As Long As You Don't Eat Or Drink Anything, You'll Be Okay

Since Amy came into my life, I've had to stick to a very restricted diet. This means "no salt", "no sugar", and no alcohol. Of course, this all equals "no fun". At first I decided to make do with the limited cooking knowledge that I had prior to getting sick, but discovered that everything that I knew how to make really wasn't good for me. Alas, those bachelor days of Ramen Pride, Hamburger Helper and Spaghettio's for dinner are all over.

Over the last year, I read a number of websites and books of nutrition, cooking and on eating healthy. Now that I've digested a ton of information on food and nutrition (digested... get it? yuk yuk) I've come to the conclusion that just about everything out there isn't good for you. Day after day I see studies like this one that blame common staples for a number of different health disorders.

Now how are you supposed to eat anything when you know how bad it is for you?

But seriously -- eating a healthy diet is beneficial to everyone, and not just sick people. However, there are many challenges: learning what to eat, learning how to prepare it, making the time to prepare it, and being able to enjoy what you've made. Not to mention that you are always going to want to dig into a Big Mac every now and then. It's not surprising that we don't eat very well at all.

If someone asked me some tips on food selection and preparation, this are thoughts I would pass on:

• Food is the fuel for your body to keep it working in optimal condition.
  
• People are not built the same -- we each require different types of fuel. You need to learn what is good fuel for your body. This book can help you find out what that might be.
  
• 90% of all items sold in the supermarket today is crap. Most of it will hurt your body if taken over the long-term.
• When shopping in the supermarket, stick to shopping along the edges (dairy, meat, produce) rather than going into the aisles. Generally, the healthier stuff is located on the outside.
• Choose organic meat and produce when possible. Organic food is expensive, but much cheaper than hospital bills over the long term.
• Trust that organic products are better for you, but verify that what you are buying is genuine. This means doing research online and asking questions.
• Use the "grandmother rule": If your grandmother could have made what you are purchasing, it's probably not that bad for you. (No, she couldn't have made Cheetos)
• Cooking, like other trades in life, is a skill that must be learned. The better you are, the more dishes you can make, and you will learn to make healthy meals that actually taste great.

Well, this is probably the most disorganized post I've ever made, but I hope I've made my point. It's really important to eat healthy for a long, healthy life. Learning a little bit about nutrition will go a long way.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a hankerin' for some Taco Bell.

Powered by ScribeFire.