This is the Optimal Diet for anyone interested in reaching a higher level of health. I designed it over a ten year period of intense diet and nutritional research. I have found it to work best for all ages and genders. You can modify the recipes to your liking, as long as you stay with in the lines of the program. Feel free to print it out and share it with your family and friends. Email me with any questions or comments. Good luck with your quest for optimal health!

Ed Levy, C.N.

Food Rules:

• Drink 80-100 oz. (8-10 8oz glasses) of clean water a day; juices are included(before, or 2 hours after meals)
• Fill yourself on proteins and complex carbohydrates, not simple starches
• Eat every 2 to 3 hours; Do not skip meals or snacks
• Eat protein, complex carbohydrate and fat at each meal
• Eat 6-7 ounces (a fist size) or 15 to 20 grams of protein at each meal
• Vegetables are "thermic"-they burn more calories than they are worth
• Focus more on the Quality of food not the Quantity
• Chew your food well, and do not drink with meals
• Season your meals to your liking, spices and herbs make the meal
• Alternate and Rotate your meals; Do not eat the same food every day
• Choose Organic! Chemical pesticides are toxic and carcinogenic
• Keep a diary to track your progress
• Fresh fruit- morning, raw veggies-lunch, steamed veggies-dinner
• 60% of your diet should be raw, unheated
• Take all nutritional supplements with food, mid-meals, unless specified otherwise

Protein choices to alternate with are:

tuna	lean organic beef or lamb		tofu	soy burgers
salmon	organic chicken or turkey		tempeh	soy deli slices
sardines	low fat organic cottage cheese	whey, rice or soy protein	soy cheese	nut butters
organic eggs	seitan		soy bacon	beans, nuts and seeds

• Upon Awakening:
  
  10oz. of room temperature water with super green powder (such as 1 tspn of Kyogreen , Progreens, or Green Vibrance powder)
  All meal times are aprox. based on your schedule and have a half hour window

• Breakfast: (8:30 am)
  
  Example #1 (once or twice a week)
  2 organic eggs any style (Use olive oil or canola sprays)
  1 slices of soy bacon
  Sliced organic fruit
  1 slice of Ezekiel 4:9 bread (Or wheat/gluten free bread if necessary)
  
  Example #2 (once a week)
  Slow cooked oatmeal or cold whole grain cereal with rice milk (Add 1 scoop of protein powder-optional)
  Fresh or frozen organic berries (Or any organic fruit)
  
  Example #3 (once or twice a week)
  Low fat, organic cottage cheese or organic plain yogurt (Add scoop of protein powder; soy or whey)
  Fresh organic fruit
  1 slice of Ezekiel 4:9 bread (Or wheat/ gluten free if necessary)
  
  Example #4 (two or three times a week)
  Combine in a blender:
  1 ½ scoops of protein powder (soy, rice, or whey)
  Fresh or frozen organic fruit (1/2 banana, berries, peaches)
  4-6oz. of water, soymilk, or rice milk , 5 cubes of ice
  
  Example#5 (once a week)
  Nut butter on Eziekiel or wheat free bread
  Sliced organic fruit

• Snack or Juice: (10:30 am) (click here to jump to examples)

• 10 oz of water
  
  
• Lunch: (1:00 pm)
  
  Example #1(everyday is O.K., just alternate your protein)
  Fresh salad (preferably organic)
  Dressing (Olive oil, apple cider vinegar, spices or any of Annies dressings O.K.)
  Protein choice
  
  Example #2
  Five veggie sandwich of any kind/or bean soup (I.E. cucumber, romaine lettuce, tomato, onion, sprouts)
  Protein choice
  Ezekiel 4:9 bread (Or wheat/gluten free if necessary)
  
  
  
• Snack or Juice: (3:30 pm) (click here to jump to examples)
  
  
• Dinner: (6:00 pm)
  10 oz of water
  (Same protein choices as with lunch, or for more suggestions speak to Ed or see recommended cookbooks.)
  
  Example #1 (three times a week)
  Steamed, organic veggies
  Organic brown rice or any organic grain or sweet potato
  Protein choice
  
  Example #2 (three times a week)
  Stir fry veggies
  Protein choice
  Organic whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, spelt, kamut, etc.)
  
  Example #3
  Veggie stew with beans and protein choice
  
  Example #4
  Steamed veggies
  4-bean chili with protein choice
  Organic whole grain
  
  
• Snacks and Juices:
  
  (Between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner)
  
  Juices: (if you drink a juice you do not need a snack)
  16oz. Of fresh, organic juice (combo of 6 veggies)
  
  * Your juices count to your total water intake. Coffee and sodas do not.
  
  Example #1
  1 piece of fruit
  Ezekiel bread with peanut butter or almond butter,or other nut butter
  
  Example #2
  1\2 Energy bar (Ult. Protein, Lo-carb2, Spirutein, Luna, Govinda's etc.)
  1 piece of fruit
  
  Example #3
  2-3ounces of Trail mix or nuts
  (Almonds, walnuts, pumpkinseeds, soy nuts)
  1 piece of fruit
  
  
• Desserts (latest time: no later than 2 hours before bedtime)
  (See suggested cookbooks for great ideas)
  
  Example #1
  ½ of a protein bar low or no sugar
  
  Example #2
  Silken tofu pudding (any flavor)
  
• Blend 1 block of silken Tofu with 2 tblspns water
• 1Tblspn xylitol
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 tblspns cocoa or carob powder
• add berries, walnuts, banana slices

Example #3
1 scoop of protien powder in 10 oz. of Silk soy milk