The 80 - 20 Ratio?!

The best way to have a healthy diet is to make sure we eat 80 percent alkaline-forming foods and only 20 percent acid-forming foods. The truly alkaline foods are mainly ripe fruits and vegetables (excluding starchy ones like potatoes). 
Here is a list of alkaline-forming foods:

- Most ripe FRUITS including: 

 Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

Non Starchy VEGETABLES

Alfalfa

Barley Grass

Beet Greens

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Chard Greens

Chlorella

Collard Greens

Cucumber

Dandelions

Dulce

Edible Flowers

Eggplant

Fermented Veggies

Garlic

Green Beans

Green Peas

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Mustard Greens

Nightshade Veggies

Onions

Parsnips (high glycemic)

Peas

Peppers

Pumpkin

Radishes

Rutabaga

Sea Veggies

Spinach, green

Spirulina

Sprouts

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Watercress

Wheat Grass

Wild Greens

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES

Daikon

Dandelion Root

Kombu

Maitake

Nori

Reishi

Shitake

Umeboshi

Wakame

Fat Fat Fat!

You could still eat fats, but in moderation... and more importantly, choose healthy fats rather than saturated and trans fats!
There are three major types of fats:

- Saturated Fats: which are found in meats and dairy as well as some plant sources like coconut oil.

- Unsaturated Fats: These are known as 'heart-healthy fats', these are found in plant sources such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, as well as fish.

- Trans-fatty acids: This is by far the worst kind of fat! These unsaturated fats that have undergone a process known as hydrogenation.

Here is where you can get healthy (plant-based) fats that are good for you:

- Avocados

-Raw, cold pressed oils: The best types of oil are unrefined coconut oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, hemp seed oil, borage seed oil, and sunflower oil.

-Nuts and seeds: make sure to soak them overnight to remove inhibitor enzymes which make them more difficult to digest.

Beauty Rule # 7

Fruit should be eaten only on an empty stomach

Fruits are 'pure' foods that are easy to digest but that are full o nutrients, vitamins, and minerals as well as water! However, WHEN we eat fruit is just as important as EATING fruit.
Try to have it in the morning on an empty stomach, this way, you can digest them in 20- 30 minutes and move on to planning your next meal. So for example, avoid having them (as a fruit salad for example) after your meal as dessert! If the fruits have to sit on top of you previous meal in your stomach, by the time it digests, it will have fermented and acidified!

Beauty Rule # 6

Fats should be eaten moderately with protein (both animal and fat) but are okay to eat with carbohydrates. 

Even if you are eating a raw meal, it is best that you do not mix fats with proteins. One example is a salad that has avocado (plant fat) with nuts (plant protein). This complicates digestion, and could prevent efficient weight loss.


Please note that many ideas in this blog are taken from Kimberly Snyder's The Beauty Detox Solution 

Faisal's modified diet!

It seems that Faisal thinks the diet below is too complicated for his liking. So I will try to modify it to someone, like him, who is continuously eating out, ordering food, and never has to the time to prepare a home made meal for himself/herself.

It is the same diet posted earlier, but with some modifications that makes it 'easier' to follow, at least in his definition!

General Note: Make sure you start your day with 1-2 cups of water as soon as you open your eyes. Remember, your body has been water deprived for the last 8 hours!

Day1: 

Breakfast: cereal with milk or (a low fat energy bar if necessary… read ingredients, many brands are deceiving… and to be honest, I would rather you not rely on them at all, this is in case of emergency…)

Snack 1: fruit (apple, banana, mango… etc).

NOTE: cut down on coffee to one cup a day. Max, and never have it after 5 p.m. at the latest.

Lunch: A sandwich (make sure you add some greens and veggies to it). Avoid real heavy sandwiches like meat ball, steak sandwich, terryaki chicken...etc, you get the picture!

NOTE: avoid chocolates, chips, and bisects for now...

Dinner: vegetables (any non-starchy veg) with protein

Snack 3 (if necessary): green salad, or nibble organic baby carrots (that is what my husband lives on at night)… etc..

Day 2:

Breakfast: Eggs with whole wheat or multi grain bread. You could always include tomatoes or mushrooms with it.

NOTE: always opt for brown/ whole wheat or multi grain bread instead of white bread.

Snack 1: Milk smoothie a little organic honey and 2 types of fruit (max).

Lunch: Penne Arrabiata. 

Snack 2: Green Salad

Early Dinner: Protein (meat, fish, or chicken) with veggies.

Day 3:

Breakfast: Green smoothie, if not possible, if you cant prepare it, go for cereal and milk.
NOTE: try almond milk, it is healthy and light.

Snack 1: Greek yogurt with berries/ mangos… etc

Lunch: Green salad, and a source of protein (meat, fish, or chicken).

NOTE: do not mix dairy and animal protein together on the same meal, your body is dealing enough with one of them as is…

Snack 2: fruit

Dinner: Green salad.

Note: your Salads do not have to be boring. Change them up a little every day. I will attached different salad recipes at a later stage so you could get an idea of how yummy they can be! But avoid heavy dressings like Caesar and ranch dressings.

Snack 3: Home made pop corn! (and no, microwaved pop corn is not home made even if you make it at home!)

Now you come up with more food combinations and send them my way!

Beauty Rule # 1

Our bodies are not meant to digest all kinds of foods together...

There is a difference between foods depending on the water content. What does this mean?

Basically, "concentrated foods are foods that do not contain any water. They include all proteins and starches. Non concentrated foods are water-containing foods." (Kimberly Snyder, The Beauty Detox Solution).

Non Concentrated Foods: Ripe fruit, Non-Starch Vegetables.

Concentrated Foods: All Starches (grains, starchy vegetables, breads... etc) and All Proteins (fish, chicken, meat, seeds, nuts... etc).

So how does this apply to your every day diet?

Since the stomach produces specific juices to digest concentrated foods that differ from non-concentrated foods, we should be careful not to mix a large combination of concentrated foods together, especially if the meal does not contain any non-concentrated foods!

Dont get me wrong, "we can handle most concentrated foods pretty well, but we can only eat one type at a time in order to maximize digestion"(Kimberly Snyder, The Beauty Detox Solution).

Faisal's 1 week food schedule

My brother is over for a visit, and while he was here, I got to watch his diet and eating habits. After seeing how conscious I have become about my own health and eating habits, he asked for some advice regarding his. After some observation and consideration, I have put together the schedule below.

The point of it is not loosing weight per say, but to get him to eat more often, less quantities, and 'healthier' (in comparison to his current diet) foods. He currently lives on his own and is always on the run, so I know that he does not have the luxury of preparing meals. As a result, I tried to make it as simple and 'on the go' kind of schedule as possible. 

The idea behind is is to get him to realize that eating healthier does not mean he has to starve, eat boring stuff, or live off of celery sticks! Just make sure to focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and having one portion (preferably not more) of animal or dairy protein a day. 

If you are like him, and in need for a rather 'healthier' eating schedule (than your current one at least), try this and let me know what you think...  :)

Day1: Make sure you start your day with 1-2 cups of water as soon as you open your eyes. Remember, your body has been water deprived for the last 8 hours!

Breakfast: cereal with milk or (a low fat energy bar if necessary… read ingredients, many brands are deceiving… and to be honest, I would rather you not rely on them at all, this is in case of emergency…)

Snack 1: fruit (apple, banana, mango… etc).

NOTE: cut down on coffee to one cup a day. Max, and never have it after 5 p.m. at the latest.

Lunch: Green salad, a source of carbs (brown/ wild rice, potato, quinoa..etc), and a source of protein (meat, fish, or chicken).

Snack 2: another fruit (different type than snack 1).

Dinner: vegetables (any non-starchy veg) with a tiny portion of protein if necessary! (Leftovers from lunch for example)

Snack 3 (if necessary): green salad, or snack on carrots… etc..

Day 2

Breakfast: Eggs with whole wheat or multi grain bread. You could always include tomatoes or mushrooms with it.

NOTE: always opt for brown/ whole wheat or multi grain bread instead of white bread.

Snack 1: Milk smoothie a little organic honey and 2 types of fruit (max).

Lunch: Green salad (add some nuts to it), a plant based protein (any legume; chickpeas, any type of bean, lentil… etc). 

Snack 2:  Greek yogurt with berries/ mangos… etc

Early Dinner: Green salad with a source of carbs (brown/ wild rice, potato, quinoa..etc), and a source of protein (meat, fish, or chicken).

Snack 3: green salad, or snack on carrots, or non-microwavable popcorn… etc..

Day 3.

Breakfast: Green smoothie, if not possible, have a fruit salad or 2 separate ripe fruits.

Snack 1: nibble on a variety of vegetables with a light dip (carrots, celery, broccoli, cherry tomatoes…etc).

Lunch: Green salad, a small source of carbs (brown/ wild rice, potato, quinoa..etc), and a source of protein (meat, fish, or chicken).

NOTE: do not mix dairy and animal protein together on the same meal, your body is dealing enough with one of them as is…

Snack 2: fruit

Dinner: Green salad.

Note: your salads do not have to be boring. Change them up a little every day. I will attached different salad recipes at a later stage so you could get an idea of how yummy they can be!

Snack 3: Mixed raw vegetables.

Day 4.

Breakfast: cereal and milk

Snack 1: fruit

Lunch: Green salad, a small source of carbs (brown/ wild rice, potato, quinoa..etc)/

NOTE: Snack 2: mixed vegetables (non starchy).

Dinner: brown bread pizza with one type of protein.

Note: once a week, you could change up the routine a little, but remember, stick to fruits and vegetables, and small portions but multiple portions.

Snack 3: another type of fruit.

Day 5

Breakfast: fruit

Snack 1: turkey or beef sandwich with veggies in brown or multi grain bread.

Lunch: Green salad

NOTE: if you have a heavy breakfast (with protein) skip a big lunch

Snack 2: fruit

Dinner: Green salad with grilled chicken breast.

Note: avoid Caesar or ranch dressings at night (though you like them), the dressing would have tons of calories on it’s own!

Snack 3: Mixed raw vegetables with a light dip.

Day 6

Breakfast: Labaneh with olives, tomatoes, and thyme.

OR: cheese with honey, grapes, apple, or berries.

Snack 1: fruit

Note: you already had a portion of animal protein in the morning. Avoid having it again at lunch.

Lunch: A BIG green salad.

Snack 2: baked potatoes or another starchy plant based snack like brown rice.

Dinner: a small grilled chicken breast or fish with vegetables.  

Snack 3:  a fruit (if necessary).

Day 7: You now get the hang of it. Design your meals for this day on your own and show me ;)

Breakfast:

Snack 1:

Lunch:

NOTE:

Snack 2:

Dinner:

Note:

Snack 3: