5 Diet ‘Rules’ to Stop Following Now

5 Diet ‘Rules’ to Stop Following Now
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I’ve been writing about holistic health for the past six years, and prior to that I'd been on every diet known to man. Looking back to my chubby cheeks in college and in the beginnings of my professional career, many of the diets that I attempted didn’t work. We all have diet rules to live by, but in reality, many of them may actually be keeping us from our ideal weights - and worse, steering us away from good nutrition habits.

My diet is defined by what I’ve learned researching, reporting, and writing on holistic health over the years. But more than anything else, I’ve learned what NOT to do to maintain a balance of good nutrition and healthy weight. Here’s my list of diet rules that you shouldn’t follow:

1. Milk Does a Body Good

I do eat dairy, but not just any dairy. If you drink conventional milk and other dairy products all those hormones and antibiotics may do your body some real harm. This is a category that you can’t skimp on - buy organic milk products or skip it entirely. When you eat cheese, choose a high quality, local, minimally processed, chemical-free cheese. Cheese should be a treat, paired with a fancy glass of biodynamic wine - it shouldn’t be a part of every meal.

2. Avoid Fat

I eat tons of fat in the form of avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. These are all monounsaturated fats that lower your cholesterol, keep blood sugar levels under control, and are good for brain health. Avocados in particular are great sources of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. In terms of fat, avoid eating too much of the unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats found in processed foods.

Sara Novak
Sara Novak
Author
Sara Novak specializes in health and food policy writing for Discovery Health. Her work has also been featured on TreeHugger, HowStuffWorks.com, TLC Cooking, and Animal Planet. After graduating from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, Sara headed up the communication efforts for a national scholarship program in Washington, D.C. She loves fiddling with healthful recipes, traveling, and exploring life atop her yoga mat.
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