My 6-Step Paleo-Meridian Weight Loss System

By Jane Barthelemy.
Can the Paleo Diet and the ancient Chinese calendar hold the secrets to weight control? Guidelines for human health were encoded in our DNA thousands of years ago. Ancient Chinese texts describe the ideal method to optimize health, by harmonizing with Nature’s cycles. Using the Paleo Diet together with the Chinese 24-hour meridian clock, can help you to not only lose weight. You’ll feel better, look better, have more energy, and live a healthier, happier life.

This is the best weight loss system I know. I developed this program for my clients over the years. A simple, reliable diet, it works every single time, and you’ll keep the weight off. You don’t need fancy powders or expensive supplements. There are two ways to do the program. This is the generic version that works for everyone. I also offer personalized consultations anywhere in the world, to resolve personal issues such as emotions, trauma, and to give daily encouragement. Here I’m offering the generic version at no cost to you, my readers, because it is absolutely the best way to lose weight and keep it off. However it does require changing over to healthy eating habits. And that is sometimes hard for us to do. If you’re serious about losing weight, have a high level of determination and discipline, read on! If you need personal consultations and support, contact me: jane (@) janeshealthykitchen.com.

Executive Summary: 6-Step Paleo-Meridian Plan

Step 1: Eat Low-glycemic vegetables and protein
Step 2: Eliminate toxic foods and sugars. Cut down on carbs.
Step 3: Fermented Veggies for a happy gut
Step 4: Chia Seed Fiber keeps you clean inside
Step 5: Optimum Eat-Sleep Schedule by the Chinese Clock
Step 6: Your Morning Meridian Activation Walk

Advantages of the Paleo Meridian Plan

1. No deprivation, no calorie counting
2. No expensive powders or supplements
3. Clear list of what to eat and what to avoid.
4. All natural foods you can choose from en enormous variety
5. Unlimited Low-carb Vegetables, Herbal teas, and Broth
6. Daily Food and Sleep Schedule
7. It will set you up for healthy lifestyle for your entire life.
8. Not only will it help you lose weight, it will optimize your health in every way!

The Shocking Rise in Obesity
Weight gain is a serious health concern for most Americans. Over 67% of us are overweight and 36% are considered obese. Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The trend in weight gain is no mystery.

This graph shows the increase in obesity in the US since 1960.

The next graph correlates the increase in obesity to the use of GMO foods and Monsanto’s herbicide Glyphosate. Since the first approval of GMO foods in 1988, our diets have become infused with more processed industrial ingredients, packaged meals, sugar, and refined carbohydrates.

During the same time period, the computer age has brought us electronic stimulation, harried schedules, stress, environmental toxins, and less time for exercise. Meals that were once a sit-down homemade family event at regular times, we now eat on the run. We don’t have time in the day for everything, and are often sleep-deprived.

What are the causes of Weight Gain?
While there are many individual variations, clearly what we eat and our lifestyle choices have a major role in maintaining our weight.

Top 15 causes for Weight Gain, in priority order:

1. Gradual bio-accumulation of toxins, Lymph stagnation
2. Processed foods
3. GMO foods – microbiome disruption
4. Food Toxins, Pesticides, Herbicides
5. Environmental Toxins
6. Sugars
7. Carbohydrates
8. Low-nutrient diet
9. Low Protein Breakfast
10. Stress
11. Late eating after 7 pm
12. Excess carbs for dinner
13. Emotional eating
14. Sedentary lifestyle
15. Lack of sleep

What’s the Paleo-Meridian System?
The Paleo-Meridian Plan combines the proven weight-loss of the Paleo Diet with with the optimum daily schedule of the Chinese Meridian Clock.

The Paleo diet is famous for successful weight loss. Millions of Paleo enthusiasts have lost weight on the Paleo diet. They enjoy greater physical energy and stamina by eating real food, and avoid modern industrial foods. The Paleo diet is extremely effective for weight loss because it eliminates virtually common food allergens, it skips the toxins that cause chronic disease, and it avoids the culprits that cause weight gain.

The Paleo diet is named for the Paleolithic period. It is inspired by the hunt-and-gather food of our ancient ancestors. Clearly they ate whatever they could catch, pluck, or dig up in the wild. During that stretch of 2.5 million years as humanity developed, our ancestors ate fresh, living foods. At that time, fast food, industrial chemicals, GMO foods, processed carbs, sugars, preservatives, junk food, and even agriculture were unknown on the planet. My cookbooks and websites contain thousands of delicious Paleo recipes that promote easy weight loss.

However the Paleo diet alone is not always enough for healthy weight loss. That’s why we need to use the ancient wisdom of the Chinese Meridian clock.

The Chinese Meridian clock is based on the 24 hours of the day.
As the Sun rises each morning and Earth rotates around on it’s axis every day, we experience minute changes in electro-magnetic fields. This affects our energy levels and our health. Our energy levels go through a cycle that rises and falls each day with the Sun. Our meridians are the channels in the body that carry energy up and down, bringing vitality and health to all the organs, muscles, and nervous system.

When we follow the natural flow of Earth’s magnetic changes, life is easier. It’s like riding a wave – our bodies become tuned and healthy. But when we disregard Earth’s natural magnetic changes, eating and sleeping on a different schedule, it is like going against the wave. Our bodies suffer stress, and we are more likely to become sick or gain weight.

Step 2: What to Skip

• No Wheat. bread, crackers, grains or flours, unless they’re from Jane’s grain-free recipes.
• No GMO foods. See my article: Avoiding GMO’s.
• No pesticides. This means eating 100% organic, or close to it. Yes it costs more, but you’ll save a bundle on medical costs later on. Accumulated toxins are the #1 cause of weight gain.
• No desserts unless they’re made with Jane’s Paleo recipes, super-low in carbs & sugars.
• No chips (potato chips, corn chips, pita chips, multi-grain or popcorn)
• Reduced carbs (only sprouted rice, sprouted quinoa)
• No sugars (No cane sugar, coconut sugar, maple, xylitol, agave, rice syrup, stevia, artificial sweeteners) Enjoy only those sweeteners recommended in my books and this blog. See my article: 5 Top Paleo Sweeteners.
• No alcohol, soft drinks, No diet drinks
• No peanuts or cashews, due to mold and high carb.
• No caffeine, coffee, caffeinated tea. Long-term, it steals your energy stores and libido.
• No dairy (except unflavored Greek yogurt or Goat yogurt)
• No meals between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
• No cold foods or drinks: Stomach cannot digest foods or liquids colder than 98.6°F.
• No carbs after 5pm: These are likely to convert to fat.
• No Sweet Fruits – No bananas, pineapple, mango, grapes, or sweet apples (Ex: Delicious, Gala, Golden), strawberries,all melons, apricots, peaches, all loaded with fructose.
• No packaged foods that are not 100% organic, as they most likely contain Glyphosate, Monsanto’s top carcinogen that destroys gut bacteria and is a direct cause of obesity.

Step 3: Eat Fermented Foods for Happy Guts

Fermented foods are the #1 easiest and healthiest super-food you can make! In just minutes you can have a natural probiotic for healthy intestinal flora. And since your brain, digestion and immune system depend on harmonious gut bacteria, this is central to your health. It’s a great way to use up leftover raw veggies, and you can try all kinds of vegetables, low-sugar fruits, and new combinations. Store in the refrigerator for several months and serve it as a side dish with every meal. Here’s the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups vegetables—any vegetable you have! My favorites are cabbage, beet, carrot, daikon, broccoli, cucumber, onion, green beans, kale, chard, zucchini, wild greens, ginger, cilantro, parsley (stems and all), watercress, garlic, ginger, black pepper, soaked seaweed, Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 teaspoon unprocessed salt
• 1 to 2 cups filtered water

1. Shred or chop your veggies or fruit: You can use a food processor (grater or S-blade), a super-blender, or grate and chop them by hand. It doesn’t matter how large they are. Small particles will ferment a bit faster. Sprinkle in the salt.
2. Pack the veggies or fruit tightly into a quart jar (like a Mason jar). Press them down tight to remove any air pockets. I use a drinking glass as a press.
3. Add water so it is 1 inch higher than the veggies. Some people like to cover them with a big cabbage leaf or a slice of cabbage rind. The idea is to weigh them down to keep the veggies under the surface of the liquid. Leave an inch of empty space above the water. Some people like to add a few teaspoons of liquid from another batch of fermented veggies as a starter—this is optional.
4. Screw the lid on the jar tightly and leave in a dark cupboard. Fermentation takes 4 to 10 days depending on the temperature. In the summer 4 to 7 days, wintertime about 2 weeks. The ideal temperature is 68 to 75 °F. If the veggies rise above the water, push them back down to keep them submerged. To check if it’s ready, taste it with a clean spoon. When finished, have a big serving and store in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for 6 months or more.
5. Tip: Yes, it can happen, but very rarely, that unfriendly bacteria gets in. You will know it right away, as the veggies will be brownish, slimy, and disgustingly inedible. Just throw them away.

Fermented foods are the #1 easiest and healthiest superfood you can eat! 

Step 4: Chia Seed Fiber keeps you clean inside

Chia seeds are a boon for healthy weight loss! Being high in dietary fiber, chia seeds promote bowel regularity and healthy stool. As they pass through the gut, they clean and gently nourish the intestinal walls. When consumed, chia seeds create a gelatin-like substance in the stomach. This gel-forming action is due to the soluble fiber in chia seeds and it can work as a prebiotic supporting the growth of probiotics in the gut. The rich fiber content in chia seeds also helps people feel more full quicker with a minimum of calories. Get the most nutrition out of your chia seeds by soaking soaking them.

Chia seeds have a mild nutty taste. They are more digestible soaked, as the nutrients cannot be absorbed from dry seeds. 2 tablespoons of chia seeds gives you:

• 5 x the omega-3 content of 1/4-cup of walnuts.
• 4.7 grams of protein
• 2x the iron and magnesium of a cup of spinach.
• The calcium of 1/2-cup of milk.
• The potassium of 1/3 of a banana.
• More than 2 x the fiber of a cup of oatmeal.

Take a morning dose of chia seeds for clean fiber:
Instructions:

1. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons dry chia seeds into a glass.
2. Add in 1/2 cup filtered water and stir.
3. Soak overnight at room temperature.
4. In the morning, stir in 1/2 cup hot water. Drink up! 
   

Get the most nutrition out of your chia seeds by soaking soaking them overnight.

Step 5: Follow the Optimum Eat-Sleep Schedule by the Chinese Clock

Eat Breakfast 7 – 9 am
The strongest time for the stomach is from 7 – 9 am. Well, it’s time for breakfast! If you eat a high protein breakfast at that time, it sets up normal metabolism in your body clock for the whole day. However if you skip breakfast or if eat later, the body goes into “storage mode”. It starts to hold onto food in case of starvation. And then much of your food is stored as fat. So whatever you eat later in the day is far more likely to cause weight gain. Not good. Even a light breakfast high in protein sets your body clock for high metabolism.

Sleep Time is 10 pm
Sleep is your primary time for detoxing and building stem cells to replace worn out cells. If your dinner meal is late, your body is busy digesting when your sleep, and it can’t detox or rebuild. If you go to bed at 10 pm with an empty stomach, your liver can relax, detox, and de-stress while you sleep. You wake up feeling refreshed and clean inside. Yay!

Movement is essential for health.
According to ancient Chinese medicine, walking is the best exercise to activate and stimulate the meridians. Simple walking outside for 15 minutes a day can re-set your whole meridian system. Walking brings Earth Energy up through the legs, up through the body and into the brain. Yes, the brain. It vitalizes and relaxes every organ and body function as it goes. When you walk in the morning, the daylight enters your eyes, re-setting your body clock for the day. It jump-starts your metabolism for the day, and supports your natural bio-rhythms. Maybe you won’t even need coffee.

This is the principle of the Chinese Meridian Clock. However in modern times, we often disregard the body’s natural schedule. This is the main cause of accelerated aging.

The Chinese 24-Hour Meridian Clock

The 12 organ meridians of the human body cycle up and down through the body through the day. As they energize the body, they stimulate or activate various organs in a specific order. It moves up and down 12 times a day. This organ pattern harmonizes with the Earth’s magnetic fields. It’s amazing! When we follow this in our eating and sleeping schedule, we feel stronger and more balanced. Yes, your body is not a haphazard collection of parts. It’s a very brilliant energetic instrument that constantly integrates your health to your environment. Wow! How did the ancients know this? See image below for the 24-hour meridian flow:

Your Optimum Eat-Sleep Schedule by the Chinese Clock

5 – 7 am Wake up, move bowels, meditate

7 – 9 am Walk 15 minutes outside before breakfast, this jump-starts your metabolism for weight loss.

7 – 9 am: Eat breakfast, something with protein, vegetables, and NO carbs. Start your day with long-lasting fuel

11 am – 1 pm: Eat lunch, your big meal of the day, vegetables and some protein. Carbs are ok.

5 – 7 pm: Eat a light dinner of NO carbs, and do not eat again until breakfast. Begin to settle down.

10 pm – Go to sleep.

The Earth’s magnetic fields change as it revolves on its axis every 24 hours. Your body’s magnetic fields are constantly shifting with the Earth. To optimize your health, follow Nature’s cycles.

How Does the Chinese Clock Control Metabolism and Weight?

Wake up with the sun tunes your body clock, harmonizes your biorhythms re-calibrates metabolism.

Walk outside in the morning sunlight jump-starts your metabolism, moves toxins and lymph, stimulates the meridians, especially the Yang Wei Mai meridians which vitalize the inner body clock, and bring Earth Qi up to stimulate healthy brain function. You won’t even miss your coffee.

Eat breakfast between 7 and 9 am gives your body nourishment for the day. If you do NOT eat, your body automatically goes into emergency “store food ” mode, meaning that whatever you eat for the rest of the day is very likely to be stored as fat, and you will not lose weight. Even a light breakfast will set your metabolism on the right track for the day. Your best breakfast will be veggies and protein, no carbs.

Eat lunch between 11am and 1pm is your best time to digest. Your digestive fire and ability to absorb nutrition is strongest at this time of peak Yang. This should be your big meal of the day. This meal can include veggies, protein. Carbs are ok here. It is best to have your carbohydrate dose once a day at lunch. This reduces pancreatic response and inflammation.

Eat a light dinner between 5 – 7 pm allows your body time to digest before sleep. It is important to eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. If you eat late, your sleep will be less profound and less rejuvenating, as your body must digest during its vital repair time. You may be sleep deprived. It is also important to eat a low-carb dinner of protein and veggies. Carbs at dinner are likely to be stored as fat.

Go to bed at 10 pm allows your liver and lungs to repair during their critical hours. This allows your body to detoxify and remove toxins so you can wake up fresh the next day. Going to bed on time re-charges your immune system to better defend you against pathogens like colds and flu. Late bedtime causes stress on all the organs. Stress invites the body systems to become rigid, as if they’re holding on for dear life. And this holding is a primary cause of weight gain.

Step 6: Take a Morning Walk

Movement is essential for health. According to ancient Chinese medicine, walking is the best exercise to activate and stimulate the meridians.

Walking outside in the morning sunlight jump-starts your metabolism, sets your biorhythms, moves lymph, and stimulates the meridians. Especially the Yang Wei Mai Extraordinary meridian vitalizes your inner body clock, and brings Earth Qi up to stimulate healthy brain function. You won’t even miss your coffee.

Here’s how to walk for optimum health:

Here’s how to become a power-walker:

• Start walking as fast as you can for a maximum of 10 minutes, every other day.
• DO NOT WALK EVERY DAY! If you are unable to walk fast for 10 minutes, do what you can.
• After 2 weeks, add a maximum of 5 minutes per walk. If you are unable to walk for 15 minutes or you could not do an extra 5 minutes then do what you can
• Every 2nd week you add an additional 5 minutes or whatever you can, but never more than 5.
• When you reach one hour you have reached you time goal.
• Keep on walking for one hour, every second day. You can have one day off a week and only walk 3 times a week.
• Keep on trying to increase you speed until you reach a ceiling.
• Keep a written record of all your walks in a book, to be something you can refer to at any time in the future. There is nothing more motivating than seeing your own performance continually improving. Make a note as to why you miss any walk and any other interesting remarks for future reference. Source: John Pepper, South African power walker.

Weight loss should be natural and easy
When your body is in harmony with Nature’s cycles, you will lose weight more easily, and you’ll be more in tune with your best state of health. Oh yes, there are lots of other factors in weight control. That’s what this website is all about! So take a look around. Below are links to a few related articles. Best wishes for your delicious health!

1. Paleo Sweets with no sugar spike or weight gain?
2. Gluten-free Flours, Best & Worst for Weight Gain
3. My Biggest “Aha!”, Easy Weight Loss

“The inner intelligence of the body is the ultimate and supreme genius.” Deepak Chopra