Category Archives: Diet And Food

For the past 17 years, Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine in the X-Men movies, which means that for nearly two decades, the actor has had to stay on a strict diet his character is often shirtless and slashing his way out of difficult situations, so no dad bods were allowed on set. But now, with the release of Logan, Jackman is finally putting Wolverine (and the Wolverine diet) to bed.

Jimmy Fallon, always the considerate soul, wanted to celebrate the end of Jackmans X-Men fasting during the actors Tonight Show appearance last Friday. And so, toward the end of their segment, the late-night host summoned his buddy Mario Batali from backstage, who surprised Jackman with a gigantic bowl of pasta and a hearty pour of wine. This clip captures the pure joy of kicking your diet to the curb and diving head-first into a pile of delicious carbohydrates.

Hugh Jackman Breaks His "Wolverine Fast" After Whisper Challenge [YouTube] All Video Interludes [E] Logan Review [The Verge]

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Watch Hugh Jackman Shred the Wolverine Diet to Smithereens - Eater

The popularity of low-fat diets has faded, but restricting one nutrient while increasing another is still popular in the world of weight loss. The ketogenic diet, which increases fats while reducing carbs, is the subject of a recent book, The Deliciously Keto Cookbook.

Authors Molly Pearl and Kelly Roehl say now is the time to jump onboard.

Theres a lot of hype around it, says Roehl, a licensed dietitian and nutritionist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Its important for the general public to understand it correctly.

With origins in ancient Greek medicine, this eating plan has been used effectively since the 1920s to help control seizures in children with epilepsy.

For epileptics resistant to anti-seizure medication, the diet combined with a fasting period has proved effective in reducing seizures in 30 to 40 percent of patients, and sometimes eliminating them.

But as a weight-loss prescription, the diet is controversial. High levels of fat, moderate amounts of protein and a very low carbohydrate intake fill out the diets pie chart.

It encourages healthy eating, lots of fibrous vegetables and healthy fats, Roehl said. Its a really flexible diet to follow.

The clinical plan includes 80 to 90 percent of daily calories from fats, 8 to 12 percent of calories from protein and the rest from carbs, according to Dr. Dominic DAgostino, whose research lab at the University of South Florida tests metabolic therapies including the keto diet.

The diet forces the body to burn fat instead of glucose from carbohydrates, a process known as ketosis. Adherents must check their blood ketone levels by urinating on a ketone test strip.

Detractors of the diet point out that ketosis is an unhealthy state for the body as it can lead to dehydration and a lowered immune response, known as the keto flu. If carbohydrate intake dips too low and ketosis goes too far, it can lead to ketoacidosis, where blood turns acidic. This can lead to a coma, or even death.

So how many carbs is the sweet spot? To reach a state of ketosis, between 20 and 50 grams per day is recommended. A cup of cooked brown rice, for example, contains 46 grams of carbohydrates.

Although DAgostino doesnt research ketogenic dieting for weight loss, he recognizes it as a convenient side effect. Its effective for weight loss because of the carbohydrate restriction. Ketones are energy molecules that tell your brain to stop eating, and the ketogenic diet suppresses your appetite, he said.

Proponents say the keto diet also provides better cognitive functioning, more satiety, and may even be protective against cancer and reverse metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Las Vegas-based registered dietitian and nutritionist Michelle Albrecht, co-owner of the Food Connection, said the diet can be effective but not worth it in the long term.

Albrecht explained that the ketogenic diet switches the bodys fueling system from the carb cycle to a process known as glyconeogenesis. The problem, she said, is the body can become adjusted to this new fueling method and stop getting the same results.

Other problems could arise from the high amounts of fat.

Is keto ever the way to go? I wouldnt say, no, this wouldnt work, but it wouldnt work for everybody, Albrecht said. Is it good to be on something like this forever? I personally would never prescribe it to any of our patients.

Contact Brooke Wanser at bwanser@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Bwanser_LVRJ on Twitter.

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High-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet is 'flexible,' author says - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Its National Eating Disorder Awareness Week--a great time to be reminded that we are put on this earth to do so much more than diet, put our bodies through hell, and obsess about weight loss.

The National Eating Disorders Association has published a series of infographics to help spread the word about eating disorders and some of the risk factors that can lead to disordered eating.

NEDA has found that dieting is one of the most important predictors of developing an eating disorder among 14- and 15-year-olds, and that among even non-overweight girls, over one third reported that they were engaged in some form of dieting.

Were in the midst of a global crisis when it comes to women and body image. 85% of women opt out of important life activities when they dont feel good about their looks, which means that almost every woman (see my video below) is holding back on life because she doesnt feel like shes pretty, or thin, or sexy enough.

The way we break through this barrier as a global community of women is by doing the work on an individual level to love ourselves, our appearances, and our bodies harder than ever before.

If you think that your choice as an individual woman to go on a new diet, to buy into yet another plan or program, or to otherwise engage in restricting your eating for the purpose of weight loss, is only affecting you--think again.

Each time you buy into the $60-billion-dollar diet industry, youre telling society (and other women) that you support a culture that makes women believe they have no value until they achieve their after photo status and lose 10 (or 20, or 30, or more) pounds.

Its time to put a stop to this, and to declare a new way for ourselves as women. It is no longer acceptable to define our worth on the basis of size. It is no longer acceptable to perpetuate the idea, as individuals and as a collective, that we should spend our precious time, money, and energy trying to lose weight and perfect our bodies.

To be clear, Im not advocating that you stop taking care of your body. Quite the opposite! I know for myself, as someone in recovery from Binge Eating Disorder, that its possible to use eating and exercise choices to hack our way into loving our bodies harder than ever before, rather than using those choices as weapons of self-destruction.

I still struggle as an individual with not letting my focus rest on perfecting my body. For me, a good day as a recovering binge eater is when I go to bed and my thoughts don't revolve around what I ate that day, or whether I got enough cardio in.

I know how tough it is, believe me. There's a ton of pressure out there to buy into the diet myth, and we're bombarded constantly with marketing messages that make us feel like who we are, and the bodies we organically have, are not enough. But when I'm able to make my days revolve around my purpose and the impact I'm making and the people I'm helping, rather than my exterior--that's a good day.

Bottom line: every woman deserves to be head-over-heels in love with her body.

Teenage girls shouldnt be developing eating disorders and dysfunctional feelings about their bodies that will plague them for a lifetime. They should be developing into young women that will make the world a better place through their contributions as mothers, sisters, friends, professionals, lovers, and citizens.

Our behavior as individuals matters a great deal in contributing to either fueling or ending this global crisis, and the pandemic of eating disorders that plagues our society. Which side will you choose?

Need more Body Love? Sign up for the #healthyatanysize community and get a weekly dose of body positive content delivered straight to your inbox.

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Think Going on a Diet is Harmless? Think Again. - Huffington Post

Vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains should be the centerpiece of your meals. These foods, which are rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants and low in saturated fat, are the centerpiece for both the Mediterranean and plant-based diets.

But which diet should you choose?That may depend on your particular health profile and whether you can embrace your diet choice for life.

If you find a plant-based diet too restrictive, you may prefer a Mediterranean style diet.

However, any change you can make in a healthy direction will lead to healthy outcomes, says Dr. David C. Huneycutt, Jr., Nashville, Tenn.

It might be (to) a Mediterranean diet. It might be a plant-based diet, says Dr. Huneycutt, a general cardiologist in private practice.

When used to emphasize the health aspects, its referred to as a plant-based or low-fat, plant-based diet, according to Dr. Huneycutt.

The benefits of eating only plant foods may come from what youre adding and what youre eliminating, according to Sharon Palmer, registered dietitian nutritionist, Los Angeles.

People who limit themselves to plant foods eat far more nutrient-rich plant food varieties, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes than omnivores, according to Palmer, who follows a plant diet.

Also, by eliminating meat in the diet youre not getting cholesterol. Saturated fat is lower in a vegan diet, she says.

Along with an abundance of produce, include whole grains, beans, peas and lentils, a modest amount of nuts and vegetable oil in small amounts in your menus, says Palmer.

The caveat is that you have to make wise choices.

Its very easy to make a vegan diet unhealthy. Potato chips are vegan, Dr. Huneycutt says.

The Mediterranean-eating pattern, based on the traditional foods and beverages of the Mediterranean countries also puts plant foods in the center of the plate.

What makes this diet effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?

Its the sum total, says Dr. Michael Ozner, medical director, Center for Prevention and Wellness, Baptist Health South Florida.

Its a wide variety of fruits and vegetables of all colors that bring different antioxidants to the table. It contains whole grains. Grains are very important to maintain good health. Nuts are very important, says Dr. Ozner, author of The Complete Mediterranean Diet.

The Mediterranean diet has significantly higher fiber than in the Western diet, he says. It differs from a plant-based diet with the inclusion of animal foods, along with moderate wine consumption, which is a long-standing part of Mediterranean meals.

Its a lot of fish and seafood, olive oil and modest amounts of dairy foods, poultry and eggs, and a limited amount of red meat.

A diet high in red meat ratchets up the risk of heart disease, Dr. Ozner says.

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Which heart-healthy diet is right for you? - Quad-Cities Online

A toddler suspected of being allergic to eggs underwent a challenge to make sure.

Up to 15 million Americans suffer from some kind of food allergy, and a good number of them are children. Food allergies in children jumped by 50 percent over 14 years, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Policing a child's diet can be a huge challenge, but a different kind of challenge may help.

For Sasha Welter, keeping eggs out of her 18-month-old daughter, Gabriella, has been difficult.

We brought her initially because she has eczema, and I was told that kids with eczema tend to have allergies, Welter said.

She also was told allergies can be hereditary, and she has food allergies.

So Gabriella took the egg challenge at the Allergy and Asthma Center in Rockville, Maryland.

We are back here today to do the egg challenge and see how she does eating eggs, her mother said. Hopefully we pass.

That just involves taking small amounts of the food of concern and introducing it at 15-20 minute intervals and just watching for any kind of reaction, Dr. Shelby Elenberg said.

Gabriella ate increments of one whole egg every 15 minutes.

Things we look for are hives, wheezing, difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, some people also vomit, Dr. Jennifer Lan said. Its usually a constellation of symptoms we look for.

Gabriella passed her test.

This takes a load off of my shoulders and hopefully off of hers, too, Welter said. She may not have noticed, but that's okay. We can eat eggs.

The benefits of the challenges are that since they are performed in real time, they are pretty conclusive, and the child's diet can be safely expanded.

Published at 6:13 PM EST on Feb 27, 2017 | Updated at 6:45 PM EST on Feb 27, 2017

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Eggs Reintroduced Into Toddler's Diet at Allergy and Asthma Center ... - NBC4 Washington

New research shows that a diet which mimics fasting might be able to push beta cells in the pancreas to repair themselves and start making insulin again.

BBC news reported that for the research study, mice in the lab were put on a modified form of the fasting-mimicking diet. The diet is similar to the human practice of spending five days on a low-calorie, low-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. It resembles a vegan diet with nuts and soups, but with around 800 to 1,100 calories a day. Then they have 25 days eating what they want so overall it mimics periods of feast and famine, says BBC news.

A press release on Eureka Alert explained that the researchers used two different mouse models of two types of diabetes to study how the diet affected the mice. One group had a gene mutation that causes insulin resistance and loss of insulin secretion, which mimicked type 2 diabetes. The other group was treated with a chemical to destroy the mices beta cells, which was the model for type 1 diabetes. Both groups were put on the diet for three cycles.

Excitingly, this diet showed the possibility of regeneration of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas which had stopped or slowed production of insulin in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively.

Senior author of the study, Dr. Valter Longo of the University of Southern California School of Gerontology and Director of the USC Longevity Institute, told Eureka Alert, Our conclusion is that by pushing the mice into an extreme state and then bringing them backby starving them and then feeding them againthe cells in the pancreas are triggered to use some kind of developmental reprogramming that rebuilds the part of the organ thats no longer functioning.

Studies suggest the diet could be a way to reboot the body by inducing it to slow down aging and regenerating new cells, reports Eureka Alert.

Dr. Longo told BBC: Medically, these findings have the potential to be very important because weve shown at least in mouse models that you can use diet to reverse the symptoms of diabetes. Scientifically, the findings are perhaps even more important because weve shown that you can use diet to reprogramme cells without having to make any genetic alterations.

The intermittent fasting diet has been trialed on humans for various purposes, and it has shown improved blood sugar levels. However, people are advised not to try this diet on their own because it could have a detrimental impact on their health if not done with proper medical guidance.

A BBC reporter, Peter Bowes, took part in a separate trialwith Dr. Valter Longo several years ago .

Bowes told BBC: During each five-day fasting cycle, when I ate about a quarter of the average persons diet, I lost between 2kg and 4kg (4.4-8.8lbs).

But before the next cycle came round, 25 days of eating normally had returned me almost to my original weight. But not all consequences of the diet faded so quickly.

According to the BBC, his blood pressure was lower as was a hormone called IGF-1, which is linked to some cancers.

On February 15, Longos team published a Phase II study that was carried out in 100 humans who were exposed to three rounds of the same diet. According to Eureka Alert, their IGF1 levels decreased and their fasting glucose levels improved, among other findings.

However, the team says more research is needed before the findings can be validated for application in humans. Longo told Eureka Alert that future clinical trials are already being planned.

The research findings were originally published in the journal Cell.

Elizabeth Rowley is the Founder and Director of T1International. She was born in the United States and has lived with type 1 diabetes for 25 years. Elizabeth moved to London in 2011 to complete her Masters degree in International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science and has worked with non-profits, diabetes and health organizations ever since. She believes that where you were born should not determine whether you live or die with diabetes, and she is confident that by working together we can find solutions to the complex problems faced by people with diabetes.

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Fasting Diet for People With Diabetes Could Regenerate the Pancreas - A Sweet Life

Fruits and vegetables are low in saturated fat. (Photo: Valeria Boltneva, StockSnap)

People dont want to be fat, so its natural for us to think we should avoid eating fatbut being healthy is never quite that simple, is it?

Ive talked a lot about various dieting strategies with a lot of focus on losing weight. Sometimes I think I do it too much, but the truth is theres so much new information out there. I think its important to stay on top of the new research while also keeping in mind what we already know (or thought we knew) about the dieting strategies that actually work.

With that in mind, a recent study caught my eye. Heres some information on it and why I think its so important.

One meal heavy in saturated fat can cause warning signs of Type 2 diabetes.The study I read examined the results of a massive amount of saturated fat on the body in a single sitting. Scientists took two groups of test subjects. One was given a glass of water to drink, and the other was given a flavored palm oil drink. The palm oil contained a similar amount of saturated fat as "two cheeseburgers with bacon and a large portion of french fries or two salami pizzas."

Scientists then studied the liver contents and insulin sensitivity in the test subjects to determine just how much it changed based off this single (massive) serving of saturated fat. What they found was that the changes were quite significant. Those who consumed the saturated fat saw an increased insulin resistance similar to what you would find in people with Type 2 diabetes, as well as an increased amount of fat content in the liver. Metabolic changes were also observed, meaning the subject's metabolism was slowed similar to what is seen in people suffering from "metabolic syndrome," which is another warning sign for the development of Type 2 diabetes.

What does this mean for you and me?There are a few ideas to keep in mind. First, the amount of saturated fat the subjects received was massive. It is significant that the researchers took healthy individuals and witnessed such dramatic effects in one go. However, its less surprising when you put the amount in perspective.

For instance, the average height of a man in the U.S. is about 5 feet 10 inches tall. The high end of a healthy body mass index for a man that tall is 173 pounds. So if that man is moderately active (exercises three to five times a week), he needs about 2,750 calories a day to maintain his weight. The amount of saturated fat the researchers were talking about here, specifically the two cheeseburgers and large fries, would roughly equal that same amount. That's a whole lot of fat packed into one serving. It shouldn't be a huge surprise that the effects were so dramatic, should it?

Secondly, and Ive touched on this before, the test subjects didnt sit down and actually eat two cheeseburgers and large fries. They were given a drink containing a similar amount of saturated fat. So there wasnt even a balance to the amount of unhealthy ingredients. Their bodies werent given a bunch of carbs, protein and fat all at once. They mainly got a massive amount of fat alone. Since eating healthy really is all about balance, no wonder their systems were thrown into chaos! Imagine if you ate 2,700 calories of soda water or 2,700 calories worth of protein powder in a single sitting.

I think wed all experience some pretty significant side effects, dont you?

Plenty of healthy foods have lots of fat.Look, I dont think the researchers for this study set out to terrify people. I also dont think what they ended up publishing is false. However, I do think its imperfect, simply because its information taken from one day's worth of data, and it wasnt put into proper perspective. Why? Probably because they get a flashier headline and more attention this way, but I just want people to remember this: Fat is not the enemy.Saturated fat isnt even necessarily the enemy. Too much saturated fat can be a problem for some people, but its all about your individual needs.

Right now, the vast majority of Americans are still consuming way too much added sugar. We need to keep the focus on lowering those numbers and continue balancing our diets with a mixture of carbohydrates, protein and fat. We should avoid foods like these, because only about 3 percent of Americans currently meet the four criteria for a "healthy lifestyle,"which is a good diet, moderate exercise, a recommended body fat percentage and being a nonsmoker.

Here are strategies to help prevent Type 2 diabetes.Remember, Type 2 diabetes and obesity are kind of like the chicken-or-egg argument of the health world. They both make the other issue harder to fix, and they both make the others side effects more severe. Heres an article I wrote discussing seven habits that cause people to fail to lose fat, and heres another article in which I specifically discuss how to combat and prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Being healthy and staying that way takes a lot of work. What I hope youll remember is that research is constantly evolving and new information is always on the horizon, but one particular study rarely (if ever) means we should throw what we already know out the window. Stay focused on your goals and be vigilant in your search for trustworthy health articles.

Jay McKenzie loves soccer, history and feeling great. He's on a quest to eat better and exercise more, and he wants to share his experiences along the way. You can email him at jaymckenzie86@gmail.com with comments or questions. The opinions expressed in this column belong solely to the author, not Nooga.com or its employees.

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Fresh and Fit: Why 1 meal high in saturated fat causes symptoms mimicking Type 2 diabetes - Nooga.com

Packages of chocolate milk await shipment at Cambrooke Therapeutics's Ayer plant. See video at sentinelandenterprise.com. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / JOHN LOVE

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

AYER -- A marvelous thing happened after a jeweler, her architect husband and her businessman brother put their heads together.

"We made a difference," Lynn Paolella said. "It really started with an inspiration to feed my kids."

Lynn and her husband David have three children, the two youngest, Cameron and Brooke, were born with a rare disease, phenylketonuria or PKU.

The only way to manage the disease that can cause intellectual disability and other health problems is a diet that minimizes exposure to phenylalanine, an amino acid in protein, yet provides enough protein for the body.

The amino acid is present in many foods, even things like potatoes. It is also a main ingredient of the sweetener Aspartame.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

Until 2009, the accepted treatment for the disease was based on synthetic protein without phenylalanine. "They protected our kids' brains," David Paolello said, but the diet was unpalatable.

Lynn set to work, developing recipes that her children would want to eat. "I love to cook and I absolutely loved the challenge of this low-protein diet," she said.

In 2000, those early attempts led to a new business, Cambrooke Therapeutics. It started out as a family business with just the Paolellas and Lynn's brother, Don Patterson. They developed the food, outsourced manufacturing and made connections all around the world.

Now, the Ayer-based medical food manufacturer is increasingly automated with clients across the globe.

Development of PKU treatment is covered under the Orphan Drug Act, David Paolella said. The act covers drugs and treatment for diseases affecting small numbers of people.

PKU, an inborn error of metabolism, occurs in about 1 in every 10,000 births in the United States. When caught at birth and managed successfully, the children can thrive. If left untreated, mental retardation results.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

The disease is easy to catch in newborns. The screening test for was developed by a Massachusetts doctor, Robert Guthrie, in the 1960s. His photo is on the wall of the ground floor conference room in Ayer.

Cambrooke is at the cutting edge of medical nutrition. In 2009, the University of Wisconsin Madison developed a way to make a protein without phenylalanine from whey, a cheese-making byproduct.

"They approached us," Lynn Paolella said.

The protein tasted better than the synthetic product. Cambrooke licensed the technology. A peer-reviewed study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, proved the safety and effectiveness of the protein.

Along the journey, the company worked with the Small Business Development Center at Clark University in Worcester.

They moved into a former electronics plant in Ayer, drawn to the area by the other beverage and food companies. The building required a multi-million dollar makeover to become a sterile place to manufacture and package beverages.

Food is made from scratch in Brockton, Lynn Paolella said.

The liquids products are put into sterile packaging, David Paolella said. The product will not spoil at room temperature. Nutrients in the liquid will degrade over time.

Their equipment is the only setup in the county that can turn out cost-effective, sterile packages in small batches of 20 to 30 cases, he said.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

Cambrooke makes food products for other inborn error of metabolism diseases. They also make high-fat food that can manage and sometimes even cure intractable epilepsy that is not controlled by drugs.

The products allow people who must follow strict diets in order to remain healthy the chance to live a life just like everyone else.

"In essence, we're a grocery store of products they can eat," David Paolella said. Some want flour to make cookies, others would rather have cookie dough to bake and some want packages of cookies.

When Cameron and Brooke, now 24 and 19, their older brother Bryce, 26, sit down to eat with the family, everyone might eat Cambrooke products.Or maybe not. (The PKU diet is vegetarian; mom and dad like their meat.)

Three hospitals where families are sent when after receiving a diagnoses of a disease that can be treated by diet are in Massachusetts. They go home with information about Cambrooke after their first visit.

Working with the Massachusetts Export Center and the U.S. State Department, Cambrooke established overseas markets. The incidence of PKU is higher in other countries.

They just met with a Chinese mother, who began manufacturing PKU-friendly food after her child was diagnosed. Until recently, if a child in China had PKU, there was no government help. Babies were left by the side of the road to die, Lynn Paolella said.

An export deal could be in the works. The market would be huge. The disease is more common there than it is in the U.S., she said.

The test kitchen, with two sinks, large ovens and seating for a crowd, sees everyone from groups of dieticians to families learning to deal with the restrictive diet. A playroom upstairs keeps little ones busy while older folks learn.

Enabling people and families to live with the diagnoses is another challenge Cambrooke took on.

Some of the diseases treated by diet must require lifelong management. An iPhone app helps patients keep track of their nutrition.

Cambrooke can bill insurers directly, making it easier for their clients.

Schools are required to supply special diets when needed. The school lunch program Lynn Paolella developed is used in about 400 schools, the closest one in Groton.

The meals need to be heated up and the child with a restricted diet can eat with friends.

Health-care benefits are not consistent across the country, David said. Some states do not even require newborn testing for PKU. The test might be sent out of state to be read. If the lab will includes PKU results, out-of-state health-care providers might not give them to parents.

Lynn went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Medical Food Equity Act, requiring insurance plans to cover formula and low-protein foods. The act died in committee.

The business remains a family business at heart. Bryce Paolella helped with developing a new product.

Lynn and David Paolella are the founders and work with the company daily.

Don Patterson is the vice president of operations.

Lynn and Don's mother gives the products her own blessing. Marilyn Patterson helps out with packaging; she plants a kiss and a prayer of goodwill in each box she prepares.

Follow Anne O'Connor on Twitter and Tout @a1oconnor.

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Ayer company grows with food developed for those with disorder - Lowell Sun

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PHOENIX, AZ(Marketwired February 22, 2017) When it comes to weight loss, some of the most important factors include genetics, general health, daily behavior and physical activities. Based on research, dieting is the most important component that affects weight gain or weight loss. By improving eating behavior, for instance, one can dramatically affect their weight. This is why emotional eating, binge eating and other common dietary abnormalities can have long-term effects of body weight. Effective weight loss generally involves losing more calories than you gain. Because one pound of weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories, one needs to reduce caloric intake by 500-1000 calories per day in order to lose 1-2 pounds per week. However, this type of extreme dieting is often starvation-based and therefore risky.

The starvation approach to dieting is nothing new. For example, the original hCG diet from the 1950s, also called the Simeons method, was practically a starvation diet that limited daily consumption to 500 calories. It led to many harmful side effects ranging from weakness to muscle loss. According to the Obesity Medicine Association, the hCG-based Simeons method and diet for weight loss is unsafe and not recommended.

There are healthy alternatives to dieting, however, and doctor-supervised dieting is always the safest approach. hCG can be applied more safely with a flexible diet program that necessitates between 800 to 1250 calories daily without reducing the rate of rapid weight loss. The Simeons method for hCG dieting is not only outdated but also unnecessary and unrecommended. High-calorie programs offering safe weight loss are the ideal option for patients considering the hCG diet treatment. Doctor-supervision and diet customization based on nutritional needs is highly recommended.

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Patients can get started immediately, with materials shipped directly to their home or office. They can also maintain weight loss in the long-term through weekly consultations, customized diet plans, motivational coaches and a powerful prescription program. With Diet Doc, the doctor is only a short phone call away and a fully dedicated team of qualified professionals is available 6 days per week to answer questions, address concerns and support patients.

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Diet Doc Provides Customized And Healthy Weight Loss Alternatives To Starvation-Based hCG Diet - Satellite PR News (press release)

Atkins, Gluten-Free, The South Beach, The Zone, Paleo.

Do these sound familiar?

Its just a short list of fad diets youve probably heard at least someone talking about.

But what is it that about these food fads that keeps them coming back?

Registered dietician Lori Smart with Health BC says the reason why fad diets keep popping up is because people are always looking for a new way to better themselves.

A lot of the popularity around fad diets come from ones own personal beliefs that this is a diet that would be healthy for them, or this is a diet that would help them lose weight, she says.

Smart adds they seem to crop up more often this time of year, when people coming out of the winter are looking to make lifestyle changes or lose weight and are looking for a way to do it.

She says a big contributor is the internet.

With so much information on the web it can be very, very hard to figure out whats true, whats not true or whats beneficial, whats potentially harmful.

Smart says its important to remember that some of these diets are meant for people with clinical conditions, for example people with celiac disease must eat a gluten-free diet, or people suffering from cardiovascular disease might take special care about what they eat.

It may be turned into a fad diet because others believe its beneficial, but they could really have a benefit for that person with the food condition.

She says if youre interested in trying a new diet you read about online, or have heard from a friend has tried it, its still best to speak to a healthcare provider, physician, dietician, or by calling 8-1-1 the nurses line. She recommends asking questions such as:

And she says its important to have an honest conversation about it.

Certain diets are okay as long as youre aware of the things, or the nutrients that you might be missing out on if you follow that diet. Now some are just not healthy in general, but thats why its always good to talk to a health care provider, especially a dietitian who has been trained in this area to help you navigate that information and then to point you to some resources that if you choose to continue follow that diet, you can do so safely.

Smart adds this is important because its also a good way to prevent yourself from falling off your new routine.

Its usually that people start off really strong and then they end up falling back on old eating patterns, she says.

Id say some [diets] are easy to follow, most are not easy to follow because a lot of them end up eliminating a food group or they become overly restrictive or they require a lot of extra work and preparation, which is why we always recommend that when youre thinking about going on, or adopting a different way of eating, you look at something that would be more sustainable long term.

Smart says if you plan on giving up something you love like bread, maybe try phasing it out so you dont end up breaking down and give up entirely

Smart says that means if, say, youre trying to cut out carbohydrates that you do it in steps, set yourself small goals, and work out a pattern that you can stick to.

As for the future of fad diets? She says it doesnt look like they are going anywhere.

The food industry, the nutrition industry, all of these things keep coming up, so theres all these new and better ways of doing things, she says, but adds that is constantly being mixed with opinions and peoples personal beliefs.

What I would hope is that theres more information available so that consumers and individuals can make informed choices about what they want to do with their own diet and lifestyle and then seek out advice and help from a health care professional.

But Registered Holistic Nutritionist Bridgette Clare raises caution, warning theres a never ending supply of new fad diets, not all of them created equal.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. They promise weight loss in seven days, or thirty days, or its the new miracle, that sort of thing thats simply isnt the truth, she says.

Clare says rather than focusing on excluding things, we should be looking at ways to include healthy, whole foods into our diets

Clare says the key is a well-balanced diet that isnt restrictive to the point of being uncomfortable.

The reason being is that even if you were to stick with it for say thirty days or sixty days especially if youre cutting out entire food groups, its not sustainable, its not teaching you positive eating habits or teaching you about new and exciting foods, its far too restrictive to keep going long term.

Clare says she hopes to see a transition from restrictive fad diets to more people adopting more balanced diets built around whole foods.

It almost feels like it needs to be crazy for people to buy into it. Like it needs to be something way more complicated than just eating a balanced, varied diet with a focus on more plants and more veggies.

Clare says thats tough with the competition between fad diets, each trying to distinguish itself from the others with some special feature.

She recommends the Whole 30 diet, which she says could be seen as a fad diet but boils down to fit with her core principles.

[It] has such a great back bone, really just focusing on eating more whole foods. It does require some restrictions; eliminating dairy I believe and sugar and that sort of thing, so it might not be sustainable in the long term but of all the diets Ive seen, its the one that has the most holistic sustainable view to it.

Clare says if youre looking for a magic pill or magic diet, youre out of luck.

But she says if you do plan on trying a fad diet, do your reading, see if it really will help your body, and make sure you are still getting balance in what you eat.

Tune into your body and if it doesnt work for your body dont do it.

With fad diets having a start date, it can either set you up for a success or you will inevitably revert back to old habits.

Clare saysits often best just to create lifestyle changes by making one small difference at a time and build on positive eating habits, rather than straining your mental well-being by focusing on an end date.

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CKNW Health Series: Why are 'fad diets' so persistent? - AM900 CHML