Since I approach nutrition from a health standpoint, I’m always writing and talking about nutrients: fiber, protein, fats, etc. But most of us don’t think in these terms; we think about eating in terms of food. So when it comes to translating my recommendations for a Mediterranean type diet into actual meal planning, where do you begin? Particularly if you don’t have much experience with cooking, or you live alone, it can feel overwhelming to think about preparing healthy meals.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there. Beyond the usual cookbooks, there are also websites that can help you out. If you are particularly trying to cut down on sugar, Dr. Mark Hyman has the perfect program for you, with his 10-Day Detox Diet — either online or in print. For general healthy meal planning, there is a free website called the Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan that holds your hand into the world of the Mediterranean diet, step by step and recipe by recipe. This site even has different plans for singles, families, diabetics, gluten-free, and more. For even more recipe ideas, check out the down-to-earth blog Eating Rules.
And at the grocery store, don’t forget about the handy NuVal tags to make quick comparisons on which foods are the best choices.
So the next time you hear the advice to increase your veggies or decrease your sugar intake, you now have a roadmap on how to actually implement that in your life.
