5. Winter squashes and pumpkin. Winter squashes (acorn, spaghetti and butternut squashes) and pumpkin are not quite as good because they are more yin, but okay once or twice a week if you wish. They are actually fruits, as they contain seeds.
Vegetables to avoid. Avoid the nightshade vegetables, which are too yin and slightly toxic for regular consumption. They include tomatoes, white and red potatoes, eggplant and all peppers, such as sweet and hot peppers, and table pepper, which is usually rancid. A little cayenne pepper as a spice is fine, but avoid very hot spicy food.
Others to minimize or avoid include zucchini, summer squashes, okra, asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms and cucumbers. These are all too yin or a bit toxic. Otherwise, the vegetables, always cooked, are superb foods.
Remember to cook your vegetables always. I know many health authorities recommend raw vegetables. However, I find that people do not absorb enough minerals from raw foods, including salads. Also, raw vegetables are too yin, and in restaurants often unclean. You can have a cooked vegetable salad if you prefer, but not a raw salad. To read more, read Raw Food on this website.
PROTEIN
Eat protein twice daily or even a little with each meal, if it helps you. Protein foods, especially those of animal quality, offer many nutrients including zinc, selenium, sulfur, many vitamins, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and much more. Please do not follow a vegetarian diet for this reason. Portion size can be 3-5 ounces or so for adults.
Meats. Among the best protein foods are lamb, chicken, eggs, and turkey. Some wild game is very good. Beef is not quite as good, though naturally-raised, grass-fed beef is okay about once a week.
Dairy products. Raw dairy is an excellent food for most people, unless one is allergic to dairy. This can include raw goat or raw cows whole milk, plain yogurt, raw kefir or raw cheeses. However, do not drink more than 4 ounces of milk daily, as it is quite yin.
Goat products tend to be a little better than cow dairy, although not always. Go to www.realmilk.com to help find raw dairy products, or ask around in your town, as many towns have people who can supply raw dairy products, even if they are not yet legal.
Most pasteurized dairy products are not nearly as good and should be avoided. If you absolutely cannot find raw dairy, look for organic dairy products, though they are not as good as the raw ones. The laws prohibiting raw dairy products are insane, and simply a way to control the milk supply. They need to be changed.
Soft-cooked eggs are a wonderful and very inexpensive protein food. Most people can have eggs three times a week or more. Up to 6 or 8 eggs weekly are good for most people. Be sure to cook eggs soft, with the yolk runny. This means either soft boil them for 3-4 minutes, or eat them poached or soft in some other way.
Fish. Avoid most fish, and all seafood and shellfish due to toxic metal contamination.
The exception is that 3-4 cans of sardines weekly are excellent for adults, and less for children. They are acceptable because they are very small, so they do not accumulate much mercury. They are also excellent sources of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and an important form of selenium.
Avoid all other fish and definitely avoid all shellfish or seafood. Most are contaminated with mercury. Wild caught fish are no better in most cases, though they are fed better.
Nuts, seeds and nut butters. Nuts and seeds are hard to digest and more yin, although they are nutritious. So limit them. An exception is that some toasted almond butter several times weekly is good for most people. A little of the other nut or seed butters is okay, on occasion.
Proteins to avoid. Pork, ham and all pig products may contain parasitic infections, even if well-cooked. Also reduce beef, though some naturally raised beef is okay occasionally. Most beef cattle are very hybridized and less healthful. Avoid all processed meats and American cheese or “cheese food”. Also avoid organ meats, as they are toxic with heavy metals, unfortunately.
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