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A Best Practices Diet

#81 · December 22, 2021, 9:22 pm

My weight has been very steady for about the last 4-5 years. I’m generally holding right about 160 LBS w/ ± 2 LBS variation. But, I feel I’m still about 4-5 LBS overweight. However, I’m very comfortable with my weight and energy levels, so I’m not really very motivated to try to lose those extra pounds. I think it might be rather hard to accomplish too because I’ve read that some old fat cells become almost immortal. So, the ONLY reason I stated that I might go down to 1200 KCAL/day was to see if I could lose that last 4-5 LBS. I’ve never in my life been lean enough to see my abdominal muscles. But, at age 61 I’m not vain enough to want to get really lean and at the potential risk of losing muscle mass. IF I do try to finally drop the extra 4-5 LBS I’d just cut back on the carbs (rice) and maybe at the same time increase the meat consumption a bit. For now I’m sticking to my regular diet.

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#82 · December 14, 2022, 4:32 am

Quote from Andrew B on December 14, 2022, 4:32 am
My best practice's diet tends to follow from my philosophy that I want a varied diet to help gut microbiome diversity. I want to be able to eat all foods for enjoyment perhaps with the exception of liver and the highest carotenoids. @ggenereux2014 has made a convincing case after 8 years that we don't need much if any vitamin A or carotenoids in our diet. I tend to the avoid excess school of thought so zero vitamin A isn't the general objective any more unless you want to prove similar to Grant Genereux. This is largely based on results from my own experiment and the science that choline is what helps the liver detox. I'm happy with the balance I've now got after 3 years 4 months on lowish vitamin A.

So having established low vitamin A is a good thing we are looking to replenish choline to enable a liver detox plus maintaining a lowish vitamin A and carotenoid diet. Choline has helped my absorption, my fat digestion is now back to normal across all fatty foods and I've repaired my digestive system back to what is termed normal bowel movements twice a day. Choline, zinc and protein can also explain why Grant Genereux succeeded in overcoming his health problems. So the model can explain that.

Summary of what to do in general. People with chronic issues may need help from a practitioner. These are the principles.

Eliminate Vit A supplements, topical retinol and liver consumption. The highest sources that could be killing you.

Concentrate diet on choline rich foods like beef hearts, beef, pork, eggs and/or fish roe. Full list in choline post. Initially digestion or sulfur problems may make this difficult. Do this for 3 months as a guide unless you have good choline levels initially (bit unlikely).

Then begin reducing highest carotenoids like orange carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe melon, peppers, spinach and kale. Reduce high levels of dairy. While continuing 2. keep reducing for 3 months until virtually zero. Hence 6 months for choline replenishment. Some reduction or return to seasonal eating of foods like tomatoes, melons, salad leaves and dairy.

Introduce more foods to expand diet if it was restricted before. Food intolerances may be a continuing problem for 1-2 years. Reintroduction should be possible even for gluten problems.

The milder your Vitamin A toxicity and the better your choline levels then the faster you can go with these steps.

Vitamin A and carotenoids settles somewhere about a maximum of 450mcgs RAE or 350mcgs RAE for women ie half RDA at present. This would be eggs mainly for the majority able or wanting to resume egg eating as the priority is finding the right level of choline for you. This differs a lot based on age, sex, celiac disease or gluten problems and genetics. Betaine from quinoa, organic wheat or spelt or beetroot saves choline being converted too.

Generally, avoiding a lot of dark green vegetables.

My best practice's diet tends to follow from my philosophy that I want a varied diet to help gut microbiome diversity. I want to be able to eat all foods for enjoyment perhaps with the exception of liver and the highest carotenoids. @ggenereux2014 has made a convincing case after 8 years that we don't need much if any vitamin A or carotenoids in our diet. I tend to the avoid excess school of thought so zero vitamin A isn't the general objective any more unless you want to prove similar to Grant Genereux. This is largely based on results from my own experiment and the science that choline is what helps the liver detox. I'm happy with the balance I've now got after 3 years 4 months on lowish vitamin A.

So having established low vitamin A is a good thing we are looking to replenish choline to enable a liver detox plus maintaining a lowish vitamin A and carotenoid diet. Choline has helped my absorption, my fat digestion is now back to normal across all fatty foods and I've repaired my digestive system back to what is termed normal bowel movements twice a day. Choline, zinc and protein can also explain why Grant Genereux succeeded in overcoming his health problems. So the model can explain that.

Summary of what to do in general. People with chronic issues may need help from a practitioner. These are the principles.

Eliminate Vit A supplements, topical retinol and liver consumption. The highest sources that could be killing you.
Concentrate diet on choline rich foods like beef hearts, beef, pork, eggs and/or fish roe. Full list in choline post. Initially digestion or sulfur problems may make this difficult. Do this for 3 months as a guide unless you have good choline levels initially (bit unlikely).
Then begin reducing highest carotenoids like orange carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe melon, peppers, spinach and kale. Reduce high levels of dairy. While continuing 2. keep reducing for 3 months until virtually zero. Hence 6 months for choline replenishment. Some reduction or return to seasonal eating of foods like tomatoes, melons, salad leaves and dairy.
Introduce more foods to expand diet if it was restricted before. Food intolerances may be a continuing problem for 1-2 years. Reintroduction should be possible even for gluten problems.
The milder your Vitamin A toxicity and the better your choline levels then the faster you can go with these steps.
Vitamin A and carotenoids settles somewhere about a maximum of 450mcgs RAE or 350mcgs RAE for women ie half RDA at present. This would be eggs mainly for the majority able or wanting to resume egg eating as the priority is finding the right level of choline for you. This differs a lot based on age, sex, celiac disease or gluten problems and genetics. Betaine from quinoa, organic wheat or spelt or beetroot saves choline being converted too.
Generally, avoiding a lot of dark green vegetables.

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#83 · December 18, 2022, 8:08 am

What to eat ? Low fat beef, chicken, eggs (1-4 a day), lamb, duck, venison, bison, turkey, salmon, skipjack tuna, mackerel, adzuki beans, butter beans, black eye peas, black beans, rose coco beans, pinto beans, borlotti beans, asparagus, iceberg lettuce, apples, bananas, mushrooms, green lentils, onions, dark sweet cherries, blueberries, strawberries, parsnips, white cabbage, fresh figs, grapes, blackberries, celery, celeriac, swede, sunflower seeds, shrimp/prawns.

In small amounts and occasionally: organic wheat, barley, brown rice, oats and rye (if no intolerances), quinoa, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, haricot beans (oxalate), potatoes, raspberries, honeydew melon, unrefined molasses sugar, raw or unhomogenised organic dairy, guavas (lycopene), peaches, passion fruit, pears, oranges, limes, lemons, apricots, pineapple, pomegranates, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, butter, olive oil, avocado oil, juniper berries, ginger, astragalus, dandelion root coffee, cauliflower, organ meats (except liver and kidneys), beetroot, cashews.

Less frequently or seasonally: dark green vegetables like broccoli, watercress, green cabbage, globe artichokes, mangoes, papaya, melons, avocado, dates, lychees, almonds, flax seed, hazelnuts, peanuts, tomatoes, pistachio, pecan nuts, chia seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, bacon, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, garlic.

Cooking fats in moderation with choline amounts:

1. Goose fat 122 mgs.

2. Beef tallow 80 mgs.

3. Pork lard 50 mgs.

4. Extra virgin olive oil 0.3 mgs.

Spices in moderation with choline amounts:

1. Ground mustard seed 122.7 mgs.

2. Turmeric 49 mgs.

3. Cardamom 34 mgs.

4. Ground oregano (high carotenoids) 32 mgs.

5. Ginger raw root 29 mgs.

6. Cumin 25 mgs.

7. Fresh garlic 23 mgs.

8. Black pepper 11 mgs.

9. Fresh basil (carotenoids) 11 mgs.

10. Cinnamon 11 mgs.

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#84 · December 25, 2022, 5:18 am

Quote from mmb3664 on December 25, 2022, 5:18 am

Quote from Andrew B on December 18, 2022, 8:08 am

What to eat ? Low fat beef, chicken, eggs (1-4 a day), lamb, duck, venison, bison, turkey, salmon, skipjack tuna, mackerel, adzuki beans, butter beans, black eye peas, black beans, rose coco beans, pinto beans, borlotti beans, asparagus, iceberg lettuce, apples, bananas, mushrooms, green lentils, onions, dark sweet cherries, blueberries, strawberries, parsnips, white cabbage, fresh figs, grapes, blackberries, celery, celeriac, swede, sunflower seeds, shrimp/prawns.

In small amounts and occasionally: organic wheat, barley, brown rice, oats and rye (if no intolerances), quinoa, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, haricot beans (oxalate), potatoes, raspberries, honeydew melon, unrefined molasses sugar, raw or unhomogenised organic dairy, guavas (lycopene), peaches, passion fruit, pears, oranges, limes, lemons, apricots, pineapple, pomegranates, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, butter, olive oil, avocado oil, juniper berries, ginger, astragalus, dandelion root coffee, cauliflower, organ meats (except liver and kidneys), beetroot, cashews.

Less frequently or seasonally: dark green vegetables like broccoli, watercress, green cabbage, globe artichokes, mangoes, papaya, melons, avocado, dates, lychees, almonds, flax seed, hazelnuts, peanuts, tomatoes, pistachio, pecan nuts, chia seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, bacon, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, garlic.

I agree with most of your list, but was wondering what you would suggest for someone who has a hard time keeping weight on. Should they increase fat intake? Just eat more of the same foods? Incorporate more food from the "occasionally" list? Mainly asking because the primary foods you listed are lean meats and beans, which are both high in protein and not very calorie dense.

Some things I have thought about regarding my own diet:

- What percentage of energy intake is reasonable for protein? I imagine anything above 35% of energy is pushing it. I can eat lean meat all day; is there any reason to be concerned with such high protein intake?

- Fruit is easy to eat a lot of, but I am concerned about overdoing the fructose. I am not convinced that fruit gets a free pass, i.e., I do not agree with the argument that fruit is not a concern in terms of fructose content. I could easily get multiple sodas worth of fructose from fruit a day if eating mainly lean meat and fruit.

- Starch works well for some people, me included, but I always end up doing poorly on rice (any type) long term. I am considering getting a majority of my carbohydrates from beans and real sourdough bread instead of rice despite the bad reputation bread/gluten has.

- I am eastern European (both parents are Polish) and I wonder if sticking to mainly traditional foods from the region, e.g., meat, bread, potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, etc., would have any merit. I realize that not many people are of a single nationality like I am, so this approach may not even be a consideration for other people.

If you have any thoughts on the above, please share!

Quote from Andrew B on December 18, 2022, 8:08 am

What to eat ? Low fat beef, chicken, eggs (1-4 a day), lamb, duck, venison, bison, turkey, salmon, skipjack tuna, mackerel, adzuki beans, butter beans, black eye peas, black beans, rose coco beans, pinto beans, borlotti beans, asparagus, iceberg lettuce, apples, bananas, mushrooms, green lentils, onions, dark sweet cherries, blueberries, strawberries, parsnips, white cabbage, fresh figs, grapes, blackberries, celery, celeriac, swede, sunflower seeds, shrimp/prawns.

In small amounts and occasionally: organic wheat, barley, brown rice, oats and rye (if no intolerances), quinoa, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, haricot beans (oxalate), potatoes, raspberries, honeydew melon, unrefined molasses sugar, raw or unhomogenised organic dairy, guavas (lycopene), peaches, passion fruit, pears, oranges, limes, lemons, apricots, pineapple, pomegranates, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, butter, olive oil, avocado oil, juniper berries, ginger, astragalus, dandelion root coffee, cauliflower, organ meats (except liver and kidneys), beetroot, cashews.

Less frequently or seasonally: dark green vegetables like broccoli, watercress, green cabbage, globe artichokes, mangoes, papaya, melons, avocado, dates, lychees, almonds, flax seed, hazelnuts, peanuts, tomatoes, pistachio, pecan nuts, chia seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, bacon, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, garlic.

I agree with most of your list, but was wondering what you would suggest for someone who has a hard time keeping weight on. Should they increase fat intake? Just eat more of the same foods? Incorporate more food from the "occasionally" list? Mainly asking because the primary foods you listed are lean meats and beans, which are both high in protein and not very calorie dense.

Some things I have thought about regarding my own diet:

- What percentage of energy intake is reasonable for protein? I imagine anything above 35% of energy is pushing it. I can eat lean meat all day; is there any reason to be concerned with such high protein intake?

- Fruit is easy to eat a lot of, but I am concerned about overdoing the fructose. I am not convinced that fruit gets a free pass, i.e., I do not agree with the argument that fruit is not a concern in terms of fructose content. I could easily get multiple sodas worth of fructose from fruit a day if eating mainly lean meat and fruit.

- Starch works well for some people, me included, but I always end up doing poorly on rice (any type) long term. I am considering getting a majority of my carbohydrates from beans and real sourdough bread instead of rice despite the bad reputation bread/gluten has.

- I am eastern European (both parents are Polish) and I wonder if sticking to mainly traditional foods from the region, e.g., meat, bread, potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, etc., would have any merit. I realize that not many people are of a single nationality like I am, so this approach may not even be a consideration for other people.

If you have any thoughts on the above, please share!

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#85 · December 25, 2022, 5:33 am

Quote from mmb3664 on December 25, 2022, 5:18 am

I agree with most of your list, but was wondering what you would suggest for someone who has a hard time keeping weight on. Should they increase fat intake? Just eat more of the same foods? Incorporate more food from the "occasionally" list? Mainly asking because the primary foods you listed are lean meats and beans, which are both high in protein and not very calorie dense.

@mmb3664 I am quite slim myself and got down to too low a weight at times a few years ago. It depends slightly on how bad each person is. Eating the high carbohydrates will help add weight with more fat but might not be optimal with the Vit A reduction process. I've done it very gradually over time with the 'healthier' diet. It was high in protein (over 120 grams of protein at times) which I now think could be lower as long as you can increase choline foods like eggs, beef hearts, beef kidneys (moderate vit A), fish roe, tongue, tripe, beef, pork and small fish. Fat tends to increase the heartburn for me so longer needed to replenish choline and fix leakiness before increasing bile with fat. I'm now eating a very balanced diet and enjoying food again in a sense with moderate carbohydrates, moderate fat and moderate protein with a good selection of all those foods. I think too high carbohydrate (and fat) might slow down the initial choline replenishment so a rush to gain weight might not be best approach in initial phase of one year say.

#86 · January 4, 2023, 5:59 am

Quote from Andrew B on January 4, 2023, 5:59 am

Grant Genereux ate bison 75% to 90% of the time from 6 months into his low Vitamin A diet. Primarily, because it was lower in fat and therefore lower in the trace amount of Vitamin A. Bison is also nearly 20% higher in choline than beef. It might partly explain why he succeeded better than most in recovering from a chronic condition of kidney disease and eczema. We know zinc and protein were likely helpful too. If you dont realise the importance of choline for liver detoxification in the accepted science then I can't really help you. You've missed the thing that solves a lot of the problems.

We've neglected this for so long forgive me if I'm frustrated by the lack of attention to this most important part of the equation. It may be only some people need more choline but it's now helping so many people that got left behind in the success stories. You'll hear their stories in 2023 when we get some test results. Please share if you have interim feedback. I do suggest 6 months at least is the time to get a good perspective on the issue. It's completely changed my life and I will hopefully have the good news shortly.

Another important thing is stress and I've posted about that too. Minimising stress by simplifying food choices in a more positive way. Dont eat the high sources of carotenoids and then moderate consumption of other foods with their own particular issues. Make it seasonal if you cant give up certain foods. Enough B5 food sources and methylation factors to aid sleep. Parasympathetic activity during sleep aids healing. Methylation factors aid detox, gallbladder and the liver. Parasympathetic activity aids digestion.

Elimination is the third important aspect I'd emphasise and Dr Smith has repeatedly mentioned increasing bowel movements as most important. I needed more choline because I was 'only' able to eat 300-400 grams of meat. I think the more toxins going out that way then less heading to the kidneys and less needing eliminated through the skin. Magnesium and potassium equally important for digestion and the kidneys. B1 possibly for the digestive process because it helps the vagus nerve. Yet, not everybody increased bowel movements to 2 a day and some remained constipated after years on this protocol. What gives ? People started eating eggs with phospholipids, a tiny amount of Vitamin E in food and choline and digestion slowly increased to 2 bowel movements over 6 months. Some people actually reported instant relief.

The group can often only try to help 80% of us. The other 20% need more in depth help so I apologise if I havent covered your specific issue. And sometimes resolving the specific issue is needed before applying the principles. I do find if you can increase choline absorption improves, digestion improves and leakiness reduces. Sometimes B1 at the same time for one subset. Some people will have complicated cholinesterase and acetylcholine dysregulation issues. And we dont want to push the detox in any way before correcting the issues and that means a balanced diet moderate for protein, zinc, fibre and fat. Avoid supplements unless needed until ready to detox. The choline always wins.

Grant Genereux ate bison 75% to 90% of the time from 6 months into his low Vitamin A diet. Primarily, because it was lower in fat and therefore lower in the trace amount of Vitamin A. Bison is also nearly 20% higher in choline than beef. It might partly explain why he succeeded better than most in recovering from a chronic condition of kidney disease and eczema. We know zinc and protein were likely helpful too. If you dont realise the importance of choline for liver detoxification in the accepted science then I can't really help you. You've missed the thing that solves a lot of the problems.

We've neglected this for so long forgive me if I'm frustrated by the lack of attention to this most important part of the equation. It may be only some people need more choline but it's now helping so many people that got left behind in the success stories. You'll hear their stories in 2023 when we get some test results. Please share if you have interim feedback. I do suggest 6 months at least is the time to get a good perspective on the issue. It's completely changed my life and I will hopefully have the good news shortly.

Another important thing is stress and I've posted about that too. Minimising stress by simplifying food choices in a more positive way. Dont eat the high sources of carotenoids and then moderate consumption of other foods with their own particular issues. Make it seasonal if you cant give up certain foods. Enough B5 food sources and methylation factors to aid sleep. Parasympathetic activity during sleep aids healing. Methylation factors aid detox, gallbladder and the liver. Parasympathetic activity aids digestion.

Elimination is the third important aspect I'd emphasise and Dr Smith has repeatedly mentioned increasing bowel movements as most important. I needed more choline because I was 'only' able to eat 300-400 grams of meat. I think the more toxins going out that way then less heading to the kidneys and less needing eliminated through the skin. Magnesium and potassium equally important for digestion and the kidneys. B1 possibly for the digestive process because it helps the vagus nerve. Yet, not everybody increased bowel movements to 2 a day and some remained constipated after years on this protocol. What gives ? People started eating eggs with phospholipids, a tiny amount of Vitamin E in food and choline and digestion slowly increased to 2 bowel movements over 6 months. Some people actually reported instant relief.

The group can often only try to help 80% of us. The other 20% need more in depth help so I apologise if I havent covered your specific issue. And sometimes resolving the specific issue is needed before applying the principles. I do find if you can increase choline absorption improves, digestion improves and leakiness reduces. Sometimes B1 at the same time for one subset. Some people will have complicated cholinesterase and acetylcholine dysregulation issues. And we dont want to push the detox in any way before correcting the issues and that means a balanced diet moderate for protein, zinc, fibre and fat. Avoid supplements unless needed until ready to detox. The choline always wins.

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#87 · January 4, 2023, 1:44 pm

Hi @andrew-b,

I started with the bison in late 2014; so that’s about 6 months into my diet. Ever since then I have tried to eat mostly bison rather than beef. So, yes 75% or more of my meat consumption was bison. Some years it was probably more like 90%.

But, the primary reason I chose bison over beef is just because it was low in fat content and therefore lower in the trace amount of vA that both meats do have. I live in Alberta and there are quite a few bison ranchers here so the cost of Bison for me is only a bit more than beef.

But please know that it still took me a long time to fully recover my health. Although my early reports of health recovery were accurate they only represented what I didn’t not appreciate was a partial recovery. The first 50% improvement felt remarkable but that’s only due the relative measure from starting at absolutely rock bottom.

Thanks for sharing the information on choline. I think it is an important topic and could be a key finding in helping people avoid the detox setback.

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#88 · January 7, 2023, 10:55 am

Oh I just realized something so funny! A close family member is 90 and not feeling so well lately. We visit him in the nursing home each week. Guess what his favorite meal is that we bring him? We've sort of worked our way to it over the last few years. It's something he is always excited for, and easy for him to chew and digest.

Egg salad with boiled beets on the side.

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#89 · January 7, 2023, 12:17 pm

Intestinal flora convert choline into TMAO which causes heart disease so it's a double edged sword.

Nutrient intake is far less important then nutrient absorption and retention. A person in good health may have a low intake of a nutrient like magnesium but have excellent magnesium status, conversely a person in poor health may supplement with magnesium daily but have poor magnesium status. It's usually ineffective to increase nutrient intake beyond that provided by a balanced diet and is often counterproductive. Only through detoxification, the healing of impaired physiology and restoration of normal biochemical function can health improve. When healing occurs nutrient status can normalize. For example, transketolase which is needed for thiamin metabolism is inhibited by enzyme inhibitors like fluoride and retinoic acid. If transketolase is inhibited significantly thiamin supplementation will not improve thiamin status.

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#90 · January 7, 2023, 12:36 pm

Quote from lil chick on January 7, 2023, 10:55 am

Egg salad with boiled beets on the side.

Aren't beets high in carotenoids?

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A Best Practices Diet

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