LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES

vegetables—especially leafy greens—are packed with many essential minerals (choose local or organic when possible, enjoy with fat to help absorption)

SEA SALT, SEAWEED, & SEAFOOD

foods from the sea are an excellent source of macro- and microminerals (such as zinc from oysters and iodine from seaweed)

MINERAL WATER & BONE BROTH

you can drink your minerals too (clean mineral water and homemade bone broth are 2 easy ways to enjoy minerals)

Dairy alternative products can offer a flavor/texture substitute for dairy, but very few offer a nutritional substitute.

Many dairy-free products are highly processed, so check labels for added gums, sugars, and oils.

"Sugar-free" is a marketing term that may or may not be informative.

In general, it is a good idea to limit processed and added sugar.

However, the question you must ask yourself when you see this claim is "why"?

1. Heat milk in large pot over medium heat, stirring often so it does not scorch or boil over. Remove from heat when milk reaches 180°F*.

2. Let the milk cool until it reaches 108°F (can take up to 2 hours). If a skin forms, stir it back in or remove.

3. Scoop out 1 cup of warm milk and whisk with yogurt starter until smooth. Whisk back into pot of milk.

1. PREBIOTICS

"organisms Eat"

indigestible carbs that feed beneficial microbes obtain from a variety of plant foods

2. PROBIOTICS

"Organisms"

live bacteria & yeast with health benefits quantity, species, and viability vary by product

3. POSTBIOTICS

"organisms Secrete"

compounds synthesized by beneficial microbes ex: short-chain fatty acids, vitamin Bs & K, GABA, exopolysaccharides, etc

IODINE: fish, seafood, seaweed, eggs, dairy, meat, cranberries, iodized salt

CHOLINE: meat, eggs, dairy, soy, kidney beans, wheat bran

OMEGA-3s: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, fish oil

IRON: red meat, organ meat, fish, oysters, chickpeas, molasses

VITAMIN B12: meat, dairy, eggs, fish, seafood, nutritional yeast

VITAMIN D: sunlight exposure, cod liver oil, organ meat, dairy, eggs

WATER: the most important nutrient, esp if breastfeeding

QUINOA

POULTRY

SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

EGGS

(especially yolks)

FISH

(especially salmon & cod)

RED MEAT

SOY

MILK & YOGURT

KIDNEY BEANS

LIVER

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

RED POTATOES

WHEAT BRAN

how to build a balanced plate

Uric acid is produced when the body breaks down fructose and nucleotide molecules (specifically, the purine bases that are part of DNA's structure). Normally, the kidneys process and excrete uric acid.

Hyperuricemia occurs when uric acid crystals are not excreted properly, causing them to build up in the bloodstream, joints, and other tissues.

This buildup can trigger the immune system and lead to swelling and inflammation—a condition known as gouty arthritis.

Vitamin D is synthesized when cholesterol in the skin is exposed to UVB sun radiation.

It functions more like a hormone than a vitamin in the body.

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression, immune responses, inflammation, mineral levels, and brain function.

UVB = BURNS

tans, burns, vitamin D synthesis

surface level damage, skin cancer

cannot pass through glass

UVA = AGING

penetrates deeper into dermis layer of skin

DNA damage, aging, skin cancer

can pass through glass

Phytic acid is the molecule that plants use to store phosphorus.

The main dietary sources of phytic acid are legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

Phytic acid also serves as a protective antioxidant in fragile seeds.

Dysbiosis describes imbalance in the gut microbiome, with:

high populations of pathogenic or opportunistic species (yeast/candida, methanogens, etc)

low populations of beneficial species (Bifidobacter, butyrate-producing species)

how to build a low-carb plate

Overwhelmed by finding healthy food at the grocery store? (You're not alone...)

The WHOLE FOOD RULE makes it simple: just choose food as found in nature.

Have you ever seen apple juice, blueberry muffins, or fish sticks on a hike?

Of course not, but you could see an apple tree, blueberry bush, oat field, or fish in the stream!

Foods in their natural form are minimally processed & maximally nutritious.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the main consequence of most metabolic diseases, including obesity, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and impaired mitochondria, liver, and kidney function.

All of these conditions—for one reason or another—impact the body’s ability to maintain sodium balance, fluid balance, and/or vascular health.

Does eating fat make you fat?

It is unfortunate that dietary fat has the same name as body fat, because people assume that eating fat makes them fat (so reducing it leads to weight loss).

"Low-fat" is a common but somewhat deceptive marketing term.

HOLISTIC:

considers the health of a person as a whole:

body, mind, and soul

BIOINDIVIDUAL:

each person has unique genetic, ancestral, and biochemical needs and preferences

PROPERLY-PREPARED:

some foods are less irritating to digestion and more nutritionally bioavailable when soaked, sprouted, cooked, or fermented

NUTRIENT-DENSE:

rich in micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and

phytonutrients needed for optimal health and vitality

EGG

source: egg whites

+ good animal-sourced alternative if sensitive to dairy

- can be allergenic

RICE

source: brown rice

+ inexpensive

+ source of fiber

- grains can be difficult to digest for some

COLLAGEN

source: bones, hide, joints of beef, fish, chicken

+ good for building gut, hair, skin, bone, joint tissue

+ popular taste and texture

+ easy to add to coffee/tea

- can cause histamine reaction

- expensive

WHEY

source: dairy milk

+ inexpensive

+ good for building muscle

+ popular taste & texture

- can be very processed

- can be allergenic

- can be difficult to digest

for some

PEA

source: pea

+ inexpensive

- can be very processed

- can be allergenic

HEMP

source: hemp plant (not marijuana)

+ not as allergenic as other plant-based options

+ source of nutrients & fiber

- earthy taste

SOY

source: soybeans (can be GM)

+ inexpensive

- can be very processed

- can be allergenic

- can be hormone-disrupting

how to build a primal plate