Food is information. What you remove is just as important as what you include.

❌ What to Avoid or Minimize

  1. Seed oils + overheating healthy oils.

    Avoid all seed oils (canola, soy, sunflower, etc.). Even “healthy” oils like olive or coconut should not be cooked at high temps. I used them often—but rarely heated. Avoid frying. Less heat = less inflammation.

  2. Refined foods.

    Processed, white, empty calories slow healing. Crowd them out with whole foods.

  3. Gluten & conventional dairy.

    This is a common thread in many who fully recover. During my recovery, I avoided both completely. Now, I’ll occasionally have gluten socially—but not back then.

  4. Processed sugar.

    Replace with fruit. If you’re craving something sweet, go natural. Don’t feed the fire with refined junk.

  5. Artificial everything.

    Colors, sweeteners, flavor enhancers—none of them belong in a healing protocol. Your body deserves better.

✅ What to Focus On

  1. Whole food variety.

    Eat real food—roots, leaves, nuts, fruit, veg, legumes, clean proteins. Don’t obsess, just diversify.

  2. It’s about what you remove.

    Healing isn’t about magical superfoods—it’s about eliminating what constantly inflames you.

  3. Eat in a calm state.

    No stress-eating. Sit down. Breathe. If you’re tense, wait. Digestion begins with the nervous system.

  4. Eat enough.

    Don’t accidentally under-eat. A sluggish body won’t heal. Nourish it like it’s rebuilding—because it is. I saw my body as a dwindling fire, so I threw loads of energy at it to get it roaring again. I gained weight, but the energy that started to build in me later in recovery allowed me to have endless energy for exercise. My goal was to have athlete level energy, so it just depends on what your goals are.

  5. Ditch the weight obsession.

    Recovery is not a weight loss plan. Focus on energy, mood, sleep, digestion—the weight will follow. Many sabotage their progress by fixating on fat or muscle instead of how they feel.

  6. Stop eating early.

    Cut food by 5 PM and see how you feel. Sleeping on an empty stomach changed everything for me. Deep rest requires an unburdened digestive system.

 

Healing Meals: 6 Recipes from My Recovery

These aren’t fancy or fussy. They’re functional, comforting, and were staples in my recovery—especially when energy and motivation were at their lowest. Take what works, adapt the rest.

🥤 Recovery Smoothie (Daily Staple)

I had some version of this almost every day during recovery. It was one of the easiest ways to get calories, nutrients, and healing foods into my body.

Base Ingredients:

  • 1–2 ripe bananas
  • 1 tbsp each of chia, flax, and/or hemp seeds
  • A handful of berries (frozen is fine)
  • Coconut milk or soy milk
  • Plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt
  • Optional: splash of water kefir (for gut health)

Add-ons (as needed):

  • 1 scoop Vivo protein powder
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp spirulina
  • Handful of fresh greens 

Note: Most people drink smoothies too fast. Try chewing slightly as you sip—this helps digestion and signals satiety.

Date Boats (The Treat That Saved Me)

I was addicted to sugar for years. This simple treat helped me kick the habit while still feeling satisfied.

Ingredients:

  • Medjool dates (soft and fresh)
  • Raw macadamia nuts, walnuts, or cashews
  • Optional: raw almond butter or macadamia butter

Instructions:

  1. Pit and slice dates in half.
  2. Fill with your favorite nut or nut butter.
  3. Chill if you want a firmer texture.

Zero-Energy Dinner (Steamer Bowl)

This was my go-to during deep fatigue. It’s anti-inflammatory, functional, and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Mixed green veg (broccoli, kale, courgette, green beans)
  • 1–2 types of sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tin no-sugar baked beans
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt or pink salt

Instructions:

  1. Load into a multi-layer steamer.
  2. Steam until soft (15–20 mins).
  3. Combine and drizzle with oil and salt.

Raw Buckwheat Granola (Crunchy & Clean)

Takes a while to prep—but it lasts, and it’s amazing. Probably best post recovery.

Ingredients:

  • Soaked buckwheat groats (overnight)
  • Chia seeds (1–2 tbsp)
  • Chopped dates
  • Sunflower + pumpkin seeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Coconut flakes
  • Date syrup (to bind/sweeten)
  • Grated raw cacao butter

Instructions:

  1. Soak buckwheat + chia overnight.
  2. Mix in remaining ingredients.
  3. Dehydrate for 24–36 hours until crisp.

Recovery Porridge (My Staple Meal)

This was my #1 meal when I was eating only once a day. It kept me grounded and full.

Grain Base:

  • Use rice, millet, or buckwheat if oats aren’t tolerated.
  • Once tolerated, gluten-free oats work well.

Instructions:

  1. Soak your base in plant milk overnight (add chia).
  2. Cook as needed.

Toppings:

  • Banana slices
  • Berries
  • Nut/seed mix
  • Coconut yogurt
  • Blackstrap molasses
  • Protein powder (add during cooking)
  • Whatever else supports your recovery

No-Oil Dahl (Comforting & Clean)

A warming, grounding dish—no oil, full of flavor.

Instructions:

  1. Rinse red lentils until water runs clear. Simmer with water + stock (15–20 mins).
  2. Cook rice separately if using.
  3. Water-fry onions until soft.
  4. Add coconut milk, then garlic + cumin seeds.
  5. Once fragrant, stir in curry powder + more coconut milk if needed.
  6. Add passata (I recommend Seggiano cherry passata).
  7. Simmer on low/medium while lentils finish.
  8. Combine and serve.

 

💡 Final Thoughts on Recovery Cooking

There are so many fantastic YouTube channels with recipes that are worth checking out. Personally, I used to rely heavily on one-pot meals—they required the least energy and cleanup, which mattered a lot when I was deep in fatigue.

I’ll be honest: recovery meals aren’t always going to be the best thing you’ve ever tasted. Sometimes it’s about function, not flavor. You’re rebuilding a body, not running a restaurant.

One thing I always made sure to have on hand was a full fruit bowl, along with good quality nuts, Medjool dates, and other simple, healthy snacks. When you’re low on energy or appetite, these little wins matter. They became my go-to fuel in between meals or when I didn’t feel like cooking.

I also recommend looking up Instant Pot recipes—some of them are surprisingly tasty and extremely easy to prepare.

As your energy improves, so will your desire (and capacity) to experiment. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you’re not just eating to survive, but cooking meals you love—and loving the fact that your body can handle them.

 

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