Seasonal Eating Plan

This simple eating plan is easy to follow and designed to eliminate processed foods and start you on a clean diet of whole and natural foods. Please note that this is a “basic” eating plan and I work fine-tuning and helping clients with special issues to fine-tune eating plans as needed. This eating plan is only a starting point and may need to be tweaked to meet your individual needs. No worries, as that is why I am here. Some clients will do better on more specific eating plans, and I will gladly help you with this is needed. Please read this article regarding different diets, What to Eat – The Diet Dilemma,  before continuing.

            Seasonal eating refers to eating foods that are in “season” and locally grown as much as possible. Here are just a few reasons why I recommend seasonal eating:

1.      Foods that are grown locally are fresher and more nutrient dense than those that are shipped.

2.      Our ancestors ate seasonally and some issues we experience may be due to having shifted away from this type of eating. For example, it appears our ancestors did not oxalate overload. Many symptoms and disease can often be attributed to oxalate poisoning. Before shipping food was easy, our ancestors ate what was available during each season. Take spinach, for example, a food that is extremely high in oxalates; if you consumed spinach only during the time it was “in season”, then your body would not become overloaded with oxalates since during the months it was out of season, your body would clear out excessive oxalates. In today’s world, we consume many foods year-round, creating problems that can be avoided by eating what is seasonally available.

3.      You will eat a wider variety of “minerals” when you are not eating the same foods each day. Restricted diets can limit the minerals you need and cause mineral imbalances, including too much of some minerals and deficiencies of other minerals. Mineral balancing can be best achieved by varying your eating plan and when you eat what is in “season”, the food you consume is fresher and has more minerals than food that has been stored and shipped.

4.      Our bodies are wise and crave foods that are in season! We love cooler foods in the spring and summer and hearty, warmer foods in the fall and winter.

5.      Seasonal eating regularly changes an eating plan, so you are not stuck eating the same foods day-in and day-out and in many cases, all year round. This adds variety and helps you stick to a good eating plan where you do not become bored with the food you eat, and you are eating a variety of minerals throughout the year.

6.      Eating for the season allows you to support local farmers and farmer’s markets during warmer months.

Here’s a Seasonal Produce Guide to help you get started. I have a seasonal food wheel that shows me which food are in season throughout the year and you can find seasonal food charts to hang in your kitchen too.

            Fine-Tuning An Eating Plan

            COOKED VEGETABLES –Cooked vegetables are easier than raw vegetables to assimilate and digest as the fiber in vegetables breaks down when vegetables are cooked. At the start of your program, you may need to cook more of your vegetables if you have digestive issues and experience bloating after eating raw veggies. No worries! As we heal your gut, you will be able to add raw foods to your diet and enjoy more salads and other healthy “raw” veggie options.

            Cooking veggies can include steaming, sautéing, baking, or pressure cooking your vegetables just until tender.  Do not overcook your vegetables.  Flavor your vegetables with herbs, sea salt and butter. Even on a seasonal eating plan, try to vary the vegetables that you are eating and avoid eating the same vegetables every day, so you eat a variety of minerals daily.

            RAW VEGETABLES – Raw vegetables are okay if they don’t cause digestive stress. This includes salads and other veggies that you may snack on such as carrot sticks, etc. This can change as you are on the program and your body heals.

            Note how you feel when you eat raw foods and listen to your body’s signals of digestive distress so you can adjust your diet accordingly, if needed, and until your gut is healed.

Choose salad dressings that are made with olive oil or no oil. Vinegars that are in dressings are okay. You can add olive oil and apple cider vinegar to your salad which makes a simple healthy dressing. 

FERMENTED FOODS

Raw fermented foods can be eaten and assist with digestion and overall gut health. A little raw sauerkraut, kimchi or other fermented vegetables can be eaten with your meals to aid with digestion.  One or two tablespoons of fermented vegetables per meal is all that is needed. Kombucha (fermented tea) can be drank in moderation.  Kombucha can be made at home, but the process is timely and homemade Kombucha can be toxic if not properly prepared.

CHOOSE ORGANIC

All vegetables should be organic and fresh whenever possible. Most non-organic produce is GMO and/or heavily sprayed with pesticides. Almost all food contains some glyphosate due to run off in water supplies as well as the wind carrying harmful chemicals into organically grown farms. Wash all produce in a little water with vinegar or use ozone treatments to clean food. I have an Ivation that can be purchased inexpensively, and I wash all my food when I bring it home by treating it for 20 minutes with ozonated water.

Some frozen vegetables are okay, if fresh options are not available, but canned vegetables should be avoided. Cans tend to leach harmful toxins, such as aluminum, into foods and are also highly processed and less nutrient dense.

JUICING – All fruit juices, even freshly squeezed, should be avoided.  Fruit juices are high in sugar.  One glass of fresh vegetable juice or shot of wheat grass juice a day is okay but too much juice overloads the pancreas and may disrupt blood sugar levels. Fresh juices are best fresh, but organic frozen or bottle PURE juice is acceptable. READ the labels! Highly processed juices like V-8 and other popular brands should be avoided.  The addition of juice to your program is optional and can be omitted if you prefer. 

PROTEINS – Animal protein is recommended for most clients. Two to three servings of animal protein a day is optimal. A serving is about the size of a deck of cards. Animal protein sources include Naturally raised, (preferably pastured) chicken or turkey, raw milk cheese, eggs, whole milk plain organic yogurt, grass-fed beef, and lamb or other game. All meat should be free of hormones and antibiotics and preferably grass fed and pasture raised. Meat does not have to be eaten “seasonally” although some people prefer eating less meat in warmer weather and more meat in the winter when the body craves heartier foods.

RED MEAT – Red meat is needed to balance the body and advert copper toxicity. Beef should always be grass fed while lamb can come from any source. While chicken and turkey used to be the preferred source of protein, red meat is often a better option, and easier to find.

CHICKEN AND TURKEY - Pastured chicken and turkey is hard to come by and will almost never be found in any grocery store. Ask your local farmer if their chickens are naturally raised, grazing on bugs, and not given grains, especially soy.

ORGAN MEATS – Organ meats are extremely nutritious and often not very popular. Fortunately, many farmers are making a blend of ground beef with added organ meats. If, like me, if you or your children do not like organ meats this is a great way to eat organ meats as they do not change the taste or flavor of the ground meat. Choline is needed by the liver for the liver to process and break down fats and the best sources of choline are liver and eggs.

EGGS – Eggs are a great source of healthy fat and protein. I recommend eating eggs daily as, like liver, they are an excellent source of choline. Preferably eggs should come from pastured chickens and fed a soy-free diet. Eggs that have been “vegetarian fed” are not ideal even though grocers would have you think so as chickens were meant to eat insects. Unless you purchase eggs from a local farmer, finding these eggs can be difficult. If you are shopping for eggs at the grocery store, Vital Farms and Pete and Gerry’s are good brands.

MILK AND DAIRY – Small amounts of raw milk are great for your health.  Goat’s milk is the best source and the easiest to digest. If you cannot find raw milk, whole milk yogurt without fruits, flavorings or sugar is okay in moderation and often makes a great snack. Raw milk cheeses are often available in the finer grocery stores and make great snacks. These dairy products are excellent sources of protein. You can visit Weston A Price’s website to locate raw farms that sell raw milk in your area.

BONE BROTH – Bone broth can be bought in the store but homemade is best!  Prepare and freeze bone broth so you can add it to a lot of different dishes in place of water. Bone broth contains a lot of minerals and some protein and can help heal the gut. For vegetarians who are beginning to add protein to their eating plan, bone broth is a very good way to transition to a non-vegetarian diet.

Many vegetarians stopped eating meat because they cannot digest meat well. This may lead some to think that they don’t need meat and feel better without it. However, when one doesn’t digest meat well, this indicates more serious digestive problems that need to be addressed rather than avoiding animal proteins which may only lead to future serious B 12 deficiencies and other mineral imbalances. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, please contact me so I can provide you with amino acid supplementation that is missing from non-meat diets.

PROTEINS TO AVOID OR EAT IN MODERATION:

AVOID ALL FISH - You should avoid all fish except for a can of boneless and skinless sardines that can be eaten every other day, if you like. Fish is very toxic and that includes wild fish as well as farm raised. Mercury levels, and other toxic metals and even drugs, are high in fish due to the toxicity of all water in today’s environment. While fish used to be a very healthy and safe source of protein, it has become very toxic and needs to be avoided. Some canned tuna, tested to be low in mercury, can be eaten occasionally. You may find some less toxic seafood options at Vital Choice.

PORK/PIG PRODUCTS – Pork products can be eaten in moderation – a few times a week. Always choose naturally raised pork – free of hormones, antibiotics and nitrates or other chemicals. Pork is best purchased directly from local farmers.

AVOID PROCESSED MEATS – Most processed meats are highly processed and not a good choice of protein.  If you eat lunch meats, please do so sparingly, and make sure they do not contain chemicals such as nitrates. 

AVOID ALL PROTEIN SHAKES AND BARS – No matter how natural, organic, or grass-fed these products are, they are simply not digested well by most people. All these products are too processed for the body to recognize them as “real” food and I have found clients who consume these products have more issues with toxicity. 

AVOID SOY (UNLESS FERMENTED) - Soy products such as tofu and edamame have a very estrogen-like effect on the body. This can create numerous problems with the endocrine system and interfere with the ability of the program to balance the production of hormones in their correct ratios.  Soy products that are fermented are okay to use in moderation. This includes soy sauce or tamari sauce.  Miso soup, white mellow miso, can also be sprinkled over cooked veggies for added flavor and adds healthy probiotics to your vegetables which add digestion and help heal the gut.

FARM DELIVERIES: Today no matter where you live, you can more than likely find a farm in your area where you purchase meat, or that will be delivered directly to your home! Discover how you can switch to farm fresh foods and where to find them!

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES:

GRAINS – It is best to limit grains to one to two servings a day and grains are highly processed and not nutritionally dense. If you tend to lose weight, adding an extra serving of grain is acceptable. Please note that a serving of grain is much smaller than you may imagine. While I don’t recommend measuring food, it may help to measure grain until you become acquainted with what constitutes one serving. 

The best grains are quinoa, steel-cut oats, millet, amaranth, blue or yellow organic corn, and maybe some white rice. Ideally all rice should be avoided, or limited, due to arsenic found in rice. (Brown rice is higher in arsenic than white rice). Cauliflower rice can be substituted for rice in many dishes.

 All wheat, conventional and organic, is best avoided as is all white flour products. Wheat is processed, hybrid and very hard to digest. As much as possible avoid foods such as breads, bagels, crackers, and other products made with wheat, white flour, or other grains.

Limit rice, (and alternative grains), bread and pasta. It is very difficult to eat small amounts of these foods and therefore please eat them very sparingly. These foods are not nutrient dense and should not be eaten on a regular basis.

If you are trying to lose weight, you may eliminate all grains. This often helps with weight loss.

FATS AND OILS:

            Some fat will naturally be found in meats that you eat. If you enjoy fatter cuts of naturally raised meat, eat it! If you prefer leaner cuts of meat, then choose the leaner variety, but don’t be afraid of healthy fats. Avocados also provide healthy fat to your diet.

Besides the fats that are naturally found in foods, you may add fat to your food to taste. Fat is satiating and can help you avoid overeating. The best fats to add to your foods are raw butter, (or organic butter if raw is unavailable), ghee, coconut oil, and small amounts of olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil and avocado oil. Avocados are also a great source of healthy fat and on the summer schedule for seasonal eating.

Cooking foods in a small amount of coconut oil, lard or butter is good as these sources maintain integrity when heated. Choose oils that are not processed, non-GMO, free of bleach, hexane and organic.

FRUITS AND SNACKS– Choose fruits that are in season. Fruits make excellent snacks or desserts as fruit can satisfy a sweet tooth.  

When eating fruit, it is best to eat a handful of nuts or a small amount of protein with the fruit. This will slow down the absorption of sugars in the fruit.  An apple with a little almond butter or a handful of berries with some organic plain whole fat unflavored yogurts are great choices.

I would encourage you to eat more vegetables than fruits, but eating fruit seasonally and in moderation is fine. If you are diabetic or trying to lose weight, choose fruits that have a lower glycemic index.

SUGAR, PROCESSED FOODS, AND DRINKS– Avoid all forms of sugar as much as possible. This includes agave nectar, molasses, raw cane sugar, any ingredient ending in “ose”, or any other form of sugar. Adding a little local raw honey or pure maple syrup to food is okay for an occasional treat.

Sugar is very addictive and eating sugar can create many health issues. Eating sugar, or too much fruit, can create a craving for more sugar which creates a viscous cycle of eating and craving more and more sugar. The best way to get rid of a sugar addiction is to stop eating sugar altogether. Within a few weeks of eliminating sugar from your diet, sugar cravings will subside. This really works but it takes some will power which is why I suggest accepting the 30-day challenge when starting the program.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS – It is best to avoid all artificial sweeteners. Most of these sweeteners are very toxic and create a “sweet” tooth which is exactly what you are trying to eliminate. Recently stevia has been added to the list of artificial sweeteners with possible negative side effects and should be used in moderation as it may upset the microbiome and cause digestive issues. Also make sure that any stevia you use is processed from the leaves of the plant only. The roots of the stevia plant may contain lead, mercury, and aluminum.

WATER AND BEVERAGES

Water should be consumed (1/2 your body weight in ounces) should be drank daily. The best source of water is from a natural spring. Check out Find a Spring to locate a local spring in your area. I prefer filtered water over bottled spring water because there is no quality control over the purity of bottled water. Most spring water is stored and shipped in plastic bottles which may leak toxins into the water and there is no way of knowing how long the water has been bottled or how far it has traveled. Most bottled spring water is DOA upon arrival, so it is best to get your spring water from Find a Spring or do your homework to assure your spring water is safe and pure.

If this is not a feasible option, I recommend water that is filtered through a home water filter system that does NOT use reverse osmosis. If you own your home, you may want to invest in a filter system for the entire house. Do not choose a reverse osmosis system. Purified water is also a form of reverse osmosis water and reverse osmosis removes everything, including needed trace minerals from your water.

I use the Berkey water filter which is free standing and easy to use. Visit the Berkey site to purchase your filter and determine what size filter you need.  You can also purchase a Berkey filter on Amazon. If you need to save money, a simple carbon filtered system, such as a Pur filter, is acceptable. Avoid Britta filters as they only remove lead, leaving too many toxins in the water. Overtime a water filtration system will pay for itself.

Over the years I have changed my views on drinking “plain” water unless you are drinking spring water directly from a fresh spring. Other water is lifeless, especially after being filtered. Therefore, water is best drunk with a pinch of sea salt to reactivate and give the water “life”. Adding lemon to your water is great and can support the liver, plus it tastes awesome. I use a stir wand to increase the energy in my drinking water. This is an option to energize water too. Any of these options help restore the energy in water. Contact me if you have any questions about water or revitalizing your drinking water.

I use my Ivation, (the same device I use to clean my vegetables) to ozonate a glass of water every morning. I ozonate my water for 10 minutes and then drink it immediately. This is optional as I am a bit of a water nut but understanding the importance water plays in healing our body is important.

Drink water away from meals, 15 minutes before or 1 hour after eating. Water dilutes the natural digestive enzymes that are needed to digest food and is best consumed in small amounts with meals. I recommend taking your supplements with water 15 minutes before meals, or one hour after eating.

When traveling and unable to carry water with you, spring water is an acceptable choice. Try to avoid reverse osmosis and purified water or water that has added electrolytes, minerals or is processed to be “alkaline”. These waters are not hydrating.

One cup of organic coffee can be drunk daily but do not exceed one cup of coffee a day. Coffee is a very heavily sprayed crop and unless it is organic, it can be very toxic. The process of decaffeinating coffee is also very toxic unless it is decaffeinated through the Swiss water process therefore if you drink decaffeinated coffee, please make sure it is organic and Swiss water processed. A little whole raw milk or cream may be added to coffee.

One of two cups of herbal teas can be drunk daily unless otherwise recommended by your practitioner.  A strong cup of chamomile tea can be drunk at night if you experience trouble sleeping. Use two tea bags to one cup before bedtime to aid with sleep issues.

Alcohol should be avoided as much as possible. Alcohol is processed as sugar in the body and has no true beneficial properties, (and yes, this includes red wine). All alcohol is toxic to the liver and must be detoxed which creates more work for already overtaxed livers. 

EATING OUT – Occasionally eating out is fine. Enjoying a meal at a restaurant can be enjoyable! Try to choose restaurants with healthy options whenever possible. Farm-to-table restaurants are excellent choices. Choose options that are not deep fried. While it will be impossible to avoid all seed oils when dining out, do your best to limit eating dishes with seed oils.  

Avoid breads that are often served before dinner. You may want to eat something light before going to dinner if you know the options are limited so you can avoid being extremely hungry and making impulsive choices.

Remember that when you eat out, you have no control over the quality of the food that you are eating.  Many restaurants use cheap food and prepare foods in cookware that is not safe. Many times, microwaves are used to prepare food, which is also not recommended. Most of your meals should be eaten at home.

COOKWARE – To avoid toxicity, do not use cookware that is aluminum, iron, copper, or Teflon and/or nonstick cookware. Enamel cookware, including enamel coated iron is acceptable as is copper bottom pans where the copper is not in contact with food. Glass cookware, stainless steel and enamel cookware are great choices. Clay bakers and ceramic cookware are nice as well.

Avoid using microwaves. This is much easier than it sounds. I tossed my microwave years ago and quickly discovered that reheating food on the stove was very easy. Microwaves ruin the molecular structure of foods making even “healthy” foods toxic.

THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE – If you need to be “motivated” you may want to accept the thirty-day challenge. Start the thirty-day challenge after the supplements have arrived. The challenge is designed to jumpstart your program, help you experience better results quickly, and assist in helping you develop new healthy habits. To complete the challenge, you need to follow the eating plan and take the required supplements every day for thirty days. NO CHEATING. If you cheat, you must begin the challenge over at day one. When you complete the challenge, you are on your way to better health!  Do not plan to cheat or abandon your new habits after the thirty days are over! Contact me if you need help or assistance at any time.

Now with all that being said – One Final Thought!

If you are “fairly” healthy and do not suffer from reactions to food and/or are not suffering from serious symptoms or illness, consider the 80/20 rule. Here’s how to Follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time make wise choices and 20% of the time enjoy food that may not be part of your “program”. Excessive compulsiveness is not healthy, and a healthy mind is essential to creating a physically healthy body.

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All recommendations for supplements, products, or procedures, are not intended as treatment or prescription for any disease or as a substitute for medical care. All handouts or information dispersed as requested, during appointments or at workshops are the opinions of Doreen McCafferty, Holistic Lifestyle Consultant, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions or the respective author who retains copyright as marked. This information is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Doreen McCafferty and her community. Doreen McCafferty encourages you to make your own health care decision based upon research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. 

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