During this stressful and uncertain time, it’s understandable that you may be craving some comfort foods – like sugar and junk food. Dr. Jeff shares his instinct to fall back on some bad habits during this time. However, he encourages us all to check in with ourselves and process our emotions.

Dr. Jeff reminds us all that this is a crucial time that we should be reinforcing our immune system. Instead of falling into the trap of soothing ourselves with junk food, we should be doing the exact opposite.

“Excessive Sugar and Junk Food will weaken your immune system” If you happen to get sick, you will have more of a difficult time recovering if your immune system is weakened.

Take Home Points:

  1. Our Immune system thrives in an Alkaline environment
  2. Please cut out the sugar!
  3. Strengthen your Gut Health
  4. Dr. Jeff’s supplement routine

What is an Alkaline Environment?

  1. This is the pH of the body, or the Acid vs. Base Balance in the body.
  2. Unhealthy Bodies tend to be more Acidic:
    • The pH is lower in body fluids, which makes an ideal environment for pathogens and cancer cells.
  3. Healthy Bodies tend to be more Alkaline:
    • The body heals much more efficiently.  You really see this in top athletes, how quickly their body heals and recovers.
  4. What promotes an Acidic Body?
    • Sugar, excessive intake of meats, processed foods, simple carbohydrates.
  5. What promotes an Alkaline Body?
    1. DARK Leafy Green Vegetables, (Kale, spinach, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Gai lan, Bok Choy)
    2. Seaweed/Algae:  Spirulina, Chlorella,
    3. Deep breathing:  removing the excess Co2

So….what is Dr. Jeff eating during this time?
(Remember, he is not focusing on eating gourmet foods at this time…he is eating simple and healthy!)

Breakfast:

  1. Homemade Soups.
    1. Homemade Bone Broth (in an Instant Pot)
      1. He buys organic bones from Amron’s Meat (blundell/2Rd) and http://www.sumasmountainfarms.ca/
    2. Garlic, Onions, Ginger, Spices (turmeric, Cumin, Pepper, Oregano, Thyme – These fight off infections
    3. Lots of vegetables:  Carrots, Celery, Green Beans
  2. Green Smoothies
    1. Spinach, Parsley, Avocado, Celery, Cucumber, Lemon
    2. Fish oil,  Flax Seeds, hemp seeds
  3. Vegetable stir fry with Eggs
    1. Broccoli, onions, Spinach
  4. Red Bean (Adzuki Bean) with Coconut Milk and Yams.
  5. Avoid Breakfast Cereals:  simple carbs with lots sugar.

Lunch/ Dinner:

  1. Vegetable Stir Fry: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onions, Carrots, Bok Choy, Gai Lan, Purple Cabbage, spring onions,
  2. Stews and Soups (Beef Stew, Seafood Stew, Cauliflower/Coconut Stew)
  3. Green Beans, with Tofu in Black Bean sauce
  4. Homemade broth, soup noodles, shiitake mushrooms
  5. Baking Chicken & Salmon, with Brown Rice and Vegetables
  6. Tacos with fresh vegetables

Snacks:

  1. Hummus and vegetables (celery, cucumbers)
  2. Sunflower seed butter on apples
  3. Guacamole
  4. Seeds/Nuts

Eat Whole Foods & Colourful Foods:  Nutrient Dense Foods. Immune System relies on nutrients

Sweet Digz Farm.  Community-Supported Agriculture.   Fresh, Delicious, Organic. AND THEY DELIVER! https://sweetdigzfarm.wordpress.com/

Cut out Sugar & Simple Carbohydrates.
(Now is an important time, more than ever to really take a break from the Junk Food and Sugar)

  1. Cut out Candy, Chocolate, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners
  2. Eat more Complex Carbohydrates – Whole Wheat, Brown Rice, Fiber Rich foods
  3. Sugar is a difficult addiction to break – Perhaps we can do a group cleanse if there is enough interest?
  4. Dr. Jeff often confuses the sugar craving and Thirst!

    1. Stay hydrated
    2. Add lemon or Green Light to your water
  5. Replace sweet cravings with Fruit (Berries, apples, pears, oranges)
  6. Dr. Jeff’s Current Chocolate fix:

    1. Fontaine Sante. Dark chocolate hummus spread.
    2. Cacao Misto

Strengthen Your Gut Health:
(Dr. Carin will elaborate on Gut Health in future sessions)

  1. A big part of our Immune System lives in our Digestive Tract.  We have these large patches of immune cells, called Peyer’s Patches along our Gut Wall.  
  2. The rest of the immune system is in our blood stream. 
  3. It’s really important to make sure we have a healthy functioning digestive tract to support our immune health.  Healthy functioning means eating the right foods, and having regular bowel movements!
  4. Lower the Inflammation in our Guts.  Eat Clean Foods. Lower the allergens.

Dr. Jeff’s Current Supplement Routine
(Please note: This is not medical advice, please consult your own Naturopath for a customized supplement regimen)

  1. Plant based Multivitamin & Green Light ( to help keep my body alkaline)
  2. Vitamin C: 6 grams/day in divided doses
  3. Vitamin D3 with K2: 8,000IU in divided doses
  4. Fish Oil: 2 tablespoons/day
  5. HMF intensive Probiotics: 2 per day in divided doses
  6. Chinese Herbs: Astragalus, Chinese Mushroom, experimenting with Bitters. ( Dr. Jeff is geeking out on studying antiviral herbs at the moment!)

In health,
Dr. Jeffrey Lee
Naturopathic Physician & Registered Acupuncturist

Check out my Stress Youtube Series here.

Join our newsletter