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Eating Well: Tips for a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet doesn't mean starving yourself, crash dieting, and eating things you hate. In fact, eating a healthy diet means making smart choices about what to eat.
Eat foods that are easily digested. Human digestive systems are better able to process foods such as complex carbohydrates, fresh produce and high-fiber products. They have a harder time digesting meats. Occasional consumption of meat (about twice a week) is fine for a healthful diet. However, the bulk of your diet should consist of foods such as: raw or lightly cooked whole grain products, raw nuts and seeds (unsalted), raw or lightly cooked vegetables and sprouts, lightly cooked beans, lentils and peas, soy foods, raw fresh fruit (including the skin which contains fiber and pectin), and a small amount of non-homogenized dairy products, especially cultured foods such as yogurt.
Make sure your diet contains enough nutrients to take care of your daily needs. Most fresh fruits and vegetables lose a large amount of their nutritional value shortly after being picked. Still, fresh vegetables have the most nutrients, followed by frozen, and finally canned. Even the healthiest diet may still need additional support from vitamin and mineral supplements.
Avoid foods with preservatives, additives, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, food coloring, chemical flavoring, and other non-natural substances. These items can put extra stress on your liver, your digestive system and your heart. Your goal should be to obtain as much of your basic nutrients through natural items as possible.