How to Eat like a Human

It's funny how humanity has made everything so easy, and yet it is now harder than ever to live the simple life. What we consume has become a commodity in of itself, as the maniacal push to sell products for the sake of 'the bottom line' rather than concern for public health has warped our perception of what we should eat - indeed what we want to eat. But you are in control of what you put into your system, just as you have a choice between premium and regular fuel.

Think of yourself as a high quality vehicle. Now, you wouldn't give your $100,000 Mercedes sub-par oil and the cheapest gas you could find, right? Of course not! You want your car to maintain peak performance for as long as possible. Your body is the same way, and it's the only vehicle you will be driving for the rest of your life.

The packaged foods at grocery stores is a temptation most of us overworked and frenzied worker bees tend to gravitate towards; who wants to make tasty morsels in two hours when you can pick it up, wolf it down, and chuck the wrapper in seconds? But saving time for the sake of convenience will only cost you in the long run in the form of health maladies like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

All you have to do is start substituting the little things. Instead of getting a box of mac n cheese (filled with heart-clogging hydrogenated oils), grab some fresh pasta salad at the deli. Swap out fried chicken for baked; opt for ready-made sushi rather than a big mac.

It's difficult to change your entire diet, especially when you've been conditioned to eat unhealthy for so many years without really thinking about what kind of fuel your body really needs.

If you can't take the plunge right away, try buying products that are similar to but better for you. Example: Get fat-free milk instead of whole; buy fresh snack-able fruits like grapes or buy precut veggies instead of that bag of chips and dip; eat antioxidant rich dark chocolate instead of the sugar-packed "milk-chocolate" alternative. For your salad dressing, avoid creamy sauces and opt for oil and vinegar solutions, and try integrating whole wheat in place of nutrient-stripped white flour products.

And remember your quantities. You don't need to eat that entire steak - in fact, you are doing yourself a favor if you eat a bit less. A serving of meat should only be about a deck of cards, something that Europeans know, but Americans scoff at (and explains the "skinny French women" phenomenon). Try filling up on things that will do your body good before indulging in the easy crackerjack pre-packaged "goods."

Never go shopping on an empty stomach. This is the number one reason buy - on impulse - fast and easy foods that really aren't food at all. When you go to the store, make sure you read your labels, and avoid excessive amounts of high fructose corn syrup (thought to cause type II diabetes), hydrogenated oils (essentially fake oils that clog your arteries), and strange, often hard to pronounce additives (monosodium glutamate, anyone?).It just takes a few small steps at a time to change your perspective and eating practices. But once you start incorporating these things, you will start to feel a change for the better, and will actually desire foods that humans were designed to consume. Take care of that biological engine!