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<h1>8 Lifestyles for Healthy Eating (and They All Include Kale!)</h1>
 <div>  <div>  <div>  <p>These diets were designed to prevent chronic and degenerative diseases. They all claim to lead you to a healthier life rather than promising weight loss. When we stacked them up side by side, we found that they mostly say the same thing: Cut out processed foods, industrial chemicals, and added sugar. Load up on fresh, organic vegetables and fruit.</p>  <p>Every one of these diets specifically calls for dark, leafy greens like kale. Their differences mostly center on ideal percentages of lean meats and whole-grain carbs.</p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/17d433f3f35449028f02734981cc1850.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Katerina Belaya/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>1. Vegan</h3>  <p><b>The idea</b>: Concern for animals and environment as well as physical health.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> Eat plant-based foods that do not involve animals.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Beans, tofu, peanuts, quinoa, kale.</p>  <p><span><b>FACT: A "superfood" has been defined as a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food high in phytochemicals, which are found in its coloring. So most are brightly colored. Think kale, blueberries, and beets.</b></span></p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/e17af725c03b4209a4d80a076c866041.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Merydolla/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>2. Traditional Asian</h3>  <p><b>The idea:</b> Studies show that Asians live longer with less degenerative disease.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> Meats in moderation, no dairy.</p>  <p><b>What to eat</b>: Oily fish, miso, fresh and fermented vegetables, seaweed.</p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/2bfba696df694bf885624aaa049cfd15.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Timolina/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>3. National Institutes of Health (TLC) Diet</h3>  <p><b>The idea:</b> Cut high cholesterol for a healthy heart.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> Very low saturated fat and high soluble fiber.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Skinless poultry, low-fat dairy, kale, apples, oats.</p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/bda729acc24f470b8d859b337df155e8.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Sergiy Telesh/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>4. Raw</h3>  <p><b>The idea</b>: Preserves vitamins and immune-boosting enzymes.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> Eat 80 percent organic plants never heated above 115 degrees.</p>  <p><b>What to eat</b>: Apples, beets, kale, almonds, raw-milk cheeses.</p>  <p style="text-align: center; "><span><b>FACT: Orthorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy.<br></b></span></p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/1b225be8bd784971b4253d9654d9d2cb.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by JIL Photo/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>5. Mediterranean Diet</h3>  <p><b>The idea:</b> Decrease the risk of heart disease.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> Limit meat, added sugar, and saturated fats. Get 50 percent of calories from carbs.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Fish, whole grain bread, kale, tomatoes, olive oil.</p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/ed88f7f5abc948d288c65ec15fa79260.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Anna Hoychuk/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>6. Ancestral Diet</h3>  <p><b>The idea:</b> Switch from carb burning to fat burning.</p>  <p><b>How to do it</b>: Choose nutrient-dense calories: no grains, no added sugars, and no processed foods.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Grass-fed meat, kale, fermented foods, avocados, coconut oil.</p>  <p style="text-align: center; "><span><b>FACT: Our bodies are constantly reacting to what we eat to achieve a blood pH of 7.34 to 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Help your body out by eating alkaline-forming foods like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kale, almonds, avocados, and melons.<br></b></span></p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/d17112c6bb274612a17995951e6734f9.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Natalia Klenova/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>7. Glycemic Index Diet</h3>  <p><b>The idea</b>: Control blood sugar to cut risk of diabetes.</p>  <p><b>How to do it:</b> No added sugar. Swap good carbs for bad carbs.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Lean meat, whole-grain bread, kale, carrots, cabbage.</p>  <p><span><b>FACT: According to the USDA, lean meat is any serving of meat (3 ounces&mdash;about the size of a deck of cards) with less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, and 95 milligrams cholesterol.</b></span></p>  <h3><figure><img src="/wp-content/uploads/imports/a6c5be660b814960b3404a264387c197.jpg"><figcaption><span><p>Photo by Katerina Planina/Shutterstock.</p></span></figcaption></figure></h3>  <h3>8. Anti-inflammatory</h3>  <p><b>The idea:</b> Chronic diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer are linked to inflammation.</p>  <p><b>How to do it: </b>Limit processed foods and aim for 30 percent fats heavy in Omega 3s.</p>  <p><b>What to eat:</b> Wild salmon, kale, olive oil, yogurt, avocados.</p>  <p style="text-align: center; "><span><b>FACT: Microgreens generally have higher concentrations of healthful vitamins and carotenoids than their mature counterparts. The plants use up some nutrients as they grow.<br></b></span></p>  </div>  <!-- <img src="22118d690eee4702b7c0ab30fdc51de2"> --></div>  <!-- <p>This article was written for <a href="resolveuid/899bc847d3c249919185f95654b090a6"><b>How To Eat Like Our Lives Depend On It</b></a>, the Winter 2014 issue of YES! Magazine.</p> --></div>  <!-- <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/how-to-eat-like-our-lives-depend-on-it/the-lesson-in-a-cup-of-tea">How a Cup of Nettle Tea Taught Me How to Live Well and Remember the Past</a> --><!-- <a href="resolveuid/bf045f4fde714722802bed909bfa148e">What Your Ancestors Knew About Preparing Healthy Foods</a> --><!-- <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/how-to-eat-like-our-lives-depend-on-it/reclaiming-the-joy-of-real-food-1">Forget the Food Industry: Rediscover the Pleasure of Buying, Cooking, and Eating Real Food </a> -->
<p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a> at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-health/2014/01/02/one-diet-to-rule-them-all">https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-health/2014/01/02/one-diet-to-rule-them-all</a>.</p><link href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-health/2014/01/02/one-diet-to-rule-them-all" rel="canonical"/><p>Yes! Magazine is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of ... . Learn more at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a></p><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=16330&ga4=G-74QJNNY44Z" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

8 Lifestyles for Healthy Eating (and They All Include Kale!)
       These diets were designed to prevent chronic and degenerative diseases. They all claim to lead you to a healthier life rather than promising weight loss. When we stacked them up side by side, we found that they mostly say the same thing: Cut out processed foods, industrial chemicals, and added sugar. Load up on fresh, organic vegetables and fruit.  Every one of these diets specifically calls for dark, leafy greens like kale. Their differences mostly center on ideal percentages of lean meats and whole-grain carbs.  Photo by Katerina Belaya/Shutterstock.  1. Vegan  The idea: Concern for animals and environment as well as physical health.  How to do it: Eat plant-based foods that do not involve animals.  What to eat: Beans, tofu, peanuts, quinoa, kale.  FACT: A "superfood" has been defined as a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food high in phytochemicals, which are found in its coloring. So most are brightly colored. Think kale, blueberries, and beets.  Photo by Merydolla/Shutterstock.  2. Traditional Asian  The idea: Studies show that Asians live longer with less degenerative disease.  How to do it: Meats in moderation, no dairy.  What to eat: Oily fish, miso, fresh and fermented vegetables, seaweed.  Photo by Timolina/Shutterstock.  3. National Institutes of Health (TLC) Diet  The idea: Cut high cholesterol for a healthy heart.  How to do it: Very low saturated fat and high soluble fiber.  What to eat: Skinless poultry, low-fat dairy, kale, apples, oats.  Photo by Sergiy Telesh/Shutterstock.  4. Raw  The idea: Preserves vitamins and immune-boosting enzymes.  How to do it: Eat 80 percent organic plants never heated above 115 degrees.  What to eat: Apples, beets, kale, almonds, raw-milk cheeses.  FACT: Orthorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy.  Photo by JIL Photo/Shutterstock.  5. Mediterranean Diet  The idea: Decrease the risk of heart disease.  How to do it: Limit meat, added sugar, and saturated fats. Get 50 percent of calories from carbs.  What to eat: Fish, whole grain bread, kale, tomatoes, olive oil.  Photo by Anna Hoychuk/Shutterstock.  6. Ancestral Diet  The idea: Switch from carb burning to fat burning.  How to do it: Choose nutrient-dense calories: no grains, no added sugars, and no processed foods.  What to eat: Grass-fed meat, kale, fermented foods, avocados, coconut oil.  FACT: Our bodies are constantly reacting to what we eat to achieve a blood pH of 7.34 to 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Help your body out by eating alkaline-forming foods like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kale, almonds, avocados, and melons.  Photo by Natalia Klenova/Shutterstock.  7. Glycemic Index Diet  The idea: Control blood sugar to cut risk of diabetes.  How to do it: No added sugar. Swap good carbs for bad carbs.  What to eat: Lean meat, whole-grain bread, kale, carrots, cabbage.  FACT: According to the USDA, lean meat is any serving of meat (3 ounces—about the size of a deck of cards) with less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, and 95 milligrams cholesterol.  Photo by Katerina Planina/Shutterstock.  8. Anti-inflammatory  The idea: Chronic diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer are linked to inflammation.  How to do it: Limit processed foods and aim for 30 percent fats heavy in Omega 3s.  What to eat: Wild salmon, kale, olive oil, yogurt, avocados.  FACT: Microgreens generally have higher concentrations of healthful vitamins and carotenoids than their mature counterparts. The plants use up some nutrients as they grow.

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