High protein? High carb? Your best diet may surprise you.

The typically review our diets and make New Year's resolutions the first of the year. Like me, I'll bet you've made--and broken--plenty of resolutions. These days, though, it's tough to know which diet you should follow. Should you follow some of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets? Or should you try one of the high-carbohydrate, low-protein programs?

This year, instead of starting another weight-loss program, concentrate on eating a healthy diet. The best diet for you will help you reach your ideal weight while providing you with the nutrients you need to be and stay healthy.

But what makes a good diet--concentrating on high protein or high carbohydrate? Some people burn calories fast and do better eating more complex carbohydrates. Hint: They're usually thin people. Others burn calories slowly. These people feel and look best when they eat more protein. Either way, getting sufficient protein is vital. So is eating good quality foods--foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fats, and low in toxins.

You might think that because I'm a vegetarian, I'm biased against meat-based diets. Actually, I'm biased against unhealthy diets. It's tough to be a healthy vegetarian and get enough protein. It's not much easier to be a healthy carnivore and eat good quality protein that's not laced with toxins.

Carbohydrate sensitivity

Call it insulin resistance, Syndrome X, or hyperinsulinemia--they all mean that when you eat a lot of starches or sugars, your blood sugar rises too high and…