Top 10 Nutritional Guidelines to Live By

By Carole Griggs, Ph.D (c)

1. Eat right for you.
   - Eating low-fat can be a disaster for some, and a recipe for health for another. Just as eating low-carb can be a disaster for some, and a recipe for health for another. Learn to listen to your body, and eat what's right for you.
2. Eat every 3-4 hours, and drink H2O throughout the day.
   - Eating every 3-4 hours keeps blood sugar levels stable, avoiding the “crash”, as well as over-consuming from skipping meals. It also allows plenty of time for digestion before eating again. Drinking water keeps the body properly hydrated, flushing out toxins, and allowing all body systems to operate as intended.
3. Consume protein at each meal.
   - This includes nuts and seeds if you are a vegetarian, hormone-free meats, yogurt or cottage cheese, and eggs.
4. Eat veggies at least once per day.
   - Depending on how your body metabolizes food, you may need more or less vegetables throughout the day. Some individuals do better with starchy vegetables, while others seem to function better with more fibrous vegetables throughout the day.
5. Eat starchy carbs first thing in the morning (and for most people) only in small quantities post-exercise.
   - Again, depending on your particular body, you may need more or less starchy carbohydrates (particularly grains) throughout the day.
6. Eat a balance of different fats.
   - Omega 3, 6, 9 – find a healthy balance by incorporating olive oil, coconut oil, etc. The standard American diet is very often out of balance, which can cause a multitude of issues.
7. Ditch the calorie-containing drinks.
   - If you’re thirsty, drink water. Period.
8. Use whole foods as your primary source of nutrition.
   - If you can’t picture the food (or all of it’s ingredients) hanging off a tree, growing out of the ground, or walking/swimming the earth, don’t eat it. It’s probably not meant for human consumption.
9. Develop food preparation strategies.
   - Keep your fridge stocked with good foods, carry foods (such as nuts) with you while on-the-go, and prep things like boiled eggs ahead of time so you have food ready to eat. 10) Balance daily food choices with a healthy variety.
   - Rotate your foods. The body needs a variety of nutrients from a variety of sources. This will also help eliminate the potential for developing food allergies and intolerances.