1. Introduction: Why Diet Matters

As the saying goes, "You are what you eat." Every bite you take can either feed disease or fuel your body’s ability to heal.

Healing from chronic illness requires more than just protocols and medications. Nutrition plays a foundational role in reducing inflammation, strengthening the immune system, supporting detox pathways, and restoring cellular energy. A well-chosen diet can become a powerful ally in your body’s ability to heal, offering relief from symptoms, improving resilience, and preventing further complications.

Food is more than fuel-it's information for your body. The nutrients in whole foods help turn on healing pathways, repair tissues, and calm immune overactivity. In contrast, processed foods and added sugars act like toxins: they spike blood sugar, feed harmful microbes, burden detox systems, and fuel inflammation—the root of nearly all chronic conditions. For individuals with chronic illness, this creates an internal environment that hinders recovery. Choosing real, nutrient-dense foods gives your cells what they need to repair, thrive, and protect against further harm.

Healing is not about perfection—it's about consistent, intentional nourishment. Begin by making small, sustainable changes: choose whole foods over processed ones, drink more water, and tune in to your body’s responses. Over time, these changes build momentum. This journey isn’t about restriction—it’s about giving your body what it needs to thrive. Every mindful choice you make is a step toward greater health and wholeness.

2. Core Principles of Healing Nutrition

• Anti-inflammatory foundation: Choose whole, real foods that lower inflammation and avoid processed, packaged items.

• Alkaline-supportive foods: Incorporate a variety of mineral-rich, nutrient-dense foods that help support your body's natural pH balance. This includes plenty of non-starchy vegetables, herbs, and fruits, alongside clean proteins and healthy fats. A well-rounded approach that includes both plant and animal foods can nourish and fortify the body without being overly restrictive or one-size-fits-all. While not strictly vegetarian or vegan, focus on mostly plant-based meals to support pH balance and detox.

• Organic, non-GMO focus: Reduces toxic load and glyphosate exposure, especially important for weakened immune systems.

• Low-mold, low-histamine options: Important for individuals sensitive to mold or experiencing histamine overload, common in Lyme patients.

• Blood sugar stabilization: Balanced meals reduce energy crashes and help regulate immune and hormonal systems.  Eating your meals in a specific order—starting with non-starchy vegetables, followed by protein and healthy fats, and saving carbohydrates for last—can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes and improve energy balance.

3. What to Eat More Of (Healing Foods)

• Vegetables: Cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, kale), leafy greens, carrots, and sulfur-rich choices like onions and garlic to support detox.

• Healthy fats: Avocados, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed, walnuts, and omega-3s from wild salmon or algae for brain and immune support.

• Clean proteins: Grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish, bone broth, organic eggs, and plant proteins like hemp and lentils.

• Fermented foods (if tolerated): Sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut yogurt, and kefir to support gut microbiome balance.

• Mineral-rich foods: Spirulina, Chlorella, dark leafy greens, beets, pumpkin seeds for essential mineral replenishment.

• Herbs and spices: Turmeric, ginger, parsley, cilantro, and cinnamon for their anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects.

4. What to Avoid (Common Triggers)

• Sugar & refined carbohydrates: Feed pathogenic microbes and cancer cells; disrupt gut flora and blood sugar.

• Dairy & gluten: Common triggers for inflammation, gut permeability, and immune reactions.

• Conventional meats & farmed fish: Often contain hormones, antibiotics, and inflammatory omega-6 fats.

• Alcohol & caffeine: Burden detox pathways, cause dehydration, and impact adrenal function.

• Processed & packaged foods: Filled with additives, preservatives, and ingredients that stress the liver.

• Mold-containing foods: Peanuts, corn, coffee, and dried fruit should be limited or avoided in sensitive individuals.

5. Special Considerations

• Low-oxalate or low-histamine diets may help reduce symptoms in sensitive individuals.

• Intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating can improve metabolic health and reduce inflammation, when tolerated.

• Personalized testing (food sensitivities, genetics, gut health) can help guide advanced dietary adjustments.

6. Detox-Supportive Nutrition

• Hydration: Drink filtered water, herbal teas (dandelion, nettle), or lemon water to flush toxins.

• Fiber: Add flaxseed, chia, leafy greens, and veggies to support bowel movements and toxin elimination.

• Liver support: Incorporate beets, artichokes, milk thistle tea, dandelion greens, and turmeric.

• Lymphatic support: Stay hydrated, use parsley and citrus in cooking, and consider gentle movement.

7. Supplements & Nutraceuticals (Optional Add-Ons)

• Probiotics: Support gut microbiome restoration. See the section on making your own probiotic rich yogurt.  You can make yogurts with the probiotic of your choice.  There are varieties that help detox, digestive health, mood, skin, sleep etc.

• Cationic minerals: As used in Revive protocols to support immune response and cellular balance.

• Vitamin D3, C, and Zinc: Foundational immune support.

• Methylation support: B12 (methylcobalamin), folate (not folic acid), and B6.

• Antioxidants and detox support: NAC, glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid, and CoQ10.

8. Sample Healing Day (Meal Plan)

• Morning: Warm lemon water, followed by a smoothie with spinach, avocado, blueberries, flaxseed, and pea protein

• Lunch: Quinoa salad with arugula, wild salmon, roasted vegetables, olive oil & lemon dressing

• Snack: Cucumber slices with guacamole or coconut yogurt with chia

• Dinner: Grass-fed beef stew with root vegetables, bone broth base, and steamed greens on the side

• Herbal tea: Dandelion or ginger

9. Encouragement & Flexibility

Healing is a journey. Start small by swapping out processed foods for whole alternatives and drinking more water. Listen to your body, track how you feel, and make changes gradually. This is not about restriction—it’s about nourishment. Every step you take is a step toward health and wholeness.