Thrive

1. Reduce stress to increase vitality and health

Stress breaks down the body to varying degrees. This is fine: It's how we grow stronger—at least, once we recover from it.

Understanding stress types. Stress can be categorized into three types: uncomplementary, complementary, and production. Uncomplementary stress, such as environmental pollutants and poor nutrition, offers no benefits and should be minimized. Complementary stress, like exercise, stimulates growth and renewal when managed properly. Production stress is associated with achieving goals and can be beneficial if balanced with proper recovery.

Nutritional stress impact. Nutritional stress accounts for approximately 70% of total uncomplementary stress for the average North American. This includes consuming nutrient-deficient foods and overprocessed items that require significant energy to digest. By focusing on reducing nutritional stress through a whole food, plant-based diet, individuals can dramatically improve their overall health and vitality.

2. Embrace high net-gain nutrition for optimal energy

The net gain of food is the term I use to describe the energy and usable sustenance that our body is left with once the food has been digested and assimilated.

Efficiency in digestion. High net-gain foods are easily digested and assimilated, requiring minimal energy expenditure from the body. This conservation of energy translates to more available resources for other bodily functions and cellular repair. Examples of high net-gain foods include:

• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Sprouted seeds and legumes
• Cold-pressed oils

Impact on performance. Athletes and active individuals can particularly benefit from high net-gain nutrition. By starting with a lower core body temperature due to efficient digestion, they have a larger "window" to operate in before reaching their maximum temperature threshold during physical exertion, leading to improved endurance and performance.

3. Adopt a plant-based, alkaline-forming diet for balance

An acidic body can lead to a plethora of health problems, including obesity and serious disease.

pH balance importance. Maintaining a slightly alkaline pH in the body is crucial for optimal health. An overly acidic environment can lead to various health issues, including fatigue, weight gain, and increased susceptibility to diseases. The Thrive Diet focuses on consuming alkaline-forming foods to help balance the body's pH levels.

Alkaline-forming foods. Key alkaline-forming foods in the Thrive Diet include:

• Leafy green vegetables
• Chlorophyll-rich foods
• Pseudograins (e.g., quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat)
• Sprouted legumes and seeds

By incorporating these foods into your diet, you can help reduce overall stress on your body and improve its ability to function optimally.

4. Implement "one-step nutrition" for efficient fuel utilization

By consuming one-step foods, the body is fueled and able to rebuild efficiently. Requiring minimal energy to become usable and assimilated, foods containing one-step nutrients in effect provide the body with more energy by helping conserve energy.

One-step nutrient concept. One-step nutrition refers to consuming foods that contain nutrients already in a form usable by the body, without requiring additional breakdown. This approach maximizes energy efficiency and reduces the body's workload during digestion and assimilation.

Key one-step nutrients:

• Simple carbohydrates from fruits
• Amino acids from leafy greens and sprouted foods
• Fatty acids from cold-pressed oils and seeds

By focusing on these easily assimilated nutrients, the body can direct more energy towards repair, regeneration, and overall health improvement.

5. Recalibrate your body to break free from stimulant dependence

Once recalibrated, the body no longer "sees" food the same way. Recalibration removes stimulating foods such as refined sugars and caffeine from the diet.

Breaking the stimulation cycle. Many people rely on stimulants like caffeine and refined sugars for energy, creating a cycle of biological debt. Recalibration involves gradually reducing these stimulants to allow the body to return to its natural state of energy production.

Recalibration process:

1. Gradually reduce stimulant intake
2. Increase consumption of nutrient-dense, whole foods
3. Allow time for the body to adjust (typically 2-6 weeks)
4. Experience sustained, natural energy without reliance on stimulants

By recalibrating, individuals can break free from the vicious cycle of stimulation and fatigue, leading to improved overall health and vitality.

6. Exercise strategically for lifelong health and regeneration

Exercise is really nothing more than breaking down body tissue. Once cells are broken down through exercise, the body must grow new cells to replace them.

Exercise as complementary stress. Strategic exercise acts as a form of complementary stress, stimulating the body to regenerate and grow stronger. This process is key to maintaining a biologically younger body and improving overall health.

Exercise benefits:

• Stimulates cellular regeneration
• Increases production of growth hormone
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Enhances muscle strength and endurance
• Boosts immune function

To maximize these benefits, combine regular exercise with proper nutrition and recovery strategies outlined in the Thrive Diet.

7. Consume nutrient-dense whole foods to satisfy hunger

When supplied with many vitamins and minerals, the body will be properly fueled, and it will not require as much food. Its hunger mechanism will signal that it's no longer hungry.

Addressing true hunger. Many people overeat due to consuming nutrient-deficient foods that fail to satisfy the body's true nutritional needs. By focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods, you can effectively reduce overall food intake while still meeting your body's requirements.

Nutrient-dense food sources:

• Leafy green vegetables
• Colorful fruits and vegetables
• Seeds and nuts
• Pseudograins
• Legumes

Incorporating these foods into your diet can lead to improved satiety, reduced cravings, and better overall health outcomes.

8. Make environmentally conscious food choices

Simply by changing our eating habits we can significantly reduce pollution, and in doing so improve our health and the health of generations to come.

Food production impact. The production, processing, and delivery of food have a tremendous impact on our environment, accounting for roughly 60% of the total energy North Americans produce. By making conscious food choices, we can significantly reduce our environmental footprint.

Environmentally friendly food choices:

• Plant-based protein sources (e.g., hemp, legumes)
• Locally sourced produce
• Organic farming practices
• Minimally processed foods

By adopting these choices, we can reduce our reliance on resource-intensive food production methods and contribute to a healthier planet.

9. Utilize exercise-specific nutrition for enhanced performance

Fed within that window, the muscles will be better able to absorb the carbohydrate in the food, speeding recovery.

Timing is crucial. Proper nutrition before, during, and after exercise can significantly impact performance and recovery. The Thrive Diet provides specific guidelines for exercise nutrition to maximize benefits and minimize stress on the body.

Exercise nutrition strategies:

• Pre-exercise: Easily digestible, carbohydrate-rich foods
• During exercise: Simple carbohydrates and electrolytes
• Post-exercise: Combination of simple carbohydrates and easily digestible protein within 45 minutes

By following these strategies, athletes and active individuals can improve their performance, speed recovery, and reduce the risk of injury or burnout.

10. Incorporate next-level foods for additional health benefits

Next-level foods are foods that offer a host of benefits above and beyond those in a standard healthy diet.

Superfoods for optimal health. While not essential to the Thrive Diet, next-level foods can provide additional health benefits and support overall well-being. These nutrient-dense foods often contain unique compounds that can enhance various aspects of health.

Key next-level foods:

• Chlorella: High in chlorophyll and detoxifying properties
• Maca: Supports adrenal health and hormone balance
• Coconut water: Rich in electrolytes for hydration
• Green tea: High in antioxidants and metabolism-boosting compounds

Incorporating these foods into your diet can provide an extra boost to your health and performance, complementing the core principles of the Thrive Diet.

Last updated: January 24, 2025