Create & Live the Alternatives

Your actions align with your mindset about an issue or circumstance. We offered you the opportunity to explore your relationship to food in the SEE Your Eating Pattern Section.  We would like to address a couple of issues & concerns here that come up pretty regularly.

• I don’t have the time.

• I don’t have the money.

• There are “bad”, forbidden foods.

• I have to do it perfectly, 100% of the time.

We offer you to explore alternative views below, AND we recommend you explore these aspects further using the Taking Command of Your Habits Lifebook, if you have not already!  The Lifebook has been specially designed to have you work through these issues so you can see all the aspects that influence the habit.  In particular focus on SEE My Unseen Agreements & Commitments AND SEE the Whole Story portions of the Lifebook!  Consider the following to challenge your views.

Time

• How much time are you spending preparing the pre-packaged foods or driving, waiting to be served/checked out now? Could you prepare multiple meals and freeze them?  Are you able and willing to purchase pre-cut/washed vegetables?

• What is your priority?  Can you spend less time doing another activity?  Can you combine your goal of preparing food with connecting with friends/family and prepare meals together?  What are 3 activities that you would be willing to postpone or give up to allow for more time for cooking/food prep?

• Share the load! Team up with neighbors/friends/family/children.  Who really likes cooking and might be willing to cook for you if you do something for them?

• We will offer some other time saving options in other areas.

Money

• How much money would you save in the long run if by changing the way you eat saved you a co-pay on one or multiple medications, saved you from having surgery or hospitalization, or extended the length & quality of your life.

• Get real about your budget.  Take a look at where you spend your money.  Are you buying food at convenience stores or expensive coffee shops or vending machines?  Do you eat out regularly? Where are 3 areas that you are willing to spend less money that would allow you to spend more on food?

• We will offer some other money saving options in other sections.

Bad/Forbidden Foods

• We invite you to give up labeling foods as bad, illegal, or forbidden!  This becomes self-sabotaging.   There is simply the choice of what is good for your health & well-being and what is not.  Notice and explore when you have reactions of guilt, anger, failure, cheating, etc around your food choices!

• We invite you to give up guilt over food.  What you have eaten in the past is done and over.  The guilt causes a stress reaction in your body, which makes you ill.

• We invite you to give up celebrating and rewarding yourself with food.  Begin looking for other ways to reward yourself.

• We invite you to focus on the foods that you can eat, instead of those you “cannot”.  Focusing on what you “cannot” eat creates a scarcity mentality and stress response in the brain.  You begin to have tunnel vision, you have more difficulty focusing on your commitment and wellness.

Perfectionism

For some people it is all or nothing – if I don’t accomplish this 100% of the time I am a failure.  This change will be a process.  Adopt the 80/20 rule.  Begin with what would it take to eat this way 80% of the time and work your way up.  You will make mistakes as well.  You will forget something.  Take each of those as learning opportunities rather than “failures”.  [Of note – if you have significant inflammatory process, we HIGHLY recommend you accomplish as close to 100% compliance with the anti-inflammatory eating pattern for 30-90 days to see the most rapid improvement]

Consider these mindsets as you approach this change.

• My health and well-being is a priority, therefore food is a priority.

• I deserve to be well and to eat food that creates wellness.

• Food is fuel for my body.

• I am making progress every day and am learning something new each day that forwards my well-being.

• Food preparation is restorative and fun!  It is a form of self-expression!

In all likelihood, you need a environment makeover!  To be successful in modifying your eating pattern, you will need to look your environment, especially your kitchen.  You will want to check  the food in your pantry/fridge, the food storage you have on hand, and the food prep items you have.

Also take some time to consider other areas of your environment – your workplace, your kids activities, after-work activities that include food/eating. In this portion of the module we will offer tips and suggestions that will increase your success as you begin to make your lifestyle modifications!

For some, this can be a challenging activity that brings up concerns and issues around food.  Notice your reactions as you complete this activity.  Use the Taking Command of Your Habits Lifebook to support you in seeing the source of some of these reactions!  Remind yourself of your commitment to your wellness by referring to your completed Living My Commitment to Wellness form!

Being noticing triggers in your environment that trigger you to eat certain foods, especially addictive, hyperpalatable foods.

Schedule a time each week to spend 30-60 minutes preparing your menu and shopping list [links provided below] for all of the meals for the next week.  Make this a recurring appointment and keep the appointment.  If it doesn’t work in that spot one week, move it to another time.  Do the same for grocery shopping!

Plan for time for meal preparation, which will vary depending on the individual (2-4 hours):

• If you are willing and able to buy vegetables that are already cut up, washed, etc. you will have less prep time.

• Are you willing and able to spend 1 day each month preparing a large amount of food and freezing them?

  • Meats and Fish can be grilled, broiled, etc – then frozen

  • Vegetables can be blanched or roasted, then frozen

  • Soups and Stews without pasta and rice freeze well!

• Are you willing and able to spend 20-30 minutes each day to prepare a meal?  You may need less time in this weekly prep chunk if you are willing to do this.

In this section, we will talk about how to approach buying food in general.  We will offer you alternatives to shopping at the grocery store that might make this transition a bit easier and maybe less expensive.

Grocery Store Savvy

Grocery stores are set up to influence your buying decisions – to have you buy items that you had no intention of buying.  The produce is put at the entrance, and the ice cream at the end, knowing that consumers are more likely to buy ice cream if they have purchased healthier food options while shopping.  Healthier options are becoming more readily available, but until the grocery stores catch up with your eating preferences, be aware of the marketing techniques that may be used to influence your decisions. Be skeptical of labels that read “healthy”.

When shopping at a typical grocery store, stick to the perimeter as much as possible. That is where you will find the food that has less processing. Only a few of the inside aisles will have items you need (rice, quinoa, etc.).  Always use your list for these items.

When selecting food that is packaged or processed, always read the label.  Here are some tips for buying the healthiest foods:

• Look at the ingredient list first.  If the list is long or includes words that you cannot pronounce or don’t know what it is, consider an alternative choice.

• Use the names for sugar list to know the names for added/hidden sugar.

• Avoid products that have sugar listed in the first 5 ingredients.

• Avoid foods labeled as fat-free, low-fat, sugar-free.

• Be skeptical of foods labeled as “healthy”, as they are often low-fat, high carbohydrate options.

• Avoid breads that have enriched flour as this is processed flour.

• Use caution with foods labeled gluten-free.  These foods may still include sugar.

• Buy frozen over canned.  Some frozen foods may be more nutritious than even fresh, because it is frozen immediately after picking, whereas “fresh” may travel across the country before it reaches you.  Look at the ingredient list – avoid sauces and seasoning, avoid added sugar/juices.

• Look at meat labels (especially frozen) for additives.  Sandwich meats often have added sugar and preservatives.

• Notice what environmental cues trigger buying decisions and develop a plan to overcome these obstacles to your wellness!

Buying in season – cheaper and healthier.  Buy local, organic whenever possible – check out Farmer’s Markets.  Look at local farmers – they often sell directly to the public.  Buy a lot of vegetables when they are in season and freeze.  Freezing locks in nutrients better than canning.

• Bell peppers and onions can be chopped up and frozen without other preparation. These work well for using in cooked foods like chili, spaghetti, omelets, etc

• Roasted brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and spagetti squash freeze well

• Bake sweet potatoes and either slice or mash, then freeze.

• Bake apples, mash and you have applesauce that freezes well!

• Make soups – broth based soups without noodles or rice freeze well!

Buy Grass-fed Meat and Eggs in Bulk from Local farmer’s to save money and get amazing quality.

Order pantry foods online!  Look at Thrive Market.  With membership, you can receive discounts on foods that are typically sold at health foods stores (like Whole Foods).

For cost savings – Look for sales.  Buy in bulk.  Avoid single serving items (buy in bulk and put into containers at home). Stores like Costco, BJs and Sam’s are carrying more and more health food items.  Read the labels to be certain the back label matches the claims on the front label!

Look for local cooking services that deliver fresh, prepared foods to your home, work or other location.  These are not inexpensive, but may be helpful for weeks when you are not able to prepare for yourself.

Friend Power over Will Power

So often in our modern society, we feel like we have to do it all by ourselves!  We have gone away from the lifestyle of extended families living close together and communities that work together to reach a common goal.

How can you create a tribe?  Where can you find like-minded people, who are seeking to create the same lifestyle changes that you are? Can you create a “support” group where you generate ideas/strategies for success, share recipes, and hold each other accountable to your goals?

Are there other families that you can work with? Could you have cooking parties with some of your best friends – be social while working together?  Could you exchange services with someone who cooks healthy meals?

Begin to look around for ways to create your tribe and share what you are committed to regarding your eating pattern!

Your current tribe is used to your current behaviors and your previous commitments.  Sharing your commitment with them will allow them to support you.  You may make new requests of them that you have not made before.  Things to consider that may have you be more successful:

• Do family events or social events revolve around food that doesn’t fit into your new lifestyle, including eating out?

• What strategies might you develop to allow you to eat the foods that support wellness?

• What conversations can you have with family and friends?

• Can you have more gatherings at home where you have more control over what is served?

• If eating out, can you choose a restaurant that you know serves whole foods with minimal processing? If not, can you look at the menu ahead of time to know what fits into your plan?

Who do you know that has been successful in making this lifestyle modification that you can strategize with and learn what worked for them?

We use the term eating pattern purposefully, because we don’t want this to be confused with a “diet”.  Many people think of a “diet” as something that is short-term and that can be stopped once they reach their goals.

To Take Command of Your Inflammation, this will be a lifestyle change-an eating pattern for a lifetime.  Use this eating pattern for a minimum of 3 weeks, preferably 1 month before making adding any gluten, dairy or other foods not listed. You may be able to make adjustments as you reach your wellness goals, but you will need to monitor for recurrent symptoms!

If you are completing the Taking Command of Your Eating Pattern Module, the Anti-Inflammatory Diet is very healthy, but may be more restrictive than where you want to start.  Use it as a guide to build on!

A healthy eating pattern consists of healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates.  The carbohydrates are primarily from vegetables and low glycemic index fruits.  Removing pro-inflammatory foods will be imperative for your success in reducing inflammation. In this section we provide the guidelines for optimal food choices for Taking Command of Your Inflammation.  We also provide a shopping list and menu options to support your success!

Foods to Eliminate:

The foods listed below are pro-inflammatory and should be eliminated for a minimum of 30 days.

• Sugar in all forms, including sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, and brown sugar.

• Artificial sweeteners (sucralose, maltodextrin, saccharin, aspartame, Sweet ‘n’ Low, Splenda, Equal)

• Gluten-containing grains: avoid foods which contain wheat, oats, rye, spelt, kamut, bulgur, couscous, and barley. This includes pastas, bread, crackers, cereals, and other products made from these grains. Gluten-free whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat may be consumed in moderation, if tolerated by the individual—consider removing these completely for at least 30 days to monitor your tolerance.  Review this list of sources of Gluten.

• Beans/Legumes unless vegetarian.

• Dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Review this list of sources of dairy.

• All alcohol

• All caffeine-containing beverages including coffee, tea and soda

• Soy protein, including soy milk, soybean oil, tofu and tempeh

• Desserts (chocolate. candy, cakes, cookies)

• Fried foods

• Hydrogenated oils (corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil)—these oils are pro-inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids that contribute to inflammation.

• Margarine

• Peanuts/peanut butter (high allergen legumes)

• Packaged fruit and vegetable juices

SAMPLE BREAKFAST MENUS

• 2-3 hard boiled eggs with ½ grapefruit

• ⅔ cup hot quinoa cereal or gluten free steel cut oats, 1 scoop protein powder (about 8 to 10 grams), ½ cup berries, and a small handful of walnuts or pecans

• 2-3 eggs scrambled with onion and/or garlic and/or broccoli

• Add leftover salmon with sautéed veggies, stir to heat up, add condiments/spices

• 2 to 3 poached eggs over a bed of fresh spinach and sliced tomato

• 2 to 3 slices turkey bacon with leftover veggies from night before or sliced tomato and avocado

SAMPLE LUNCH AND DINNER MENUS

Option one

• Green salad with sprouts, extra virgin olive oil, basil, & squeezed lemon or lime

• Baked cod topped with avocado salsa: Chop: 1 avocado, 1 tomato, ½ cup red onion, add ½ cup capers (drained), ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ½ tsp. cumin, ⅛ tsp. cayenne and 2 tablespoons lime juice.

Option two

• 1 cup vegetable soup

• Chopped cabbage with chicken and apple cider vinegar (can use leftover grilled chicken)

Option three

• Shrimp and vegetables: Sauté fresh tail-on shrimp and chopped garlic in a pan with coconut oil, over moderate heat. Roughly chop 5-10 different vegetables and lightly stir-fry with freshly grated ginger and 1/2 cup cooked buckwheat or zucchini noodles, lightly drizzle sesame oil

Option four

• Baby greens salad with extra virgin olive oil & squeezed lemon or lime

• Grilled buffalo or beef burger on a baked or grilled portabella mushroom

• Mixed roasted vegetables: Roast combination of cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts

Option five

• Beet greens with extra virgin olive oil & squeezed lemon or lime

• Wild salmon, steamed or grilled

• Steamed beets (steam 20-30 minutes or until soft, then peel off skin)

Option six

• Mixed greens salad with extra virgin olive oil or lemon flavored flax seed oil

• Broiled chicken with peppers: Roughly chop: green, yellow & red peppers, onion and mushrooms; toss lightly with extra virgin olive oil & chopped garlic

• 1/2 cup wild brown rice.

Option seven

• Steamed veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots). Drizzle with olive oil and lemon after steamed.

• Baked cod topped with tomato pesto

Option eight

• Roasted green beans

• Grilled turkey breast with sage

• 1/2 baked sweet potato

Option nine

• Baked sole with lemon

• 1/2 cup baked acorn or butternut squash

• Steamed green & yellow beans, topped with flax oil

Option ten

• Steamed kale

• Grilled chicken with garlic pesto: Mince 2 cloves of garlic and add to ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil with some finely chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp of dried basil. Spread garlic-basil mixture on chicken breasts and allow to marinate while preparing the rest of dinner. Grill.

Option eleven

• 1 cup hearty vegetable soup

• Grilled salmon

• Steamed artichoke with lemon

Option twelve

• 3 to 4 oz chicken salad (made with olive oil instead of mayonnaise) wrapped in a large lettuce leaf. Feel free to add grated carrots, avocado, or other veggie of your choice.

Option thirteen

• Large mixed green salad with veggies of your choice, 3 to 4 oz grilled chicken or fish, topped with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and herbs of choice.

KID-FRIENDLY MENU IDEAS

• Brown ground turkey, sauté veggies, add tomato sauce and heat through, serve with spaghetti squash or quinoa spaghetti noodles

• Mashed sweet potato or parsnips with or without olive oil and cut up chicken

• Grilled chicken or fish and cut up mango in small corn tortillas. (May add chopped onion, tomato, and cilantro if tolerated)

There are lots of books, cookbooks, and websites available that have menus that support this eating pattern.  Here are a few recommendations:

Eat Fat, Get Thin by Mark Hyman, MD (cookbook available as well)

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

HEALTHY SNACK OPTIONS

• 1 piece of fruit and 10 to 12 almonds, walnuts or pecans

• Beef or turkey jerky

• Cut up carrots or bell pepper with 1 to 2 Tbs hummus

• Apple slices or celery sticks with 1 Tbs almond or sunflower seed butter

• Turkey Roll Up: Chop up tomato, cucumber, and ¼ avocado, grate a carrot, and add to the middle of a slice of nitrate free turkey. Roll the turkey around the ingredients and you have a turkey roll up. Variation: add salsa or hummus

• Can of wild salmon or sardines

• hard-boiled eggs

• whole food protein bar

When transforming your eating pattern, you may find it difficult find foods at restaurants, particularly fast food, that fit into this healthy eating pattern.  A large percentage of the foods that are available when eating out are highly processed and contain lots of sugar/carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and sodium.  These foods often “hyperpalatable”, triggering the pleasure/reward centers in the brain and may lead to addictive behaviors.  This is particularly true of fast foods!  “Healthy” at a restaurant is likely to be lower fat, higher carbohydrate options.

Portion sizes are larger than you might serve yourself at home.  There are triggers in the environment that make it harder to resist the tempting food and to resist eating more than you intend.  We recommend you complete the Taking Command of Your Habits Lifebook around eating out if you eat out regularly.  That activity will support you in SEEing some components of this habit you weren’t aware of yet and allow you to choose new actions.

More and more restaurants offer paleo or gluten free options.  Do your research!  If you are doing the gradual approach to change, begin making these modifications in your food choices at restaurants.  Each step along the way is important in achieving lifestyle modifications.  The information below is provided to support your decision making when you are eating out!

• Review the menu online before going. Look for:  fresh, local, seasonal, organic, grass-fed, fresco, baja-style, or ingredients on the shopping list.

• Avoid going to the restaurant when you are “starving”. Eat a small snack [thumb size portion of nuts; nut butter with apple slices; few slices of avocado, etc] when you become hungry, then have a smaller meal when you arrive at the restaurant.

• Eat Mindfully. Eat slowly, savoring the food. Be grateful for foods.  Notice when you are no longer hungry.  Notice when you are 80% full and stop eating then. [More on this in our 28 day Mindful Eating Challenge]

• Choose grilled, broiled, or Baja-style fish and chicken. Avoid “crispy” fish/chicken, fritters/hush puppies.

• Reduce/minimize rice and pasta.

• Be mindful of salads that may look healthy, but have lots of sauces, fats. Consider a build your own salad option.  Request no dressing be added to salad; Use Olive oil and lemon as dressing.

• Load up on veggies! Ask for double vegetables instead of rice, potatoes, and other starchy foods.    Request steamed or raw vegetables with no sauces spices.

• Never eat carbs alone! Always include foods with protein, fiber, and healthy fat with your carbohydrates.

• Share the meal with the person you are eating with.

• Replace chips with vegetables or fruit

• Remember that “healthy” in most restaurants includes high carbohydrate, low fat. Be mindful that studies show that when a food/restaurant is labeled healthy, we tend to eat more calories.

• Ask about condiments – use mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil instead of mayonnaise and ketchup.

• Hold cheese.

• Choose black beans over refried.

• Choose lettuce wrapped “sandwiches” or open-faced sandwiches to reduce bread.

• Pizza – some restaurants offer gluten free crust. Do thin crust/flatbreatd option with lots of vegetables!  Use ham, Canadian bacon, leaner meats over high-fat meats.

• Choose broth-based soups over cream-based.  Mexican restaurants often have amazing chicken soups!

Not sure you are willing to make all of these changes all at once?  We don’t recommend doing so!  Unless you have an auto-immune disease, cancer, or other life altering illness, you can make the changes more gradually over time.  Our goal is sustainability, not radical changes that overwhelm or stop you!  Below we offer a week by week plan to support you in adding small changes to your eating pattern over time!

The intention is to begin with one item and do that ongoingly, adding one item each week and continuing with that until you have accomplished the goals you wish to accomplish.  This is to be used as a guide – feel free to change the order or skip things that you either don’t wish to incorporate or already do!

What get measured gets done!  Monitoring and measuring help you know if you are really honoring your commitment and helps you know what progress you are making.

You may wish to utilize apps like My Fitness Pal or Fitbit to track your food intake and keep you accountable.  You may also wish to use the Monitoring tool provided in the Taking Command of Your Habits Lifebook.  You could also check off what you ate on your menu (add in other foods you ate).

Each week we invite you to do the Authenticity Assessment, also provided in the Taking Command of Your Habits Lifebook, to get real with yourself.

Mid-way and at the end of your designated time period, re-do your Symptom Assessment to assess your progress!