Excerpt from the book “Food to the Rescue” by Dr. Jennifer Shell, D.C. 

Photo by Eiliv Aceron on unsplash.com 

Protein; 

A. Meat/Poultry – Be aware that the USDA doesn’t allow pigs, chickens, or turkeys to be injected with hormones, but they are allowed to be fed chemical growth enhancers.2 Certified Organic meat isn’t allowed to contain any chemicals, so it’s always the top choice. Farmers markets or local meat would also be good choices. 

B. Fish/Seafood – Seafood is a great source of protein, which is rich in omega fatty acids. Omegas are oils that are beneficial to our health. You can’t eat fried fish sticks and think they count as a beneficial food because they are now nullified due to frying. Please just bake it. Avoid fish that may contain high levels of mercury; shark, swordfish, and orange roughy are some examples. 

C. Beans/Lentils – Legumes are great because they are high in protein and fiber. Legumes count as a complex carbohydrate, so they make a much better choice than noodles or bread. 

D. Nuts – Avoid coated, honey roasted, or heavily salted nuts. Also, you may want to avoid peanuts and pistachios because they have been linked to high mold contents. Peanut butter should actually be avoided. The pretty ones get sorted into cocktail mixes. The ugly (a.k.a. moldy) ones go down to the end to be turned into peanut butter. The toxin on those moldy nuts is called aflatoxin. It is a huge cancer promoter. 

E. Seeds – They are high in protein and are tasty. Sprouted is the best choice because they are easier to digest. 

F. Eggs – You can get “natural” or even “organic” eggs that are still coming from a chicken that never sees real light and is packed like a sardine in a hen house. Buy the eggs that come from local farms or that say “pasture raised” because those chicks are where nature intended, roaming as they please. Eggs have good fatty acids and raise HDL, your good cholesterol, so don’t shun them. 

G. Dairy – Raw dairy is best because all the enzymes are still intact. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find due to laws about pasteurization. Find a local chapter of the Weston Price Foundation on their website: www.westonaprice.org. 

2 Kalafa, Amy. Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health. New York: Jeremy P. Tacher/Penguin, 2011.