A Short Guide to a Long Life
Chapter Four: Food and Water
Avoid soft drinks and other acidic drinks, particularly colas (which have an extremely acidic pH of 2.5).
Replace coffee, which is also quite acidic, with less acidic beverages such as tea (particularly green tea).
Drink one-half fluid ounce per pound of body weight of alkaline water (pH between 9.5 and 10) each day. A 140-pound person should drink about nine 8-ounce cups per day.
In general, unfiltered tap water should not be drunk. Filtered tap water or ideally filtered, alkalinized water should be drunk instead.
Purified alkaline water can be produced from tap water by using an alkalinizing water machine (see recommended products listing).
Chapter Five: Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Load
One of the principal recommendations is to cut down sharply on high-glycemic-load carbohydrates. Beyond this, the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet depends on your health condition.
Our “low-carbohydrate group” consists of five subgroups of people that should cut down their carbohydrate consumption to no more than one sixth of their calories and virtually eliminate high-glycemic-load carbohydrates. As an example, the maintenance calorie level for someone weighing 150 pounds who is moderately active is 2, 250 calories. This would translate into a carbohydrate limit of 94 grams per day. The five subgroups of people are:
People trying to lose weight.
People with The Metabolic Syndrome (also known as “Syndrome X” -- see definition below).
People with Type II diabetes.
People with elevated risk factors for heart disease.
People who have cancer, have had cancer, or have an elevated risk of cancer.
For this low-carbohydrate group, we recommend:
Limit total carbohydrate consumption to less than one sixth of calories (see table below).
Generally avoid grains and fruit juices.
Eat very small quantities of low-glycemic index fruits, such as berries.
Acceptable carbohydrates in limited quantities include legumes (bean, lentils) and nuts.
Acceptable carbohydrates in larger quantities include low starch vegetables, particularly fresh and lightly cooked
Good low starch vegetables:
Kale, Swiss chard, collards, spinach
Dandelion greens, green and red cabbage, broccoli
Red and green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, endive
Chinese cabbage, bok choy, fennel, celery, cucumbers
Cauliflower, zucchini, Brussels sprouts
Green vegetables in general
Use a starch blocker.
Maintenance Calorie Level and Recommended Carbohydrate Level for Low-Carbohydrate Group
WEIGHT |
SEDENTARY |
MODERATELY ACTIVE |
VERY ACTIVE |
|
Total calories |
Carb Grams |
Total calories |
Carb grams |
Total calories |
Carb Grams |
90 |
1,170 |
49 |
1350 |
56 |
1620 |
67.5 |
100 |
1,300 |
54 |
1500 |
63 |
1800 |
75 |
110 |
1430 |
60 |
1650 |
69 |
1980 |
82.5 |
120 |
1560 |
65 |
1800 |
75 |
2160 |
90 |
130 |
1690 |
70 |
1950 |
81 |
2340 |
97.5 |
140 |
1820 |
76 |
2100 |
88 |
2520 |
105 |
150 |
1950 |
81 |
2250 |
94 |
2700 |
112.5 |
160 |
2080 |
87 |
2400 |
100 |
2880 |
120 |
170 |
2210 |
92 |
2550 |
106 |
3060 |
127.5 |
180 |
2340 |
98 |
2700 |
113 |
3240 |
135 |
190 |
2470 |
103 |
2850 |
119 |
3420 |
142.5 |
200 |
2600 |
108 |
3000 |
125 |
3600 |
150 |
210 |
2730 |
114 |
3150 |
131 |
3780 |
157.5 |
220 |
2860 |
119 |
3300 |
138 |
3960 |
165 |
230 |
2990 |
125 |
3450 |
144 |
4140 |
172.5 |
240 |
3120 |
130 |
3600 |
150 |
4320 |
180 |
People who are not in these five groups – the moderate carbohydrate group – should use the following recommendations: cut down carbohydrates to no more than one third of total calories, as well as cut down sharply on high-glycemic-load carbohydrates. As an example, the maintenance calorie level for someone weighing 150 pounds who is moderately active is 2, 250 calories. This would translate into a carbohydrate limit of 188 grams per day.
For the moderate carbohydrate group, we recommend:
Cut down sharply on high-glycemic-load foods (foods containing non-trivial amounts of sugar and refined starch), including pastries, desserts of all kinds containing sugar and refined starch, breads, bagels, pasta, and high starch vegetables such as potatoes and rice.
Limit total carbohydrate consumption to less than one third of calories (see table below).
Eat limited amounts of whole grains.
Consume limited quantities of fruit juice and fruits.
Good carbohydrates to eat include legumes (beans, lentils) and nuts.
Carbohydrates you can eat with relatively no restriction: low-starch vegetables (see list above).
Use a starch blocker.
Maintenance Calorie Level and Recommended Carbohydrate Level for Moderate-Carbohydrate Group
WEIGHT |
SEDENTARY |
MODERATELY ACTIVE |
VERY ACTIVE |
|
Total Calories |
Carb grams |
Total Calories |
Carb grams |
Total Calories |
Carb grams |
90 |
1170 |
98 |
1350 |
113 |
1620 |
135 |
100 |
1300 |
108 |
1500 |
125 |
1800 |
150 |
110 |
1430 |
119 |
1650 |
138 |
1980 |
165 |
120 |
1560 |
