By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D. Associate Nutrition Editor for EatingWell Magazine
I’m a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell magazine, so you’d be right to assume I have a pretty healthy diet. But since I don’t believe in making any foods taboo, there are the occasional not-so-healthy indulgences. And when the seasons change, I always feel an urge to “healthify” my diet. The warmer weather inspires me to take a close look at my eating habits and simplify my diet by eating the things that really make my body feel best, and limit foods that are not so good for me.
Here are 10 healthy eating habits I am focusing on right now to detox my diet. I’m going to:
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Drink Less Alcohol
Although several studies have shown that moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink per day for women, two for men) can have some health benefits -- raising "good" HDL cholesterol, "thinning the blood" (preventing clots that can cause heart attack and stroke) and possibly warding off dementia and Alzheimer's disease, there are some good reasons to make sure that your alcohol consumption stays moderate. Alcohol takes a toll on your liver, the major organ of your body devoted to "detoxing" your system. It also acts as a diuretic, making it harder to stay hydrated. One idea to cut back: Try sticking to the suggested limit of one drink a day for women, two for men. (Think of the calories and money you'll save!) Looking for an alcohol-free drink at cocktail hour? Try club soda with a splash of juice.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulaloe/148138443/" target="_hplink">paulaloe</a></em>
Eat Less Sugar
Most of us eat too much sugar. On average, Americans consume 475 calories of added sugars every day (that's 30 teaspoons), which is way higher than what's recommended by the American Heart Association (six teaspoons per day for women, eight for men). High intake of added sugar is linked with risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels. One idea to cut back: Skip processed foods, which can be loaded with hidden added sugars, and when you want a sweet treat, reach for fruit for a natural sugar fix.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/1133571022/" target="_hplink">PinkMoose</a></em>
Eat Less Salt
Americans, on average, eat 3,400 milligrams of sodium in a day -- about 1,000 mg more than we should. And if we cut that much out of our daily diets, we'd lower our risk of heart disease by up to 9 percent, according to a study in the <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em>. Restaurant foods and processed foods both tend to be very high in sodium, so a key step in lowering your sodium intake is to cook at home using fresh ingredients instead. One idea to cut back: Try eating out less and cooking more at home using fresh ingredients instead. And try boosting flavor with herbs and spices rather than salt.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailyinvention/80347041/" target="_hplink">dailyinvention</a></em>
Eat Less Saturated Fat
Saturated fat -- the kind of fat that's found in whole milk, cheese, butter and meat -- raises your "bad" LDL cholesterol, which can damage arteries. One idea to cut back: Avoid animal fats and swap them for healthier monounsaturated fats from plant foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil. (Monounsaturated fats may help lower blood pressure.)
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardwinchell/5864655137/" target="_hplink">richard winchell</a></em>
Eat Less Refined Grain
Refined grains -- white flour, white rice -- are stripped of beneficial fiber, vitamins and minerals. So while they add calories, they're not really providing much in the way of nutrients. And since they're low in fiber, they're less satisfying than whole grains. One idea to cut back: Check the ingredient list and make sure the word "whole" describes the grains in the product -- if it just says "wheat flour," for example, that's not whole-wheat, so make another choice.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calgaryreviews/5583597879/" target="_hplink">Calgary Reviews</a></em>
Eat Less Processed Food
I'm not concerned with minimally processed foods -- like plain unsweetened yogurt or washed bagged greens -- that are still essentially healthy whole foods. Rather, I'm talking about prepared food products with loads of ingredients. By cutting these out, I can easily minimize my intake of added sugars, salt and trans and saturated fat, too, since these things are often added to processed foods for taste. Plus, I'll make room for more healthy whole foods in my diet. One idea to cut back: Go through your cabinets and see which of your foods come in boxes and think of alternatives. Two ideas to get started: Swap crackers or chips for crunchy veggies, and if you rely on prepared meals, like mac and cheese or canned soup, find an easy recipe to make your favorites from scratch.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/notahipster/3108827354/" target="_hplink">little blue hen</a></em>
Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
Year-round, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Not only do they add a lot of flavor and color to meals, they're nutrient- and antioxidant-rich, low in calories and can help lower your risk for heart disease. One idea to get more: When figuring out what to make for dinner, make vegetables the main event -- start with the vegetables you have on hand or what looks good to you at the market. From there, figure out what else (protein, starch) would go well with it.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/podere-casanova/4379421196/" target="_hplink">Podere Casanova</a></em>
Drink More Water
It's tempting to choose other beverages, but water really is the best thing to drink. Our bodies are 60 percent water and it's vital for the function of every organ system, helping to circulate oxygen and whisk away toxins. One idea to get more: Choose it for your main beverage at and between meals. If you're not a fan of plain water, try a spritz of lemon or lime to jazz it up.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/myrpaul/6702843687/" target="_hplink">Paul B. Reynolds</a></em>
Drink More Green Tea
Even though I know green tea has a bevy of health benefits -- from boosting immunity to fighting cavities -- I don't drink it very often. One idea to get more: Try swapping one of your daily cups of coffee for a cup of green tea instead.
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mukluk/297498668/" target="_hplink">Dano</a></em>
Eat More Whole Grains
Eating more whole grains could lengthen your life by reducing your risk of cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, suggests a 2011 <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em> study. I tend to get in a grain rut -- I choose 100 percent whole-grain breads and tortillas, of course, so technically I'm getting enough whole grains in my diet -- but I don't frequently cook other whole grains. One idea to get more: Try eating one new-to-you grain, such as quinoa or wild rice, each week.
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<strong>More from EatingWell:</strong><br>
<a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/6_surprising_sources_of_sugar?utm_source=HuffingtonPost_KerriAnn_10WaysToEatClean_061312" target="_blank">6 Surprising Sources of Sugar</a><br>
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<em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenandbrademerson/3329169850/" target="_hplink">karenandbrademerson</a></em>
What's your best strategy for detoxing your diet?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
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salt is good for you and so is saturated fat. I command ye to read about the weston a price foundation.
Yes, cut out sugar, processed foods and junk fats and salts, but I would add that whole grains are highly questionable (wheat is particularly bad for many people, but they don't know it) and the right kinds of fats and salts are essential for our well-being. Avocados, pasture-raised animal fats, Himalayan salt, unpasteurized dairy, cultured and fermented foods (not the sugary or Aspartame filled "yoghurt" in the supermarket).... To me, the main thing is to avoid the grains, especially wheat, whole grain or otherwise. Some sprouted grains may be tolerated by some, but wheat really should be avoided.
If you use saturated fats judiciously, derived from hormone-free open range grass fed livestock or free range poultry, then products such as lean beef, poultry, eggs, butter, cheese, etc, are healthy, and beneficial.
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Sigh @ more 'whole grain' endorsement.
'Whole grain' is just another BS marketing ploy by General Mills and the food industrial complex. Lets face it: even if the grain is 'whole' you still end up with a bunch of calories and very little nutritional value as compared to vegetables, fruit and meat.
When they are done with this new 'whole grain' marketing nonsense, maybe they will revert back to pushing 'oat bran' as they did a few decades ago, before finding out it had no real ability to prevent heart attacks (as they were claiming).
Or maybe they can get back to their recent project of trying to rebrand 'high fructose corn syrup' as 'corn sugar.'
know that only WATER is healthy (and lately I'm hearing, not TOO MUCH of that!)
Also as an Internet Doctor, if your body cannot naturally rid itself of "toxins" call an ambulance, you are about to die.
Check out the Weston A. Price Foundation and their research...
The standards used to determine the need for statins is continually being revised to include MORE persons. The latest effort is to put persons in their 30s on statins prophylactically!
This in complete disregard of the fact that statins are tightly linked to type 2 diabetes (epidemic)
and b/c they block the blood flow to the heart are associated with TGA (transglobal Anemia).
BEST NEWS? I refused the doctors statins and took the matter into my own hands:
I did Fish Oil, plus CO Q 10 and red yeast rice combo pill, and found that
in just 3.5 WEEKS I had lowered my cholestoral 61 POINTS, from 245-184!
My doctor who had insisted that I submit to a new blood test as a test of the protocol
was simply AMAZED. He though it would not work and I'd be glad for the statins!
FOOL