What to Eat “Cheat Sheet”
| Eat Liberally | Comments |
| Grass-fed meat and poultry | Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, duck, goat, venison, ostrich, etc. |
| Grass-fed organ meats | Especially liver; 1-2, 3-ounce servings per week |
| Traditional fats | Coconut oil, red palm oil, tallow, lard, duck fat, ghee, butter
|
| Bone Broths | Made from chicken bones, beef bones, fish heads; gelatinous
|
| Fish | 1 pound per week of fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel
|
| Eggs | Especially yolks; free-range, organic preferred |
| Starchy tubers | Yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yuca, taro, plantain, etc. |
| Non-starchy vegetables | Cooked and raw emphasize dark leafy greens
|
| Olives, avocados and coconuts | Including full-fat coconut milk
|
| Fermented vegetables | Sauerkraut, kimchi, sauerruben, etc. (must be “raw” or “live”) |
| Fermented dairy products | Kefir, yogurt, piima cream, etc. Homemade or plain (no sugar) |
| Herbal teas | If pregnant, choose only pregnancy-safe teas
|
What to Eat “Cheat Sheet”
| Eat in Moderation | Comments |
| Whole fruit
|
2-4 servings per day, depending on blood sugar balance |
| White rice
|
3-5 servings per week, depending on blood sugar balance |
| Processed meat
|
Sausage, bacon, jerky; must be gluten-, soy- and sugar-free |
| Nuts and seeds
|
Soaked and dehydrated or roasted first; a handful or so per day |
| Green beans, sugar/snap peas
|
Technically legumes, but usually well-tolerated |
| Coffee and black tea
|
1 cup per day pre-conception; eliminate during pregnancy |
| Alcohol
|
3-4 drinks per week pre-conception; eliminate during pregnancy |
| Natural sweeteners
|
Honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup in very small amounts as treat; avoid agave syrup completely (it’s very high in fructose) |
| Vinegar
|
Apple cider vinegar is particularly well-tolerated |
What Not to Eat “Cheat Sheet”
| Avoid Completely | Comments |
| Processed and refined foods
|
Including “health foods” like protein powder, energy bars, etc.
|
| Flour (white and whole grain)
|
Including gluten-free flour products
|
| Whole grains
|
Wheat, barley, rye, oats, brown rice, spelt, quinoa, millet, amaranth |
| Legumes
|
Including beans (soy, pinto, black, kidney, etc.), peas, lentils, peanuts |
| Sugar and artificial sweeteners
|
Sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, Splenda, Nutrasweet, xylitol, etc |
| Sodas and diet sodas
|
Natural soda water is permitted |
| Fruit juices
|
Often much too high in sugar with no fiber to slow absorption |
| Processed sauces and seasoning | Often have sugar, soy, gluten, seed oils or all of the above |
NOTES:
1. Avoid dairy if you have a known sensitivity. Often ghee, butter & cream are well tolerated even by those with lactose intolerance (they have very little lactose).
2. White rice is generally well tolerated because the food toxins (in the bran/hull of the grain) have been removed. However, if you are insulin resistant or diabetic, or don’t digest it well, avoid it.
3. A small amount (1-2 tsp.) of dextrose may also be used as a sweetener
Nutrient Requirements & Recommendations
| Nutrient | Recommended Daily Dose | Top Food Sources | Recommended Supplement |
| Vitamin A | 20,000 – 25,000IU | Beef liver, chicken liver, grass-fed dairy
|
Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil @10 mL per day
|
| Vitamin D | 2,000 – 4,000 IU+, depending on starting blood level
|
Herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines
|
Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Cod Liver Oil @10 mL per day
• Micellized or emulsified D3 |
| Vitamin K | No specific RDA
|
Kale, spinach, collards, beet greens
|
Shouldn’t be necessary with intake of leafy greens
|
| Vitamin K2 | No specific RDA
|
Goose liver, hard cheese, soft cheese, egg yolk
|
• K2 (MK-4) form at 1 mg/d • Thorne Vitamin K2 Liquid |
| DHA | Three 6-oz. servings of fatty fish per week
|
Fish eggs, mackerel, salmon
|
• Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil @10 mL per day • DHA Purity (vegan) @2.5 mL per day |
| Iron | 23 – 27 mg/d
|
Duck liver, clams, pork liver, dried spices
|
Routine supplementation not recommended • See doctor if experiencing signs & symptoms of anemia |
| Folate
|
800 – 1200 mcg (vegetarians and vegans should aim for higher end of that range)
|
Chicken liver, dark leafy greens
|
• Sublingual folate @600 – 800 mcg/d depending on dietary intake • Solgar Folate 800 mcg |
| B12 | 5-10 mcg/d (or 20-30 mcg 2-3 times per week)
|
Mollusks, beef liver, wild trout & salmon, beef, milk
|
Methylcobalamin @ 5-10 mcg/ d or 20-30 mcg 2-3x/wk
|
| Choline
|
450 mg
|
Egg yolks, beef liver, cruciferous vegetables
|
• Choline @450 mg per day
|
| Biotin | 35 – 60 mcg
|
Egg yolks, beef liver, avocado
|
• Biotin @35-60 mcg per day
|
| Glycine | No specific RDA
|
Bones, skin (bone broth soups)
|
• Glycine @1-2 g per day
|
NOTES:
• If you are including organ meats in your diet, the only additional nutrients you need are vitamin D, vitamin K2 and folate. These can be obtained by taking Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil and Nutrient 950 with Vitamin K (Pure Encapsulations).
• Supplementing with individual nutrients is only necessary when you can’t obtain Nutrient 950 with Vitamin K, or if you are not eating a particular recommended food (i.e. if you’re not eating fish, DHA supplementation is recommended).
