Feeding Men on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutritional support for people on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published on September 8th 2018.

This is for the men who want to tailor Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to meet their dietary/health needs and most importantly, to feel full 🙂 While I am not a man, I did watch my husband begin the diet and have 8 years under my belt feeding him and our two growing boys.

I met my husband in 2011 after being on stage 1 of B.E.D. for a year (little did I know at the time, I still had 2 more to go) to heal a systemic yeast overgrowth. My husband was used to being on his own, smoking, drinking beer, and eating a macrobiotic diet rich in rice cakes and tahini 🙂 He had chronic health issues and an open mind. In snap of a finger, I went from making food for my two young boys to cooking feast after feast for this hungry man I loved day and night.

I learned as I went. When I felt overwhelmed, my husband encouraged me with his desire to be healthy, stop smoking, and heal. We were both trained cooks (tho he now worked as a civil engineer). We made a good team …. if I cooked, he washed dishes and vice versa.

I was in charge of food prep and keeping the home wheels moving, especially in the kitchen. Soaking grain, making unsalted cultured vegetables, coconut kefir, and waffle batter was all on my shoulders. This time of my life grounded me in the ‘body ecology way of eating’ and improved my ability to meal plan. We have been married 7 years now and though no longer eat 100% B.E.D., we still follow the core principles of the overall diet, as laid out here to keep our inner ecology balanced.

Most men I know, like:

Salt
BIG (think cheeseburgers, sandwiches, pizza slices with toppings)
Sweet
Fried
Flavor
Simplicity

Sound like any man you know?? I don’t want to get detailed, yet think most agree that men are inherently more masculine and need more minerals (esp. salt) and flavor to energetically extend themselves outwards in the world with more force than many women desire. Again, I am skimming the surface here. Men also tend to have a heightened metabolism.

My husband is a 6 foot civil engineer/builder on his feet all day; measuring this, lifting that. When he comes home, he sits with us or works at his computer. This is his rhythm. Your rhythm plays an integral part in the food you need and how much.

Do you have health issues? My husband’s kidneys called for attention. When he started B.E.D. he struggled with oral health and weight gain. In this way, I customized cooking to meet his needs. How old are you? Are you big or small? What climate do you live in? Your answers will help you to find the type of food and ways to cook that food meant for your body.

If you cook for a man in your life, then listen and observe as you move forward on the diet. That is step one in my opinion. Then act accordingly while you go about your life. B.E.D. is not meant to rule your life nor define who you are, rather this holistic way of eating can enhance the life you have. Take time to weave the traditional principles that Donna Gates, author of B.E.D., has laid out to follow. They are your guideposts!!