There are many misconceptions about eating and health. One of the most common assumptions is the emphasis on the quantity of food people eat. Although, this may be a valid consideration, it is more important to be concerned about the quality of foods that we consume. The body has a homeostatic, or balancing mechanism that will affect hunger and satiety centers of the brain if nourished properly. When eating the appropriate foods, the bodies innate intelligence will tell you to stop eating when it has the correct nutrients. The following is a list of general guidelines one can follow to obtain a good foundation.

The foods we ingest eventually affect every cell in our body. You truly are what you eat. When shopping, don’t put anything in your basket that wasn’t around 10,000 years ago! i.e. fruits, grains, vegetables and seeds. As a general rule, only buy items that are on the periphery of the store. These are your basic foods groups. Foods that are eye level are foods that the manufacturer wants you to buy, not necessarily good for you. The same thing goes for your children; foods at their eye level are usually of poor nutritional value. Stick to the basics. Buy foods that are fresh. Try to omit junk foods or food that is highly processed.

Read the labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t buy it. Foods that say hydrogenated should be avoided. They compete for sites in the brain where good fats are used and may cause neurodegenerative diseases. Buy foods that are full of nutrients. Vegetables and Fruits, preferably organically grown, are the best choice. Stay away from vegetable and fruits that have been sprayed with pesticides or grown in soils that have all the minerals taken out. A good place to obtain these is a good health food store or the natural food section of your grocery store. I prefer to steam or saute my vegetables and then add some spices, this assures that the vitamin and minerals don’t get affected like the other cooking methods. Whole grain cereals, breads and crackers, eggs and poultry, and cold-water fish are foods that one should consume on a daily basis.

For snacking, I would recommend raw nuts and seeds, yogurt and other natural dairy products.

Eliminate most foods that are white. White bread and flour, sugar and all foods made with them. These foods are full of “empty calories”. Cakes, cookies, pastries, crackers, pies, doughnuts, hamburger buns have virtually no nutritional value. These foods can actually rob your body of essential nutrients. Replace these foods with brown or basmati rice, whole grain breads or bean sprout breads, whole grain pasta and whole grain cereals. Avoid “enriched” flour some whole grain labels read, as it may actually be white flour.

Use natural sweeteners such as honey or concentrated fruit juices. Avoid synthetic sweeteners and sugar.

It is important to obtain good sources of proteins, which are the building blocks for all the enzymes, hormones, antibodies and neurotransmitters in the body. Some good sources are eggs, nuts and seeds, cold-water fish, beans, peanuts, lentils, sunflower seeds, shellfish and some cheeses (cheddar, Swiss).

Eat natural fats, such as clarified butter instead of margarine. Nuts are also a good source of fats, like almonds. Olive oil may be used on salads, but avoid heating it as it becomes rancid at high temperature. Try to stick to oils that are liquid at room temperature as a rule. There are some excellent new studies on Virgin Coconut Oil recently. It has been shown to help you loose weight. It is healthy for you and it tastes great! I like to add a spoonful to my shakes. It brings a nice flavor to it. Healthy shakes are a good snack either mid morning or mid afternoon, especially for those with hypoglycemia.

We should learn from our European friends that our meals should take place in a calm surrounding and it is an event that should be enjoyed and savored. Take the time to chew your food thoroughly and take breaks throughout your meal. Our society is becoming more fast paced and meals are “gobbled” down.

If you stick with these basic concepts you will be on the right track towards good nutrition.

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