We’ve added so many preservatives, nutrients, artificial coloring, and chemicals that there’s no room for the product.
—CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Fat Flush really begins when you start to clean up and clear out your kitchen. The goal is to replace old habits with new ones. The first step is to replace old, familiar products with newer, better ones.
To help you get started on your Fat Flush journey, here’s the complete Fat Flush Plan shopping list with brand names for the tastiest and most convenient Fat Flush foods currently available. This all-in-one shopping list contains the foods you can eat in all three phases of the program, which, are noted as such. The first several pages contain the approved products for phase 1 (the Two-Week Fat Flush). Next, you will see the products you can add for phase 2, the Ongoing Fat Flush. The final section includes all the additional products appropriate for phase 3, the Lifestyle Eating Plan.
Keep in mind that many of these foods can be purchased at your local health food store, whereas others are available in supermarkets. The omega-3–enriched eggs listed are definitely worth the modest price increase, not to mention the superior, rich, and creamy taste of the brightly colored yolk. Naturally, organic produce (vegetables and fruit) are preferred when possible (not only are they tastier and fresher, but they do not have all those nasty pesticides, fungicides, and heavy metals your liver has to break down). For this reason, I am providing the names of some of the easier-to-obtain brands in parentheses. And of course, if you have access to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)–rich meats and dairy products, then opt for grass-fed beef, poultry, and lamb as much as possible to maximize your body’s fat loss. You will find a listing by state of all the suppliers of grass-fed meat in Chapter 12.
Now, if organic foods are not within your budget or not available in your locale, don’t despair. I will share with you the names of some veggie washes you can purchase at your local grocery store or health food store. Also, at the end of this chapter you’ll find a tried-and-true food-cleansing bath designed to return farm freshness to store-bought food.
Items that are readily available throughout the country in either health food stores or supermarkets are listed simply by brand name. Others that are not as readily available have a telephone number and Web site added for you to get further information.
You will also find information about the herbal coffees mentioned in Chapter 3. I have included a more comprehensive listing in the protein section than is found in the preceding chapters to help you vary your menu planning and select the best cuts of meat. You will find a specific listing of the veggie and fruit options in the sections entitled “Phase 1,” “Phase 2,” and “Phase 3.” Now let’s get shopping!
Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee: Naturally caffeine-free herbal coffee alternative from roasted dandelion roots. Available from Uni Key at 1-800-888-4353 or online at www.unikeyhealth.com.
INSIDER TIP
Dandelion root coffee is especially helpful as a coffee substitute and gentle but effective liver balancer for those with elevated liver enzymes and/or who have overdone alcohol, sugar, trans fats, Ibuprophen, and medications for lowering cholesterol (like Lipitor).
Oil: High-lignan flaxseed oil. Fat Flushers seem to prefer Omega Nutrition, Health From the Sun, and Barleans.
STORAGE TIP
Keep in fridge. An 8-ounce bottle lasts for about three weeks.
Eggs: Omega-3–enriched. (Gold Circle Farms, The Country Hen, Eggland’s Best, Born 3, Pilgrim’s Pride EggsPlus).
HEALTH TIP
These incredible eggs contain twenty times more omega-3s than their supermarket sisters. Both The Country Hen and Pilgrim’s Pride EggsPlus contain about 200 mg of this essential fatty acid.
Protein powders: Hormone-free, unheated, non-denatured, lactose-free with no added sugars or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose or splenda (Fat Flush Whey)
Lean-protein fish: All fresh, especially bass, cod, grouper, haddock, halibut, mackerel, mahi mahi, orange roughy, perch, pike, pollock, salmon, sardines, sole, snapper, trout, tuna, and whitefish, and canned tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, and crabmeat (Featherweight, Seasons, Lillie, Three Star).
HEALTH TIP
If packed in oil or with added salt, drain well under running water.
Seafood: Shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, calamari.
HEALTH TIP
If shrimp or crab is canned, then drain well under running water to remove excess salt.
Poultry: White meat of skinned turkey and chicken, either fresh, frozen, or ground (preferably free-range and hormone-free, such as Foster Farms, Harmony Farms, Shelton Farms, and Young Farms; also see Chapter 12).
Beef: Flank, rump, round, eye of the round, chuck, brisket, sirloin, and London broil. The healthiest beef I have found can be ordered from Ranch Foods Direct. (See Grassfed Resources)
Lamb: Leg, loin, rib.
Veal: Shoulder, rib, loin.
Other meats: Venison, ostrich, bison (or buffalo), and elk.
HEALTH TIP
These meats can be substituted for the protein in any recipe and are higher in the fat-burning omega-3s than their commercial counterparts.
Other protein sources: Tempeh and tofu (Mori-Nu and White Wave).
Vegetables: All fresh, in-season produce that is green, red, orange, or purple. (Fresh is always best, followed by frozen and then canned with no added salt. Bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and artichoke hearts are Fat Flush friendly either canned or frozen. Frozen brands are Cascadian Farms and Stahlbush Island Farms.)
Fruits: Fresh (without mold), frozen, or canned in natural unsweetened juices and drained (frozen brands include Cascadian Farms and Stahlbush Island Farms).
Lemons: Fresh is best, although Santa Cruz Organic 100% Lemon Juice Not From Concentrate will do.
Limes: Fresh is best, although Santa Cruz Organic 100% Lime Juice Not From Concentrate will do.
HEALTH TIP
One tablespoon equals the juice of one-half lemon or lime.
Cooking broths: Low-sodium or no-salt-added beef, chicken, fish, or vegetable broths (Shelton’s, Health Valley, Hain’s, and Pacific).
HEALTH TIP
I personally recommend Pacific brand organic free range chicken broth. Their low sodium broth contains a mere 100 mg of sodium per cup. Best of all, this low sodium broth is also organic!
Herbs, spices, and accompaniments: Apple cider vinegar, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coriander (dried cilantro) cumin, dill, dried mustard, garlic, ginger, fennel, anise, bay leaves, and fresh jalapenos (optional)
Tomato products: Muir Glen Tomato Puree, Muir Glen No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes, Muir Glen No Salt Added Tomato Sauce, Muir Glen Tomato Paste, Muir Glen Whole Peeled Tomatoes, and Muir Glen Pizza Sauce. (Check out a complete list of Muir Glen Organic Products at www.muirglen.com.)
Long Life Cocktail: Powdered psyllium husks (Yerba Prima or other health food bulk brands) or ground flaxseeds (FiPro Flax and Certified Organic Milled Flaxseeds).
Flaxseeds: Whole brown or golden yellow flaxseeds in bulk to be ground daily as needed in a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor on the fine setting.
Cranberry juice: Unsweetened cranberry juice (Knudsen’s, Trader Joe’s, Mountain Sun).
Sweeteners: Flora-key of Stevia Plus. Call 1-800-888-4353, or visit the company’s Web site at www.unikeyhealth.com.)
HEALTH TIP
Flora-Key does double duty as a natural sweetener and an immune booster helping to crowd out Candida and other non-friendly organisms from the GI tract. The addition of the friendly bacteria–nourishing fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) adds even more fiber without more bulk.
Water: Purified, ozonated, and/or electrolyte (magnesium and potassium) enhanced water. (Essentia, Aquafina, Dani, or water from a home filtration system; AHT Patented Ultra-Hydration Beverage.)
AHT Patented Ultra-Hydration Beverage is the only hydration beverage patented for high levels of stabilized dissolved oxygen. It is available through www.AHTwater.com.
Supplements: The Fat Flush Kit supplements have been formulated to my specifications in line with the requirements of the Fat Flush Plan. These include three products: The Dieters’ Multi (with or without iron), GLA 90’s and the Weight Loss Formula. Available at 1-800-888-4353 or online at www.unikeyhealth.com. Autoship programs are available and you can become entitled to a Forum or Preferred Customer discount.
You can also choose to put together your own combination of supplements from your favorite health food store.
You may have these foods in addition to the ones on the phase 1 list.
Sprouted breads: Wheat-free, yeast-free bread with sprouted grains and legumes (HealthSeed Spelt from French Meadow Bakery, and Fat Flush Tortillas from French Meadow Bakery.)
HEALTH TIP
HealthSeed Spelt is packed with flax, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds for added crunch. Instead of yeast, the bread is naturally leavened with fermenting agents that break down the flour’s cellulose structure, neutralize its mineral-inhibiting phytic acid, and release more nutrients into the dough. Free of added sugars, fats, and yeast, the Fat Flush tortillas are a delicious good carb option for conscious eaters who desire hypoallergenic, vegetarian and organic baked goods. With a net carb content of only 8 grams per tortilla, these nutritional, moist and nutty flavored tortillas are made with six sprouted grains and legumes (wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt) based upon the biblical verse contained in Ezekial 4:9.
Friendly carbs: Sweet potato, frozen or fresh peas, carrots, and butternut and acorn squash.
Supplements: Continue with the same supplements from Phase 1, as described on p. 130.
You may have these foods in addition to the ones on the phase 1 and 2 lists.
Lean protein: Frozen fish burgers (Northwest Naturals).
HEALTH TIP
Northwest Natural produces three kinds of frozen fish medallions—salmon, halibut, and tuna with pesto—all of which are omega-3 sources. The wild rice in these medallions makes these burgers suitable for the Lifestyle Eating Plan.
Beef: Beef jerky (Shelton’s).
Turkey: Turkey jerky (Shelton’s).
HEALTH TIP
Shelton’s beef and turkey jerky are without MSG, nitrates, or corn sugar and are nicely processed in a tamari-based blend.
Nuts and seeds: Raw almonds, filberts, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds (Pumpkorn at 1-800-431-4018 or www.pump-korn.com), sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, and caraway, as well as peanut, almond, and sesame butters or tahina (Arrowhead Mills, Westbrae).
STORAGE TIP
Store nuts and seeds in a cool, dry place such as the fridge or freezer. Home-toast all seeds and nuts in the oven for fifteen minutes at 250°F to help set the oil.
Mayonnaise: Spectrum Naturals organic mayonnaise.
Dairy products: Nonfat or plain yogurt, cottage cheese (Friendship, Old Home), ricotta cheese (Calabro), Swiss, Cheddar, grated Parmesan (occasionally), string cheese, mozzarella, goat cheese, sweet butter, and cream.
HEALTH TIP
Companies such as Nancy’s and Horizon offer a wide variety of organic dairy products.
Friendly carbs: Corn tortillas, corn chips, corn on the cob, potatoes, chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, popcorn.
Crackers: Scandinavian-style crisp breads without trans fats (Bran-A-Crisp, Kavli, and Wasa).
HEALTH TIP
Bran-A-Crisp and Kavli crackers contain 4 g of carbohydrate per cracker, and Wasa light rye crackers have 5 g of carbohydrate per cracker.
Vegetable juice: Low-sodium vegetable juices (Low Sodium V-8 Juice, Muir Glen Tomato Juice, Muir Glen 100% Vegetable Juice, and Knudsen Organic Very Veggie Juice).
Flavor extracts: Sugarless vanilla and chocolate extracts [Nielsen-Massey Sugarless Vanilla Extract, Lochhead Vanilla (314-772-2124), and Star Kay
HEALTH TIP
Chock full of the essence of cocoa beans without the sugar and without the fat.
White’s Pure Chocolate Extract (www.atkinscenter.com)].
Salt: Mineral-enhanced, plain old fashioned Morton’s Canning and Pickling Salt, and Cardia Salt.
INSIDER TIP
You might prefer Cardia Salt, which has less than half the sodium of table salt with potassium and magnesium and actually tastes just like salt! Use measure for measure, just like salt (call 1-888-422-7342).
Herbs, spices, and condiments: Oregano, basil, sage, savory, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, Chinese Five Spice powder, Dijon mustard, Angostura bitters, and capers.
Acceptable teas and coffees: Dandelion root and red tea (rooibos tea), organic coffee (Allegro Organic Coffee and Allegro Organic Decaf [1-800-277-1107]), rosehip tea, fennel tea, taheebo (good for yeast control), peppermint tea, and hibiscus tea.
Alcohol: Organic and sulfite-free (Frey, Fetzer, Summerhill Estate Winery, Organic Wine Company, HoneyRun Winery, Hallcrest Vineyards, and Chinabend Vineyards, available at health food stores and gourmet outlets).
For that special occasion and cooking. When these wines are used as cooking wines, the flavor remains and the alcohol evaporates.
Oils and sprays: Extra virgin and unfiltered olive oils (Kroger, Bertolli, Private Selection, Oligra, Mezzetta, and Sasso), sesame and toasted sesame oils (Spectrum and Eden), rice bran oil (Tsuno), and olive oil sprays.
STORAGE TIP
Both olive and sesame oils can be kept in a cool, dark place.
Baking powder: Aluminum-free brands (Royal, Rumford, Price, and Schillings) and low-sodium, cereal-free brands (Cellu and Featherweight).
Thickeners: Arrowroot and kudzu (available in bulk at health food stores).
Supplements: Continue with the same supplements from Phase 1, as described on p. 130. You can also add CLA 1000 mg from the Fat Flush Kit. Call 1-800-888-4353 or visit www.unikeyhealth.com or you can purchase CLA supplements from your favorite health food store.
If organic foods are unavailable or simply too expensive, there are many new fruit and vegetable cleansers on the market that can be found in grocery and health food stores. One such cleanser is Bi-O-Kleen, containing grapefruit seed extract that kills bacteria such as Escherichia coli. Bi-O-Kleen can be reached at 1-503-557-0216 or www.bi-o-kleen.com. Another alternative is Organiclean. This company can be reached by calling 1-888-834-9274 or going to www.organiclean.com.
There is, however, another alternative you may be interested in trying. It’s called a Clorox bath (yes, as in Clorox bleach). It is a definite option for produce as well as poultry, fish, meat, and eggs. As many of my faithful readers know, since the introduction of the Clorox bath back in my first book, Beyond Pritikin, in 1988, based on Dr. Parcells’ research, pesticides, parasites, bacteria (such as Salmonella), and other contaminants can be removed from food with this simple soak. Please note that Clorox is not the same as chlorine, the chemical disinfectant added to drinking water, which has been linked to heart disease and cancer. In fact, the active ingredient in Clorox, sodium hypochlorite, breaks down into salt and water.
Dr. Parcells discovered the oxygenating value of the Clorox bath while she was the head of the Nutrition Department at the Sierra State University (a naturopathic college at the time) back in the 1960s. The story goes that a friend brought her a bunch of shriveled lemons, which she decided to dump in water with some Clorox for some unknown reason. Amazingly, within a half hour, the lemons regenerated and plumped up. Dr. Parcells surmised that the Clorox enabled the lemons to take in oxygen and become fresh once again.
The Clorox bath has been around for decades, and military families stationed overseas in Southeast Asia, China, and Turkey have used it through the recommendation of our State Department.
Over the years, my readers and clients who have used this method report that foods last up to two weeks longer in the refrigerator, there is no metallic aftertaste with store-bought fruits and veggies, and meats are tenderized and their natural flavors enhanced.
Here is the Clorox cleansing bath that Dr. Parcells recommended, which I continue to use in my own home. To ensure quality, I use only brand-name Clorox, since Dr. Parcells was very clear that other brands were not effective. For those of you who are familiar with the bath and remember the formula to contain ½ teaspoon of Clorox to 1 gallon of water, Dr. Parcells increased the Clorox amount to 1 teaspoon shortly before her death in 1996. She said the increasing chemicals and bacteria in our foods made it necessary to double the Clorox.
The formula: Use 1 teaspoon of Clorox to 1 gallon of purified, ozonated, and/or electrolyte-enhanced water. Place the foods to be treated into the bath for the designated length of time according to the following chart. Remove the foods from the Clorox bath, place them in clear water for ten minutes, and rinse. Dry all foods thoroughly and store.
Please do not place ground meat in the bath, but frozen meat can be thawed in a Clorox bath, allowing about twenty minutes for up to 5 pounds of meat.
Of course, you can always use apple cider vinegar or ¾ cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide in place of the Clorox. However, Dr. Parcells’ lifetime of research suggested that the detoxifying results will be far from the same.