Linda Larsen

GMO foods started appearing in the news in the 1980s and 1990s. These foods are made when scientists insert foreign DNA from plants or animals into cells that change the plant or animal's traits. Some GMO foods are bred to be resistant to herbicides and pesticides. Other changes can include increasing the speed with which an animal comes to maturity or reducing the signs of produce spoilage.

Converting your daily routine to the eating clean lifestyle is easier than you think. Sure, you have to spend more time planning, shopping, and preparing meals than you do now, but as with all new skills, you'll get faster as you get more experience.Especially when you're just getting started, you can eat clean meals with a little help from the grocery store.

You've heard of the food chain that has algae and amoeba at the bottom and lions and tigers at the top, but you may not know about the other food chain — that is, the processed food chain. In this food chain, foods in their natural state, like apples, greens, berries, and whole grains, are at the bottom, and processed foods, like sugary snack cakes and fast-food burgers, are at the top.

Water is a basic element of life. In fact, human bodies are about 65 percent water. When your body needs more water, it lets you know through thirst cues. But did you know that people often mistake thirst for hunger?If your stomach starts rumbling and you want to eat, get a drink of water. Not soda, not coffee or tea — just plain water.

With the eating clean lifestyle, you have to figure out what real hunger feels like. Hunger is one of life's biological drives. You have to eat to stay alive, and your body tells you when you need food. But in this modern world, images of food — reminders of everything from chocolate doughnuts to french fries — constantly bombard you.

Phytochemicals are natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables that help protect against the many causes of disease. Scientists think that plants developed these compounds to protect themselves against stress and environmental toxins. For instance, the brightly colored skins of many fruits and vegetables protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays.

The two types of fiber, which perform different functions in your body, are classified by whether or not they dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water, and soluble fiber does. Fiber is partially fermented by bacteria in your intestines, which helps maintain a good balance of healthy bacteria.

Like vitamins, minerals assist your body in retrieving energy from macronutrients so that your cells can work, grow, repair themselves, and replace themselves. The minerals in plants, dairy products, and meat all come from the soil. Some nutritionists are concerned that as more and more farmers deplete their soil, the amount of minerals naturally present in these foods also decreases.

Eating processed foods means consuming preservatives, additives, and artificial ingredients. What happens to these chemicals? How does your body process them?Put bluntly, your body isn't designed to process and incorporate preservatives, additives, stabilizers, and other artificial ingredients. Because many of these ingredients are fat-soluble, your body stores them in its fat instead of using them for energy or cell repair.