So we are going back to basics and getting really serious.  We have decided to go on a 40 day (6 week) stripped down protocol. We’re basing it on the diet described in Jordan Rubin’s book, Live Beyond Organic.  There are three levels: Advanced (the strictest), Intermediate, and Lifetime. There’s a quiz in the book to determine which plan is best for you, and we’re are at a point where we don’t have to be as restrictive as the Advanced plan, so we’ll do the Intermediate for six weeks, and then reassess ourselves.

According to the plan, we are allowed grassfed, pastured or wild, biblically clean meats, including: beef, veal, buffalo, lamb, goat, elk, venison, poultry, wild-caught freshwater and ocean fish (as long as they have fins and scales.)  No pork, bacon, sausage, deli meats or anything processed… Frogs, turtles, and alligators are also off the menu. And bats. No bats for us.

Eggs, fermented dairy from beta casein A1-free cow’s milk, plain sheep’s and goat’s milk yogurt, kefir, and cheeses are all allowed. Since we don’t have a source of beta casein A2 cow’s milk available, we’ll have to stick with the goat and sheep’s milk for now. Raw homemade almond milk is allowed though.

Fats and oils are easy enough, since we already stick to the “right” kinds: grassfed butter/ghee, virgin coconut oil, tallow, red palm oil (for cooking); EVOO, cold pressed seed oils (non-cooking), etc. Lard is out though.

We can basically have whatever veggies we want, fresh or frozen, just no corn or white potatoes (grains and starches are out.) Beans and legumes, with the exception of soy, and raw, soaked seeds and nuts (except peanuts) are on the go list. Homemade, lactofermented veggies and condiments are all good. Fruits are limited to 2 servings a day, and must be fresh, not dried or canned. Bananas are right out.

Beverages need to be fermented/cultured beverages, whey based drinks, raw coconut water, pure spring water raw veggie juices, herbal teas, and certified organic coffee.  (Decaf is actually not encouraged, because Jordan believes we should consume our foods whole and unadulterated– and most of the processes used to make decaf are … not good.) We are supposed to avoid the tap water, and BO has some INCREDIBLE selections for purified and botanically infused beverages, as well as a line of cultured sodas, so as soon as the budget allows, we’ll be getting some of those as well.

Typical WAP sweeteners are safe (raw honey, stevia, maple syrup, etc) in very small amounts.

As I said before, grains and starches are right out. So no bread, cereals, pasta, rice, pastries, baked goods, tortillas… Basically, all the things we have been gorging ourselves on for the last few months.  Yeah, my yeast has been CRAZY.  What can I say, Candida made me do it!

In addition to the dietary changes, we are adding raw and whole food supplements, probiotics, enzymes, and essential oils. Since this will also overlap the Petrochemical Weightloss protocol that I am currently undergoing, I will be interested to see how things are affected. While weight is an issue for Matt and me, we aren’t doing this in order to lose weight; we are attempting to heal our bodies and guts.  I’ll keep you updated!