Daily 5 by Dr. James J. DiNicolantonio

1. Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

Focus on most of your protein coming from animal foods such as grass-fed meat, pastured eggs, fish, shellfish and organ meats.

2. Lower your carbohydrate intake, particularly refined carbohydrates.

I typically aim for 100 to 150 grams of whole food carbs per day but this can increase on heavy workout days. The typical American consumes around 350-400 grams of carbohydrates per day so aiming for 100-150 grams is certainly lower than the Standard American Diet.

3. Reduce your intake of refined sugar.

Better sugar alternatives include raw wild honey or berries.

4. Struggling with a sugar craving? Or need an idea for a healthy snack?

I like to eat greek yogurt, raw organic pecans and raw wild honey (you can also add berries to this as well). This makes for an excellent snack that can quickly stop a sugar craving in its tracks!

5. Perform resistance exercise 3-5 times per week for 45 minutes each session.

As we age we lose muscle. Thus, performing some form of resistance exercise is important for health and vitality. This can either be body weight exercises, resistance bands, cables, or free weights. Start lifting now, your mind and body will thank you for it.

Dr. James DiNicolantonio

Dr. James DiNicolantonio, is a Doctor of Pharmacy and a cardiovascular research scientist. A well-respected and internationally known scientist and an expert on health and nutrition, he has contributed extensively to health policy and has testified in front of the Canadian Senate regarding the harms of added sugars. He serves as the associate editor of the British Medical Journal’s Open Heart, a journal published in partnership with the British Cardiovascular Society, and is on the editorial advisory boards of several other medical journals. Dr. DiNicolantonio is the author or coauthor of over 300 publications in the medical literature. He also is the author of seven bestselling health books, The Salt Fix, Superfuel, The Longevity Solution, The Immunity Fix, The Mineral Fix, WIN and The Obesity Fix.