Healthy Eating 101 (according to me)

My goals are pretty simple. Fiber, water, whole foods, lean protein, low sugar.

Fiber - I read recently that fiber not only helps eliminate toxins, it also helps eliminate discarded estrogen by preventing it from being reabsorbed by lingering in the system too long. This is a huge bonus for me, as I’ve had trouble with my cycles all my life. Oprah had a guest recently, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who had some honest and gross things to say about our bowel movements: frequency, consistency, shape… it was really descriptive. If Oprah is bringing it up, perhaps it’s time to think more about fiber. (Dr. Oz co-wrote a book called You: the Owner’s Manual. It’s an entertaining read.)

Water – I try to drink a gallon of water a day. It’s really not that hard. Other than one cup of coffee or tea in the morning, I drink nothing but water all day long. And if I’m craving a snack when I know I’m not really hungry, I guzzle a huge glass of water and wait to see if I’m still hungry. If I am, I eat something, but most of the time, I was really just thirsty. (Another trick I use to keep from snacking is brushing my teeth. I love to have clean teeth and sometimes I’m snacking just to replace the yucky mouth feeling I’m having from eating a meal earlier.)

Whole Foods – Whole foods are just that: foods that are whole, unprocessed, natural. So instead of canned peaches in light syrup, I try to buy fresh peaches. I put them in a paper sack when I get home to aid the ripening process and wait. And once they’re ready they are so much better than canned peaches, even if they’re not as convenient. I like organic, but it’s not necessary, especially if you can peel it or scrub (with soap) the outer skin. Also, I keep the skin on as often as possible to maximize the nutritional value of the food (more fiber).

Lean Protein – We eat mostly chicken. Boneless, skinless, marinated in Italian dressing and grilled is my favorite way to eat chicken. I’ve started incorporating more fish, but I’m not completely up on the mercury danger, so right now I only eat coldwater Cod, which my mom tells me is safe.

Low Sugar – This is really important for me. When I was in college, I was finally diagnosed with Hypoglycemia, a condition that makes me extra sensitive to sugar. In short, after a sugar binge I’m the life of the party for a short time and then you’ll find me in the fetal position, crying my eyes out for no apparent reason. I haven’t had a bad emotional spell in sometime because I now know how to eat sugar. I will never be able to have pancakes for breakfast, but since I love them so much, occasionally I make them for dinner and couple them with eggs. If I have a full serving of protein, I can usually get by with sugar that is off limits for me otherwise.