Easy Ways to Eat Healthy(er)

"Eating healthy" has major pejorative connotations to a lot of people. The noun "cardboard" becomes a simile used way too often -- and unfortunately with quite good reason sometimes. There is also the impression that one's diet has to undergo some sort of revolution. Not quite. A slow burn can be had. Here is where I would start.

1. Buy organic
Yes, it should be called "Whole Paycheck" not "Whole Foods". But its worth it. Organic produce, for one, has no pesticides and organic meat does not contain added hormones or antibiotics. Organic produce has consistently been shown to contain more nutrients. Is less likely to contain GMO material. And organic farmers typically practice more sustainable farming methods than conventional ones. So, before you spend on those next pair of shoes, just put it in the organic bank. And you don't have to buy from Whole Foods either. Most metropolitan areas have a co-op and farmer's markets abound.

2. Eat Whole Grain
Throw out the white bread for chrissakes. Whole grain bread nowadays does not taste like hardcore wheat. They even make whole grain white.
Brown rice, if you grew up on white rice, may be a little harder to switch to but I really honestly can say that I do not miss white rice.
Whole grain packs more fiber. And the benefits of fiber range from digestion to cancer prevention.

3. Limit sugar
Okay, I admit, this is even harder than number 2 (at least for me). But there are many alternatives out there (and the DO NOT include carcinogenic artificial sweeteners). Honey, maple syrup, STEVIA. Please use Stevia if you use aspartame or sucralose. If you bake, halve the sugar content and replace the rest with stevia. I tell you, no one will notice. Eat more fruit for dessert. Say no to soda. A GREAT alternative is juice mixed with seltzer (this is the only soda my kids know) -- think Orangina but made at home. Rather than candy, give fruit leather, raisins, dried plums (formerly known as "prunes"), other dried fruit (preferably naturally dried without sulfur). Of course, there is no substitute for chocolate, but if you must, try to get dark chocolate.

4. If you eat meat, replace at least one red meat meal with white meat.
Please see my previous post on why this is good. Also, lookup "heart disease and red meat" in google.

5. Eat vegetables. If you must choose one color, make it green. If you really, really hate it -- try this toddler technique: Buy bags of frozen organic vegetables (spinach, broccoli, squash, etc.). Steam and puree (separately, not together). Place in ice cube trays. Freeze. Defrost a few each day. Mix into your food e.g. If you are having pesto, just throw a couple of cubes of defrosted pureed spinach in your bowl. You won't even know its there! Choose a vegetable closest to the color of your food (a tip from Jessica Seinfeld). Now try it. And say it with me. "Thank you, thank you, Sam I am!"