Fish Oil: The Magic Pill

Let me tell you a little story about me, and fish oil.  About two weeks ago, after a seriously heavy squatting session, I walked back to my dorm with burning hot knees, feeling like they were on fire every single time the ligaments moved at all (which they were doing quite frequently while walking...surprise surprise.)  I knew it was every Olympic lifter's nightmare:  patellar tendinitis.  This is where the tendons across the front of the knee (the patellar tendon and surrounding tissue) become inflamed and swollen, and therefore are very resistant to sliding smoothly like they should.  The cause?  Overuse.  It's a quite common injury among lifters, as well as runner, jumpers, and any athlete who runs, jumps or squats day in and day out.  For an Olympic lifter, it can be extremely depressing, as it means that future squatting sessions will be full of pain and misery.  And taking time off from training unfortunately ISN'T an option.  Any time not spent under the bar is progress lost toward new PR's, podium placings and gold medals.  Patellar tendinitis isn't dangerous, just VERY uncomfortable and debilitating.

So what did I do?  At first, I started ice massage, which helped a little, but never seemed to make any progress in the grand scheme of things.  Every workout after that was pain and suffering just as bad as before.  So I did a little more research, and through countless hours of internet searching I found what I hoped to be a possible cure:  Fish oil.

I read that Olympic weightlifters, when faced with patellar tendinitis, often go on a mega dosing fish oil regimen.  That called for 5000 mg a day for the first week, and an additional 2500 mg a day ever week after that.  I read that the condition should improve noticably in 10 days, and be almost gone by day 30.  I figured it couldn't hurt, and so I picked myself up 300 caps of 1000 mg fish oil pills.  The very next day I started in on 5 pills, spread throughout the day.  Well my friends, it's been ten days, and I'm pleased to tell you that my knees feel SOOOO much better.

Sure, I kept icing, massaging, stretching, and foam rolling, but I have absolutely zero doubt in my mind that fish oil is a nearly "magic" cure for joint pain.  If you don't believe me, just read the countless testimonies by other happy consumers who have loosened up and feel tip top thanks to a pill filled with oil from a fish.  But after I started dosing, I did some reading on the pills.  Turns out fish oil is far more beneficial than I ever could have imagined.  Honestly, I would recommend EVERYONE get on fish oil pills, because what they do to your body is absolutely astounding.  Let's look at these magic capsules a little more closely, and really see what I mean about their truly remarkable power at improving your health and well being.

Omega-3:  A lot of the magic in fish oil pills comes from this substance right here, omega-3 fatty acids.  This stuff is like liquid gold.  It's probably some of the best cardiovascular support you could ever get, and will lower bad cholesterol considerably if regularly dosed.  It also acts as a strong anti-inflammatory, which helps bloodflow, joints, and pretty much everything else in your body work smoothly and pain free.  There are a few types of omega-3 fatty acids: EPA, DHA, and ALA.  The two most biologically available and important of these are EPA and DHA, and both are found in significant amounts in fish oil.  ALA isn't as important in our body, and can be found more often in flax oil.  These are called "essential" fatty acids because our body cannot produce them on its own and yet requires them to function.  That's why fish oil supplements are an extremely good choice, especially for those who don't get much fish in their normal diet.

On a side note, in order to achieve maximum health status, you need a good ratio of omega-3's to omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.  The two latter are often found in other fatty foods such as nuts and seeds, and therefore we usually get plenty of them.  However omega-3 fatty acids are usually lacking in the average individual's diet, and therefore it's very important to supplement fish oil.

Decreased Stroke Risk:  Strokes are caused when plaque builds up in your veins to the point where it begins to break off and cause a clot in your brain's blood vessels.  That's NOT good.  Luckily, fish oil has been proven to break down the plaque in your veins, drastically decreasing the chance of suffering from a stroke.  I'll take that and run with it, thank you very much.

Improved Mental Health:  Fish oil has actually been shown to support proper levels of serotonin production in the brain, which will help treat/prevent conditions such as depression.  It has also been shown to aid in memory and overall cognitive ability.  I think that's awesome, don't you?

Healthy Skin:  Fish oil has been proven to improve the health of your skin, allowing for greater elasticity through optimum collagen production.  It'll keep you looking young and wrinkle free.  I'm not saying it works miracles, but hey, healthy skin is always a nice thing to have, don't you think?

Fat Loss:  Haha ok, I'll go into a little more depth on this one, as I can guarantee it'll peak the interest of a few more people.  Fish oil is an EXCELLENT tool for fat loss, and I'd say it's essential for anyone wanting to see real results as quickly as possible.  Fish oil increases the production of leptin, which both increases your metabolism and decreases your appetite.  A faster metabolism means more fat burning power, something many people would absolutely love.  Secondly, fish oil is able to increase insulin sensitivity, which allows your body to release less insulin when it senses ingested carbohydrates.  This ensures that you'll be less likely to store excess carbs as body fat.  Thirdly, fish oil actually helps build lean muscle mass, which will also increase your metabolism and cause your body to hold onto less body fat.  Fish oil, despite being 100% fat, actually is probably one of the most powerful fat loss tools you could ever have in your arsenal.  Cool huh?

Joint Health:  OK, I saved this one for last because I've already sort of discussed it.  Fish oil is one of the best tools out there for maintaining healthy, pain free joints.  Its anti-inflammatory properties keep things sliding smoothly, and hey, the slippery properties of oil don't hurt either.  Thousands upon thousands of people have obtained amazing pain reducing effects from dosing fish oil on a regular basis, and if you think it's too good to be true I IMPLORE you to give it a go for yourself.  You'll be very surprised at how effective this stuff is.

Fish oil has been touted as the only supplement worth taking.  While I don't completely agree with this, I do agree that it is almost 100% necessary for any serious gym-goer, casually active individual, or couch potato. Seriously, this stuff will do you nothing but good.  If you don't believe me, try it for yourself.  Pick up a bottle, start your dosage at 3 a day, and see what changes start to occur in your body.  I can almost guarantee you'll love this stuff as much as I do by the time you're done.

Love the fish, keep healthy and happy, and as always, GOOD LUCK!


References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/315158-the-truth-about-fish-oil-fat-loss/
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/patelladisorders/a/patellartendon.htm
http://fishoilbenefitshq.com/
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet

Protein Bioavailability List

I mentioned the bioavailability of protein in my last article entitled "Cook Those Eggs."  It occurred to me, why not post a list regarding the bioavailibilty of common proteins you regularly encounter in everyday life?  It's interesting and useful diet information, that's for sure.

Protein Source BV Whey Protein Isolate Blends Whey Concentrate (Lactalbumin) Whole Egg Cow's Milk Egg White (Albumin) Fish Beef Chicken Casein (a protein from milk) Rice Soy Wheat Beans Peanuts 100-159 104 100 91 88 83 80 79 77 74 59 54 49 43

Just to explain the list slightly, those numbers represent the percentage of protein in each food that can be absorbed by the body.  The top two proteins (whey concentrate and whey isolate) are greater than 100% because they are hydrolized, or "pre-digested" to be absorbed by the body more efficiently than almost any other protein type.  There's a reason protein powder costs so much!

If you're looking for this information, I got it from an article whose Google source I will provide:

webpages.charter.net/edsouza/WLS/Proteinseminarpaper.doc

The Ultimate Tuna Burger

Check out my latest Recipe, the protein packed Tuna Burger!

These things are about 200 calories, and are loaded with lean protein (between 25-30 grams) and complex carbohydrates, the perfect muscle building duo.

My recipe includes:

1 can of Tuna (5oz)


1 egg white (Beaten)


1/4 onion (diced into very small pieces)


2 tbsp oatmeal


Cayenne Chili Powder

Grill it up and enjoy!  To keep the burger together a little better, make sure the egg white is thoroughly beaten (an automatic beater is a much better option than a whisk, as I quickly found out)

Make sure to comment, and feel free to modify this recipe any way you like!  I know that I'm definitely adding more veggies next time.

Keep Those Joints Healthy

Joint health is a big deal to me, and should be to you as well.  Your muscles can't do their job efficiently if they're inhibited by stiff, painful joints.  And believe me, a pain in the elbow or knee that won't go away is not a fun thing.  It's obvious that maintaining joint health should be something you do proactively, and there are several ways that you can make sure those bodily hinges stay nice and lubricated as both the age goes up and the workouts get tougher.

A lot of joint health can be maintained merely through a healthy diet.  Many vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products contain a lot of the nutrients needed to keep your tendons sliding smoothly time after time.  But there's a lot that can be said for supplementation too, certain pills and medications that really make a difference when it comes to stiff joints.  Let's examine a few proactive measures you can take both through diet and supplementation that will keep you walking pain free for many years to come:

Calcium:  We've all heard this since we were kids.  "Drink your milk, it'll build strong bones!"  And it's true, Calcium plays a large role in bone and joint strength.  The body uses it to increase bone mass (especially in children) so that bone problems are far less likely later in life.  What are some foods rich in calcium?  Well you had it right from the beginning with the dairy products.  Milk and cheese are great examples of food rich with calcium.  Also, almonds, several herbs, and yogurt are all packed with the stuff.  Make sure you consume a good amount of Vitamin D and Potassium as well, because both those nutrients will aid in the absorption of calcium.

Fish Oil/Omega 3 Fatty Acids:  These fatty acids are most often found in fish, and go a LONG way in helping your joints slide smoothly and pain free.  They decrease joint inflammation, and fish oil has been known to work wonders for those with Rheumatoid Arthritis and other joint conditions.  It's a great preventative medicine as well, and will encourage healthy joints throughout your life.  I don't supplement fish oil, I eat plenty of fish as it is.  Fish like tuna, salmon, herring, crab meat, shrimp, and krill all contain significant doses of Omega 3's.  However some people like to supplement fish oil in pill form with their morning medication, and this is a great way to ensure your joints are getting what they need.  If you take a trip down to your local pharmacy, you'll find that fish oil comes in all sorts of different dosages.  It can be confusing, but you can't go wrong with a light/medium dose.  If you're really confused, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.  Here's a quote from healthyomega3.com about fish oil dosage:

The best fish oil supplements contain 280 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA per capsule.  (That’s more than double the normal amount of DHA in most “average” capsules). A total of 400mg of DHA and EPA.

So 2 capsules a day will give you 800 mg in total, around the level proposed by the AHA. And the recommended dosage, (taken from the label), for adults is 2 capsules a day.

Fish oil/omega 3 fatty acids support heart health as well, so they're a very useful tool in any nutritional diet.


Glucosamine/Chondroitin:  This is one of the most famous joint health supplements in any runner's bag of nutrition related tricks.  It's been known for a long time that daily supplementation of a Glucosamine/Chondroitin pill can help those joints slide smoothly.  I've always associated it mostly with knee pain, but any joint pain is fair game to be cured by this wondrous little pill.  Here's a great explanation from about.com regarding why these two supplements are so important:

How do glucosamine and chondroitin work?
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two molecules that make up the type of cartilage found within joints. Inside your joints, cartilage undergoes a constant process of breakdown and repair. However, to be properly repaired, the building blocks of cartilage must be present and available. The theory behind using the glucosamine and chondroitin joint supplements is that more of the cartilage building blocks will be available for cartilage repair.

• Glucosamine is a precursor to a molecule called a glycosaminoglycan-this molecule is used in the formation and repair of cartilage.
• Chondroitin is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan in cartilage and is responsible for the resiliency of cartilage.

Some will say that it's questionable as to how well an oral supplementation of these two nutrients will inevitably work, but there are many success stories out there that support the theory that a G/C pill in the morning can really make a difference with joint health and comfort.  I have experimented with the pills myself, and while I've never noticed a giant difference, they do seem to help my knees stay strong after all the squats I do.  Hey, better safe than sorry right?


And there's a little explanation of what you can do to actively keep your joints healthy and pain free.  Keep on that healthy diet, and experiment with supplementation if you're starting to feel some pain.  Again though, I don't claim to be an expert in the field, so I would suggest talking to a doctor or pharmacist if you're really looking to get some answers as to what could really help.

Keep healthy, stay mobile, and as always, good luck!

The Ultimate Snack: Canned Fish

My Dorm Room

I've been wanting to do this article for a while, as it covers something dear to my heart.  This food has some of the greatest health benefits per calorie of anything I've ever come across, and should be a staple in anybody's diet, especially those looking to support the growth of lean muscle mass.  The best part is, it's cheap stuff, portable, and low calorie, and therefore can easily fit into almost anybody's daily meals.  What is this remarkable super food that I personally am sooo fond of?

Canned fish!!!  Or actually, I should say packaged fish.

Whether it be salmon, tuna, crab meat, herring, mackerel, or even anchovies, canned fish will do wonders for your diet.  It's satiating, and an extremely rich source of some of the leanest protein available.  It's a must for gym goers, and I usually have it at least once a day as a between meal snack.  Another great benefit to canned fish is that there's so much variety!  Seriously, go to your local Walmart and look around, you'll see fantastic amounts of fish of every variety in cans or vacuum sealed packages, ready to eat AS IS!!!  Let's examine some of the benefits a little more closely, and see why it's truly one of my most favorite foods in existence.

Protein:  OK, clearly I've already stated these varieties of canned fish are packed with lean, dense protein.  But exactly how much?  Well, in most average sized cans of tuna there are two servings of the fish, and there can be anywhere between 10 and 20 grams of protein PER SERVING!  Eat the whole can and you've got yourself a serious muscle meal.  Plus, for chunk light tuna in water, you're only getting 100 calories PER CAN!!!  WOW!!!  That's a lot of protein for barely a caloric blip in your diet.  Perfect!

To give an example of the protein power of fish, check out these two different foods I have in my dorm room.  One is a package of pink salmon (absolutely delicious might I add, and at 98 cents a package they are more than affordable), and a dedicated protein bar (a remarkably good bar for such a low price.)  The bar has 20 grams of protein, and 180 calories.  The salmon?  17 grams of protein, but only 90 calories!  I could eat two of those salmon packages and get 14 more grams of protein for the same amount of calories!  That's pretty impressive.

Omega-3 fatty acids:  These unsaturated fatty acids are essential in everything from heart health to skin health to joint health.  They will support healthy cholesterol, and will help keep joints lubricated and sliding smoothly throughout your day.  They will also help to support the immune system, and have shown signs to being an effective anti-inflammatory supplement as well.  They alleviate pain all over the place, and keep that heart of yours ticking powerfully and efficiently.

Vitamins/Minerals: Fish naturally have a whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals, including large dosages of vitamin B12, niacin, selenium. vitamin A, and folate.  The great news is that no matter what fish variation you choose, you're most likely going to get a heaping helping of the daily nutrients your body needs.

There's no doubt whatsoever that canned fish has a lot of good packaged with it.  There are a few little things to watch out for though.

Sodium:  Packaged fish usually has a pretty good amount of sodium in it.  Some isn't too bad, and I specifically look at all nutritional labels before I buy, but some are pretty substantial.  On average I'd say canned fish has between 150 mg and 500 mg of sodium per serving, and there's usually two or three servings per can, so all that salt can add up fast.  Read the labels, and go for the varieties lower in salt.

Mercury:  Many people are extremely worried about mercury poisoning when it comes to fish.  Yes there is a slight risk if you're having the stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  But a can of tuna per day won't do you much if any harm at all, and I bet you won't feel a speck of difference even if you ended up doubling that number.  My advice?  Take a couple days break from fish if you eat it a lot, but don't be afraid of it.  If the mercury starts to add up, you'll know it.

So what are my favorite varieties?  I like all sorts of things, but tend to drift towards bumblebee and beach clif brands.  Here's a quick little description of the varities I have in my dorm room:

Chunk Light Tuna- This stuff is my foundation.  I get it in water, not oil, to cut down on both calories and fat content.  It takes a little getting used to, especially if you eat it plain.  What I would suggest is eating it with some salsa, or mix it in with some vegetables.  You can even spread it plain on some whole wheat bread and top it off with mustard, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, or whatever floats your boat.

Tiny Shrimp-  These are probably the most protein packed of anything I have on my shelf.  They're exactly what the can says:  tiny...shrimp.  For about 140 calories you're getting 30 grams of protein, and they're delicious!  Especially if you like traditional cocktail shrimp.  Eat them plain or with a little salsa.  I've mixed them into brown rice before as well, and boy was that good!

Salmon- I have a bunch of varities of this big fish in my dorm room.  I eat it both from the can (bumblebee pink salmon) or via my new favorite method, vacuum packed pouch.  Salmon is naturally a very tasty fish, and will taste better to most people than tuna straight from the can.  Again though, mix it in with a few things.  I've had it accompanying some butternut squash, and as mentioned above I've had it with salsa as well.

Fish Steaks- I love these things!  Fish steaks from beach clif are dense, yummy, and really fill you up.  They're great to eat plain, especially the ones covered in mustard sauce or Louisiana hot sauce.  They've got some sodium, but aren't atrocious compared to some other varieties.  Just pop the top, grab a fork, and dig in!

Crab Meat- This stuff is goooodddd.  It's very "light" and fluffy, and has a much less distinct taste to it than say, tuna.  It still is packed with protein, but tends to be very low calorie (only around 80 calories per can).  Because it doesn't have a huge amount of taste to it naturally, I like to add it to things that do have some taste, or at least eat them with it in a meal.  I used to have a can of crab meat and a sweet potato for my morning snack.

Sardines- These little suckers are tasty, but might take some getting used to.  They have a powerful taste, and still have the bones in them!  Don't worry, the bones only add a tiny little bit of texture (which I enjoy a lot), and are actually a great source of calcium!  Give them a try.  If you don't like them straight off the bat, try them on a whole wheat cracker or something, or again, mask the taste with a healthy sauce.  Give them a chance!

Kippered Seafood Snacks-  These big flat cans are full of smooth, tasty goodness.  The kippered herring in these things is absolutely delectable!  It's filled with healthy oils, and slides quite easily down your throat.  The high fat content will help them to taste much better to most people, and I highly suggest giving them a shot.  They're only 130 calories per can, and I'm sure they'll fill you up!


The bottom line:  Fish is unquestionably one of the greatest foods you could fit into your diet.  It's packed with all sorts of health benefits, and will really help your body to maintain healthy muscle mass and a resulting fast metabolism.  I'm not going to say fish straight from the can is immediately palatable by everyone, and I wouldn't suggest digging straight in.  Mix some canned fish in with other foods, like rice, vegetables, chilies, pastas, anything really.  You'll find you'll take to the taste much more quickly, and pretty soon you'll be popping cans of tuna and salmon out of your lunch box for a quick, low calorie, protein packed snack.  Give them all a try, I bet there's a variety out there you'll love!

Give fish a chance, your body will thank you.  Good Luck!

The Basics of Clean

So, I'm going to introduce you to a new diet, and in all honesty, it'll be the only diet you'll ever need.

It's not radical, crazy, and frankly, it's not new at all.  It's been around forever.  It's called:

CLEAN EATING.

This term, unfortunately, means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  And again I'll be honest, there's no way to determine the exact definition of what "eating clean" really mean.  But it's extremely easy to get the gist of it.  In fact by the end of this post, all of you should have a good idea of what clean eating really means in its broadest sense.

Here's my personal definition of clean eating:
  Eating food that has high nutritional value in correct, balanced quantities.

Pretty simple eh?  It really is, however a lot of people like to over-complicate it.  To make things a little easier, lets look at some different food groups (or components), and how to eat cleanly in each one.

Carbohydrates:  Eating cleanly in terms of Carbohydrates seems to be the place where most people really struggle.  Carbs are everywhere.  Bread, cheetos, veggies, fruits, desserts, cereal, etc.  They hide to some degree in all the food you consume.  I'll let you in on a secret though.  Carbs are NOT your enemy.  For some reason, many people think they are.  That's a flawed way of thinking, because your body needs Carbs for it's main energy source.  It's the fuel to that human engine of yours.

To keep things simple, let's establish first that there are two main types of carbs: Simple carbohydrates, and complex carbohydrates.  Simple carbs are called monosaccharides, or simple sugars.  When they are consumed, they are digested quickly and easily, and are readily used for energy.  Or at least, they should be. However, how many times after dessert have you actually expended all the energy which that sugar loaded brownie contained?  Not often, I'm guessing.  And that's where carbs come back to haunt you.  Unused Carbohydrates equates to wasted energy.  And guess where wasted energy goes.  That's right, your midsection.  


Complex Carbohydrates are Carbs that your body has a more difficult time digesting, and therefore the body will take a longer time and expend more energy digesting them.  These are "long acting" carbs that give you full, sustained energy for a long period of time, without the characteristic "sugar high."  Such carbs include vegetables, whole wheat breads, and oatmeal.  These carbs, overall, tend to be a little more "flexible".  When in doubt about carbs, it's usually safe to assume that complex carbs will be healthier in the long run.  Because they are digested over a long period of time, they do not as readily turn to fat.  Again this IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE, I'm purely making a broad generality.  Learn the rules first, then the exceptions.

So are simple carbs bad?  Absolutely not.  Fruits are comprised of mainly simple carbs.  They give you a good hit of energy without spiking blood insulin (I'll discuss this, the GI scale, and all related topics in a later post) to a high degree.  On a hike?  Bring an apple.  Tired at work?  Eat a banana.  Craving something sweet?  Have an orange.  Can you go overboard eating fruits?  Sure, but that's true for most anything.  It's pretty safe to say that if you're dying for a snack, a fruit is a very healthy, clean option.

Proteins:  Here we go guys.  MEAT MEAT MEAT.  Being an avid weightlifter, I for one am an enormous protein consumer.  We all know meat has protein, and protein builds muscle.  And at this point, I won't get any more into than that (who wants to hear a boring speech about amino acids and protein synthesis anyway right?).  I like to characterize the quality of a protein source with a few questions:  How dense is it (grams of protein per serving), how lean is it (how many calories per serving along with saturated fats, trans fats, and other undesirables come with that nice protein punch), and how readily is the protein absorbed by your body (whey protein has greater absorption than soy, etc.).

So without getting into too much detail, let me list a few of the best, readily available protein sources:  boneless and skinless chicken breast, turkey breast, lean cuts of beef, salmon, tuna, swordfish, whey, venison, and egg whites.

Some of the less optimal sources: cheap cuts of beef, pork, ham, soy, and basically any meat smothered in sauce and marinade.

I'm going to go back to fish for a second though.  I personally believe fish to be the best form of readily available protein.  Why?  Because there is a huge amount of protein per serving, with very few calories.  One can of chunk light tuna has 26g of protein at a hundred calories.  That's more protein per serving than my special "Wheybolic extreme 60" protein powder I drink after every workout and spend a fortune on every month.  Good old tuna has got most other meats beat.  Same with salmon.  Fish is loaded with lean protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, low cholesterol, and about a million nutrients that will do your body well.  Looking for some good meat?  Grab some fish for dinner and grill it up nice (obviously don't fry it, as much as I know you'd like to.)

Fats:  AH!  FAT!  GET IT AWAY!  That's the right response, many food companies would claim.  And they'd be 100% wrong.  I'm going to tell you another secret (I've got a whole bunch) FATS DON'T MAKE YOU FAT.  In fact, those "low fat" oreos you're eating aren't any better for you than the regular ones, and might actually be worse.  Fats do our body well, especially the unsaturated fats present in nuts, peanut butter (all natural, of course), olive oil, most fish (omega 3 fatty acids), almond milk, avocados, and the list goes on.  Unsaturated fat should not ever be avoided outright, but like anything, eaten in moderation.

Unsaturated fats actually do a lot of good for you.  They reduce bad cholesterol, help the body absorb fat soluble vitamins,and increase the good.  They can slow down nutrient absorption into the muscles,  which is great for athletes who want to prevent going catabolic over night.  There are many other benefits to fat as well, but hopefully I've convinced you enough at this point.

Saturated fat is what you want to cut down on.  As with anything, a little in moderation may have benefits, but in general the average person consumes wayyy too much saturated fat.  This is the fat that usually increases bad cholesterol and narrows your arteries.  In other words, it makes your heart work way too hard, and that's never good.  The recommended saturated fat intake for a 2000 calorie diet (which is by no means the diet for everyone) is about 20 grams, which also happens to be about a third of your daily total fat intake.

Trans fats are a HUGE no-no.  I'll devote an entire separate post to those though.  If you see trans fat on the nutritional label, and it has any number other than "0" next to it, I would suggest putting it back.

So there you go, the basics.  Understanding those three components of food is a huge step in becoming a "food guru."  Now, the next step is finding what foods are "clean" and would easily fit into your daily diet, and how to balance your diet so that you get a good ration of these three components: carbs, protein, and fat.  Onward and upward!