Introduction To

Nutrition for The

ILP Kit By Seth Braun

Since the ILP kit provides only a brief overview to nutrition, I’ve
been invited to comment on the elements of a strong Nutrition
Practice.

This is not Integral Nutrition, which would need to consider the

total field of nutrition; economic, cultural, biochemistry, etc.

This is Nutrition for Integral Life Practice. The scope is limited by

the context of ILP.

It is with great delight and honor that I share some of what I

have learned.

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Overview:
• Nutrition 101 pg. 3
• Your Own Best Dietary Plan pg. 8
• Grains pg. 11
• Beans and Legumes pg. 13
• Glycemic Index/ Glycemic Load pg. 16
• Greens pg. 19
• Fats and Oils pg. 21
• Protein / Animal Foods pg. 25
• Nuts and Seeds pg. 28
• Superfoods pg. 30
• Shopping Guide pg. 31
• Miscellaneous Tips pg. 33
• Prayer and Thanksgiving pg. 34
• Taking It Home pg. 35
• Wrap Up and review pg. 39
• Contact Seth Braun pg. 40
• Appx A: Integrative vs. Integral Nutrition pg. 41

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 Nutrition 101:
Let’s begin with the foundation:
1. There is no one right diet for anyone person, for any length
of time.
2. Universal truths of nutrition need specific application.
3. You are what you eat.

Health is the ability to maintain a state of balance.

To borrow the overview from Systems Biology, or
Functional Medicine, there are two main questions to
address in creating health.
1. What do you need to remove?
2. What do you need to get?

Further, there are a set number of causative factors for

dis-ease:
1. Toxins
2. Infections (Microbes, Viruses, Bacteria, Mold, Fungus, Yeast)
3. Poor Lifestyle
4. Poor Diet
5. Excessive Stress
6. Allergens (histamine response) / Sensitivities (antibody response)
(This is what we want to remove.)

And, finally, there are the things we want to bring in:

1. Proper food
2. Herbs or superfoods
3. Appropriate supplementation
4. Appropriate Digestion and Assimilation

Of course, there are other factors that disrupt or contribute to

health; exercise, relationships, spiritual orientation, stress
management, community, shadow-work and subtle / causal
energy work, which are addressed elsewhere in the ILP kit.

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This PDF is going to introduce you to the most powerful
way you can get the good stuff in and the bad stuff
out, THE FOOD YOU CHOOSE TO EAT!

OK, basic nutrition theory.

There are two classes of nutrients:

MACRONUTRIENTS: Proteins, Fats and Carbohydrates.
And
MICRONUTRIENTS: Including vitamins, minerals, trace minerals,
essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, glyconutrients,
phytochemicals (a catch all term for a vast number of
beneficial plant compounds), and antioxidants.

Here is a rough graphic representing the role of macro and

micro nutrition in a complete view of nutrition:

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Every Body Must Get Zoned
The most important single factor that you can determine is the
right balance of macro and micronutrients for your body.

You may have heard of the “Zone Diet.” Barry Sears, creator of
the Zone was on to something with his work. But your zone may
be different than mine.

Metabolic Typing offers a great map for this zone. Simply put,
they divide people into:
1. Carb Types – 60% Carbohydrate / 15% Fat / 25% Protein
2. Mixed Types – 45% Carbohydrate / 25% Fat / 30 % Protein
3. Protein Types -30 % Carbohydrate / 30% Fat / 40 % Protein

Keep in mind that we are assuming that you are eating all of
the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from whole food sources. (I
will get to that in a second.)

This begins to explain why some people thrive on:

1. The Dean Ornish Diet recommends 75% of calories from whole
food carbohydrate sources
2. The Rosedale Diet recommends 60% fat, moderate protein
and 10% carbohydrates.

What Is Whole Food?

It is not the market.

It refers to food that has not been processed. Let’s try this:

Is a banana a whole food?

Yes.
Is a steak a whole food?
Yes
Is an almond a whole food?
Yes.
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OK, now we are cooking!

Is a muffin a whole food?

No. (It is a bunch of ingredients that have been processed to a
greater or lesser degree)
Is a bag of corn chips a whole food?
No, they have been processed.
Is a carrot a whole food?
Yes.

In nutrition 101, you want to make most of your food whole

food. Sure, you can still eat muffins and corn chips, but more
often, see if you can eat food that has minimal processing.

The Micronutrients
The next step is to make sure you are getting all those
micronutrients. This is not that hard.

If you are eating a variety of quality vegetables, grains, proteins,

fruits and other whole foods, you will get most of the vitamins,
minerals, and phytochemicals that you need.

Insurance policy:

If you want to make sure you are getting all the micronutrients
you need, then add in superfoods, (more later) and
supplementation.

Some people are deficient in certain micronutrients, and this

makes a big difference.

Common deficiencies include:

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B 12
• Vitamin B 6

Work with a medical practitioner to find out if you need to take

additional supplementation.

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Digest and Assimilate

Good nutrition is not only the right foods, but also proper
digestion and assimilation. Digestion is really the first place to
look for good nutrition.

The first stage of digestion is chewing.

It is helpful to eat the right mix of cooked and raw food for you.
And only you can find out what that is. Some people do better
with more raw, some with more cooked.

But everyone does better when the diet is not to loaded with
too much. Overeating is terrible for digestion and the beginning
of a lot of problems.

Digestion is impaired by old food, rancid fats, food additives,

artificial colors and sweeteners.

Another major problem, and a theme of this PDF, is the over-

consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined
carbohydrates.

You can end up with a bacteria / yeast imbalance. Did you

know that you have 3 lbs. of healthy, good, friendly bacteria in
your gut? Believe it! Too much sugar or refined carbs throws off
the balance in there, creating havoc.

Review:

1. Every person needs to discover what works for

them but there are universal guidelines to follow.
2. Health is simple. Put the good stuff in and take the
bad stuff out. The most powerful way we can
control that is with FOOD.

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 3. You need to find the right balance of
macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates)
for you.
4. Eating real food helps you digest well.
5. You will need to find out the right mix of cooked
and raw food for you.

Your Own Best Dietary Plan

There is a technical term in nutrition, biochemical individuality.

This means that there is no one right diet for any one person. This
seems pretty straight forward, but is actually radical when we
consider it. This means that the latest fad diet might work for
everyone at the office but you. This also means that what works
for you might run contrary to what you think should be working
for you.

This rigid idea of what we should and should not eat is one of
the biggest challenges I see my clients struggle with. I work with
them to get past the programming about “good” foods and
“bad” foods, especially with low fat or low carb diets.

Most often, women come to me with a deep-seated belief that

fat is bad and to be avoided. Men come in seeing food as
potential muscle. Some folks come in with an idea that eating
Pg. 8
meat is not spiritual. Occasionally clients are convinced that
raw foods are the best approach, while others just want help
staying on the South Beach diet. This is of course, no longer a
purely physical challenge. The right diet for you is as much
about your emotions and beliefs as it is about the biological
reality of what works for you. Problems settle in when we let our
brain dictate what our body needs, despite clear messages.

A striking example of dietary diversity is catalogued in the work

of Dr. Weston Price, a dentist that researched traditional diets
around the world in the first half of the 20th century. He found
healthy robust peoples eating 80% animal fat (Inuit), eating 90%
rye and milk (Isolated Swiss villages, eating primarily sourdough
rye bread and unpastuerized milk products from grass fed
cows), primarily vegetarian diet of beans, corn and squash
(Southwestern United States, First Nation people).

As described in examples throughout this document, there are

many controversies in nutrition about what to eat, what not to
eat, and what is the best way to produce food, prepare food
and consume food.

Nevertheless, there are still a limited number of variables in

assessing the principles of a healthy diet. These may seem
overwhelming and I do not blame you if you have felt like giving
up on trying to figure it all out.

If you are motivated to know what foods and practices really

work well for you, take into consideration the following principles
as your foundation:
1. Eat real, whole food, produced in accord with the
principles of a healthy agricultural system. (Eat the best
quality food, from healthy ecosystems, healthy plants,
healthy animals and you will be healthy.)
2. Eat foods that traditional people, from healthy, robust
cultures, (especially your own ancestry) have been eating.
3. Eschew processed foods, even if that processed food
claims to have health benefits.
4. Eat foods that you like, that make you feel good, and
enjoy the food that you eat.

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There are a host of diagnostic factors that you can use to
determine the best diet for you, but if you follow the above
guidelines, you are sure to get over the half way mark for
optimal eating. But what are the most important details for you
to hone that practice even more sharply?

Here are the factors that you want to consider in creating your
own best dietary practice. They include, but are not limited to:
• Seasonal eating: (any dietary theory that does not
acknowledge that you need different foods in the winter
than summer is missing something)
• Climate: What you eat in Fiji is quite different than what
you eat to thrive in Northern Finland.
• Genetic: You ancestral diet, evolutionary biology, your
DNA.
• Blood Type: What kind of lectin response is happening to
food.
• Your nervous system: What kind of energy are you
conducting; High strung, laid back, anxious, apathetic,
enthusiastic, serene?
• Hormonal Dominance: What is happening with your
thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, pancreas, and your entire
endocrine system?
• Activity level: Do work at a desk? Are you a laborer?
• Stress Level: Under the gun constantly or very few
responsibilities?
• Work: Do you love your job or hate it? Are you interacting
with tons of people every day or are you working by
yourself?
• Availability: What are the constraints or opportunities of
your environment?
• How are you eating? Are you chewing your food? Do you
have time and space to properly digest a meal?
• When are you eating? Are there times of the day that work
better for your digestion and assimilation?

Getting curious about these questions is fun. The best way to

learn what is right for you is to increase the awareness level of
how food effects.

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Consider using a journal practice to keep track of the “food-
mood” connection, how your energy fluctuates with meals, how
you digest the food and your hunger.

Keeping It Real:
If you are ready to add a specific exercise to your ILP
experience, try this:
1. Buy a small, inexpensive pocket note pad.
2. Write down four words, hunger, cravings, mood and
energy
3. Keep track of these four “languages” after you eat each
day for a week.
4. Notice what foods keep you satisfied, with consistent
mood and energy.
5. You can trust that your body. It communicates with you
about the best foods to eat.

WHOLE GRAINS

People have been eating whole grains for a long time.

Some diets suggest that grains are bad for you. The USDA food
pyramid suggest 6-11 servings of grain a day.

Jesus ate grains. That says something.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

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 1. Grains contain phytates, which block mineral absorption.
This can be countered by soaking, sprouting or fermenting
(as in sourdough) the grain.
2. Eat mostly whole grains, not products made from flours. If
you are going to eat grain products, like breads, than
make them sprouted or cultured (sourdough).
3. Eat grains in ancient varieties and avoid genetically
modified or even highly hybridized strains, as in wheat and
corn.

There are a lot of people having problems with wheat.

It appears that there are many factors. The intense hybridization

of wheat over the centuries may contribute to difficult to digest
proteins. The high rate of consumption of refined wheat for
multiple generations. A reduced strength of overall digestion.

I have found that most people do better with sprouted grains,

including wheat. And, I’ve found that quantity is almost always
a factor.

Historically, people have developed strong bodies on grain

based diets. The evidence for this exists around the globe.

Notwithstanding, there are portions of the population that do

not seem to do well on many grains at all, while others thrive on
a heavy grain diet, typical of traditional macrobiotic practices.

For those who do not do well with grains, you may find that
quinoa; buckwheat and amaranth are workable, since these
are not true grains, rather seeds that we use like grains.

How To cook whole grains.

1. Measure your grains.
2. Optional: soak grains for 1-8 hours to soften, increase
digestibility, and eliminate phytic acid. Drain grains and
discard the soaking water.
3. Add water, bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for the suggested
amount of time. (Don’t lift the lid to check on it)

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 1 cup grains water cooking time
common grains:
brown rice 2 cups 60 minutes
buckwheat (aka kasha)* 2 cups 20 minutes
oats (whole groats) 3 cups 90 minutes
oatmeal (rolled oats) 3 cups 20 minutes
alternative grains:
quinoa 2 30 minutes
cups
amaranth 2 cups 20 minutes
barley (pearled) 2-3 cups 60 minutes
barley (hulled) 2-3 cups 90 minutes
bulgur (cracked wheat) 2 cups 20 minutes
cornmeal (aka polenta) 3 cups 15 minutes
kamut 3 cups 90 minutes
millet 2 cups 30 minutes
rye berries 3 cups 2 hours
spelt 3 cups 2 hours
wheat berries 3 cups 60 minutes
wild rice 2 cups 60 minutes

All liquid measures and times are approximate.

For Kasha, boil the water, then add. Do not add kasha to cold
water, as it will not cook properly. For a softer, more porridge-
like consistency, boil the grain and liquid together.
**Technically not a grain, but a small pasta product.

Beans And Legumes

Throughout the planet, traditional people have consumed
beans and legumes as a substantive part of the diet. There are
however, several distinctions, often overlooked, when modern
people consume these foods.

Beans, like grains, nuts and seeds, contain phytic acid. Phytates
adversely affect metabolism and negatively impact digestion
(blocking mineral absorption). That said, let’s get down to
Pg. 13
business. What is the number one question I get asked about
beans?

Soy.
Oh Boy. . . contrary to popular understanding, we in the west
are consuming a lot of beans, well, at least a lot of one bean,
the soy bean. Of course, it is only edamame, the green version
of the bean, that most people would identify as a bean. In the
majority of other forms, the bean is hard to find in the end
product.

To soy or not to soy, that is the question, isn’t it. And there are
plenty of opinions.

Nutrition is right up there with religion and politics in terms of

controversy potential. Unlike politics and religion, nutrition has
the added convention of scientific research to back up points
of view. Soy, like most foods or topics in nutrition, seems to have
research and studies that support eating it and not eating it.

Notwithstanding, if you apply the principles of healthy eating;

Eat whole, real food, eat what traditional people ate in the
way they ate it, and eat food that makes you feel good, we
can make some choices about soy.
1. Since soybeans are one of the hardest foods to digest,
traditional people fermented and cultured it to aid in
digestion, as in tempe, tamari and miso.
2. The majority of soy foods consumed in the modern food
stream are highly processed, retain phytic acid, and are
made from beans produced with commercial farming
methods, including genetic modification.

Hey, that means that maybe we would be better off eating soy
the way traditional people ate it?

So the soy protein enriched low carb drinks, chips, cereal, bars,
breads and meal replacement products are out.

Miso, tempe, tamari are in.

Tofu is in the middle.

Pg. 14
Traditionally, tofu was not the sole protein source in the meal. It
was used concurrent to animal foods, and fats. Added fat
reduces the negative impact of phytic acid.

To get the real benefit of beans and legumes, check out the
foods revered in the healing systems around the globe:
• Mung Bean; used in Chinese Medicine as a tonic food.
This is the bean used in the common, “bean sprout,” that
we expect in Chinese food. A classic healing protocol in
Chinese Medicine, mung bean and brown rice congee is
given to reduce excess quality and build strength in the
organs.
• Lentil / Split Pea Dal; used extensively as a staple food in
Indian / Ayurvedic dietary and healing systems. Kitchidi, a
rice and dal dish made with warming spices is traditionally
given for an extended period of time as a dietary
protocol to balance the energy and organs of the body.
• Adzuki bean; Macrobiotic healing traditions from Japan
highly regard Adzuki (also known as Aduki) as a beneficial
food.

Note that these three Asian traditions use small beans in the
healing protocols. The smaller the bean, the easier it is to
prepare for good digestion.

In addition to the table on cooking beans below, keep in mind

the following steps to ensure proper digestion and assimilation
of nutrients:
• Prepare beans with the methods of traditional bean
eating people.
o Add kombu and kelp (sea vegetables)
o Add ginger, fennel, garlic, cumin to beans to aid in
digestion
• Add salt only at the end of the cooking cycle, otherwise
the beans will be tough.
• Avoid beans that are old (they begin to harden after a
year of storage).
• Chew thoroughly.
• Add a splash of apple cider vinegar, brown rice vinegar
or wine vinegar to the beans near the end of cooking to
help digestion.

Pg. 15
For cooking beans:
Type of bean Approx. cooking time
adzuki 1-1 1/2 hrs
anasazi 1.5 -2 hrs
black (turtle) 1.5 -2 hrs
black-eyed peas 45 mins
cannellini 1.5 hrs
chickpeas (garbanzos) 2 hrs
cranberry 2 hrs
great northern 1.5 hrs
lentils—brown & french 45 mins
lentils—red 30 mins
lima beans 1.5 hr
split peas 45 mins*
pinto 2 hrs
navy 2 hrs
mung 1 hr.
red kidney 3 hrs
yellow or black soybeans 5 hrs

Understand the Glycemic Index /Glycemic Load

Before we move on, it is important to know one of the main
reasons why some people don’t do well with grains and beans.

The glycemic index tells you the rate at which food becomes
glucose in your blood stream.

Some foods, like white rice, table sugar and white bread,
rapidly digest and become blood glucose.

Other foods, like peas, chickpeas, lentils or even grapefruit,

apples or pears, take much longer to metabolize into blood
glucose.

Fat and protein are low (basically nill) on the glycemic index
scale, since carbohydrates are the primary source for blood
glucose.

Caloric density tells you how much blood glucose is going to

become converted. In other words, it tells us what the potential
glucose load is in the carbohydrate you are eating.

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Carbohydrate Conversion Rate + Total Carbohydrate Content
= Glycemic Load

Many make the mistake of addressing only the glycemic index.

Books have gone so far as to say avoid carrots and eat snickers
bars.

The rationale is that carrots have a higher glycemic index than

a snickers bar and will therefore contribute to blood sugar
disorders.

There are several holes in this theory.

One, the snickers bar is lower because of the added

hydrogenated oils and peanuts. You can add olive oil to
carrots and get the same effect of slowing the assimilation of
the carbohydrates.

Two, the carrot also contains, enzymes, fiber, minerals, vitamins,

and phytochemicals that assist in blood glucose
metabolization, which can be measured by looking at long
term consumption of these foods and the cumulative effect.

Three, the snickers bar is considerably more calorie dense, and

you would need to eat a pound and a half of carrots to get the
same glycemic load.

Why is this important?

Sharp rise in blood glucose is the number one factor for most
modern degenerative disease. The explanation could be
complex, but the essence is this; a quick rise in blood glucose
leads directly to a rise in insulin, and then storage of excess
blood glucose as fat, which triggers the liver to produce what
we consider “bad” cholesterol for moving fat through he
bloodstream (mixing fat and water).

This is a triple whammy for the body, which contributes to

inflammatory conditions. High blood glucose= inflammation.
High blood insulin levels= increased inflammation. Excess blood
glucose stored as fat= proinflammatory conditions.
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Inflammation is the underlying cause of the majority of modern
disease processes. If you can keep the body in a balanced
inflammatory state, symptoms decrease and energy is restored.

Contextually, consider the modern triumph over infectious

disease, which has eliminated the disease conditions of the
past eras of humanity and then see that the western diet and
lifestyle has contributed to the rise in diabetes, heart disease,
cancer and other inflammatory conditions.

From a practical perspective, high glycemic load foods also

leave most people tired and drained after eating them.

High glycemic foods = refined carbohydrates.

Refined carbohydrates include sugar, which is called sucrose,

fructose, glucose, and includes the healthy sweeteners too, like
maple syrup, honey, sucunat sugar, which are great in
moderation.

I want you to notice what tendencies you have towards

craving sweets and refined carbohydrates.

Refined carbohydrates also include pastry, cookies, cakes,

bagels, breads in general, crackers, candy, fruit juice, (which is
basically concentrated fruit sugar), soda and chips

An extensive list of the glycemic load can be found here:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_a
nd_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

But the reader’s digest version is simple.

Eat whole, unprocessed foods, in the right balance of
macronutrients; proteins, fats and carbohydrates, for your
individual needs.

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 GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

If you look at the foods that are least represented in the

modern American food supply, greens top the list. Greens help
build your inner rain forest and strengthen the blood and
respiratory systems. They are especially good for city people
who need more nature. They can eat there their way to nature
by including these wild and robust foods.

A great way to improve health and vitality is to use the

“crowding out theory,” which my clients love. By adding in
foods like green leafy vegetables, you slowly crowd out foods
that are not supporting your health.

With dozens of choices, you can adventure through greens,

experimenting with what you like. I am sure you will find greens
that make you smile. Choose between bok choy, napa
cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli
rabe, dandelion and other leafy greens. Green cabbage is
great in the form of sauerkraut or raw. Arugula, endive, chicory,
lettuce, mesclun and wild greens are generally eaten raw, but
can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy. Spinach,
Swiss chard and beet greens are best eaten cooked, as they
are high in oxcalic acid, which depletes calcium. Cook these
greens with fat to reduce the mineral absorption issues.

Pg. 19
Cooking Greens
In fact, you want to make sure that you eat all your greens with
sufficient fat to ensure that you get all of the fat-soluble
vitamins. Try a variety of methods like steaming, boiling,
sautéing in oil, water sautéing, waterless cooking, or lightly
pickling, as in a pressed salad.

If you have gotten accustomed to thinking of greens as a

garnish, or as an iceberg salad, consider trying one of the
above green leafy vegetables a week. Try it out for a month
and see how you feel. Then add two a week and notice the
difference!

Personal Note:

I adore the sautéing of Kale in ghee with sea salt and pepper.

My kids absolutely love, nay, they crave roasted kale. We chop

up the kale, toss it in oil and tamari and then roast it in the
oven.

Adding fat and seasonings is crucial for the enjoyment (and the
nutritional benefit of fat soluble vitamins) of greens, which leads
us right into:

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 FATS and OILS

FAT. The vilified macronutrient.

No other food has been given such a bad wrap. And thanks to
several decades of misinformation, people have been making
what they thought were healthy fat choices, but were actually
contributing to disease.

The emphasis on polyunsaturated oils as “heart healthy,”

actually increases inflammation because these oils are the
building blocks for pro-inflammatory compounds.

AND, one of the most understated issues with the wonderful (I

really do appreciate the amazing distribution system) modern
food supply, is the prevalence of rancid fats and oils.

Rancid fats and oils are a major source of free-radical

damage. This is the reason that we want to eat anti-oxidant
rich foods, to combat oxidation from oxidized fats.
Fats and oils are fragile and are best kept in air tight, light
blocking and cool storage. Oils degrade from, you guessed it,
light, heat and oxygen.

Sot how do we know what to buy at the store or eat at the

restaurant? How do I know that this information is accurate and
true?
Simple.

Eat fats and oils that are the least processed, in their natural
state and maintain their integrity (not rancid.) Eat fats and oils
Pg. 21
that humans have been eating for thousands of years. That
means no hydrogenation, no soybean oil, no cottonseed oil,
and very little vegetable oil in general.

This is one of the great benefits of highly stable oils, like coconut
oil, which was sold as unhealthy because of the saturated fat. It
turns out, it may be on the most stable, and therefore healthiest
oils to consume.

*Note that hardening of the cell walls from excess saturated fat
is only a concern when there is a deficiency in omega 3 fatty
acids, which aid in pliability.

Eat fruit oils. What? Yes, olive oil, red palm fruit oil and the good
fat in avocado. Again, these have been consumed for
thousands of years.

Hydrogenated oil is made by taking the cheapest oil on the

market, cottonseed and soybean oil, and then spinning it in a
vacuum at high heat, under intense pressure. An agent is
added to create a catalyst, usually nickel (a toxic metal) and
additional hydrogen chains are forced into the molecule. This
process changes the molecular structure. The fat is then
detoxified, bleached and then deodorized.
Walter Willet, principle of the Harvard Nurses Health Study
called this, “the worst food you can eat.”

Tips on Fats and Oils:

Primary Fats and Oils:
Butter – Is it good for you or not? Yes. Organic butter from grass
–fed cows contains fat-soluble vit. A and D, as well as this very
cool stuff called CLA, Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Check this stuff
out. Powerful.
Coconut Oil – Super stable fat. A food that literally falls off of a
tree. Demonized alongside butter as the evil “staruated fat.”
Great news, its good for you! (Most of you). It does not easily go
rancid, it is consistent for baking and frying. Your skin will glow
when you eat coconut oil!
Ghee (clarified butter) - Cooking, Baking and frying. Can
somebody say “the most sacred food in Ayurveda?”
Olive Oil Salad dressings, marinades, wine sauces, sautéing.
Pg. 22
Palm Fruit Oil Baking and frying. The most nutritious oil. A true
superfood. Hard to find. Will stain your clothes with natural
caretenoids. (Super health food)

Secondary Use Oils:

Almond Oil - Salad dressings, sauces, sautéing, body care.
Refrigerate.
Canola Oil - Cold pressed organic.
Soybean Oil - Use only cold-pressed, organic.
Safflower Oil - Baking, sautéing, salad dressings, sauces. Does
not need refrigeration but keep cool. Buy “high oleic” variety.
Sesame Oil – Ayurveda loves this oil. So do the macrobiotic
folks. Cold pressed organic.
Sunflower Oil - Great for salad dressings. Buy “high oleic”
variety.

Oils as Nutritional Supplement

Evening Primrose Oil Nutritional supplement as a source of GLA
(Gamma Linolenic Acid). Not for cooking or dressings.
Refrigerate.
Borage Oil Nutritional supplement as a source of GLA (Gamma
Linolenic Acid). Refrigerate.
Flaxseed Oil Nutritional supplement. Can be used for salad
dressings. Refrigerate.
Fish Oils Nutritional supplement. Refrigerate.
Hemp Oil Nutritional supplement. Not for cooking or dressings.
Not recommended unless certified organic.
Wheat Germ Oil Nutritional supplement. Refrigerate.

Oils To Avoid:
Corn Oil – Crazy as it is, this was THE HEALTH FOOD
recommendation of the decade in the 70’s. Unless you can
find cold –pressed organic, it is usually; 1. GMO corn 2. Major
pesticide use 3. Chemical Solvent extracted 4. Always high in
omega 6 fatty acids
Margarine Is sold for use as spread and for cooking. Harmful
synthetic substance; false health claims. Not recommended.
(exceptions include Smart Balance and Earth Balance, which
are valid options, though still highly processed)
Cottonseed Oil Is often found in prepared and processed
foods. Almost always chemically contaminated. NOT A FOOD
KNOWN HISTORICALLY FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Pg. 23
Soybean Oil – Like corn oil, this was a promising fat, since it
could be produced in mass quantities here in the heartland,
but like corn oil, you have1. GMO soybeans 2. Potential Major
pesticide use 3. Chemical Solvent extracted 4. Always high in
omega 6 fatty acids

Make fats and oils your highest priority for quality. By organic
when possible. Fats are the concentrated source of the food
chain, therefore you get all the best or worst from the stream
(like animal products). Protect fats and oils from heat, light and
oxygen by keeping cool, air tight and light protected (dark
bottles, tins, ceramics). The exception to this is Coconut, Palm
oil and Ghee, which can maintain integrity when exposed to
light and oxygen for an extended period of time.

Finally, with fats and oils, you need to understand the

importance of omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.

Due to many factors, we are deficient in this essential fatty-acid

(meaning it cannot be created by the body and we must eat
it).

You may read that omega 3 and omega 6 fats are “essential.”

While that is true, modern diets have an average of 18 times

more omega 6 fats than omega 3 fats. This increases pro-
inflammatory compounds.

Each of these fatty acids are used to build eicosanoids. The 3’s
are anti-inflammatory, the 6’s are pro-inflammatory.

OK, to make it simple. We eat too many omega 6 and not

enough omega 3 fats.

Where to get omega 3 fats?

There is confusion about omega 3 fatty-acid sources. Flax,

Walnut and Cold-pressed Soybean oil contain alpha-linolenic-
acid, which, as a short chain omega-3, can be synthesized into
long chain DHA (docosahexaeonic-acid).

DHA is the good stuff in the body, which contributes to

Pg. 24
cognitive function, reduced or balanced inflammatory states,
and is a general tonic to the body (because we are generally
deficient in modern diets).

The bad news is that it conversion from ALA to DHA is inefficient.

There are six enzyme conversions to cross from ALA to DHA and
those are optimal only when no other polyunsaturated oils are
consumed. It can be done, but requires specificity in fat and oil
consumption.

So, most people get the right balance by eating grass fed
meat, dairy, eggs from free-range chickens, eating fish and
taking a supplement. Of course, eating a diet rich in flax seeds,
hemp seeds, and chia seeds (all rich in ALA omega 3’s) is a
great idea from a total health perspective and will assist the
overall balance of 3’to 6’s. This is the perfect transition for:

PROTEIN / ANIMAL FOODS

Traditional nutritionists treat all protein as equal, whether it is
from a bean, a seed, a chicken or a cow. But if you pay
attention to how you feel after eating these protein sources,
you will notice that you feel very different.

Animal foods give us an opportunity to really notice the

energetics of food. While all foods have an energetic quality
that entrain to our system, none as powerful as animal foods.
When you eat an animal, you take on the energetics of that
animal.

If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself.

Spend time with someone that eats a lot of chicken breasts.

How do they act?

How about someone that eats a lot of beef? I mean massive

amounts; do you notice any of the energetics of the animal?
Pg. 25
I have been in the middle of the opposing side of the
vegetarian / omnivore debate enough to know that I do not
need to take sides.

I have read the books, have been to the lectures and have
heard the heated arguments that state both sides. Here are
few points I now follow:
1. Eating meat does not make you unspiritual. You are a
spiritual being first and foremost and what you eat
cannot change that.
2. Factory farmed, commercial meat (and egg) production
is unethical and inhumane for the animals and also for
most of the people that work in these industries. There are
other ways to raise animals that are humane. This is for us
as much as for the animal. We become what we live.
3. Factory farmed animal foods are nutritionally inferior.
4. Some people thrive with animal foods, despite the
conviction of vegan and vegetarian advocates that
meat is the cause of illness.
5. Some people thrive on a vegetarian diet, despite the
conviction of the fiefdoms of nutrition that claim that
animal foods are absolutely necessary for good health.

Soy Bean Protein:

There is a large amount of soy protein in the American food
supply. Currently, the fad for “high-protein” diets has generated
a market for “low-carb” products. Keep in mind that these are
highly processed foods.

Soy protein is very difficult to digest. Just as there are phytates

in grains, beans and legumes contain these compounds and
need to be neutralized by soaking, sprouting and fermenting.
This is why we see fermented soy products the norm in tradition
soy consuming cultures (tempe, tamari, miso).

Often times, my clients believe they are making the “heart-

healthy” choice by switching to soymilk and soy products.
There are quite often serious digestive disturbances that need
to be addressed after years of heavy soy consumption.

Consider eating soy products in traditional preparations;

Pg. 26
tempe, tamari and miso soup.

Whey Protein:
A popular product for athletes and health conscious smoothie
lovers that is free of lactose and can be tolerated often when
milk cannot. Keep in mind that whey is made from milk that
comes from either conventionally produced milk or from
organic or free range fed cows.

I recommend that my clients purchase the highest quality whey

protein from cows that graze on grass, which is often imported
from New Zealand. I look for whey protein that is processed
with low temperatures to ensure protein quality.

Seafood:

I am not an expert on seafood, that is what I keep a guide.

You can get comprehensive seafood guides from:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org
And
http://www.blueocean.org/seafood/seafood-guide

One tip that I have picked up… Kipper Snacks, Sardines and
other small fish are one of the healthiest forms of seafood. They
are low on the food chain, have low heavy metal build up and
are rich in omega 3’s.

Things To Keep In Mind Regarding Animal Protein:

• Fish farming is a huge industry: red fish, white fish, canned

fish, smoked fish. Beware of mercury poisoning, over-
fishing, genetic engineering and added chemicals. Stay
away from farm-raised fish. Enjoy high-quality, wild fish as
a cleaner protein choice.
• It is of utmost importance to eat the best quality animal
foods. If the animal was healthy, you will be healthy. It is
that simple.
• Animals in conventional factory farms are not healthy and
require daily doses of antibiotics to stave off infection.
Pg. 27
 • Most commercial soy products are highly processed food
that has not been properly prepared to optimize
digestion. Stick with traditional preparations of soy; tempe,
tamari and miso.
• Find out what your body needs for protein. Keep in mind
that it may change with the season, with your stress and
activity levels and at different ages.
• There are significant environmental and ethical concerns
with factory-farmed meat in America. Consider the
choice for high quality, small-farm animal products as an
ethical choice as well as a health choice.

Nuts and Seeds

Personally these are some of my most important foods.

Energetically, nuts and seeds are the potential for life.

Environmentally, they are the most sustainable caloric / nutrient

rich food we consume.

Nuts

Hey, nuts are big seeds. That is it. They are awesome food. The
only draw back is that people get squirrelly when they eat too
many nuts. If you are what you eat, then what are people that
eat too many nuts?

The category we call nuts includes:

• Brazil Nuts
• Cashew
• Almond -
• Pecan
• Hazelnut / Filbert
• Walnut / Black Walnut
• Macadamia
• Chestnut

Seeds

The energy of the seed is one of potential. Seeds are gnereally

Pg. 28
easier to digest than nuts.

All of these are nutritional powerhouse foods.

The seeds include:

• Sunflower
• Sesame
• Pumpkin
• Flax
• Chia
• Hemp

I wanted to write a list of why each of these nuts and seeds are
great, but I found myself repeating what many books and
websites say about food. “This food is rich in selenium, which is
good for XY&Z.”

Frankly, that style of nutrition has never turned me on.

I am much more interested in food as living system.

I am turned on about eating the seeds of a giant flower, eating

the potential pumpkin and noticing how I feel when I make
nuts and seeds a major part of my intake.

Nuts and Seed Awareness

Most people are hip to the health benefits of nuts. But here is
something you might not know:
1. Many nuts that are sold are becoming rancid. It
doesn’t really matter if they are raw or roasted. Smell
the nuts. If they smell like old playdough, they are
going bad.
2. As I mentioned in the section on fats and oils, rancid
fats are BAD NEWS.
3. Nuts, like grains, beans and legumes contain phytic
acid and are best digested through soaking,
sprouting and dehydrating.

Pg. 29
 SUPER FOODS

Super Foods are something between food, herb and supplement. I like to
think of Hippocrates quote, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be
thy food,” when I discuss superfoods. On a spectrum of medicine, food is
the most subtle, then superfoods, herbs and supplements, then
pharmaceuticals, at the most concentrated end of the spectrum.

Algae, spirulina, chlorella, and blue-green forms of algae are available in

powdered forms or as capsules. Experiment with which works well for you,
but make sure to get the highest quality available. Although there is some
debate over the benefits of algae, I believe it to be a very valuable food
that detoxifies and alkalinizes the body. Algae is rich in chlorophyll and
may be useful in reducing inflammation, cleansing the blood and in
bringing an acid/alkaline balance to the body. I am unsure why the
mainstream medical community has not researched algae more
completely. I have read many reports that try to debunk its value but
none of them get below the surface. Again, I encourage you to get the
best quality available and begin with small quantities and to research this
for yourself.

Bee pollen contains twice the antioxidant level of blueberries, and triple
the polyphenol content of cranberries (www.ccpollen.com). I
recommend that you eat one grain of pollen to begin with (to test for
allergic reaction) and increase the amount slowly over time. If you have
any known allergies to pollen then you must take extra precautions when
you use this super food. It has a pleasant taste, can be added to cereal
or you can eat it plain. Bees collect millions of tiny pollen spores to build
one bee pollen pellet and this is an incredible task. One teaspoon of
pollen contains over 2.5 billion grains of pollen! Anecdotally, I have seen
clients report significant improvement in energy and stamina through the
use of bee pollen.

Cacao is the raw form of chocolate. It is high in minerals and contains

over 400 beneficial chemical compounds. Although it is bitter to the
taste, it is not unpalatable. I suggest that it is best when used in smoothies
or mixed with other foods, but for simple medicinal use it can be eaten a
tablespoon at a time. Cacao is a better choice than coffee for days
when you are feeling the need for stimulants. It is rich in magnesium, the
number one mineral deficiency for most Americans. In addition, cacao
also contains selenium, the number one trace mineral deficiency for most

Pg. 30
Americans. However, cacao cannot be understood completely from a
compartmentalized view and there is nothing like it on the entire planet.
Its physiological effects are quite unique so I suggest you experiment for
yourself. Try using raw cacao nibs - pieces of peeled low fermented
cacao beans - in smoothies.

Goji Berries are little nuggets of goodness! A traditional food of China,

Mongolia, Tibet and the Himalayas, they are one of the most nutrient
dense foods on the planet. The antioxidant level of Goji is much higher
than that of blueberries (using the ORAC* scale), and that’s incredibly
high. You can get 170% of your daily vitamin A requirements from just one
ounce. The use of goji has been documented in Chinese Medicine for
thousands of years.
*The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorpt ion Capacity ) ref ers to the
antioxidant cont ent in foo ds.

These are an introduction. For a complete list of super foods, request the
special report titled, “A Complete List of Super Foods,” from Real Simple
Nutrition http://sethbraun.com/blog/a-complete-list-of-superfoods/

SHOPPING GUIDE

Produce: Organic or Not?

Although it is usually more expensive, organic produce is much
healthier and nutritious than non-organic produce.

Local produce is even more important. Look for a local

farmer’s market. Eat a wide variety of color in your veggies.

The worst rated produce in terms of pesticide and insecticide

residue:
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Cherries
• Bell Peppers
Here are the best rated:
• Avocados
• Asparagus
• Bananas
Pg. 31
 • Broccoli / Cauliflower
• Mango
• Onion

Meat > Poultry > Eggs > Seafood

• Organic and free-range animal foods are essential. If you
must make a choice, make this the place where you
focus your resources. Animal foods are at the top of our
food chain and are the repository for all the good stuff or
the bad in the life stream below it.
• Poultry should be organic or free-range, antibiotic and
hormone-free.
• Poultry processors who use hormones to maximize bird size
and growth rate package most frozen poultry, and must
use antibiotics to prevent disease because of the extreme
cage crowding found in a typical poultry “farm”. The
hormones and antibiotics remain in the bird.
• Eggs should be organic, free-range or cage free. Look for
human society approved.
• Cold-water fish, wild, not farm raised, and should smell like
the sea, and SHOULD NOT SMELL BAD.
Buy whole, fresh foods
• Read the labels and look for simple ingredients from whole
foods. Frozen veggies are better than canned. Local is the
best, as mentioned.
• Be careful of anything in a box or a can. The exceptions
are coconut milk and canned tomatoes (like paste and
crushed tomatoes).
• Make sure the expiration date is good.
• Look out for CORN SYRUP, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE,
HYDROGENATED OIL, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OIL,
INTERESTERFIED OILS, ARTIFICIAL COLORS and FLAVORS,
ANTI-CAKING AGENTS, PRESERVATIVES, THICKNERS,
EMULSIFIERS, or any chemical name that you do not know.
Grains, Beans and Legumes
• Grains and beans can become rancid, jut like vegetables.
Look for fresh, good smelling grains, beans and legumes.
• Whole grain is whole. Whole grain breads, pastas, muffins,
etc. are not whole grains, they are processed. DO NOT
BUY BREAD UNLESS IT IS FRESH BAKED, WITH FRESH GROUND
FLOUR, OR IT IS IN THE FREEZER SECTION. Sprouted grain
Pg. 32
 and sourdough is best.
Ground meat (Hamburger, etc.)
• It is especially important to be quality conscious with
ground meat. Check out Fast Food Nation for more
information.
Deceptive labeling
• Just because it says “natural” does not make it good.
• Food companies have lobbied to change labeling laws.
Therefore, a food can say, “trans fat free” and still contain
trans fat, as long as it is below .5 grams per serving. If the
serving size is small, this could be a large proportion of the
food. Unfortunately, you cannot trust the front of the label,
always read the back.

GM Foods
• Genetically modified foods should be avoided. I am not
against GM foods. I just don’t know anything about them.
Sure, I’ve read the pros and cons. But seriously, we won’t
know what happens until people eat them for a few
generations. Do you want to be part of the experiment?

Miscellaneous:
Steer Clear of Deep Fried Foods
• Most deep fried foods are cooked in partially
hydrogenated oil (trans fat). Very bad.
Microwave Ovens and Health
• I don’t have any research on pros or cons. Here is what I
know. Healthy people don’t use one very often.
Avoid aluminum
• Aluminum is a highly toxic metal. Large numbers of
aluminum molecules enter food that is cooked, covered
by or stored in aluminum pots, pans, cans and foil.
Non-Stick Pans
• Use only the highest quality non-stick pans. Materials from
cheap products can flake or leach out into your food.

Pg. 33
 Prayer and Thanksgiving

Relax
• Don’t get too hung up on doing it right. Rigid eating is just
as detrimental to your health as low quality food.
Enjoy
• When you enjoy the food you eat. You improve a vast
array of hormonal, nervous, digestive, immune, vascular
and respiratory system parameters. Pleasure is good for he
body.
Thanksgiving
• Gratitude positions us to more fully taste and experience
our food. This contributes to improved digestion. We feel
satisfied without overeating.

Prayer
The act of prayer improves the experience of eating in
quantitative and qualitative terms. Dr. Larry Dossey has outlined
the effectiveness of prayer in sustaining health.

We are meaning making creatures and the meaning we give

to our lives, including our nourishment has far reaching effect.
For some, this may seem wrote or repetitive, especially those
readers that live in a religious paradigm. But for those readers
that are uncomfortable with the idea of prayer, or think it
foolish and possibly even superstitious, consider the statistical
analysis (quantitative) as well as the subjective or anecdotal
evidence (qualitative).

Paul Pitchford, arguably one of the most experienced

practitioners and researchers of whole food nutrition and
author of the encyclopedic work, Healing With Whole Foods,
acknowledged the power of prayer for health and the essential
role in diet. After completing an extensive and detailed lecture
on Integrative Nutrition and Whole Food Therapies at the
Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Pitchford was asked, ‘what is
the most important thing you want to leave the audience with
today.’ Paul’s response was neither in reference to the latest
research on glyconutrients, nor the dangerous prevalence of
refined carbohydrates in the modern diet. His admonishment

Pg. 34
was a simple invitation to say a prayer of thanks before and
after a meal.

On equal terms with Pitchford is Anne Marie Colbun, founder of

the New York School of Gourmet Natural Cookery, and the
author of Food and Healing. Upon completing an exhaustive
introduction to the elements of her dietary philosophy, she was
asked the same questions, “what is one thing that you most
want our students to take away from your teaching?” Her
answer? “Pray over you food and chew well.”

TAKING THE INFORMATION HOME

OK, so how are you going to integrate some of these ideas on
nutrition into your daily life?
Here are a few practical steps to consider:

Nutrition for the Integral Life Practice must begin with the
reminder that there is no, “one size fits all” approach, so use
these as guidelines.

Today.
What are two things you can do today, to improve your
health through nutrition.

Well, the first one is to practice chewing your food! Simple.

Free. No side effects. Works for everyone. Integrates with
awareness practice.

The second thing you can do today is intentionally

including healthy fats in your meals. There is a deeply
ingrained belief in the modern psyche that “fat equals
bad.” Eating healthy fat with your vegetables allows you
to assimilate 400 to 1200% more fat-soluble vitamins. Fat
helps your body regulate hormonal levels, especially
insulin. Healthy fats generally include, extra virgin olive oil,
great source of oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid chain,
extra virgin coconut oil, a great source of lauric acid, a
healthy medium chain saturated fatty acid chain, red
Pg. 35
palm oil, an amazing source of monounsaturated fat, with
your daily allowance of mixed caratenoids (the most
effective form of vitamin-A) and mixed tocopherols and
tocotrienols (the superior forms of vitamin-E), like Red Palm
Fruit oil, the healthy fat from any fruit, like Olive and
Avocado will be primarily monounsaturated.

This week.
The first thing you can do this week is to schedule yourself
a day and time where you can shop and cook at least
one time a week. I am not asking you to shop and cook
one time this week, I am suggesting that you take the time
this week to look at your schedule to create a time every
week, where you know you can shop and cook. This habit
is worth developing.
The second step you can take this week is to experiment
with eating green leafy vegetables, especially the dark
and hardy varieties like kale, mustard greens, swiss chard,
collard greens, bok choy, and spinach. There is a great
recipe for roasted kale in my book.

This month
Find simple and subtle ways to phase out refined
sweeteners and carbohydrates and replace them with
naturally sweet foods.

Replace these foods with naturally sweet, whole foods like

fruit, apples, bananas, pears, mango, papaya, grapes,
tangerines, grapefruit, dried fruits, figs, dates, goji berries,
and dried apples. Especially helpful are the sweet
vegetables, like sweet potato, yam, carrot, parsnip,
squash, pumpkin, rutabaga, cooked daikon, and cooked
cabbages. Keep in mind that many people respond
exceptionally well to reducing even the sweet fruits and
moderately using sweet vegetables. What I am
suggesting here are general principles to practice this
month, especially for those of you that may be in an
addictive cycle with sugar and/ or refined carbohydrates.

The second step I can recommend this month

compliments the first step. I would like to suggest that over

Pg. 36
this month, you begin to keep a food-mood journal and
keep track of how what you are eating effects how you
feel. I give small pocket sized journals to my clients so
there is no inconvenience in carrying it around all day.

This powerful awareness practice is especially helpful in

watching how you may or may not be affected by eating
sugar, sweets and refined carbohydrates. Because really,
sugar is not the problem, the problem is generally some
type of stress, which we can temporarily manage through
the expansive energetics of the sugar experience, which
then becomes a cycle and a habit.

By gently tracking your food-mood connection, you may

spontaneously discover what foods work well for you and
automatically improve your diet.

Now finally, what can you practice this year?

What is broad enough to consider in yearly terms?
I’d like to invite you to pay attention to how your diet
changes from one season to the next and if possible,
attempt to make your diet 51% seasonally appropriate.

So if you want to eat a mango in the winter in Michigan, it

is fine. Practice making 51% of your diet in line with the
foods of that season, which essentially, in Colorado,
means something like green leafy vegetables, sprouts and
radish-like roots in the spring, whole grains, thicker green
leafy vegetables and local, pasture fed milk in the
summer, hardy leafy greens, root vegetables, squashes
and apples in the fall and root vegetables, squashes,
bison, soups and stocks in the winter.

These generalities change from place to place and are

best monitored by attending your local farmers market or
roadside fruit and vegetables stand.

If you are attracted to a deeper seasonal practice, I invite

you to join our annual Integral Spring Cleanse.

Pg. 37
 You can experience a structured 6-week nutrition
practice that will upgrade your overall health. (My
contact information is at the end of this document)

The second thing you can do this year, as a practice, is to

get into the habit of saying thanks before you eat. The
wisest elder nutrition teachers that I have had the fortune
of studying with suggest that this is one of the
fundamental steps in healthy eating, developing
gratitude, reverence and sense of place in the cycle of
life.

Now if you create the determination to apply

these simple principles to your life today, this
week, this month and this year, with slow and
sustained commitment, I assure you that you will
experience more health and robust energy.

Please consider these and all practices in the

long term, to be consistently taking small steps in
the areas of importance leads to lasting and
powerful changes.
And I want to reiterate, at the risk of redundancy, the
utmost importance of viewing these as guidelines to be
adjusted for your biochemical individuality, your own
unique blueprint.

One man’s food is another man’s poison. Recognize that

your mind can latch on to a theory that you have read
about, while your body can be protesting. The mind insists
and forces the body to rigidly follow the theory, though
the body is clearly calling for a different approach. Don’t
let this be you. The right dietary theory for you can taste
great; leave you feeling satisfied, well fed, energized and
full of vigor.

The facts and figures of nutrition can seem overwhelming,

but rest assured that you can figure it out. There are
Pg. 38
 several dozen fundamental principles to discover about
your unique needs, the basics of which are introduced in
this short introduction.

But you can also practice working with your intuition,

which balances the immense intellectual framework that
is built around nutrition. Consider conflicting theories and
paradox good news, for they will expand the spectrum of
options for you and contribute to your ability to discern
what works for you, when it works for you and how it works
for you.

Wrap Up and Review

In wrapping up, let’s review the main principles together:

• Eat the right type of food. Whole, real food.

• Learn what works for you, there is no one right diet for
everyone.
• Grains are best whole. Soak, sprout and ferment for
maximum nutrition.
• Get a sense of the glycemic load of foods. Reduce
refined carbohydrates.
• Welcome high quality fats and oils into your life!
• Make your protein choice based on your unique needs
and make sure that your animal foods are of the highest
quality.
• Avoid foods in a box or a can. (Processed, chemicalized,
artificial foods)
• Try green leafy vegetables!
• Integrate changes in diet in slow and steady steps.
• Listen to your body; Hunger, Craving, Mood and Energy
are the language of your body. Trust this.
• Have fun with all of this.

Notice that this PDF is focused on food. I chose not to address

supplements. Supplementation is important and I welcome a

Pg. 39
collaborator on further editions. See my contact information
below.

Food is the foundation. Supplementation is just that.

Supplemental. And they are worth learning more about. But
not from me!

Contact Seth Braun

This PDF was brought to you by Seth Braun, a board
certified health coach and graduate of the Institute for
Integrative Nutrition.

His expertise in dietary theory, combined

with his passion for cooking, whole foods,
superfoods and integral life practice
allows him to assist clients in the integral
community in making positive and lasting
changes in their health.

Seth loves working for professional

performers, entrepreneurs, executives and
other high-energy people that want to
maximize their health potential. He
dedicates a portion of his practice to
serving people with both type I and II
diabetes.

If you require clinical services, Seth can support you in

finding the best practitioner in appropriate disciplines.

As a certified coach and coach trainer, Seth loves to

apply coaching technologies to support his clients’
progress with health goals.

Pg. 40
If you find yourself hungry for more and would like to
contact Seth for a free 30 minute consultation or to
book an hour appointment to create a plan for your
Integral Life Practice, please contact him at 303 443
6543, or [email protected] .

I invite you to consider joining us for our annual

Integral Spring Cleanse.

For specific information, go to

http://www.sethbraun.com/blog/integral-spring-
cleanse/
Get on the wait list by dropping your name and
contact in the webform!

Or, for general health and nutrition support, just

go to http://www.SethBraun.com and click on
the newsletter sign up. Click the box “I am
interested in health and nutrition.”

Appendix A: Integrative Vs. Integral Nutrition

This is the second edition PDF for the Integral Institute. In crafting
updated material, I found myself compelled to speak to the
difference between Integrative and Integral approaches.

• What are the fundamental differences?

• Why are they both essential?
• What are the drawbacks?
• Who is advancing the platform?

1. What are the fundamental differences?

An integrative approach takes all theory and gives them a

place at the table.
Pg. 41
An integral approach takes all theory, gives them a place at
the table, then sorts them through informed value structure.

2. Why are they both essential?

The biggest challenge in nutrition practice for ILP is the huge

push for a “one size fits all approach.”

Integrative Nutrition is necessary because it provides a

humbling, sometimes startling realization; People eat different
diets and are healthy.

Integral Nutrition is essential for application in your life because

you need to determine the value of any approach, apply it in
relation to the value of other theory.

Ultimately, a series of overlapping philosophies creates a

complete nutrition practice, much like an illustrator combines
line drawings, color shading, background and foreground
information on thin paper over a light table. These layers have
an order, and a place, just like your personal nutrition practice.

3. What are the drawbacks?

The most significant drawback of an integrative approach, is

the lack of defined steps to practical personal nutrition
practice.

When everything is a possible pathway, the choices are

overwhelming and the tendency is to drop the whole
endeavor.

One downside of the integral approach is the assumption that

the hierarchy that you have chosen is best for everyone.

This is best illustrated by raw foodists that advocate that the

highest or most evolved diet is based on raw vegetable juice,
or, the die hard Ayurvedic practitioner that is convinced that a
diet all cooked foods is the best diet for everyone (not to
mention that milk is liberally consumed.)

Pg. 42
A case could be made that the standard dietician is also using
a narrow platform.

4. Who Is Advancing The Platform?

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, or IIN, is the pioneer for the
integrative approach.

I am not suggesting that integral is better than integrative, or

that integrative is better than integral. They both have their
place.

IIN is doing more to change the face of health care in America

than any other organization. By training thousands of health
coaches each year, they are equipping people with the tools
to evolve the health care system from the ground up.

And this is not to say that IIN does not have an inherent integral
orientation. The mission of the school is sufficiently broad that
they need to break down the belief that there is a ”one size fits
all” approach. That is the great gift they offer the world at this
time.

Metabolic Typing (MT) delivers a comprehensive clinical

integral nutrition approach.

The MT community developed a theoretical framework to

determine a hierarchy of factors that effect what the best
foods are for an individual.

Anyone that is interested in furthering the study of integral

nutrition would start with reading Dr. William Walcott’s book,
The Metabolic Typing Diet, Dr. Harold Kristal’s book, The
Nutrition Solution or checking out Health Excel or Blood Ph, (the
respective organizations dedicated to the work of these two.)

As a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and both

of the Metabolic Typing training programs, I’d be happy to
support you understanding how both the integrative and the
integral approach inform your health progression.

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Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Functional Medicine

Finally, there has been a framework for integral health in place

for at least 5,000 years.

Traditional Eastern and Western approaches approach health

from a holistic perspective.

Many of the most effective healers of our time are practicing

Functional Medicine, which includes a solid integrative
approach to nutrition.

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