It seems like every day there is a new miracle food, diet, or supplement, and another food/diet/supplement that you once trusted that is now deemed eeeeevil. When in doubt, revert back to these 7 rules for optimal health:
1. eat food that came from the earth, in its most whole form. veggies are really great! fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds are great! animal protein is great when it comes from a great source and is eaten in moderation (a 12 oz steak is too large a portion, 4-6 oz is best). keep your plate colorful for a good variance of nutrients.
2. when choosing “altered” foods, read the ingredients list and be certain there are few ingredients listed, and that you can pronounce them.
3. drink mostly water. tea and a small amount of coffee are also good. juice is fine, but whole fruit is better. if you consume other drinks, do so infrequently.
4. stay active
5. if it’s artificial, heavily processed, and/or has a long shelf-life, avoid it & refer to #7.
6. do everything possible to keep stress at bay, it causes many negative reactions in your body.
7. follow these rules 80-90% of the time. the rest of the time, enjoy your life and indulge a bit.
I’m not saying to ignore new studies or to live under a rock, this is just a quick-reference guide that is a great place to start, and will keep you plenty healthy without any magic foods!
(oh! and be aware of portions – “all you can eat” is great economically but awful for your body! 3-4 fist sized portions of food per meal is plenty.)
YET AGAIN another informative and awesome post!
I don’t know if this is the correct place to offer a testimonial or not, but I just met Monica on a flight from Atlanta to the UK. In the course of a few hours seated next to her, she taught me more about nutrition and how I should mange my dietary health than anyone I have ever met. Her passion for this subject is obvious, and I am now inspired enough to put her 80/20 guidance to the test when I get back to the US this weekend.
Thank you Doug. I’m glad to know my passionate ramblings are helpful! Good luck with the 80/20! Let me know how it goes.
I wish more people actually practiced these health tips. Dining would be so much easier. In this city, it seems like I’m odd man out for eating healthy. Even before I was sick, I would try to eat like this and all you do is getting teased about it. Oh well, won’t stop me from eating like this. Now that it’s becoming common knowledge how harmful certain processed foods can be, those teasers are asking for advice on how to be healthier. Thanks for sharing!
I agree with your tips especially #7 thanks for the info