How to Integrate The Avoid List

Stage 1: Cut out processed and artificial sugar.

Stage 2: Remove ingredients that cause sensitivities or allergies.

You may not know which foods, if any, you have a reaction to, but if you have known food sensitivities or allergies, avoid these ingredients as soon as possible. Important to note is that the more we eat the same food, the greater the odds are that we can develop a sensitivity to it. So if you’re someone who eats tomatoes everyday, there may be a chance your body is no longer able to digest those tomatoes with ease. Take a deeper look into the foods you consume everyday and see if cutting one of them out has an impact on your energy, clarity, digestion or other. Two of the most common allergens are whole wheat and dairy.

Stage 3: Cut out alcohol.

This should really be counted in the sugar category in Stage 1 but I get that sometimes people need a glass of wine or something after work, especially at the beginning of the program when they want something to take the edge off or look forward to. It is, however, important to cut out alcohol as early as you can and then when your body is ready, use The Cheat Principle to find a healthy balance of consumption. If cutting out alcohol is a concern for you, please reach out and we can find the best solution for you.

Stage 4: Remove packaged or processed, and all remaining artificial ingredients.

When you consume packaged or processed foods, or artificial ingredients, your body has to do more work to digest and metabolize them. We don’t want your body to do more work. We want it to do less, or at least be under less stress. Replace artificial ingredients with naturally occurring ingredients as quickly as possible.

Stage 5: Remove wheat and gluten, wherever possible.

Whole wheat is a top allergen, likely because it’s used in so many processed and packaged foods. Look at ingredient lists and you’ll see whole wheat along with soy and corn listed on almost every one of them. Whole wheat was a sensitivity for me back when I had migraines regularly and it’s probably because I was eating it every single day.

Stage 6: Remove deep fried foods and hydrogenated fats.

If you like deep fried wings, nachos and other greasy foods, then this might be a tougher one for you. But just remember, you want to make it easy for your cells to do their jobs, you want your digestive system to digest food easily, and you don’t want these oils and fats clogging up your arteries so your heart has to do extra work. Do you like chicken wings as much as I do? Then you can start baking them instead, and really start tasting the naturally occurring flavours that are so often covered up by grease and salt.

Stage 7: Limit or remove dairy. (Note: this may be a sensitivity.).

I usually recommend a maximum of 1 serving, if any, of dairy per day. Pay attention to how your body responds when you drink milk, or eat cheese or other dairy products. Fatigue, eczema, headaches, constipation are common with overconsumption of dairy.

Stage 8: Remove white flours, breads and pastas.

The main reasons I suggest to cut out these white ingredients is because the products are usually highly processed. As a result, they are low in nutrient value, contain pesticides, and are generally fortified with synthetic vitamins. This goes against the first Food Rule: Eat Real Food. So let’s avoid white flours, breads and pastas and replace them with whole grains or plant-based options.

Stage 9: Buy organic, hormone and antibiotic-free.

This is an incredibly important category and the sooner you can purchase pesticide and antibiotic-free products, the better. But not everyone can afford it. On that note, here’s a quick tip to save money: Let’s say you want to make a chicken stew. To get more servings, use hormone and antibiotic-free chicken, increase the amount of vegetables, maybe add a quinoa as a base, and voilà! You’ve created extra servings of a nutritious, well-balanced meal!

Stage 10: Cut out caffeine.

Caffeine is a food that activates The Stress Response. Can you imagine…you don’t even have to get stressed out about something for your body to activate the nervous system and imbalance your hormones…you just need to drink some coffee. And for those who struggle with anxiety…I HIGHLY encourage you to cut back on the caffeine as quickly as possible. Start by mixing it with decaf and then slowly remove it from your diet. I have seen a very tight correlation between decreased caffeine consumption and decreased levels of anxiety.