Whole Foods Diet

As I post recipes you will see that I do not substitute "low fat," "low calorie," or other dietary trends in my recipes. I am a big advocate of foods that have not been genetically or chemically modified or altered. If you were to come to my house you will more than likely only find bulk beans, rice and tomatoes in my pantry and an overflowing fridge.

I use butter, coconut oil and olive oil to to cook or fry things. We eat plenty of nuts, and welcome the good fats they add to our diet. Full fat cheeses sprinkle our foods. My entire family eats egg whites - and their yolks. The way my family eats is typically called a "whole foods diet."

A whole foods diet eliminates processed foods, sugar, and other stimulants such as high fructose corn syrup. Once your body is not being stuffed with unnecessary fillers and nutrient void foods you will start to learn what your body is really needing nutritionally. If you're craving salt your adrenals may slacking off, craving sweets could mean that you have low glucose levels, and if you're craving meat you may need more iron. By filling the body with chemically and genetically modified ingredients we miss what our body is telling us.

A whole foods diet:

- Helps lose and regulate weight
- Increases energy
- Clears skin
- Helps with digestion
- Provides many vitamins and minerals

The easiest way to shop for whole food items is to shop the walls of your grocery store. Inner shelves of grocery stores are filled with products with a long shelf life and full of additives. If you stick to the walls you will find produce, fresh meats, dairy products, and often times the bulk sections with dried beans and raw nuts.

Just a small warning - many people have the misconception that if they eat only organic, unmodified whole foods they can eat as much as they want. For some that may be true, but for most this is not the case. Just because foods are in their pure form does not mean that large amounts of them are good for you. Your body still only needs a certain amount of calories to sustain a healthy lifestyle, and eating anything in excess can cause people to accumulate pounds.