Nutrition Q&A
1- Q: I am trying to minimize my cravings for sweets…..any suggestions?
A: The Advanced Plan does exactly that. You will find that about 2-3 weeks into the plan, cravings go from a 10 to a 0! By eliminating the sugar and anything that turns to sugar, you are flipping your body’s switch into fat burning mode.
2- Q: What do you think of the safflower diet
A; Commercial safflower oil is typically polyunsaturated which are very unstable and highly vulnerable to oxidation- even at room temperature. This means the formation of free-radicals. Just being exposed to air and light accelerates the oxidation process. When you start heating it for cooking, the oxidation progresses even further.
The best oils to use for cooking are coconut oil, butter, and grapeseed oil
3- Q: Can I get enough fiber on the advanced plan if I cut out fruits, grains, beans, etc. if I one has digestive issues?
A; Absolutely- you will get plenty of fiber from vegetables. Digestive issues can have many root causes but the Advanced Plan works wonders for allowing the body to heal and to correct problems with digestion.
4- Q: Can I still have a vacation meal as Dr. Lerner suggests on the Undiet from the Body by God book and still have success with weightloss?
A: While this is perfectly acceptable under normal circumstances and for long term sustainability, it is not effective for weight loss. Unfortunately, if you want to be as successful as possible, you will need to avoid the vacation meals until your weight loss goals are achieved. When you are trying to get your leptin under control, it is crucial to eliminate sugars and anything that turns to sugar. Sugar is highly addictive and causes an immediate physiological response in the body- you can avoid it for a month but as soon as you have that “vacation meal” the cravings come right back in full force.
Dr. Eric: We have found that there are more yo-yo issues with those who fall off the wagon. And ultimately, those who have been consistent for 6-8 months get life change. The one simple truth, when you get out 6-8 months, and look back. Whether you did it or didn’t do it, you will wish you had.
5- Q: In the Asian lettuce wraps recipe in the Nutrition Plans book, do you add the almond butter to the ground turkey?
A: You can add the almond butter after the ground turkey is browned – with the rest of the ingredients.
6- Q: What do you say to people who don’t do a Maximized Living Diet, yet live a very long healthy life?
A; There is one very important health risk factor that is often overlooked which is how a person’s nervous system is functioning. That is why you can see a person with a terrific diet who exercises all of the time, die of a heart attack at age 40 and someone who smokes, eats poorly, and never exercises live to a ripe old age. Much of the so-called mystery can be boiled down to how well their body is able to function and heal. Your Maximized Living Doctor can give you much more information on this topic.
7- Q: What about the Flat Belly Diet?
A: While the idea of a MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acid) at every meal is a good one and it is good that this diet focuses on organics- it also overlooks several important points. There are no recommendations about the type and quality of meats you are eating and there is still a heavy emphasis on carbohydrates which does nothing to get someone’s leptin under control.
Dr. Eric : In the 60 Day Turnaround, we take it one step further, as we drive all meals to be healthy, not just on the diet. This is so far beyond culture it is ridiculous.
8- Q: Can you offer an opinion regarding Agave nectar?
A: Agave nectar, while much lower on the glycemic index scale, meaning it doesn’t spike blood sugar as much, IS still sugar and has the same effect on the body. It will still cause a rise in blood sugar, insulin, and the body’s inflammatory response. That is why we recommend staying away from it, especially if weight loss is a concern.
9- Q: I cannot have soy and it is in everything!!! What is soy lecithin and why is it in everything?
A; Maximized Living agrees that soy is a food that needs to be avoided, in any form. Soy lecithin is a waste product from the processing of soy oil and yes, it is in almost every processed food out there. Your best bet is to stick with whole foods or foods that have been minimally processed.
10- Q: Isn’t grapeseed oil another healthy fat?
A: Yes- grapeseed oil is fine for salad dressings or for medium heat.
11- Q: Is the info on saturated fats in the book: MLNP book? I just had a girfriend tell me sat fats are bad for you. I want to pass along this info.
A: YES! All of the information you need on the lies we have been told about saturated fats is in there. The saturated fat phobia has really compromised the health of North Americans.
12- Q: So the Promise Spread that is endorsed by cardiologists, is bad?
A; YES! It is a man-made product, made in a lab, subjected to extensive processing, bleaching, heat, etc. It is best to stick with the natural foods that have been around for 1,000’s of years like coconut oil, butter, olive oil, etc.
13- Q: So with cutting out sugar…are you really wanting us to stop eating fruits???
A: If weight loss is a concern, leptin is disregulated, or the body is in crisis mode, the answer is YES. That is not to say that fruits are not healthy – they are! It is just that when the body is in crisis or weight loss is a concern, all sugar must be eliminated to help the body heal and repair.
14- Q: Are you saying that increased healthy fat intake will not increase breast or prostate cancer risk?
A: Yes. In fact, if you look at cultures like Polynesia where they eat very high amounts of saturated fats from coconut products or at some African tribes that eat up to a pound of fat per day, you will not see breast cancer, prostate cancer, or any cancer for that matter. Fat is actually the #1 missing ingredient in most American’s diets.
15- Q: What do you replace grains with?
A: You are replacing grains with more healthy fats and more vegetables. After the first 2-3 weeks, you won’t even miss the grains. In addition, the human species survived for thousands of years before the advent of farming and milling grains. In other words, you do not need grains to survive and attain optimal health.
16- Q: What is a good breakfast without grains?
A: Good breakfast options without grains include: eggs, nut butters, smoothies, whey protein, organic yogurt, raw vegetables, smoked salmon, grainless (nut-based) granolas, berries with coconut milk, etc.
17- Q: How do you replace pasta?
A: One good “trick” is to use a spiral slicer on zucchini- it comes out looking just like spaghetti noodles.
18- Q: I thought 100% whole grains were good to eat
A: Whole grains can be good for some people but it really depends on your ancestry. Some cultures were never designed to eat grains. That may explain the very high level of gluten and wheat sensitivities. If weight loss is not a concern, and you are not facing any health challenges, whole grains can be a healthy part of your nutrition plan. The Core Plan outlines which grains are recommended.
19 – Q: What are the 5 purposes of the Advanced Plan?
- Burn fat
- Detoxify
- Reduce inflammation
- Balance hormone
- Repair tissue cells
20- Q: How can you control the ratio if fats are coming in outside of the supplement, ie through your diet?
A: If you are consuming only healthy fats, there is no need to monitor your fat intake.
21- Q: Is there any soy in NaturePro?
A: NO! Maximized Living does not recommend consuming soy (except for organic fermented soy products like tempeh, miso. Tamari, amakaze, and natto)
22- Q: What do you mix with Nature Pro?
There are several smoothie recipes in the book that use NaturePro but some quick ideas are:
Vanilla NaturePro with frozen berries and coconut milk
Chocolate NaturePro with romaine lettuce, coconut milk, and mint flakes
You can add greens to any smoothie for added nutrition.
The possibilities are really endless.
23- Q: I have not been able to obtain grass-fed beef this winter at my organic grocer – is organic beef okay to buy?
A: Organic does not necessarily mean grass-fed. It just means that the animals haven’t been given hormones or antibiotics. You can find some online sources of grassfed beef that will come directly to your house.
