Eat More Vegetables, Drink Plenty Of Water, Exercise

Cookbook author Julee Rosso offers these five “commandments” for healthier eating, and living:

Eat less animal protein: Use red meat and fatty fish in small quantities, as a “condiment.” Plan your entrees around fresh vegetables and carbohydrates and make them interesting. “Then make your meat, poultry or fish the ‘accessory,’ the flavoring,” Rosso says.

Drink more water: She follows the recommendation of major health organizations and drinks at least eight full glasses every day. “And other beverages don’t count,” she adds. “Water’s essential to flushing toxins from your system.”

Think five-a-day: Make vegetables more interesting and find methods of preparation that emphasize their natural goodness. “Or enjoy them in their purity - the pleasure of a simple bowlful of steamed green beans or asparagus unadorned.” And, she adds, “You have to think about changing your habits to make fresh fruits the thing that satisfies your sweet tooth.”

Focus on the marketplace: “Seek out really quality ingredients,” Rosso says, “and it will actually simplify your cooking. If you buy the finest ingredients during their season and during their peak, you really don’t have to do very much to them.”

Find passion in exercise: Seek activities that you truly enjoy doing, Rosso urges. “Exercise and good diet have to exist in balance,” she says. “Find things you love doing alone, and things you can do with a friend. If you don’t love it, you just won’t do it.”