# Healthy Diet



## Lamia (Jun 5, 2010)

I am looking for resources online for ideas on a healthy food choices. I am not dieting. I just want something that has a list of healthy foods and maybe foods that are high in fiber etc. Does anyone have a good link? Everything I am finding is trying to sell me something. I asked my doctor for some sort of sheet with a healthy diet on it. He looked at me as if I were crazy. He had nothing! 

WTF? What kind of doctor can't provide a health food guideline for you to follow?


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## Wild Zero (Jun 5, 2010)

Fresh fruits and veggies, the simplest and easiest solution is usually the best.


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## Lamia (Jun 5, 2010)

I am looking for something similiar to a food pyramid with a chart on how much of this or that a person is supposed to eat a day. I found the Food Pyramid website by the USDA. It's pretty helpful. 

I am trying to get away from processed foods and high fructose corn syrup. The problem is almost everything I am used to eating has that crap in it. 

I am looking for ideas on healthy meals that people here prepare for themselves.


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## AuntHen (Jun 5, 2010)

I dont have a link but google things like whole food, natural foods... whole foods diet... fresh foods diet... Diet = what you eat  I found a lot of great sites that way...

I eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, chicken, turkey, fish, beans, eggs, cheese, avacados, whole grains (ie brown rice, oats, sprouted wheat and other grains, barley etc) I drink tons of water and eat really really dark low sugar chocolate (I am talking 90% cocoa)... Let me tell you, eating this way makes you have lots of energy and not crave sugar or other "low nutrient" foods  Oh! And you *have *to try unsweetened vanilla almond milk... it is the bomb!!!


I eat red meat and pork but not often... red meat usually when I crave it (probabaly when my iron is low)


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## HottiMegan (Jun 5, 2010)

I use this chart when choosing my food: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article17.aspx
I follow Eat to Live which is part of this doctor's site but the chart is kinda neat to see how nutritious the food you choose is. It's not a complete list. I ahve seen a more complete list form him but can't remember where. Nutrient density is what i'm aiming for.


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## LoveBHMS (Jun 5, 2010)

What others have said.

Fruits.
Veggies.
Whole grains.
Lean proteins.
No processed foods.

And yes, tons of water. Stay away from soda and any juice "drinks". The more water the better.


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## Miss Vickie (Jun 5, 2010)

I don't have specific foods that I do or do not eat, but I try to eat as whole of a diet as I can, where the source of the food is recognizable as... well... food. So I try to eat breads that have bits of grain and nuts in them that are tough and chewy. I try to eat pastas that are whole grain, and in fact to keep pasta to a minimum. Salads, roasted or grilled veggies, fruit (not fruit juice but fruit) are all a big part of my diet.

Another thing I do is try to eat vegetables that are lots of different colors. Red foods, dark green greens, yellows -- I try to get in as many colors as possible because those colors indicate different nutrients.

A good place to start for guidance are Dr. Andrew Weil's books and websites, and the books by Michael Pollan. I believe that Michael Pollan has a new book out called "Food Rules" which distills his other books into more of a direct approach to guide how we should be eating. 

I also try to eat as many locally grown foods as is possible. It's tough because of where I live, and we don't have a lot of variation so obviously I have to eat foods from thousands of miles away. But for those of you in warmer climates who have farmer's markets, taking advantage of those will be to your benefit. Food that doesn't have to be picked prematurely to allow for transport can potentially have more nutrients, since some nutrients are drawn up by the planet in the last days of its life cycle. Just be brave and try new things, and use the internet to get ideas for different things to cook. I'm trying to have fun trying new foods and searching out the internet for healthy recipes. That's been enormously helpful to me.

Good luck, and remember, it's a continuum. I think these kinds of changes are best made at a pace that we're comfortable with. If we push it and feel deprived, then we're more likely to give up.


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## HottiMegan (Jun 5, 2010)

Here's like a of classing foods: http://www.nutrientrich.com/food-classification-chart.html


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## AuntHen (Jun 5, 2010)

oh I forgot nuts and nut butters... but the ones with only nuts as the ingredient.. no hydro fats or sugar etc added.... roasted almonds & bananas is one of my fave snacks.. they are a great flavor combo


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## Punkin1024 (Jun 11, 2010)

fat9276 - you eat a lot like I do!! I was going to add to this thread, but it seems that pretty much has been covered. My advice, read labels, if there are lots of "mystery" ingredients in something you are considering buying to eat...don't waste your money! Eat as organically and naturally as you possibly can - think whole foods. Getting away from anything containing saturated fats, partially hydrogenated oils/or fats and high fructose corn syrup is also a good move. If you are not used to eating lots of veggies and fruits, start slowly so your digestive system can get used to processing more fiber. I might also suggest adding yogurt in to help regulate digestion too (I've recently discovered Greek Yogurt - it's wonderful). I buy plain yogurt and add fruit to it (my favorite so far is Oikos brand). If you like, you can add stevia (natural sweetener) or honey to sweeten it up. Oh, and Women's World magazine usually has information on foods that are good for whatever topic they're covering that week. I've noticed these foods seem to get the best reviews for overall help: blueberries, broccoli, legumes, avocados, olives, whole oats (some brands call it Old Fashioned Oats), spinach, any type of greens, walnuts, almonds, quinoa, edamame (soy), grapes, dark chocolate (yup, chocolate is good for you  ). 

Hope this helps!


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## Dr. Feelgood (Jun 12, 2010)

Punkin1024 said:


> ! Eat as organically and naturally as you possibly can



I second the motion to eat as naturally as you can, but I hesitate to recommend organic food across the board. The health value of organic produce is that it hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. But pesticides remain on the surface of the vegetable or fruit: if you're not going to eat the outer skin or rind, there's no particular benefit to buying organic. For instance, it's worth it to buy organic apples and tomatoes, since you eat the skin; but you gain nothing by paying extra for an organic orange or banana, since you're going to discard the rind or peel (and any clinging pesticide with it).


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## spiritangel (Jun 13, 2010)

Lamia there is a great show over here called good chef bad chef and they often do a healthy and non healthy version of the same dish and they did a choc mousse that was healthy and looked omg soooo lush 

here is the link to the recipes they have just thought it was worth a look for you

hugs

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/shows/good-chef-bad-chef/recipes/


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## Dr. Feelgood (Jun 13, 2010)

Spiritangel's post reminded me of something a nutritionist friend of mine once told me: according to her, one of the most nutritionally complete foods available is pizza! She said the tomato sauce is a good source of vitamins A and C, the cheese furnishes protein and calcium, and it's even better for you if you get a veggie pizza with onions and green peppers. Pizza has a bad rep because the cheese is high in calories and sodium, but if you're not on a low-calorie or low-sodium diet and you need to grab something for lunch, according to my friend it's a much healthier choice than a hamburger!


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## Dromond (Jun 16, 2010)

Eat food. If your grandmother wouldn't have recognized it, it's not food. If it has a laundry list of chemicals and "artificial" whatever, it's not food. It doesn't have to be 'organic' to be food, it just has to be free of chemicals.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Jun 16, 2010)

Dromond said:


> . If your grandmother wouldn't have recognized it, it's not food.



I agree, with this proviso: there are some things our grandparents would have considered food that we probably shouldn't.  Here are some examples:


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## Dolce (Jun 16, 2010)

Lamia said:


> I am looking for resources online for ideas on a healthy food choices.



Fruit, vegetables, fish, eggs, beef, lamb, a little rice. Nutritional yeast, Cod liver oil, and seawead (for iodine). Stay away from grains and dairy. Especially gluten (which is found in wheat). This is what works for me: fruit, vegetables, and meat.


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## Dromond (Jun 16, 2010)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> I agree, with this proviso: there are some things our grandparents would have considered food that we probably shouldn't.  Here are some examples:



That is both scary and funny. The idea of a meat and jello dish gives me the willies.


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## Orchid (Aug 8, 2010)

hello as a serious response to your question
read your post over here in Europe the daily food intake advice for a female 19-50 years is 
as follows 
200 gram or 2 pieces of fruit ( one of these a citrus like an orange)
200 gram vegetables or 4 serving spoons veggies
200 gram choice of rice or pasta or potatos or pulses
210 gram breads or 6 euorpean size slices our bread slices are thin 1/3 inch
30 gram cheese which is again in euro size 1,5 slices thin cheese
450 ml milkproducts (milk yoghurt buttermilk etc) in USA cups is 1 3/4 approx
100 - 125 gram meat or chicken or fish or eggs ( twice a week fish 2 eggs in a week) ( lean meats)
15 gram olive oil to prepare warm food
30 gram butter for the bread so 5 gram per slice which is tip of butterknife
1 1/2 to 2 litres fluids to drink which includes the milk from above
fresh produce almost no processed foods


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## Tracyarts (Aug 8, 2010)

Something else to consider, is if you're going to eat meat and other animal products, what were the animals themselves fed, and what were the conditions they were raised under? It's all part of the food chain, you eat them, you also eat what they ate. 

I am very much a supporter of local farmers and ranchers who provide meat, eggs, and milk/dairy products from humanely raised animals that have access to pastures where they can graze and forage. I've read that there is evidence to prove that grass grazed beef is healthier than corn fed beef. And that truly pasture raised chicken and eggs are healthier than their factory farmed counterparts as well.

Tracy


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## largenlovely (Aug 9, 2010)

lean ground turkey instead of hamburger meat...that was a small change that made a huge difference to me.


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## Risible (Aug 9, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> lean ground turkey instead of hamburger meat...that was a small change that made a huge difference to me.



I prefer ground turkey and ground chicken to ground beef myself; they both make great burgers. Try grating some onion into it to give it moisture (since it has little to no fat) and flavor.


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## Diana_Prince245 (Aug 24, 2011)

One of my NPs once told me to shop only around the edges of the grocery store, not in the aisles. That's where you'll find all the fresh food, without the processing, without the added sugars, fats, etc. She also said to eat at home and cook stuff myself. Most things you can just pop in the microwave are pretty heavily processed with lots of extra sodium and other not-so-great things.

And what Vicki said about making sure you eat food with lots of different colors is a good idea too.


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## Cynthia (Sep 1, 2011)

LoveBHMS said:


> What others have said.
> And yes, tons of water. Stay away from soda and any juice "drinks". The more water the better.



Regular tea bags (orange, peppermint, rooibos, Earl Grey, etc) do a great job of flavoring ice water so that it's more interesting to drink. The resulting taste is delicate, not as strong as iced tea.


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## joemurphy (Sep 8, 2011)

Try the Mediterranean Diet. Not really a diet but a lifestyle:
http://www.oldwayspt.org/traditional-mediterranean-diet

Healthy eating!


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## LillyBBBW (Sep 8, 2011)

There's a book that has been on my bucket list to buy for quite some time. It's called "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why," by Jonny Bowden Ph.D. C.N.S. I think I may get this book tomorrow. Seems like it would be a good read.


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 16, 2011)

LillyBBBW said:


> There's a book that has been on my bucket list to buy for quite some time. It's called "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why," by Jonny Bowden Ph.D. C.N.S. I think I may get this book tomorrow. Seems like it would be a good read.



He has a PhD in nutrition, so his cred is pretty sound. Most of the time, so called nutritionists are actually exercise coaches who have had, if they're lucky, a class in nutritionists. Even in my nursing education, the nutrition aspect was a total joke. What I know about nutrition I learned in my own personal studies.

Seems like the guy has written lots of books about weight loss but that doesn't mean he doesn't have good info. Let me know how you like it, Lilly. I might get it and then recommend it to patients.


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## Jes (Sep 16, 2011)

As a country, we should be ashamed of ourselves.

I was reading this article this morning, over a banana and some red grapes. Read it and weep:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/09/15/cnnheroes.keatley.nutrition/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6

"There's not much of that in East Harlem. Instead, the poor community is saturated with inexpensive fast food.

"These people are literally dying for nourishment," [Wheatley] said.


Can you imagine being 50 years old and never having had a blueberry before? Ech. Kudos to this woman for trying to work on the economic, geographic and cultural roadblocks to letting someone try a tomato!


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## Dromond (Sep 16, 2011)

In the corporatist mindset, you need an ignorant underclass to make the system work. God bless America, eh?


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## toomuchtoomuch (Sep 16, 2011)

If anyone wants to be healthy all they have to do is become vegan!!! You can obtain all your necessary nutrients from a variety of vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I've never felt better since I made the switch!!!!


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## LillyBBBW (Sep 16, 2011)

toomuchtoomuch said:


> If anyone wants to be healthy all they have to do is become vegan!!! You can obtain all your necessary nutrients from a variety of vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I've never felt better since I made the switch!!!!



Man, veganism was the most complicated diet ever. By the time you start to crave the blood of human sacrifice, it's too late. My heart stopped and I near died messing around with that diet. It was too hard to figure out.


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## Diana_Prince245 (Sep 16, 2011)

toomuchtoomuch said:


> If anyone wants to be healthy all they have to do is become vegan!!! You can obtain all your necessary nutrients from a variety of vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I've never felt better since I made the switch!!!!



Actually, you can't, not if you have ovaries. Least if the information in my nutrition book is correct, and I trust that, and my prof, over an anonymous person on the internets.

And I've been a vegetarian for years. It's the only way I can control my weight. When I start eating meat, I gain, which is why I'm 70 pounds heavier than I was wen I started back to school.


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## Tracyarts (Sep 21, 2011)

" I believe that Michael Pollan has a new book out called "Food Rules" which distills his other books into more of a direct approach to guide how we should be eating. "

I checked this out from the library tonight, and finished it within an hour. It's an easy to read little guide book, that lists all the "rules" along with short explanations for them. It's pretty much common sense, and nothing really was new to me. But, reading through it reinforced what I'm trying to accomplish with my diet. Better nutrition, a better relationship with food, and a healthy respect for where the food comes from. I think I want to buy a copy of it to re-read every now and then, especially when I find that we're making exceptions to the rules more frequently than we should. 

Tracy


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## lushluv (Sep 23, 2011)

_IMO_ Nutrition should be taught in high schools instead of Phys.Ed and Health. I believe it would have helped me to make better choices if I had been _taught_ exactly just how important food was to the body.

_The old saying_ *'You are what you eat'* just doesn't go deep enough.


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## crayola box (Sep 23, 2011)

lushluv said:


> _IMO_ Nutrition should be taught in high schools instead of Phys.Ed and Health. I believe it would have helped me to make better choices if I had been _taught_ exactly just how important food was to the body.
> 
> _The old saying_ *'You are what you eat'* just doesn't go deep enough.



Why "instead"? Why not "with"?


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## lushluv (Sep 23, 2011)

^^^

I'm just speaking from personal experience.  I got nothing out of those classes, and no one I've ever talked with about the subject got anything out of those classes, at least not in high school, University Phys,Ed was different. 

Most concluded that they need to substitute Health for Personal Finance, and high school Phys,Ed should be outlawed for cruel and unusual punishment. OK, maybe that last part was just me.


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## crayola box (Sep 24, 2011)

lushluv said:


> ^^^
> 
> I'm just speaking from personal experience.  I got nothing out of those classes, and no one I've ever talked with about the subject got anything out of those classes, at least not in high school, University Phys,Ed was different.
> 
> Most concluded that they need to substitute Health for Personal Finance, and high school Phys,Ed should be outlawed for cruel and unusual punishment. OK, maybe that last part was just me.



Lol! Ok fair enough, if the classes are useless I can see how replacing them would work. 

In my high school health class was called life management skills and there were units on nutrition, finance, std's etc. Though we didn't get much out of it either since finance was how to write a check, nutrition was the food pyramid and sex ed was abstinence. So in my experience it's not whether the classes exist, but rather what is being taught in them.

As for phys ed, I hated it as much as the next person but I admit I learned something. I learned how to use all the weight machines properly, I learned tons about exercise physiology, and all sorts of health and safety tips. Yes changing sucked, fitness tests sucked, but so did chemistry and calculus...what's high school w/o a little torture 

Obviously depending on the school mileage varies but I think to completely cancel phys ed. and health is throwing out the baby with the bath water.


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## lushluv (Sep 24, 2011)

Although I do believe there should be a dedicated nutritional course added to our schools curriculums, I'm just going to hush about this cause my Health teacher was never in class and my Phys,Ed teacher was a perv, so I'm _totally_ projecting my emotions on this topic.


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## crayola box (Sep 25, 2011)

Oh no, I totally didn't mean to shut you up, I totally respect your pov, just wanted to add my experience.


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## knottyknicky (Sep 30, 2011)

I love all of Michael Pollans books, even if I think we (I) need more meat than he recommends. His catchphrase is pretty accurate, though. "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Basically, stay away from anything fake, eat real food. The tip about the outside of the grocery store is pretty true...the stuff inside the aisles is shelf stabilized or frozen, and generally uber processed. You can't go wrong with high quality meats, high quality dairy products, and an abundance of veggies and fruits, nuts, and legumes.

The USDA food pyramid is a bunch of BS, in my opinion. They're right about the fruits and veggies, but the 6-11 servings of carbohydrates daily is way more than any of us need. The food pyramid was amended years ago with more wheat and corn recommendations by agricultural lobbyists. "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Taubes will rock your world. For a more balanced approach, I like the Harvard version of the food pyramid, with a few exceptions.


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## EMH1701 (Oct 14, 2011)

knottyknicky said:


> The USDA food pyramid is a bunch of BS, in my opinion. They're right about the fruits and veggies, but the 6-11 servings of carbohydrates daily is way more than any of us need.



6-11 servings? O_O

That would mean people were supposed to eat more than 3 meals a day, or at least far more food than they need to eat at a meal. 

I also thought the pyramid was revamped recently. What happened to that?


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## LillyBBBW (Oct 14, 2011)

That pyramid is one of the biggest scams going in my view. It's been changed several times already. I'm fairly skeptical of a one size fits all system generally. Last weekend I got into a discussion with my niece about an ayerveda diet. Anyone had any experience with that?


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## EMH1701 (Oct 17, 2011)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> I agree, with this proviso: there are some things our grandparents would have considered food that we probably shouldn't.  Here are some examples:



Hence why, when Julia'ing, I totally skipped over the part of Mastering the Art of French Cooking with the meat-in-jello type dishes. And the really weird animal parts that no one eats anymore because they're afraid of mad cow disease.


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