One of the first things The Gabriel Method encourages is eating a large breakfast to get your day going.  Like all other meals using this approach, breakfast should include a good source of protein, omega 3 and live foods.  You should also take a digestive enzyme capsule before eating to help with digestion. 

So, let’s break these down a little.

Protein

As explained in the book, most of the protein sources we have available to us now are not easily digested by our bodies and the amino acids can not be assimilated and so are then converted into sugar, which is converted to and stored as fat.   It is possible that as little as 15% of the protein that we eat is being properly used.

So what protein sources are the best bang for your buck?  Well,  Jon recommends whey protein powder, which I tried and I think it is really gross.  It’s more the smell than anything and it can ruin a perfectly good smoothie.  I am going to keep trying to find OK ways to use it and I think a little practice about how much is tolerable in what things will help a lot.  

So far, i have found that adding a good amount of citrus (I use lemon juice) to a smoothie cuts the whey protein powder flavor quite a bit and adds a nice tartness to the smoothie.    I have also found that adding a little bit to pancake mix or french toast batter is tolerable.   It is not supposed to change the flavor of foods it is added to and you are supposedly able to add it to anything creamy, but it does taste and it tastes bad, so it’s really a trial and error thing.  

Other and more tasty sources of  protein include…

  • Raw Nuts and Seeds
  • Free Range Chicken and Grass Fed Beef
  • Fish, especially freshwater
  • Organic Yogurt
  • White Cheese made from Goat or Sheep’s milk

I have taken to sprinkling raw nuts or seeds on everything as a way to supplement my protein rather than the whey powder route.  Not as concentrated, but much better tasting.  I have also had fun exploring new cheeses.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

We’ve all heard the news lately about omega fatty acids and how we need to eat more fish.  In the past, our food provided us with an equal amount of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.  Now, with the way our food is processed and prepared, we now take in 20 times as much omega 6 as omega 3 which causes inflammation in the body and results in all kinds of physical ailments and triggers the FAT programs (actually “Famine And Temperature” not fat) that can cause us to retain unnecessary weight.  

Good sources of Omega 3 include…

  • Flax seed and oil
  • Omega 3 enriched eggs
  • Fish – specifically wild cold water fish
  • Organic Meat and Dairy

Flax seeds are awesome and can be sprinkled on everything without really affecting the taste at all.  The catch is they must be freshly ground for maximum potency.  I bought a  second coffee grinder for this and just grind up a little flax while prepping each meal and sprinkle it on everything.  

I also use omega eggs, which I think are also a decent source of protein.  We are trying to eat one fish meal a week, usually alternating between shrimp and fish.   We have never been fish eaters so this is a step for us.  Jon also recommends taking a significant amount of omega 3 supplements, which I have started to do this week. 

Live Foods

This just means that the food is alive and unprocessed.  Lots of fruits and veggies, preferably organic.  Add an extra serving to each meal is my general rule.

Essential Sugars

This is the carb category.  This is definitely the one I am most confused about.  In one sentence he says that bread and starches are “dead carbs” and provide no significant nutritional value, but in the next section he talks about how good for you sprouted bread is.  

Well, until I figure it out I am really enjoying sprouted bread.  This is my favorite find from this program.  It is so yummy.  I especially enjoy the kind with seeds.  It is very different than even a regular piece of wheat bread, but I have completely replaced all other bread, except for the occasional onion bun (I love these).  

Sprouted bread can be found in the organic section of your grocery store and sometimes it is refrigerated.  My Trader Joes carries several varieties and I found some local bakery sprouted seed bread at my local Thriftway that is amazing.  It  works well for toast, sandwiches and makes really amazing french toast.  Yum Yum Yum.

Table sugar and processed breads are the worst of the “dead carbs”.  Jon recommends Xylatol as his sweetener of choice.  It is pretty spendy so I haven’t gone there yet, but will probably pick some up next time I have a little extra in the weekly food budget.  Supposedly it tastes natural and can be used as a one to one replacement for sugar.  For now, I have switched to raw turbinado sugar for my coffee (which is really the only thing I use table sugar directly for).

Fruit, of course, is the best source of essential sugars.  

There are some timing issues that can be important when it comes to carbs.  Eat carbs as early in the day as possible and as late in the meal as possible.  This encourages better digestion and less left overs that can be turned into fat.

In addition to wondering about good bread versus dead carbs, I am also curious how rice fits into all this.  There is no mention of brown or wild rice, which I thought were pretty good for you.  Guess I will have to do some research or maybe I will email Jon and ask him.  Supposedly you can do that from his website.

Supplements

This is my supplement regimen each day…

  • Before Breakfast – A probiotic and a digestive enzyme.  The probiotic you take should be the kind you purchase from and store in the refrigerator, available at your local health food store.  A good all around profile digestive enzyme is best.
  • In the Afternoon – A multi-vitamin and a multi-mineral and my acai supplement.  The guy I talked to at my local health store recommended Real Food Organics Ultimate Daily Nutrition for my daily multi.  It is made from organic food sources only.  Here’s a look at the nutritional information.
  • With Dinner – A digestive enzyme and several Omega 3 capsules.  This is the omega 3 supplement that I take.  According to my guy, it was the second best one, but the top rated one was a little cost prohibitive.

How It All Comes Together

This may sound like a lot of work.  Karli and I were talking about it the other night and he was saying how he could “never do what I do”.  He is pretty picky and particular when it comes to food so some of these things might be a stretch for him (mostly the flax seed scares him I think).  

But really,  I don’t feel like any of this has inconvenienced me or is hard or that I am suffering at all. Eating a big breakfast is something that I am not used to doing and I have had to carve out time to do so.  But, I am not depriving myself of anything and once I had a system in place, all the adds, supplements and meditations weren’t a big deal at all.

I think the visualisation CD has a lot to do with this.  I usually fall asleep within the first few minutes so I’m not really sure exactly what he’s planting in there, but whatever it is I am feeling really good about this whole process and unlike all the “diets” I have tried before, I’m not missing anything.  

This is just stage one and many more changes and additions are coming, but I feel prepared and unafraid and am sure that those changes will come easily as well.

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