The old adage “you are what you eat” is so true!  It’s just plain old common sense, what we feed our bodies affects the condition of our bodies.  Our diet provides the necessary fuel for our body. I am a definite advocate for good quality, whole food nutritionals; however it is NOT a substitute for healthy eating. You can take the top of the line nutritionals and follow great workout plans but IF you are not eating well, you are wasting your time, money and energy.  In fact, you can do more harm to your body if you exercise without laying the proper foundation. **

Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD states in WebMD’s feature article “Can Certain Foods Really Save Your Life?”, “Almost daily, new studies reveal more about the powerful substances found in particular foods, and how they may improve our health and/or prevent disease.  It’s true, experts say — what you put in your mouth really can affect how long you live, whether you get certain diseases, and how your body ages.”

I am happy to see WebMD spread the word in their report on 14 Foods that Could Help Save Your Life.  This is a great start; however the list of potentially lifesaving foods is not limited to 14.   “There is not one or even a small number of nutrients — there are thousands of health-promoting, beneficial compounds such as phytonutrients, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, that head off diseases that can shorten your life,” says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids.

As a general rule, the more natural and whole a food form is the better!

  • Adopt a whole food diet including plenty of fresh vegetables (preferably uncooked to preserve the essential nutrients and enzymes), nuts, seeds and good fats.  Eat as much locally grown foods as possible, especially from sources that do not use GMO seeds and pesticides.  Consume grass-fed meats and dairy products that are free from hormones and antibiotics.
  • Eat the right foods for your  nutritional type and consume a good portion of your food raw.  I particularly like Dr. Mercola’s views regarding an eating plan: eating according to your nutritional type.  He states, “You and I process foods and utilize nutrients differently.  Therefore, when you adopt a diet based on your specific ‘nutritional type,’ you will resolve most health disorders and achieve optimum health.”
  • Drink plenty of good, pure water (aids in digestion and absorption of food).
  • Avoid processed foods including fast food restaurants.
  • Avoid simple sugars.  Sugar makes us crave more sugar and lowers our immune system.  One teaspoon of sugar pulls down your immune system for hours.  Sugar also affects our pH levels, helping to create an unhealthy, acidic, inflammatory environment.  As I have stated in my weightloss article, it’s critical to cut out all corn syrup from your food supply.  Carefully read every nutrition label for the presence of corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and corn sugar.  High fructose corn syrup is one of the worst things you can put into your body. The majority of it is made from genetically modified food and contains mercury.  It has been linked to diabetes, an increase in triglyceride levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
  • Our body needs good fats, not refined vegetable oils and trans-fats.  Eating good fats will NOT make you fat!  For more information, please refer to my article, “The Big Fat Truth about Fats”.  The article titled,  Your Habits Are More Important than Your Genes, by Dr. Mercola states, “Of major importance, regardless of your nutritional type, is to focus on healthy fats like olive oil, animal-based fats (grass-fed meats, omega-3, and raw dairy products), nuts and seeds, coconut oil and avocado.”

Just a few of the many benefits you should experience include:

*Boost your energy and stamina

*Improved immune system

*Reduction of aches and pains

*Decrease in food cravings (resulting in weight loss)

So where do you start?  That is where I come in.  I am offering a free 30-minute coaching call to help you get started.  We will work on a plan that is tailored to you, one that works within your lifestyle.

Contact me @ lynn@healthynaturalsolutions.com.

** For more information, please refer to Section 4: “Nutrition” in my FREE guide, “6 Solutions for a Healthy Body.”