Whole Foods

The term "health food" used to always conjure up certain images in my mind: a heaping bowl of grass and bark, a handful of granola, raw celery and carrots.  I have since learned that eating healthy doesn't have to be bland or boring.  My diet is basically whole foods, meaning foods minimally changed from the way nature intended.  I have eliminated all processed and refined foods (white flour and sugar, preservatives and chemicals) and try to stick to mostly vegetables, fruit, whole grains, chicken and fish.  The only canned foods I use are beans, because dried are too time-consuming for me to prepare, and tomatoes.  I do use prepared stock for my soups, but have found several good brands of boxed chicken, beef and vegetable broth at Whole Foods, Trader Joe, and even Costco.  The best advice I can give for leaving dangerous chemicals out of your diet is this: READ THE LABELS!  Generally, if I can't pronounce it, I don't want it in my body!  Look for the smallest amount of ingredients possible, and stay away from ingredients that were born in a lab.  Most of all, try to limit packaged food and stick to fresh whenever possible!