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6 / Balanced Care Method Workbook Healthy Diet
The Balanced Care Method
Dietary Program Overview:
Enjoy Daily
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown
rice, oatmeal, corn meal, etc.)
• Omega-3-rich foods (cold water fish like
tuna, salmon and mackerel; walnuts, dark
greens, eggs)
• Green tea
• Water
Enjoy in Moderation
• Low-fat milk products
• Lean meats
• Fruit juices
Limit
• Cheese and full-fat milk products
• Sugar
• Refined grains (white bread, white rice, etc.)
• Processed or fatty meats
• Sodas
• Alcohol
We will now look more closely at each of
the elements of the Balanced Care Method
dietary program.
Vegetable & Fruits
The most important part of the Balanced
Care Method diet is keeping consumption
of vegetables and fruits high. Ideally, clients
should have multiple servings of vegetables
and at least 1 serving of fruit every day. A
serving of vegetables is usually about 1 cup
of chopped, sliced, or mashed vegetables,
except for leafy greens like lettuce which
are 2 cups per serving. Often the amount of
vegetables served at a restaurant or even
at home counts as 2, 3, or even 4 servings. A
serving of fruit is also about 1 cup chopped or
1 whole fruit, as long as that fruit is relatively
small. Many apples sold at stores today are so
large they count as 2 or even 3 servings each!
Vegetables and fruits are vital for a healthy
diet because they contain vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants. Equally important, they
contain natural fiber, which promotes healthy
digestion and helps people feel full and
satisfied longer. For this reason, vegetables
and fruits make excellent snacks; they satisfy
the body’s craving for food while providing a
low-calorie sense of fullness.
Variety is important, but not all fruits and
vegetables are created equal. Some contain
more nutrients and health benefits than
others and should be worked into the diet
more frequently:
• Dark, leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard)
• Sweet potatoes
• Cabbage and related vegetables
(broccoli, cauliflower)
• Crunchy, raw vegetables of all kinds
• Tomatoes
• Berries
• Apricots
• Melons