1. Avoid Sugar

-found in cakes, biscuits, confectionary, chocolate, candy, desserts, soft drinks and many other foods.

2. Use whole grains rather than refined carbohydrates

- white bread, white flour, white pastry, white pasta and white rice should be replaced with brown rice, quinoa, millet, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat and red rice.

3. Avoid artificial additives

- these may be sweeteners, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.

4. Avoid stimulants

- caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and other recreational drugs.

5. Eat vegetables or salads with lunch and dinner

- Variety is important, so experiment with those that you don't normally eat.

6. Include some sources of essential fats every day

- these include oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herrings and trout), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds/flaxseeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and avacadoes. Avoid processed fats such as low fat spreads and margarines.

7. Have at least 2 vegetarian days each week

- good vegetarian proteins include chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, borilotti beans, butter beans, aduki beans, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, amaranth, nuts and seeds.

8. Avoid processed meats

- ham, salami, chorizo, hot dogs, bacon and any smoked or cured meats. These all contain nitrates that have been linked to stomach cancer and are high in saturated fats and salt which are linked to stomach disease.

9. Cook from scratch whenever possible

- this means buying whole, natural ingredient and cooking or preparing them yourself. Avoid processed and packaged foods as much as possible.

10. Buy locally grown, organically produced, seasonal produce where possible

- check out farmer's markets, farm shops and pick-your-own farms for the freshest produce.

For more information, visit www.gillianmckeith.info

Tips courtesy of McKeith Research Ltd 2008