As the holidays come to a close, we begin contemplating the New Year and the improvements we would like to make in our lives. Invariably, it comes to being healthier, eating better, losing weight. On that vein, can I make a few suggestions?

Veggies, veggies, and more veggies! That's my first suggestion. Make it a habit to eat raw and steamed vegetables at every meal. If you are good at including veggies, try upping the ante some: instead of canned, use fresh or frozen. If you're already there, use organic.

Cut the sugar. This applies to all categories - all "white" foods. This means breads, cereals, pastas, white rice, and potatoes. And of course the sugary foods we all know are not good for us. Replace them with brown rice, lentils, beans, whole grains, quinoa, and other wholesome foods. If you have digestive issues, rule out gluten intolerance by 100 percent avoidance of gluten for two weeks. Observe how you feel. Then bring it back in and observe how you feel. If you feel good without it and bad when it's reintroduced, eliminate it, whether or not your lab tests say you're gluten intolerant. Is it worth it?

Curtail or cut coffee and black tea consumption. Replace with coffee substitutes that are not so acidic. Teeccino, Pero, Gano, roasted dandelion tea, Bengal Spice tea, Roastaroma tea, and others are better alternatives. That includes eliminating the hydrogenated fat-laden creamers.

Buy quality meats. Best from a butcher/meat shop such as Tim's Meats in Coeur d'Alene - ask for natural, no-chemical meats. You can also get organic, pasture-raised meat at the health food store. Next best is to buy from a local farmer who raises it on grass, and have it processed to your family's needs. The ultimate best is to raise it yourself on pasture, not grain, having the ultimate control in quality. Obviously, most can't do this, so choose one of the other options. Game meats are superb!

If you consume dairy, consume it fresh from a local farm - FRESH, unaltered.

Instead of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, vegetable oils, canola and other non-nutritive or harmful oils, replace them with healthy oils such as coconut oil, high-grade olive oil, and pure butter. Avoid anything in a tub.

Make sure your vitamins are made from foods only and not synthetic, faux vitamins with chemical-sounding names. Vitamins are getting a bad name these days because they are mostly junky chemical substitutes to the good food kinds.

Start cooking in the kitchen again, and produce wholesome foods for your family. You will find not only are they healthier, but learning is easier, and behavior is generally better.

Invite the spirit of health, love, and Christ-like qualities into your home this year.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 32 years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health-care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.