Healthy eating is not about strict limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about eating well-balanced meals that leave you feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and boosting your mood.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. The truth is that while some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. Eating well involves eating more foods that are closer to the way nature made them. This can make a huge difference in how you think, look, and feel.