WHERE TO BEGIN:
A Day in the Life of the
Body Ecology Program
A very important aspect of digestion is eating the right foods at the right times.
In this chapter you’ll find some simple guidelines for how to get started with Body Ecology’s way of eating, and the kinds of foods that work best at different points in the day.
Morning
When we wake up in the morning, our bodies are dehydrated, contracted, and naturally acidic. We also need energy to start our day. With the Principle of Balance to guide us, it will be best to drink liquids that hydrate us while giving us energy, that relax us a little, and that also help us become more alkaline. Our bodies are still waking up and need time to get into full gear, so nutritionally dense, easy-to-digest, liquidy foods and drinks are a must.
What would the perfect beginning to the day look like?
First, drink several glasses of water. Nothing hydrates like water, and water with minerals added to help alkalize is best.
Then, drink a “probiotic juice” that acts as an adrenal tonic and also provides the “sweet taste” you need when you are too contracted. Choose a sour juice such as cranberry, pomegranate, açaí, noni, mangosteen, or black currant; and put this into a probiotic liquid, like young coconut kefir or InnergyBiotic. Add stevia to sweeten.
A cup of an energizing green tea sweetened with stevia, accompanied by a grapefruit sprinkled with sugar-free Lakanto, is comforting on a cold winter’s day. Kiwi or a handful of berries provides more energy and antioxidants as you begin your day.
Stir Body Ecology’s Vitality SuperGreen or Super Spirulina Plus into some young coconut kefir, and add some chia seeds. Let this thicken for several minutes and you have a great drink that will nurture your intestines.
I always find time to mix a half teaspoon or more of Body Ecology’s Super Spirulina Plus (fermented protein powder) into Innergy-Biotic. In minutes my energy increases even more.
You can whip up a delicious yet nutritious anti-aging “Green Morning Smoothie” with water, two stalks of celery, two leaves of romaine lettuce, a small zucchini, a small cucumber, some soaked chia seeds, a handful of mint, a large squirt of Barlean’s 3-6-9 Swirl Essential Oil, and a few drops of stevia. It’s an amazing, alkalizing, high-fiber drink, too.
If your body likes casein (the main protein in dairy foods), pour some homemade milk kefir over a bowl of your favorite berries. Milk kefir is a European favorite in the hot summer months because it is cooling. This cooling quality is great to combat inflammation (internal heat) all year round and is another reason why it is an anti-aging food. Or take the berries and your freshly made milk kefir and add stevia to create a delicious berry smoothie. Milk kefir, a splash of roasted pumpkin-seed oil, some vanilla flavoring, and Lakanto and/or stevia is another tasty smoothie combination.
This light yet extremely nourishing start to your day is a perfect example of practicing calorie restriction with optimal nutrition. These are all good options that hydrate, give you energy, are filling, and are properly combined. An acidic meal is inappropriate, so bacon, eggs, toast, oatmeal, and cereal with milk (a food-combining nightmare) are not part of the Body Ecology Way of Life.
While all the suggestions above are easy to digest, you may want to take digestive enzymes if you feel you need them. For example, even though fermenting helps with digestion of the casein in milk kefir, it may still be difficult for those with weak digestion. If you have this problem, try taking a digestive enzyme with HCl and pepsin to promote digestion of casein in your stomach, and a second enzyme with pancreatin that breaks it down when it reaches your small intestine.
Midday Meals
The best time of the day to eat heavier proteins (such as animal proteins and nut and seed pâtés) is between 11 A.M. and 2 P.M. Your liver is ready to accept proteins at this time, and you are more active and need the extra concentrated energy. Many of us would benefit from eating two smaller protein meals. For example, around 11 A.M., eggs, cultured vegetables, and a small leafy-green salad make for an energizing brunch. Eggs are great for your thyroid and your brain (especially important for a woman when pregnant) and help create energy. At 1 P.M., have a tasty protein-and-veggie lunch served with a small champagne glass of CocoBiotic.
Afternoon Snack
If you need or want to gain weight, have an energizing, alkaline snack such as Vitality SuperGreen or Super Spirulina Plus mixed into young coconut kefir around 3 or 4 P.M. This will give you a midafternoon boost of energy to get you through that period when you feel a bit sleepy or unfocused. Satisfying those afternoon cravings with something healthy will give you more motivation to prepare an evening meal that is balanced and unrushed.
Final Meal of the Day
Your last meal of the day should be vegetarian. Your digestive tract starts to slow down around sunset, so difficult-to-digest, complex meals are not wise. Eat early, and have a light vegetarian meal. You’ve had a busy day, and it won’t be long before you will want to prepare for a great, rejuvenating night of deep sleep. You’ll sleep better and awaken refreshed if your last meal is 80 percent vegetables, with a gluten-free grain-like seed such as quinoa, millet, buckwheat, or amaranth.
Now you have everything you need to start your “youthening” food program right away. But growing younger is not just about food—which is why Part III of this book offers some innovative anti-aging strategies. A few may already be a part of your health routine, but others will be exciting new discoveries for you as you continue on your journey toward a longer, healthier life.