What does eating naturally mean???

What does eating naturally mean?  I know that's the question I've been asked and Lent hasn't even started!  "Is it a fast?" "Is it a cleanse?" "Can you only eat wheat grass, nuts, and beans?" "What kind of crazy diet is this?"  

First, this is not a diet.  Diets are short term and can't be sustained.  Instead, this is an approach to food and food preparation.  Eating naturally has many names "clean eating", "real food diet", etc.  They all follow similar premises - eating food in its most natural state, no preservatives, no artificial flavors or coloring, and on and on.  

I like to keep it simple, so here are the rules of thumb I plan to follow for the next 40 days (and hopefully beyond!)...

• What to avoid:
• Processed, refined foods
• Preservatives
• Artificial flavors & colors
• High in saturated and trans fat
• Fried
• High in sugar
• Man-made chemicals
• What to focus on:
• Eating food that in its natural state
• Read labels - natural foods only contain a few ingredients
• Drink as much water as possible everyday
• Eat frequent, small meals to keep your body energized

Source: Clean Eating magazine