Hi, joe:
I approached NSD first trying to remain vegetarian, and I combined antibiotics with strict NSD early on, so I was unable to remain a very accurate estimator of foods that are generally dangerous. To keep my energy levels up, I ate sugary things, even candy despite the fact I had no especial love for such 'treats.' In fact, I almost force myself to eat chocolate today--it is dense and just hypersweet, but keeps me satiated in small quantities. After eating some date ice cream my wife could not finish, I began to feel uneasy and just 'weird,' not being careful that I had already had a date milkshake--oblivious to total the sugar content. After that, I developed a considerable thirst, and measured my blood sugar at 130 fasting, which is high-borderline diabetes. While on antibiotics, stuff like 'maltodexterin' and guar gum did not seem to bother me, but I have avoided them totally while not taking these drugs anymore (on a regular basis).
Replacing starch with sugar for energy is the wrong approach, but we do need a little sugar as kindling, but a lot of protein for the primary heat, and some fats for longevity, to use a bonfire as the model.
I decided to first begin with tuna fish, then chicken and turkey which helped very much, then added salmon and other fish, especially after finding out that tofu is not especially good for us in large quantities. It was another year before I was able to add beef to my regimen--and the very first steak I ate was at a KickAS lunch with Ebringer, who years before had instructed me to "order a STEAK!" instead of the Cesar salad I had settled on. I still limit beef servings, and avoid pork altogether, getting most of my protein from tuna and turkey or chicken (these last two mostly in the form of starch-free hot dogs). At first, on the NSD for about a year, I lost weight, but after about two years I began to gain weight--even doing total Atkins continually! I am a fat-hoarder, I guess...
So, that was the evolution of my own reintroduction of meats--something I once believed nearly impossible.
More related to your question, it is very important to eat a raw salad daily, but cooked vegetables--those which are safe--can be taken daily as well--it is balance and that balance might be an equal raw to cooked ratio. I often eat sprouts for enzymes--it is vegetable enzymes that are more important to us than fruit enzymes--albeit both are important--and are inactivated or denatured by heating.
I don't know what soya mince is, but tofu is usually safe while most soya products are not safe. I once had a terrible flare after drinking a protein shake with 'soya isolate.' The eggs, fish, and nuts could be sufficient for protein sources; I would stick with these and avoid the soy products for a while, being sure to test everything that you are uncertain about with iodine.
Best to You,
John
