BASIC NUTRITION TIPS

1) COOKING WITH FATS AND OILS - You can turn good fats into bad fats!!
* High Heat: Use only coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil or rice bran oil for frying. The best choice is coconut oil because of its superior flavor when frying food such as chicken or fries. Olive oil, while equally as healthy, tends to make food soggy rather than crispy. A word of caution regarding olive oil: it will turn rancid and become a bad fat when heated above 120 degrees F. If it smokes, it has already turned rancid.

* Medium Heat: To saute foods, use sesame oil, rice bran oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil or butter.

* Baking: Butter, coconut oil, sunflower, safflower or olive oil can used in baking if temperature is less than 325 degrees. In a hotter over, use butter, olive oil or coconut butter.

* No heat Oils: cold-pressed oils such as flax oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and hemp seed oil should not be heated but added to food after it is cooked.

2) EAT MORE VEGETABLES
* Potatoes are not vegetables, they are tubers.

* If you cook vegetables, lightly steam, but raw is best.

* Some people will do better with more protein and less vegetables and others will do better with more vegetables and less protein, depending on metabolic type

* Listen to your body. Your cravings and energy levels will tell you when you need to adjust or modify your personal plan. However, during the first two weeks while insulin levels are adjusting, you will need to eat more meals a day to feel better

* Organic is best. If not organic, wash them with distilled vinegar or solution available in health food stores. Use bags to squeeze air out of vegetables before storing. Sundays seems to be an ideal day to do this for the week.

* Always eat some protein with vegetables (i.e. an egg or piece of chicken, turkey or fish).

3) ELIMINATING REFINED SUGAR IS CRITICAL
* Refined sugar lowers the immune system

* Sugar promotes yeast growth

* One can of soda has 9 to 11 teaspoons of sugar.

* USA now: 120 lbs/year per person - Early 1900s: 5 pounds/family

* Avoid corn syrup, fructose, large amounts of honey or molasses, sucrose, maltodextrin, dextrose, any artificial sweetener, sweetened fruit juices and syrups, sugar cane and lactose (the herb Stevia is an acceptable sweetener)

* Avoid eating large amounts of below ground vegetables such as carrots and potatoes...they typically contain high sugar levels.