First, you never want to eliminate any major food group from your diet, this could be damaging to your level of awareness and cause fatigue as well as many other problems. Instead I recommend that you look at controlling your intake of refined foods such as white bread and sugar and replace half of what you do take in with whole fruits and Vegetables, and of course move to whole grain breads and snacks. You should see a big difference in how you feel in the next 48 to 72 hours and if you continue with this trend over the next 21 days you should have formed a brand new meal plan for yourself.

The main rules are to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, keep fried and fatty foods to a minimum, and don’t feel you have to clear your plate – only eat until you’re full.

Instead of dessert, you might choose a drink. Go for tea or coffee without sugar. Avoid cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolates made with full-fat milk, and skip alcoholic liquors.

Most traditional snacks, like cookies and chips, are high in fat and empty calories, with little nutritional value. Try low-fat, low-cholesterol snacks instead, such as baked tortilla chips and salsa; fruit and low-fat yogurt dip; fresh vegetables and low- or no-fat dressing or dip; or low-fat graham crackers or low-fat angel food cake with berries.

The food guide pyramid was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nutrition experts have revised the guide to emphasize controlling portion sizes and making the healthiest choices possible within groups. For a personalized food guide, go to the interactive site: www.MyPyramid.gov.

Healthy living is the practice of enhancing health behaviors or living in healthy ways. It relates to the physical, mental and spiritual capacity to make healthy choices.