There are soooo many articles on the web touting a certain way to eat, and it can get very confusing. In one place you may read that eggs are okay and beneficial to your health, and in another article you may find that they are indeed very dangerous to consume.

Some diets set out to accomplish different goals, such as losing weight. This is something that a lot of us want to do, but more importantly, we want to eat for health. I know I want to eat foods that are going to prevent diseases, fight premature aging, and defend my body against a host of other awful maladies. In doing so, I have lost weight, but I ultimately feel great because I know that the foods that I am feeding my body are going to fuel me to ward off awful things and energize me as well.

So what is this healthful diet? I try to follow T. Colin Campbell’s description (author of the China study…so interesting, definitely look into it) from his book “Whole” where he states “Consume plant-based foods in forms as close to their natural state as possible. Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, raw nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, and whole grains. Avoid heavily processed foods and animal products. Stay away from added salt, oil, and sugar. Aim to get 80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 10 percent from fat, and 10 percent from protein.” He describes this as a Whole Foods Plant Based Lifestyle, and that’s what I’m going to focus on in this blog.

So notable exceptions from this description are meats, eggs, and dairy. I will definitely be delving more into this later, but these foods often contain a lot of toxins, and also raise levels of the hormone IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1). At very high levels this hormone allows cancer cells to thrive. But, both too high levels and too low levels of this hormone can be dangerous. Read more about this here.

So am I a vegan? No. At this time, I still eat meat, but I do it with more balance. I eat less meat than I used to, and think of it more as a “condiment” rather than the main component of the meal. In doing so, I have had the opportunity to expand my diet choices, and try new foods. I have learned a lot about different plant based proteins, and have incorporated them a lot more into my meals. Life is all about balance. In the rare occasion that I want a steak, I will eat a small one, and balance it with healthy veggies to help counteract any dangerous effects.

As you can see, I love cookies (definitely my guilty pleasure) and the occasional martini. My diet is not perfect, but I try my best, and sub in healthy options for my favorite foods when I can. For this blog, I want to include healthy options for everyone, and a guide to selecting the healthiest options at our favorite restaurants. Let me know what your favorite guilty pleasures are.