Four steps to a healthy diet

By Dr. Xiaomei Cai

Human beings, like other living things, rely on clean air, pure water, and a large variety of foods to stay healthy.  Everyone has a favorite food they like to eat daily, but in order to maintain a balanced diet, people need to eat foods that they may not prefer.

The human body has five major organs: the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys.  In order to nourish these and all other organs in our bodies, we need to eat natural whole foods.  Leafy, flower, stem or root vegetables, beans, and nuts, for example, are excellent natural sources of nutrition.

A healthy lifestyle is central to longevity, and while many ingredients are required to achieve it, maintaining a balanced diet is the first and most basic step that one must take.  Here are some suggestions for how to maintain a healthy diet:

1.  Less meat, more greens

There is an old Chinese saying that reads, "Food with 4 legs (e.g., beef, pork, lamb) is not as good as food with 2 legs (e.g., duck and chicken); food with 2 legs is not as good as food with 1 leg (e.g., mushroom and fruit); food with 1 leg is not as good as food with no legs (e.g., fish and vegetables)."

We do not need to be strict vegetarians, but we should eat only a small portion of meat each day.  An ideal daily diet consists of the following:

In all of the above categories, fresh organic foods are best. One should also have at least 25 different kinds of foods weekly—daily, if possible.

2. Three meals a day plus snacks

Central to eating smart is having the standard three meals a day along with one or two small snacks in between.  When those hunger pangs strike, people often make the mistake of gorging themselves on food and end up overeating. Small, healthy snacks in between meals help prevent this.  In addition, it is important to eat slowly and to chew carefully.  Reaching 70% fullness at the end of each meal is ideal.  This leaves room inside the body, allowing energy to maintain its flow throughout the entire system.  Consult the end of this article for some sample meals that are healthy, convenient, and easy to prepare.

3. Healthy cooking

The way a food is processed and cooked will often alter the nutrients it contains.  We may not have control over how food is processed, but when cooking, keep the following in mind:

  1. To preserve its natural nutrients, stir fry your food instead of deep frying it.
  2. Opt for steaming your grains or vegetables instead of baking them to preserve their moisture.
  3. Try to eat your food plain or with only small amounts of seasoning.
  4. Limit the amount of barbecue foods you consume, regardless of whether the food was barbecued using gas or charcoal fire.
  5. Stay away from greasy foods.

4.  8 glasses of water daily (not to be replaced by tea, juice, or coffee)

Water is one of the most essential ingredients for life and cannot be replaced by tea, juice, or coffee.  One should aim to have 8 glasses of water each day.  Always have 1 cup of lukewarm water when you wake up to hydrate your body and clear your system.  Then wait for 30 minutes before starting your breakfast.  Similarly, always remember to drink 1 glass of water 30 minutes before both lunch and dinner.  Drink red wine only once a week, and opt for tea in the morning instead of coffee with sugar and cream.

Exercise, sleep, and meditation

A balanced diet is the first step toward healthy living, but the importance of exercise, adequate sleep, and daily meditation must not be overlooked.  Moderate exercise that includes cardio training and stretches 3 to 4 times per week helps boost energy levels both mentally and physically.  Sleeping for 7-8 hours each night and peaceful meditation for 10-15 minutes each
day will further improve mental and emotional health.

The above represents a general list of recommendations. If you are suffering from an imbalanced condition, remember to consult your practitioner for specific dietary suggestions.

Sample Meals