When I used to work in an office before I started Ideal Balance, I often felt like salads were just "appetizers" which left a dangerous amount of room for me to ravage the vending machine. It took me some trial and error to learn the art of making a truly healthy and filling salad, and now I'm happy to show you the ropes.

Salads are certainly healthy meals, especially if you can add some dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale. According to Chinese medicine, leafy greens help clean the blood, and since the blood pulsates through our whole body, that is a very good thing. My personal favorite reason for eating greens is that they help lift my mood. The world always appears to be a lighter, happier place after I eat a large and satisfying meal of dark, leafy greens.

But for many of us, a salad simply does not offer enough calories to stabilize the blood sugar between lunch and an afternoon snack. If you are a salad eater who loses focus, gets sleepy, and craves sugar one or two hours after lunch, I'm talking to you. This is not the rule across the board, but many people need to have three components in their salads in order to feel satisfied and "full": healthy protein, good fat and a whole-grain complex carbohydrate, bean or legume.

Here are some suggestions to make your next salad more satisfying:

1. Add good fats: olive oil, olives, avocados, nuts. Fats make food actually taste good and alert your body that you are eating. They also make you feel fuller, longer and keep your blood sugar levels stable, so you can think properly during that 4:00 meeting. And for those of you that are still afraid of fat, you need not worry. It is much better for you to fill up on some avocado than raid the pretzels in the afternoon.

2. Add enough healthy protein: Try lean meats like chicken and turkey, as well as eggs, beans, soybeans. If you are someone who gets incredibly hungry one hour after eating a salad then you may need to add two servings of protein. Play with your salads and see what your body likes best.

3. Add a whole-grain complex carbohydrate: This part is tricky. Often the only really healthy complex carbohydrates are beans and legumes. These are a great addition to a salad. But if you feel like you need more, then keep a stash of whole-grain crackers or pita breads at your desk to munch on with your salad. I like the AK-MAK sesame crackers best. Just make sure the first ingredient on the list says 100% whole-grain or whole wheat.

4. Don't forget your 3:00 or 4:00 Snack: Eating healthy light foods will make you feel energetic, light and focused, but they don't last as long in the belly as pizza and steak. So you are going to need to eat some snacks to keep you satisfied. It is normal to be hungry about 3 hours after lunch and it is important that you keep your blood sugar level stable by eating a snack, preferably one that contains a combination of a carb plus a protein, such as an apple and peanut butter, or chicken and whole-wheat crackers.

Search this site for healthy and delicious salad recipes, and post some of your own favorite ideas below!

Monica Shah is a holistic health counselor who specializes in helping successful professionals enrich and transform their lives. If you're looking to achieve more balance in your own life, feel free to contact Monica through her website, www.idealbalanceinc.com.