The 5 Step Plan To Getting Your Diet Right
Your diet is the most important physical influence on your life and wellbeing. It can keep you active and achieving your goals or it can keep you tied to a round of hospital appointments and drugs. Finding your right diet can be as confusing as navigating your way through a thick maze due to conflicting information by vested interests of the Government, Big Food, Big Pharma, and the advertising industry. Please read on for a 5 Step Plan that gives you a roadmap to finding the right diet for you.
If you are a doctor, the information in this article may come as a surprise as you won’t have been taught Nutritional Medicine in medical school. You may not fully realise that the foods of today make the cells of tomorrow. If you are suffering with a chronic health condition, realise that what you eat can either help recovery or hinder it.
Tailored to You
So, what is the right diet for you? The right diet is the right diet for you! Firstly, realise that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ diet that works for everyone. Your biochemistry is unique and the best way to know your biochemical needs is via a thorough case history, appropriate lab tests, and judicious detective work. For example, some patients’ bodies are crying out for a burger, others need to reduce their animal protein load. It may take time to fine-tune, but when you do find the right diet, you will notice improvements. That’s why ‘one-size-fits-all’ diets plucked from internet forums can often fail spectacularly.
Tailoring your diet to your own unique biochemical requirements may mean using different dietary strategies at different times in life to achieve precise goals e.g. fighting infection or detoxifying. This demands metabolic flexibility which is something we should all strive for. Please see reading suggestions below.
Step One - Eliminate the 3 Nasties
Step One is eliminating major dietary barriers to progress. Regardless of dietary strategy, it makes sense to eliminate the three food groups that medical research indicates are the main dietary drivers of chronic disease - gluten, cows’ milk products and refined sugars. Here is why.
Gluten presents three categories of concern:
Can trigger autoimmunity e.g. coeliac, other autoimmune diseases through the process of molecular mimicry/leaky gut.
Allergic - causes inflammation.
Non-autoimmune/non-allergic gluten sensitivity.
Even for a healthy person, it is well documented that daily consumption of wheat and wheat products, as well as other cereal grains, risks contributing to low grade chronic inflammation and autoimmune disease. The clinical manifestations may take years to become apparent. By then, the damage will have been done. Dr Alessio Fasano MD, widely acknowledged as the world’s leading expert on gluten-related disorders, is clear that this does not depend on genetics, rather on our environmental influences and the health of our gut microbiome. It does not help that most commercial wheat is sprayed with a well known pesticide that damages our gut microbiome and immune system. Dr Stephanie Seneff, who spoke at our recent conference in Brighton, is the world’s leading expert on glyphosate.
Cows’ milk products undoubtedly contain nutritional factors. The question is whether the risks outweigh the benefits. Despite its value from a culinary point of view, it may not be a great food for adult humans to consume for the following reasons:
70% of the world’s population have a lactase deficiency, meaning they cannot digest milk.
Calcium from milk is not necessarily easily absorbed. Cows develop all that calcium in milk from eating grass. Human metabolism developed with a high magnesium, low calcium intake. Today’s high calcium diets can hinder reproduction. The main proposed reason why humans lose calcium is too acidic a diet, not because there is not enough calcium in it.
Children with autism or who fail to thrive, do better clinically without cows’ milk products. This may be down to difficulty with the casein (protein) component of milk, not lactose (sugar).
Antibodies to beta-casein have been found in patients with autoimmune diseases. The first link between cows’ milk and MS was made back in the 1950’s. Modern studies reflect the same findings.
Bovine leukemia virus (another retrovirus)in cows’ milk is on the rise again according to a recent study (Wang et al., 2024).
Cows’ milk, alongside gluten, has one of the highest levels of intolerance, leading to excess inflammation. For a discussion on the potential merits of A2 over A1 milk, please see a discussion on milk on the Alliance for Natural Health website.
Sugar
Our traditional diet of 10,000 years ago was very low in concentrated sugars. It is estimated that people consumed around 2kg per year from sources such as wild honey and berries. In 2024, in the UK, the average person consumes about 1kg per week! Where does it all come from? A lot comes from hidden sugars in processed foods and drinks. For example, there are 9 teaspoons of sugar in can of cola. Foods marketed as ‘healthy’ such as cereals, muesli, fruit juices, energy bars, and yoghurts can be loaded with sugar. Be aware of the many names of sugar on the labels of processed foods - sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, malt extract, syrup and honey. The main problem is that sugar is everywhere in convenience foods from supermarkets, service stations, cafes, hotels, hospitals and school.
These are just some of the major health problems that sugars can create:
Refined sugar is the wrong metabolic fuel for the body. Like putting aircraft fuel into a lawnmower, it can tear the machine apart.
Sugar feeds infections and suppresses the immune system by around 80% after being consumed. We all carry a viral load and viruses need to be suppressed for life.
Sugar causes excess inflammation in the body; inflammation is a common denominator for most diseases, especially cancer.
Excess sugar overwhelms the body and leads to metabolic diseases like non alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancers, cardiovascular disease and more.
Sugar wrecks gut health.
Sugar contributes to obesity.
Sugar contributes to tooth decay which can go on to trigger multiple systemic illnesses.
Sugar makes you tired and demotivated. It produces a spike, then crash in energy.
Sugar upsets the hormone system, helping to create mood issues and depression.
Sugar suppresses a natural healthy appetite. Witness the appetites of young children who are fed a steady diet of fruit juices and rewarded with sweeties!
The other main problem with refined sugar is that it is highly addictive and has no nutritional value. The more we eat, the more we crave. Sugar detox can initiate strong withdrawal symptoms which can be mitigated by extra Vitamin C and chromium. On elimination or reduction of refined sugars, taste buds should change. A little sugar can then taste like a lot and suddenly start to seem like the poison it actually is. For some, this may not be an easy journey and it may be necessary to do some spiritual healing to explore unresolved emotional issues if they are having trouble weaning off sugar and other ‘comfort foods.’
When eliminating foods, please replace with something nutritious and delicious. You can make your favourite meals with safe ingredients! There are many websites that can help. Eliminating the above three food groups allows for the introduction of a wider, not narrower range of real non-processed foods. Dietary diversity is a promoter of a healthy microbiome and immune system. I have some patients who calculate that half of their total food intake is gluten (toast and cereal for breakfast, wraps for lunch and pasta for tea!). That’s a lot of inflammation!
Step Two - Plan Meals with Real Foods
Since the end of World War 2, we have been encouraged us to consume more nutrient-deprived, processed, chemical-laden convenience foods instead of real nutrient-dense foods that kept our ancestors going and build healthy strong bodies. We now been conditioned into the revolving disease model of Big Food making us chronically sicker so that Big Pharma can provide the cure. We need to get back to eating real, not fake foods to sustain life and health.
Eating real foods with real ingredients cooked form scratch, as opposed to ready made convenience foods, may seem initially daunting. It takes about half an hour of sitting down and planning the week’s meals. You need a few basic recipes to hand which are easily obtainable from the internet. Planning weekly meals keeps you on track for the weekly food shop. If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it!
Labour-saving tools for the kitchen include:
A slow cooker (for stews, casseroles, batch cooking i.e. one slow cooker meal of chicken GF pasta can provide four separate meals for me).
An air fryer (for items like meats, fish, sweet potato chips etc.)
A Nutribullet (or similar quality blender) for soups, smoothies, home made bread making.
Now that you have eliminated the 3 nasties and started eating real foods, if you are still be having issues, you may need to fine-tune your diet with Step Three.
Step Three - Fine-Tune Your Diet
If you are not making the expected progress on a simple elimination diet, it may be necessary to dig a little deeper and fine-tune your diet. This means detective work, keeping a food diary and doing specific lab tests to give you the information you need. It can take several weeks to fine-tune your diet successfully to the point where you begin to notice results.
Lab tests take the guesswork out of programming cases. The most useful food-related lab tests for fine-tuning diets include the following:
IgG 1-4 Imupro food sensitivity testing with Academy of Nutritional Medicine. Has a wider selection of IgG food antibodies than any other food test that I know, thereby increasing accuracy. Looks for delayed defensive reactions to up to 270 foods that start 3-72 hours after a food has been consumed, therefore, potentially harder for the patient to detect. Studies show that this approach has the edge over FodMap style diets in many gut-related issues. Results can be extremely significant in helping to resolve complex diet related issues like diabetes type 2.
IgE food allergies - I do this test far less than Imupro as people generally know when they experience an instant reaction to a food. IgE allergies are also tested on the NHS, unlike IgG mediated food sensitivities.
Cyrex Array-4 Gluten Cross-Reactivity Test This is a useful test for individuals with autoimmune diseases or who are not making the expected progress on a strict gluten-free diet. Gluten cross-reactive foods are foods that the immune system mistakes for gluten and produces the same symptoms as gluten exposure. The test list includes: rye, barley, wheat, spelt, cows’ milk, chocolate (milk), oats, yeast, coffee, sesame, buckwheat, sorghum, millet, hemp, amaranth, quinoa, tapioca, teff, soy, egg, corn, rice. The antibody results tell the patient which foods should be avoided and which they can include as safe to eat.
Cyrex Array-3 is a useful test to identify if gluten exposure is triggering autoimmune diseases in individuals. Most people are familiar with the Tissue Transglutaminase enzyme test for coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition where eating gluten causes the immune system to attack the lining of the intestines. However, did you know there are 6 Tissue Transglutaminases ?
TTG2 IgA tests for coeliac disease. TTG3 tests for skin, TTG6 tests for brain (useful for gluten-triggered Alzheimer’s) For 2,3 and 6, both IgG and IgA should be tested. The results of this test really serve to bring home to individuals how important it is to avoid the minutest amount of gluten exposures when autoimmune disease is present. I had a patient on a gluten-free diet who was given soup (containing some small amount of gluten) while in hospital. The patient's mood deteriorated sharply, becoming snappy and anxious with everyone around. Needless to say, the patient did not notice the effect! However, the immune system is trained to react to the tiniest viral particle, therefore, ‘just one bite” or gluten as a hidden ingredient in a soup or sauce can be a disaster, triggering further antibodies for weeks or months. Topic items like cosmetics and toiletries containing gluten should also be excluded.
Histamine intolerance (DAO concentration) - Mast Cell Activation and histamine intolerance symptoms are on the rise. Th-2 immune dominance promotes more histamine release. So does wifi exposure. So do chronic infections. The DAO test checks to see if you have enough of the enzyme Diamine Oxidase to break down histamine in the gut.
Total histamine degradation capacity - Very often, the histamine problem lies not in the level of Diamine Oxidase which may be adequate, but in the clearance of histamine from the central nervous system. This test helps identify histamine clearance issues.
OAT Test (urine) - contains a marker for oxalates which are natural compounds in many foods that can cause trouble in certain people. In this case, the diet needs to be adjusted temporarily while the underlying problem, such as fungal infection, is addressed.
GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile - You may be eating the right foods, but are they being adequately digested and absorbed? This test checks what is really getting through as well as looking at gut immunity, gut microbiome health and colonic infections. Gut viruses need to be tested separately via blood tests.
M12 Mitochondrial Fuel Pathways - Our mitochondria are the powerhouses inside cells that generate energy. They get damaged by toxins and infections, resulting in chronic fatigue states. This is a useful test for seeing what type of dietary fuel best help our mitochondria to create energy at the time of testing. Results with my patients have explained why not everyone does well on a Ketogenic diet.
Home Tests
These are tests that are done at home. They are useful for investigations where you can’t figure out the problem with antibodies or where the patient can’t access lab tests.
Provocation Challenge tests - You need to approach this as a scientific experiment and be discipled in your elimination. Avoid the suspect food strictly for 2 weeks, then have a substantial meal containing that food. Then, observe symptom changes for the next 72 hours.The different types of Provocation Challenge tests I use are for:
a.Gluten Cross-Reactive foods.
b.Any individual food which the patient suspects is making them sick.Low histamine trial diet - can be done in conjunction with lab tests or without.
Low Oxalates trial diet - can be done as a result of a high Oxalates lab result or if there is strong clinical suspicion of oxalates causing a problem.
Low lectins trial diet - Lectins are proteins in certain foods that bind to carbohydrates. This is a separate issue from food allergy and antibody reactions. When there is an autoimmune condition, I ask people to avoid those foods whose lectins might be problematic based on tissue-specific lectin associations, then reintroduce the lectin-associated foods one at a time, a week per food, then watch for symptoms. This is particularly useful for people with MS or other autoimmune conditions.
Nightshades Elimination Diet - with Rheumatoid Arthritis patients. Includes tomatoes, aubergine, potatoes (not sweet potato) peppers, tobacco, goji berries.
Step 4 - Sustaining a Healthy Diet
Once you have successfully fine-tuned your diet, you need to make this work sustainably for you, if you want to stay healthy. You don’t want to let things drift and go back to bad habits. This is important for several reasons:
The goal in autoimmunity is to reduce the severity and frequency of inflammatory flares. One small dietary exposure (gluten or a lectin etc.) can trigger a flare as immune cells have a memory. Therefore, you will need to learn how to manage zero dietary triggers to stay well.
Viruses need to be silenced by the immune system for life. This is even more important in the post Covid era as Covid, like Epstein Barr and shingles and others, is a hit-and-stay-virus. Feeding your body too much sugar or challenging your immune system with too many allergic exposures or nutrient-deficient foods may overwhelm your the branch of your immune system that keeps infections under the radar and allow and you may finding yourself suffering the effects of chronic low grade infection.
Too many carbs and sugars put on excess weight. The only common denominator fpiund in a study of folks who had made it to 100 was good blood sugar control. In the UK, there is an epidemic of obesity with all its attendant health risks which has pretty much become the ‘norm.’
What about dietary lapses? If you are fit and healthy, I reckon your body can stand the odd lapse. As long as you don’t get sucked back into a pattern of frequent lapses. That is addiction. If you are fighting a chronic condition, especially an autoimmune condition, you’ll need to practice zero gluten exposure, otherwise you will provoke the inevitable flare. You don’t need to do a degree in Nutrition to manage your diet but the more basic knowledge you have, the better you can steer clear of dietary traps and misinformation.
Step 5 - Increase your Food Knowledge
There is a triangle which I sometimes show patients - the KRC Triangle. Each corner of the triangle stands for Knowledge, Responsibility, Control. As it is a triangle, if you increase, one, you automatically increase the other two. As there is so much conflicting information about food (including political correctness) and your GP is untrained in Nutrition, the most sensible thing is increase your own knowledge of foods so you can take responsibility for what you eat and gain more control over your life.
Contrary to popular belief, medications and infirmity are not an inevitable part of ageing. They can be a result of years of eating the wrong inflammatory foods. Would you prefer an old age chasing prescriptions or grandchildren? If the latter sounds more attractive, please use the following sources of information as a starting point:
Online information:
Alliance for Natural Health website - Please see the difference between the Government’s unhealthy ‘Eatwell Plate’ and the Alliance for Health’s Food4Health Guide plate! Includes many other articles and useful resources.
Weston Price Foundation website - Dr Weston-Price did groundbreaking research in foods that build health and those that destroy health across the generations (big clue - white flour and sugar!).
Nutrition Facts website with Dr Greger - Excellent library of videos, recipes and more.
Dr Sarah Myhill videos
Dr Berg videos
Your Guide to Eating Well online pdf from Cytoplan - Easy to read - can be used as a common sense guide to daily food planning.
Books:
Reset Eating: How to turn food into powerful medicine. Rob Verkerk and Melani Aldridge.
Your guide to Eating Well (from Cytoplan) The hard copy of the pdf online.
Gluten-Free Secrets (from Cytoplan)
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats - Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.
Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food - Catherine Shanahan MD and Luke Shanahan
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration Dr Weston A. Price - This is the groundbreaking work that documents (with photos) the health benefits of traditional diets and the dangers of processed foods.
The Sugar Blues William Dufty. The highly readable book that will change your outlook on sugar. Also available as a pdf online.
Books by Dr Sarah Myhill on Diabetes (Delicious Diets, Not Dangerous Drugs), Paleo-Ketogenic diet.
In conclusion, there is a lot you can do yourself (and you should) to find the right diet for you. How will you know when you have found it? You will notice that things are gradually getting better, even if you are trying to recover from a chronic condition.
Working with a practitioner to optimise your diet is a good idea if you have severe food sensitivities or your gut has been badly damaged in the past. Conditions like these need a specialised tailored approach. Fixed ideas about food and diets and food phobia are also conditions I encounter which do best with practitioner help.
If you would like help getting your diet right or as the foundation of a recovery programme, please get in touch with the Good Health Clinic on goodhealthclinic@outlook.com to request a free 30 minute Enquiry Call or book an appointment.
Please note that an Enquiry Call is not a consultation but an exploratory call to see if this a clinical approach you wish to pursue.
To your very good health,
Suzanne Jeffery (Nutritional Medicine Consultant)
M.A.(Oxon), BSc.(NMed), PGCE, MNNA, CNHC
The Good Health Clinic at The Business Centre, 2, Cattedown Road, Plymouth PL4 0EG
Tel no: 07836 552936/ Answer phone: 01752 774755
Disclaimer:
All advice given out by Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic is for general guidance and informational purposes only. All advice relating to other health professionals’ advice is for general guidance and information purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information provided with other sources. Patients and consumers should review the information carefully with their professional health care provider. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by other practitioners and physicians. Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.