Even if you’re not allergic to peanuts, avoid them as much as possible. Peanuts and peanut butter are likely to contain aflatoxin, a carcinogen produced by the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus molds, and lectins, indigestible proteins that commonly trigger an immune response. In addition, most commercial peanut butters are high in sugar and trans fats (see upcoming sections covering these items).

      Replace peanuts with healthier alternatives: almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, coconut (unsweetened), macadamia nuts, walnuts, and pecans (and butters made from these nuts), but read the labels carefully to make sure these healthy nuts don’t contain unhealthy added ingredients, such as cottonseed oil.

       Sugar

      Sugar is a major factor contributing to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and the average person in the U.S. consumes a whole lot of it – 152 pounds of sugar and 146 pounds of flour (which quickly converts to sugar in the body) per year.

      Don’t add sugar to foods or beverages, and avoid foods or beverages with added sugar. Read labels closely to identify added sugar. Most ingredients that end in -ose are sugars, including sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, galactose, lactose, high-fructose corn syrup, and glucose solids. Sugar goes by other names, as well: agave, barley malt, brown rice syrup, buttered syrup, caramel, carob syrup, corn syrup, dextran, dextrin, diatastic malt, ethyl maltol, fruit juice, golden syrup, honey, malt syrup, maltodextrin, maple syrup, molasses, refiner’s syrup, sorghum syrup, and turbinado.

      

Taper sugar consumption gradually. Sudden elimination of sugar is likely to make you feel exhausted, irritable, and famished. To ease the transition, replace the worst sugars (agave, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, and sucrose) with lower impact sugars – brown sugar, cane sugar, cane juice, coconut nectar, raw honey, grade B maple syrup, and stevia (not Truvia, which is primarily a GMO-corn-based sugar alcohol combined with a small amount of stevia extract and “natural flavors,” whatever those are).

      

Be very careful of foods advertised as low-fat or nonfat. In almost all cases, the fats have been replaced with sugar.

       Artificial sweeteners

      Steer clear of artificial sweeteners, which stimulate insulin production, increase sugar cravings, and stimulate glycation, a major cause of premature aging and cognitive decline. Artificial sweeteners include aspartame, NutraSweet, saccharin, Splenda, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium (Acesulfame K or Ace K). Truvia is another sugar substitute to avoid.

      

Try using xylitol as your sugar substitute. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol extracted from birch trees and other plant sources. It helps prevent cavities and plaque formation on teeth and is used in nasal sprays to reduce ear infections in children. Start slowly (less than 15 g daily), because xylitol may cause gastric distress if you take too much too quickly.

       Trans fats

      Although some meat and dairy products contain trans fats (trans fatty acids), most trans fats are manufactured through a process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, creating a product that’s solid at room temperature. Food producers love trans fats because they’re inexpensive, improve the texture of food, and increase a food’s shelf life.

      Unfortunately, trans fats are linked to numerous chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and brain and cognitive disorders. In addition, trans fats replace the healthy fats that the body requires to function optimally. Your goal is to reverse this trend by reducing your consumption of trans fats and increasing your consumption of healthy fats – omega-3 fatty acids found primarily in fatty fish and in olives, nuts, and seeds.

      

Read labels closely and eliminate anything that contains trans fat, hydrogenated oil, or partially hydrogenated oil – even if the label claims “0 grams trans fats.” (Government regulations allow manufacturers to claim that their products contain no trans fats if they contain up to 0.5 grams trans fat per serving.) Trans fats are often found in margarine, shortening, fried foods, peanut butter, store-bought snack items (cookies, crackers, chips, microwave popcorn), sweets (cakes, doughnuts, and other pastries, and chocolate candy), frozen pizzas, and coffee creamers. Microwaving certain foods may also form trans fats.

       Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

      GMOs are foods that have been engineered by scientists who can’t possibly predict the results of their experiments. As a result, more people are eating more foods that evolution hasn’t prepared the human body to process, and many of these people are becoming very ill.

      To steer clear of GMOs, look for the Verified Non-GMO seal on products that are commonly genetically modified. Currently, farmers are growing nine GMO crops: alfalfa, canola, corn, cottonseed, Hawaiian papaya (most), soybeans, sugar beets, yellow squash (small amount), and zucchini (small amount). Thankfully, wheat (hybridized but not genetically modified), potatoes, and tomatoes failed miserably in becoming GMOs.

      Unless you eat out a lot (and if you do, that has to stop), you eat whatever you buy at the grocery store and then stick in your refrigerator and pantry. When you make the decision to eat healthier, the first order of business is to dump the junk food and stock up on healthy food.

      

Haul a large, empty trash container into your kitchen, go through your cabinets and refrigerator, and dump your junk foods:

      ✔ Foods you’re allergic or sensitive to (see the earlier section “Eliminating the foods that ail you” for details)

      ✔ Sugar and anything that contains added sugar by any of its many names (see the earlier section “Sugar”)

      ✔ White flour and cornstarch and anything made with white flour and cornstarch, because these ingredients are quickly converted to sugar in the body; this includes most breads and pastas

      ✔ Anything that contains trans fats (see the earlier section, “Trans fats”)

      ✔ Cookies, candy, chips, cakes, pies, and most breakfast cereals

      

Even organic, non-GMO cereals have too much carbohydrate. If you can’t live without a bowl of cereal in the morning, buy gluten-free cereal with the highest protein content (over 5 grams per serving) and the lowest carbohydrate content (below 17 grams per serving). Eat only the serving size. However, avoiding all breakfast cereals is best; a healthy breakfast smoothie is a better alternative.

      ✔ Soda pop and fruit juice (the diet stuff, too)

      ✔ Frozen prepared foods, including pizza, frozen dinners, pot pies, and burritos

      ✔ Anything that contains artificial flavoring, coloring, sweeteners, or preservatives

      

Also consider dumping anything that contains wheat/gluten, soy, or dairy. These three foods are at the root of many chronic illnesses. And if you really want to do yourself a favor, dump almost everything in your pantry and refrigerator/freezer with the exception of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds and any sources of quality protein, such as fish caught in the wild or products from pastured animals.

      When the cupboards are bare, you’re ready to restock them with healthy foods (I offer many suggestions in the upcoming sections). As you restock, buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, because they’re free of herbicides and pesticides and generally have a higher nutritional value. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with a brush and nontoxic fruit and veggie wash.