Healthy Eating Guidelines

Ask a room full of people what they think consitutes a healthy eating plan and you will get a number of different answers.

This is even true if the room is filled with people in the medical field (including nutritionists) when you ask them to suggest healthy eating guidelines...

No wonder so many people are confused by nutritional recommendations...even if they are sold on the benefits of healthy eating, they probably aren't sure what to eat!

I have been studying nutrition for many years and I have followed all sorts of so-called healthy eating plans (some of these were truly healthy and some truly were not!)

I came up with these healthy eating guidelines based on what I learned from my naturopathic nutrition education, my own years of holistic nutrition research, my experiences counseling patients about "how to eat healthy" and my personal experiences. I hope you will find them helpful.

* Eat veggies!

The most important of the healthy eating guidelines is to eat unlimited non-starchy vegetables. There is a huge varieties of vegetables to choose from, and ideally you would eat some raw, some cooked, and some that have been cultured. Try to include at least one daily serving of dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, chard, mustard greens, collard greens, bok choy and/or spinach. These are high in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. Dark greens are delicious when cooked properly. Many of my healthy recipes use dark greens; they can also be used to make green smoothies.

A great way to increase your veggie consumption is by juicing. Try making green lemonade. Fresh juice is great for the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes it contains, so it's also a very important part of the healthy diet guidelines. If you don't have a juicer, you can use a Blendtec, Vita-mix, or other high speed blender to make a blended juice. The flavor is not as delicate as a juice made in a true juicer, but the fiber is left intact and this is desirable in its own right.
* Eat fruits!

Fruits are a healthy source of carbohydrates and can satisfy a sweet tooth- berries in particular are a wonderful source of nutrients. Try not to overconsume the very sweet fruits, such as bananas, as they are high in carbohydrates. (Eating too many carbs (even the "good carbs") can lead to weight gain in some individuals- see my healthy weight loss guidelines if you are interested in losing weight naturally).
* Watch your grains!

Pay attention to your carbohydrate intake, particularly the carbs that come from grains. Whole grains are a good source of fiber and B-vitamins, but gluten-containing grains can be problematic for some individuals. Experiment with the non-gluten grains such as brown rice, millet, and quinoa (more information about a gluten-free diet. Indulge in sweet potatoes and small red potatoes if you like them, but don't go overboard and make sure to count these as the carbohydrate portion of the meal. You can serve grains or potatoes with a small amount of organic butter and/or cultured cream: these fats help with the assimilation of fat-soluble nutrients. Learn about soaking whole grains.)

Limit bread unless it is a sprouted or it is an all-natural sourdough variety. Keep in mind that some people may need to avoid gluten-containing grains completely (these include wheat, spelt, rye, oats, and barley) but others will do fine with soaked grains.

* Protein is powerful!

Protein is important in the diet, but in order for it to meet the healthy eating guidelines, you must make sure to choose the right forms of protein. Cold water fish such as salmon, halibut, and sardines contain important omega-3 fatty acids. Shellfish is a very good source of vitamins A and D. Look for wild, not farmed, fish. High mercury concentration of fish is a concern, but most experts agree the benefits of eating fish outweigh the negatives of the mercury content. Learn more about healthy fish.



Chicken, turkey, beef, pork and other meats are also part of the healthy eating guidelines, but are really best when pastured/grass-fed. Or choose wild game as these meats contain less fat, more CLA (conjugated linoleic acid- a fatty acid with anti-cancer and body fat reducing properties), and more healthy omega-3 fats than grain-fed beef. Vitamin and antioxidants are also higher for meat (as well as milk and eggs) from grass-fed/pastured animals. Keep in mind that it is not healthy to eat the burned fat of meats (the HAs/Heterocyclic Amines that are created may be carcinogenic); cooking meats for longer at lower temperatures and/or eating them on the rare side is better (and if you are grilling, make sure to use a marinade as this cuts down on the HAs). Eberly's free-range chicken and Coleman brand natural meats are good national brands, or find a local butcher who offers grass-fed meats or a local grass-fed farm that offers direct purchasing.
* Non-meat eaters need their protein, too!

Organic, free-range eggs are a nice, inexpensive healthy protein, and plant sources of protein should play a role in the diet, too (if you eat little or no flesh foods, then they will play a larger role, of course). Plant sources of protein include nuts and seeds (including quinoa), and all legumes. Soy products are best when they are eaten in fermented form (i.e. choose tempeh over tofu, if possible). Dairy products provide protein, too, and are fine as long as you are not allergic to them. (see below).
* Choose healthy dairy!

Dairy products are good sources of protein and calcium, and they feature prominently in the healthy eating guidelines, provided you are not sensitive to dairy (see Is Milk Healthy? for more information about milk.) Look for raw unprocessed cheeses, plain whole milk yogurt (or make your own yogurt), and raw milk, if you can find it. If you are very interested in raw milk, I suggest joining the Weston Price Foundation and checking their quarterly magazine for sources. Some people do not tolerate dairy well and may need to avoid it, though, even in raw form.
* Make friends with healthy fats!

Evaluate the fats that you eat and make sure you are eating only high quality all-natural fats. Experiment with coconut oil. It is an excellent healthy cooking oil. Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig is an great book about coconut oil and its role in healthy weight loss. The best other fats to use are olive oil, sesame oil, and organic butter. Organic butter, believe it or not, contains fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. Avocado is also a healthy fat. Do not limit consumption of good fats as they are vital to good health, but do limit consumption of other vegetable oils (check labels!) and never eat hydrogenated fats (trans-fats). Learn more about healthy fats here.
* Snacking is good!

Snacking is encouraged, provided you snack on the right foods, not on "junk". See my healthy snack ideas for lots of suggestions.
* Limit sweets!

This means muffins, cakes, donuts, cookies, pies, chocolates, etc. You should avoid all commercially processed varieties (another incredibly important point in these healthy eating guidelines!) as they most likely contain hydrogenated oils. Make your own healthy desserts with healthy chocolate, fruits, nuts, and other raw ingredients or bake with real organic butter, organic sugar, and whole grain flours.
* Healthy Eating Guidelines Mean Drink Healthy Too!

Water is the best drink, but please see my healthy drinks page for more options, including herbal infusions and kombucha.

If you are a vegetarian or if you are interested in eating a high raw foods diet, these healthy eating guidelines may not work for you, but that does not mean you should abandon them completely. Just feel free to alter the healthy eating guidelines to fit your lifestyle, and make sure you are eating a variety of foods and that you are meeting all of your nutritional needs. I am not a big fan of supplements but if your diet is limited in some way, then certain supplements may be necessary (i.e. some sort of vitamin B12 supplement is generally required for vegans).