There are five easy steps to a healthy diet:

1. List your ten favorite foods.

2. List your five favorite beverages

3. List all green vegetables that look like marsh grass, fur balls, or little trees.

4. List water

5. Avoid 1 & 2; eat only 3; drink only 4.

We have previously chewed over the out-of proportion benefits of consuming crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts), tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Now we’ll move on to some other favorite foods, which in contrast to the crucifer class actually don’t resemble marsh grass, fur balls, or little trees. I don’t care if you whine, you’re not getting more. Recent studies show that drinking one glass of red wine every day may have certain health benefits. Research indicates that moderate red wine consumption may help protect against certain cancers and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Red wines contain several antioxidants that are responsible for its healing powers.

The key to reaping the health benefits of red wine seems to be moderate consumption. Drinking one glass a day for women and up to two glasses a day for men may decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. Excessive or binge drinking, however, doesn't produce the same benefits. In other words, when it comes to red wine: more is not better.

Something’s fishy here. We now advise broiled or baked fish three times a week—you lose points if they’re batter dipped and fried. The benefits? Cardiovascular health, decreased stroke, and a possible reduction of Alzheimer disease risk. The key seems to be the omega 3 fish oil.

But before you run out to the mega market for a monstrous case of omega 3 capsules, there seems to be more to this. In surprising studies in which researchers fed fish protein to older (non-fish) animals, the older animals began to produce proteins as if they were younger. Cool, but as yet unexplained. Other studies suggest that the more fish you eat, the less likely you are to be depressed. Nuts to you! Nuts have amazing properties, as 1.5 oz contain 6.6 grams of protein (the same amount as one egg), 2.8 grams of fiber (the same as ¾ c strawberries), and is a source of the vital trace minerals magnesium, manganese, and copper.

A handful a day can prevent heart attacks, block buildup of bad cholesterol, and contain the growth of cancer cells. In March 2003 after a ten year review of the data, the FDA approved the statement that ‘1.5 oz of nuts daily may reduce risk of coronary artery disease’.

With apologies to filbert fans, the best nut overall seems to be the walnut. With more omega 3 fatty acids than any other nut, they are one of the most abundant sources of antioxidants including ellagic acid, a phytonutrient that inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Sterols in these nuts have been shown to block absorption of cholesterol in your bloodstream. So chow down on your share of the 250,000 tons of walnuts harvested in the U.S. each year.

Put some care into what you choose to chew. After all,

Americans will eat garbage,

provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup.

~ Henry Miller