Diet Plans

Heart Healthy Diet

2012-01-19T11:44:00.003+05:30

Heart Healthy Diet is a diet plan that has been devised to ensure lower cholesterol levels in the blood and hence lesser chances for any type of heart ailments. According to experts, heart healthy diet program suits anybody who is above 2 years of age, but, children below 2 years should not be given the heart healthy diet as it will deprive them of the much needed fat that is crucial for their growth and development in such young ages.

There are no such so-called definite heart healthy menus in existence, but the diet program is generally an implementation of few standard suggestions made by the inventor of the heart healthy diet. According to the recommendations, for effective results,

30% or lesser than that of a day’s intake of calories from fat.
8-10% of a day’s calories from saturated fat.
Dietary cholesterol intake must be less than 300 mg daily.
Sodium intake should not exceed 2400 mg a day.
Ideally, avoid caffeine, MSG and other harmful food additives.

Above all, drink lots of water and make it a habit to workout at least 3 days a week. Taking an evening stroll or a morning walk is also highly recommended.

Macrobiotic Diet

2012-01-19T11:42:00.000+05:30

Macrobiotics – which literally translates to ‘great life’ – is a term that was first appeared in the writings of the famous Greek scholar and philosopher, Hippocrates. It refers to a lifestyle in which one survives on a simple and balanced diet, meanwhile living in harmony with nature and the natural orders of life. Historians mark that such people have always exceeded normal life spans and maintained a healthy body and mind as opposed to ordinary mortals.

The revival of macrobiotic lifestyle or diet in the modern context is attributed to the Japanese educator, Mr. John Ohsawa, who is said to have used macrobiotic living and cured himself of a serious illness in the 1920s. According to his writings, macrobiotic’s core is the concept of Yin and Yang, two opposing forces, the first causing expansion and the latter, contraction. In Chinese philosophy, it is also mentioned that yin is cold while yang is hot; yin is sweet while yang is salty; and yin is passive and yang is aggressive. When these two complimentary phenomenons come in the right balance, health and longevity automatically imbibes in such a body.

So, how one has to change his/her diet to do a bit of a macrobiotic act? Well, it is just about squeezing out a macrobiotic diet plan that suits one’s health and age. The ideal macrobiotic diet must consist of 50-60% of wholegrain cereals, 25-30% vegetables and fruits (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, and mustard greens, to name a few), sea vegetables and beans (10%), soups (5%), and few servings of fresh fish (flounder, halibut, cod), seeds, and nuts. In fact, one is free to schedule his/her diet according to his/her pickings, the only thing to take note is that the diet plan must confirm to the above mentioned classification.

Finally, while devising the macrobiotic diet for oneself, care must be taken to avoid those food items that are either entirely yin or yang. For example, dairy products and eggs are predominantly yin, and victuals such as chocolate, refined sugars, soda, fruit juice, coffee, tropical fruits, and hot spices are strongly yang. The bottom line is there must be the right balance between yin and yang.

Lemon Diet

2012-01-06T12:40:00.001+05:30

The Lemon Diet is basically a type of fasting. It is a modified version of diet, first practiced by Stanley Burroughs, the famous naturopathic practitioner fifty years ago. The diet is specially designed to cleanse the body by getting rid of the toxins, which results in weight loss. During the diet, the person gets calories from a special mixture of syrups, containing lemon, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. The diet prolongs for about ten to forty days, according to the patient’s health state.

The syrup, the most important thing in the fast, is meant to support the body and balance minerals. At least 10 to 12 cups of syrup should be drunk on a daily basis, which is supposed to provide about 600 to 800 calories. Herb tea and one and a half litres of water should also be drunk, in addition to mild laxative tea such as dandelion, cascara, licorice root , or golden seal, consumed in the morning and evening. The last session is a daily colon cleanse, using one liter of water and two teaspoons of salt, which is optional. The fast must be gradually broken. Fruit juices are consumed on the first day. On the second day, in addition to fruit juices, vegetable soup is also consumed. From third day onwards, small amount of solid food can be taken.

According to experts, this fast is not only meant to help loosing weight. It is also supposed to increase the healing power of the body, especially by removing toxins, which keeps circulating in the blood stream. The fast is considered best to cure ailments classified as mucus diseases, such as asthma, allergies and flu. Cholesterol and skin disorders are also supposed to be cured.

Low Salt Diet

2012-01-06T12:39:00.001+05:30

It is virtually impossible not to add salt to our dishes and curries for then it will be too distasteful to consume. On the flip side, too much salt content in our food can lead to diseases such as high blood pressure and swelling of joints, and could aggravate existing medical conditions such as impaired liver functioning, cardiac ailments, and chronic kidney diseases. These are situations in which one must cut down on his/her salt intake, the exact purpose for which low salt diet is devised.

Low salt diet – as the term itself indicates – is a diet program that involves restricted use of sodium salt. The guidelines are pretty simple – cut down on salt whenever and wherever possible. Use less amount of salt in food you prepare, include more vegetables and fruits in the diet, avoid cheese and butter milk, use only breads, popcorn, soups, and meat that are either unsalted or with very less amount of salt. Flavoring foods with herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, beer, and spices is also an intelligent method to sideline salt usage for it still gives the victuals an acceptable enough taste. In fact, one is free to use any method to reduce salt intake – but the bottom line is to reduce sodium salt and sodium as much as possible.

Finally, while dining out or buying take-away food packages, make it a point to keep off from those eatables whose names signal a high sodium salt content such as smoked, broth, barbecued, marinated, creole sauce, tomato base, and mustard sauce. Remember, it is the processed food that comes with the most salt contents.

Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet

2012-01-06T12:38:00.001+05:30

Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet! The term itself is self explanatory to a good extent. It is a diet program tailor made for all those who love devouring carbohydrate rich food. According to Rachael Heller, MD, and Richard Heller, MD, the founders of Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, excess carbohydrate in the food leads to higher insulin levels and hence less burning of fat, which in turn results in increased storage of fat alongside inducing a craving for more food. Things go from bad to worse as the person responds to the body and eats more food, and this cycle eventually leads to obesity and other health issues. Carbohydrate addict’s diet tries to disturb this unhealthy eating pattern and put in place a more balanced approach.

So, what the carbohydrate addict’s diet plan will look like? For the first few weeks, the dieter’s diet will consist of two complimentary meals made up of 3-4 ounces of fish, meat, or fowl or two ounce cheese, and about two cups of salads or vegetables. The third meal of the day is the ‘reward meal’, which can be stuffed with virtually any victual that the dieter wishes. The dieter can even have a glass of wine or beer or a cocktail for the ‘reward meal’. But, it is highly recommended that this meal also be made nourishing and balanced as much as possible. Also, there is a time limit before which the ‘reward meal’ must be finished (one hour). You can take your time to enjoy your food, but don’t stretch it too far.

After the induction plan – the first 14 days – the diet splits into separate plans – four in fact – depending upon the weight loss the dieter want to achieve in the coming weeks. But the basic structure of two complimentary meals and one reward meal continues, the change only being in the ingredients of each meal. The exact food items to be included in the diet plan can be obtained from the carbohydrate addict’s diet plan guide by the founders. But, as a thumb rule, keep in mind that any victual with more than 4gm of carbohydrate per portion can only be part of the ‘reward meal’. Also, alcohol, sugary drinks, fruit juices, breads, pasta, and milk must be saved for the ‘reward meal’. The diet plan also urges the dieters to exercise regularly and drink lots of water during the diet period.

However, despite its popularity, there is wide spread criticism to this diet program from the medical fraternity, which fears that following carbohydrate addict’s diet plan for longer periods could lead to potential health issues such as colon cancer and osteoporosis, kidney function loss, and heart ailments due to increased cholesterol. Also, nutritionists are not convinced with the Heller’s’ ‘carbohydrate addiction’ theory, which they say is a medical condition called ‘metabolic syndrome’, and that has a number of causes including obesity itself.

Hence, on a safer side, it is advisable that before choosing the carbohydrate addict’s diet plan, or any other diet program in that regard, take your doctor’s advice. He/she may have some valuable suggestions to add as well.

Dr Siegal's Cookie Diet

2012-01-04T12:32:00.001+05:30

Eat cookies and lose weight! That is how Dr Siegal’s cookie diet can be best expressed in a single sentence. As the name indicates, the cookie diet was founded by the Florida based thyroid specialist, Dr Sanford Siegal, almost three decades back. And, in over these years, this ‘one meal a diet’ program has garnered the confidence of thousands of people whom it had helped to lose those extra pounds from around their waists. If to believe Mr. Siegal himself, the cookie diet could bring about a reduction of 15 pounds every month. But, is this a diet program a health proportion that is devoid of side effects? In order to find an answer to this question, let us first see the composition of Siegal’s cookies.

Dr Siegal’s diet cookies are specially made to be distributed through his clinics. Even though, its exact constituents are not known to anybody, experts say that they are high on low glycemic index components such as oatmeal and whole meal flour, and contain a specially prepared amino acid mixture that is known to suppress the appetite. In layman’s language, what Dr Siegal’s diet cookie does is virtually the same as what most weight loss diet plans does to the human body – suppress the appetite, thereby curbing the dieter’s instinct to eat more. According to Dr Siegal’s diet plan, the dieter should follow a ‘one meal a day program’, the meal strictly being the dinner, and during the daytime, his/her food is limited to six diet cookies, which the dieter is supposed to eat whenever he/she feels hungry. In other words, there is no definite time table for eating the cookies. But, eat only when you are hungry and not more than six cookies is allowed per day.

However, appetite suppression is not the only thing that Dr Siegal’s diet cookie does. It is a medically supervised cookie that is very low in its calorie content as well. In other words, six cookies a day plus the dinner only add up to 800 calories. So, its effect on the human system is two fold – it suppresses the dieter’s crave for food and limits the daily calorie intake to 800. And according to critics, it is exactly where the problem lies.

With this energy supply to the body, it is nearly impossible to assume that the body will get all the minerals and vitamins it needs or recommended by the RDA. Even though, Dr Siegal puts vitamin supplements as a solution to this short come, according to nutritional experts, still it cannot make up for the amount of vitamin supply to the system through a healthy diet. Then there is this argument that the cookie diet also falls short in terms of carbohydrates as well as fibers, which is are vital for healthy digestion. Dr Siegal seems to agree with the fiber issue, but he counters it by saying that the cookie diet is not a permanent diet, but something to discontinue after the weight loss is achieved. He himself had conceded that the cookie diet is not a healthy proportion if used forever. Finally, Dr Siegal’s cookie diet program does not recommend any workout regime to follow in order to complement it. This underlines the fact that his diet plan brings about weight loss only through deprivation and not by burning down the excess fat. This is in not at all an advisable and healthy method for shedding weight in any counts.

So, if to conclude on the merits/demerits of Dr Siegal’s cookie diet program, it can be said as both a quick fix method and a dangerous weight loss alternative. It is a quick fix because, by depriving the body of calories, fat, and other minerals and vitamins, it brings about sudden weight loss in the dieter. Secondly, it is dangerous because the cookie diet is not that healthy to the human system owing to the reasons discussed above. Hence, think twice before embracing Dr Siegal’s cookie diet program for weight loss.

Acai Berry for Weight Loss

2012-01-04T12:31:00.000+05:30

For those who suffer from overweight problems, here is a one stop solution – Acai berry. Yes, Acai berries are found to be very effective in achieving weight loss. The weight loss property is attributed to the unique concoction of fiber, fatty acids, amino acids, and phytosterols contained in Acai berry, which helps in burning fat faster, improves absorption, and effectively contains bad cholesterol build up in the blood stream.

Acai is rich in two vital fatty acids – Omega 6 & 9 – required by the human body. Omega 6 - a polysaturated essential fatty acid – and Omega 9 – a monosaturated essential fatty acid - play a vital role in reducing the harmful cholesterol (IDL) levels in the blood, while helping to maintain the beneficial cholesterol levels (HDL) intact. They also help in increasing metabolism, thereby burning any additional fat build up in the body.

Further, the fiber content in Acai berry aids the movement of food in the digestive tract, thereby letting any excess food pass off rather than getting absorbed and turned into fat. Another advantage with fibrous food is that it satiates hunger. So, those who eat Acai may not feel hunger often, a usual trigger for eating outside regular meal timings. Apart from fibers, many useful phytosterols present in Acai berry helps in the movement of food in digestive tract, and selective absorption of minerals and vitamins.

Also, Acai contains 19 different amino acids, which are vital building blocks of proteins required by the body. Amino acids present in Acai helps build the muscles, and help it recover from trauma and stress quickly, a precondition for its normal functioning.

Acai products are available as syrups, powder, or can be consumed as such. It simply tastes great. The berry and chocolate flavor of Acai is quite unique and delicious.

Gluten Free Diet

2012-01-04T12:15:00.000+05:30

Unlike most other diets, gluten free diet is usually not prescribed as part of any weight loss program. Instead, it is advised more as a treatment linked restriction, especially for those suffering from the medical condition called celiac disease, also called gluten sensitive enteropathy or non-tropical sprue. In such people, gluten triggers allergic reactions in their small intestine, invariably kicking up issues like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, vitamin and mineral deficiencies etc. Recent studies have also revealed that gluten intolerance is also responsible for the condition dermatitis herpetiformis, a form of skin disorder. Drugs are available to cure such illnesses, but as a first step of the treatment, as a precondition, doctors usually ask the patients to follow a gluten free diet all through the treatment term.

That brings the discussion to its trickiest part – formulating the so-called gluten free diet. What is the composition of the gluten free diet? Well, according to medical experts, for a celiac patient, ‘gluten free’ means a diet that contains less than 0.02% gluten elements in it. In other words, the total amount of gluten present in all the diet ingredients must be ideally less than 0.02%. Several starch and grain sources fall in this category of gluten free food items; rice, potato, maize, tapioca, millet, lupine, quinoa, montina, sorghum, yam, sweet potato, and arrowroot, to name a few. In order to give more balance to the food combination - in order to include required amount of protein and dietary fiber - usually nut flours, soybean and different bean varieties are also included in the gluten free diet. The only aspect – the gluten composition should not cross the 0.02% mark.

Equally important in formulating a gluten free diet plan is avoiding those eatables that have higher gluten content, such as wheat. ‘Wheat’ has been specifically mentioned because it has 12% gluten in it, which is nearly 600 times more than the accepted value. Other items to be avoided include starch, rye, barley, vegetable proteins, glucose syrup, malt flavoring, barley brewed beer, and maltodextrin. Another pit fall to look out for is those packaged foods that contain gluten, but not mentioned in its label under ingredients since gluten was never involved in its formulation, but only in its preparation. Also, if you see the words ‘stabilizer’, ‘emulsifier’, or ‘hydrolyzed plant protein’ on any food labels, assume that the packaged food item has at least a grain containing gluten. Such items should be shunned without any second thoughts.

To know more about gluten free diets, search the web. It is also advisable to consult your doctor/nutritionist for they could give you a detailed input on gluten contents of different food items, what to have, and what to avoid. Understanding the illness and its nature helps one to respond to the treatments better.

Tail Piece: Apart from the diseases mentioned in the article, some researchers also believe that gluten free diets could do wonders for people suffering from multiple sclerosis, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and certain behavioral problems.

PS: Novak Djokovic credits gluten free diet for his turnaround in 2011.

Mediterranean Diet

2009-04-15T17:29:00.000+05:30

Mediterranean Diet is basically the diet style based on the Southern Mediterranean region (such as Italy, Spain and Greece). The diet consists of lots of vegetables and fruits, salads dressed with olive oil, bread, fish, pasta, and other grains, with minimal fish and poultry and virtually no red meat. The diet also lets one eat small quantities of wine and some eggs. Sonoma Diet, one of the popular diet plans followed these days, has drawn heavily from the traditional Mediterranean Diet.

So, what you can eat and what not in a typical Mediterranean Diet?

Well, as mentioned above, choose lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut down on meats. It is ok to eat fish once in a week, save fried ones and those laden with heavy sauses/butter. Four eggs a week is acceptable. Not more. Use canola oil or Olive oil for cooking, but in moderate quantities, thanks to its high calorie content. Finally, cut down/eliminate saturate fats and trans fat from your diet.

In order to help you chart the diet plan easier, here are few suggestions.

1.Choose natural peanut butter over hydrogenated fat added ones. Cut down on butter. A ‘cholesterol-free’ or ‘fat free’ label on the pack doesn’t mean that they are necessarily so. As it is seen, most contains trans-fats in abundance.

2. Shun high fat meats such as red meat or bacon. Fish and poultry are good substitutes (more about fish at bullet point 5).

3. Avoid high fat milk and milk products, and instead switch to skimmed milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, or Brazil nuts are just perfect for a quick snack.

4 Eats lots of fruits and vegetables. Apples, carrots, and bananas are perfect for a quick snack, while fruit salads are a wonderful way to include a variety of fruits in the meal.

5. Fish can be included in the meal once or twice a week. Water-packed tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout, and herring would be healthy choices, while fried ones are not. If you are a fan of fried ones, once in a while, have one sauteed in olive oil. However, don't make it a habit or daily affair.

6. Finally, use Olive or canola oil for cooking. Olive oil would be just perfect as a healthy substitute for butter or margarine. For example, bread dipped in flavored olive oil would taste as good as, if not better, a butter spread.

Thumb Rule: Avoid all forms of processed foods. Stick to natural fruits and vegetables.

PS: Purple grape juice would be a healthy alternative for red wine.

Atkins Diet - An Analysis

2007-01-05T21:09:00.000+05:30

Atkins diet - formulated by Dr. Robert Atkins - first appeared in his book The New Diet Revolution in the 1970s. The diet plan simply focused on cutting down the carbohydrate intake meanwhile letting the dieter eat any protein and fat as he/she wishes. However, Atkins diet’s popularity was not without its fair share of critics, who contention was the apparent imbalance in the fat-carbohydrate ratio advocated by the Atkins diet. Here, let us first take a look at the diet plan before delving into the negatives of Atkins diet.

Atkins diet eliminates anything carb. That is, no bread, cereal, sugar, starchy vegetables, and pasta. Instead, the dieter has to eat more low-carb victuals such as chicken, pork chops, shellfish, steak, duck, eggs, turkey, cheeses, salads, fatty salad dressings, certain nuts, and specially made Atkins shakes and bars. The lack of carbohydrates forces the body to depend upon the stored fat for energy, in the process burning away excess fat. This process is called Ketosis, and Atkins diet just simulates a favorable condition for this to take place.

On the flip side, experts point out that Atkins diet, even though effective in short periods, could cause ill health if followed frequently. According to them, such a diet composition is inadequate to produce and maintain a healthy muscle mass that a normal person requires. It is also pointed out that Ketosis actually causes overworking of certain body organs, which is again not at all a healthy proportion. And worst, in some people, this diet plan could cause dizziness as well.

Considering the pros and cons, hence it is advisable that a prospective dieter may consult a health professional before following the Atkins diet plan.

Hollywood Diet Plan

2007-01-03T00:19:00.001+05:30

To put it in few words, the Hollywood Diet Plan is very near to outright fasting – you stop eating anything solid for 48 hours on a trot and instead depend on a magic potion – a mix of fruit drinks – for all your nutritional purposes. That is, no food, no alcohol, no caffeine, no smoking, and virtually nothing else that you can take it into your mouth. But, mix 4 ounces of juice concentrate and an equal amount of water and sip it over the course of 4 hours. Follow the juice drink with 8 ounces of water. Repeat this procedure four times a day for 48 hours.

Next, how this procedure brings about fat loss, and hence weight loss? Well, simply by restricting the daily calorie intake. As some people points out, in fact, this is also the con of Hollywood diet. The total calorie supplied to the body while undergoing Hollywood diet is a paltry 400 calories, as opposed to 2000 odd while normal eating. So, it will drain the dieter of all his/her energies for two days for sure. Studies conducted on volunteers have shown that for smaller periods, Hollywood diet causes no serious health problems, even though there may be some amount of dizziness for few people who are trying this out for the first time. But frequently trying out this diet could have some negative effect on the health.

Now to the positives of Hollywood diet plan, as mentioned already, it quickly helps shed unwanted fat. Since the dieter won’t be consuming any solid food during the dieting period, that gives the digesting system the much needed time to cleanse itself and throw out some accumulated waste. The adequate hydration also ensures that the system flushes out stored toxins and metabolizes fat. Further, the combination of adequate hydration and the diuretic effect of some juice ingredients aids combat water retention. From a dieter’s point of view, the only thing to take care is to follow the Hollywood diet plan punctually, as such.

The Hollywood diet potion, bought off the store shelves, is a combination of pineapple, prune, white grape, orange, apple, and lemon juices, extracts of green tea, ginkgo biloba, bilberry, and grapeseed, and fructose, water, along with some preservatives and stabilizers, in different proportions. The one popularized by Women’s Magazine – the home made version – on the other hand, have soy milk, wheat germ oil, yogurt, orange and cranberry juices, and flaxseed oil. In terms of calories, however, the latter one has more than the bottled version.

Tail Piece: For some, the ingredients of the Hollywood diet potion could trigger some allergic reactions or severe cramping. In such cases, discontinue the diet at the earliest, and don’t waste time to consult a physician.