Researchers know that certain vitamins are better absorbed when in a natural state, combined with other ingredients (see "RAW code" vitamins for instance). God combined the nutrients we need in many different forms in fruits and vegetables. Aim for 1 lb of raw vegetables and 1 lb of cooked vegetables per day. Other foods to eat freely include beans, legumes, sprouts, and fruits (at least 4 per day). Some of the most nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods you can eat are G-BOMBS: Greens, Beans, Onions (and garlic), Mushrooms, Berries (and pomegranate), Seeds (and nuts) (see Toxic Hunger). Foods that should be limited are cooked, starchy vegetables, or whole grains (max=1 cup); raw nuts and seeds (max=1 oz); dried fruit (max=2 T); and ground flaxseeds (max=1 T). 

         Avoid dairy. Dairy has been promoted as a health food, but studies show cow’s milk protein (casein) causes cancer cells to increase in size, and when there is a cessation in casein consumption, cancer tumor cells recede (The China Study, T. Colin Campbell). But what about calcium? Can we really get enough calcium without dairy? Absolutely. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH, triggering the body to neutralize the acid. The body does this by using the body's stores of calcium (primarily in the bones), and then the calcium leaves the bones via the urine. We are left with a negative calcium balance, meaning our bodies excreted more calcium than we consumed. Since vegetables have better calcium absorbtion rates, and they do not leech calcium from our bones, the calcium retention from vegetables is much higher. All green leafy vegetables are high in calcium, and hummus is another high in calcium food that my children love. Here is a table of calcium in plant foods. In addition, prostate and ovarian cancers, multiple sclerosos, and type 1 diabetes (through molecular mimicry) are brought on by calcium consumption (see 12 Frightening Facts). 

         Avoid animal protein. While giving extremely high doses of aflatoxin to rats (a very powerful carcinogen for that species), adjusting animal protein intake to 5% instead of 20% of total calories had the ability to shut down the chemical carcinogen, preventing the cancer from forming and even making the cancer completely disappear (see The China Study and an online summary). Plant protein did not have the same effect. One of the many negative effects of consuming animal protein is increased production of the hormone IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor), which has been shown to "promote the growth, proliferation and spread of cancer cells..."(Animal Protein). Recent studies suggest that "regularly eating meat promotes the growth of gut bacteria that can metabolize canitine into a heart-disease promoting substance (Koeth RA, Wang Z, Levison BS, et al. Intestinal microbiota metabolism of L-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis. Nat Med 2013).  Furthermore, "elevated levels of protein...can cause kidney damage, liver problems, kidney stones, excess fat gain, contribute to the damaging of the lining of artery walls, lead to plaque build up in arteries, result in lethargy, diminish bone density, and cause a host of other health problems" (No Whey). "Animal protein has been shown for many many years [to be] a very significant inducer of higher cholesterol levels; more than saturated fat and [that is] being ignored" (Disease factors). Too often people avoid red meat, moving to chicken and fish, but it's the animal protein itself that increases cholesterol levels. The problem with eating animal protein is that when you eat 500 calories of meat and dairy products throughout the day, it directly replaces 500 calories of apples or broccoli or kale. 15 cups of kale is also 500 calories! Just think of all the pytonutrients you are missing out on by filling up on high-calorie animal proteins rather than phytonutrient-rich, living foods! Also, as you eat plants, you get a lot of protein, even enough for world-class athletes. 3 oz of Chicken has 26.2 g of protein, 1 cup of soybeans has 28.6 g.  3 oz of beef short loin has 19.8 g and 3 oz of almonds have 18.2 g. 1% Milk and frozen peas have identical protein amounts (full table in The End of Dieting, p. 50). We now know that compination of amino acids to make "complete proteins" is not a worry. This was only adopted for a short time by the ADA, who then wrote there was "no need to complement proteins," and "the definitive contemporary guide to protein metabolism in humans...also confirmed that complementing proteins at meals was totally unnecessary" (Maurer, Donna. Vegetarianism: Movement or moment? Temple University Press, 2002, p.38). Even the original source of the theory changed her position, stating "there is little danger of protein deficiency in a plant food diet" Lappe, Frances Moore, 1981, Diet for a Small Planet, p. 162). 

         Finally, avoid between meal snacks. Not eating between meals allows the digestive system to rest, leaving time for the body to repair itself. Furthermore, snacking is usually brought on by toxic hunger and leads people to consume more calories than they need. A “grumbling stomach, headaches, light-headedness, irritability, fatigue, and an inability to focus” are symptoms of toxic hunger (Toxic Hunger). “The typical Western diet is loaded with calorie dense processed foods, oils, sweeteners, and animal products; regular consumption of these foods results in inflammation, oxidative stress, and accumulation of toxic metabolites,” so toxic hunger is “actually symptoms of withdrawal produced by the body’s attempts to detoxify the wastes produced by harmful, low-nutrient foods” (Ibid.). Real hunger is “mainly felt in the mouth and throat and upper chest area, rather than the head and stomach” (Ibid.). I used to get low blood sugar really easily, and thought it was just a result of a fast metabolism. Since changing to a whole-food-plant-based diet, I have no issues with blood sugar unless I have recently eaten the standard western diet. 

         Through following these principles of health, we sustain our body, giving it what it needs to fight disease and repair itself. I've provided the recipes below because I know that vegetables and other whole foods can be fun, exciting, and flavorful. Let's enjoy health together!