| Most yoga students want to eat "healthy foods," but | | | | congestive heart failure, and hypertension before his |
| when it comes to actually going to the grocery store | | | | death in 2004. This year (2007), two of the |
| and stocking up the kitchen, confusion often sets in: | | | | best-selling health/diet books are written by authors |
| What is healthy food anyway? High protein? Low | | | | who are not just overweight-they are obese! Take a |
| fat? Sugar-free? THE BEST HEALTH ADVICE I've | | | | look at U.S. Food & Drug Administration's Food |
| studied and experimented with nutrition extensively, | | | | Pyramid. Anyone can see that this plan supports |
| and the more I learn, the more I've realized that | | | | American agricultural interests more than it does your |
| healthy eating is often extremely simple. Intrinsically, | | | | health. SO WHAT DO I EAT? This is a big subject, |
| we usually know what'll do us good and what'll do us | | | | but let me give you some basics. Everyone I've ever |
| harm, but we need to listen to our bodies and trust | | | | worked with feels better when they eat a diet that |
| our instincts. Here's a simple guide to determining | | | | is rich in water-dense fruits and vegetables, whole |
| what you should and should not eat. Step 1: IMAGINE | | | | grains, healthy fats (nuts, seeds, cold-pressed oils), |
| - close your eyes and hold the food in question in | | | | and superfoods. Minimize white rice, white bread, |
| your hand (or at least imagine it clearly with your | | | | processed sugar, and sweeteners; but instead of |
| mind's eye). Step 2: REMEMBER - remember how you | | | | "giving up" foods, "trade up" to better, more |
| felt the last time you ate that food (mentally and | | | | nutritious options. It's hard to get excited about diet |
| physically) both immediately and a few hours after | | | | restrictions, but it's easy to get enthused about |
| eating. Step 3: ANALYZE - ask yourself some simple, | | | | discovering newer, healthier options. "Nothing tastes |
| logical questions about the food you're analyzing: - Is | | | | as good as being healthy feels!" - Tony Robbins DO I |
| this food natural or processed? - Is it colorful and | | | | HAVE TO BE A VEGETARIAN? There are loads of |
| alive, or drab and dead? - Is it something I'd eat with | | | | meat-eating, milk-drinking, beer-guzzling people who |
| my fingers, or would I only touch it with a fork? | | | | are in perfect health, but these lucky fools are |
| After doing steps 1-3 above, you can make excellent | | | | genetically blessed. For the rest of us, a vegetarian |
| food choices 90+% of the time. Sound easy? Well, | | | | or vegan diet is usually a VERY healthful choice. Dairy |
| guess what... it is! EXAMPLES "Pizza makes me feel | | | | products (milk, cheese, butter) usually have more |
| sluggish and tired. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth | | | | adverse effects on our health and the planet than |
| that's still there the next morning. To the touch, it's | | | | meat, so if you're just beginning down this path, start |
| very greasy and leaves a bad smell on my fingers. | | | | by cutting back on dairy and see how it goes. The |
| It's not very colorful or alive. I think I'll choose to eat | | | | next logical step forward would be to cut back on |
| something else." "Stir fried vegetables always make | | | | flesh foods, and maybe, some day, you'll eat an |
| me feel light and satisfied. The stir fries I like best | | | | almost entirely plant-based diet like me and my |
| are colorful with the veggies only slightly cooked. I | | | | tree-hugging friends;) Making dietary changes can be |
| usually use a fork, but I wouldn't mind eating with my | | | | highly emotional, so just do your best. There is no |
| fingers. I think this is a really healthy choice for me." | | | | such thing as a perfect diet (we've all got vices), and |
| DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE 90% of the current | | | | no reason to feel guilty about eating. Food should be |
| information about nutrition is absolute rubbish. There | | | | a celebration! Remember, even a small change goes a |
| has never been so much "awareness" about health, | | | | long way for your health and the health of our planet. |
| yet more people suffer from degenerative illnesses | | | | If you make a conscious effort to improve your diet, |
| than ever before. Obviously, this "awareness" is just | | | | you'll surely achieve great results! Please send any |
| hype. You have to be your own nutritional counselor | | | | questions or comments to: Lucas Rockwood is a |
| and investigator because no one knows you better | | | | yoga teacher, vegan chef, nutritional coach, and the |
| than you. HEALTH HYPE: HALL OF FAME Dr. Robert | | | | founder of YOGABODY Naturals, an all-natural |
| Atkins (the man who started the high-protein craze) | | | | nutritional supplement company that helps people gain |
| weighed 258 lbs, suffered from a heart attack, | | | | flexibility. |