked
red onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
handful parsley, chopped
handful basil
cup olives, pitted (optional)
Pinch of sea salt or kelp/dulse
flakes

183

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Pesto Sauce
Serves 2 to 4
Add this delicious sauce to your favourite raw pasta. Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups basil leaves

1. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until smooth.

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

cup pine nuts
cup water
cup nutritional yeast flakes
Juice of lemon
cup olive oil

184

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Hummus
Makes about 4 cups
This is a great dip for your favourite veggies. High in calcium, protein, and great in taste.

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups chickpeas, sprouted (you

can even use sprouted lentils
instead)

1. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

2. Top with a pinch of paprika and serve.

4 cloves garlic, minced

cup raw tahini (ground sesame)
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup parsley, chopped
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Pinch of paprika (for garnish)

185

Dressings, Dips, and Sauces

Sauces
Tomato Salsa
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1. Combine all ingredients in medium sized bowl, mix well, and serve.

cup chopped cilantro

cup chopped yellow onions
or scallions
Juice of lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of sea salt

186

Pasta & Noodle Dishes

Pasta
&& Noodle
Dishes
Pasta
Noodle Dishes

Although your nona might not approve of

these faux pasta dishes, your body sure will.

187

Pasta & Noodle Dishes

Pasta
Noodle
Dishes
Pasta&
& Noodle
Dishes
Instead of traditional wheat-based or rice noodles,
these dishes feature gluten-free vegetable-based
noodles that require no cooking.

The following veggies tend to work best as noodles.

They are easy to prepare and taste even better!

Sweet Potato (or any other root vegetable)

All you need is a vegetable peeler or a spiralizer

to create your noodle. Because these dishes
are vegetable-based and uncooked, they are
enzyme-rich, nourishing, and dont leave you
feeling full and fatigued like most conventional
pastas.

Zucchini
Cucumber
To create your noodles:
1. Peel the skin off the vegetable being used
2. Using a peeler or spiraler, youll be able to shave thin
strips vegetable noodles that look like traditional fettuccini or spaghetti noodles.
3. Add your noodles to any of the aforementioned sauces
(Marinara, Pesto, etc)

188

Pasta & Noodle Dishes

Pasta
& Noodle
Yammys
Pad Thai
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients

Directions

Pad Thai Sauce:

Pad Thai Sauce:

1. Blend in food processor with some water until you reach desired consistency.

1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp almond butter
cup cashews
cup sundried tomatoes, soaked
2 dates, soaked 1 hour
Juice of lime
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Braggs Amino Acids, to taste
Curry powder, to taste

2. Serve on your favorite pasta (ie. zucchini, cucumber).

3. Top with red or yellow pepper, diced and marinated Portobellos (below)

Marinated Portobellos:
4. Cut the mushroom into bite sized pieces.
5. Put them in a bowl with the other ingredients and mix well.
6. Add to Pad Thai

Marinated Portobellos:

1 Portobello mushroom
1 part apple cider vinegar
1 part Braggs Amino Acids
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp agave nectar or honey

189

Pasta & Noodle Dishes

Pasta
& Noodle
Fettuccini
Cheddar Pasta
Serves 2
This is an awesome dish! The nutritional yeast gives it that distinctive cheddar taste. Serve it on
your favourite vegetable-based noodle (I like zucchini) and enjoy!

Ingredients

Directions

large red bell pepper

1. Blend until creamy. Add more water if it is too thick.

cup water

2. Pour over your favourite vegetable-based noodle and enjoy.

1 cup raw cashews, sunflower

seeds, or almonds
1 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
onion, diced OR cup green
onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of lemon

190

Other Mains and Sides

Other
OtherMains
Mains andand
SidesSides

Dinner doesnt have tp revolve around meat and

potatoes. Here are some great alternatives that
will boost your energy and help you sleep better
at night too.

191

Other Mains and Sides

Main
Quinoa Salad
Serves 2 to 4
This recipe is more than just a salad thats why its in this section instead of the salad section.
It makes a great side to any dish or it can be enjoyed on its own as an appetizing meal.

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups sprouted quinoa

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in cold water and then sprout following the
instructions laid out in Soaking/Sprouting 101.

onion, finely diced

red (or green or yellow) bell
pepper
cup diced green olives
cup white raisins

2. In a larger bowl combine the onion, peppers, walnuts, green olives, and
raisins.
3. Mix together lemon juice and olive oil as the vinaigrette and add to the
bowl, give it a good mix and ENJOY!

cup crushed walnuts

Juice of lemon
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

192

Other Mains and Sides

Main
Quinoa Paella
Serves 4
Ingredients

Directions

1 red pepper, julienned

1. Place the peppers, asparagus, onions, and crushed garlic in a wide bowl.

1 yellow pepper, julienned

2. Mix the celery and lemon juice with the olive oil and pour it over the
chopped vegetables. Let vegetables marinate for several hours, until soft
and juicy.

2 white onions, sliced into fine rings

2 cups sprouted quinoa
1 cup chopped young tender asparagus
4 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
4 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked and finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed

3. Sprout quinoa overnight (as prescribed in Sprouting 101) and rinse well before placing in a serving dish.
4. Pour tomatoes, olives, and marinated vegetables over the quinoa.
5. Add a few tablespoons of the marinade and let stand for a few hours before
serving.

4 stalks celery, juiced

Juice of 2 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil
cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely
chopped
1 tsp saffron powder
1 tsp paprika

193

Other Mains and Sides

Main
Quinoa Tabouli
Serves 4 to 6
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

4 cups sprouted quinoa (about 2

cups before sprouting)

1. Mix everything together in a large bowl. Let sit for 1 hour to allow
the flavours to combine before serving.

4 green onions, thinly sliced

20 mint leaves, minced
1 large tomato, finely sliced
1 cucumber, finely diced
cup parsley, minced
4-6 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp of tamari or Braggs
Liquid Aminos or pinch of sea salt
to taste

194

Other Mains and Sides

SideMashed Potatoes
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

6 cups chopped cauliflower

1. Process cauliflower in a food processor with S blade;

chop until grainy.

cup flaxseed oil

1 tbsp Braggs amino acids to taste

2. Add other ingredients and gently mix

Pinch of sea salt

195

Other Mains and Sides

Main
Side
Mock&
Tuna
Salad
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients

Directions

Salad:

Salad:

4 cups almonds, soaked

1. 1. Puree Almonds in a food processor until fine.

5 stalks celery, diced

2 tbsp parsley

2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and half

of the Avocado Mayo (see below). Enjoy atop a piece of
Romaine or Napa cabbage, and a slice of tomato.

Juice of 1 lemon

Avocado Mayo

6 green onions, sliced thin

2 dashes cayenne
1 clove garlic, diced

Need Directions for this

Pinch of sea salt or dulse/kelp flakes

Avocado Mayo
1 cup pine nuts
1 large avocado
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 dates, soaked and pitted
1/2 clove garlic, diced
Pinch of sea salt

196

Other Mains and Sides

SideMarinated Broccoli
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

1 head broccoli, stems removed

1. Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces (with the stems
removed).

2 tbsp Braggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp maple syrup

2. In a separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients

and then drizzle over the broccoli.
NOTE: If raw broccoli is too tough for you to handle, then
feel free to lightly steam it to soften. Thats what I usually
do.

2 tbsp sesame seeds

197

Other Mains and Sides

SideRaw Rice
Makes 2 to 3 cups

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups cauliflower

1. Throw all ingredients into a food processor and pulse

until it resembles rice.

2 handfuls of soaked cashews,

walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts
4 tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp agave nectar
Juice of lemon

198

Other Mains and Sides

Main
&Sushi
Side
Veggie
with Spicy Mayonnaise
Yields 10 12 rolls
The first time you make these roll will definitely be a learning experience. However, as you become more comfortable with putting them together you will have the ready to serve in just a few
minutes and without the trial and error of a novice. These rolls are absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

Directions

2 sheets of Nori

1. Cover of the nori sheet with rice and of the sheet with
sprouts.

1 recipe Raw Rice

cucumber, julienned
red pepper, julienned
2 green onions, julienned
cup pea or alfalfa sprouts
1 recipe Spicy Mayonnaise
3-4 tbsp Tamari Sauce

2. Spread a layer of Spicy Mayonnaise on top of the rice layer.

3. Lay your julienned vegetables over the other of the rice layer.
4. Tightly roll using your hands, or a sushi mat, and use a bit of water
to seal nori in place.
5. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting roll into 6 or 8 pieces.
6. Use tamari sauce (healthier than soy sauce) to dip your sushi.

199

Other Mains and Sides

Main
&Beans
Sideand Brown Rice in Curry Sauce
Green
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1/2 cup of brown rice, soaked

1. Soak brown rice in plenty water for 12 hours. Drain.

1 tbsp curry powder

2. Mix in chopped green beans and place in serving dish.

6 carrots, juiced

3. In a glass, place onions, garlic and any other desired seasoning

greens. Just cover these with olive oil and let soak.

1/2 small beet, juiced

1 stalk celery, juiced
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 small onion chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
Handful green beans, chopped

4. In another glass mix curry powder with enough olive oil to make
into a paste.
5. Juice beet, carrots and celery. Add curry (from step 4) and ground
flaxseeds to juice and mix well. Pour curry sauce into serving
sauce bowl.
6. Pour curry sauce over rice and green beans as desired. Add the
seasoning mixture and enjoy!

200

Desserts

Desserts
Desserts

Who doesnt love dessert? But imagine enjoying

decadent treats without loads of sugar, wheat,
milk, or other body-draining ingredients. These
recipes are so good you could have them for
breakfast!

201

Desserts

Desserts
Desserts
Whats so wonderful about these desserts is that
not only are they vegan, raw, and gluten-free
they taste absolutely fantastic!
I would even recommend many of these desserts
for athletes as a pre-game snack because of their
high quality nutrients and simple fruit sugars.
Although I do not recommend over consuming
anything sweet (ie. these desserts), especially if
youre not very active, they are not nearly as detrimental to your body as are conventional baked
goods and traditional desserts.
As with all the other recipes in this program,
these desserts are living foods,which means
that they have their enzymes intact. This enzyme
quality alone can turn a would-be sugary dessert into a nutritious snack that wont cause you
to put on weight or feel like death! Remember,
when foods contain their enzymes they dont get

stored as fat in your body as readily as cooked

foods.
Need proof? Look no further than my girlfriends
mother who has a natural sweet tooth. She
might have one of these desserts each day. In
fact, she probably eats more sweets than anyone
I know! Amazingly, though, she has continued
to maintain a very light body weight she could
actually stand to gain a few pounds. I guess that
I should also mention that she previously lost
about 30 lbs eating these desserts and many of
the other raw dishes in this book!
So enjoy these desserts in moderation (especially if you have blood sugar issues) and dont feel
guilty. Yes they are dishes that higher in sugar
but they do contain quality ingredients and will
provide great nutrition in comparison to baked/
cooked desserts!

202

Desserts

Desserts
Chocolate Mousse
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup water

1. Put 1 cup of water in your high speed blender (or food processor)
then add enough walnuts to bring it up to 1 1/2 cups and blend
until smooth.

cup walnuts (unsoaked)

4 dates (pitted not soaked)
2 tbsp cacao powder

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth

1 tsp vanilla extract

tsp cinnamon
tsp nutmeg

203

Desserts

Desserts
Chocolate Energy Pudding
Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

Directions

1 bananas

1. Put everything in a food processor or blender and blend

until smooth.

1/3 cup cacao powder

1-2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp ground flaxseed

2. May be stored in refrigerator but it will become more solid

as the coconut oil hardens. Simply let stand in a warm room
for 30 minutes before serving.

3-4 tbsp coconut oil (softened)

cup water or coconut water

204

Desserts

Desserts
Sunset Pudding
Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

Directions

2 bananas

1. Put everything in a food processor and blend until it looks

like a pudding.

1 mango, skinned and stoned

10 strawberries
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 dates, pitted and chopped
(optional, because this is a very
sweet pudding)

205

Desserts

Desserts
Banana Pudding
Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

Directions

2 bananas

1. Put everything in a food processor or blender and blend

until smooth.

cup dried coconut

2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut butter
lemon, juiced
1 tbsp lemon zest

206

Desserts

Desserts
Raw Chocolate
Makes 6 to 8 (2 x 2 squares)

Ingredients

Directions

cup cacao nibs

1. Put everything in a food processor and blend until thick.

cup cacao powder

2. Store in freezer

cup raw cashews

1 tbsp coconut butter
cup agave
1 tsp vanilla

207

Desserts

Desserts
Orange Coconut Fudge
Makes 5 to 6 cups

Ingredients

Directions

5 cups dried shredded coconut

1. Blend the coconut in a high speed blender until it becomes

butter-like.

Juice of 1 orange
1 tbsp orange zest
cup raw honey
1 tsp vanilla

2. Add the agave, vanilla, and orange juice/zest and mix well.
3. Spoon contents onto a backing sheet and lay a sheet of plastic
wrap over top.
4. Pat into a slab about inches thick and chill in the refrigerator
before cutting (be careful to not over-chill the fudge or it will
become too hard to cut).

208

Desserts

Desserts
Coconut Chocolate Truffles
Yields 36 truffles

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups dates, pitted

1. Throw all ingredients into a food processor and blend

until the mixture becomes smooth and forms a ball.

2 cups pecans, soaked 2 to 4

hours
1 tbsp cacao powder

2. Roll mixture into small balls (should yield about 36)

and roll in shredded coconut for coating.

1 tsp vanilla
cup dried shredded coconut

209

Desserts

Desserts
Pistachio Halvah
Serves 8

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups tahini (ground sesame

seeds)

1. Process the tahini, honey, vanilla extract in a food processor.

cup raw honey

1 tsp vanilla extract
cup pistachios, shelled
(you can substitute with almonds
if desired)

2. Grind pistachios in a food processor, add to ingredients

in step 1, and shape into a loaf.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Slice into thick pieces
and serve.

210

Desserts

Desserts
Banana and Strawberry Cream Pie
Serves 8

Ingredients

Directions

Crust:

Crust:

2 cups pecans

1. To make the crust, combine the pecans and dates in a blender.

Combine well and then press into a pie dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

4 to 6 dates, pitted
1 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

Filling:

2. Add sliced bananas on top of the crust.

2 to 3 ripe bananas, sliced

Topping:

Topping:

3. In a food processor, blend strawberries, nuts/dates, and just enough water

to get the mixture moving.

cup fresh strawberries

1 cup macadamia nuts or cashews, or 4 to 6 soaked dates

4. Pour the mixture over the pie and decorate with whatever you like.
5. Refrigerate the pie to give it a more solid consistency.

211

Desserts

Desserts
Raspberry Cheesecake
Serves 8
Ingredients

Directions

Crust:

Crust:

2 cups macadamia nuts

4 to 6 dates, pitted
cup dried shredded coconut

1. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of 8 or 9 inch springform pan.

Cheese:

Cheese:

3. In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.

3 cups cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour

cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
cup raw honey
cup coconut oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Sauce:
2 cups raspberries
4 to 6 dates, pitted
1 cup macadamia nuts or cashews, or 4 to
6 soaked dates

2. In a food processor, combine nuts and dates. Press this mixture onto
the coconut in the pan.

4. Pour this mixture onto the crust.

5. Place in the freezer until firm; remove cake from pan while frozen and
place on a serving platter.

Sauce:
6. Process raspberries and dates in a food processor until well blended
and add on top of the rest of the cake.

212

Desserts

Desserts
Strawberry Banana Gelato
Serves 2
This is a wonderfully delicious dessert on a hot summers day. You can also use any of your other
favourite berries instead of strawberries.

Ingredients

Directions

2 ripe bananas, frozen

1. Peel and chop ripe bananas and store in freezer until frozen.
Freeze strawberries as well.

2 cups strawberries, frozen

2. Place frozen fruit in a food processor and blend until creamy

smooth.

213

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie &
Juice GUIDE

214
214

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothies
Juices
Smoothies &&
Juices
Smoothies are a great way of getting in tons of
nutrients with little effort and even less strain
on your digestive system. They are well balanced between carbohydrates, amino acids
(proteins), healthy fats, and fats and are highly
recommended for those who dont have time
or dont feel like preparing meals. There are
also some great pre- and post-exercise smoothies that will help you recover better, become
stronger, and develop greater endurance
Many of these smoothies are also great for breakfast. Very
often, Ill just have a smoothie in the morning and Im good
to go for a few hours. The wonderful thing is that you can
be creative and add whatever ingredients you like and whip
them up!
When preparing these smoothies, dont feel constrained. If
you want to remove or add ingredients go right ahead. The
goal is that you become comfortable enough to create your
own smoothies. Its really pretty simple.

Choose a base such as water or nut milk, add in some fruit or

vegetables, and add in whichever boosting ingredients you
like.
The boosting ingredients include:
Hemp seeds
Ground flaxseeds
Spirulina
Fish/flax/hemp oil
Glutamine
Sesame/Pumpkin seeds
Coconut butter/oil
Who says our meals have to be solid anyways? As you will
see in the following recipes, you will get plenty of high quality nutrition in liquid format great on the go foods!
To empower you with more knowledge to help you construct
your own smoothies, Ive attached a vitamin and mineral
chart on the next page for you to gain a better understanding
of these vital micronutrients and their sources.

215

Smoothies & Juices

Vitamins and Minerals

Health Benefits and Food Sources

Vitamin

Health Benefits

Food Sources

Antioxidant. Keeps skin and vision

healthy. Anti-cancer.
Antioxidant. Good for blood cells,
muscles, and nervous system.
Protects against heart disease and
cancer.
Helps prevent osteoporosis. Ensures
normal blood clotting.
Antioxidant and anti-allergenic. Improves iron absorption and wound
healing. Helps immunity and blood
fat levels.
Aids metabolism. Maintains healthy
nerves and muscles.
Helps energy release from food.
Keeps mucous membranes in good
condition.
Helps maintain optimum energy
levels. Keeps skin and mucous
membranes in good condition.
Anti-stress! Helps maintain energy
levels. Aids antibody production.
Protects against hypertension and
allergy.
Supports the nervous system.
Aids hemoglobin production.
May protect against PMS, asthma,
migraine, and depression.
Maintains condition of skin, hair,
sweat glands, nerves, and bone
marrow. Aids fat metabolism and
encourages appetite.
Aids growth and development of a
healthy nervous system.
Supports growth. Maintains health
of the blood, bone marrow, and nervous system.

Carrots, mangoes, melons, tomatoes.

K
C

B1 (thiamin)
B2 (riboflavin)
B3 (niacin)
B5 (pantothenate)

B6 (pyridoxine)

B7 (Biotin)

B9 (Folate)
B12 (Cobalamin)

Fresh almond milk, sesame/pumpkin seeds.

Carrots, parsley, strawberries.

Citrus fruits, kiwis, guavas, mangoes, papayas, leafy greens,
strawberries.
Carrots, oranges, nuts, avocado, seeds.
Fresh almond milk, cherries, cucumber, grapes, fish oil
Apples, apricots, bananas, lemons, pears, tomatoes, dates,
figs.
Honey, tomatoes, avocados.

Bananas, oranges, tomatoes, fish oil, walnuts, spinach, avocados.

Fresh almond milk, bananas, red currants, carrots, leafy
greens.
Apples, beets, carrots, oranges, leafy greens, spinach.
Fish oil, fermented soy, some sprouts.

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Smoothies & Juices

Vitamins and Minerals

Health Benefits and Food Sources

Mineral

Health Benefits

Food Sources

Calcium

Gives structure and strength to

bones and teeth. Maintains health
of heart, nerve, and muscle tissues.
Helps regulate fluid balance in the
body.
Maintains healthy red blood cells
and bone and nervous tissue. May
help protect against osteoporosis.
Enzyme reactions and protein
building. Formation of collagen for
healthy elastic skin.
Supports growth, metabolism, and
tissue repair.
Enables oxygen transport in the
blood and muscles. Maintains energy. Supports nerves. Aids liver
function.
Maintains bones and teeth. Protects against epilepsy, heart disease,
hypertension, PMS, osteoporosis,
mental illness. Relaxes.
Helps protein and fat metabolism.
Keeps cell membranes healthy. May
protect against diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Supports the immune system and
helps maintain energy. Important
for bone health.
Regulates water balance and acid-base balance in the blood and
tissues. Boosts energy and strength.
Antioxidant. Enables red blood cells
to function properly.
Aids wound healing. Maintains skin
health. Protects against prostate
disorders and mental disturbances.
Helps regulate blood fat levels.

Sesame seeds, leafy greens, carrots, lemons

Sodium
Copper
Sulfur
Iodine
Iron

Magnesium

Manganese

Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Zinc

Celery, beets, carrots, sea vegetables.

Beets, cherries, grapes, honey, melons, oranges, pineapples.
Leafy greens, raspberries, radishes, sea vegetables.
Garlic, honey, lettuce, fish oil, sea vegetables.
Raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, apples, parsley, leafy
greens.
Almond milk, leafy greens, apples, bananas, beets, oranges,
cacao.
Bananas, blackberries, carrots, celery, ginger, oranges, pears,
nuts.

Carrots, parsley, raspberries.

Bananas, leafy greens, tomatoes, nuts, seeds.
Celery, fish oil, Swiss chard.
Beets, carrots, lettuce, oranges, peaches, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds.

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NutNutMilks
Milks
Since weve agreed that conventional pasteurized dairy is not our bodys friend, the alternative
lies in nut milks. Nut milks are exactly what they imply non-dairy, antibiotic-free, liquid refreshment from ground nuts. They act as the base for many of the recipes in this book. Although
almond milk is mainly emphasized in most of these recipes, feel free to use any other nuts or
seeds that you may prefer. Nuts such as macadamia, cashew, and pecan are great and you can
also use seeds like pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, and hemp to make milk.
I recommend using a high speed, high powered blender or
Vita-mix when making nut milk. Conventional blenders will
be less likely to finely grind the nuts/seeds. When making
your nut milks in a conventional blender, its best to start out
with just enough water to cover the nuts/seeds and blend
until combined. This will ensure the blades proper contact
with the nuts/seeds. Then, once the initial nuts/seeds have
been ground you can add more water. If small chunks are
still present simply pour the milk through a cheese cloth or
fine strainer.

When you have chosen your desired nut/seed milk be sure to

soak the given nut/seed in filtered or spring water for at least
4 hours before-hand. Once they have been soaked, rinse
them and then place them back in a fresh bowl of water
in the refrigerator until youre ready to use them. Soaking
nuts/seeds disengages their enzymes inhibitors and brings
them back into an energetic and enzymatic living state. For
this reason they should be kept in water in the refrigerator
for a maximum of 3 days. I usually put a bunch of almonds in
water before I go to bed so that theyre ready to blend in the
morning.

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Smoothies & Juices

NutAlmond
MilkMilk #1
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup raw almonds,

soaked for 4 hours or more

1. In a powerful blender, blend the raw almonds and water at

high speed for about 2 minutes.

4 cups filtered/spring water

2. If needed, strain the milk through a cheesecloth or fine

strainer.

cup raw honey or 4 dates

(soaked)
Pinch of sea salt

3. Rinse blender and then place almond milk with remaining

ingredients back into blender and give it a whirl.

A few drops of natural almond

extract (optional)

219
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Smoothies & Juices

NutAlmond
MilkMilk #2
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup raw almonds, soaked for 4

hours or more

1. In a powerful blender, blend the raw almonds and water at

high speed for about 2 minutes.

cup dates, pitted and soaked

2. If needed, strain the milk through a cheesecloth or fine

strainer.

4 cups of filtered/spring water

2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg

3. Rinse blender and then place almond milk with remaining

ingredients back into blender and give it a whirl.

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Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Spinach Pear Smoothie
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups spinach

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1 pear
cup parsley
1 cup celery juice
Juice of half a lemon

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Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Egg Nog #1
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Directions

6 cups nut milk

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1 cup soft dates

2-3 cups frozen bananas
2-3 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt

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Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Egg Nog #2
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup water

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1/3 cup soaked cashews

1 tsp nutritional yeast
tsp vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or raw honey or 2 dates (soaked)
1 tsp coconut butter
pinch of sea salt

223

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Durian Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 banana

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1 mango
durian fruit
vanilla, to taste
lemon juice, to taste

224

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Cinnamon Banana Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2
This smoothie tastes so good. Ill leave at that. Well ok maybe not. The bananas provide a great
source of carbohydrates and electrolytes and the cinnamon acts to moderate their consequent
effect on your blood sugar. Great for a pre- and post-workout snack.
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

2 bananas

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1 cups of almond milk

1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
2 dates (soaked)
1 tsp vanilla extract
teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
A few ice cubes (optional)

225

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Serves 2 to 4
Same as above but with raw cacao (chocolate) instead of cinnamon.

Ingredients

Directions

2 bananas

1. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth.

1.5 cups of almond milk

1 tsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or 2 dates
(soaked)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp of organic cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
Pinch of sea salt
A few ice cubes (optional)

226

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Thick n Creamy Chocolate Banana Milkshake
Serves 2 to 4
This is an awesome smoothie to make on a warm day. The trick is to cut up the bananas beforehand and store them in the freezer until they are frozen. When blended they replace the creaminess of ice cream.

Ingredients

Directions

2 bananas, chopped and frozen

ahead of time

1. Blend all ingredients except for the bananas and ice cubes.

1 cups of water or coconut

water

2. Once mixture is consistent, add frozen bananas and ice

cubes and blend until smooth and thick.

1 tsp maple syrup/raw honey/

or 2 dates (soaked)
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp of organic cocoa
powder
Pinch of sea salt
4-5 ice cubes

227

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Blueberry Sunrise
Serves 1 to 2
A beautiful looking smoothie that is full of anti-oxidants (blueberries), natural digestive enzymes
(pineapple), and wholesome goodness. Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney
and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup blueberries

1. In a blender, puree blueberries with half of all ingredients.

Pour this mixture into a glass.

2 cups pineapple, chunked

1 cup diced mango

2. Add remaining ingredients into blender and puree.

Using the back of a spoon, gently pour this mixture overtop
the existing blue mixture in the glass.

1 almond milk or coconut water

3. Have a look at your beautiful creation and then enjoy!

1 banana

1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/

or 2 dates (soaked)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

228

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Monkey Mudslide
Serves 1 to 2
A filling drink that really hits the spot when youve got a craving for sweets yet it is moderated by
the fiber and healthy fat of the flax seeds.

Ingredients

Directions

3 cups almond milk

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

2 bananas
4 dates, pitted and soaked (for at
least 1 hour)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tbsp cacao powder (optional)

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Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Liquid Candy
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 mango

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and give it whirl.

1 banana
cup strawberries
1 tbsp fish oil
1 tbsp ground flax seed
cup walnuts, soaked
to 1 cup water, depending on
thickness desired

230
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Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Nutty Banana
Serves 1 to 2
A close cousin to the Monkey Mudslide, this one provides more protein content and will keep you
full for a little while longer.

Ingredients

Directions

1 cups almond milk

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

1 banana
2 tbsp almond butter (raw if possible)
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp ground flax seed
tsp cinnamon
tsp nutmeg
5 ice cubes

231

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Blood Oxygen Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2
This vitamin C, flavonoid, and iron-rich smoothie will give your blood a helping hand. The vitamin
C in the orange helps the uptake of the iron in the pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

Directions

1 banana

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

1 orange
2 cups cold water
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/
or 2 dates (soaked)
1 tbsp hemp or flax oil

232

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Enzyme Booster
Serves 2 to 3
Papayas and pineapples contain the enzymes papain and bromelain, respectively, which greatly
assist in digestive function. They are also terrific for healthy skin as they are excellent sources of
calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups diced pineapple

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

2 cups diced papaya

1 cups coconut water
1 tsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
1 date (soaked)
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Juice of a lime
Pinch of sea salt

233

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Exercise Rejuvenator
Serves 1 to 2
This is one of my personal favourites for after a hard exercise session. It combines all the necessary post-exercise elements: simple sugars, healthy fats, easily assimilated amino acids, electrolytes, anti-oxidants, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups almond milk (or coconut

water)

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

1 banana
cup blueberries
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp flax/hemp/fish oil
2-3 ice cubes (if desired)

234

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
The Ironman
Serves 1 to 2
Red fruits, especially berries, contain high amounts of iron. Red watermelon has the highest iron
content of any fruit and parsley has the highest iron content of any green-leafy vegetable. This
is an amazing smoothie for anyone low in energy or anemic, and for women before, during, and
after menstruation.

Ingredients

Directions

10 strawberries

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

10 raspberries
1 slice of watermelon
1 handful of parsley
cup of water
2-3 ice cubes (if desired)
a squeeze of lemon

235

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Strawberry Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

10 strawberries

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

1-2 tbsp coconut oil (softened)

1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
2 dates (soaked)
1 tsp vanilla extract

236

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Tropical Cocktail
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

guava, peeled and pitted

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth

pineapple, peeled

2. Garnish with slice of lime

mango
2 lychess, peeled and pitted
(optional)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Slice of lime (optional garnish)

237

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Super Anti-Oxidant Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2
Berries are a terrific source of anti-oxidants and help build healthy blood. This meal is well
balanced through the protein and trace minerals in the spirulina and the omega-3 fatty acids in
the flax oil. The pectin and insoluble fiber of the apple and pear are also helpful in stimulating
proper bowel function. One of these a day will keep disease away!

Ingredients

Directions

1 apple

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.

1 pear

2. Add water until desired consistency is reached

cup blueberries
cup raspberries
cup blackberries
cup strawberries
2 tbsp spirulina
2 tbsp flax oil
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
(optional cacao is the #1 source
for anti-oxidants)

238

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Spinach Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups fresh spinach

1. Throw all ingredients into a blender; blend until smooth

papaya, chopped
1 handful of parsley
1 handful of dandelion root
(optional)
1 2 bananas
The freshly squeezed juice of 4
oranges

239

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Banana Fig Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cups water or nut milk

1. Throw all ingredients into a blender; blend until smooth

1 banana
4 fresh figs, hard stemmed removed
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp hemp seeds

240

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Fig and Grape Cleansing Shake
Serves 2 to 4
Grapes are high in antioxidants and great cleansers. Do your best to find organic and seeded
grapes (the seeds are high in antioxidants). Grapes are also a terrific source of resveratrol, a
compound known to thwart cancer growth and cardiovascular disease. Figs are one of the most
potent mucus dissolving foods great for those with a history of dairy! Adapted from Raw Food,
Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

4 cups red or green grapes (with

seeds if possible)

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

1 cup fresh figs, hard stems removed

1 cup water
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 cups ice cubes

241

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Aurora Borealis
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

cup raspberries

1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender and serve.

Juice of lemon
1 tbsp agave nectar
nut milk of choice

242

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Bananamania
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 banana

1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender and serve chilled.

cup coconut meat (or solid coconut oil)

nut milk of choice
1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
2 dates (soaked)

243

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Apricot Delight
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

4 fresh apricots, pitted

1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender and serve.

1 banana
nut milk of choice
1 tsp cinnamon

244

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Sunrise Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 banana

1. Using a citrus juicer, juice oranges

1 cup freshly squeezed O.J.

(roughly 2-3 oranges)

2. All orange juice and all other ingredients into a blender and
process until smooth.

1 cup strawberries
1 tbsp flax oil

245

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
Green Monkey Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp hemp seeds

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

1 cup water
1 banana
cup chopped kale
cup chopped collards
cup chopped spinach
A handful parsley
2 tbsp dried (or fresh) mint
1 tbsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
2 dates (soaked)
Juice of 1 lime

246

Smoothies & Juices

Smoothie
THE Green Smoothie
Serves 1 to 2
Ive perhaps saved the BEST for last. This is my go-to green smoothie. I usually start each morning
with this smoothie for the family and me.

Ingredients

Directions

1 apple

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

1 pear

* Even our dog Jax loves it!

1 banana
1 head of kale/swiss chard/or
dark green lettuce
1 handful of cilantro
1 tsp maple syrup/raw honey/ or
1 dates (soaked)
Juice of 1 lime
500 ml of water (depending on
thickness desired)

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Smoothies & Juices

Fresh
Juices
FreshPressed
Pressed Juices
If youre looking for an easy solution to consuming huge amounts of essential nutrients,
then this is it. The fresh juices combine tons
of great ingredients destined to nourish, alkalize, and energize your body. Usually, Ill prepare one of the green juices after my morning
runs which will fuel me for several hours! They
are pure energy! Its funny, since Ive started
eating predominantly whole living foods, I am
amazed at how much of a liquid diet I have
adopted. I guess because these juices (and
smoothies) are so easy to make, are easy on
the digestive process, are chock-full of nutrients, and they save me time. All you need to
prepare them is a juicer.
Many of these juices are also great to enjoy on
a warm summers day. Just pour over ice, pull
up a patio chair, and sip away!

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Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Green Cappuccino
Serves 1 to 2
This is my other morning power drink. I also make it sometimes after a run because it provides
some simple sugars, great alkalinity, and an excellent source of amino acids (through the leafy
greens). I call it cappuccino for the frothiness that tops off the juice.

Ingredients

Directions

8 stalks (leaves) of kale

1. Throw all ingredients into a juicer. Once juiced, give it a stir

and enjoy!

4 stalks of celery
1 apple
cucumber
1 carrot
handful of parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

249

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Yerry and Yammys Green Juice
Serves 1 to 2
I named this one after my girlfriend and mines nicknames and because we tend to drink this
when we just feel like an onslaught of pure alkalinity. This is a very detoxifying juice which can be
used after a day of not-so-good eating.

Ingredients

Directions

1 head of kale

1. Place all ingredients through a juicer and drink promptly.

1 head of swiss chard

2 leaves of swiss chard
1 handful of parsley
cucumber
8 stalks celery
1 pear or apple
Juice of 1 lemon

250

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Blue-Green Orange Bliss
Serves 1 to 2
This is an easy to prepare concoction and is great 30-45 minutes before an exercise session as it
provides great amounts of simple sugars that are well balanced by amino acids of the blue-green
algae and the omega-3s of the flax seed oil which means that your blood sugar is better maintained. Oh yeah, it also provides huge amounts of vitamin C and tremendous alkalinity. Adapted
from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

5 oranges (or grapefruit)

1. Juice of the oranges using a citrus juicer (or other tool)

1-2 tbsp of blue-green algae

(ie. spirulina, chorella, etc)

2. Add blue-green algae to a glass and stir in orange juice and

flax seed oil.

2 tbsp of flax oil

251

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Athlete Booster
Serves 1 to 2
Spirulina is the highest protein food on the planet. Coconut water is the highest source of electrolytes found in nature. Both spirulina and coconut are alkaline and can help buffer lactic acid.
Coconut oil also contains a unique group of healthy fatty acids known as MCTs (medium-chain
triglycerides) that are quickly metabolized by the liver for quick energy!

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups coconut water

1. Combine both in a glass and stir

2 tbsp of spirulina

252

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Sunrise Cocktail
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 oranges

1. 1. Juice of the fruit using a citrus juicer (or other tool)

1 tangerine

2. 2. Add flax/fish oil and stir.

1 pink grapefruit

3. 3. You can garnish with a segment of tangerine.

1 tbsp of flax/fish oil

253

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Apple-Pear Morning Pick Me Up!
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

4 apples

1. In a juicer, juice apples and pears.

2 pears

2. Add the agave nectar and lemon juice, mix well, and enjoy!

Juice of lemon

254

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Morning Glory
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 apple

1. In a juicer, juice the apple, tomato, and carrots.

1 large tomato

2. Add the orange juice, mix well, and enjoy!

2 carrots
Juice of 1 orange
Slice of lemon (optional garnish)
Sprig of mint (optional garnish)

255

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Apple Spritzer
Serves 2
This is a wonderful drink on a hot summers day. Plus, eating apples on a regular basis has been
shown to improve breathing and lung function.

Ingredients

Directions

3 apples

1. In a juicer, juice the apples

Juice of lemon

2. Add the lemon juice and fizzy water and serve over ice!

500 ml fizzy/sparkling water

2-3 ice cubes (optional)

256

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Popeyes Secret
Serves 2
This is a wonderful drink on a hot summers day. Plus, eating apples on a regular basis has been
shown to improve breathing and lung function.

Ingredients

Directions

4 cups spinach, tightly packed

1. In a juicer, juice all ingredients and mix well.

2 carrots, top removed

4 tomatoes
1 cucumber
Juice of lemon

257

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Cabbage and Carrot Juice
Serves 1 to 2
This is a great juice for helping heal you gut and the mucosal lining of your digestive system.

Ingredients

Directions

1 head of cabbage

1. In a juicer, juice all ingredients and serve immediately.

6 carrots, top removed

inch piece of ginger

258

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Grape-Celery Cooler
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

1 cup sweet red grapes

1. In a juicer, juice all ingredients.

3-4 celery stalks

handful of mint

259

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Spicy Pear
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

4 pears

1. In a juicer, juice pears, celery, and ginger.

4 stalks celery carrots,

top removed

2. Add cinnamon, stir well and serve.

1 tsp cinnamon
1 inch ginger cube

260

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Green Lemonade
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

Directions

5 apples

1. In a juicer, juice all ingredients, squeeze in lemon juice,

mix well and serve.

1 bunch of kale
4 stalks celery
1 grapefruit
Juice of 1 lemon

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Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Pineapple Fruit Cocktail
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

medium pineapple

1. In a juicer, juice all ingredients, pour over ice, and serve.

2 pears
1 inch fresh ginger
Splash of water

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Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Cucumber Summer Breeze
Serves 2
Cucumbers are hydrating, alkalizing, and cooling. They to help to flush wastes through the kidneys and dissolve uric acid accumulations commonly found in kidney and bladder stones. Celery
also contains a lot of natural sodium to help keep you hydrated.
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

1 large cucumber

1. Run all ingredients through a juicer

2 stalks celery

2. Squeeze in lime juice, stir, and pour over ice.

1 small handful fresh mint (plus

additional for garnish)

3. Garnish with mint sprigs if desired.

Juice of 2 limes

263

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
The Friendly Thai
Serves 2
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis.

Ingredients

Directions

6 to 8 large leaves kale, collards,

Swiss chard, or a combination.

1. Run all ingredients through a juicer.

1 small bunch cilantro

2. Squeeze in lime juice, stir, and enjoy.

medium pineapple
3 stalks of celery
1 inch ginger cube
Juice of 1 lime

264

Smoothies & Juices

Juice
Skin Regenerator
Serves 2
This is drink is better than having a facial. Radishes and watercress are especially rich in sulfur, a
mineral which helps builds collagen, a vital nutrient for skin elasticity. Grapes are full of essential
fatty oils and antioxidants that protect your skin against free radical damage from the suns UV
rays.

Ingredients

Directions

cup chopped radish

1. Run all ingredients through a juicer

1 large cucumber
bunch watercress (or 4 to 5 kale
leaves)
4 cups green grapes
Small knob of fresh ginger

265

Eat Alive and you will thrive

EatEat
Alive
and
you
will
thrive
Alive and you will thrive

266

About the Author

About
the Author
Yuri Elkaim,
BPHE, CK, RHN

Yuri Elkaim graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelors of Physical Education and Health from
the University of Toronto. He is also a Certified Kinesiologist and Registered Holistic Nutritionist
and is renowned across the globe for his innovative and inspiring workout and nutrition programs.
He has 13 years of Strength & Conditioning and nutrition
experience, has helped more than 65,000 people around
the world to better health, and acted as the head strength &
conditioning coach for the mens soccer program at the University of Toronto for 7 seasons.
What seems like a previous lifetime to him now, Yuri also
played professional soccer for 3 years. As one of the top
goalkeepers in Canada, he played two years with the Toronto
Lynx of the North American A-League (2000, 2001) and one
year with Lille OSC of the French 1st division (2003 reserves).
His playing career was also marked by stints with Bolton
Wanderers FC, Norwich City FC, and Sao Paulo FC.
During his collegiate years, Yuri was named a 2-time All-Canadian, OUA All-Star, and team MVP/captain with the University of Toronto Mens Soccer team before acting as the
programs Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, helping the

team capture OUA gold and silver medals, and 2nd, 4th and
5th place finishes at the National Championships.
Yuri is a highly sought-after public speaker, promoting
healthy active living. He has given inspiring talks to many
companies including: Bank of Montreal, BNI, the Sports Clubs
of Canada, Advocis, as well as Queens University in Kingston,
Ontario. He was also voted best speaker the 2012 Fitness
Business Summit in Orange County, California.
He and his nutrition and workout programs have been
featured in several media including: Maximum Fitness
Magazine, Beyond Fitness Magazine, Impact Magazine,
CityTV, Perfect Fit, CP24, 24 Hours, Calgary Herald, eTalk
Daily, and Breakfast Television.
If you would like to book Yuri for a speaking engagement
or other media endeavour please send an email request to
info@totalwellnessconsulting.ca

267

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Become
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Energy
Affiliate
Become an
for Energy
and Help
Others!
Have you enjoyed this program?
Would you recommend it to other people you know?
If so, why not get paid for each person you refer who buys Eating for Energy?!
All you have to do is visit

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And the best part is that YOU get 75%
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268

Other books by the Author

Nutrition
Programs
Other Nutrition
Programs by Yuri Elkaim
Super Nutrition Academy
www.SuperNutritionAcademy.com
The worlds first online nutrition course to help everyday
people master their health and diet with just ONE hour of
learning per week.

Total Wellness Cleanse

www.TotalWellnessCleanse.com
The ONLY 30-day food-based cleansing program to lose
weight and reclaim your healthwithout the use of gimmicky
supplements.

269

Other books by the Author

Workout
Programs
Workout Programs
by Yuri Elkaim
Yuris world-famous iPod/MP3 guided workout programs are available at the following sites

Fitter U

Amazing Abs Solution

www.myFitterU.com

www.AmazingAbsSolution.com

Beginner weight loss exercise program

Strip away unwanted belly fat and get a strong, toned core
without doing sit-ups, hours of long cardio, or depriving
yourself of food.

Fitter U Fitness
www.FitterUFitness.com

Treadmill Trainer

The sequel to Fitter U features new monthly fat loss workouts.

www.myTreadmillTrainer.com

Unstoppable Warrior Adventure Workouts

www.WarriorAdventureWorkouts.com
Get in the best shape of your life in just 4 weeks.

The worlds BEST interval running workouts period.

Cycling Workouts
www.BestCyclingWorkouts.com
Bike-specific interval training workouts

Elliptical Workouts
www.EllipticalWorkouts.com
Elliptical-specific interval training workouts

270

References
References

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