Guidelines for a Healthy Diet
Finally after examining what obesity costs, America’s sugar addiction, high glycemic foods and the damaging effects on our health, this final post will give some guidelines for healthier eating. First some fast tips:
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you weigh 180 lbs. drink 90oz. of water daily.
- Keep sodium under 2,000 mg. and if you are past 50 years old under 1,500 mg.
- Eliminate all sugar and hidden sugar in products (read labels).
- Eliminate as many flour products as you can.
- Shop in the fruit and vegetable section of the grocery store searching out organic products.
- Own an accurate weight and food scale.
- Own a juicer that you can put the entire food in with no waste.
- Purchase all raw nuts, not roasted.
- Limit coffee to one cup per day.
- Drink green and white tea.
- Clear out all junk food.
- Consume good fats: olives, avocados, almonds, olive oil, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts.
- Exercise daily — If you eat daily you must exercise daily.
- If you must eat red meat limit it to 3 to 4 oz. a week (organic, free range, no growth hormones or antibiotics).
- Limit poultry to 3 to 4 oz. per serving (organic, free range, no growth hormones or antibiotics).
- Try to eat a few vegetarian meals with no animal products.
- Limit fish to 5 to 6 oz. per serving.
- Eat two big salads a day with only a few tablespoons of dressing (homemade vinegar and olive oil).
- Eat 6 to 8 oz. of cooked vegetables per meal along with the salad.
- Pick low carbohydrate foods.
- Consider attending FAA (Food Addicts Anonymous). They have one of the healthiest food plans going.
- Join Medical Weight Loss and be guided by trained professionals.
- The Zone, Paleo Diet, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Flexitarian Diet, Protective Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and Mayo Clinic Diet are proven diets you can stay on the rest of your life.
- Stay within the low glycemic index and low glycemic load food range.
- Avoid high fructose corn syrup and aspartame like it is poison (it is!)
- Choose cereals with zero sugar and high fiber.
- Eat slowly, chewing more than usual (TV and electronics off).
- When eating out, cut the meal in half and split it with someone or take half home. Always order extra vegetables and a salad.
- When eating rice, select wild rice or a combination rice mixture of brown and wild rice.
- Choose steel cut oats or long cooking oats (lower GI & GL).
- Eat and shop organic as much as possible, especially fruits, vegetables, eggs, etc.
- Eliminate all alcohol.
What I recommend is three small meals a day with two to three snacks built into your daily food plan. Keep the glycemic load per meal at 20 to 25. Fill your plate with non-starchy vegetables. You may try eating as a vegetarian or vegan but most eventually add some form of protein back in even if it is eggs, fish, or yogurt. Additionally, these diets are incompatible with the low glycemic recommendations. Eat deep ocean fish whenever possible. Organic, no-sugar almond butter and no-sugar peanut butter is another excellent protein choice. Limit nuts and seeds to 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving or 10 to 12 nuts. The less you cook pasta the lower the glycemic load. Tip: the glycemic load of a white potato is twice that of a yam.
Excellent food choices: Dark leaf green vegetables such as kale and spinach, deep water salmon (never farmed), asparagus, broccoli, avocados, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, artichoke, cauliflower, green beans, all varieties of peppers, snow peas, cucumber, beans and legumes, raw carrots, lettuce, onions, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts, etc. Make hummus and raw almonds your friend.
I know I have missed some good choices but you can download apps, research online, download menu plans, and work with a dietician or health coach. I urge my clients to print this out and discuss it with me along with the past four entries. I have copies in my office ready to discuss with you. I pray this series has answered some of your questions.
Healthy eating everyone!
Doc