Everyone has heard about the Paleo diet. The caveman diet. The hunter-gather diet. I’m sure you have known a family member or friend who has tried it. I have to admit, after reflecting on my daily eating habits, I noticed I was eating Paleo-esque and I wasn’t even trying to. Now, I’m not advocating cutting out grains and gluten completely. After all, I’m Italian and I couldn’t give up pasta to save my life. You just have to be mindful of the amount of grains you consume. Cutting back is a great first step. I’m sharing 5 simple eating habits to start incorporating into your daily routine and in the future, if you choose to follow a strict Paleo diet it will be a lot easier to follow.

1. When snacking, reach for nuts.

When hunger strikes it’s important to reach for healthy options, it will trick your brain to crave these foods in the future. Nuts are packed full of great nutrients, especially cashews, they are known to be high in zinc. Low levels of zinc in the body are usually linked to stress and anxiety, so cashews are always a great snack to have around.

2. Just say no to sugar.

This may be hard at first. But, start by incorporating small modifications to your diet. For instance, when ordering your morning coffee just say no to any extra sugar. It may be hard to eliminate sugar completely from your diet, so just start by not adding any extra sugar on anything you consume.

3. Eliminate dairy.

Again, this may be hard at first but start simple. A great way to do this is by replacing milk with almond milk, coconut milk or even cashew milk. After you get in the habit of replacing milk with almond milk, it will be a lot easier for you to replace the other dairy items in your fridge. You may even want to start making your own almond milk - it’s super easy!

4. Eat your protein.

When planning meals for dinner it’s always good to try to include meat, fowl, fish or seafood as your entree. After all, that is the essence of the Paleo diet, but too much of anything is never a good thing. I always say, everything in moderation.

5. Get in the pattern of passing on processed foods.

Processed foods are never good for anyone one. Instead reach for healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables and nuts. If you get in the pattern of passing on these foods, you’ll feel better and your body will thank you.

With nearly 10 years as a publicist in the hospitality & leisure industry, Tracy Memoli is the Director of Social Media for Dessert Professional Magazine. She has contributed to Eat Up New York and Elite Daily. Tracy is the founder of Suite & Savory, a luxury food and travel blog and resides in New York City. Tracy is a graduate of the University of North Florida, with a degree in Communications. She began her career in Central Florida as a travel journalist and soon after moved to New York City, where she became a publicist, managing campaigns for some of the biggest names in the hospitality & leisure industry.

Tracy created Suite & Savory to enrich her audience through the simple pleasures of travel & eating. She believes, “even though we may speak different languages and hail from different parts of the world, when it comes to food and the desire to eat, we all speak the same language.”

In 2015, Tracy launched, Table for Two, candid kitchen conversations with trending chefs around the globe and Suite Dreams, tours and hospitality reviews at leading luxury hotels around the world. Tracy has appeared on the Dr.Oz show and has been quoted in U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, The Daily Meal and TheStreet.com.

Find her at @tracymemoli on twitter and instagram or on her blog .