By James Harvey Stout (deceased). This material is now in the public domain. The complete collection of Mr. Stout's writing is now at http://stout.mybravenet.com/public_html/h/ .

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1. We can follow these guidelines for meals.  
2. Vitamins and minerals.  
3. Carbohydrates.  
4. Fiber. 
5. Cholesterol.  
6. Protein. 
7. Sugar.  
8. Sodium (salt).  
9. Fat.  
10. Water.
11. The four food groups.  
12. Food allergies.  
13. Nutritional food storage.  
14. Nutritional cooking.
15. Trust your body's instincts.    

We can follow these guidelines for meals.

1. Eat smaller meals (and supplement them with snacks, if necessary). If we eat too much at one time, the body can't absorb all of the nutrients anyway.
2. Chew food thoroughly, to get more of the nutrients.
3. Be relaxed while eating a meal, and for an hour afterward; strong emotions disturb the digestive process.
4. Liquids dilute the digestive juices; thus, those juices are more effective if we don't drink liquids during the meal, or for 30 minutes before, and or an hour afterward. Cold drinks cause even more trouble for us at mealtime; if they cause the stomach's temperature to drop even just a few degrees, the digestive process takes hours longer.

Vitamins and minerals.

1. Vitamins deteriorate; don't store them for a long period of time, and don't keep them in sunlight or in a refrigerator.
2. Take vitamins when you eat a meal so they will be absorbed more easily.
3. According to nutritionists, the body needs 13 vitamins and 20 minerals. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) presents the requirement for certain vitamins and minerals; this amount is more than adequate for a healthy person (but you should note that there are different RDAs, based on the person's conditions, such as age, gender, and a woman's pregnancy or nursing).
4. We gain no value by taking extreme doses of vitamins and minerals, and we are risking toxicity if we take excessive amounts of vitamins A and D.

Carbohydrates. The liver turns carbohydrates into glucose, which is the form of sugar that the body uses.

1. Complex carbohydrates. (Beans, whole grains, starchy vegetables.) They are absorbed slowly, so they don't disrupt blood-sugar levels; they supply energy-giving sugar at a moderate rate and for a longer time.
2. Simple carbohydrates. (Sugar, honey, ripe fruit). They are absorbed quickly, so they boost the blood's sugar-level too rapidly.

Fiber. Also called "roughage," fiber passes through the digestive system without being digested, but it is essential: it lowers the cholesterol level, helps to prevent constipation, absorbs toxins, and reduces the possibility of hemorrhoids. The sources of fiber include fruits, whole grains (wheat, oat, rice, corn), and vegetables (including dried beans and brown rice).

Cholesterol. Despite the reputation of cholesterol as a danger to health, this waxy substance is necessary; the liver manufactures it to make certain that we have enough. Our cholesterol level can be determined by a blood test which costs about $25 at a doctor's office. Cholesterol is found in all meat, but in no fruits or vegetables. To lower our cholesterol level:

1. Cut back on red meat, shellfish, and foods containing fats (especially saturated fats).
2. Eat fresh fruit, poultry, soybeans, and foods containing pectin (e.g., bananas, oranges, grapes, tomatoes, peaches).

Protein. Proteins are large molecules which are composed of smaller components called amino acids.

1. The body needs only a limited amount of protein; there is no value in taking excessive quantities (as most people do), but we do need some every day because it cannot be stored in the body.
2. Avoid overcooking; this destroys protein.
3. The main sources of "complete proteins" are fish, meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and fowl; these complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids.
4. Incomplete proteins (cereal grains, vegetables, nuts, and vegetables) lack ample amounts of one or more amino acids, but if they are eaten at the same meal as certain other foods, they create the equivalent of complete proteins; examples of suitable combinations are corn and beans, or rice and peas, or bread and peanut butter. (Those combinations are essential for vegetarians who are not receiving protein from meat products.)

Sugar. Sugar has several variations. Five of the most common are described below:

1. Sucrose. This is "table sugar." We don't need any of the sucrose which fills our desserts, processed foods, and such fare; the body creates enough of its type of sugar (glucose) from the carbohydrates which we eat.
2. Honey. This has more calories than sugar, and it is more destructive to the teeth.
3. Fructose. This is the type of natural sugar which is found in fruit. It is less harmful to teeth and is digested at a slower pace (so it doesn't cause a quick rise in blood-sugar levels). However, a quick increase does occur from fruit juice, honey, dried fruits, and overripe fruits -- because they contain quickly digestible simple carbohydrates. At health food stores, many products (including cookies and breakfast cereals) are delightfully sweetened with fructose.
4. Lactose. This is the sugar that is in milk.
5. Glucose. This is the sugar that is found in our blood.

Sodium (salt).

1. Salt is another over-consumed nutrient; we get enough from most foods (except fruit) without needing to add additional salt. An excess can cause migraines, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
2. Foods which contain large amounts of salt include pickles, processed cheese, cold cuts, and salted snacks.
3. Sea salt is practically the same as regular table salt; it contains only an insignificant quantity of trace minerals.

Fat.

1. Fat is a necessary nutrient, but we eat too much of it.  
2. To consume less fat, switch to skim milk or 2% milk (which contains all the calcium and vitamins A and D as whole milk, with a small fraction of the fat) -- and fish or poultry (instead of red meat).

Water.

1. Most of us need more water than we consume; we don't get enough if we drink only when thirsty. Drink six to eight eight-ounce glasses of water or juice per day -- perhaps more if you are exercising, or less if you eat food which contains a high percentage of water. An excess is not harmful; the kidneys will remove it.
2. Mineral water has virtually no extra nutritional value; all water contains minerals, and some of the so-called "mineral water" is ordinary tap water.

The four food groups. To assure that you are satisfying your nutritional needs, consume an adequate quantity of food from each of these groups:

1. Vegetables and fruit. Four servings per day. Each serving equals 1 cup raw, or 1/2 cup cooked or juiced.
2. Cereal and grain. Four servings per day. Each serving equals one slice of bread (or a tortilla or muffin), or 1/2 cup of cereals, pasta, rice, or starchy vegetables (e.g., peas or corn).
3. Cheese and milk. An adult or child needs one cup per day; a teenage needs four cups.
4. Meat. One serving per day. Each serving equals one egg, or two to three ounces of meat, fish, or poultry.

Food allergies.

1. The most common food allergies are caused by wheat, eggs, milk products, and so on.
2. The symptoms can include hives, eczema, asthma, headaches, a stuffy nose, or fatigue after eating.
3. To discover whether you have a food allergy, get a lab test -- or test yourself by not eating the suspected food for four or five days; when you eat it again, check for the symptoms.

Nutritional food storage.

1. Before storing food, don't wash it or cut it.
2. Don't place wet food into storage.
3. Put dried foods into dark, dry, airtight containers.
4. Keep greens in containers which are airtight (except for holes to allow for drainage).
5. Put fruits into containers that let them keep their natural moisture.

Nutritional cooking.

1. To retain nutrients in food, cook in a minimum amount of water; try stir-frying or steaming rather than boiling.
2. To avoid oxidation (which destroys nutrients), don't thaw or chop food until just before cooking (and then chop into large pieces, also to avoid oxidation).
3. Use a scrubber instead of a peeler, to leave the nutritious skin intact on apples, potatoes, etc.
4. Cook for the minimum amount of time (except for foods like pork which must be thoroughly cooked to kill harmful organisms).
5. Limit the amount of time for soaking foods so that the vitamins and minerals will not be leached out.

Trust your body's instincts. Nutritional guidelines are helpful, but we can also listen to our body's natural cravings which tend to lead us to the foods we need. Become sensitive to your body's responses to various foods: its vitality after a light and healthful meal -- and its lethargy after overeating, its overstimulation from sugar, and its allergic reaction to certain foods. The body also tells us when to eat (when actually hungry, regardless of the clock or our emotional need to eat) -- and it tells us how much to eat (only enough to satisfy our nutritional needs, regardless of the amount we are leaving on our plate).