Every culture has its own mythology. In Western culture, much of ours surrounds food and drink. While many of these ideas are considered “conventional” wisdom, the truth is they are making us fat and sick. That’s why I want to talk to you about Common Diet Advice That’s Actually Bad for You.
It’s not that “diet experts” are trying to intentionally harm you when they suggest common dietary advice. It’s just that they, like the rest of the American public, have been very misinformed about what constitutes a healthy diet. We have moved away from our natural intuition as to what to feed our bodies, and are sucked into an ever-complicating “diet” world.
The unambiguous proof lies in the statistics. The prevalence of obesity in the United States over a single generation has grown substantially. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of obesity in America went from less than 14 percent in every single state in 1985 to higher than 20 percent in nine states, greater than 25 percent in 25 states, and higher than 30 percent in the remaining states.
At the same time, the incidence of type 2 diabetes (an illness typically found in people over 40) is rising in children and adults! Autoimmune disorders are on the rise, as well.
Clearly, something is wrong here. Many experts are pointing their finger straight at the contemporary Western diet, and I concur that the very poor diet that most people have is indeed at the root of an overwhelming amount of health problems.
I always find it strange that many health experts blame these problems on a lack of willpower. After all, the diet industry in this country is booming. Americans spend billions on an array of products that promise to facilitate weight loss, including low-fat foods, diet books, diet programs, and more.
Yet, America as a country continues to grow fatter in spite her citizens’ best efforts to count calories, cut out fats, eat “diet” microwave or packaged foods and lead healthier lives. I’ve always believed that the biggest issue isn’t about willpower. Instead, I think America’s health problems lie in all of the myths that have become conventional wisdom.
Let’s take a look at just a few of these myths so we can see how they just might be affecting the unbalanced weight of the Western world.
Myth 1: Counting Calories is The Best Way to Lose Weight.
How many diets have you personally been on that recommend counting calories? According to the calorie hypothesis:
- When you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight.
- If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
If this were the case, a lot more people would be thinner than actually are. The calorie hypothesis assumes that the human body behaves like a simple thermodynamic machine and employs a straightforward method of burning food for energy.
What is a calorie, anyway? By definition, it is the energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. While this definition actually defines a kilocalorie, it’s been shortened to calorie. This works in a simple machine, like a car engine, but does it work in human beings?
The answer to this question is very likely no. The human body is an extremely complex biological mechanism that does not operate according to the rules of simple thermodynamics. I personally know people who have counted calories religiously yet remained overweight in spite of their best efforts.
How often do you see overweight wild animals? From personal experience going on over 11 safaris in Africa, I can vouch for the fact that wild animals maintain normal weight. Yet these animals haven’t a clue how to count calories. Instead, they eat the foods their bodies need and move as needed. This helps them maintain a healthy weight. Since humans are animals, it makes sense that our biological responses are very similar.
Counting calories may work for a few people, but have you ever noticed how difficult it is for them to sustain weight loss? For most, it is a lifelong, ongoing struggle to keep weight off by religiously counting and continuously cutting calories. It is indeed a miserable way to live.
It’s not how much food you eat, it’s what you eat that matters.
Does this mean you can eat as much as you want all the time? No. Not counting calories is not a license to stuff yourself; however, if you eat the foods for energy, what your body was intended to eat, based on whole and natural foods, your weight problems will be alleviated. You will get more nutrition from such foods, and will not need to eat such huge quantities naturally. These foods also possess fiber, which is a filling and natural means to help with calorie restriction. Furthermore, natural foods do not clog up your digestive tract with sludge, which keeps you from feeling full and getting the maximum amount of nutrition from the foods you are eating. If you eat heavier, more difficult to digest foods that don’t digest as cleanly, you will eat more and rely on external sources of energy such as sugar and caffeine.
What should you eat? Eat mostly organic, whole plant foods for good health. Eat foods that were grown in the earth, and not manufactured in a lab or that have a long list of ingredients. Avoid “diet” foods such as artificial sweeteners, “energy” bars and microwaved frozen dinners.
Myth 2: Milk – It Does a Body Good.
The dairy industry has spent a lot of money convincing you that milk is essential for good health. Over the years I’ve seen multiple claims about the healthfulness of milk including:
- Eating two servings of low-fat dairy every day can help you lose weight.
- Dairy products help prevent osteoporosis.
- Dairy products help build strong bones and teeth.
- Milk and other dairy is the best source of calcium and vitamin D available.
- Yogurt can help build healthy intestinal flora and is good for dieting.
In fact, we’ve bought so deeply into the dairy mythology that our food pyramid even has a special section just for low-fat dairy products.
Nature creates a way for mammal mothers to nurture their young. After giving birth, mothers produce milk in order to nurse their young through the first few months or years of their life. Human babies are intended to drink breast milk for the first few years of life, not cow’s milk. That is intended for baby cows. In nature, cows stop producing milk after the calves are weaned. Dairy farmers continually breed the cattle in order to maintain ongoing lactation.
Milk contains two ingredients that are very difficult for humans to process: lactose and casein. Additionally, the milk contains hormones that may lead to sensitivity in humans, and many dairy cattle are injected with rbGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone), a hormone genetically engineered by the Monsanto Corporation to artificially increase milk production.
Human health problems associated with dairy consumption include:
Lactose leads to gas, bloating and discomfort
rbGH in dairy increases the incidence in IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1) in humans. This can decrease insulin sensitivity and may be a precursor to type 2 diabetes. IGF-1 may also increase risk of developing heart disease or cancer.
Casein is the protein in dairy products. In the China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell concluded that casein ingestion promotes cancer in all stages of development.
Dairy is extremely acid-forming.
Dairy is extremely mucus-forming, which means it is slow to digest in the digestive tract, which may lead to more toxicity being compounded in the digestive tract and throughout the body.
Avoid dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt and kefir. Instead, eat a plant-based diet, and get your probiotics from Probiotic & Enzyme Salad and probiotic supplements. if you need milk, then try unsweetened almond, hemp, coconut or hazelnut milk. Goat’s cheese is a good transition cheese that digests better than cow’s milk cheese.
Myth 3: Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of the Day
There’s probably not a mom alive that hasn’t repeated this myth at some point. Breakfast is entrenched in our belief system, and many people feel this means they should eat a heavy, protein-laden breakfast in order to get the day started right.
In fact, a heavy breakfast will start your day off just wrong! Every morning is a new opportunity to cleanse your body, since it has fasted all night and your food has digested. Eating a heavy meal in the morning can plug up the plumbing and decrease your energy stores as your body focuses on digesting all of that food you just ate. If you eat a huge breakfast, you will need more snacks and caffeine by mid-morning.
What should you do instead? Don’t force yourself to eat until your natural hunger kicks in, and then start yourself off with a Glowing Green Smoothie. Eat heavier meals later in the day when your body will have a long time available to digest them. Try it for yourself for 2 weeks, and notice how much better you feel than from having huge daily breakfasts! You will feel lighter, more energetic, and will be able to perform all functions more efficiently.
Myth 4: Grazing Every Few Hours Is the Best Way to Maintain Weight
Grazing doesn’t give your body time to fully digest the foods you eat. Instead, it causes foods to back up in your intestinal tract, forming a rotting, partially digested sludge in your gut. It also means your digestive tract is constantly working. This burns an incredibly amount of energy and can actually accelerate the aging process. Instead, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and minimize snacking. I sometimes eat a snack between lunch and dinner, but keep it to only that one snack.
Myth 5: There’s No Difference Between Organic and Conventional Plant Foods
Conventional produce is grown using toxic pesticides. At the same time, many conventional foods are also grown from engineered seeds that have been genetically altered in order to better accept pesticides and fertilizers. Every time you eat these foods, you are filling your body with toxins no matter how well you wash the plants. Additionally, most conventional plant foods are grown on “factory farms” that favor monocultures where they grow only one type of crop in a field. This can strip the soil of nutrients and leave the plants open to disease.
Choosing organic foods grown on local family farms on the other hand, allows you to eat chemical free produce that is far more nutritionally dense than conventionally grown produce. The soil of organic farms is more rich, and will therefore impart more minerals to the produce that is grown in it. Eating this way and purchasing your foods from local farmers markets or CSAs also allows you to support the dwindling number of small family farmers in this country.
There are many other dieting myths, especially those regarding the excessive consumption of animal protein, which is also acid-forming and slow to digest (and therefore aging). For further info on this topic and other myths, please check out The Beauty Detox Solution, it won’t all fit here. Wishing great health to all!
Those definitely are myths. I always believed in the breakfast being the most important meal of the day (even as a raw foodie/green smoothie lover). Thanks to you, I’m now content with just some water with lemon. When I’m truly hungry, I have my glowing green smoothie.
I truly believe a lot of people in the food industry are aware of how harmful some things are to our health but continue to push it on us for the almighty dollar. As far as organic being better , that is only true if you are COMPLETELY for sure where your food came from. I have seen first hand that a lot of these so called ORGANIC foods are grown out of the country in such places such as Mexico where there are no laws concerning what constitutes organic and then shipped here with an organic label on it. I say choose organic products grown in your community if you want to be sure you are getting organic quality products.
What do you think a 2 and al half year old should drink instead of his milk?
My son has dealt with allergies so we gave him goat’s milk when he was small & now he drinks almond milk. We tried soy & found he was allergic. We have goat’s milk ice cream on occasion. So Delicious brand makes coconut milk ice cream which is a good texture. We make smoothies & put them in covered containers. He wouldn’t drink anything green or orange color even though he likes the taste. Rice milk was too watery. Try different ones. Have fun trying new things.
That’s great to hear you experimenting with alternatives.
Hi,
Should I be taking a digestive enzyme daily or just when I have eaten a “bigger” meal?
thanks
sandra
I stop drinking milk years ago because I felt sluggish and it caused heavy flem. Raw milk is a great alternative, filled with natural nutrients.
Though it is not pasteurized, raw milk is still full of the casein protein. I do not recommend consuming it in any amount.
organic almond milk or just fresh squeezed juice. There is no need to give them milk when they are weaned. 🙂
With regards to dairy:
Why do the Swedes have the tenth highest life expectancy in the world and fewer than 12% of Swedes are obese, yet they structure their year-round diet around dairy products?
All right, these look pretty good. I will try it. I have never been a fan of huge breakfast though. Eat when you’re hungry sounds pretty good to me!
i love your website and advice. do you have any special recommendations for vegetarians? will you publish the winners of the vitamix, especially if i’m one of them? if not, will you recommend a mixer that cost closer to $100-$200? thank you, and keep doing what you are doing.
The vitamix certainly is an investment. I had wanted one for nearly 3 years and just purchased mine less than a week ago. Honestly after having the Vitamix now and for only a few days nothing else in my kitchen matters 🙂 I just like you could only afford a couple hundred dollar blender and ended up with a piece of crap that was seriously a total waste of money. I suggest waiting to get the blender until you can afford the vitamix. I just hate to see someone spend money on something and not enjoy it 🙁 However it is personal pref and everyone is diff. Maybe you could find one on sale or promotion. The Vitamix 200 is 450$ but right now William and Sonoma has a % off! Check it out!! GoodLuck
Yes, the Vitamix is life-changing!
My husband attended a home show and came home with a Vitamix. I was actually upset that he bought me another piece of machinery. What was he trying to tell me? It sat in the pantry for 3 years till I attended a home show and the first vendor I saw was a Vitamix demo. Need I say more? From that day on, I’ve been making many recipes with it and love it. When our daughter blesses us with twins, we promptly bought her one.
Such a wonderful article!! Thank you so much. I’ve been hearing more and more about the dangers of dairy products. Too bad that includes cheese! 😉
Hey there first off i wanted to say how awesome i have felt doing radiant beauty phase from the book! I have chosen to start every morning with a green smoothie. i want to know if i have decided to start with the radiant beauty phase is it still beneficial???
I dont want to give up fruit.
as for dairy i am dairy free and have seen a big change in my mood and waist line! choosing almond milk instead of cows milk….sometimes i find my self getting worked up about food pairing or confused about fruit after dinner… what if you want something sweet after dinner? other options?
thanks! your an inspiration!!
Overweight animals do exist, though it’s usually stress induced.
Hi Kim!
Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge on this blog- I discovered your book this summer and have since gained an entirely new appreciation for health and beauty. Your book helped me to get rid of my cystic acne and a lose a few extra pounds! Thank you!
Do you still have plans for a skin care line? I’m eagerly waiting for it!
Best,
Morgan
Kim I’m wondering if you have any suggested non-fruit alternatives to the glowing green smoothie? I’ve been following your detox diet to the letter and have had amazing results- many health problems that have cleared up (Crohn’s, acne, fibroids), and when I moved to the glowing green smoothie I definitely had a reaction to reintroducing fruit. If you have any warmer breakfast options (live in the cold midwest) that woudl be great too.
Thanks so much- you’re a life changer!!!!
Hi Kimberly, I’ve been reading The Beauty Detox Solution, and loving green smoothies,and other great beauty foods in your book for almost a year. It has helped me immensely with my weight and energy level. My 15 yr. old daughter needs to put on some weight, about 7to10 lbs. Our physician recommends extra dairy, protein, and carbs. , which we will do. Do you have any suggestions for some healthier choicesto either add in place of or in addition to. Thanks, hope to hear from you soon, Jen J.
Thanks for the great post. I will be sharing this with my clients. I love having great articles to share with them that support what I am trying to teach them. I have the hardest time (especially with colleagues and other professionals) with the 3 meals and no grazing thing. It drives me crazy. You hear it all the time. Trainers, doctors and dietitians telling their clients they need to keep their blood sugar stable. Thanks! I am going to need to get myself a copy of your book.
Hi Kim!
I won’t take up much of your time, but I just wanted to THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. My husband & I came across your book after finishing the Dr. Alejandro’s Clean cleanse this past March. Before the cleanse I thought we were “healthy”. After the cleanse, I thought we were “healthier”. Curiously, I continued my search and after reading your words of wisdom & truth—I realized we needed to changed the way we have looked at food for the past 25 years. I wrote down every single point in your book and began revolutionizing the way do everything related to food. About six months in, we aren’t 100% perfect. We have had our downfalls from time to time (and eat cheese 😉 but with every step backwards we regrettably then desire to make three more steps forward. I hope within a year from today we will be living by the Beauty Detox 100%. So much of my extended family has bought your book and I have been coaching them through everything I have learned myself. Thank you for changing our lives and the future lives of our children and grandchildren. You are breathtakingly beautiful and an angel for reshaping our society one person at a time.
SO much love :*
Nina
Kim:
Thanks for the blog. It has really helped me understand the difference between facts and myths. Since last year, I have lost 40 pounds by exercising more and eating less restaurant food. Your book has been helpful to me to understand what effect the food I eat has on my body. However, I do have a question. I just started my own law firm and don’t have too much money coming in. My grocery budget is about fifty to sixty dollars a week. Looking through your new book, I can buy more of the vegetables that you suggest at my local farm market, but most of the organic food you mention like gluten free bread is slightly out of my price range. While I do want to incorporate some of the changes you suggest, I want to know what are some “must” I can do now given my financial situation. Thanks for your help.
~Tara
Thanks for writing this, Kim! I agree with all of the above, especially the dairy myth. I have written about the unhealthy effects of dairy on my website a few times.
There’s also the concern about hormones in dairy (even in organic dairy) since they milk the cows throughout pregnancy on most organic dairy farms.
Thanks for helping clear up all these misconceptions! Everyone always argues with me when I say breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day– now I know why : )
xo
Jocelyn
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the very interesting & informative article!.
I’m a strong advocate for organic produce & chemical free cosmetics/household products, the toxicity we put in our body can be dramatically reduced if we eat organic & eliminate chemcials that bombard our bodies & households.
I do like to snack in between meals & normally that would consist of an apple w/almond butter or a few whole grain crackers w/celery sitck & some green or black olives. That brings me to my question to you, I’d like your insight on consuming olives, for I’m Italain and I just love my olives, we put them in our salads alot & entertain our guests w/olives, crackers, & lots of produce that we cut up for snacks. What is you opinion on this? Thanks for the wonderful way your informing the world about healthy choices & healthy living! You are walking the talk, that speaks volumes!
Excellent advice! Love the book “The Beauty Detox Solution” and I after reading it a few times, I am putting it into practice.
My favorite myth is two, I grew up thinking milk is good for you. But, after I reading your book I challenged myself. Happy results. Got Milk?
Hey Kim,
I would appreciate it if you could help me understand more about salads. I definitely eat them! BUT, I usually use olive oil and/or lemon. Is there any thing else I can use as a dressing?
Th
I love the picture of the cows when you write about snacking. From now on, every time I get the urge to graze, I’ll think of the fact that cow’s do the same thing! Haha.
Hi Kimberly,
I started on the Blossoming Beauty phase because I think I have candida issue but noticed in your book you recommend sprouted millet bread. The only millet bread I can find is Food for Life brand and it is sweetened with fruit juice concentrate. I didn’t know if that would jive with candida–is there a particular kind you recommend? Also, any other breakfast options than GF oats? I read your book 6 months ago ( and reread of course–great info!!) and incorporated the GGS which I love–but I had to be honest with myself and deal with the yeast issue first. So I decided to back up to BB phase even though I hate to give up the GGS. Thanks for all your help. Have learned so much from you.
well done on pointing out some of the major stupidities the nutrition world is responsible for. posting this on my wall 🙂
Great article Kimberley thanks. I live in a capital city in Australia, and still get dirty/weird looks at a coffee shop when I ask if they have anything other thank cows or soy milk. Like I’m some way out hippy or something. We have found 2 places so far which will sell Rice milk. But noone with almond or other. So we just ended up spending a bit on a coffee machine for home. It gets to the point where, unless you find a place with quality food/produce which is to a standard you would cook at home, you just end up eating at home.
Have bought your book – now to read it!
Thanks
Ele
hey ele, i moved to australia from canada (where almond milk is very common, cheap and easy to find) and had the same problem. you can find it at health stores but it’s quite expensive, like $8 for 2 litres. i would make it myself (google it, its quite easy) if money is an issue. i personally drink canned coconut milk as well (it’s high in fat but i love it)
Kim – when is the best time to take vitamins, since Vitamin D and other vitamins need fat to be absorbed? If an avocado is added to the glowing green smoothie, would that be enough fat for Vitamin D and other vitamins to be absorbed?
Hi Kim – this is the first time I’ve posted anything but I’ve read your book and love getting your emails. I’m 29 years old and stay extremly active but have had issues with eating for about 7 years. Unfortunately this all happened when I went to college and I’ve tried to get back on track by myself or seeing nutritionist who in the end took my money without really helping me.
I’d really love to know if there is a way to get in touch with you and see if you could help me. I would love to get my skin “glowing” and just feel healthy. If you could please contact me, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you for all of your posts and advice, it’s so motivating. 🙂
Hi Kim,
In regards to my previous question- the quinoa flour is organic and the first ingredient is corn flour followed by quinoa flour. Is it a keeper?
Hmm. Try to find out where the quinoa is first or switch to a brown rice pasta where the brown rice is listed first. xx
What about arsenic found in brown rice?
Ancient Harvest pasta is made from Non-GMO corn flour and Quina…and it is organic. This is the best tasting gluten free pasta I have tried!
I have read your book and will be starting the diet. I’m very excited but there are some questions I had for you!!
1. I am considering trying to be a vegetarian but where would I get my B12?
2. I have hypoglycemia pretty bad, but you say not to eat small meals..I usually eat every 2-3 hours or else I start to get migraines and shake. What should I do for this diet to be maintained?
3. What brand of coconut oil do you recommend as a moisturizer?
Thank you very much 😀
For your first question, use nutritional yeast. Best source of B12 for vegan diets. And it tastes really good too. Like cheese almost!
Hi Angelina,
There is B12 in nutritional yeast, algae and by healthy flora actually manufacture B vitamins in your gut. But to be safe, you can supplement with a broad, wholefood-based multi-vitamin/multi-mineral.
You can continue to eat often but I encourage simple meals and snacks and not mixing too many food groups at once.
I like Dr. Bronner’s or Spectrum coconut oil. xx
–Oh yeah, and also can oil olive be eaten unheated? Such as a light dressing?
THANKS
yes, definitely.
Hey Kim! I just want to say how AWESOME you are for answering questions on your blog! It truly helps us so much 🙂 We get to learn a ton from reading other peoples questions and your answers back. It really is amazing!
Thanks again!!!
your efforts don’t go unnoticed!
Thank you Deb! I always answer as many as I can. 🙂
Thanks for clearing up some misconceptions we have been taught through the years. I have always been taught that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But I have found that once I start eating I am hungry all day. So I plan on holding off till I am hungry in the morning before I start eating.
Wonderful. Listen to your body. Those used to a heavy breakfast can see that that too is a habit, and if they hold off a few more hours they feel lighter and better.
Hi Kimberly,
Thank you so much for the wonderful article. I’m your avid fan. I have had lot of digestive problems as long as I can remember but its under control with the simple probiotic cabbage salad, GGS, etc… Thank you so much……
Recently I started working out vigorously and started feeling sore and my trainer is recommending me to take whey protein to build muscle and for recovery and claims it to be all natural. I wasnt convinced and thought of asking you if you know of any substitute or any all natural brand you can recommend me.Please shed some light on it, or maybe if possible if you can do an article that would be great. Thanks a lot for your continuous new and insigntful articles. I look forward to hearing from you soon…….
Hi Missme,
Check out my workout food blog. After working out you need amino acids to rebuild, but you can get them from greens. Try also chia seeds. I like the Garden of Life raw protein powder, or straight hemp protein powder. xx
Thank you kim and Ted for your advice. I cant wait to try.
P.S: Kim, you are a life changer and God bless you…
God bless you too Missme.
Can you please look into in. He is recommending the brand Optimum nutirition, the website is http://www.optimumnutrition.com
Hey missme, Whey protein is a milk product, and it’s not necessary to help with soreness. Try looking into Sun Warrior. IT’s a raw vegan, brown rice based protein that has a complete amino acid profile. It can help. But also, increase your vegetable intake. Vegetables contain tons of naturally occuring amino acids that the body has a much easier time utilizing.
Hey Kim, following your guidelines naturally leads to a diet that is fairly low in (and I hate to use this word around you)calories. I’m a guy, and I like having some muscle on my frame. If I ate a small breakfast, and no snacks, it would be very hard for me to get in enough food to work for me. I workout hard 6 days a week, and am naturally thin as it is. But I don’t want to run my body down trying to keep a nice full muscular frame.
Advice?
Hi Ted, you can customize the diet as I do for my male clients and their workouts. If you look at some my male clients including Channing Tatum, Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Josh Duhamel, they don’t look too skinny do they? 🙂
If you start with the GGS you can have heavier foods 20-25 minutes after for more denseness. But I wouldn’t have animal protein in the morning, so matter what. You can snack, but don’t mix fruit and other food groups, keep it simple. You can have larger portion sizes as well.
Thanks so much for replying! It all makes sense.
Anyway to see a sample menu of what these guys are eating? Of course, I’d love to look like any of them. 😀
Kim, I only trust what you have to say about nutrition lately. Other places say skim milk is good, much as womans health, others say SPLENDA is good, that make me want to rip out that magazines pages. Its so sad how ‘health’ magazines lie to you. I was wondering if you recommend any other blog or book or somthing that I can obtain more information on that your approve. I already have your book and read your blog but I want to know more! If you have a trusted source that is available to me please let me know. In the mean time, I tell so many people about your book and websites. Your amazing, thanks for being so smart 🙂
Thank you so much Nikki.
It is indeed shocking and disappointing on the misinformation that is out there.
Check out The China Study by Dr. T Colin Campbell, Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Furhman and The McDougall Program for Women by Dr. John McDougall.
With the more people we inform, the tides will start to turn. 🙂
Hi Kimberly, you have changed my life!! Can you please recommend a quality brand of digestive enzymes & multi vitamin that you can get in the Los Angeles area. Thank you x
Hi Hanna,
That is wonderful! So happy to hear.
Try the Rainbow Light Digestive Enzyme and the Garden of Life Liquid Code Multi. You can get them at Wholefoods or Erwehon. xx
Hi Kim!
In terms of myths about breakfast, I totally agree. My body never wants to eat anything until it is really hungry and it usually is only hungry for fruit before dinner time– it seems natural to me! But as a student, my mother has always told me that I must eat a good breakfast before school, especially before tests. At my university, there is a huge push for this: eating things like eggs and whole grain toast before finals. I know that you don’t advocate that, and my body doesn’t want it, but is a GGS really going to give me sufficient brain power for a long, endurance exam? What would you recommend?
Thanks!
Hullo Kimberly,
I adore your blog and book, both of which are revolutionary and challenging. Having read through much of what you’ve said, however, I’ve yet to see much said about raw milks made from cashews, almonds, pecans, etc. I have a particular recipe I really like that calls for pecans (I use mixed raw nuts such as brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, and almonds), cinnamon, nutmeg, water, and a bit of maple syrup. It’s one of my favourite things to drink, but I’m wondering when would be an appropriate time to have it. I’d hate to save it until nighttime since I really enjoy it as an afternoon snack or even as lunch.
I get up very early in the morning to work and while I’m fine with the GGS for breakfast, I like something a bit ‘heartier’ for a mid-morning or afternoon lunch and a drink (as opposed to a salad) is often all I have time for. But I know that you suggest we leave proteins until dinnertime, so I’m just curious what your thoughts are on such milks for lunch or between lunch and breakfast. Thanks so much for all your invaluable help!
Hi Evangeline,
When I wrote to leave out all proteins until dinner it may have come across as too strict and general. Sometimes many of us need denseness in the afternoons. Your drink sounds great in the afternoon or later in the morning, or try making a shake with chia seeds, which are filling and super nutritious. xx
Great, thank you for the reply! I will definitely give the chia seeds a try.
I suffer from acid reflux (GERD) and I knew that milk wasn’t that good for me but I really had no idea it was so bad for me until recently. I finally went all hazelnut all the time and it has changed my life! First of all, hazelnut milk is DELICIOUS. It tastes like you’re drinking a milkshake. It’s not super-low-cal but as we read above that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the world. I am so very much happier, and feel a lot less weighted down after I quit dairy. It’s worth a shot people…it’s worth a shot.
Great, I love hazelnut milk too, as well as hemp milk! Check out my GERD blog also! xx
Hi Kim,
I’m underweight, very physically active and always running after my 3 year old. So I feel like i need to supplement my diet with a protein powder. I read your book and noted the part about not combining protein with starches or fruit (including fructose I’m assuming.) But i’m having a hard time finding a vegetarian protein powder that does not also contain a starch (rice protein, pea protein etc) or a fruit or fructose ingredient, and still tastes decent. Also, i wasn’t even sure if rice protein and pea protein are considered starches or not. Are there any protein powders you recommend?
Try the Garden of Life Raw Protein. It combines well with almond milk and banana (a slower, low water-containing fruit).
Hi Kimberly!
I love all your advice so much and you are truly a beautiful and inspirational woman! Thank you for all your advice! I have celiac’s disease so I avoid all wheat/gluten and dairy (however in the past I’ve always had whey protein – it didn’t really seem to bother me as much as straight up yogurt and helped me lose weight in the past but I don’t know if that necessarily means it was good for me..), but always supplemented with protein powder ( as a means to lose weight actually as opposed to gain).
I recently have been cleansing and trying to “food combine” (mostly just eating one food at a time with space in between because i’m afraid of combining any foods with each other) and only drinking fresh veggie juices, steamed raw veggies (mostly just carrots) and split pea soup. I’ve only been on it for a few days but I’ve been losing weight while also feeling so energized! From there, I was thinking I should add back in foods to test which ones make me gain and which ones help me maintain/continuing losing.. So yesterday, I switched out the split pea soup for some **Garden of Life RAW Protein Powder** (I was at first nervous as I notice the ingredients mix a lot of different types of proteins – rice(starch), seeds(protein) – but does it still adhere to food combining principles?).. i had the Garden of Life RAW Protein by itself (same amount of calories as the soup so an even replacement) and the next day I noticed I gained back the weight I lost the day before! I was so shocked (especially because I accidentally had a handful of chocolate the day before and yet still lost weight but then with the RAW protein, I somehow was up in weight this morning..)
this is great news for the woman above looking to try Garden of Life RAW Protein (i wish her the best of luck with her weight journey!)… but for those of us like myself, looking to lose.. do you know why this might have happened? is it possible that some foods make some people gain while that same food could make another person lose? I value your opinion so much and I’d be so curious to hear your thoughts!
Thank you so much!
Hi Kim,
I have been on your plan for about a month now and have already lost 10 pounds !… But before I went on your plan, I took a daily multivitamin. Do multivitamins affect digestion and if so, when is the best time to take them?
Thanks!
Great Rachel!
Take a good, whole-food based multi. I like liquid ones, for better absorption. Taking it with lunch is a good time, but check out the instructions on the brand you choose. xx
Hi Kim. I know you’re big on cleaning out toxic sludge in the body, but a lot of ailments I’ve had, I’ve had them since childhood. Is it possible for a child to be that backed up? Or is it maybe something that’s genetic?
Hi FT,
Some research, as well as many of my teachers believe that illnesses that occur before the age of 12 may be likely due to toxicity that altered/damaged the genetic inheritance passed down from the parents. That is why I encourage cleansing and very healthy eating at least one year (and hopefully more) prior to conceiving. xx
Hi, Kimberly, I have a question? I stopped drinking most dairy, still working on a couple of cheeses, having a hard time giving them up. But, I was drinking Almond milk, due to dairy allergies, and I am basically eating a plant based diet, still eat some whole wheat breads, lots of fruit. But, I am waiting to be tested for a nut allergy, so I have had to give up on any kind of nuts for now, so I have been using rice milk, is that any good, or I didn’t think about this before, but ,I assume it is made from white rice, will have to check that out, will maybe try cocoanut products, do you have any other suggestions, usually just use it for cooking and baking, and morning cereal, not always all of that the same day. Also gave up any kind of meat, still working on the fish, love some fish, so doing really good, but, still working on other things. I really like eating plant based, I feel so much better, just afraid of not getting enough of the nutrients I need, I am 59 years old, have asthma, high cholesterol, lots of pain from arthritis, and various other maladies, but, I still am up there hitting it hard. Working up to getting a lot more exercise too. Enjoy your website, always something new to learn. Thank you.
Hi
Love your book! Confused on olive oil… I thought your book said not to combine olive oil with salads or veggies am I correct? Thanks for your beautiful inspiring energy. The world is better because of the passionate life you share with all of us on our quest to connect to our natural , beautiful souls.
Gina
Hi Kim, I love your book and am enjoying my ggs every morning! Do you have a recommendation about Vitamin D supplements? Do you agree with taking them in what quantity? Thank you!
Hi Kimberly,
love your book!!!, I have cut milk a while ago and started drinking soy, but after reading your book, I cut that out and love almond milk now. But I can’t cut my one coffee in the morning. I drink the glowing green smoothie then I crave the coffee after, I still have it with half and half. How can I cut this out?
Thanks
Tanya
Hi Kim, with regard to ‘grazing’ is it ok to have some fruit inbetween GGS and lunch? I used to graze all the time thinking it was a good thing to do, boy was I wrong! It’s taking quite a bit of will power to stop it, but I’m getting there!
Jenni x
Hi Kimberly,
I’m 44, female and 10 lbs overweight. I’ve tried everything to get those 10 lbs off from running marathons to preciselt food combining. I’m trying your plan (Radiant Beauty) and I’ve finally lost 2 lbs- yay!
My only question is why am I so hungry and will I stay like this? It kinda feels like dieting. I have the glowing green smoothie for breakfast but I’m starved by 11:00 and am tired all afternoon. Before, even though I was heavier, I had tons of energy. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
DJ
Hi Kimberly, are you familiar with the work of a dentist named Dr. Weston Price? He traveled the world and found native populations that were extremely healthy. One of the groups was found in the Swiss Valley and they consumed mostly dairy but were healthy. Also, Europeans like French/Italians etc. consume dairy but are not obese like Americans. So, shouldn’t you say that pasteurized, commercial dairy is bad, not dairy that’s organic and grass-fed?
I don’t understand #3. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day by far. I agree that you shouldn’t eat huge calorie dense breakfasts, but that doesn’t make eating in general any less important. After sleeping your body requires nutrients more so than any other time of day and the bioavailability of nutrients in for your breakfast meal is substantially higher than the bioavailability of the rest of your meals during the day. If you spent 8 hours not eating during the day, would you spend 3 more hours not eating because you ‘weren’t very hungry?’ I hope not. You may not be hungry right when you wake up (due to your body having been inactive and in sleep mode for so long) but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t anything at all.
She just wants to be different from everyone else and have her own theories. She didn’t use any science or results based ideas. I do everything on this “do not do” list and I’m losing weight. Count calories, have a high dairy diet, have a lot of small meals, and have a good breakfast that’s full of vitamins and good carbs. If these tricks weren’t popular, then they wouldn’t work. Everyone just wants a pill they can take now but a steady (steady = everyday) diet and exercise is the only thing that has a 100% success rate. If wasn’t hard to do, everyone would do it.
well you have to sustain it over a long term though too
it’s not about what’s working or not, it’s about what is healthy for your body. There are plenty of unhealthy methods that will slim you down effectively.
Regarding good food pairings, what should goat feta be considered? A protein or a fat?
i know from reading her book all diary is considered protein except butter
Caloric restriction may have its evolutionary roots as a survival mechanism, allowing species to survive on scraps when food is scarce in order to continue to reproduce. But that restriction only has lasting positive effects if the overall diet is a balanced one, which may not always be the case in conditions of famine. (That also explains why anorexia is so unhealthy: people who starve themselves become malnourished). It’s possible the strategy developed as a way to protect species from consuming toxic plants or foods, when it wasn’t always obvious which sources were verboten..’`-
Hey Kimberly, what is a healthy alternative to casein? I want something to finish my day off with – a time released protein (so my body is relaxing throughout the night while having my muscles fueled but I def don’t do dairy or processed junk. Thank youuuuu
Also, some advice on a healthy protein powder would be greatly appreciated <3
Hi Ericka,
I like the Gardens of Life – Raw Protein, you can check them out!