Throw Those Fad Diet Books Away!

Do not eat after 7pm! Stay away from carbohydrates! Sugar is the enemy! If you drink more than one alcohol unit you are digging an early grave!

Blah blah blah blah blah.

There is so much information (most of which is conflicting) about the keys to a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle. There are even conspiracy theorists who claim that the USDA food triangle is influenced by lobbyists from the dairy industry! So despite all the fads and latest diet trends, when choosing a healthy balanced diet that you can stick with, what are some of the tried and true keys to healthy eating that everyone should employ?

Most dieticians, nutritionists, and proponents of a health diet will tell you that the cornerstone of having a happy, healthy body is good old H20. Proper water hydration gives you energy, helps you digest food, and flushes toxins from your system. (It also makes your skin look better and it has zero calories!)

The second most crucial element of a healthy balanced diet applies to fruits and vegetables; eat more of them. Lots more. In fact, vegetables should be the foundation in the majority of your meals and should take up the largest percentage of your diet. (As opposed to making meat or other non dairy proteins, which are commonly the crux of meals in the typical American diet, your centerpiece.)

Starches are an important part of a healthy balanced diet, too, but similar to non dairy proteins and meat, it should not be the foundation of any meal. (No, that heaping bowl of pasta is not good for you.)

Speaking of dairy as part of a healthy balanced diet, cheese, milk, and yogurt are great sources of vitamins and calcium. Not a fan of yogurt or cheese? Not to worry. Did you also know that many seeds, herbs, and leafy greens are also great source of calcium? Raw turnip greens, for example, have 190 mg of calcium per serving. That is more than whole milk, which has 113 mg of calcium per serving!

The point is, make gradual, realistic changes that you can stick with for the long haul. Shy away from fads and diets that promise overnight success. You do not want to shock your body, eat unhealthy, nor do you want to create a healthy balanced diet with guidelines so stringent that nobody could adhere to!