I hear this all the time. The truth is, we should get no more than one cold per year, and we should not have acid reflux, high cholesterol, constipation, backaches, headaches, muscle cramps, rashes, warts, fungus on our toenails, baldness, premature graying, difficult menstruation, mood swings, and depression.

So what are you eating? Given the current economic times, most of us are consuming the cheapest food you can find that has not (as far as we know) been on the floor. That may not be good enough. You might be able to do better, if you know how to eat in season and for your condition; how to find healthier foods and prepare them how to save money and eat less while feeling satisfied.

I just visited the Metrowest YMCA, where on Member Appreciation Day (today), they were giving out free (green) bananas, (non-organic) green apples, and small boxes of high-fiber cereal. A great idea to make people smile with free food, but here are the dangers:

1. Bananas are toxic to our bodies in winter, even when ripe. If you must consume a banana, please cook it (fried as a dessert, in pancakes, or in banana bread), or salt it. They should be eaten rarely, by healthy people, in summer weather (think about where they grow). Unfortunately many of us have bananas often, to our serious detriment.
2. Green apples are great in small amounts, especially after a meal. But when they have pesticides, it’s critical to wash them and preferable to cook them (baked apples, in oatmeal, apple sauce, jello, apple juice, etc.). Having a whole, unwashed, non-organic green apple in winter is not healthy eating.
3. Boxed cereal is junk food. Read the label. Even if it’s whole grain, it is highly processed and turns to sugar in our bodies. Sodium levels are extremely high in these products as well. Anything over 50mg per serving is not good. Plus, these dried foods cause wrinkles, constipation, and bad mood.

It may not be as bad as a burger and french fries. But do not expect it to prevent illness. What should you eat?

• Boiled grains such as brown rice (pressure-cooked, short grain with a pinch of sea salt in winter), millet, barley and quinoa to name a few;
• Sautéed vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, winter squash, turnips, radishes, broccoli, mushrooms and cauliflower are great, as are blanched or pressed salads, and sea salt pickles;
• Bean soups and stews, burritos, chili and soy products such as tempeh, tofu and natto;
• A small amount of smaller, wild fish such as cod or salmon, once per week this time of year is fine.

There are also some superfoods, such as umeboshi plums, shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, and sesame seeds.

Of course, besides what you eat, there is also:

• How much you eat
• How often you eat
• How well you chew
• How much sleep you get
• How much exercise you get
• What your stress level is
• What you do all day

Are you getting all this? If it is overwhelming, it may be because it takes time to learn these things. We spend years studying algebra, geometry, perhaps even calculus, and maybe 25% of us use it in our lives.

But learning how to take care of your body so you prevent illness, and live a long and happy life, is something virtually all of us can make use of.

Call me, today, at 508.333.4153 and I’ll come right over. Or keep reading.

Comments appreciated!!