With so much conflicting information on nutrition available, it is hard to know what to believe.

I’ve been a vegetarian for years because that is what my body prefers. However, I’ve told many clients to eat red meat or fish. Each of us has different dietary needs and digestive abilities, so it’s better to eat the food which is right for us, not follow the latest fad.

I think the key to remember is that nature has already provided everything our bodies need. For thousands of years we ate real food. Then in this century we discovered chemicals and our food became processed, chemicalled, dyed, and nutritionally deficient. At the same time we are damaging our food supply with pollution and excess chemicals. We are ignoring the natural wisdom of our bodies and our earth, and we have skyrocketing rates of obesity and diabetes to show for it.

If you want to change your diet for the better, I can recommend no better place to start than by eating whole foods. Vegetables of all colours and varieties provide countless vitamins and minerals, as well as enzymes if you eat them raw and chew well. Your body doesn’t need chemical pesticides and fertilizers so eat organic whenever possible. These are grown with chemical-free agricultural practices that are good for the Earth. And I have yet to meet a body that was pesticide-deficient.

Whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds can all be part of a healthy diet (barring allergies). So can animal products. Again, I recommend organic, because the hormones and antibiotics fed to conventionally-farmed animals aren’t even good for the animals—how can they be good for humans?

For most clients, I recommend avoiding low-fat food. Usually it has extra sugar added to make it taste good. Excessive refined sugar has been linked to all sorts of health problems from diabetes to high cholesterol. (Read Sugar Blues by William Duffy for a real eye-opener.) I’m not into deprivation, but if you read the ingredients of the non-food you buy in the store, you will see a form of sugar in almost everything. No one needs that much sugar. Enjoy a little sweetness from less refined sources like fruit, maple syrup and honey.

The idea of whole food carries over to fats. We need essential fatty acids for healthy cellular function, so don’t cut them out. Get the least refined oils possible. Most of the oils at the supermarket are hydrogenated—avoid these. Get cold-pressed oils and keep them refrigerated so they stay fresh.

The basic guidelines are simple: If it is real food, eat it. If it isn’t, don’t. (And forgive yourself when you stray from your ideal—the occasional cookie won’t hurt you. Balance is important.)

Because we are each different, and we each absorb food in different ways, it is wise to see a nutritional consultant who uses applied kinesiology (muscle testing) to determine which foods your body needs. They will also check for food sensitivities and digestive-tract disturbances that stop you from absorbing your food, and help you bring your body to a level of optimum wellness.

The most important thing to remember about a food plan is that it should make you feel good. If someone (even a nutritionist) recommends a diet to you that your body doesn’t feel good on, then it’s not right for you. Change it. A good practitioner will hear your feedback and adjust the program accordingly.

Remember also that our bodies change as we age. What fueled you through college will not necessarily nourish you in midlife. Pay attention to the signals your body gives you, and get help when you need it.