• Chew your food slowly: Remember the raisin mindfulness meditation? Pre-digest and savor each morsel. Your tummy will love you for it!
• Eat with a grateful heart: Consider all the hands that seeded, planted, harvested, shipped and prepared this meal you see before you. Enjoy this meal with gratitude in your heart to heal, nourish and satiate your body and soul.
• Fill up on fibrous carbs: (as much as you want), then healthy natural starchy carbs (about 1-2 cup is a good serving) then use proteins and fats as condiments.
• Eat until you’re satisfied: It is important to use your body wisdom to gauge how much food your body needs when first starting out. If your blood sugar is really out of control you may need more nutrition. Once your blood and lymph start becoming more alkaline your cells will get more pliable with nutrient exchange and you will need less. When this happens, weight loss and body balancing naturally occur.
• Presentation. Try serving your meals on smaller plates so the portions appear more robust and full. Consider the aesthetics of the color and placement of your food. Ornament with edible flowers and include fresh herbs. 
• Space meals 3-4 hours apart: This will ensure your gut isn’t stressed while trying to digest too much food, causing fermentation, gas and bloating. You might even consider regular intermittent fasting techniques like the 16/8 method.
• Drink liquids separately: Drinking liquids with meals dilutes stomach acids leading to bloating, belching, heartburn and poor nutrient absorption. Wait about 30 minutes before and after meals before drinking.

Fibrous carbs consist of broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, spinach, salad greens, collard greens, micro-greens, all bell peppers, raw carrots, celery, cucumber, cabbage, cilantro, tomatoes, beet tops, onions, garlic, zucchini. These foods support the liver in cleansing out excess hormones and chemicals, toxins and viruses from the body and assist in a proper functioning lymphatic system.

Natural starchy carbs consist of sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, yams, all potato varieties, squash, beets, oatmeal, wild rice, quinoa, and all fruits. Go easy on the grains and fill up on starchy carbs that come from fruits and vegetables, as they are more alkalizing, hydrating and much more nutrient-dense, plus they are better for weight loss, healing and mood-balancing. Vegetarians and vegans remember that beans are a starchy carbs and protein combined, so pair beans with either some hemp seeds, spinach or kale for a complete protein.

The best fats to consume would be from raw avocado as it soothes the intestinal lining, coconut oil for cooking as it’s easier on the liver, and extra virgin olive oil in small amounts on salad only (don’t cook with this oil). You can also use avocado oil for cooking as it has a high smoke point. Stay away from butter as it coats the intestinal lining and creates the perfect breeding ground for inflammation and bad bacteria, and minimize animal fats as much as possible by either steaming or baking your meat or cooking with bits of water. Minimize nuts as well, as most nuts go rancid from poor storage and shipping conditions, and are hard to digest and can cause constipation.

Between Meals Beverage: Homemade Lemonade
Mix the juice of an organic lemon (to taste) into 1 liter of water, several drops of raw honey, a pinch of sea salt, a dash of Ceylon cinnamon, and a drop of vanilla. 

Meal Prep Tips:

1. Slice up a big tray of root veggies including yams, sweet potatoes, squash, beets, onions, garlic, peppers, zucchini, and asparagus and oven bake a big sheet of these on low temp (350°F/176°C) for about 45 minutes.
2. Add some of the veggies to any salad all week.
3. Save money by buying heads of organic lettuces and other leafy veggies, prewash them and store them in a bag for easy lunch prep all week.
4. Slice up a medley of raw veggies and store in a container at the beginning of your week to add to salads including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell peppers, green onions.
5. Meal prep any meat you may need for a few days at a time. Preparing in advance ensures you will make better healthy choices when you’re short on time and hungry!