It’s time to put Paleo to practice. Hopefully you’ve had the chance to do some shopping and pick up the basics for your new way of eating in 2012.

Your kitchen should be stocked with all the things we talked about last week–a lot of vegetables and some fruit; seafood, meat and poultry; eggs; healthy oils; herbs and spices and of course a few little indulgences.

What You Might Need

Now it’s time to flesh out your food wardrobe with a few more items that will make healthy eating a delicious and easy way of life. Here are a few of my favorite things. I like to think of them as necessities. They are: Snacks, and Condiments.

Snacks

Nuts. Grab some walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts for additional protein and omega oils. They provide a portable, convenient snack and will make your skin glow. In addition, the fatty acids found in nuts promote cognitive function and maintain a healthy heart, among other things.

Macadamia nuts, pictured above, are my favorite. Unfortunately, they are also quite expensive. The good thing is, you really should not feast on nuts, which makes it a slightly more affordable habit.

Remember that nuts do not have a perfectly balanced ratio of omega fats for the human animal, and while they may suit the squirrel quite well, you should enjoy them in moderation.

Sauerkraut. Perceived as a Germanic food, sauerkraut is a tangy staple in my refrigerator. Packed with probiotics–the beneficial bacteria that aid immunity–sauerkraut is merely pickled cabbage, but it’s the fermentation process that gives it all those wonderful microorganisms that prevent cancer and keep your digestion on track.

In addition, the cabbage itself is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6 and folate. Bubbies is my favorite brand. You can get it at Whole Foods. I snack on it all throughout the day.

Kale chips. Kale chips are so yummy, I’m absolutely addicted to them. I get the Kale Krunch Cheezy Chipotle ones from my local Whole Foods, made by Alive & Radiant Foods. They’re kind of expensive, but Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, has a reader recipe for making them yourself, if you are so inclined.

Kale provides an impressive 194% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A per one cup serving, which is pretty amazing. In addition, it’s packed with vitamin C for immune support and vitamin B6 and manganese, which are important for fat metabolism. It’s a great source of dietary fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin E, so the chips make a great snack.

Condiments

Stevia. I love my Stevia. I’ve used it for as long as I can remember, and boy has it been a life-saver.

I have an incredible sweet tooth, and Stevia is an extremely sweet, herbaceous plant that originated in Paraguay. The people there chew on the leaves because they are so sweet. The great thing about Stevia is, it has no calories. No carbohydrates. It scores zero on the glycemic index, meaning, it will not raise your blood sugar, making it perfect for diabetics and everyone else. It’s completely natural and you can buy it in liquid or powder form. Get it at the health food store, or order your Stevia online.

You can use it to sweeten tea, smoothies and desserts. I get the liquid version and carry one in my purse all the time for dining out.

Tabasco, Tapatio, and salsa. If you know how to scramble an egg, you’re good to go for your Paleo breakfast. Adding a spicy sauce or fresh salsa makes it taste delish. Just look for all-natural versions, and ones that are free of sugar.

Beware of Strangers With Candy

Of course your mother warned you, but you’d be surprised at just how many innocent-looking foods contain hidden sugars. Commercial mayonnaise, believe it or not, is a known registered offender. Its accomplice, ketchup, is even worse.

Lots of names in the food industry are completely corrupt, and even foods that claim to be good for you are often not your friend. It really saddens me, but sometimes I feel like you can’t trust anyone, so I suggest you read your food labels. I guess, ultimately, you can’t expect anyone to watch out for you. You have to do it yourself.

Maybe you’ve heard this phrase: Today is the first day of the rest of my life…So with that, let’s get started now.

In The Beginning

Often heralded as the most important meal of the day, breakfast is most definitely the first step toward starting your metabolism, and it represents a new beginning.

Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution, recommends a high-protein, high-fat, low-carb meal, with no added sugars or grains.

Make it a solid breakfast that will set your hormones and neurotransmitters for the day.

You could always opt for a healthy smoothie, but when starting out Robb recommends limiting your fruit intake, and instead enjoying the savory side. He said that most people are battling some kind of metabolic derangement–such as obesity, diabetes, fertility issues or depression–and sugar, even if it is only the sugar you find in fruit, just makes it worse.

As you get leaner and healthier, you can introduce more fruit, but Robb explained that there is no nutrient in fruit that is not available in vegetables, so try to keep your sugar levels down initially.

Eggs and meats are a good breakfast choice. Every bodybuilder I’ve met eats a ton of eggs, and there are a multitude of ways to prepare them. Poached, hard-boiled or simply scrambled, let your imagination go wild. But leave the toast and the potatoes behind, and eat a reasonable amount of fruit, or a bit of berries, instead.

There are so many ways to prepare your eggs. Make an omelette or frittata and be creative, using vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, onion…you can’t go wrong with the incredible, edible egg.

I’m a fiend for great Mexican food. Huevos Rancheros fits perfectly within the Paleo plan. Just ditch the beans and the tortilla, sub in a little sliced avocado, and you’ve got an ideal meal.

A side of bacon, ham, chorizo or sausage could complete it, and will provide a lasting sense of fullness because the fat in the meal will satisfy and satiate you, while the protein gives your body all the necessary amino acids to build muscle and remain strong.

Remember: eating fat does not make you fat. Cook your eggs in the fat from the bacon, or use refined coconut oil.

Coconut oil won’t flavor the food–in fact, it is very neutral-tasting–and is the prime choice for cooking due to temperature stability and a host of healthy benefits. Spectrum makes the best brand.

What To Drink, and What Not To Drink

Water works. Teas are a perfectly safe choice, as long as they are devoid of sugar, artificial sweeteners and chemicals. You can sweeten them with Stevia.

Sodas are completely unhealthy for a variety of reasons, especially the diet variety, and as far as juice goes, seriously, you might as well be drinking soda. Bottled juices are heated for safety and stability. Their nutritional value is completely destroyed by the time they get to the grocery store, and all that’s left is sugar.

Milk creates an insulin response–any diabetic knows what that is–and contrary to widespread opinion and oodles of celebrity endorsement, milk doesn’t ‘do a body good.’

If you are going to have a glass of milk, be aware that it may not be as bad for you as soda, but it’s still just comfort food, and we don’t need it.

A Gentle Reminder

Have you thrown out all your junk food yet? All your ‘heart-healthy’ grains? Boxes of cereal, crackers and refined foods? You should.

“You may want to dismiss this,” Robb said, “but think about it like this: Most people feel like they can stay in a monogamous, lifelong relationship. Well, what if we dropped you off at the Playboy mansion–I don’t care what gender or sexual orientation you are–and let’s say we got you falling down drunk and dosed you to the gills on Ecstasy. Would you remain monogamous? Highly unlikely, and this is my point: refined carbs are like an ecstasy-soaked beer binge at the Playboy mansion. This is a battle,” he said, “that you will not win.”

So if you haven’t already gotten rid of all that trash, please do. It’s for your own good.

Join me next Friday for another exciting nutrition installment…The Original Smooth-Talker: All About Smoothies. We’ll explore both sweet, and savory. See you then.

In keeping with our continuing theme on better self care, welcome to the next installment on the Paleo diet. Today we are going to take a closer look at the foods to keep in your kitchen.

There is a lot of info for you to chew on in 2012 as I embark on my new healthy life. I hope you will come along.

The Wicked White: From Cocaine to Sugar

We are almost powerless when it comes to food, says Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution. “Some do better than others, but the reality is our ancestors never faced the types of foods we pack into our pantries. The sugar, the refined carbs. They are completely new and they are addictive,” he stated.

“We worked with a woman who was, no joke, addicted to crack at one time,” he said. “She overcame that addiction only to succumb to a massive sugar addiction. She started working on her food, and in her own words, she found kicking sugar and refined grains to be much harder than quitting crack.”

He continued, “This may sound preposterous, but the same receptor sites in our brains that respond to heroin and opium–the opiate receptors–are triggered by wheat. This combo is made more powerful when there is sugar present. Junk food is really addictive. You need to plan if you want to succeed.”

Let’s Go Shopping

Anyone who knows me knows that I love shopping, and grocery shopping is no exception. So with Robb’s advice, let’s get started.

The first step toward Paleo living is to stock your kitchen with lots of produce and high-quality protein, as well as some healthy oils, spices, and a few indulgences, that will make the Paleo diet a delicious way of life.

Vegetables and Fruit

When buying produce, Robb recommends focusing mostly on vegetables, with a judicious amount of fruit, especially if your goal is that of fat loss.

Buy organic if possible. “Do not use a lack of organics or a prohibitive price on organics to forgo fruits and vegetables in favor of brown rice or Little Debby Snack Cakes,” he said.

Brown rice, long thought to be a ‘healthy’ grain, is not a health food.

Said Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, “If your average unhealthy person were to ask for the top three things to avoid in order to get healthy, I would tell them to stop smoking, to stop drinking their calories–as in soda or juice, and to stop eating grains. Period. Full stop. They really are that bad.”

In order to obtain the fiber you need in your diet, turn to vegetables and fruit.

When buying your produce, Robb advises buying seasonal. “Watermelons are not in season in North America in January,” he emphasized. Seasonal produce is the most nutritious and natural option for you.

Do the best you can. If you have a local farmer’s market, that’s even better. You are guaranteed fresh seasonal offerings at your farmer’s market. You really can’t go wrong with vegetables and fruit. Buy what you love, but avoid starchy foods like potatoes, and eliminate the grains, like corn. Contrary to popular thought, corn is not even a vegetable. It is a grain.

Seafood

Robb recommends sardines, mackerel, pacific salmon; shellfish such as shrimp, mussels and clams, and the delicate white fish that I adore, petrale sole.

When buying seafood, Robb cautioned, “There are mercury bioaccumulation issues with larger species such as tuna and swordfish. Look for smaller, shorter-lived fish because they tend to accumulate far fewer toxins.”

‘Wild’ fish is definitely superior to farm-raised fish. Look for ‘wild’ when you are buying fish. Farm-raised fish is fed a diet of refined grain products, which alters their omega fat ratios.

As with your produce, if you cannot find or afford wild-caught fish, it should not be a deal breaker. This is one of the common arguments that Robb hears when consulting clients.

“Oftentimes people strive to be perfect just so they can ‘fail’ and give up. Don’t do it–don’t complicate this stuff. Tackle the refinements in steps so you do not get overwhelmed,” he said.

Meat & Poultry

Seek leaner cuts of conventional meats, such as London broil, pork loin, lean ground beef, and whole or parts of chicken and turkey, like breast and thighs.

Grass fed meats are a great choice. “This typically refers to beef, bison, and similar grazing animals,” Robb explained. “It should mean that all the critter has eaten is grass and similar nongrain feed. Why does this matter? Because grains make critters fat and sick, just like us,” he continued. “The animals get so sick from eating grains, it’s a race to get them fat enough for slaughter before they die from digestive complications.”

Eggs

Add to your cart some omega-3 enriched eggs. The yolk of the egg, which contains all the fat, is very healthy and provides much-needed vitamin D.

Oils

Olive oil is “a great source of monounsaturated fats and disease-fighting phenolics and antioxidants,” Robb stated. Robb smartly recommends buying two types of olive oil–an inexpensive one for cooking and a second, pricey version for dressing salads. Pacific Sun olive oil is the brand he recommends for your high-end.

Coconut oil. This short-chain saturated fat is perfect for high-temperature cooking. Look in your health food store, or you can order it from tropicaltraditions.com.

Coconut milk can be found in the Asian foods section of your grocery store. Delicious in curries and stews, coconut milk “has potent antimicrobial action and helps to heal irritation in the digestive tract,” Robb stated. I love eating it with fruit.

Herbs & Spices

Be sure to stock up on things that add flavor to all the great healthy foods you’ll be eating. Ginger, basil, cilantro, onions, shallots, garlic, peppers, mint and rosemary are a few things to consider while you’re in the produce section.

In addition, load up on dry spices so you’ll really love the way your food tastes.

Little Indulgences

Because we’re all only human, Robb advises grabbing a few bars of 85 percent dark chocolate, and if you would enjoy a little red wine or a good bottle of Tequila, please do so, in moderation. But don’t forget the limes.

What Belongs In The Trash

Throw away your low-fat granola and your boxes of cereal and cereal bars, energy bars, ‘meal-replacement’ bars.

Even so-called healthy cereals, like oatmeal, or those with wheat or oat or bran, are considered toxic by experts as we learn more about what constitutes a healthy diet for the human animal.

Anything that’s filled with sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, additives, preservatives, chemicals, and things you can’t pronounce should also go in the trash.

Get rid of your pasta, your rice, and your processed foods, and meet me back here next Friday for ideas on how to use your healthy new foods deliciously, as part of the Paleo way of life. I can’t wait for us to get started.