Nutrition Do's and Dont's

Many people want quick answers to difficult questions. What should I be eating? What is the diet that I should adhere to? There are a few guidelines that we will cover in this short article.

Try to stay away from:

Fat laden meats, such as ground beef and other fatty meats. You should trim 99% of the fat away from any cut of meat before cooking. These types of fats (saturated fats) are dangerous to your health as well as a detriment to your weight. It is generally accepted that some other types of foods to steer clear of are red meats as a whole, sausage, ribs, bacon, are just a few more.

If you feel you must eat red meat, try to be sure that it is a lean cut of meat, and do not eat more than three 4 ounce servings in any given week. Studies have shown that red meat further increases the risk of heart disease as well as colon and prostate cancer.

Poultry or fish is a much better and healthier alternative, poultry, preferably broiled with skin off and definitely not fried.

Pizza is another no-no, I personally love pizza, it is my favorite food, but unfortunately, it is not a healthy food source. Cheese all by itself, as well as on a pizza, is loaded with saturated fat. Add pepperoni and you have a heart attack waiting to happen.

Salt is another problem in food these days, the food industry loads our processed food with salt for better flavor as well as for preservation of the processed food. A good seventy percent of our daily ingestion of salt comes from processed foods. Begin to eat whole foods and add just a touch of salt for flavor and don’t over-do it.

Sugar is another problem these days, just look at the statistics for obesity and diabetes. A majority of people's daily overload of sugar comes from beverages that are loaded with sugar. And don't make the mistake of thinking that diet drinks and sodas are the way to go. The sweeteners that are used in diet beverages are like a loaded gun. Not good. Start drinking water and plenty of it. You'll begin to feel better and you'll also begin to think clearer.

In addition, sweets such as cookies or cinnamon rolls or brownies will give you a meals worth of sugar along with absolutely no nutrients whatsoever. That is why sugar is called an empty calorie. Next time you want a sugary snack, pick up a piece of fruit such as a peach, or strawberries. At least this way, you will slack your sugar hunger and provide some nutrients for your body as well.

Foods You Should Be Eating:

Eating plenty of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, 4 to 6 servings per day can be very beneficial to your diet. Eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables may also reduce the risk of heart disease.

The best way to ensure that you are eating fruits and vegetables is to keep them handy for you. Keep some baby carrots on your desk, whenever you feel the need for a snack, grab one. Keep some fruit salad handy in the fridge. You get the idea. the handier they are, the more you will indulge, which is a good thing with fruits and vegetables.

If you must use dairy products, though you would be better off not indulging in dairy products. Make the switch to fat free milk, as well as fat free yogurt, and ice cream, another good option is fat free sherbet, my favorite.

Always try to eat whole grains, anything without white flower and white sugar, the processing that these two ingredients undergo makes them wholly unnatural food source.

Use Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil -- 54 oz instead of butter and margarine. Use extra virgin coconut oil to fry with instead of other unhealthy oils. Most other oils are filled with saturated fats as opposed to the beneficial fats in coconut oil.

Be sure regardless of how you go about dieting that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.