Staying Healthy

If you're looking for another incentive to try my eating plan, how about this: I've barely had so much as a head cold since I started eating this way and losing weight. There's something to be said healthwise for including lots of produce in your diet--fruits and vegetables have loads of vitamins and antioxidants in them, in addition to fiber and water to keep you full and hydrated. Plus, if you eat in the "clean" way I'm describing, you're not filling your body with tons of additives, preservatives and other questionable substances that could easily introduce toxins that make you sick.

I also believe my immune system has improved dramatically since I started my eating plan. I used to fall prey to every sniffle, sneeze, cough, infection, etc. my daughters caught and brought home from school. But now, I'm much less likely to feel so much as a tickle in my throat (and if I do, Zicam and plenty of water work great for squelching a budding cold). Most of the principles I am advocating are supported by the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/food-nutrition-lifestyle/nutrition/what-can-i-eat/healthy-food-choices.jsp) and the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_3.asp?sitearea=PED) as ways to prevent these more serious illnesses. So you'd be wise to make these changes to your diet and lifestyle--they're not hard and they make you feel so good, especially when you start seeing those results!