analyze your diet

Score 1 point for each Yes answer:

1. Do you add sugar to food or drink almost every day?
2. Do you eat foods with added sugars almost every day?
3. Do you use salt in your food?
4. Do you drink more than one cup of coffee most days?
5. Do you drink more than three cups of tea most days?
6. Do you smoke more than five cigarettes a day?
7. Do you take recreational drugs such as cannabis? (Huh?)
8. Do you drink more than 10 oz. of alcohol a day?
9. Do you eat fried foods more than twice a week?
10. Do you eat processed fast food more than twice a week?
11. Do you eat red meat more than twice a week?
12. Do you often eat foods containing additives and preservatives?
13. Do you eat chocolate or sweets more than twice a week?
14. Does less than 1/3 of your diet consist of raw fruits & vegetables?
15. Do you drink less than 1/2 pint of plain water each day?
16. Do you normally eat white rice, flour, or bread rather than whole grain?
17. Do you drink more than three pints of milk a week?
18. Do you eat more than 3 slices of bread a day, on average?
19. Are there some foods you feel "addicted" to?
20. Do you eat oily fish less than twice a week and/or seeds less than daily?

Scoring:
0-4 pts ~ You are obviously a health conscious person and your little indiscretions are unlikely to affect your health. Supplement with the right vitamins and minerals, and you can look forward to a long and healthy life.

5-9 pts ~ You are on the right track, but must be a little stricter with yourself. Set up an easy experiment by going without two or three of the foods you know are not good for you for one month. See how you feel. Some you may decide to have on occasion, while others you may find you go off completely. Aim to have your score under 5 within 3 months.

10-14 pts ~ Your diet is not good and you will need to make some changes if your goal is optimum health. But take it a step at a time. Aim to have your score under 5 within 6 months. Remember sugar, coffee, salt, and chocolate are all addictive foods. Your cravings for them will dramatically decrease or even disappear altogether after a month's time.

15-20 pts ~ There is no way you can continue to eat like this and remain in good health. You are consuming far too great a quantity of fat, refined foods, and artificial stimulants. But gradually, you can turn your diet around. Be patient with yourself, and seek help if necessary.