Superfoods Allergies
Note that some Superfoods can cause allergic reactions in some people (for example, some Superfoods nuts or the casein in kefir). We are all different and there is no diet that will fit all people. To find out if you have allergies you don’t know about, get tested. Find out if you are anaphylactic or are lactose intolerant, for example, and simply exclude the Superfoods that could cause you to have allergic reactions or inflammations (beans, nuts, dairy). You could also experiment and exclude some foods for 2-4 weeks and monitor how you feel each week.
I excluded wheat from my family’s diet and noticed an instant improvement in my son’s ADHD behavior as well as in my own energy levels. We experimented with exclusion of dairy products and came to the conclusion that simple, fermented, non-processed dairy (plain yogurt, kefir and yogurt cheese/ farmer’s cheese) are not causing problems to any of us. Fruit yogurts were terrible for my son’s ADHD, however, due to the additives and food colorings used in them. I stopped drinking milk because it was causing me some discomfort, but I continued consuming fermented dairy, such as plain yogurt, kefir, and small amounts of yogurt cheese. If you suffer from milk intolerance, swap yogurt in recipes with tahini sauce and cheese with hummus, red pepper spread or baba ghanoush.
Note that food allergies and food intolerances are two different things. A food allergy is caused by a specific food protein, which causes an overreaction when that protein is
ingested. Mild food allergy symptoms are hives, rashes, swelling, or itching. Severe ones can include breathing problems and, in some cases, a loss of consciousness.
Food intolerances generally don't involve the immune system. People with intolerances are simply unable to digest that particular food. Symptoms of intolerances include gas, cramps, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. Celiac disease is the only food intolerance (gluten intolerance) that does involve the immune system and causes a reaction in the small intestine. Gluten is found in wheat, rye and barley.
Common Weight Loss Rules
How can you make the switch from processed foods to Superfoods? It’s simple. Remove all processed food from your home! Every experienced dieter knows that all processed foods, refined foods, baked goods, pasta, white rice, sweets, pop, Cheetos, and similar snacks should be removed from your pantry, fridge, and freezer, no matter which diet is about to be started. As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind!
Eating at regular intervals stabilizes blood sugar levels and it’s necessary to keep eating snacks 2-3 hours after each meal, to prevent cravings. Eating the right foods at regular intervals throughout the day keeps blood-sugar levels steady and hunger at bay. Again, empty your cupboards and fridge of all problematic foods; you want to make sure that if the cravings appear, you don’t have any such food handy and that you have your “Binge Emergency Kit” available. (More on that later.) If you have kids, they will benefit if you don’t serve them processed foods. Plan out your meals for the week and stock food that is recommended for this diet. Again, don’t skip meals! Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to over-eat.
Not only that, skipping meals can actually slow down your metabolism, meaning you'll burn fewer calories.
The first few times I lost weight, I didn’t do any exercises. But, with time, I noticed that I lost some of my muscles, so the last few times I dieted I decided to eat more protein and exercise at least a little bit in order to prevent muscle loss. I added a 20-45 minute walk per day and 5 rounds of pushups every second day to my regimen. That was all that was necessary to prevent muscle loss. Plus, it prevented the slowdown of my metabolism. There is one more very important reason why you must include some type of exercise in your life. (More on that later.)
You’re free to drink coffee, tea, or any diet pop (but only for the first one or two weeks). Avoid beer and alcohol if you’re trying to lose weight and have some only when you’re in weight-maintenance mode. Don’t drink fruit juices; it is much healthier to eat fresh fruit and get vitamins and fibers from them that way. I drink herbal tea in the morning and have green tea in the late afternoon. Doctors suggest up to 2 cups of coffee per day, so I lowered my coffee intake from 5 cups to 2 (morning and 2 pm). Green tea lowers risks of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, kidney disease and cancer. I drink coffee without sugar, but if you have to have your coffee sweet, use Stevia and avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sugar Twin, and other artificial sweeteners. I like to drink hot cocoa by adding one spoon of low-fat, unsweetened cocoa powder to some hot water. The only thing I use to sweeten this drink is by adding a half of spoon of honey or some Stevia to it. With time, I got used to the bitterness of one spoon of cocoa in a cup of boiled water, but sometimes I just like to add some low-fat milk or half a teaspoon of honey to it.
I used to eat sweets daily but since I switched to Superfoods diet, my palate changed significantly and I almost lost my sweet tooth. If I crave sweets, I have a little bit of dark
chocolate or a cocoa drink with a pinch of honey or I mix a spoon of honey with grounded nuts or seeds and make a small cookie. But since I eat fruits daily, that seems to be enough of sugar for me. I won’t refuse a birthday cake in Phase 2, but when I go shopping, I never look for sweets, juices, or condiments that contain sugars.
I also noticed that I don’t crave fried food like I used to. Somehow I got used to grilled meats, which satisfies my fast-food urge – grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin with some grilled eggplant, grilled red peppers and grilled mushrooms (shiitake), sprinkled with fresh rosemary and a few drops of olive oil, yummy!!
Choose your foods wisely to obtain satiety. For example, if you offer me a choice between a tomato/peppers/cucumbers salad and a fiber-loaded salad (e.g. shredded cabbage and spinach), I will choose the latter because know that the fiber-loaded salad will keep me filled twice as long as the tomato salad. Fiber-loaded salads have
substance
and if I pair them with any
protein
for dinner, they’re able to stave my hunger off until the end of the day.