Last updated September 3, 2019
A slow oxidizer is turning oxygen and calories into energy too slowly. This diet will help support energy production and provide the right nutrients for healing.
The quality of the food can be just as important as what you are eating. So try to get organic when possible.
Most people should eat three meals per day. Slow oxidizers with potassium levels below 5 usually have trouble stabilizing their blood sugar. This means they should not skip meals and may need to eat more often. Even some people with good potassium levels have this problem so may need to eat more than three times a day. Go by how you feel between meals: if you get irritable, light-headed, anxious, tired, etc. then you need to eat more often.
Remember that people starting this program are usually very deficient (low) in nutrients. This means that their bodies are essentially starving even if they are overweight. The cells need specific nutrients to function at their best so the goal with this diet is to flood the body with healthy nutrients, not just from supplements but also from food. The initial goal is not weight loss though some people do lose weight right away. Most people have to fill their bodies with nutrients so that they can heal their cells and restore their normal metabolism, energy and health before they can effectively lose weight. As the body gets more balanced, excess weight usually just comes off easily, but if necessary, diet adjustments can be made at that time to assist in weight loss.
There are 4 main categories of what to eat and they are listed here in terms of quantity to eat in a day starting with the highest amount and going down to the lowest amount.
1. Vegetables, mostly cooked vegetables, but some raw is okay. Ideally have a large amount twice a day or smaller amounts three or more times per day. (Sugary or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets and carrots should be eaten in moderation.) Fill at least half of your plate with vegetables and have a wide variety of vegetables. (Salads are okay to eat, but they don’t really count a lot towards your vegetable intake, because they don’t absorb well into the whole body and just act as fiber for the intestines.)
2. Protein such as chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, eggs, etc.. Two or three times per day is ideal. Think of a deck of cards as a serving size. So 2 or 3 eggs are a good serving depending on your weight and caloric needs (for example, athletes, of course, will need to eat more).
3. Gluten-free grains. Just do small portions of these.
4. Fats, dairy, nuts and seeds. Use these to flavor food or as very small snacks. 8 almonds, for example, will be the most you would want to eat at one time.
Seasonings: use herbs and other seasonings (such as mustard and horseradish, etc.) as much as you like. Consuming a variety of herbs is quite healthful and can really do a lot to make a boring diet more exciting.
AVOID:
• Fast food
• Sugary foods such as desserts, candy, sodas, agave, etc.
• Large amounts of dairy, which most people do not tolerate well.
• Wheat grains such as pasta, crackers and bread (if it says “flour” in the ingredients and doesn’t specify which grain it is from, then it is wheat and should be avoided). There are gluten-free substitutes for everything now. See our article on Gluten for more information.
• Alcohol
• Fruit
• Highly processed and packaged foods (organic packaged foods are fine to eat if they match our overall diet recommendations).
If you have any inflammation symptoms such as pain, swelling, redness, itching, etc., or if you get bloating or gas from vegetables, let us know as we may have special recommendations for you.
To keep things simple, you can simply start by trying to do the above without worrying too much about the details. Use the Healthy Foods to Eat list on the next page. Start choosing foods from that list to eat. If it isn’t on the list, it likely isn’t very good for you. We also have a Foods to Limit list which is very helpful. You can print these lists and bring them with you when you shop or eat out.
For vegetarians, please see our write-up on vegetarian diets.
There are people who may need us to tailor the diet more to special needs, such as those who really feel a certain type of diet is best regardless of oxidation rate, or for those who can’t have any grains, have severe food allergies, etc. These things are best covered during consultation.
For more detailed diet information, visit the Diet Information section of our website. There you will find meal ideas, recipes, cooking tips and more. We also have more detailed information about types of food to eat, best food sources, why these foods are important to eat, best methods of cooking, special diets, etc. that will be useful as you get the simple ideas grooved in and are ready to take things to an even healthier level.