Living Processed-Free is the term I have coined to describe the philosophy of The Science of Skinny. Others have described it as holistic nutrition or clean eating. The nutshell of processed-free living is this: Eat foods in their closest to natural form as possible, avoid processed and refined foods, artificial sweeteners, and chemical preservatives, and you will reap the benefits of a healthy and happy body.
When we say closest to natural form as possible, we mean eating a piece of fruit instead of a fruit roll-up, or a baked potato instead of French fries. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D).
A person who eats processed-free generally adopts the following practices:
Eliminates white sugar and white flour
Eliminates artificial sweeteners
Eliminates trans-fats and foods fried in unhealthy oils
Eats a variety of whole grains
Minimizes consumption of dairy products, with the exception of a daily serving of yogurt
Minimizes exposure to pesticides
Always eats breakfast and never skips meals
Reads food ingredient lists and avoids as many chemical additives as possible
Eats an abundance of vegetables and fruits
Incorporates legumes, nuts, and seeds into their daily meals and snacks
Cooks healthy meals
Packs healthy meals and snacks
Makes healthy choices when dining out
Drinks an adequate amount of water
Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
Stays within healthy portion guidelines, but does not obsess about calories
Has a healthy relationship with food and approaches it with reverence
Surrounds themselves with a social community supportive to healthy eating
This list may seem like a tall order, but those who have been willing to give processed-free living an honest try, have found the improvements in their health astounding and remarkable. Our bodies need whole foods, as close as possible to the way nature provides them, in order to function well. Lucky for us, most of nature’s foods are readily available, and this book will teach you how to enjoy nature’s bounty in a way that is satisfying and delicious!
You may have to spend a little more time and money shopping for healthy foods, and a little more time in the kitchen preparing them, however, it will be time well spent now to save yourself from having to spend more time and money later on doctor visits and medications. When you make the effort and adopt the elements of processed-free living, you may begin to rebuild your birthright of good health. The willingness to strive for progress, not perfection, will bring about results simply by following the plan to the best of your ability.
