Category Archives: Diet And Food

There are so many different diet plans out there these days, that it can be hard to know which one is right for you. In this blog post, we will discuss six of the most popular diet plans and give you a brief overview of each one. We will also provide links to more detailed information about each plan if you are interested in learning more. So, without further ado, lets get started!

The diet that works best for you is the one you can stick to. However, eating the same meals over and over again can get boring, so its important to find a diet plan that offers variety and is sustainable in the long term. Now, getting onto a military diet or the keto diet can be beneficial for you, and if you give it a go, you will quickly reap many health benefits. Trying out different diets can also help you learn more about nutrition and find out what works best for your body. Here are six interesting diet plans that you might want to give a go:

The Mediterranean diet is a diet that is based on the traditional foods of Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain. The focus is on eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and olive oil. One should consume fish and poultry moderately, while red meat should be eaten less, in general. This diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of Alzheimers and dementia, and help with weight loss.

The flexitarian diet is a plant-based diet that allows for occasional meat and animal products. This diet is perfect for those who are looking to eat more healthfully but dont want to give up all of their favorite foods. Its also a great option for people who are trying to reduce their environmental impact. The flexitarian diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help with weight loss.

The paleo diet is based on the foods that were eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. The emphasis is on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and nuts. This diet excludes dairy products, grains, legumes, and processed foods. The paleo diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help with weight loss.

The Volumetrics diet is based on the principle that you should eat foods that are low in calories but high in volume. This means filling up on foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. The goal is to eat less food overall while still feeling satisfied. This diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help with weight loss. In addition, it is also a great option for those who are trying to lose weight in a healthy way.

The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that allows for unlimited amounts of protein and fat. This diet is divided into four phases, with the first phase being the most restrictive. The goal of this diet is to help you lose weight quickly and then maintain your weight loss in the long term. The Atkins diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help with weight loss.

The DASH diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that is based on the foods that are recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This diet includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts. It also includes moderate amounts of red meat and dairy products. The DASH diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help with weight loss.

There are a variety of different diet plans out there that can help you lose weight, improve your health, and find a plan that works for you. Its important to do your research and consult with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to find the best plan for you. Give one of these diets a try and see how it works for you! Each diet has its own set of pros and cons, so its important to find the right one for you. So, whether you want to lose weight, improve your heart health, or reduce your risk of chronic disease, theres a diet plan out there for you. And, with a little bit of research, youre sure to find the perfect fit!

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6 Interesting Diet Plans That You Might Want To Give A Go - CLNS Media

Everything You Need to Know About Intuitive Eating, The Anti-Diet Diet

Tired of yo-yo dieting? Sick of obsessively counting your macros? Sometimes being focused on eating healthy becomes unhealthy. Intuitive eating is an approach that will have you ditching fad diets for good.

Intuitive eating is a practice that encourages you to tap into your natural hunger, fullness, craving and taste satisfaction cues. It ditches the diet mentality, and asks you to follow your natural wisdom when making food decisions, according to Dr. Margaret Sala, a licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in eating disorders and behavioral weight loss.

RELATED:The MIND Diet

If youre not convinced that you can eat whatever you want and still look good and be healthy, thats normal. It takes time to unlearn food guilt and relearn how to listen to your body. Intuitive eating doesnt mean that you should eat pizza and ice cream every day it actually teaches you to be aware of emotional eating and focus on fueling yourself with foods that feel good (and yes, that includes treats sometimes).

Below is everything you need to know about this anti-diet diet, from its guiding principles to its benefits, as well as tips on how to start eating intuitively.

Nutrition experts Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch wrote the best-selling book Intuitive Eating, which was originally published in 1995 and became a bible for intuitive eating. Its highly recommended to pick up the book if you want to go on your own intuitive eating journey. It breaks down 10 essential principles:

The biggest benefit of intuitive eating is that, over time, you will start to have a calm approach around food, says Sala. You will no longer obsess about food or your body image. Your body will reach a natural, healthy weight (for you) and will stop fluctuating. You will be able to be more present with other aspects of your life instead of obsessing over your body and food.

Your physical health may also benefit from this new approach. Studies have shown that some of the benefits of intuitive eating include improved cholesterol levels, lower rates of emotional and disordered eating, better body image and self-esteem, reduced stress, improved metabolism, higher levels of contentment and satisfaction, says Alana Van Der Sluys a certified intuitive eating counselor and coach who recovered from an eating disorder thanks to intuitive eating.

When you consider how you want your body to feel after you eat, when you truly begin allowing all foods, and when you integrate the principle of gentle nutrition, you will arrive at your body's genetically coded weight set range, where your body runs most optimally for you, she adds.

For some, that might mean six-pack abs. For others, it might mean making peace with your natural build and not trying to contort and punish your body for the sake of aesthetics.

Get real with yourself: Is your relationship with food and your body stressful and dysfunctional? Its important to realize this because the lure of another diet may be tempting when embarking on an intuitive eating journey. If you are constantly fluctuating in your weight, feel very tired and lethargic all the time, have preoccupations with food thoughts, believe your body size and shape are a large part of your self-worth, or oscillate between binging and restricting, it's time to ditch the diet mentality, says Der Sluys.

As Sala puts it, the changes may be scary over time. If youre used to relying on external cues to dictate your eating, say, how many calories you should consume in a meal, or what your meal plan says, you may not be able to snap your fingers and start eating intuitively right away.

Its a journey, and youll want to focus on progress, not perfection. For example, if you don't listen to your hunger cues and overeat during one meal, dont beat yourself up. One meal wont make you unhealthy or ruin anything thats the diet mentality speaking. Just keep practicing intuitive eating principles one day at a time.

A key part of intuitive eating is being mindful when eating. Are you scarfing down a candy bar because you feel stressed? Are you ravenous because you waited too long between meals? Get curious about your eating patterns without labeling anything as good or bad (again, thats the diet mentality speaking).

Once you let go of the restriction mindset, you can start treating food in a different way: it's there if you want it, you can have it anytime, and you don't have to have it all now. You will be able to be present for every bite and stop when you are satisfied, says Sala.

It might also be time for a social media clean-up. My top tip for beginners is to unfollow all diet-related content on social media, which effectively helps you ditch the diet mentality, and start following accounts about non-diet, anti-diet, body liberation, weight neutrality, body positivity, health at every size and intuitive eating, recommends Der Sluys.

Intuitive eating encourages physical activity that makes you feel good. If you work out as a form of punishment because you overate or because you hate the way you look, youll want to reframe that perspective and start doing workouts you actually enjoy.

Der Sluys also suggests working with an intuitive eating coach, as it can be emotionally taxing and nuanced to rework your entire relationship with food. Getting one-on-one support can help you retrain yourself to view food differently and reconnect with your bodys natural cues. Food freedom is worth the effort.

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Women spend an average of 17 yearsof their life dieting. Only for most of them to gain the weight back each time within the first 3 years, and more than half of it within the first year.This was true for my own experience and has been true for the clients that I serve today.

The best decision I ever made was to step off this treadmill and decided never to diet again.

Research has discovered that dieting is not a sustainable way to achieve and maintain weight loss. The more a person goes on and off a diet (dieting history) the quicker the body will respond physiologically: the metabolic rate becomes lower, hunger is higher, and the signal to tell the brain the body has had enough fuel is broken. This results in the gaining of weight and difficulties in being able to listen and respond to our bodys needs.

Unfortunately, the process of learning how to stop dieting and eat normally again isnt usually as simple or easy as we might like. Especially if weve been following supposed trendy weight loss fads for a long time.

If youre fed up with being stuck in the cycle of yo-yo diets, maybe its now time to move your focus away from the number on the scale or your bodys size and shape, and toward nourishing your body and enjoying the experience of eating like a way of fulfilling ourselves in mind, and spirit, too.

Stepping off the diet treadmill for good means changing your relationship with food and then starting to experience more joy, appreciation, peace, and freedom. Freedom from counting and calculating, emotional attachments to scales or calories, peace with your body and enjoyment of family, food, and friends.

Here are 3 ways to help you started.

Instead of searching the internet or the newest magazine to tell you how, what and when you should eat, start tuning into your bodys natural hunger and fullness cues. Intuitive eating, according to the developers Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole is a self-care-based eating framework, which integrates instinct, emotion, and rational thought into the eating experience. A way to steer by internal body signals and wisdom rather than external rules.

The biggest reason for a person to go on a diet is to lose weight. What comes with that, is the desire to change the way their body looks. This is because they dont like how it appears in a mirror, they compare it to others, or dont feel good in it.Body neutrality is a middle-of-the-road approach to how you feel in your body (body image). It suggests neither loving nor hating your body. Its based on the notion of body appreciation, acceptance and respect for your physical structure while focusing on your strengths.

You already know that exercise has some amazing effects on your overall health, mobility, strength, and energy. Yet, as we get older, it can become one more thing to put on our to-do list. Or it may come with a lot of self-imposed rules like I have to get my heart rate to a specific point, or I have to go to the gym, or if I dont have an hour, its not worth it. Disconnecting exercise from these rules and must do, or should do lists, and towards a what is really important to me list, can make moving your body must less daunting. Bring your attention to WHY moving your body is important to you. This can make finding the motivation to exercise easier, more enjoyable and sustainable. Try choosing to accept that you deserve a healthy, strong, and flexible body.

Adopting these mindful practices is a way to transform your relationship with food. Sometimes, just slowing down and paying attention to the way we eat can help us to make better food choices and manage cravings.

Of course, the way we eat and think about food are both influenced by many factors, most of which arent about (or at least only about) food itself. If youre having trouble reconnecting with your body in a more intuitive way, its worth getting some professional help for any underlying issues about food and eating.

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How To Stop Dieting In Your 50s And Heal Your Relationship With Food - CrunchyTales.com

Its common practice to recommend heart failure patients follow low sodium diets, but research has shown this type of diet may worsen patient health for certain forms of the condition.

For the general public, low sodium intake can be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers found a worse prognosis for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) if their diets included little to no salt.1

Doctors usually test ejection fraction to determine if the heart is functioning correctly.2 Ejection fraction (EF) measures the percent of blood leaving the heart every time it contracts.2 A normal EF ranges between 50 to 75%, according to the American Heart Association,but it does not always signify a healthy heart.2 This phenomenon describes HFpEF, accounting for half of all heart failure cases.1

Researchers analyzed data that had already been compiled from a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled TOPCAT trial, which looked at spironolactone and HFpEF treatment. Researchers did a secondary analysis of this data to track 1713 individuals salt intake over 3 years. All of the participants were aged 50 years or older and suffered from HFpEF.1

During the trial, participants were asked the amount of salt they added to cooking staple foods, with results scored numerically at 0 points indicating no salt added, 1 indicating teaspoon (tsp), 2 indicating tsp, and 3 indicating or more of a tsp.1

The primary endpoints in the study were death from cardiovascular disease, admittance to hospital due to heart failure, or resuscitation after cardiac arrest.1 Secondary endpoints included death for any reason, hospital admission from heart failure, or death from cardiovascular disease.1

Almost 816 patients scored 0, while the rest of the 897 patients had a score above 0. Not only were most of the 0-salt group White men, but results showed that they weighed significantly more, had lower diastolic blood pressure (70mm Hg) and greater hospital admittances, and were more likely to have type 2 diabetes, poorer kidney function, take meds, and lower cardiac output.1

When assessing the rate of hospital admittance for heart failure, researchers concluded that participants under the age of 70 years would benefit from adding salt to their diet more than those older than age of 70.1

Overstrict dietary salt intake restriction could harm patients with [heart failure with preserved EF] and is associated with worse prognosis. Physicians should reconsider giving this advice to patients, wrote the study authors.1

This study was limited by observation and was not able to identify cause of the noted associations, explained the authors.1 The trial is limited to participant self-reported scores, along with reverse causation of ones original health. However, gender, heart failure medication use, and prior hospital admission for heart failure were not associated with cooking score or increased outcome risk.1

References

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Study: Overstrict Salt Intake in Diet May Result in Common Form of Heart Failure - Pharmacy Times

The raw food diet has gotten the attention of pet owners in recent years.

One of the most popular raw food diets for petsis called Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or BARF for short. Created in the 1990s, BARF mimics the diet of a wild animal with meat, bones, vegetables and other raw foods. The diet claims to bring dogs back to their non-domesticated way of feeding and boasts benefits like growth, better health and longevity.

But is the diet for dogs? Can your furry friend maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating raw meat? Heres what you need to know.

Yes, technically, dogs can eat raw meatbut that doesnt mean they should.

According to Soma Technology, animals, particularly wild ones, have a stronger stomach acid,helping them digest food and kill off parasites and bacteria found in raw meat. Before dogs were domesticated, their diet contained raw meat like most animals.

What other foods can dogs eat?: The safest way for your pup to consume bananas

Why dogs can't eat grapes: What to do if your pet accidentally eats one

Common proteins in a raw meat diet include eggs, bones milk and these meats:

One type of meat dog owners should be aware of is denatured meat, sometimes called 3D or 4D meat. This meat typically comes from dying, dead or diseased animals, Rogue Pet Science writes. While being processed, this meat isoften deemed unfit for human consumption and ends up in pet food. It's a legalbut dangerous factbecause of the bacteria and chemicals used in manufacturing.

The American Veterinary Medical Associationcautions against feeding your dog raw meat because it doesnt provide the balanced nutrition your canine companion needs in their diet.

Eating raw meat regularly can increaserisk of nutritional deficiencies.A 2011 study from Cambridge University found 60% of dogs on a diet of bones and raw food had nutritional imbalances.

Common pet behavior explained: Why is my dog eating poop and how do I get them to stop?

Proportions are key: How much food you should be feeding your dog

Most veterinarians advise against giving dogs raw diets for the same reason humans dont eat raw meat there are health risks when it comes to the bacteria found in raw food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns pet owners about raw diets because of bacteria, like salmonella and listeria, which can be found in raw pet food, even packaged meats in stores.

According to a study from the University of California, Davis, there is little to no scientific support in favor of the raw diet. Research suggests canned diets and kibble, as well as home-cooked meals, are beneficial to your pets nutritional intake. In this case, the risks far outweigh any potential benefits of a raw meat diet.

Raw food diets can also be potentially harmful for dog owners and their families. You could be subject to food poisoning or sickness by just handling raw food or taking care of your pet.

If you do decide to feed your dog raw meat, the CDC recommends keeping it frozen and thawing in the fridge until use. Make sure to disinfect all surfaces the raw meat touched, and avoid playing with your pet directly after they eat.

Your pet licking your face or mouth is a playful gesture of affection that can turn risky after theyve gobbled down raw meat. The CDC recommends exercising extra caution around young children and raw meat because their immune systems are not fully developed.

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Can dogs eat raw meat? The risks and rewards of putting your pup on a raw food diet. - USA TODAY

Turkeys get a whole lot of attention on winter holidays, even receiving official pardons from U.S. presidents on Thanksgiving. Lancaster Online notes that turkey legs have a presence on many Kwanza tables, and various religions incorporate some form ofturkey recipes into food-based celebrations.

But what about the rest of the year? The goodness of turkey, including its notable amount of protein, doesn't suddenly disappear after a couple of huge meals. Two thick slices of fresh turkey contain an impressive 24 grams of protein, per Healthline. This equates to 48% of the recommended daily value, which the FDA uses to define how much a nutrient contributes to a total healthy diet.

White turkey meat tends to be slightly higher in protein than legs or thighs, which also contain more fat. Other iterations of the notorious big bird, including ground turkey, vary in nutritional values. Livestrong reveals that deli-style turkey cold cuts still contain a decent amount of protein, with about 4.2 grams in one ounce of lean deli turkey.

No matter how you slice and dice it, turkey delivers on the protein front. If fresh, whole birds are unavailable in your supermarket year-round, look for turkey legs and breasts, or check the freezer section. With the National Turkey Federation claiming a 2021 production of more than 216 million turkeys in the United States alone, those birds are definitely out there.

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Eat This Meat If You Want To Add More Protein To Your Diet - Tasting Table

A recent report released by the United Nations and several other agencies states that the number of obese adults in India grew to 34.3 million in 2016 from 25.2 million in 2012. The report further mentions that the prevalence of obesity in Indias adult population increased to 3.9% in 2016 from 3.1% in 2012.As per the report, global adult obesity nearly doubled in the last two decades going from 343.1 million in 2000 to 675.7 million in 2016. The report goes on to claim that these incidences of rising obesity are alarming and are going to maintain an incremental trend during the next couple of years.How to define obesity?Senior bariatric and metabolic surgeon Dr Raj Palaniappan emphasises: Obesity is abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body standards and presents a risk to one's health and quality of life. To define in numbers based on the Body Mass Index (BMI), obesity is classified based on ethnicity. For Caucasians & Africans, when someone has a BMI of 30 or above, whereas a BMI of 40 or above is classified as morbid obesity, a disease by itself. For Asians, Arabs and Indians the same calculation is reduced by 2.5 BMI as these ethnicities are prone to obesity-related issues earlier than Caucasians.Diseases and comorbidities caused by obesityObesity is in itself a serious illness, as being obese invites several other diseases some of which are life-threatening. Dr Palaniappan mentions that diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues and sleep apnea can be linked to obesity. There are even some cancers that are linked to obesity. Apart from these, fatty liver diseases, osteoarthritis and gallbladder issues also develop as a result of obesity. In women, hormonal imbalances like polycystic ovarian disease and infertility are growing at an alarming pace that threatens the entire quality of their life. Such associated disease reduces ones lifespan by 8 - 10%

How do you find out that lifestyle changes arent working?As we grow older, our metabolism keeps on slowing down which can lead to obesity. Further if one focuses on just controlling his or her diet without giving much emphasis to exercising, then also a person would find it difficult to lose weight.

Apart from the above mentioned factors, hormonal imbalances in women, particularly in the case of PCOD can make women struggle to lose weight. Another important lifestyle factor that affects weight management negatively is our sleeping pattern. Dr Palaniappan adds that too much stress and too little sleep also won't let you lose weight despite dieting and exercise.

When does bariatric surgery become a viable option?Dr Palaniappan says that Bariatric surgery becomes a viable option when women gain 30 kg more and men gain 40 kg over the normal weight limit, and when they develop diseases because of obesity.

He further adds that if your quality of life, including your productivity and your daily routine, gets cut short by half because of your excess weight, then you should look at bariatric surgery as a viable alternative to lose weight.

Restrictive operation: Restrictive operation is the one in which the size of the stomach is reduced to a banana shape and no other organ is touched in this kind of bariatric surgery.Malabsorptive operation: The absorption capability of the intestine is reduced by 25 - 50% depending on the weight and associated diseases, therefore fewer calories go into the body ultimately reducing the weight of the individual.Metabolic operation: In this procedure, hormonal changes are made inside the body by bypassing the first part of the proximal small intestine from allowing food that makes you burn more calories, have less food and feel full even after a small meal.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment, each patient is offered a tailor-made procedure from the three techniques of bariatric surgery. The ideal treatment plan is based on the patients biological history, age, health issues, etc. According to Dr Palaniappan, a patient benefits much more with a tailor-made approach.

How will life be after bariatric surgery?

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What to do when diet and exercise arent helping you shed those kilos? - Times of India

Carbs are a popular villain in diet culture, often used as a catch-all term for any unhealthy-but-delicious fare you might indulge in. Even if you havent tried a low-carb eating plan, youre probably somewhat familiar with the concept of cutting bread, pasta, and potatoes, for weight loss and/or to lower blood sugar.

Although this way of eating can be effective, its not a magic bulletand carbs as a category arent the enemy, says Caroline Susie, registered dietitian and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

There are so many wonderful qualities about carbstheyre really the preferred energy for our brains and body, she says. And because of the diet industrys tendency to demonize the whole group, sometimes the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater.

When you take away foods like beans that offer you a lot of fiber, or if you take away fruit, youre lowering your fiber intake and your vitamin and mineral intake, and theres a higher potential to be at risk of certain deficiencies, she says.

You should always talk to your doctor before dramatically altering your eating patterns to be sure youre meeting your nutritional needs. But if low-carb eating gets the green light, be sure you take on your new food plan with these considerations in mind.

The USDAs Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that 45%65% of your daily calorie intake come from carbohydrates. For a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, that translates to about 900-1,300 calories of carbohydrates, or 225325 grams of carbs. Low-carb eating patterns typically limit carbs to 26% of your daily calorie intake, or fewer than 130 grams of carbs per day on a 2,000 calorie diet.

But before you take that number and run, its important to consider your unique physique. Online calculators such as the National Institute of Healths Body Weight Planner and the USDAs MyPlate Plan can give you personalized calorie counts best for your stature, age, and fitness level, and tell you from which food groups you should get those calories. But even then, Susie says theres more to take into account to ensure youre eating wisely.

Were all more than just our age and gender and height and activity level, so its imperative that you take health conditions into consideration, she says. For example, your needs will vary if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, or if youre living with diabetes.

While there is no end to different brands and methods of low-carb diets, they essentially fall into one of two broad types: those that lower carbs and raise fat, and those that lower carbs and raise protein.

Low-carb, high fat diets, such as the keto diet, focus on fat-rich foods that can serve as alternate fuel once your body uses up your curtailed number of carbohydrates. A typical breakdown for a 2,000 calorie per day diet on a keto plan would be 7080% fat, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein, or around 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, and 75 grams protein.

To be in a state of ketosis, its going to vary from person to person, says Susie. That might be 30 grams of carbohydrates for me, it might be 40 grams of carbohydrates for you, it might be 50 grams of carbohydrates for my sister. Were all built differently.

A low-carb, high-fat diet isnt a good choice if you have pancreatic disease, liver conditions, gallbladder disease, or thyroid problems, and it can easily lead to constipation if you arent diligent with your fiber intake. Some studies show it can also increase your risk of heart disease.

Diets with fewer carbs and more protein typically bump your protein percentage up beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation of 10%30% of your daily calorie intake. The amount you aim for will depend on the plan you follow.

If you lean on red meats or full-fat dairy choices for your protein, youre more likely to raise your risk of heart disease. When your body processes protein, it produces more metabolic waste, so if you deal with kidney issues, a low-carb, high protein diet could put a further strain on your system.

Its always a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to be sure that youre not at risk for any potential vitamin or mineral deficiencies, says Susie. But overall I think that as long as youre still consuming fresh fruits and fresh vegetables and legumes and not loading up your diet with overly processed foods because of a keto-friendly label, youll meet your needs.

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Low-carb diets: an expert explains how they work and if they're right for you - Fortune

DEAR DOCTOR,

Ive been trying to lose weight, through fasting and some exercise but it doesnt seemto work. A friend suggested diet pills and Im curious to know how they work? Is that a healthy option? What areyour thoughts?

MONICA

DEAR MONICA,

Are you sure, you are overweight and need to lose weight. Body structure and appearance varies from person to person, depending on many factors, including genes. Some individuals look fat, but in reality are not overweight. If the body mass index (BMI), is within normal range (18 to 25), one is not obese. BMI is calculated by a simple formula-Weight in Kg/Height in meter squared. You can easily calculate it and decide whether you need to shed some kilos or not. If really weight loss is needed, try to do it in a natural way. That includes diet restriction and regularphysical exercise.

Meals taken should be healthy and food items which add to calories should be avoided. Takemorefresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains, fish. Avoid sugary foods such as cakes, pastry, puddings, egg yolk, red meat, deep fried foods like frites. Take small bites, chew food slowly, when having meals, as that stimulates satiety centre of the brain soon, making one feel satisfied with just lesser quantity of food. Drink more water and try to drink water in between meals as that would, fill the stomach, soon. Avoid snacking in between meals. If craving to eatsnacksis very strong, take healthy non oily, non-sugary snacks or just fruits. Remember quantities of, healthy foods consumed should alsonot be in excess, because excess nutrient substances also get converted into fat in the body.

Physical exercise should be done regularly, as per the stamina and overall health of the person. Apart from a fixed scheduled exercise per day, multiple physical activities done throughout the day are also useful, like walking to nearby store, cleaning the house, e.t.c.

It is desirable to lose weight gradually, i.e., 1 to 2 kilos per month. Drastic weight loss is not desirable and is harmful. It makes the body weak, disturbs hormone balance. Even apparent beauty is hampered, because face loses its glow.

Weight losing pills are not a healthy option to lose weight. These pills cause weight loss, by suppressing appetite directly in the brain or enhancing sense of fullness or both. They also reduce absorption of fat. These pills always cause side effects like increase in blood pressure, enhancing pulse rate, dry mouth, dizziness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, excess somnolence, e.t.c. Hence these pills are used only if weight loss does not occur after 4 to 8 weeks of natural methods or if somebody is very obese, as to make him feel sick.If one loses weight after using these pills, it has to be associated with and sustained with dietary measures and regular physical exercise. Otherwise when these pills are stopped, weight gain can occuron rebound.

Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine

E-mail rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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Are diet pills a healthy option? - The New Times

One of the big benefits of the Asian diet is that youre likely to get more antioxidants than in a Western diet. Youre certainly getting a lot more nutrients than the food label captures, Dr. Li says. Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals molecules that are created when your body breaks down food or youre exposed to cigarette smoke may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases, notes Mayo Clinic. In this way, a diet high in antioxidants may protect overall health.

As many antioxidants double as pigments, the natural color of your food is one way to tell what types of antioxidants youre getting. For example, pink and red fruits like tomatoes and pink grapefruit typically have lycopene as their primary antioxidant, Li says. Animal and test-tube studies suggest that lycopene may lower your risk of cancer and heart disease, though more research is needed, according to areview published in August 2020 in the journal Antioxidants.

Unsweetened tea is a staple of the Asian diet, and is a big reason why the diet is thought to stave off chronic diseases, Supan says. Any tea is going to be packed with a good amount of antioxidants. Teas are especially rich in a type of polyphenol known as flavonols, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, according to areview published in September 2017 in Nutrition Bulletin.

Here are some more Asian diet benefits that research has uncovered.

Following a traditional Asian diet may extend benefits that lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. In a past randomized clinical trial, both Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans at risk of type 2 diabetes lowered their insulin resistance (a hallmark of type 2 diabetes) after following a rigorously controlled traditional Asian diet for 16 weeks. Those who switched back to a traditional Western diet for eight weeks after an eight-week stint on the Asian diet not only gained weight (up to 2 pounds [lb]), but they also increased their insulin resistance.

The Asian diet may help prevent diabetes because it emphasizes many foods that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends to keep blood sugar under control: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, and healthy fats. It also limits foods that tend to spike blood sugar and increase your risk of diabetes-related complications like heart disease and stroke, which include sweets, processed foods, sweetened beverages, and animal fats.

The Asian diet may also help control type 2 diabetes, but you may need to pay close attention to your portion sizes, especially when it comes to whole grains, Supan says.

For astudy published August 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers compared the eating patterns of more than 12,000 men from seven countries (United States, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Serbia, and Japan) to see if there was an association between diet and death from cardiovascular disease.

They discovered a similar eating pattern between the Mediterranean group and the Japanese group: both favored seafood and vegetables and minimized their consumption of animal foods and animal fat. The Mediterranean and Japanese groups also had significantly lower risks of death from heart diseasethan the other groups.

One reason for this heart-health benefit may be the key role that fish plays in many Asian diets, particularly in coastal regions, Li says. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, a group of healthy fats that can help lower your risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, according to theAmerican Heart Association (AHA). In an analysis of four international studies published March 2021 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers revealed that two servings of fish per week which is the frequency suggested in the Asian diet food pyramid is associated with a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death among people with heart disease.

According to Li, Asian diets typically include a lot of fermented foods like tempeh, miso, and kimchi. These foods are rich sources of probiotics, which are good bacteria that are beneficial to your gut.

Mainly, probiotics maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in your body, helping support immune function and control inflammation, notes theCleveland Clinic. They may also treat and prevent diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and H. pylori (the cause of ulcers), according toHarvard Health.

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What Is the Asian Diet? Potential Health Benefits, Food List, Meal Plan, and More - Everyday Health