creamers. Microwaving certain foods may also form trans fats.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
GMOs are foods that have been engineered by scientists who can’t possibly predict the results of their experiments. As a result, more people are eating more foods that evolution hasn’t prepared the human body to process, and many of these people are becoming very ill.
To steer clear of GMOs, look for the Verified Non-GMO seal on products that are commonly genetically modified. Currently, farmers are growing nine GMO crops: alfalfa, canola, corn, cottonseed, Hawaiian papaya (most), soybeans, sugar beets, yellow squash (small amount), and zucchini (small amount). Thankfully, wheat (hybridized but not genetically modified), potatoes, and tomatoes failed miserably in becoming GMOs.
Unless you eat out a lot (and if you do, that has to stop), you eat whatever you buy at the grocery store and then stick in your refrigerator and pantry. When you make the decision to eat healthier, the first order of business is to dump the junk food and stock up on healthy food.
✔ Foods you’re allergic or sensitive to (see the earlier section “Eliminating the foods that ail you” for details)
✔ Sugar and anything that contains added sugar by any of its many names (see the earlier section “Sugar”)
✔ White flour and cornstarch and anything made with white flour and cornstarch, because these ingredients are quickly converted to sugar in the body; this includes most breads and pastas
✔ Anything that contains trans fats (see the earlier section, “Trans fats”)
✔ Cookies, candy, chips, cakes, pies, and most breakfast cereals
✔ Soda pop and fruit juice (the diet stuff, too)
✔ Frozen prepared foods, including pizza, frozen dinners, pot pies, and burritos
✔ Anything that contains artificial flavoring, coloring, sweeteners, or preservatives
When the cupboards are bare, you’re ready to restock them with healthy foods (I offer many suggestions in the upcoming sections). As you restock, buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, because they’re free of herbicides and pesticides and generally have a higher nutritional value. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with a brush and nontoxic fruit and veggie wash.
Overcoming picky eating
If you’re a parent of a picky eater and find it challenging to get your child to eat a variety of healthy foods, keep in mind that your child will eat whatever you buy. Stock the cabinets with healthy foods, and your child’s choices are limited – eat healthy or starve. Your job is to put healthy food in front of your children and make it look appetizing. Leave the rest up to them in deciding what to eat (and whether or not to eat) and how much to eat.
Start young and set reasonable expectations. The average toddler consumes about 1,000 to 1,300 calories daily. He might eat a lot one day and next to nothing the next. That’s normal. Don’t freak out if your kid doesn’t eat much for a day, but do make sure he stays hydrated. Focus on how well he eats over the course of a week. Here are some tips for encouraging your toddler to eat a healthy diet:
✔ Offer a nibble tray with a variety of different healthy foods in different, shapes, colors, and sizes. Use an ice tray or muffin tin or something similar and place in each compartment some avocados, banana, carrots, broccoli, egg, and apples. A child may need to be exposed to a new food 10 to 15 times before she tries it.
✔ Allow your child to dip foods into cottage cheese, guacamole, organic nut butters, Greek yogurt, or pureed veggies and fruits.
✔ Plant a garden. Involve your child in planting the seeds, watering the plants, and harvesting the crop.
✔ Mix veggies in with other foods (casseroles are great for hiding chopped vegetables) and instead of serving raw veggies, steam the veggies and use organic butter or organic coconut oil to flavor them.
✔ Don’t make your child eat something he doesn’t like or doesn’t want to try. Doing so may set the stage for anxiety around mealtime. Likewise, don’t bribe your child with dessert or anything else to encourage her to eat a particular food item or to eat more of something. And don’t become a short order cook, because this encourages children to become picky eaters.
✔ Choose only foods that are nutrient dense; avoid processed foods that are empty calories – void of or low in nutritional value. In particular, avoid fruit juices, because most contain a high amount of sugar.
✔ Minimize distractions at mealtime (for example, turn off the TV) and set a good example by eating a variety of healthy foods yourself.
Fruits and vegetables
Plant-based foods are chock-full of vitamins, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that keep your body strong and help fight infection and disease:
✔ Fruits: All fruits are healthy, but eat mostly those fruits that are relatively low on the glycemic index, including berries of all kinds, apples, cherries, coconuts, oranges, peaches, pears, and plums. Avoid dried fruits, because they contain much higher levels of sugar.
✔ Vegetables: When shopping for vegetables, choose different colors (green, red, orange, yellow, and purple) and rotate your selections. You can eat any and all vegetables raw, juiced, steamed, sautéed, or baked, but keep in mind that heating vegetables destroys some of their nutrients. Raw and juiced veggies are best.
Beans
Beans, both dried and canned, are a healthy staple to keep in your pantry. The only exception is soy beans, which you should eliminate from your diet; almost all soy products in the U.S. are genetically modified. Beans include foods actually called “beans” (lima beans, kidney beans, and so on), lentils (brown, green, and red), and split peas.
Grains: Breads, cereals, and pastas
When
