10 EASY STEPS TO TASTY, HEALTHY EATING

The holiday season is a wonderful time to start some new eating habits. When you develop new habits around all the banquets and parties at this time of year, you'll build your confidence to do it all year round. Healthy eating is easier than you think and it can taste good too.

Stress-free tips for nourishment and pleasure

1. TASTE SOME NEW FOOD EVERY WEEK. Open your mind and palate. Commit to trying some new vegetables like parsnips, rutabagas, collard greens or bok choy. Maybe you can create a new salad every week, or try cooking some of your favorite chicken or fish different ways using fresh herbs or make a new stir-fry dish. Finding a good recipe book like the "All-New Good Housekeeping Cookbook" is essential to expanding your eating repertoire.

2. KEEP SOME MOUTH-WATERING CONDIMENTS ON HAND. John Ash, author of "From the Earth to the Table", recommends chili-garlic sauce, hoisin sauce and black-bean paste. Use them on anything like vegetables, meats, pastas, etc. or just stir them into something you're cooking. They give you lots of flavor and very few calories or fat. Please be sure to read the labels and look for hidden MSG. There are a few brands that are 'clean' or free from MSG. I also like to use Celtic Sea Salt® whenever using salt. It adds a clean, wonderful taste to the foods.

3. EAT A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST. Skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain and "grazing" on all kinds of unhealthy snacks, which can send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. Break that vicious cycle by committing to eating a breakfast of protein with some good essential fats or a carbohydrate-rich breakfast. I do not recommend combining protein with carbohydrates. However, vegetables can be eaten with either protein or carbohydrates. So if you'd like a protein breakfast, have scrambled eggs with mushrooms and veggies with butter, coffee with cream (no sugar or carbs). For a carbohydrate breakfast, try a whole grain muffin with a fruit smoothie or with a bowl of berries, coffee with honey, no cream (no protein or fat).

4. EAT SMALLER, MORE FREQUENT MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. Make your motto: "Eat less more frequently." Keep your blood sugar steady by eliminating sweets and soft drinks. Stock up on unprocessed snacks and beverages, especially those with complex carbohydrates, healthy proteins and essential fats. Some things you can try might be whole-grain crisp bread with hummus, peanut butter on celery, raw nuts, dried berries, fresh fruit by itself or with crackers. For a quick "pick-me-up" try protein drink mixes (readily available in grocery or health food stores) with almond milk or berries with rice milk.

5. KEEP YOUR PLATE FULL OF COLOR. Pigments signify the presence of rich phytonutrients. Red plant foods like tomatoes or watermelon have lycopene, which has been scientifically shown to reduce certain cancers. Orange and yellow foods-such as squash, yams, carrots, and cantaloupe-contain lots of beta carotene to boost your immune system. Loading up on greens such as spinach, broccoli and cabbage, for example, provides you with lutein and indoles. These are critical nutrients for vision and lowering cancer risk. Or stir in lots of color using berries in your oatmeal, salads, breads and smoothies.

6. KEEP TEMPTING HEALTHY SNACKS ON HAND. Think about what would happen if you stocked your refrigerator with bowls and containers filled with cut up, crisp vegetables and fruit combinations. To make it even more inviting, have on hand some low-fat, high protein dips like yogurt, hummus, low-fat cottage cheese or your favorite salsa or guacamole. Set aside a half and hour twice a week to cut, slice and prepare your favorites.

7. REMEMBER TO CHEW AND SAVOR YOUR FOOD. Janet Zand, author of "Smart Medicine for Healthier Living" recommends chewing thoroughly before swallowing. This not only helps digest your food better but also results in helping you eat less because it takes you longer to finish, giving your brain time to send the signal that your body is satisfied. So take your time and enjoy every bite.

8. EAT LOTS OF ESSENTIAL FATS TO IMPROVE YOUR MOOD AND FOCUS. There have been lots of studies over the last few years that report that omega-3 essential fatty acids (found in cold water fish, raw walnuts and flaxseed) helps eliminate depression and reduces the likelihood of attention deficit disorders. Some of the best oils to use are extra virgin olive oil for cooking and flaxseed or nut oils for salad dressings. You can also try steaming or grilling your favorite vegetables and sprinkling on some oil and sea salt. Some of the best oil to use would be Bariani olive oil. It is a family business in Sacramento, California and they squeeze the oil themselves the traditional way. What's more, no pesticides are used growing the olives. You can not even see through it. It is absolutely wonderful to use, especially with the Celtic Sea Salt®. I highly recommend them both.

9. SHOP AROUND THE PERIMETER OF YOUR SUPERMARKET. You may have noticed that all the fresh vegetables, fruits and meats are located on the outside walls of your markets. Use that as guide to shop for the most nutritious foods you can find. Remember the best foods with the most nutrition are those that are fresh and have not been processed or packaged. When purchasing your beef, chicken, turkey and the like, be sure to ask if the animal was fed growth hormones, antibiotics, or other chemical stimulants, etc. Many stores will kindly display a sign stating their meats are 'clean'. Stick with the veggies and fruits that are the freshest looking, and in season, if you can.

10. READ YOUR LABELS CAREFULLY. The main thing you want to avoid is sugar. If sugar or some kind of syrup is one of the first ingredients, put it back. We have become so accustomed to sugar that it is in almost every product, we even use it to cook meat! Plant-based foods are the best foods to improve our nutritional intake. And when you're looking for vegetables and fruits, do your best to buy organic or transitionally-grown crops. The U.S. government has just released a new set of stricter organic standards, so take advantage of that. Many conventionally grown crops are loaded with pesticides (which pollute your blood stream and make your body more susceptible to disease) especially if they come from foreign countries.

Just one more thing that I would recommend is to be grateful every time you eat. Have a reverence for the plants and animals that gave their life to help sustain yours.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BOOKS ABOVE, click on this link.

Check here for more information

If you or someone you know needs these nutrients to support their body, you can purchase these products at our secure online store. You can also visit our web site and search for more nutritional intervention by using our own search engine. Just type in any word or phrase you want to know more about in the "Search" box and you'll get results instantly. Then, just follow the links.

Contact Information

For more information, to ask a question or to make an in-person or phone appointment for a precise, individualized nutrition and whole food supplement program, e-mail me at: healthnews@choosecra.com or phone TOLL FREE 1-866-942-6848 (M-F 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST.)

To unsubscribe: Send an email to: healthnews@choosecra.com and enter the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject area. It is also helpful if you include your name.

Copyright December 12, 2002. Alternative Choices Healing Center. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: The material you find here is for information and research purposes only. We are sharing information we believe in and feel that it is information not commonly found in mainstream media. If you have any doubts as to your course of action, you should consult your doctor or health care practitioner.