A HEALTHY GUIDE TO EATING.pdf

CONTENTS
Introduction...............................................................................3
Chapter 1: Why Eat Healthy?...................................................5
Chapter 2: Understanding Your Relationship with Food.........8
Chapter 3: The Dangers of Diet Trends...................................12
Chapter 4: The Food Pyramid..................................................15
Chapter 5: How Food Can Be Your Medicine........................17
Chapter 6: The Health Benefits of Eating Vegetables............20
Chapter 7: The Health Benefits of Eating Fruits....................23
Chapter 8: The Best Meat to Eat for Healthy Living.............27
Chapter 9: The Dangers of Processed Foods.........................31
Chapter 10: Bringing It All Together with Meal Planning....38
Conclusion.............................................................................45

INTRODUCTION
For some reason, one of the hardest things for a human to
do is to eat right. Whether that is because we have limited
access to resources in all areas or if it is because we simply
have too much access to unhealthy food, there are many
reasons that eating healthy is a challenge.
Sure, we can eat just about anything and it will sustain us.
We will manage to move from one moment to the next
and be able to call ourselves healthy. But is it healthy to
subsist on a diet of processed foods and sugary drinks?
Just because we are alive does not mean that we are
healthy. And the older we get, the more our bad habits
begin to catch up with us.
It is unbelievably important to form healthy eating
habits early on in life, or at least, as early as possible to
prevent any future issues from occurring. You do not
want to wake up one day and realize that you have had
a nutrient deficiency for years and it is causing
complications that are almost impossible to rectify. All
of us need to take more responsibility for what we put
into our bodies, because if we don’t, it can become
extremely dangerous.
Of course, when we are older and we are able to look back
on our mistakes, hindsight is 20/20. We realize that there
were things that we could have done and probably should
have done that we simply didn’t do because we were
either unconscious of the ill effects, or simply lazy.
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Just having the simple knowledge does not necessarily
make then needs to do something health- conscious a
reality.
For the most part, it takes us truly being exposed to the
suffering that can occur because of bad health choices
before we are more conscious of the way we treat our
bodies and our health in general. When we aren’t able to
see the reality of the consequences to our actions, it can
make them feel
very far away and difficult to relate to. We may even blow
them off entirely. This can be a very debilitating place to
find yourself in. Especially when you are already dealing
from the side effects of poor eating and a lack of a healthy
diet.
Everybody deserves a chance to become the greatest
version of themselves possible, but if we are not even
acknowledging the fact that unhealthy eating can take us
right off course, even in the present moment, then we are
ultimately waving goodbye to the best future possible.
But all of this can change. By reading this book, you are
going to understand the importance of eating healthy and
how food impacts our bodies and functions.
Without understanding exactly why our bodies react to
food the way they do, it can sometimes be difficult to stay
on track. But there are many ways that you can begin to
understand why eating healthy foods is so important, and
exactly how to begin on a healthy eating journey. Let’s not
waste any more time. We should begin eating healthy
today!
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CHAPTER 1: WHY EAT HEALTHY?
Healthy eating is important for a lot of reasons. Most of us
are already aware of the increasing obesity epidemic in
North America. This is particularly true of the United
States in general. There is even a phrase for the way many
Americans eat, and that is called the SAD diet.
SAD stands for standard American diet, and it refers to a
diet low in vegetables, high in fat and sugar, and lacking
in nutrition.
Processed foods are definitely a part of the SAD diet.
These are foods that are easily available and quick to
consume and prepare but have long-lasting negative health
effects.
If you do not want to find yourself obese, it is generally
considered a good idea to avoid eating such processed
foods and keep your focus on eating whole grains and
fruits and vegetables and meat that has not been treated
with hormones and other chemicals that can ultimately end
up in your body and cause issues. Unfortunately, in North
America, we are given a lot of options to slack off when it
comes to preparing meals. We have so many things readily
available to us, and the amount of money that you have to
spend to buy bad food is far less then it is to buy good
food.
It seems strange that it costs more money to buy organic
than it does to buy foods that will ultimately cause health
problems in the long run, but that is the rule of supply and
demand.
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Not only that, but processed foods are mass-produced and
make a huge profit because of their convenience. That is
why, in many ways, and obesity epidemic in North
America is not particularly surprising. Nutrition is not
number one on the list of companies that are attempting to
cash in on people’s laziness in the kitchen.
However, there are many ways that eating healthy is
important, and good reasons to avoid processed foods and
the standard American diet. For example, if you do not
want to be obese, you should definitely look into the rest
of this book for ways to improve your diet and begin a
healthier lifestyle.
Another reason to eat healthy is because you can make
yourself prone to diseases by eating unhealthy foods and
by staying on a standard American diet that is full of fat
and sugar. Diabetes is something that can be developed
because of poor eating and can often times be treated with
healthy eating.
Type II diabetes is ultimately something that can be
maintained and controlled with proper eating habits and
triggered by poor eating habits. If you want to avoid these
types of difficulties and complications, you should do your
best to be conscientious about your food choices.
Other diseases can result from poor eating as well. High
blood pressure is common, as well as other chronic
diseases. Osteoporosis is something that can affect many
people later in life because they were not making healthy
eating choices earlier on.
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You may find yourself suffering from poor bone health,
hypertension, or even heart problems. All of which can be
very demanding on your body and cause major stress that
can ultimately be very dangerous.
If you want to show your family that you care about them,
you should begin making choices now that will help you
to stay in their lives for as long as possible. Poor health is
not something that only affects you. It is also something
that affects the people around you. If they are watching
you suffer because of poor choices that you have made, in
a way, that is quite selfish. They are suffering too. Now,
do your best to make the choices that will be the best not
only for yourself, but for your family in the long run. This
book will show you how.
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CHAPTER 2: UNDERSTANDING YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
Over the course of time, everybody begins to develop
certain habits. We develop habits in all arenas of our lives.
We develop hygiene habits, food habits, work habits, and
all sorts of other types of habits. However, they are usually
pretty oblivious to our habits until they
begin to affect us negatively. And even then, when we
begin to understand that we are being poorly impacted by
our habits, it can be very difficult to change them. Because
that is what I have it is like.
A habit is something that we do almost unconsciously. We
are programmed to follow these habits, and it takes a great
amount of willpower to break free from the cycle.
Once you begin to understand that your relationship with
food has everything to do with the habits that you have
created and habits that you can continue to mold and
cultivate, then it becomes far easier to change your
mindset.
When you realize the impact and importance of your
future and making positive choices about these things, it
can make you more primed toward healthy eating and less
inclined to make choices that negatively impact you and
your future.
To be truthful, many of us seem to consider the future
bleak.
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We do not see reasons enough to change our habits
because if we do not believe that we have anything good
to look forward to, then it doesn’t matter whether we make
good choices or not. We do not see how we can actually
pave our future to be in our best interests. Probably
because we do not believe that we have any power over
our lives.
If you can relate to this feeling, don’t be alarmed. It is very
common of the human experience. We are generally
discouraged from taking control and utilizing our power
from an early age, and sometimes stopped believing we
have any authority over our lives because we are usually
told what to do by other people.
As children, that makes sense. Children don’t always
know what is best for them. But it can encourage a very
helpless type of mindset that causes us to have a hard time
understanding that the consequences of our actions can
truly begin to shape who we are and how we present
ourselves to the world.
This is why it is important to truly take steps to help you
understand yourself and your dietary habits. When did
your habit begin? How did you form that habit? Why?
What benefits do you have from this habit? What negative
effects do you have from this habit?
Ask yourself as many of these questions as you possibly
can so that you begin to truly have an understanding of
how it is that you are shaping your future with the food
that you are eating.
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Are you creating a healthy and energized future, or are you
creating a future that is bleak and potentially full of
negative health consequences?
Next, evaluate your sense of self discipline. Are you
capable of maintaining discipline over your choices? Or is
this an area where you struggle? Discipline can be difficult
for everybody, and if you find yourself having a hard time
staying disciplined, it would do you well to look into
different ways that you are able to encourage yourself to
be a more disciplined person both in practice and mentally.
Only then will you truly have what it takes to begin a
journey of healthy eating. Because whether we like it or
not, and bad health choices are everywhere. They are easy
and they are addicting.
If we allow ourselves to be swayed by these poor choices,
and do nothing to change our habits, then it doesn’t matter
whether
you eat healthy sometimes or not. The negative effects will
still be gripping your body and waiting to spring up on you
when you least expect it.
In a way, unhealthy eating is a self-destructive pattern that
a lot of us take part in. Whether this is because of poor
self-esteem, or simply because we are unhappy with our
situations and have no faith in the future, self-destructive
eating patterns are dangerous. You have to look to yourself
and truly value your life and your future before eating
healthy will stick.
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There are many ways that you can do this, and if possible,
you may even want to consult a mental health professional
for support. Sometimes, they can help us to see biases and
negative patterns in our lives that we remain oblivious to.
Once those are understood and accepted, then it can be that
much easier to overcome them and take the steps that you
need to take in order to make positive choices.
Whether you seek out the help of a qualified professional
or not, there are many things that you can do to change
your mindset. As long as you understand that you are
worthy of a healthy body and a positive future, then you
will allow yourself to take the steps necessary to get there.
But if you do not feel good about yourself, it is going to be
a lot harder. Overall, understanding yourself, your habits,
your mental roadblocks, and your discipline, will help you
in your
journey. All of us can take steps every day toward
becoming our best possible selves, and healthy eating is
one great step in that direction. And it is a step we can take
today!
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CHAPTER 3: THE DANGERS OF
DIET TRENDS
Diet trends are rampant in our society today, and almost
all of them come with dangers attached to them.
Unfortunately, most people who are desperate to make
money often don’t look at the long-term health
consequences of their products. What they are truly
concerned about is making money and doing something
that will help them to capitalize off of a desperate desire
that many people have to lose weight in a fast and easy
way.
There is something that you are going to have to accept if
diet trends are something that captivate your interest. The
unfortunate fact of the matter is that there is no healthy
way to lose weight fast and easily with no work and no
healthy eating and no exercise. Losing weight is a good
goal if you are obese or if you are lacking in fitness and
you need extra mobility.
All of us have at times needed to start making better
lifestyle choices, and that is something that we can do with
food and healthy body movement as opposed to by trusting
companies that want to exploit us in order to make money.
Some of the diet trends out there are exceptionally
dangerous and have dire health consequences both long-
term and short-term. Many of them rely on methods that
cause us to starve ourselves and Robert body of essential
nutrients. Sometimes, even dehydrating us.
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These types of diet trends are extremely disgusting. They
are taking advantage of people who want to be healthy but
don’t know how to go about it. They are taking advantage
of people, often women in particular, who are crumbling
under the pressures of unrealistic beauty standards and
women who are told that to have any value, they must look
a certain way.
That is absolutely untrue. Whether you weigh 100 pounds
or 700 pounds, you have value. However, healthy eating
is one of the only real ways that you are going to be able
to kickstart your metabolism and provide your body with
the nutrients that it needs to function on its highest
possible capacity.
If you are robbing your body of the vitamins and minerals
that it needs in order to thrive and trusting a diet trend to
teach you how to lose weight and have value when all they
really want is your money, then you are going to end up
further behind the line then you were to start out with. The
unfortunate truth about many diet trends is that they cause
the body to go into starvation mode.
This can wreck your metabolism and cause you to gain
weight even faster in the future. Don’t let yourself be
exploited by the advertisements promising that you will
lose weight in a fast and
easy way. All of that will come with a price. Not only that,
but there are health trends out there such as the HCG diet
that can really screw up your body and your hormones.
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The ironic thing about diet trends is that they often will
make it harder for you to lose weight in the future because
you are implementing unhealthy and difficult ways of
maintaining your weight. If you want to be skinny, don’t
trust a pill on TV to make you skinny. Start cutting out
unhealthy sugary and processed foods and replace them
with healthy whole-grain wheat and organic fruits and
vegetables that will not introduce chemicals into your
body that will make it even harder for you to lose weight
and that will ultimately mess up your body chemistry.
It may seem tempting to be able to lose weight quickly and
not have to sacrifice the negative eating habits that you
have developed over your lifetime, but it is not healthy.
You are hurting yourself and priming your body for further
health complications in the future if you are not careful
about the way you attempt to lose weight. Make sure that
you are doing everything in your power to make choices
that you would want other people to make for themselves.
Do research before you let yourself be swayed by the
snake oil salesman on TV. Look into these things because
you are worth doing things the right way and you deserve
a positive future and not one that is complicated by the side
effects of a sales pitch that only wants your money and not
your health.
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CHAPTER 4: THE FOOD PYRAMID
Most of us have probably seen the food pyramid. Growing
up, the food pyramid was often used as a guideline for us
to provide us with an idea of how much food and what
kind of food we should eat every day in order to maintain
a healthy lifestyle.
Of course, there is always evidence to state that the food
pyramid is flexible, but overall, if you are able to observe
the food pyramid you will have a general idea of what is
acceptable in a healthy and nutritious diet.
While this may sometimes be controversial, it is still good
to have a basic food. Possibly one that you create yourself.
A lot of people will say that it is no longer considered the
healthiest thing to do to eat as many grains as the food
pyramid may have suggested.
In fact, with recent outbreaks of celiac disease, a lot of
people are touting a no grain lifestyle as the healthiest
choice.
Rather than relying on the food pyramid for your basic
guideline of what is healthy to eat, try to take into
consideration your own
personal experiences with food and go from there. Some
people are healthier with a lot of grains, and some are not.
Use your judgment here to the best of your ability so that
you will be able to take steps in the right direction for your
health.
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The standard food pyramid recommends as follows:
· Rice, cereal, pasta, and bread, can be as many as
11 servings per day.
· For vegetables and fruits, you should have
between three and five servings.
· As far as their eggs, you can have two or three
servings every day, provided you are not allergic
or lactose intolerant.
· When it comes to meet and beans, and other
things like nuts and fish or poultry, it is
recommended that you have two or three
servings every day.
· Unsurprisingly, things such as sugar and fat and
oil are the very tip of the. Because you should
not have any of these things in excess. Rather,
use them only as necessary in order to guarantee
your healthiest possible lifestyle.
Again, this is only referencing the standard food pyramid.
Depending on your own singular needs and dietary
functions, you may need to modify this chart for yourself.
But if you do not have any specific requirements, this is
the standard for the food
pyramid that can be utilized to your greatest possible
advantage in creating a healthier lifestyle.
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CHAPTER 5: HOW FOOD
CAN BE YOUR MEDICINE
The same way that not eating healthy can make you sick,
eating healthy foods can often times cure you of illness
and provide you with relief when you are suffering.
It can also act as a preventative measure to take against
illness. In fact, there is an entire method of healing around
India for thousands of years called Argueda.
This ancient healing style is utilized in order to treat any
illness simply by changing your diet. Food is literally the
medicine that has helped to keep the people of India alive
for centuries. And it can still be applicable today.
In fact, many remedies are simply healthy foods that have
anti- inflammatory properties and the ability to nourish
your body from the inside out. Everything from infection
to cancer has been known to be impacted by healthy eating
choices.
And with this ancient healing art, that has never been more
apparent.
Of course, a lot of modern technology will frown upon
these methods because they have not been scientifically
investigated, but a lot of it has been tried and true for
thousands of years and will continue to impact the body.
Whether you believe in the ancient healing art or not, the
fact remains that food can ultimately determine whether or
not you are susceptible to illness.
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If you eat well, your body will be stronger and it will be
able to fight off illness and infection far easier than it
would if you find yourself malnourished on standard
American diet.
Without the proper vitamins and minerals in your body, it
can be almost impossible to fight off the negative effects
of illness.
Sometimes, it can even cause illness. If you are eating
unhealthy unprocessed foods, certain types of these foods
can actually lead to illnesses and make you more
susceptible to certain types of cancer as well.
Although cancer is still being researched and has not fully
been understood by the scientific community well enough
to actually cure it, there are many instances of people who
were able to live long and healthy lives simply by
changing the way they need. Healthy eating can help in
decreasing the symptoms of many difficult and impossible
to cure diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
As long as you are making sure that everything that you
put into your body is nourishing and is providing your
organs and cells with all of the fuel and resources that they
need in order to keep your body strong, they will continue
to do that. And they will do it to the best of their ability.
However, if you are actively sabotaging your body, they
will not be able to put up the same fight as they would if
they were receiving adequate nutrition. That is why it is so
important for you to take heed of the way you are
nourishing your body.
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If you are not making active and conscientious choices
about the food that you eat, you could be setting yourself
up for failure in ways that you may live to regret.
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CHAPTER 6: THE HEALTH BENEFITS
OF EATING VEGETABLES
Vegetables are one of the most under-sung foods in
existence, especially when it comes to the standard
American diet. Most people don’t realize just how
important it is to provide the body with the vitamins and
minerals that vegetables and vegetables alone can
provide. Sometimes, people will look into vegetables as a
way of improving their beauty, but when it comes to
improving their health, they become somewhat
disinterested.
However, now that you are here and reading this book, it
is safe to assume that you are willing and able to take
into consideration why it is important to eat vegetables.
Here are some of the best reasons to provide yourself
with vegetables daily as a part of your diet.
First of all, the body needs fiber in order to get rid of
excess waste. Without a way to find the waste together
and eliminated, it stays stuck in the body and can
contribute to weight gain and other potential
complications.
Fiber is extremely important for other reasons as well. It
can help you to prevent your blood cholesterol from
raising and can even
prevent heart disease, or at least lower the chances of
suffering from it.
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Folic acid it is also present in vegetables, and when you
are providing your body with this substance, it can
generate the production of your red blood cells. This can
be very important in helping you to prevent anemia from
occurring, and can be very beneficial to women in
particular, who have a tendency to need this substance
during pregnancy and menstruation.
Vegetables are also naturally high in many vitamins, such
as a and C, which are helpful in fighting infection and
keeping the body healthy. It can help you to speed up the
healing process and to absorb iron, which is another way
of helping to combat and prevent anemia from occurring.
Vitamins are high in potassium and this is very useful
because it prevents the body from succumbing to high
blood pressure.
Vegetables have been proven to reduce the risk of strokes
and other heart related complications. They can prevent
kidney stones from developing and prevent the
disintegration of bone matter. Filling yourself up on
vegetables is a good way to help you to manage type II
diabetes and obesity.
Not only that, but it can help you to stay strong in a fight
against cancer and in cancer prevention. Perhaps one of
the most
redeeming qualities about eating vegetables is the fact
that they are very low in fat and are definitely not calorie
dense.
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This means that you can eat as many vegetables as you
want to without having to worry too much about gaining
weight. Snacking on vegetables is a great way to help
you to reduce hunger cravings and to stay focused on a
healthy lifestyle.
There are so many great things about vegetables. It is
surprising that they are so rare to come by in the standard
American diet. One of the best ways that you can help
yourself in avoiding high fat and high sugar and high salt
processed foods is in walking around the outside of your
grocery store first.
Go along the fresh produce section so that you are
making conscious choices in providing your body with
healthy fresh vegetable options rather than skipping to
the end and cheating by buying pastas and other
processed foods that are low in genuinely nutritious
vegetable content.
Healthy eating starts with making the choices to nourish
your body, and there are few things more nourishing than
vegetables.
We can often lose our taste for healthy foods because of
unhealthy and poor eating habits early in life, or even
self- imposed later in life, but it is easy to get back on
track. Make time in your life for vegetables. They may
take a little bit longer to prepare, but the benefits are
worth it.
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CHAPTER 7: THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF
EATING FRUITS
It is an unfortunate but common knowledge that people
who follow the standard American diet do not eat enough
fruit. What fruit they do eat is usually found in cans or
saturated with sugar. The added sugar and fruit are
definitely something that takes away any health benefits
that eating fruit in its natural state can provide the body.
There can be some complications to eating too much
fruit, especially if you have diabetes. Fruit is high in
natural sugars, and when it is juiced, you get a lot of
sugar without a lot of fiber, which can provide the body
with an excess.
The fiber present within fruit is one of the things that
makes it the healthiest, and helps the body to lower heart
disease and avoid constipation. Not only that, but fiber
rich foods like fruit and vegetables are very beneficial for
weight management because it helps you to feel full with
fewer calories. Not only that, but fruit is high in many
vitamins and minerals, especially citrus fruits when it
comes to vitamin C.
Vitamin C is a powerhouse when it comes to helping the
body to heal, and if you need something that will help
you to keep your teeth and gums healthy, vitamin C rich
fruits will definitely do the trick.
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Another thing that fruit can help the body achieve is
stroke prevention and kidney stone prevention. Fruits are
very helpful in supporting the body and preventing and
fighting disorders such as skin conditions and heart
problems. Fruit can be one of the healthiest ways to help
you to get a boost of energy and get rid of sugar cravings
that you may have when you are attempting to cut
unhealthy foods out of your diet.
As long as you aren’t overdoing it with your fruits, such
as throwing a bunch of them in the blender and
ultimately consuming a ridiculous amount of sugar, then
you can have a healthy snack that satisfies your sweet
tooth if you are willing to utilize the tremendous power
of fruit.
If you are interested in the benefits that food can have to
your health, both fruits and vegetables have a natural
tendency to help your skin glow and appear far more
hydrated and nourished. Fruits and vegetables are high in
antioxidants and vitamins and minerals that provide your
body with the hydration necessary in keeping your skin
and appearance healthy.
It can help your hair to grow softer and healthier, as well
as retaining the youthful look of your skin. Fruit can even
help you
to stop acne in its tracks by keeping your body free of
waste products that come out through your pores and
hydrating your skin.
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Fruit is excellent for helping the body to stay hydrated
because of its high-water content, and you will quickly
begin to see the benefits and that aspect.
Not only that, but fruit is particularly helpful for
digestion. Because of the high fiber content, it helps to
bind waste and help the body to eliminate things that
might otherwise cause issues. Because of this, fruit and
vegetables can also aid in weight loss. Rather than
allowing waste to be broken down and stored as fat, the
body eliminates it before it has the chance.
Fruit is another great way to help you to fight and prevent
disease, even cancer. Some fruits, such as apples, help to
keep asthma at bay. Others, can significantly lower
cholesterol levels.
Grapes have been known to be used in the combat of
cancer as well, particularly the red skinned grapes. They
are also helpful in fighting eye issues and kidney
problems. If you suffer from infection, berries are
especially helpful. They are high in antioxidants.
Just make sure that you are eating fruits and vegetables
that are not treated with commercial pesticides, as they
can absorb these chemicals and actually complicate
weight loss and cause issues in the body.
You can even eat dry fruits as a way of substituting
unhealthy and sugary snacks and providing your body
with a sweet snack that will pack quite a nutritional
punch.
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Just be conscientious of the sugar levels in dried fruits,
because sometimes when they are commercially sold,
added sugars make what could be a healthy treat into
something that may ultimately help you to pack on the
pounds.
However, when you are eating fruit in a healthy way and
on a regular basis, fruit can help to aid you in weight
loss. As long as you are not over eating things that are
high in sugar, the fibers and water content of fruit will
help your body feel full and your cells and organs
nourished. The fibers and water content will help you to
eliminate issues that are contributing to obesity, and
overall, you will feel an immense shift in your energy
levels.
You can utilize this energy to exercise and work harder
toward a healthy lifestyle. This can be especially
effective if you are replacing sugary junk foods with
healthier fruit alternatives as you continue to transition
on your journey toward better health and well-being.
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CHAPTER 8: THE BEST MEAT TO
EAT FOR HEALTHY LIVING
Meat is generally considered one of the primary staple
foods in an email, but it may be surprising to find that
there are actually some meats that are healthier than
others. Of course, we know the difference between red
meats and white meats. Red meats are more often linked
to health problems and coronary issues, while white
meats are considered leaner and healthier overall.
What some people may be surprised to find is that there
are other issues that make meats unhealthy. Issues such
as the things that they are fed while the animals are still
alive and antibiotics and hormones that may be injected
into them to make them grow faster or produce more
milk, at least in the case of cows.
These types of hormones ultimately enter the meat that
we consume and can cause problems in our own bodies.
If we are not conscientious of the choices that we make
when we are choosing our foods, they can ultimately
come to contribute to poor health in the future, including
but not limited to cancers and hormone changes that can
be quite debilitating.
However, if you are confident that you are receiving your
meat from sources that are healthy and do not feed
animals in excess of steroids and antibiotics, then you are
already ahead of the game.
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If not, try to do some research about local places where
you can receive meat that is untainted by some dangerous
industry standards.
That being said, even considering the healthy meat
options, there are certain meats that are healthier than
others. One of the healthiest meats that you can eat,
especially if you are hoping to lose weight, is fish. Fish is
lean and packed with nutrients. However, you have to be
careful about the source of your fish.
Some fish is raised in unhealthy conditions, while other
fish may come from areas that could be contaminated
with mercury. This is why it is frowned upon for
pregnant women to eat fish or shellfish.
But if you find a healthy source of fish, this can be very
beneficial for your body. Fish is high in omega-3 fatty
acids, which helps brain function and your memory.
Overall, Omega threes are highly coveted and the body
needs them in order to function at its highest possible
potential, especially when it comes to intellectual
matters.
Chicken that has been raised in a good environment is
another great option. Chicken is high in protein. In fact, it
is the highest in protein of any other meat. They are
usually raised in good conditions, or at least fed foods
that will not cause the human body issues the same way a
lot of beef can.
However, if you are eating grass that beef from a
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trustworthy supplier, that can also be a great option as
well. If you are going to eat organic chicken, there are
generally less likelihoods of these animals being raised
with dangerous carcinogens.
Chickens that have been conventionally grown are
usually fed foods that increase the rate that they grow,
which can lead to serious health problems for the
chickens themselves and for the humans that consume
them. They are also given a large supply of
antidepressants and painkillers, sometimes, even arsenic
and caffeine.
It is dangerous to consume a lot of conventionally grown
meat, but if you are able to find a good supplier, then you
definitely should do so.
Turkey is another great meat, because it is high in
selenium. This is something that is great for the body,
especially because it can help to eliminate free radicals
and other toxic substances.
Again though, you want to try to make sure that you are
receiving your meat from trustworthy sources, because it
is standard for conventionally grown chicken and turkey
is to be treated similarly and fed dangerous chemicals
that unnaturally increase their rate of growth and
ultimately contaminate human bodies with those
chemicals.
Eating meat overall can be very beneficial for the body,
as long as you are not eating meat that comes from
dangerous and conventionally grown methods.
29

The chemicals that these animals are often subject to our
exceptionally dangerous, both to the animals themselves
and to the humans who consume them. If you want to eat
healthy and lose weight, it is better to avoid any
chemicals that may end up staying stuck in your body
and preventing weight loss from occurring.
Even if you are not hoping to lose weight, eating healthy
includes avoiding anything that could be dangerous to the
body, such as the hormones and chemicals that are
disruptive to our sensitive systems. Fortunately, there are
many sources for healthy meats, whether you want to
indulge in chicken, beef, or even lamb. There are ways
that you can get healthy, ethically raised me to satisfy
any cravings you may have.
30

CHAPTER 9: THE DANGERS OF
PROCESSED FOODS
It does not come as a surprise to anybody that processed
foods are dangerous. What does come as a surprise
however is that they are still allowed out on the shelves,
despite the havoc that they wreak on our bodies and
minds. Eating unhealthy food isn’t just a personal choice
to some people.
Sometimes, because of the way the economy works,
people in poverty are forced to turn to processed foods
because they are a cheap and easy way to feed large
families on a low budget.
The hard thing about that is that these foods ultimately
cause medical problems down the line that cost even
more money than it would take to feed a large family
healthy, sustainable option. Ultimately, it seems that
people with little money are suffering either way.
Even if you don’t have to feed a family on a budget,
processed foods are simply unhealthy. Part of what
makes them so addicting is their high fat and sugar
content.
They are often boxed meals that include pastas and an
exceptional amount of sugar. Excessive sugar is
dangerous in general, but especially to people who are
prone to developing type II diabetes.
31

If you consume sugar and high amounts, you are
ultimately going to overload your body and not only will
you become obese, more than likely, but you also
develop health issues.
Sugar can help speed along the process of diabetes
because of the fact that it causes insulin resistance to
occur which ultimately makes it difficult, if not
impossible, to control your blood sugar levels.
If you eat foods like this excessively, such as for every
meal, or at least every day, there is bound to be a
negative consequence. Consuming that high amount of
fat and sugar on a consistent basis can lead to not only
diabetes and obesity, which are commonly known, but
also heart disease and even cancer. This is exceptionally
dangerous, and if possible, processed foods should be
avoided at all costs.
Another danger of eating processed foods is that not only
are they addicting, but they are highly artificial. Most of
the ingredients in those foods are not nourishing the
body. Rather, they are leading us to feel full while
depriving our bodies of the essential nutrients that are
required in healthy functioning.
When we are eating a diet that is bland and not
nourishing, we are ultimately allowing ourselves to be
dumbed down. We are not thinking properly, we are not
moving properly, and we are not functioning at her
highest possible potential. All of these things are highly
damaging and can lead to poor coordination and even
depression.
32

On some level, we all know that processed foods are not
as healthy as the types of foods we should be consuming
on a regular basis. Our bodies know it, even if our minds
are not aware. And we suffer for it. We have stress about
it.
When we indulge in unhealthy foods, whether we are
addicted to them or not, our bodies know it. And,
whether it’s a subconscious occurrence or not, we often
punish ourselves. We know that we are doing something
wrong. We feel upset about it and dissatisfied, even if we
are processing it in the moment.
Processed foods are also high in artificial colorings that
have been proven to be highly carcinogenic. When we
are eating foods that have fixed coloring in it, we are
essentially swallowing dye. Would you want to eat hair
dye? Not really. But these types of chemicals are what
are used in your food. They stay in your body and do not
come out. They dye your organs on the inside. They are
highly dangerous and can lead to cancer.
There also full of preservatives. Processed food stays on
the shelf for a very long time. Longer than is healthy and
normal. Any
typical bottle of milk would not last for months on end at
a time. It would curdle and spoil. The same as with
cheeses, and the same as with other foods that you find
on the shelves that have long shelf lives.
Shelf lives are important for companies to establish
33

because they are able to make more money if their food
is able to stay on the shelf longer. They will do whatever
it takes, whether it is healthier not to the human body, to
ensure that they are making the most money possible.
Preservatives often include unhealthy and unnatural
chemicals and excessive amounts of salt. Neither of
which are good for the body at all. Processed foods can
lead to issues with the heart, and hypertension, because
of the excessive amount of salt present in these foods.
High blood pressure is a common occurrence among
people who survive off of processed foods, and obesity
and heart attacks are some of the number one killer in
North America.
This has absolutely everything to do with the standard
American diet. The sad part about it is that even if you
know it is unhealthy, the chemicals and high sugar and
fat content make these processed foods extremely
addicting.
The body begins to crave them, and it can be almost as
dangerous as a drug addiction. When you are addicted to
a food
that is neither nourishing nor healthy, it can have long-
term consequences on your health and development.
Another way that processed foods contribute to obesity is
because we digest them far too quickly compared to
foods that are rich in healthy dietary fiber. If we are
digesting these foods quickly and they are not filling us
34

up because we are not receiving the fiber that provides us
with the full feeling, we are not even burning the same
amount of energy as we would to digest healthy foods.
This means that we eat more and digest less, leading to
fast and rapid weight gain. The calories present in your
body are much higher when you are on a diet of
processed foods. You burn far more calories when you
are eating healthy, whole foods that are rich in dietary
fibers.
Unfortunately, this means that people who live and
subsist on a diet of processed foods are ultimately going
to gain weight whether they want to or not. And they will
not provide you with the same amount of energy because
they are not nourishing. They are likely to leave you tired
and sluggish, and feeling far too full because you eat a lot
more of these unhealthy, sugar filled foods without
feeling content or satiated.
Processed food is not metabolized properly in our bodies.
They are quickly turned to fat. Not only that, but they are
high in fat. They are often full of hidden fat and sugars.
Vegetable oil is one of the primary ingredients in many
of these processed meals,
along with things such as high fructose corn syrup, which
is a huge culprit in weight gain.
If every processed food on the shelves contained high
fructose corn syrup, and most of them do, it is no wonder
that North America is facing the worst obesity epidemic
in the world history. Hydrogenated oils are highly
unhealthy because they do not break down.
35

They remain in your body and become merged with the
fat cells. These oils make fat far more difficult to burn
off. They are harder to get rid of, and that type of
stubborn fat can lead to obesity very quickly. The
ingredients in processed foods lack most of the
nutritional value that humans need in order to function at
their highest potential. We need the fibers and the
vitamins and minerals that are present in real food before
we can truly thrive.
If you find that processed foods can’t be entirely avoided,
they should at least be eaten in moderation. They are
dangerous. They can make us feel sluggish, irritable, and
unhappy overall.
Our dispositions can go from positive to negative when
we go from a healthy diet and ultimately find ourselves
consumed with nothing but processed foods that are too
sugary, too fatty, and too unhealthy.
Our bodies crave nutrition. The easiest and most
beneficial thing you can do for yourself is to provide
your body with that nutrition. It can be hard to get used to
changing of routines such as subsisting off of processed
foods, and it can be very frustrating at times.
You have to spend a lot more time in the kitchen cooking
and taking your health and your meals into consideration.
But ultimately, eating processed foods is something that
can kill you and cut you off from yourself. You are
actually consuming toxins and avoiding the foods that
36

can act as antioxidants that will provide you with a
chance to get rid of the waste that you are putting into
your body.
Processed foods are the same as junk foods. They are no
different. They are healthier seeming junk foods. They
are snacks in disguise. In order to become healthy and to
actually feel healthy, avoiding processed foods at all
costs is the first and most effective step that you can take.
Don’t let yourself be fooled by packaging that claims
these foods are healthy.
They are saturated and fat and sugar and salt, and lacking
in anything that gives your body nourishment. Do
everything you can to change your habit of relying on
processed foods. Eating healthy is easy and possible if
you set your mind to it.
Just remember the strategy of walking around the grocery
store to pick up the fresh produce and meat as opposed to
walking through the aisles that are full of dangerous and
alluring packaging that is hiding the dangers of the
processed food within.
37

CHAPTER 10: BRINGING IT ALL
TOGETHER WITH MEAL
PLANNING
Meal planning can be one of the single most important
aspects of developing a healthy lifestyle. When we are
unable to visualize the future of our eating, it can be very
easy to succumb to the temptations of unhealthy foods
that we have become addicted to. Especially if it is our
habit to eat them rather than eating the foods that will
nourish us.
Meal planning is quite an endeavor. It can be somewhat
intimidating, especially to somebody who suffers with
organization. If you find yourself having a hard time with
meal planning, don’t fret. There are many ways that you
can begin to delve into meal planning that are fun and
easy, whether you struggle with creativity in the kitchen
or not.
There are many meal planning kits that you can buy.
Many of them have the option of ordering boxes full of
fresh foods to cook with and include recipes that you can
use. This can be very helpful if you are not used to
cooking, which is often the case.
Especially when poor eating habits and a busy work
schedule make it seem difficult to carve out the time
necessary in order to make full, nourishing meals. The
first step in meal planning is research. If you are going to
get yourself healthy, you have to look at your options.
38

Researching recipes is the best first place to start.
Accumulating a binder full of healthy foods that you
want to try out can be both fun and educational. It will
open your mind to several food possibilities you may
have otherwise scoffed at as too difficult for you to
prepare, or maybe teach you things you had never known
before.
Recipes can be very mind-opening. Especially when you
are interested in making new discoveries. Cooking can be
a hard habit to get into, but once you begin to master it,
you will be surprised by just how much freedom you can
find in putting a meal together for yourself that is both
health-conscious and delicious!
Look at recipe books and magazines and get an
accumulation of recipes that you want to try. Start with
the things that look the most delicious and nourishing,
and if you are a novice in the kitchen, you may also want
to look to the things that seem the simplest.
Next, you should keep your recipes organized in a simple
way that is easy to navigate. If you find yourself
overwhelmed by a lack of organization, it will make meal
planning that much more difficult.
When you are beginning a new habit, you want to make
sure that you are doing everything as simply as possible.
Too much change at once can be demanding on your
system, and you should always try to implement small,
easy changes until they have become a new habit.
Make sure that they are easily accessible, so that when
39

you want to begin preparing your meal you can do so
easily. If you are using a binder, you may want to
consider laminating the pages or using plastic sleeves, so
that if you are using it in the kitchen, they are not
affected by water or other food contamination.
When you organize your recipes, it would help to put
them in order of breakfast meals, lunch meals, dinner
meals, and snacks. This will help you to reference the
proper recipes more easily once you begin to start
cooking. If you like, you could even organize your binder
by day of the week, and have your meals planned out for
every day and printed out in the binder that way.
There are many ways you could organize your recipes.
Do what seems to make the most sense to you intuitively.
Don’t force yourself to adhere to a type of organization
that doesn’t work
for you. Instead, make sure that you are doing what
works best for you in your own life.
Make sure that you are taking the time to regularly seek
out new recipes that stand out to you to keep your
creative juices flowing and your kitchen exciting. There
are many types of recipes you can try, and the more you
attempt, the more interesting going on a journey of
healthy eating can be!
Next, you should explore software such as Excel on
Microsoft Office that will help you to organize your meal
planning. On Excel you will find a plethora of templates
you can choose from to help yourself plan out your meals
40

by the day, time, and week. This can be a hugely
valuable resource!
If you would prefer not to use excel, there are also apps
you could download on your phone or tablet or another
device to help you to utilize your time and resources
better.
You can even go the old-fashioned route and buy a
notebook that is specially designed toward planning
meals. This is an important step in making sure your
meals are organized and easily accessible.
Having a meal plan is extremely helpful when it comes to
embarking upon a journey of healthy eating. Creating
good habits takes time and patience, and it is inevitable
that you will slip somewhere along the way.
But that doesn’t mean that you have to stay stuck on the
ground! Actually, it just means that you are going to have
to get back up and keep trying, because giving up is far
easier than sticking to your plans.
One thing that can really help when it comes to meal
planning is sticking with the theme. For example, a lot of
people have specific themes like taco Tuesday or another
day that is assigned for a specific type of meal. If you
think that would help you to stay on track, feel free to
imitate that type of meal planning. It is done for a reason,
because it works and it helps to keep things simple and
streamlined.
41

It can be very annoying to find yourself stuck doing a lot
of planning and preparation every single week or month,
so if you want to keep things easy, that can be a good
way to do it. You could have a theme for biweekly meals,
such as taco Tuesday one night and maybe rice and
vegetables Tuesday the next and alternate between them.
There is no wrong way to plan your meals. What you
have to make sure you do is to observe follow through.
Without follow-through, everything else becomes
redundant and difficult. Something that can truly help
you to succeed at meal planning is accountability. If you
let somebody who knows you and cares about you know
that you are attempting to plan
your meals, ask them if they would be willing to help you
to stick to your routine.
They can help you by asking questions about how things
are going and whether or not you are staying on track.
They may also choose to encourage you and cheer you
on through your endeavors.
However, they choose to support you, they can be very
rewarding for both of you. If they are a positive and
supportive person, it can be great to know that you have
people rallied in your corner who truly want you to
succeed. Just make sure that you are weeding out toxic
people who bring you down by turning the attention onto
themselves or by making you feel as if it will be difficult
for you to accomplish your goals.
42

Sure, constructive feedback can be incredibly useful, but
if you are not seeking constructive feedback, it can at
times be toxic.
Make sure you understand the difference between a toxic
person masquerading as a supportive person and a
supportive person who truly wants to see you thrive.
Another way to take accountability is by taking personal
accountability. Personal accountability can be achieved
through journaling and self-affirmations. Talking to
yourself about your goals, what do you do it internally or
out loud, can be a good way
to help you to stay focused and ask yourself whether or
not you are doing the things that you hope to accomplish.
If you find that you are not, instead of beating yourself
up about it, consider your obstacles and move on as you
begin to uncover them. The only way you will ever be a
failure is if you do not try. If you try, everything will
ultimately fall into place because you are making an
effort and creating positive changes in your life.
Journaling is useful for many reasons. They can help you
to write down what you have eaten and when and how
much. This will give you a good idea of what you can
realistically expect from yourself. The things that you are
unhappy with, you should address and take note of. But
instead of being angry at yourself for not being a trickle
right away, remember that it is a process and you need to
go slowly.
43

Instead of implementing an entire change in routine and
planning out every meal for the next month when you
have never done it before, instead, start slow by easing
into one or two meals a week, and then gradually adding
in the rest as you feel comfortable with the process.
Make it something that does not shock your system.
Gradual change is the most lasting. And journaling about
your experiences will help you to uncover your
innermost thoughts about the process and things that you
might not even realize were holding you back.
You will begin to sense patterns in your behavior and
possibly predict when you might find yourself tempted to
get off track and why. If you are able to identify these
trigger points, it will be easier to avoid them in the future.
Meal planning can be a very fun and exciting endeavor.
Even if you aren’t the type who enjoys that type of
organization, it can be very rewarding to think about
exactly what you are going to be putting in your body
and take the steps necessary in actually doing so.
Everybody deserves a chance to become the healthiest
and most healthy version of themselves possible, and
with meal planning and a healthy dose of self-esteem,
you will be well on your way to a lifestyle of healthy
eating.
44

CONCLUSION
Healthy eating is something that can be very difficult to
begin doing, especially if you were not able to develop
healthy eating habits from a young age. However, it is
not impossible to become a more health conscious and
proactive person.
Fortunately, every single day that we wake up living and
breathing is a day that we can begin to better ourselves
and move forward in our lives.
Becoming the best version of ourselves can seem
intimidating at first, but once you start to realize that
every choice you make has an impact on your life,
whether positive or negative, then it becomes a lot easier
to see the course of our actions before they come back to
haunt us. Poor eating habits are definitely choices that
will come back to haunt us.
If we are not careful, we will begin to develop health
problems later in life because we were not conscientious
of what we put into our bodies when we were younger.
Healthy eating and exercise is the only way to create a
healthy and happy body and mind.
We become stir crazy and restless when we stay stuck in
our homes all day eating nothing but sugar and fat laden
processed foods and sitting around watching TV without
exercising. The standard American diet is dangerous, and
it is costing people their lives. Don’t let yourself become
one of those people.
45

Instead, make the choices that you need to make in order
to truly better yourself and become the best version of
yourself possible. Make choices that will make your
family proud and will provide them with your presence in
their lives for years to come.
When we are not taking care of ourselves, this is actually
very selfish. There are people around us who care deeply
for the people that we are and the value that we bring to
their lives, whether we realize it or not. Everybody
deserves a chance to take their future into their own hands
and create positive changes that will benefit them for years
to come.
Healthy eating is just one of many ways that you can
begin to better yourself and prepare your mind and body
for the future. If you want to be independent and active
for as long as possible without costing yourself thousands
upon thousands of dollars in medical bills and other
expenses, then healthy eating is something that you
should begin sooner rather than later.
If not, it is bound to become a drain on your life, both
materially and physically. By reading this book and
utilizing the information
within it, you are now more prepared for taking the first
step toward a healthy lifestyle.
Planning your meals and becoming more aware of why it
is important to make healthy food choices will drastically
improve your quality of life now and for years to come.
All you have to do is stick with it, and you will begin to
46

see the positive health effects of healthy eating right
away! All you have to do is try. You can do this!
47

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