Over the years I have learnt that the best way to maintain a healthy diet is to follow a simple set of guidelines that realistically apply to us all, to help promote a healthy glowing complexion, the health of our internal organs, increased immunity and an active body and mind.

general guidelines for 90% of your diet

Eat when you are hungry, not when the clock tells you to, and remember to chew your food.

Graze rather than overeat. Large meals are harder to digest, place a strain on your organs and can result in indigestion.

Eat a balanced, nutritious diet based on organic and biodynamic (as much as you can afford) wholefoods: fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.

Eat both raw and cooked foods.

Eat plenty of antioxidant rich foods such as brightly colored fruits and vegetables: berries, kiwi, carrots, sweet potato, beetroot, broccoli, watermelon; and a variety of nuts and seeds, such as sunflower, flax, hemp, sesame and pumpkin seeds; and almonds, walnuts and brazil nuts to also ensure a diet rich in essential fats, zinc, and other minerals.

Eat plenty of phyto-oestrogen rich foods such as soya, linseeds, celery, parsley, beans, fennel and alfalfa, that help the body in times of hormonal change such as puberty and menopause.

Eat plenty of nutrient dense foods such as chlorophyll, hemp seeds, cacao, maca root powder, goji berries, aloe vera juice and coconuts.

Ensure that you are drinking an adequate amount of clean filtered water every day, and replace coffee and tea with herbal teas that help with detoxification.

Drink apple cider vinegar and eat probiotic rich foods to help improve your digestion and immune system.

STOP smoking: AVOID alcohol, caffeine, processed foods and take-out foods with added chemicals and processed ingredients; AVOID refined table salt, sugar, margarine, saturated fats and fried foods; AVOID dairy, meat and cage eggs; AVOID soft drinks, cordial, bottled juices and vitamin waters that are full of sugar and artificial additives.

The other 10% of the time, please don’t feel guilty about what you’re consuming. That guilt and emotional stress has a detrimental effect on your physical (and emotional) health, beauty and happiness. Indulge and enjoy it! Feel good about the fact that you’re feeding your body and mind with highly nutritious foods 90% of the time and that this piece of cake, chocolate, icecream, chips or whatever is simply an enjoyable treat.

Most importantly, listen to your body and do what is “right” for YOU.

If you are truly keen to learn more about nutrition Don Tolman’s Farmacist Desk Reference and DVD Series are brilliant. There is a wealth of information within his books and DVDS. Even better… if you are lucky enough to be in the same city when he is speaking at one of his events, I highly recommend attending. The manner in which he imparts his wisdom is inspiring, to say the least.

Alternatively The China Study by Colin Campbell is absolutely fantastic, and without a doubt the most comprehensive study on nutrition ever conducted. Of all the great nutrition books out there, this is by far the best I have ever read.