In a previous post I discussed the Evolutionary Fitness diet. So here are five simple tips for implementing this nutritional plan:
1. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and even osteoporosis. They are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and various other beneficial substances. Fresh fruit and vegetable consumption is probably the best way to improve your health through diet.
2. Emphasize high animal protein foods from natural sources, such as organic fresh meat, fish, and poultry. If possible, consume free range, pasture fed beef or buffalo, which is vastly superior to the average meat in terms of containing less fat and antibiotics, and having a healthier fat profile.
3. Include fresh, raw nuts in your diet. These include almonds, pecans, filberts (hazelnuts), walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and pistachios, but not peanuts or cashews, which are legumes. Nuts have been shown to have benefits for the heart, and may even improve longevity. They are one of the few natural sources of the mineral magnesium, which is sorely lacking in most people’s diets.
4. Avoid all processed, boxed, refined, packaged and fried foods, as well as fast foods. These include baked goods, snack foods, frozen meals, processed meats, sweets, and starches. They are high in refined carbohydrates, sweeteners, harmful fats, sodium, and preservatives, and low on vitamins, minerals, fiber, and nutrients in general.
5. Use only olive oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil. Avoid vegetable oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil, as well as margarine, shortening, and mayonnaise.