The foods we eat and our diets are woven deeply into our emotional makeup. Because of this, lasting change can be difficult. Most of us are aware that we don't eat as well as we could or should. Before you decide to improve your diet, first decide why you are doing it. We caution, that to change for a negative reason ("so I don't die, because I want to get my blood cholesterol down") are poor reasons. Rather look to the positive rewards of adopting a new eating life-style ("to enjoy my health and grandchildren for years to come, so I can enjoy physical activity, so I can better fulfill my lives mission with more vibrant energy"). The way we look at change really is important. Dietary changes are made one good recipe at a time.

Our diets should consist of predominately whole grains (starches) with the addition of Vegetables and Fruit. Eat a diet centered around whole grains (rice, wheat, oats, millet, rye, spelt, corn, amaranth, buckwheat, barley, couscous, quinoa, kamut, etc.), potatoes, whole grain pastas, beans, lentils, seeds and nuts. Emphasize a variety of organic whole grains, legumes and vegetables and de-emphasize flour products like breads and muffins. Eat several pieces of fresh fruit each day, especially before noon. Eat fruits and vegetables, fresh and in season whenever possible. Of course, organic is best and many local farmers markets carry organic and some organic growers even will deliver weekly.

Chew your food thoroughly (to the consistency of apple sauce). Eat slowly (set your fork down between bites). Drink plenty of water (8 oz., 10 minutes before your meal is a good habit). Drink at least 8 glasses of water, fresh juices or herbal teas (64 oz. or 1/2 gallon) each day. To loose unwanted pounds increase by one glass of water for every 25 pounds overweight you are. Eat high-quality, whole, unprocessed foods. Remain open to change, experimentation, and new recipes. Eat green salads. Purchase a good vegetarian cookbook. Calander your dinner menus and eliminate the kitchen search for what to make for dinner.

Salt: Change from processed table salt to sea salt. We like Celtic Sea Salt. When your body craves salt, it is asking for all of the minerals naturally found in salt from the sea, not just refined sodium chloride with iodine. Sea salt is balanced with essential minerals and trace minerals needed for good health. Using natural sea salt is a healthy choice.

Refined Flours & Sugars: Avoid these as they are constipating, mucus forming and do not have the nutritional value of whole foods. As you adapt your diet to whole food sources these refined products will begin to lose their appeal and strong emotional attachments.

Milk, Dairy, Eggs: Use very sparingly if at all. There are so many natural health substitutes that you'll hardly miss them. These foods create a lot of mucus in your digestive tract and are constipating. Stop using milk as a beverage. Substitute fruit juices for milk. Drink more water, juice and herb teas. Try soy, rice or almond milk on cereals and in cooking. One of the main concerns of the milk, cheese and eggs we purchase is that they are contaminated with hormones, antibiotics (many scientist suggest that minute trace amounts of antibiotics in our food supplies are responsible for the drug resistant infections that are appearing). If you use cheese, use only as a condiment to garnish foods. Hard cheeses (parmesan, Romano) are healthier choices than soft cheeses (American, Jack or Cheddar). Eat eggs only from organically fed free-range, chickens. Never, never use margarine, it is damaging to your arteries. Use real butter if you must, but very sparingly. Try olive oil as a butter substitute. Use a high quality cold-pressed organic olive oil on your next baked potato.

Meat: Our definition of meat: anything that has a face. Use it sparingly if at all. Hormone, pesticides, herbicides, and many drug residues and contaminants are found in our meat supplies. Meat, if used, should be used to garnish and add flavor to your food, not as the main course. If you do eat meat on occasion, cold water fish like salmon is best. Many healthfood stores carry meat from organically fed, chemical-free animals. Quality and quantity are the big issues.

Obvious Unhealthy Products: Eliminate completely; soda pop, tabacco, coffee, black/green tea (the types with caffeine), alcohol, and foods with artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, etc. Read the labels on the products you buy. If it has a chemically sounding name, then be suspicious of its health value.

As a general overall nutritional supplement, we recommend Earth's Nutrition™, a green drink containing organic whole food source vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements. Medicinal herbs in general can be considered as concentrated foods. Western Botanicals™ offers many herbal remedies designed to assist your bodies natural healing abilities restoring you to your optimal health. The body was designed to utilize nutrients as they are made by nature. Natural whole food herbal supplements are a better choice than those synthetically made by man in a laboratory. One of the secrets to a healthy diet and life-style is recipes. Some books we recommend are: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison, The McDougall Program, by John McDougall, M.D., and Vegitarian Times and Natural Health Magazines.

The products and the claims made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by Herbs First LLC or the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.