5 Top Foods to Avoid

Top 5 Foods to Avoid
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Guberti]Nancy Guberti 

Eating healthy is a crucial factor of any healthy lifestyle regime. Dieting causes thoughts of deprivation and most diet plans cannot be maintained long-term. Instead, let's revamp your current eating regime with avoiding these five foods because they are just not healthy for you and can pack on extra unwanted weight. Try to view food in a manner that you will ask yourself these important questions, "What are you going to get from eating this food?" and "Is this food nutritious to your body or is it a toxin with possible unhealthy side effects?"

Okay, let's get to those 5 top foods to avoid to help you lose weight:

1. Simple Carbohydrates: avoid simple carbohydrates found in processed foods as they are really empty calorie foods and offer zero nutrients to your body. Examples of most common simple carbohydrates are sucrose in simple sugar, white flour, honey, candy, cake, jam, biscuits, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, lactose in milk, maltose in most packaged cereals. Instead, consume complex carbohydrates especially vegetables like spinach, broccoli, zucchini, kale, Brussel sprouts, Swiss Chard and low glycemic fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, grapefruits, apple and pears. Yes, fruit also contains fructose so better to stock up on green leafy vegetables as opposed to fruit. Higher glycemic fruits are melons, mangoes, papayas, pineapples and bananas so treat them as an occasional treat. Balancing meals is always important.

2. Sugar and Sugary Beverages: Sugary beverages pack on the pounds and lead to over-consumption of calories. Water is definitely the best option when it comes to beverages. On a daily basis, in my private practice, I see many individuals who are dehydrated. It is more common then we think. Our bodies are made up of water so it's crucial that we replenish our bodies with water. If you want to add a flavor to your water then organic squeezed lemon along with organic stevia is a nice option. Research shows that sugar is very addictive and unhealthy as it affects our blood sugar levels, pancreatic functioning, feeds candida and cancer cells. Remember that artificial sugar free products stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. Try organic stevia instead as it is form a plant and not artificial.

3. Corn, MSG, Soy isolate protein powder: these are all excitotoxins with no nutritional value. Soy and corn are fed to animals to fatten them up quickly, even grass fed animals that are not grass finished are fed maize (corn) and soy for several months before slaughter cause it is a high-starch food! Well, it does the same for us! Instead, you can opt for popped sorghum as it is an easy to assimilate fiber and high in theanine which elevates mood and helps curb cravings.

MSG is monosodium glutamate and linked to weight gain. It is used as a food additive and flavor enhancer in processed foods ranging from salad dressings, snack chips, meats and frozen dinners. It negatively impacts the brain and central nervous system.

4. Gluten: the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale is growing problematic for many individuals. Gluten causes inflammation and it increases zonulin production and thereby increases intestinal permeability. Several good books on this topic are Wheat Belly, Grain Brain and The Second Brain. Do not be mislead and replace all gluten products with gluten free products because that GF products may be fattening as well. Instead, replace with Paleo products, lean meats and vegetables.

5. Fried Foods: French Fries, deep-fried foods, potato chips, onion rings, tempura, donuts and any fried food item is a high-calorie, high-fat fried food to avoid. Today, most people are eating too much omega-6 fats from corn, vegetable oil, soybeans, sunflower oil and canola oil. The ideal ratio of omega-3 (good fats) to omega-6 is imbalanced among the typical Western diet around 1:50. Better option is to grill food choices.

To keep it simple, start eliminating one of the above food groups every Saturday and monitor how you feel. After 5 weeks, you should be free of the foods that are throwing your weight loss/management issues in a tizzy. Monitor your energy level, hunger level, mood, happiness and weight.

Remember you health is worth it because YOU are worth it!

Nancy Guberti is a Bio-Medical Nutritional Detective utilizing functional medicine lab work to discover the root cause of your health issues and provides you with a customized supplement and food regime for you to reach your optimal health goals. For those clients unable to come into the office, Nancy offers long-distance consultations via Skype or phone. Nancy consults with clients worldwide.

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