10 steps to healthier eating
Photo courtesy of Peri McIntosh
Trying to eat healthy can be confusing. One day eggs are a good source of protein, the next day you hear that they have way too much cholesterol. Your mom tells you that carbs are the most important part of your diet, and then your best friend claims that gluten-free is the way to go. I thought that raw cookie dough was good for me, but now I'm hearing otherwise'okay, I've always known cookie dough is bad for me, I've just been waiting for doctors to come out with groundbreaking news that it is the latest and greatest food group.
But with all of these conflicting messages, how in the world do we decide what to eat without having an anxiety attack?
I found a list of guidelines from 100 Days of Real Food that is simple and pretty easy to put into practice. The basic idea is to eat real food instead of processed, additive-ridden food.
You should eat:
Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
Lots of fruits and vegetables (you can shop for these at your local farmer's market)
Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese.
100% whole-wheat and whole-grains
Seafood(wild caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
Only locally raised meat such as pork, beef, and chicken
Beverages limited to water, milk, all natural juices, and naturally sweetened coffee & tea
Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn
All natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in moderation
Now that's a lot of information, so if you're still slightly overwhelmed, try putting just one or two guidelines into practice this week. Then switch it up next week. You don't need to change your diet wholesale all at once. That's an easy way to get burnt out and fall back into old ways. Take small steps to make your body happier.
