What is that makes a diet healthy? What kind of a diet do you need to eat to get a healthy body which ultimately leads to clear skin?

The old diet question has been changed, mashed up, and spewed out in so many forms. There is so much misinformation, opinionation, and brain washing from society and the food industry, as well as the legacies of numerous health and diet books by every random joe with a soapbox (kind of like me? hehe). Everything is so muddled now. No one knows what to believe!

I mean, certainly there are foods we know for sure are not good for you, like trans fats, and refined foods. But there is so much debate in this world about so called ‘healthy foods’ and which of them are truly good for you. No wonder it’s confusing. I’d be confused.

I was very confused, but I have it mostly figured out now.

The fact is, there is no catch all diet that works for everyone. I feel that that’s why there’s so much confusion. A food that is good for one person may not be good for another. Person A may have had food X and Y work for them, so they shout it from the rooftop, but you may be allergic to food X and Y. High carbohydrate diets may work miracles for some people, but render another person sluggish and tired. Our bodies are all different. I know. It sucks.

However, before we start getting into the figurative meat and potatoes, I do feel that there are some general, all encompassing rules that you can safely bet on when it comes to deciding what kind of a diet is generally healthy.

Bear in mind of course, this is just my opinion – one of many out there. So you don’t have to listen. But everything I’m writing on this website is based on my own experiences and all the widespread research I’ve done in my time as an acne victim, and now as a nutrition student. And I did manage to clear my severe acne, so if you want my advice, here it is! That is why you’re here, isn’t it? For my advice?

The Nine Elements of a Healthy Diet

So without further adieu, here is Tracy McCullough’s opinion of nine elements that make up an optimally healthy diet, in no particular order:

• Whole Foods. This is one of the most important. The majority of the things you eat should be as close as possible to the form in which they came from nature. This means eating less processed foods, and going for mostly fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, meats, whole grains, and legumes.
• Nutritious Foods: There’s hardly a point in often consuming foods that don’t contain important vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and phytonutrients. These are the components that get your cells working their best! If you want those skin cells regenerating properly, don’t include foods in your diet that are devoid of nutrients (like white bread or rice).
• Fresh Foods. Don’t eat spoiled food. That’s pretty easy. But you should also eat food and especially fruits and vegetables as close as possible to when you bought or picked them, as foods do lose vitamins the longer they sit.
• Clean Foods. Organic foods and foods free of chemicals and preservatives are best. If you do your darndest to avoid processed foods, you avoid a lot of chemicals right there. But what about buying your fruits and vegetables organic? Yes, organic is best, but do what you can. I eat some things organic, and would eat all of it that way if I were rich, but I’m not. And I still got clear. Oh yeah, wash your fruits and veg, too.
• Tasty and Appealing Foods. Healthy food doesn’t have to be gross! I cook tasty and appealing meals all the time. The diet has to be gratifying otherwise you’ll never stick with it. There’s a thing called eating for the soul, after all… the more delectable and visually pleasing a feast, the more it nourishes our hearts as well as our physical bodies. However, often when people start on a healthy diet, they have addictions to fats, sweets, and chemicals, and don’t see the appeal. Once you detoxify, you’ll learn to love it.
• Variety and Rotation. A variety of foods ensures a variety of nutrients. Not only that, but people with poor digestive systems (which is most of us), end up with allergies to the things we eat most often, because the body’s immune system is reacting to these foods over and over again. For example, this is why one of the most common food intolerances is wheat. If we get a wide variety of whole foods in our diet, it’s less likely we will have problems with food sensitivities (which can cause acne!)
• Seasonal Foods. Listen to what your body wants. It’s more likely to want light, water rich fruits and vegetables in the summer (when these things are grown), and more hearty soups and meats in the winter to keep us warm. The variety throughout the growing seasons keeps us healthy by adding variety, and also means you are more likely to buy local produce. Local produce is fresher and less chemical laden, as well as better for the environment.
• Moderation: Don’t overeat. It’s one of the most damaging things we can do, as it creates enormous stress on the body, and none of that energy can be used for housekeeping tasks (like clearing your skin up). Overconsumption of sugars, fats, protein, salt, and chemicals can also lead to improper nutritional balance. The good news though is that you’re less likely to overeat anyway if you’re eating nutritious foods, because your body’s needs will be met before you go overboard.
• Balance: Like all areas of your life, your diet needs balance. It needs a good balance of proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, phytonutrients, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, poultry, meats, sour flavours, bitter flavours, sweet flavours, spicy flavours, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, acid forming foods, and alkalizing foods. Whew.

So there you have it.

That may seem daunting, but I am here to help you decipher this path you need to take to claim what is rightfully yours – a glowing complexion! Just use this list as a guideline to decide for yourself if your diet is okay, or if it is way off in space. If there are plenty of discrepancies, don’t be upset, just think about how you can improve and go from there!

Bonus article: How to Be Healthy: 47 Quick Ways to Improve Your Wellbeing Right Now