There are a lot of opinions and philosophies on food and nutrition, but here’s a basic foundation:

1. Eat greens. Eat greens like crazy, the darker the better. Romaine, leaf lettuce, broccoli, chard, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, arugula, parsley, cillantro, spinach, Mesclun greens. If it’s green, it’ll help you. Eat tons of greens in salads, green smoothies (just toss some romaine, kale, or spinach in — it won’t affect the flavor), green juices (use a base of apple or carrot to take the edge off and some lemon for zip), marinated greens, steamed greens, sauteed greens, green soups. Remember the guy in Forrest Gump who knew a million things to do with shrimp? Be like that with greens.

2. Eat plants, different plants with different colors for different phytochemicals. Eat leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Have salad. Crudites with a nice dip. Steamed, baked, stir-fried and sauteed veggies. Grab an apple, a carrot, an orange, a pear. 

3. Eat whole food. If you like bread, get the grainiest, grittiest, heaviest, chewiest bread you can find: it’s full of fiber, B vitamins, and honest nutrients that the white stuff we used to play “communion” with, and with the sun-tanned varieties that are white bread masquerading as whole-grain, just won’t give you. Eat brown rice. Eat potatoes with their skins on. Get more of your fats from whole foods — olives, sunflower seeds, ground flax seeds, nuts, soybeans — and less from extracted oils. And leave refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, and the soft drinks that are full of them alone: they’re really hurting you. Drink water, seltzer water, soft drinks that are half seltzer and half fruit juice, coconut water, and fresh vegetable juice. Your body will thank you kindly.

There’s plenty more you could do, refining and experimenting and reading and learning, but this alone will transform the way you feel and the way you see your life.