God did not intend us to be accountants. The key to being slim, healthy, attractive and happy is NOT keeping score, but living a balanced life. Unfortunately, our capitalist society makes it fairly difficult to find balance.

Few of us are properly trained in nutrition, fitness, cooking—including those with nutrition and medical degrees.

So what about Carbs, Protein, Calcium? How much do you need?

Answers vary, but if you observe healthy people, foreign countries, and our ancient roots, you will find:

Carbs used to come from boiled grains such as rice, corn, millet, barley, oats and quinoa. When chewed properly, these foods give us steady energy all day, no beer belly, and no cavities (provided we brush). The reason we need to limit them now, is because of refined flour products such as muffins, bagels, cookies, brownies, cakes, crackers, pretzels and breads, pizza and pasta, as well as sugar products, such as chocolates, candies, and sugared drinks. Eat more of the former, chew well (we have a lot of teeth for grinding grains), and eat less (or none) of the latter. In the middle, are sourdough bread and whole grain pastas, which should be eaten in limited quantities.

If you feel bloated, or are gaining weight, eat less, chew more, and exercise more. It’s that simple.

In large amounts, animal protein has been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, alzeimers, and much more. If you want numbers, here they are: 20% animal protein or more, and you are creating disease. 5% animal protein or less, and you are turning off disease. The average American consumes about 30% animal protein.

There is plenty of protein in beans, and a small amount in grains and vegetables. The perfect amount for the body to do its thing, as it has done for eighty thousand years, and as they do in other countries, that do not have the luxury of animal protein with every meal. So although The 99, Outback, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Friendly’s and AppleBee’s tempt you with chicken, steak, pork, eggs, cheese, ice cream, it’s not for your health, so much as their wealth. Instead, look to organic plant-based foods, which have grown in popularity lately, as heart disease has trended down, and which hollywood uses to keep that healthy glow.

Calcium is another area where people are deceived by big business. In most every country around the world, people get their calcium from legumes and beans such as chick peas, and green vegetables such as kale, collard greens and the like. They do not suffer from osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, or other maladies. Whereas here, we are instructed to drink our milk, and eat our cheese, and have faithfully obeyed, until we lead the world in osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Dairy foods have animal protein, hormones from cows, massive amounts of antibiotics and pesticides, and all kinds of nasty bacteria, that lead to illness and death from SIDS, Allergies, Asthma, leukemia, influenza and much more.

Eat whatever you want folks—but the proof is in the pudding. Spend one day at your local supermarket, and watch 10 obese people, and count the animal foods they put into their cart. Then watch 10 thin people, and do the same. You will learn something.

Enjoy…