So now you know one of my fears…how about another?  I have a tremendous fear of bad foundation application.  Now stay with me here because I promise to be brief.  (There is no way we can set up our menus for beauty and not talk about skin so hold on while I get off topic for 2 seconds!;)  Nothing scares me more than being *that* girl.  You know the one with the 2 inch layer of foundation/concealer all over her face that just wreaks of bad application.  She is literally sloughing off powder as she walks along the hall.  What caused this to happen?  Bad skin.  Wrinkles.  Excessive dryness.  Or she’s blind—but that’s another post at another time!  But what she’s trying to do is use make up to hide what her diet is lacking:  nutrients. 

Fruits and veggies are the easiest way to get those nutrients for the skin as well as add variety to your diet, yet everyone has the proverbial apple everyday with some form of berries in the morning.  Can we break that habit please?  Let’s talk about some new fruits and veggies to add and then put a system in place to keep you on your toes so you don’t fall back to the same old stand by’s.

First, let me let you in on a secret:  I don’t like fruit.  There, I said it.  I am not a fan.  I eat it because I have to and it adds flavor to my oatmeal.  But if I don’t eat oatmeal, I may not eat fruit that day.  Is that good?  No!  So I had to grow up and be a big girl and start to eat things that I may not always like as much as other things (I don’t *hate* fruit, I just prefer veggies more).  I mention this because I get this one A LOT, “I don’t like other veggies.  I only like àfill in the blankß.”  Really?  I mean, really?  Would you also like me to walk you to school and tuck you in at night?  Yeah, I’m punkin’ you!  What are you going to do about it?  Hit me with some asparagus?  Honestly, if you are over the age of 25 and you are pouting over veggies or any other food item, I can let you spend a week in a third world country and you’ll be over that REAL quick!  Get over yourself and start thinking long term.  I say that as I eat a plum. OY!

Oh but I’m not done with the rant because now I’m coming after the fruitaholics.  You know who you are.  You send me the food diary with fruit (usually all the same kind) at 5 out of the 6 meals and try to justify it with a “big” salad at the end of the day.  Way to go on variety there!  Usual comeback from this person, “I had carrots and tomatoes in the salad”.  Really?  I mean, really?  What are you one of those folks who chews gum after a meal and tries to say that’s brushing?  Get some floss will ya!  Yeah I’m calling you out, too!  Honestly, if you are that creative at stretching things out like that, can you do my taxes? OY!

Ok, so I sound harsh…but this is important stuff!  Foundation application is at stake here!  You spend $45 on a small vial of that stuff and you’ll find time to vary your vegetables, your fruit, heck your way home from work!  There becomes no limit to your variations!  That’s money right there!  Enough already about that stuff, let’s get past this nonsense and move into the real stuff:  3 Green/Blue fruits and veggies everyday, 2 Red/Yellow/Orange and 1 white per day and you are good to go.  Again, will it work out that well?  No…but it gives you a road map to start with and then you can make better choices as you become used to opening up the diet.

 (Note:  These are not complete lists and some fruits and veggies have been omitted on purpose.)

Green/Blue/Purple

Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Broccoflower, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussel sprouts, Celery, Chinese cabbage, Cucumbers, Endive, Green apples, Green beans, Green cabbage, Green grapes, Green onion, Green pears, Green peppers, Honeydew, Kiwifruit, Leafy greens, Leeks, Lettuce, Limes, Okra, Sno Peas, Spinach, Zucchini, Black currants, Blackberries, Blueberries, Plums, Eggplant, Elderberries, Grapes, Plums, Pomegranates, Prunes, endive, Purple cabbage, Purple grapes, Purple peppers, Raisins

Red/Yellow/Orange

Blood oranges, Cherries, Cranberries, Guava, Papaya, Pink grapefruit, Pink/Red grapefruit, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Radishes, Raspberries, Red apples, Red bell peppers, Red chili peppers, Red grapes, Red onions, Red pears, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Apricots, Butternut squash, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Golden kiwifruit, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mangoes, Nectarines, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Persimmons, Pineapples, Pumpkin, Rutabagas,  Tangerines, Yellow apples, Yellow pears, Yellow peppers, Yellow summer squash, Yellow tomatoes, Yellow watermelon, Yellow winter squash

White

Bananas, Brown pears, Cauliflower, Dates, Garlic, Ginger, Jicama, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Shallots, Turnips, White nectarines, White peaches

Here are the rules:

1)    No more than 2 fruits per day. 

2)    Do not repeat the same veggie more than once in a day.

3)    Do not become a banana psycho.  We’ll talk about this in another section.

4)  Limit the tropical fruits to 3 per week.  Easy mon, ya hear.

 Getting the green guys in assures that you keep your metabolism revving.  And getting the blue guys in like prunes assures that you keep your colon revving.  Although, keep that under wraps there will ya!  So you have more of those than the reds and such.  The reds/orange/yellows protect you against disease and the whites possess a ton of vitamins that boost immunity.  Spread it out folks.  It’s on!

We’re getting close to putting this together!  Starches and fat are simpler and they are next!:o)

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