Here is the second part of my nutritional newsletter that is continued from last month. Nutrition is a passion of mine and passing on these nutritional tips will hopefully help you achieve your wellness goals as these tips have really helped me with mine.

Make more of your own food. All of the amazing food options in new york city give us so many opportunities to eat foods from all over the globe. There is nothing better than going out for a great meal and eating great tasting food. I love going out to eat but think there should be a balance between eating out and making your own food. The best part of making your own food is that you know exactly what the ingredients are and don't have to guess if it's healthy or not.  

You have total control of what goes into your meal. If you know a bit about me than you know that I am a firm believer in energy and how our positive or negative thoughts can influence our world. That being said, I sure don't want to eat anything that was prepared by someone in a bad mood. Even if you don't cook there are so many ways to make healthy meals in under 20 minutes.  

One example would be to bake wild salmon for about 17-20 minutes at 425 degrees with a little lemon squeezed on top, boil water add quinoa and cook for 13-15 minutes, and have a salad (to save some time buy the prewashed organic salad varieties). If you eat out every night or order in, start by making one meal a week and maybe get up to 2 or 3 over time. Baby steps are great and a little effort is better than none at all.

Slow down, be a conscious eater, and chew more. Alright so I try to practice what I preach, but in this case I fail. I am usually the first to finish my meal at the table. Perhaps it is because when I was growing up my dad would go after the food on my plate after he was done with his. Eating was always a bit strategic for me. I had to finish before I could see my dad's fork in my periphery preparing to puncture the last morsels of food on my plate.  

The best way to eat is to chew your food at least 50 times before swallowing. When you chew this many times you are aiding in your digestion because the enzyme ptyalin, which is found in your saliva, breaks down carbohydrates and allows for more complete digestion before food enters the stomach. If you won't chew each piece of food 50 times than be conscious of how many times you chew your food and increase it by 5, 10, or whatever amount of times is right for you. While you are chewing more, be grateful for the food on your plate. Gratefulness goes a long way.

Try to buy organic as much as possible. Organic foods do not use pesticides, genetic engineering, growth hormones, antibiotics, irradiation, and chemical fertilizers. Generally the animals are allowed to range or pasture and are treated humanely. Pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones contribute to cancer risks. As New Yorkers, we are overburdened by pollution and toxins everyday. Eating organic food is one way to limit your intake of chemicals. Another major reason to eat organic is because organic foods have more nutrients, and are therefor better for us.  

An example of this is organic lettuce has 4.5 times as much calcium, 3.5 times as much magnesium, 3 times as much potassium, 12 times as much sodium, 169 times as much thiamine, 50 times as much iron, and 20 times as much copper as conventional lettuce. If you can't find an organic food item than go with all natural if it is a meat product. Organic foods may be more expensive, but it is well worth the cost and probably less expensive in doctor copay visits down the line.

Supplement your diet with whole food vitamins. Unfortunately, numerous studies have indicated that today's fruits and vegetables are between 30 and 40 percent less nutritious than they were fifty years ago. The average person back in 1960 probably didn't require whole food vitamins like the average person does today because they were able to obtain more nutrients from their foods if they ate well. Over farming has caused the soil to be depleted of essential nutrients by the crops being harvested but are not being replenished. Add into this pesticides and fertilizers and your food gets an even lower nutrient profile.  

Whole food vitamins provide the body with essential nutrients that you think you are getting in your diet. Some of the many deficiencies I see in my practice are vitamin c, b, k, d, a, calcium, zinc, iodine, tyrosine, omega 3's, digestive enzymes, hcl, trace minerals, protein, good fats, bile salts, and many more. You would have to eat 10 servings of certain foods today to get the required nutrition for many vitamins and minerals. Supplementing guarantees you get what you need nutritionally.

Eat more raw fruits and vegetables. Cooking reduces the nutritional value of most foods. When you eat foods that still contain their natural enzymes, the digestion process gives energy to your body rather than sapping it. The enzymes you get from raw fruits and vegetables help your entire digestive process. If you only eat cooked foods try to incorporate some raw fruits and vegetables in your diet. You can use the glycemic index guide to assess the sugar content of certain foods. It is best to stay below 55 as a general rule. Salads are a great, easy addition to the diet. Apples are also very easy to incorporate.

Years ago a colleague told me to go into the supermarket, look around and every week for six weeks choose a different fruit or vegetable to buy. I was told to see what I was drawn to and if I wanted to try it. It really opened my eyes to the different kinds of foods that are available. I pass this along to you. Try it and have fun with it. Diversify your diet and you may discover some great new foods that you have never tried before.