Ever heard that the white stuff we eat is not so healthy? I've heard it, time and time again. I was reminded of this fact while at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona this past April. My Ranch nutritionist confirmed it. And the foods I ate while at this health and healing institute derived from the whole wheat, whole grain, whole goodness family. There wasn't a slice of white bread in sight. No white pasta either. Or white rice. I did have a white baked potato one night for dinner -- but it was the smallest white baked potato I'd ever seen.

It's not so hard to transition from white to non-white. Just search your grocery store aisles for the healthier alternatives -- and buy them. Or make your own varieties of nutritious stuff. Like whole-wheat pizza crust. Remember when I wrote about eating pizza once a week? Instead of ordering it, why not make your own? Here's how you might start:

Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust
Makes six pizza crusts, each containing 175 calories, 36 gm. carbohydrate, 1 gm. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 6 gm. protein, 150 mg. sodium, and 4 gm. fiber

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Mix water, yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil in large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer with a dough hook, add flour slowly and mix on medium low until dough separates from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour if too sticky. You can also mix by hand, then turn out on a floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

2. Form into a round ball and place in a medium bowl lightly coated with olive oil. Cover and let sit in a warm place for one hour.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat baking sheet with olive oil.

4. Punch down dough and lightly knead for 30 seconds. Divide into six three-inch balls. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out dough to six-inch rounds, flouring lightly to keep rolling pin from sticking to balls.

5. Place crusts on a greased baking sheet and add toppings. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until crust is golden.