What is a healthy diet? It's all relative, really. To some, it means not eating out, to others it might be eating fruits and vegetables daily. But really, how good are your eating habits? Here are clues indicating you're not eating that healthy after all.

1- Your recycling box is full
Great, you contribute and do your part for the planet, but it also means you eat a lot of packaged food. Most of these are processed and not whole. Here's a list of not so healthy packaged foods:

Cold cereal: if you cook quinoa or steel cut oats, then great, anything else has been processed and stripped of nutrients.
Juice box: eat the whole fruit and get the full spectrum of vitamins. Unless you juiced it yourself, this is pure sugar.
Yogurt container: you can make your own, or at least buy the natural organic kind, not the fruit or flavored ones.
Cracker box: even though it maybe advertised as organic and low fat, it is still processed, unless it's raw or you baked it. 

2- You're eating whole grains and buy natural organic food.
Patients often tell me they eat whole grains, mostly consisting of bread (which still has sugar in it and preservatives), crackers, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain cereals. Most of these are often processed with white flour and other ingredients, and most don't contain much fiber or nutrients. Eating organic is a good choice, but some of these products are not fully organic and sometimes still contain preservatives which are not natural or easily absorbed by the body.

3-You're vegetarian, eating low fat, gluten free...
Being vegetarian is relative to what you eat. It could mean eating fries, pancakes and cookies all day long. As long as you eat healthy and whole foods, it doesn't matter if you eat meat, fish or are vegan.

The low fat craze of the 80's is not as prominent anymore, but some people still believe that eating avocado, nuts and seeds, and adding olive oil to their salads will contribute to weight gain. These foods are full of nutrients and provide essential fatty acids required by the body to stay healthy.

You've chosen to eat gluten free, perhaps because you have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, have a sensitivity to wheat, or simply think it is healthier for you. However, it won't provide perfect health unless you eat real wholesome food. There are many gluten free products out there that are processed and stripped of fiber and nutrients, which basically negates any health benefits.

So what else are you supposed to eat? Is there anything left? Sure, and here's some help.

I believe in the 80/20 diet. Eating healthy 80 % of the time and having a little less good food for the rest.

80% of the time, eat the following:

• Nuts and seeds: raw, roasted, sprouted or even making milk out of them.
  
• All fresh fruits and vegetables: cooked, steamed, raw, stir fried, grilled...add spices, olive oil, sea salt, or cook them in wine (I'm French, after all).
  
• Fresh wild fish, wild meat or organic meat (Free of hormones).
  
• Quinoa (not a grain by the way), brown or wild rice, buckwheat, sprouted grains.
  
• Sweet: raw honey, stevia.

20% of the time, consider some of these:

• A glass of wine.
• Dairy: hard and older cheeses (goat is best), goat yogurt, raw milk.
  
• Brown rice cakes, home made granola bars.
  
• Dark chocolate, at least 75% cocoa.

Look for recipes that are simple, quick and delicious, and enjoy the benefit of a healthy diet. Start slow, introduce new foods and eliminate one processed food each week. Plan ahead. Before the start of the week, hard boil a few eggs, grill salmon, cook some quinoa, and make a veggie stew. Bring nuts and seeds everywhere so you're never caught without options to eat healthy when out of the home. It will become a habit in no time, and you will reap the benefits of optimum health.

Clara Cohen
Reg. Acupuncturist at Healing Cedar Wellness

I took it slow and Each week I changed only one thing:

1. Introduction to meatless dinners
2. Fresh Fruits salads for snacks 
3. Almonds and dark chocolate for hiking 
4. Tasty salads with goat cheese, walnuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
5. Plain yogurt with stevia and organic strawberries
6. Broccoli with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil 
7. Quinoa with coconut milk, seeds, and cinnamon for breakfast
8. Grilled fish, asparagus and mushrooms with rosemary and seas salt
9. Sweet potatoes bakes with chili pepper and paprika
10. Summer smoothies after a sweaty tennis game

I never bought junk and made his lunches and breakfasts: he saved money (which he was very happy about) and in spite of the resistance, he ate it all, admittedly with some complaint at first, but soon realized his health was improving. I also added supplements and acupuncture to his regimen. 

Today, he has no allergies, his skin is rash free, and has a daily bowel movement. He probably will be embarrassed I'm mentioning his daily bathroom ritual (Dr. oz opened a whole new world to us since he talked about poop). He's never sick with the flu and hasn't miss a day of work in years. He loves healthy foods and actually will request my brown rice stir fry dishes, grilled asparagus, salads and smoothies. Of course bad habits die hard. He still likes fast foods and will enjoy it once in a while, but at least not every day and keeps telling me, he owes me his health. So it's all worth it!

When you find it difficult to keep your kids or partner on a healthy path, remember that in the long run, they will thank you and appreciate the effort you made on their behalf. Just do it slowly, incrementally and with love, the reward is so worth it.

And for the record, I brought health to my hubby but he opened up a new world to me,  and now I really enjoy reading the news and watching science fiction movies with him. In the past ten years, we have grown from each other and our relationship is stronger each year because of it. 

Here's to health, family life, and constant growth.

Clara Cohen
Port Moody & Coquitlam Acupuncturist
Healing Cedar Wellness