Transitioning to Stage TWO on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Nutrition Consultant specialized in helping people regain natural microbiome after yeast, bacterial, and viral infections.
Originally published on April 6, 2024.
I coined Stage TWO, The Way Out as in this your light at the end of what may have been a long, dark tunnel. If you have gotten this far on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) then I commend you and hope you feel encouraged to continue. By now, you “should” be feeling much better from any health condition(s) that brought you into diet. Have faith you will get where you are going with a plan in place (B.E.D. book, B.E.D. Support) and cheered on by like-minded others like myself and those on Facebook Groups.
You worked hard to get where you stand; like an oak tree, strong and sturdy. Firmly rooted into the foundational principles of food combining, 80/20, cleansing, etc. As you enter Stage TWO, you are literally branching out from this rooted in place. Ready to expand your food repertoire with more variety! More taste! Exciting!!
Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) is a foundational system of health and healing and while Stage ONE (Oh Not Easy) is tough to master, you have! You have developed focus and discipline – stamina – to continue, whilst attending to healing part(s) of yourself. I hope you are in a position to fly. To soar in excitement with each “feel better” milestone. Maybe you have less or no more skin rashes, bloating, or headaches …. all possible signs you are ready to move to Stage TWO.
Here is a Stage One Food List for People on B.E.D.
Here is a Stage TWO Food List for People on B.E.D.
How do I know I am ready?
When you have regular, well-formed bowel movements, feel mostly better from any health condition(s) that brought you to diet, and pack your own food wherever you go (or know how to find food out in the world that you can eat to stay on your healing journey with B.E.D.) then be reassured that the core center of your being, your inner ecosystem likely feels better too.
When you master food combining and make/consume unsalted cultured food like coconut kefir and cultured vegetables. Many people say “well, I have histamine issues”. I say, okay get that under control, then make and eat them. Then you are ready to move from one stage to next. Ideally, you also do enemas, colonics at-home or with an I-ACT Hydrotherapist.
Donna Gates, founder of B.E.D. defines Stage Two readiness as “your inner ecosystem has healed and during this time, you may still be healing in other areas of your body, like your liver, and will want to continue a step-by-step process. Body Ecology acts as a roadmap for a healing journey.” 1
I did this diet for three consecutive years to heal a systemic yeast infection and help my children (and husband) restore skin, mouth, and gut issues. I know not easy. I know the daily sacrifices to endure to keep with where we want to go. In Stage ONE, the initial healing phase of B.E.D. gut healing protocol, you avoided loved foods (i.e., burgers, beer, peanut butter) to return your body to a state of homeostasis, internally and externally.
On Stage 1, you learned to enjoy simple ingredients sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, or a recent product, BE Sweet (powder/liquid); a sugar that does not feed blood sugar (diabetic-safe) or yeast, bacteria, or viral organisms living in excess in your body. Saying “no thank you” to common sugar and other loved foods means that over time you tightened a muscle you may not have known you had~ I applaud you wholeheartedly 🙂
Here is a Stage One Food List for People on B.E.D.
Here is a Stage TWO Food List for People on B.E.D.
Though we are animals we are capable to discipline our behaviour and lives to regain good health. You achieve success by hitting the bullseye with every meal, every day. Keep your eye on the prize to give yourself the best chance to come into balance. One day I hope there will be a time when you are ready to go further; find a way out of the confines of a dietary regime and into more freedom with more flavor, texture, and diversity ….
As you come into balance, you may crave foods not on stage 1. This is normal and may show your readiness for more. Maybe your health issues are lifting and you want to expand and branch into a bigger world of more foods to eat because you feel more lightness and space inside of you without many body symptoms. Keep food combining and 80/20, etc. because they are backbone of B.E.D. and guideposts to follow. Your body may need more time without refined sugar and pasteurized dairy as they hit hard.
We created a proper food combining chart that fits the side of most refrigerators …. click here to buy.
Most people take 3-6 months on B.E.D. stage 1 for digestive and immune system to regain natural strength and balance. We each come to this diet at different stages of life with different health issues. Let your body guide you to the next level of eating with a wider variety of food. Some start B.E.D. in good health, others with severe disease and illness. Generally, the longer you had the issue(s), the longer to heal.
Your health may be improving if you have1:
- stronger digestion
- fewer cravings for sugar
- more energy
- fewer colds
- clearer skin
- better sleep
- improved symptoms of any health issue you came to diet with.
The above are all potential signs your body may be re-establishing and organizing itself into “better”. This is good as we are self-regulated organisms. Once you have been on stage TWO of the diet for a minimum of 3 months and consistently feel sign(s) of improvement you may be ready to introduce stage TWO foods …. one new food at a time. Observe how you respond to each one giving some time in-between each new food. You may feel eager to enjoy many new foods at once. Taste-bud lift-off!
Stage 2 brings in milk kefir and crème fraiche :)
As with any exciting moment, we may need to reign ourselves in so as not to get ahead of one’s self with temptation and desire. If you have outdone yourself and can see you are not ready for a specific food then dial back in. Center yourself. Be honest with yourself. Rome was not built in a day; step by step like a turtle …. on you go, introducing each new food.
Congratulations getting this far in your healing journey. Please reach out with any questions or concerns to my email at tara@happybellies.net. I have professionally consulted people on Body Ecology Diet since 2014 and offer worldwide nutritional consultations via phone. Plans/prices here.
References
1 https://bodyecology.com/articles/7_steps_to_great_health_part2-php/
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Disclaimer: Content here is in the form of opinions, ideas, recipes, and dietary advice I provide for general information only; primarily educational in nature; and not a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in the future.
Lunchbox List for Kids on B.E.D.
Stage TWO Food List for People on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)
Cultured Butter Recipe
