March 2008 Issue
Many people are turned off by nutrition, because people think they’ll have to give up their regular diet and start eating things they know are “good” for them but that they don’t enjoy.
Taking away people’s favorite foods is like taking heroin away from a heroin addict. The food is giving them something they need. I have found that one of the most effective methods to overcome habitual consumption of unhealthy foods is to simply crowd out these foods.
It’s hard to eat five fruits and vegetables a day and binge on ice cream at the end of the day. The body can only take so much food.
If you fill your body with healthy, nutrient-dense foods, it is only natural that cravings for unhealthy foods will lessen substantially.
Eating healthy foods can crowd out junk foods. Vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, and you can eat a lot of them without gaining weight. When you increase your intake of nutritious foods, such as dark leafy greens and whole grains, your body will have less room for processed, sugary, nutrient-deficient foods.
And the beautiful part is that once you start adding these foods into your diet, your body will naturally begin to crave them. The trick is to organize your life so that you have access to these healthful foods at all times, especially when you feel like snacking at work or when you are traveling.
I’d like to make it clear that I am not against fast, convenient food. I think it’s a great idea. But I long for the day when the colorful packages on our supermarket shelves and the papery wrappers from fast food restaurants contain good, wholesome, nutritious foods that keep us healthy.
Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd
Founder and Director
