Category Archives: Diet And Food

Does changing your bodys pH levels through diet have any benefits? Read WebMD's Alkaline Diet review to find out.

WebMD evaluates the Dr. Andrew Weil diet, starting with a basic overview.

Is a diet that allows you to eat things like bacon, cream cheese and steak too good to be true? Get the lowdown on one of the nations most talked-about weight-loss plans.

Does Bob Greenes Best Life Diet work? Read this WebMD diet review to learn about what you can eat on this plan and how effective it is.

Read WebMD's review of the Body for Life diet and exercise program to find out if its right for you.

Read WebMD's review of The Brown Fat Revolution to find out if this diet is for you.

If eating cookies sounds like your kind of diet, read this WebMD review to find out if a cookie diet is right for you.

WebMD evaluates the Dr. Dean Ornish diet philosophy outlined in "The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health."

WebMD discusses the effectiveness of Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet and explains what to expect.

Does the diet plan formulated by Doctor Oz work? Find out in WebMD's Ultimate Diet review.

WebMD reviews the pros and cons of Dr. Phil's diet, which emphasizes emotions and thought patterns as much as food groups.

"Eat This, Not That" encourages eating a better food than the one you were planning on. Find out from WebMD whether this diet program works.

WebMD discusses pros and cons of following the Eat to Live diet plan by Joel Fuhrman.

Find out with this WebMD diet review if Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat is a weight loss plan that will work for you.

Get the scoop on the French Women Dont Get Fat diet. Does it work? What can you eat?

Have a reunion coming up and need to lose weight fast? Find out from WebMD whether the High School Reunion Diet is right for you.

The two-day-a-week diet: How intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and boost your health.

WebMD reviews the pros and cons of the Jenny Craig diet plan.

Could a low-carbohydrate diet work for you? Read WebMD's overview of the low-carb lifestyle.

The Marthas Vineyard Detox Diet promises rapid weight loss: 21 pounds in 21 days. Read WebMD's review here.

Is the Macrobiotic Diet an effective weight loss plan? Find out in this diet review.

WebMD reviews food writer Mark Bittman's vegan VB6 Diet, including foods you can eat and more.

Find out from WebMD which foods you can eat on the Master Your Metabolism diet and how it claims to work.

Does eating Medifast meal replacements help you lose weight and keep it off? Find out in WebMD's diet review.

WebMD reviews the pros and cons of the Naturally Thin diet, which does away with calorie tracking.

Read the original:
The Latest Diets and Diet Plan Reviews WebMD

Detoxification (detox) diets are popular, but there is little evidence that they eliminate toxins from your body.

Specific detox diets vary but typically a period of fasting is followed by a strict diet of raw vegetables, fruit and fruit juices, and water. In addition, some detox diets advocate using herbs and other supplements along with colon cleansing (enemas) to empty the intestines.

Some people report feeling more focused and energetic during and after detox diets. However, there's little evidence that detox diets actually remove toxins from the body. Indeed, the kidneys and liver are generally quite effective at filtering and eliminating most ingested toxins.

So why do so many people claim to feel better after detoxification? It may be due in part to the fact that a detox diet eliminates highly processed foods that have solid fats and added sugar. Simply avoiding these high-calorie low-nutrition foods for a few days may be part of why people feel better.

If you're considering a detox diet, get the OK from your doctor first. It's also important to consider possible side effects. Detox diets that severely limit protein or that require fasting, for example, can result in fatigue. Long-term fasting can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Colon cleansing, which is often recommended as part of a detox plan, can cause cramping, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Dehydration also can be a concern.

Finally, keep in mind that fad diets aren't a good long-term solution. For lasting results, your best bet is to eat a healthy diet based on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein.

If you do choose to do a detox diet, you may want to use it as a way to jump-start making healthier food choices going forward every day.

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Detox diets: Do they work? - Mayo Clinic

An individual's diet is the sum of food and drink that he or she habitually consumes. Dieting is the practice of attempting to achieve or maintain a certain weight through diet.[1] People's dietary choices are often affected by a variety of factors, including ethical and religious beliefs, clinical need, or a desire to control weight.

Not all diets are considered healthy. Some people follow unhealthy diets through habit, rather than through a conscious choice to eat unhealthily. Terms applied to such eating habits include "junk food diet" and "Western diet". Many diets are considered by clinicians to pose significant health risks and minimal long-term benefit. This is particularly true of "crash" or "fad" diets short-term weight-loss plans that involve drastic changes to a person's normal eating habits.

Only diets covered on Wikipedia are listed.

A vegetarian diet is one which excludes meat. Vegetarians also avoid food containing by-products of animal slaughter, such as animal-derived rennet and gelatin.[2]

A desire to lose weight is a common motivation to change dietary habits, as is a desire to maintain an existing weight. Many weight loss diets are considered by some to entail varying degrees of health risk, and some are not widely considered to be effective. This is especially true of "crash" or "fad" diets.

Many of the diets listed below could fall into more than one subcategory. Where this is the case, it is noted in that diet's entry.

A very low calorie diet is consuming fewer than 800 calories per day. Such diets are normally followed under the supervision of a doctor.[13]

"Zero-calorie diets are also included"

Crash diet and fad diet are general terms. They describe diet plans which involve making extreme, rapid changes to food consumption, but are also used as disparaging terms for common eating habits which are considered unhealthy. Both types of diet are often considered to pose health risks.[20] Many of the diets listed here are weight-loss diets which would also fit into other sections of this list. Where this is the case, it will be noted in that diet's entry.

Detox diets involve either not consuming or attempting to flush out substances that are considered unhelpful or harmful. Examples include restricting food consumption to foods without colorings or preservatives, taking supplements, or drinking large amounts of water. The latter practice in particular has drawn criticism, as drinking significantly more water than recommended levels can cause hyponatremia.[30]

Some people's dietary choices are influenced by their religious, spiritual or philosophical beliefs.

People's dietary choices are sometimes affected by intolerance or allergy to certain types of food. There are also dietary patterns that might be recommended, prescribed or administered by medical professionals for people with specific medical needs.

The rest is here:
List of diets - Wikipedia

If you do not want to read this entire webpage, please review this shortened version:

Feeding Your Cat - Short version - 4 pages (updated November 2013)

Many readers of this website have kindly donated their valuable time to translate this important information into various languages. Please click PDF options for more information.

Diet is the brick and mortar of health. This web page lays out some often-ignored principles of feline nutrition and explains why cats have a better chance at optimal health if they are fed canned food (or a balanced homemade diet) instead of dry kibble.

Putting a little thought into what you feed your cat(s) can pay big dividends over their lifetime and very possibly help them avoid serious, painful, and costly illnesses. An increasing number of nutrition-savvy veterinarians, including board-certified veterinary internists, are now strongly recommending the feeding of canned food instead of dry kibble.

The three key negative issues associated with dry food are:

1) water content is too low

2) carbohydrate load is too high

3) type of protein - too high in plant-based versus animal-based proteins

In addition, dry food is very heavily processed which includes being subjected to high temperatures for a long time resulting in alteration and destruction of nutrients.

Dry food is also often contaminated with bacteria, fungal mycotoxins, storage mites/cockroaches and their feces, etc.

Most people who are concerned about their own nutrition have heard nutritionists say "shop the perimeter of the grocery store." This statement refers to the push to get humans to focus on fresh food - not overly processed food found in boxes and cans.

Where do you think kibble would reside in this scenario? Definitely not in the "perimeter"! There is nothing fresh about this source of food and it certainly does not come close to resembling a bird or a mouse.

Also keep in mind that dry foods are not refrigerated and they sit in warm warehouses, on pet store shelves, and in your cupboards for weeks or months before your pets consume them. Fats can easily become rancid, and bacteria will proliferate, in this type of environment.

There is no doubt that dry food is responsible for far more intestinal problems, and other diseases, than most veterinarians and cat owners realize.

Please click on the links below to read more about optimal nutrition for cats.

But my cat is "fine" on dry food!

The importance of animal proteins, versus plant proteins

Fresh vs highly processed with synthetic supplements

Problems with carbohydrates in dry cat foods

Cats need water with their food

Reading a pet food ingredient label

Marketing labels

'Prescription/therapeutic' diets

Common medical problems associated with dry food

The safety of dry food

Tips for Transitioning - Getting dry food addicts to eat canned food

Home prepared raw/semi-cooked and commercial raw meat diets

What I feed to my cats

Some final thoughts

Robbie

My Cat is Doing Just "Fine" on Dry Food!

Every living creature is fine until outward signs of a disease process are exhibited. That may sound like a very obvious and basic statement but if you think about it

Every cat with a blocked urinary tract was fine until they started to strain to urinate and either died from a ruptured bladder or had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency catheterization.

Every cat on the Feline Diabetes Message Board was fine until their owners started to recognize the signs of diabetes.

Every cat with an inflamed bladder (cystitis) was fine until they ended up in severe pain, started passing blood in their urine, and began to refuse to use their litter box because they associated it with their pain.

Every cat was "fine" until the feeding of species-inappropriate, hyperallergenic ingredients caught up with him and he started to show signs of food intolerance/IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).

Every cat was "fine" until that kidney or bladder stone got big enough to cause clinical signs.

Every cancer patient was fine until their tumor grew large enough or spread far enough so that clinical signs were observed by the patient.

The point is that diseases 'brew' long before being noticed by the living being.

This is why the statement but my cat is healthy/fine on dry food means very little to me because I believe in preventative nutrition - not locking the barn door after the horse is gone. I dont want to end up saying oopsI guess he is not so fine now!!" when a patient presents to me with a medical problem that could have been avoided if he would have been feed a species-appropriate diet to begin with.

Of course, in order to be on board with the preventative nutrition argument, a person has to understand the following facts:

1) All urinary tract systems are much healthier with an appropriate amount of water flowing through them.

Dietary water and urinary tract health

2) Carbohydrates can wreak havoc on cats' blood sugar/insulin balance.

Postprandial glycemia

3)Cats inherently have a low thirst drive and need to consume water *with* their food. (A cat's normal prey is ~70 - 75% water - not the very low 5-10% found in dry food.)

4) Cats are strict carnivores which means they are designed to get their protein from meat/organs not plants.

The Carnivore Connection to Nutrition in Cats

Cats Need Animal-Based Protein

Cats are obligate (strict) carnivores and are very different from dogs in their nutritional needs. What does it mean to be an obligate carnivore? It means that your cat was built by Mother Nature to get her nutritional needs met by the consumption of a large amount of animal-based proteins (meat/organs) and derives much less nutritional support from plant-based proteins (grains/vegetables). It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins.

It is very important to remember that not all proteins are created equal.

Proteins derived from animal tissues have a complete amino acid profile. (Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Think of them as pieces of a puzzle.) Plant-based proteins do not contain the full complement (puzzle pieces) of the critical amino acids required by an obligate carnivore. The quality and composition of a protein (are all of the puzzle pieces present?) is also referred to as its biological value.

Humans and dogs can take the pieces of the puzzle in the plant protein and, from those, make the missing pieces. Cats cannot do this. This is why humans and dogs can live on a vegetarian diet but cats cannot. (Note that I do not recommend vegetarian diets for dogs.)

Taurine is one of the most important nutrients present in meat but it is missing from plants. Taurine deficiency will cause blindness and heart problems in cats.

The protein in dry food, which is often heavily plant-based, is not equal in quality to the protein in canned food, which is meat-based. The protein in dry food, therefore, earns a lower biological value score.

Because plant proteins are cheaper than meat proteins, pet food companies will have a higher profit margin when using corn, wheat, soy, rice, etc.

Andy - 18 years ago as a kitten

He still enjoys his meat!

Veterinary nutritionists and pet food company representatives will argue that they are smart enough to know *exactly* what is missing from a plant in terms of nutrient forms and amounts - nutrients that would otherwise be in a meat-based diet. They will then claim that these missing elements are added to their diets to make it complete and balanced to sustain life in an obligate carnivore.

Does anyone really think that humans are that smart?

This is the kind of arrogance that has led to fatal errors in the past. Not all that long ago (1980s) cats were going blind and dying from heart problems due to this arrogance. It was discovered in the late 1980s that cats are exquisitely sensitive to taurine deficiency and our cats were paying dearly for Man straying so far from nature in order to increase the profit margin of the pet food manufacturers.

There are several situations that can lead to a diet being deficient in taurine but one of them is using a diet that relies heavily on plants (grains, etc.) as its source of protein. Instead of lowering their profit margin and going back to nature by adding more meat to the diets, the pet food companies simple started supplementing their diets with synthetic taurine.

This may be all well and good for this particular problem, but how do we know that Man is not blindly going along unaware of other critical nutrients that are missing from a plant-based diet?

Why are nutritionists so arrogant to think that we can safely stray so far from what a cat is designed by nature to eat?

Also note that synthetic taurine is manufactured from a chemical reaction and all taurine (at least that I know of) comes out of China. Given that country's horrible track record with regard to food safety, I certainly would not want to depend on taurine from China's chemical synthesis to meet my cats' taurine needs.

With regard to the overall protein amounts contained in dry versus canned food, do not be confused by the listing of the protein percentages on the packaging. At first glance, it might appear that the dry food has a higher amount of protein than the canned foodbut this is not true on a dry matter basis which considers the food minus the water. Most canned foods, when figured on a dry matter basis, have more protein than dry food. And remember, even if this was not the case, the percentage numbers do not tell the whole story. It is the proteins biological value that is critical.

Let's ask ourselves the following question: How many cats become ill or die from these species-inappropriate diets yet the patient's diet is never even questioned as a possible cause of the illness or death? We cannot answer that question definitively but I have no doubt that the answer would be "many".

Do cats survive on these heavily (synthetically) supplemented plant-based diets? Yes, many of them do.

Do cats thrive on these diets? No, they do not.

Please pay special attention to the words *survive* versus *thrive* as there is a very big difference between the two states of health.

Robbie - hunting his dinner

Fresh vs Highly Processed with Synthetic Supplements

There are two basic ways to meet our nutrient needs:

Eat fresh food with a short ingredient list - or at least one that does not resemble a science experiment full of long names that are hard to pronounce.

Eat highly processed foods that have had much of their nutrient content destroyed or altered, with food chemists 'fixing' the deficit with synthetic supplements. This type of unhealthy diet is consumed under the assumption that humans know exactly what was destroyed or altered during processing and what needs to be added back and in what form and amount.

Again, Man is simply not that smart.

While canned food is not 'fresh', per se, dry food undergoes a harsher processing. It has been cooked at very high temperatures for a long period of time. The extensive cooking required to remove most of the water from the food (70% moisture reduced to 5-10% moisture) significantly alters the biological value of the protein sources and damages other vital nutrients.

Humans then have to guess which nutrients in what form and amounts were destroyed by this cooking process and then try to add them back into the diet. Occasionally 'real food' is used instead of synthetic supplements but those long and hard-to-pronounce names on the ingredient list describe chemically synthesized nutrients.

Given that Man will never be as smart as nature we will never know every detail of a cats normal prey - it is obvious that there is a risk when greed cause humans to stray so far from a cats natural diet.

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Note: I have stopped using the term "grain-free" since it has become somewhat meaningless. Many companies (e.g., Blue Buffalo) tout that their products are "grain free" but then they just load up the food with high carbohydrate ingredients like potatoes and peas which are not grains but still contribute a significant carb load (and plant-based protein) to the food. The "grain-free" descriptive has become very misleading.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In their natural setting, catswhose unique biology makes them true carnivores--would not consume the high level of carbohydrates (grains, potatoes, peas, etc.) that are in the dry foods (and some canned foods) that we routinely feed them. You would never see a wild cat chasing down a herd of biscuits running across the plains of Africa or dehydrating her mouse and topping it off with corn meal.

In the wild, your cat would be eating a high protein, high-moisture, meat/organ-based diet, with a moderate level of fat and with only approximately 1-2 percent of her diet consisting of carbohydrates. The average dry food contains 35-50 percent carbohydrate calories. Some of the cheaper dry foods contain even higher levels.

This is NOT the diet that Mother Nature intended for your cat to eat.

Many canned foods, on the other hand, contain approximately less than 10 percent carbohydrates.

Please note that not all canned foods are suitably low in carbohydrates. For instance, most of the Hill's Science Diet (over-the-counter) and the Hill's 'prescription' diets are very high in carbohydrates and are not foods that I would ever choose to feed.

Cats have a physiological decrease in the ability to utilize carbohydrates due to the lack of specific enzymatic pathways that are present in other mammals, and they lack a salivary enzyme called amylase.

Cats have no dietary need for carbohydrates and, more worrisome is the fact that a diet that is high in carbohydrates can be detrimental to their health as is explained below.

With this in mind, it is as illogical to feed a carnivore a steady diet of meat-flavored cereals as it would be to feed meat to a vegetarian like a horse or a cow, right? So why are we continuing to feed our carnivores like herbivores? Why are we feeding such a species-inappropriate diet? The answers are simple. Grains/potatoes are cheap. Dry food is convenient. Affordability and convenience sells.

Continued here:
Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition ...

So what exactly is the Hcg Diet Plan, and why are so many millions of people raving about the rapid and long term weight loss effects? Chances are, youve come across someone that has used the Hcg Diet Plan successfully, and has lost a significant amount of weight in a very short period of time. Perhaps a relative, a coworker, or maybe even that friend of a friend you met over the holidays. Well, we are not surprised!Hcg Diet Info has seen millions of success stories over the years, and many of thesewalking Hcg Diet Success Storiescontinue to keep us posted on how easy it has been to keep the weight off over the years. Thats because the Hcg Diet is more than just a weight loss diet. It is medical hormone therapy, designed to reprogram your metabolism as well as your eating habits. It is a medical weight loss diet that uses Hcg to change the way you lose weight, and set you on the path of longterm health and fitness.

The HCG Diet Plan involves the use of acarefully planneddiet of healthy, quality foods for nutrition and tinyamount of the pro-hormone, HCG(human chorionic gonadotropin)administered through injections, drops, orpellets. Originally published by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in hisManuscript, Pounds and Inches,the diet initially called for a rigid protocol with little flexibility, lack of exercise recommendations, and a specific list of allowed foods. Times have changed however, and the HCG Diet has evolved into a number of modern protocols. Todays HCG Diet involves a low calorie diet with an expanded food list, exercise and a strong focus on learning healthy habits for lifelong weight maintenance. Read a quick overview of the OriginalHCG Diethere.

Read more: What is the Hcg Diet?

There has been much confusion about how the HCG Diet works but there is a simpleexplanation: HCG does NOT cause you to lose weight. The carefully planned diet and menu are what results intheweight loss. So what is the point of using HCG on the protocol? Simple: HCGchangesHOWyour body loses weight.Where most diets result in muscle loss and a stalled metabolismfrom the bodys diet-induced starvation mode, a small amount of the pro-hormone, HCG, keeps this from happening. This allows the dieter to continue losing weight at an impressive rate.

HCG is the pro-hormone that is produced by all individuals, men and women alike. It is produced in large amounts by women during pregnancy and is known for being the catalyst hormone that stimulates the production of other hormones throughout the body. These in turn, effect the bodys metabolism, muscle tissue, digestion, liver functions and much more. It is no secret that hormone function and balance is known to be one of the most common causes of weight challenges, especially severe obesity. HCGs role in the diet plan, helps the body to balance out these issues, which in turn enables the body to function at an optimal rate of performance. Read more abouthow HCG works for weight loss.

Weve created a thorough guide to explain how the NEW HCG Diet Plan works, including everything youneed to get started. This includes the NEW HCG Diet Plan Protocol, Tips for buying HCG Diet Drops and Injections, HCG Diet Food Lists and Menus, HCG Diet Recipes, Phase Overviews, Maintenance, and so much more. Get a sneak peek at the new HCG Diet Guide: How to do the Hcg Diet Plan.

Recommended HCG Diet programs (injections or real HCG drops) can be found on ourBuy HCGpage. For questions about buying HCG drops and injections, we have put together a thorough HCG Buying Guide, with tips for selecting the right provider, Tips for saving money when Buying HCG, why NOT to buy HCG from overseas, and so much more. Learn,buy, save! HCG Diet Buying Guide.

Have questions? Join HDIs HCG Diet Forums, the largest HCG Diet community on the web with over 100 thousand registered members. Share your experience and get answers fast, the forums are the best place to mingle with your fellow HCG Dieters going through the same weight loss journey. HCG Diet Forums.

HCG Diet recipes and foods are the backbone of the HCG Diet. While the pro-hormone, HCG,changes HOW your body loses weight, it is actually the food diet that is responsible for your weight loss. This is good news! This means the HCG Diet can work with any number of diet menus, foods and recipes.

While the actual foods eaten on the HCG diet can vary according to which protocol the individual is following, the suggested higher calorie plans are recommended by the New HCG Diet Plan. These average around 1395calories but areultimately based on the individuals own BMR. Focus is placed on portion control, increased vegetables and proteins, and a food list that is much broader and less restrictive than the original diet.

The original Simeons HCG protocolprescribed a strict VLCD (very low calorie diet) of 500 calories. This approach allowed only a select number of foods per day, limited vegetables and fruits as well asan extremely short and strict food list. While many dieters continue to follow this plan, there are few doctors that have not switched to suggesting the more modern, expanded HCG Diet Food List.

Already worried youll miss your favorite hamburger on the menu? Have no fear- the NEW HCG Diet can still work with your favorite foods and there are hundreds of HCG Diet Recipes available for you to choose from on HDI or in our recommended HCG Diet Cookbooks. From sauce recipes for Phase 1, to dinner recipes for Phase 2 and healthy dessert recipes for Phase 3. Take your pick- bon apetit!

Dr. Simeons book, Pounds and Inches is the very detailed, original manuscript of the HCG diet Plan. It includes everything from body chemistry, to the very specific 500 calorie diet known as VLCD or Very Low Calorie Diet. Even if you are following a different protocol, it is still suggested that you read the original manuscript to understand how the diet works and the important aspects of the protocol that will ensure your weight loss. The original manuscript can be found here: Pounds and Inches by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons.

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HCG Diet Info - The HCG Diet Plan Authority

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism.[1] The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons (with the two often being related). Although humans are omnivores, each culture and each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos. This may be due to personal tastes or ethical reasons. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy.

Complete nutrition requires ingestion and absorption of vitamins, minerals, and food energy in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dietary habits and choices play a significant role in the quality of life, health and longevity.

Some cultures and religions have restrictions concerning what foods are acceptable in their diet. For example, only Kosher foods are permitted by Judaism, and Halal foods by Islam. Although Buddhists are generally vegetarians, the practice varies and meat-eating may be permitted depending on the sects. In Hinduism, vegetarianism is the ideal. Jains are strictly vegetarian and consumption of roots is not permitted.

Many people choose to forgo food from animal sources to varying degrees (e.g. flexitarianism, vegetarianism, veganism, fruitarianism) for health reasons, issues surrounding morality, or to reduce their personal impact on the environment, although some of the public assumptions about which diets have lower impacts are known to be incorrect.[2]Raw foodism is another contemporary trend. These diets may require tuning or supplementation such as vitamins to meet ordinary nutritional needs.

A particular diet may be chosen to seek weight loss or weight gain. Changing a subject's dietary intake, or "going on a diet", can change the energy balance and increase or decrease the amount of fat stored by the body. Some foods are specifically recommended, or even altered, for conformity to the requirements of a particular diet. These diets are often recommended in conjunction with exercise. Specific weight loss programs can be harmful to health, while others may be beneficial and can thus be coined as healthy diets. The terms "healthy diet" and "diet for weight management" are often related, as the two promote healthy weight management. Having a healthy diet is a way to prevent health problems, and will provide the body with the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.[3]

An eating disorder is a mental disorder that interferes with normal food consumption. It is defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive diet.

A healthy diet may improve or maintain optimal health. In developed countries, affluence enables unconstrained caloric intake and possibly inappropriate food choices.[4]

Health agencies recommend that people maintain a normal weight by limiting consumption of energy-dense foods and sugary drinks, eat plant-based food, limit red and processed meat, and limit alcohol.[5]

Follow this link:
Diet (nutrition) - Wikipedia

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See original here:
Health & Wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Diet ... - TODAY.com

Table of Contents

There are a variety of three-day diets that circulate from person to person and on the Internet. They tend to promise weight loss of 10 lb (4.5 kg) or more in just three days.

The origins of the three-day diet are unclear. Some people believe that they go back to the 1980s when these kinds of diets were faxed from person to person. Three-day diets go by many different names, including the fax diet, Army diet, Navy diet, Cleveland Clinic diet, and many others. Often they are just referred to as three-day diets. Although many versions of this diet claim to have been created by one medical institution or another, no medical institutions have ever been known to come forward to claim responsibility for, or even to recommend, one of these diets. Many institutions that have these diets named after them, such as the British Heart Foundation or the Cleveland Clinic, go out of their way to inform dieters that the diet did not originate where its title claims.

The most common form of three-day diet on the Internet involves eating a large quantity of tuna and various vegetables during the day, with ice cream each evening. This diet seems to be similar to, or the same

as, the three-day diet sold online by 3daydiets.net. It is unclear, however, if they are the developer of the diet, as they do not claim specifically to be.

There are many versions of three-day diets circulating, all with the promise of bringing dieters significant weight loss in just three days. There are many variations in what dieters may and may not eat during these three days. One diet even calls for dieters to drink only water for the first day. On the second day dieters may eat fruit, and drink only fruit juice, and on the third day dieters may eat only vegetables, and drink only vegetable juice.

The most common three-day diet, and the one that seems to be the most popular, is a three-day diet with a meal plan that instructs dieters what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The specifics of the plan vary, as do what dieters are allowed to drink while on the plan. Some versions allow anything, others specify just water and diet soda in addition to the coffee and tea called for in the meal plan. Many require that dieters drink at least four glasses of water daily. Some allow diet soda to be substituted for the water. A common version of the three-day diet meal plan is:

Breakfast: black tea or coffee, 1/2 a grapefruit, 1 piece of toast with 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter. Some version specify 1/3 of a grapefruit, some call for artificial sweetener to be added to the coffee, some allow grapefruit juice to be substituted for the grapefruit.

Lunch: 1/2 cup tuna, 1 piece dry toast, black coffee or tea. Some versions call for tuna in water, some call for artificial sweetener with the coffee or tea.

Dinner: 3 ounces lean meat, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup carrots, 1 apple, 1 cup vanilla ice cream. Some versions specify a low fat ice cream, other do not. Some versions call for 1 cup of beets instead of carrots.

Breakfast: 1 egg, 1 slice dry toast, 1/2 banana, black coffee or tea. Some versions require artificial sweetened in the coffee or tea. It is not generally specified how the dieter should prepare the egg. Some versions call for a whole banana.

Lunch: 1 cup cottage cheese and six crackers. Some versions allow dieters to choose between 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 cup of tuna. Some require six crackers, some allow eight. Most versions call for Saltine brand crackers.

Dinner: two hot dogs, 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream. Some versions specify beef franks. Some call for 1 cup of cabbage instead of 1 cup of broccoli. Some versions require low fat ice cream.

Breakfast: one apple, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, five Saltine brand crackers, black tea or coffee. Some versions allow or require artificial sweetener.

Lunch: one hard-boiled egg, one slice dry toast. Some versions allow black coffee or tea (with or without artificial sweetener) with this meal, others do not.

Dinner: 1 cup tuna, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup cauliflower, 1 cup melon, and 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream. Some versions call for 1/2 a cantaloupe instead of 1 cup of melon. Some versions require low fat ice cream.

There are other versions of the above three-day diet, with some specifying even more alternatives for the dieter, including an orange instead of grapefruit, cottage cheese instead of tuna, and various vegetable substitutions. Most versions tell dieters to use lemon, salt and pepper, mustard, vinegar, herbs, soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings to add flavoring to food during the diet, but nothing containing fat, such as butter. Most versions of the diet are very specific in saying that dieters have to follow the rules exactly to see the promised weight loss.

The three-day diet usually promises that dieters will be able to lose 10 pounds in three days if the diet is followed exactly. Often the diet claims that this will result because the combination of foods called for by the diet causes some kind of increased metabolism that will burn pounds of fat. It is never made clear exactly what kind of reaction this is supposed to be, or how it is supposed to work. Often the diet says the dieter can repeat the diet after a few days of regular eating. Some version of three-day diets allow for as few as two days of normal eating, others require up to four or five. The three-day diets are intended to provide a dieter with extreme weight loss in a very short time and are not intended to change the dieters lifestyle or overall eating habits. Usually the diets go so far as to tell a dieter to eat whatever he or she was eating before the diet once the diet is over. The diets only caution is not to overeat. No exercise recommendations are made with three-day diets. Weight loss is supposed to come from increased metabolism and lowered calorie intake alone.

There are many benefits to weight loss if it achieved at a moderate pace through healthy eating and exercise. Three-day diets, however, are not considered moderately paced and do not include exercise, or a well-balanced diet. Although the diets claim that a dieter can lose 10 pounds in three days, weight loss is likely to come mainly from lost water weight. There may be some psychological benefit to quick weight loss, but this is likely to be undone if the weight is gained back quickly after the diet is over.

Anyone thinking of beginning a new diet should consult a physician or other medical professional. Daily requirements of calories, fat, and nutrients can differ significantly from person to person depending on age, weight, sex, and other factors. Talking to a doctor can help a dieter determine which diet is safe for that dieters individual needs, and a doctor can help a dieter choose a diet that fits in well with his or her long-term weight loss goals. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should be especially cautious when thinking of beginning a new diet because when a baby is receiving nutrients from its mother, what the mother eats can have a significant impact on the growth and development of the baby.

There are some risks associated with any diet, but diets that severely limit calories or the variety of foods that dieters may eat tend to be more risky than well balanced, moderately calorie-reduced diets. The most common three-day diet requires dieters to eat only about 1,000 calories a day, with some versions that have been analyzed consisting of at as few as 700 calories per day. This is too few for most people to maintain good health. A diet that contains fewer than 800 calories per day is considered a very low calorie diet. Very low calorie diets carry high risks of side effects, such as gallstones and cardiovascular problems. Very low calorie diets are only intended for the extremely obese who are experiencing significant medical problems due to obesity. These diets are carried out under the close supervision of physicians. They are not intended, or safe for, dieters to follow on their own.

Dieters who follow a three-day diet may find that any weight lost is gained back as soon as the diet is over, and may even find that more weight is gained that was lost. Having a very low caloric intake makes the dieters metabolism slow down because the body thinks that it is starving. Then when a normal number of calories are reintroduced into the diet, the body wants to store extra fat in case there is a period of starvation again. This natural defense mechanism of the body against starvation can cause dieters who alternatively eat very few calories and then return to normal eating to gain large amounts of fat over time, even while they are trying to diet. Very low calorie diets pursued over only a few days also promote binge eating at the end of the diet.

Many of the versions of three-day diets, especially those intended for fasting, carry a high risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency. The body needs food from each of the food groups every day for good health. Drinking only fruit juices, or eating any very limited variety of foods, can make it nearly impossible for a dieter to get all of the nutrients required for good health. Any dieter considering this kind of diet should consult a physician about an appropriate multivitamin or supplement to help reduce this risk of deficiency. Multivitamins and dietary supplements carry their own risks, and can not replace a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Three-day diets are not generally accepted as healthy, effective ways to lose weight for the long term. Although no scientific studies have been carried out to determine the effectiveness of common three-day diets, experts suggest that anything that promises dieters 10 lb (4.5 kg) of weight loss in three days is unlikely to be taking off fat. Instead, dieters are probably losing water weight, with possibly a little fat loss and some muscle mass loss through the reduced caloric intake.

The United States Department of Agriculture makes recommendations for a healthy diet in its MyPyr-amid food guidelines. MyPyramid gives recommendations about how many servings of each food group are required daily for good health. These recommendations can be found at <http://www.MyPyramid.gov.> Any diet that will produce sustainable, healthy weight loss should follow these guidelines and include foods from each food group every day. Sustainable diets should not be extremely restrictive of any food group, or be extremely calorie-reduced.

Many studies have shown that exercise and diet are more effective at producing weight loss when done together than either is done alone. Three-day diets do not usually have any exercise recommendations. Instead, they generally claim that a combination of foods will magically melt away fat without the dieter having to expend any effort. Healthy weight loss plans should include both a diet and an exercise component. As of 2007, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that adults get a minimum of 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise each day for good health.

Shannon, Joyce Brennfleck ed. Diet and Nutrition Source-book. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 2006.

Willis, Alicia P. ed. Diet Therapy Research Trends. New York: Nova Science, 2007.

American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995. Telephone: (800) 877-1600. Website: <http://www.eatright.org>

The Diet Channel. 3 Day Diet. 2007. <http://www.thedietchannel.com/3-day-diet.htm>

Tish Davidson, A.M.

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3-Day Diet

Eating healthy is certainly not about being perfect. Most people tend to get much better results when they start small and make incremental changes to their current diet.

Anne Ricci

Founder of AnnesHealthyKitchen.com, helping women solve their health and weight puzzle.

Moving forward, try to accept foods for what they are -- food. If you like the way a food tastes, it makes you feel good, and you are in the mood for it, then that sounds like a great choice... no matter how much fat or calories it contains. If you don't enjoy the taste of a food, aren't in the mood for it, or it doesn't make you feel very good then it probably isn't a stellar choice for you no matter how many celebrities you've seen eating/drinking it.

What if, instead all the negative food-body thoughts, feeling like a failure, and regret-eating, we could have a lighter more positive touch and just make a few super do-able substitutions to our recipes?

In a recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control that ranked 47 "powerhouse fruits and vegetables," kale placed only 15th (with 49.07 points out of 100 for nutrient density)! Here's a roundup of the 10 leafy green cousins that researchers say pack a greater nutritional wallop.

David Zinczenko

The New York Times best-selling author of Eat It to Beat It!, Eat This, Not That and The Abs Diet, and the Nutrition and Wellness Editor at ABC News

Here are a few tips for choosing a healthy snack: eat real food, keep it portion-controlled (and calorie-controlled), aim for a fruit or veggie serving, and try to get some protein or fiber in your snack to help you feel full and stabilize blood sugar.

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Internationally-recognized nutritionist; International Speaker; Adjunct professor of nutrition at NYU; Author, 'The Portion Teller Plan'

If I eat hot peppers or tree nuts, the reaction can range from uncomfortable at best to life-threatening at worst. Having been both hostess and guest in this situation, I can offer some advice to those who are considering welcoming a restricted eater to their meal or their food-related event.

Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they deliver steady, muscle-friendly energy.

David Zinczenko

The New York Times best-selling author of Eat It to Beat It!, Eat This, Not That and The Abs Diet, and the Nutrition and Wellness Editor at ABC News

The concept is this: Humans evolved on a diet very different from today's eating habits. Therefore, the Paleo proponents argue, to be healthier, leaner, stronger and fitter, we must re-think our diet and remove some of the food groups we consider basic.

You are your most valuable asset, and you're also stuck with yourself for a long, long time. With that in mind, use last night's cookie hoedown as a way to figure out the ways in which you need to take better care of yourself instead of yelling at yourself for the next three days.

Compelled by my compounding fatigue and stomachaches, I waved the white (and red and green) flag, and embarked on my gluten-free adventure. I didn't realize that the benefits of a gluten-free diet would contribute to the improvement of other aspects of my life.

Celia Kaye

Author of the children's book, "The Adventures of Celia Kaye," available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Fitness Nutrition Specialist (NASM), certified mat Pilates instructor, and gluten-free lifestyle writer.

If you've made the choice (or goal) of going completely meat-free, don't allow your surroundings and your own fears to stop you. Hopefully, these tips can be one step towards helping you achieve the changes in your diet that are important to you.

Known as the "fruit of the gods," figs are in season now, but they're nothing new. In season from from June to early Fall, the sweet fruit were used by the Greeks as signs of prosperity and for early Olympic training. For the food nerds among us, a mini fig tutorial.

I wore what I didn't eat like a badge of honor. As a certified health coach, I felt like it was important to "walk the talk" and make sure that I was taking exceptional care of myself; but like every other thing in life, you can take even good things too far!

I secretly (publicly) would love it if he would learn to love produce the way I do, the same way I know he wishes I would eat a steak. At this point, though, besides it having no appeal, I'm pretty sure my body would violently reject red meat, were I to eat it.

Holly Leber

Journalist, food geek, wishful world traveler, aspiring professional sassafras.

Do candy bars have a tendency to jump off the shelves and into your cart when you're at the supermarket? You're not alone. From the weekly circulars to the cash register, the entire grocery-shopping experience is designed to ensure you spend as much time and money on junk food as possible.

David Zinczenko

The New York Times best-selling author of Eat It to Beat It!, Eat This, Not That and The Abs Diet, and the Nutrition and Wellness Editor at ABC News

When it's hot outside and you're keeping active, dehydration can leave you feeling light-headed and disoriented. Cooling off with refreshing beverages can keep your body hydrated and your waistline intact -- if you know which ones to drink.

Sylvia E. Melndez-Klinger

Registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, nutritional consultant and founder of Hispanic Food Communications

No one would ever say "just try one cashew" to someone with a severe nut allergy, so why do they say "just take one bite" to people with wheat allergies?

Celia Kaye

Author of the children's book, "The Adventures of Celia Kaye," available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Fitness Nutrition Specialist (NASM), certified mat Pilates instructor, and gluten-free lifestyle writer.

The secret to eating while traveling is to identify the difference between eating and over-eating. Eating is enjoying food. Overeating is when you no longer taste the food. You are stuffed yet continue to eat.

Margaret Marshall

Author: Healthy Living Means Living Healthy...Lose Weight, Feel Great

My father nicknamed me "20 Questions" by the time I was 5 years old. Often times I would blurt out my next question as my parents were still rattling off the answer to the previous one, antsy to address the next puzzle piece in my mind.

Alena Hall

Associate Third Metric Editor, The Huffington Post

Eliminating sugar from your diet can be done. If you do decide to go sugar-free, one of the best ways is to go cold turkey. Cut out sugar completely with these simple steps and you could be craving-free in a week.

Wellness Today

Holistic Wellness Experts from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition

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Diet and Nutrition News, Advice, - HuffPost Healthy Living

A healthy diet and lifestyle are yourbest weaponsto fight cardiovascular disease. Its not as hard as you may think! Remember, it's the overall pattern of yourchoicesthat counts. Make the simple steps below part of your life for long-term benefits to your health and your heart.

Regular physical activity can help you maintain your weight, keep off weight that you lose and help you reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. If its hard to schedule regular exercise sessions, try aiming for sessions of at last 10 minutes spread throughout the week.

If you would benefit from lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity three to four times a week.

You may be eating plenty of food, but your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy.Nutrient-rich foods have minerals, protein, whole grains and other nutrients but are lower in calories. Theymay help you control your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure.

One of the diets that fits this pattern is the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. Most healthy eating patterns can be adapted based on calorie requirements and personal and cultural food preferences.

The right number of calories to eat each day is based on your age and physical activity level and whether you're trying to gain, lose or maintain your weight. You could use your daily allotment of calories on a few high-calorie foods and beverages, but you probably wouldnt get the nutrients your body needs to be healthy. Limit foods and beverages high in calories but low in nutrients. Also limit the amount of saturated fat, trans fat and sodium you eat. Read Nutrition Facts labels carefully the Nutrition Facts panel tells you the amount of healthy and unhealthy nutrients in a food or beverage.

For more information on theAmerican Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations:

Last reviewed 08/2015.

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