| Search Weight Loss Topics: |
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
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 The Simeons method for hCG dieting is not only outdated but also unnecessary and unrecommended.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.
At Diet Doc, patients can get a thorough understanding of the weight loss needs and develop an individualized diet based on their nutritional needs or even their genetics. All Diet Doc programs, provide a doctor-supervised, customized diet plan.Instead of encouraging patients to adopt harmful dietary practices with no prior medical knowledge, Diet Doc consults with patients to provide a detailed weight loss plan based on their nutritional needs and medical history. Losing weight with Diet Doc is safe, simple and affordable. Nutrition plans, exercise guidance, motivational support, and dietary supplements are all part of the package. More than 90% of Diet Doc patients lose 20 or more pounds every month.
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.
Getting started with Diet Doc is very simple and affordable. New patients can easily visit https://www.dietdoc.com to quickly complete a health questionnaire and schedule an immediate, free online consultation.
About the Company:
Diet Doc Weight Loss is the nations leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long term weight loss.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DietDocMedical
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DietDocMedicalWeightLoss/
LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/company/diet-doc-weight-loss?trk=biz-brand-tree-co-logo
Read this article:
Diet Doc Provides Customized And Healthy Weight Loss Alternatives To Starvation-Based hCG Diet - Military Technologies
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Filling the gaps in our daily nutrition with tablets and powders isnt a new concept. The large demand for nutritional supplementation has made the industry an attractive one, leading to a congested and difficult marketplace for consumers to navigate.
While federal regulations do exist that dictate the type of claims that can be made on a supplement label, supplement manufacturers are not required to submit their products to a pre-market approval process at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to do.
As the supplement industry has grown, supplement quality has been derailed and customer confusion has risen.
In 2007, the FDA issued the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulatory program that dictate federal guidelines for the preparation, purity, and accuracy of labeling nutritional supplements. While these regulations are presented as minimum expectations, supplement companies are mostly left to police themselves.
Fortunately for consumers, there are companies that choose to hold themselves to high standards and fully comply with the regulations issued by the FDA.
Heres how you can be absolutely certain that you are choosing a supplement company that is making high quality, safe, and efficacious products:
Look for third-party testing. Nutritional supplement brands can, and should, retain outside, independent companies to audit their manufacturing processes and test their products to ensure the FDAs cGMPs are being complied with, thus ensuring that the companys products contain the ingredients listed on the label in the amounts listed and dont contain any harmful ingredients.
NSF International has created an advanced certification program for supplements geared toward elite athletes. NSF Internationals Certified for Sport program tests products for more than 200 substances that are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (LINK). A supplement product that bears the Certified for Sport seal ensures that that the product contains exactly what the label claims it does, in the amounts listed, and nothing else.
Realize There is No Cure-All. Its illegal for a supplement company to claim that any of its products prevent, cure, or treat any medical condition. Supplements are intended to complement the diet and to support overall health and well-being. Any express or implied claims that a product will prevent, cure, or treat a medical condition is a red flag that the manufacturer isnt in compliance with the FDAs labeling regulations for nutritional supplements.Furthermore, if a supplements product label has a lot of buzz words that dont mean anything, such as white hot heat or blazing intensity the company is probably trying to distract you from a lack of evidence behind their product.
Companies often use phrases that imply theres science behind their product such as clinically proven but many of these claims are not backed by actual research. Be cautious of products claiming ancient formulas, cutting-edge science, miracle cures, or guarantees. A reputable and honest company will have contact information you can use to request further information for the research behind their claims. Lastly, if a product sounds too good to be true "Lose 10 pounds in one day" that's probably because it is.
Take a Lead from Sports. Be aware of ingredients banned in sports by agencies like the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. While these ingredients arent always prohibited for general consumption, these organizations see a problem with the ingredients, which should be a red flag to you as a regular consumer. Do your research to see if you should ban these ingredients from your nutritional game plan.
Watch out for warnings. Be wary of supplements with a long list of warnings or contraindications listed on the product label. Any serious adverse effects reported to a supplement company must be reported to the FDA by the supplement company.
Be an Educated Consumer. Registered dietitians are trained to evaluate the need for, effectiveness of, and safety of nutritional supplements. Always consult your health-care practitioner before starting a supplement regimen. The National Institutes of Health and the United States Anti-Doping Agency offer resources to help educate you on supplement before you use them.Always be sure to do your homework on your supplement company before taking their products.
See original here:
Safely Navigating the Supplement World - USA Hockey
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Dog's get stressed too!
It's been clear for some time that cannabis is a hugely beneficial medicinal plant, and now that medical marijuana has been legalized in 28 states, more people can safely use this plant-based medicine without fear of prosecution. Given this new widespread appeal many people wonder if their pets can benefit from cannabis too, and the answer is yes they can, but they need a different form of cannabis than the kind you can pick up at the dispensary.
A special kind of cannabis for dogs, developed by vets from the hemp plant, allows your dog to experience the relief that cannabis can deliver, but because this is a low THC form of cannabis, your dog won't be exposed to any of the potential risks inherent with the regular strains. What's more, this type of cannabis is legal throughout the country!
Recreational cannabis is high in THC which is the substance that gives marijuana its psychotropic effects, and low in CBD, the beneficial medicinal substance. Hemp is just the opposite. It's high in CBD and low in THC.
Hemp Plant
Hemp Helps Reduce Anxiety
Dogs can experience anxiety under a variety of circumstances, such as being left alone during the working day, being shut away from the rest of the family (their pack), or being exposed to new people or something they've developed a phobia toward. And when they're anxious, not only are they distressed, they can also be destructive and aggressive, which invariably worsens the situation.
For some dogs with anxiety, a gentle dose of the pet-safe form of cannabis will be enough to calm them down and alleviate the stress that they feel. Other dogs with more pronounced anxiety issues may need to follow a program of gradual desensitization exercises. Cannabis for dogs can be helpful here too, because desensitization is much more effective if the dog is calm and relaxed during the process.
Hemp Boosts Immune System Health
A strong immune system is vital for your dog. A healthy immune system fights off infection and responds quickly to dangerous changes in the body that ultimately lead to cancer. Hemp is rich in antioxidantsfree radical neutralizers that prevent the cell damage which leads to disease. Adding cannabis to your dog's daily routine can also help to alleviate allergies and enable your pet to stop taking the drugs which keep them under control.
And It Even Reduces Joint Pain
As dogs age, they become increasingly susceptible to stiffness and joint pain which significantly impacts their quality of life. One way to help alleviate this pain is to feed your dog a raw food diet. A raw food diet eliminates carbohydrates; a significant factor in the inflammation which worsens joint pain. This diet is very simple to transition to, simply feed your dog fresh meat and bones.
A canine cannabis supplement is complimentary addition to this feeding regime. Cannabis for dogs further reduces inflammation and supports healthy joints, allowing your dog to regain mobility and his zest for life.
Before giving your dog any new supplement you should satisfy yourself of its safety and quality. Any supplement vendor should have a certificate of analysis (COA) available so that you can verify the product's exact constituents and its purity. If you have any concerns about giving your dog a hemp supplement, you should seek guidance from your vet.
See the original post:
Magnetic - Magnetic Magazine (blog)
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
BEIJING China is still coming to terms with President Trump, but his daughter Ivanka has never been more popular here.
Chinese companies have been scrambling to add her name to their products since her father won the U.S. presidential election in November. Theres even a new Chinese cosmetic-surgery firm offering the chance to look a little more like her.
An incredible 258 trademark applications were lodged under variations of Ivanka, Ivanka Trump and similar-sounding Chinese characters between Nov. 10 and the end of last year, records at the China Trademark Office show.
None appear to have a direct business link with the U.S. presidents daughter.
The trademark applications cover a dizzying array of products, including diet pills, anti-wrinkle cream, spa services, massage machines, cosmetic surgery, underwear and sanitary napkins.
Then there are applications for womens blouses, jewelry, swimwear and towels, as well for a whole range of products that seem to bear little relation to the business executive and former model: milk powder, canned food, honey, candy, coffee, wine and beer; mirrors, mattresses and sofas; medical equipment; and even agricultural technology.
Ivanka, of course, has her own line of fashion items and has registered nine trademarks in China, with 26 applications pending and three rejected. Her applications include items such as skin care and cleansing products, leather goods, purses, suitcases, umbrellas, dresses and other clothes, and computer software.
Ivankas pending applications were all submitted in May and June last year by Chinese attorneys Chang Tsi & Partners.
But many other companies want to take advantage of her fame.
Li Jun, the founder of Foshan Bainuo Sanitary Productshas applied for the trademark for the Chinese characters for a range of womens sanitary napkins, underwear and incontinence pads, using the usual transliteration of Ivankas name in Chinese, yiwanka (pronounced ee-wan-ka).
I first saw her giving a speech on television to support her fathers election, he said. I was captivated by her incomparable disposition and air, even the way she tucked her hair behind her ear. Her speech was full of elegance and charisma.
Ivanka was popular even before the election, admired for her fashion sense and what Chinese Netizens call her goddess good looks.
A video of her young daughter, Arabella, reciting a Chinese poem to celebrate Chinese New Year in 2016 went viral on the Internet here after the election, garnering nearly 9 million views in just a few days.
Ivanka won more fans when she and Arabella visited the Chinese Embassy in Washington to celebrate Chinese New Year this month.
[Ivanka Trump is surprise attendee at the Chinese Embassys New Years party]
I think her name will be very helpful for the publicity of our brand and products, because I believe she is a very positive role model for all women, Li said.
Other applications have been lodged for Ivanka, Ivanka Trump, and a few for the characters , which also spell yiwanka.
Another company in the southern city of Foshan had the foresight to register its name Foshan Yiwanka Medical Management just before the election. With just 15 employees, it offers cosmetic surgery around the eyes and nose, as well as liposuction and breast enlargement, said human resources manager Li Yunxing.
Young women in China like to change their looks to copy film stars eyes, noses and lips, he said. No doubt young women here want Ivankas big eyes, her pretty nose and lips and her flawless figure.
Her facial features, disposition and appearance are perfect, Li added, no matter whether they are judged by the beauty standards of the East or the West.
Taking advantage of or faking foreign brands is common in China, as is the practice of trademark squatting, whereby someone preemptively registers a spurious trademark claim in the hope they will later be paid to relinquish it.
Whether any of these trademark claims will be successful is another matter entirely.
Chinas enforcement of trademarks has been brought closer to global standards in recent years, and in January the Supreme Peoples Court issued guidelines specifically outlawing use of the names of public figures involved in politics, economy, culture and religion.
In December, the court also revoked the right of sportswear-maker Qiaodan Sports to use Michael Jordans last name written in Chinese characters, ruling that Jordan is well recognized here and should have the legal right to his name.
At Foshan Bainuo Sanitary Products, Li said he realized there was a possibility his trademark application would be rejected. But I have to try, he said. I cant let go of such a good name from this influential woman for our sanitary napkins.
President Trump has also waged several battles to trademark his own brand name in China, winning an appeal last year to claim the TRUMP name for construction services from a man named Dong Wei, who had held the trademark for a decade, apparently without using it.
Although trademark lawyers said there were sound legal reasons for Trump to have won the appeal, the victory did prompt speculation he may have received special favors from the Chinese government.
The Chang Tsi law firm declined to comment for this story, but if Ivankas company chooses to contest any trademark claims in China, the cases are sure to attract international interest and scrutiny.
Scott Palmer, a partner and leading trademark lawyer in the China office of Sheppard Mullin in Beijing, said he had seen no evidence whatsoever that the Chinese government had provided Trump any favors over his trademark. But, he added, the fact that Trump has long traded on the value of his name makes this uncharted waters for an American president.
How can you divorce yourself from your business interests, if your business is really your name? Palmer said.
Read more:
Trump is fighting for his trademark in China, home of Trump toilets and Trump condoms
Trump gets his trademark in China. But he wont be reaping the benefits.
Video of Trumps granddaughter speaking Mandarin is a hit in China
Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
EurekAlert (press release) | Fasting diet 'regenerates diabetic pancreas' BBC News The pancreas can be triggered to regenerate itself through a type of fasting diet, say US researchers. Restoring the function of the organ - which helps control blood sugar levels - reversed symptoms of diabetes in animal experiments. The study ... Fasting-mimicking diet may reverse diabetes Fasting-Mimicking Diet: Can You Make it a Habit? Diet that mimics fasting could reverse diabetes, study finds |
Read more from the original source:
Fasting diet 'regenerates diabetic pancreas' - BBC News
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Referring to heart disease, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD, asks, Why is there reticence to provide the public with guidelines that will spare them this disease or its progression? in an article published in The American Journal of Cardiology. The National Research Council position was that a dietary fat recommendation lower than 30 percent would be too frustrating for those attempting to achieve a significant reduction. Although it is uncertain to what extent people will adopt the advice, it is nevertheless scientifically and ethically imperative to inform the public what constitutes an optimal diet. We must tell the public the truth about what is best for their health, and let them decide their degree of compliance, he asserts.
My video belowexplains how Dr. Esselstyn challenged an expert panel to answer these questions from patients: Ill do anything, but I never want to have heart disease and Ive had a heart attack, and I never want another. Answers ranged from having them eat beans, beans, and more beans to time for the public to embrace a plant-based diet.
The recommended plant-based diet is not the same as vegetarianism. Vegetarians often consume all sorts of less-than-healthful foods, such as oils, margarine, dairy products, and eggs. Vegans do, too, for that matter. This new paradigm is exclusively plant-based nutrition, Dr. Esselstyn explains. In other words, it consists only of whole plant foods. Why exclusively? Because, as reported in the Cornell China Study, there does not appear to be a threshold beyond which further benefits do not accrue with increasing proportions of plant-based foods in the diet. It appears the more plant-based foods and the fewer animal-based foods, the better.
In a separate paper published in The American Journal of Cardiology, Dr. Esselstyn acknowledges that he is acutely aware of the castigation that accompanies recommending a plant-based dietnamely that the recommendation will be met with skepticism and hostility on the part of the general publicthough less so these days as millions jump on the plant-based wagon. But that hostility is peculiar, Dr. Esselstyn continues, because many cultures sustain themselves with such a diet, enjoying its taste, texture, and variety, as well as its health-promoting qualities. However, dietary preference is deeply personal, and one can easily be offended. Nevertheless, the public has a right to know the truth as understood by experts in nutritive biology about what constitutes the safest and healthiest diet. I couldnt have said it better. The public has a right to know the truth.
Some criticize this exclusively plant-based diet as extreme or draconian. Websters dictionary defines draconian as inhumanly cruel. A closer look reveals that extreme or inhumanly cruel describes not plant-based nutrition, but the consequences of our present Western diet, Dr. Esselstyn writes, adding that having a breastbone sawed in half for bypass surgery or a stroke that renders one an invalid unable to speak can be construed as extreme, and having a breast, prostate, colon, or rectum removed to treat cancer may seem inhumanly cruel. Thats extreme.
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you havent yet, you can subscribe to my free videoshereand watch my live, year-in-review presentations2015:Food as Medicine: Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet, and my latest, 2016:How Not to Die: The Role of Diet in Preventing, Arresting, and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers.
Related:
Why was Heart Disease Rare in the Meditteranean? How to Eliminate 90% of Heart Disease Risk Can Oatmeal Reverse Heart Disease?
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Read the rest here:
Optimal Diet: Just Give It to Me Straight, Doc - Care2.com
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Low Salt Diet Improves Blood Pressure in CKD Renal and Urology News Limiting dietary sodium to 2000 mg a day clinically and significantly reduced 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure by 10.8 mmHg and excess fluid retention over 4 weeks, compared with usual diet. Whole-body extracellular volume and calf ... |
More here:
Low Salt Diet Improves Blood Pressure in CKD - Renal and Urology News
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
GLENDALE, Ariz. >> Yasmani Grandal knew his new diet had really taken hold when his 7-year-old daughter was visiting her grandmother.
As soon as you mention vegetables to a little kid, they say, No, Grandal said. So we just started making food and we never really mentioned that it was all vegetables. We didnt make a big deal.
Two, three weeks ago she was at her grandmas house and her grandma bought her some candy. She goes back and reads the label and it said 57 grams of sugar or something like that. She goes up to her grandma, Hey, grandma this has too much sugar. I can only have one or two. It was pretty funny.
Grandal didnt exactly take the idea of a plant-based, meatless diet seriously right away himself. His wife, Heather, works as a nurse. She wanted to watch a documentary that a cardiologist she works with had mentioned.
She put it on and I wasnt too interested in it, Grandal said. Then as I started to hear things here and there and some athletes were giving their testimony about how their performance had improved and it kind of caught my attention a little. So I went back and watched the whole documentary by myself and kind of got into it.
The Dodgers catcher decided to give it a try for 15 days and 15 days turned into a month, turned into two months and here we are now.
But the real focus of Grandals off-season was putting the meat back in his right-handed swing.
The switch-hitting catcher did not want to platoon against left-handed pitching as he had the past two seasons with veteran backups A.J. Ellis and Carlos Ruiz and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didnt want to have to sit his front-line catcher based on the opposing pitcher.
In a perfect world, I think its more contingent on the schedule and not left-vs-right, Roberts said this spring. I think in the past couple years its been that because his right-handed swing hasnt been where we would have liked, where he would have liked.
The Dodgers made the obvious known to Grandal that a better right-handed swing would mean more playing time in 2017 and persuaded him to work with former big-league hitting coach Jeff Pentland this winter.
Coming up through the minor leagues, my splits were the same. I actually hit for more power from the right side, Grandal said. But it was the fact that I was playing every day. Whether it was a righty or lefty didnt matter, I was in. It was the daily repetitions I was getting so my swing was there.
Advertisement
It was more than that, though. Grandal injured his right knee in July 2013 and then his left shoulder in August 2015. Both had a greater effect on his right-handed swing. He wasnt able to sit back (on his right leg) and turn on it from the right side as much as he used in 126 right-handed at-bats the first two seasons after the injury he had just one home run.
And the shoulder injury appeared to affect Grandals swing plane. While his exit velocity from the left side (92.8 mph) and right side (91.1) last season were nearly equal, the launch angles were drastically different 14 degrees as a left-handed hitter, 7.7 as a right-hander. The result was a 53.6 percent ground ball rate as a right-handed hitter.
It looks good. Its not as steep. Its not as in-and-out of the zone, Roberts said of the adjustments Grandal has made in his right-handed swing this spring. The balls he did square up (last year), the trajectory just wasnt right. It was more negative, down into the ground.
So weve talked about elevating the ball to the pull side. That with the contact rate, it should be a productive right-handed player. He worked real hard. Hes healthy No. 1. But he also feels good about the right-handed swing.
Indeed, Grandal doesnt lack confidence from either side of the plate.
Ive always been very confident from both sides. I know I can do it, he said. Its just a matter of gaining confidence from the coaching staff for them to say, OK, we dont have to think about whos catching today. We know Yaz is going to be there.
Clayton Kershaw will start the Dodgers first Cactus League game on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox followed by Rich Hill on Sunday and Kenta Maeda on Monday. The starting pitchers will likely only throw one inning the first time around. The rest of the starting lineup will get two plate appearances each in the opener Saturday. ... Last years assistant hitting coach on the major-league staff, Tim Hyers, will serve as a roving instructor in the minor leagues this year. Triple-A hitting coach Shawn Wooten will occasionally work with the big league team this year.
Here is the original post:
Yasmani Grandal on new diet, ready to contribute hitting right-handed - LA Daily News
Posted: February 24, 2017 at 2:47 pm
iStock/AnnaPustynnikova
The Environmental Working Group has just released its new Cancer Defense Diet, developed based onexisting research linking diet to cancer and designed to help people consume more cancer-fighting foods through a varied, plant-based diet.
The real strong evidence for reducing cancer risk in terms of diet is focused on broader dietary patterns, explains EWG Senior Scientist Curt Della Valle, Ph.D., director of the organizations Cancer Prevention Initiative, noting that the synergy of nutrients in a varied diet is more likely to have cancer-fighting benefits than a sole fad superfood.
Those might be part of a healthy diet, but thinking that any one nutrient or one food source is going to be the cure-all probably is not true, he says.
EWGs philosophy in creating the Cancer Defense Dietwas to makeinformation about cancer-fighting foods more easily accessible, thus encouraging people to abide by these guidelines.
Most people know thateating more fruits and vegetables is good for you, explains Della Valle, But most people, at least most people in the U.S., arent doing that.
He and his team believe that by presentingnot only the what, but also the why of adiet based oncancer-fighting foods, EWG is offering people the ability and the motivation take control of their own health.
The Cancer Defense Diet website includes anutrition calculator, whichallows people to check whether theyareconsuming cancer-fighting foods or likely carcinogens.
EWG also highlights food pairings that can enhance the bioavailability of nutrients and phytochemicals or even reduce risk factors in possibly carcinogenic foods. Della Valle notes, for example, thatthe nitrates in hot dogs are a big concern from a cancer perspective andare less likely to become carcinogenic when consumed with vitamin C or another antioxidant.
Its great to have more resources out there to help people transition to a plant-based diet, says MicheleSimon, JD, MPH, Executive Director, Plant Based Foods Association, of the new diet. In addition to education, however, we need policy change to help ensure that people have access to healthy, plant-based foods.
Simon notes that while there is definitely a consumer shift toward a more plant-based way of eating, increasing the availability of plant-based foods and continuing to promotethem through policy change are also important factors infurthering these healthy living goals.
Related on Organic Authority12 Tips for Maintaining a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet in a House of Meat-Eaters Federal Report Finds Plant-Based Diet Is the Best for the Planet More than 400 Carcinogens Are Probably in Your Body Right Now, Says EWG Report
Emily Monaco is an American food and culture writer based in Paris. She loves uncovering the stories behind ingredients and exposing the face of our food system, so that consumers can make educated choices. Her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Vice Munchies, and Serious Eats.
Original post:
New Cancer Defense Diet Calculator Released by EWG - Organic Authority
Posted: February 23, 2017 at 3:42 pm
This article is not meant to diagnose or provide medical advicethat responsibility lies with physicians. The author is not a licensed medical professional.
Cutting carbs has long been considered a key to weight loss, just look at the Atkins and South Beach diets. The newest in the low-carb craze is the ketogenic diet.
The ketogenic diet arose about a century ago as a way to treat children with epilepsy, but recently, its been revived and retooled as a method for weight loss.
While many versions of the diet exist, the basic idea is that by severely restricting carbohydrates and boosting fats, the body enters into a state of ketosis, so that instead of burning sugar and carbohydrates for fuel, it uses fat.
But getting to ketosis is tough. Under many versions of the diet, daily carbohydrate intake cant exceed 20 gramsthe equivalent of a little more than one apple. So in addition to cutting starches such as bread, pasta and rice, followers of the diet also have to eliminate fruit and some vegetables, and instead rely on meat, poultry, fish and high-fat dairy products.
The Benefits
Adhering to a real food version of the ketogenic dietconsuming foods such as meat, fish, eggs, cream, butter and vegetablesis an effective way to lose weight, according to Eric Westman, M.D., MHS, director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic.
You basically use for energy what you eat, said Dr. Westman. If youre eating lots of carbohydrates, youre going to burn them for energy. If youre eating fat and not carbohydrates, youre going to be burning fat for your energy.
Following the ketogenic diet, Westman explained, can aid in weight loss and managing diabetesresults that are backed by science. Its now one of the most studied diets ever, he said. Since 2002, there have probably been 50 to 75 papers, the longest one over two years. The best way to say it is that theres as much evidence for this kind of diet as there is for any kind of diet.
Dr. Westman has also seen the same positive results in his own clinical work. In the short run, I can fixmeaning put in remissionsomeones diabetes in just a few weeks even if theyve had it for years, he said. In addition, he explained, pre-clinical science has pointed to the possibility that the diet may also be helpful to patients with Alzheimers disease and certain types of cancer.
Meanwhile, the effectiveness of low-fat diets hasnt been proven, according to Dr. Westman. The low-fat diet was actually tested among about 50,000 women for eight years, he said. And the low-fat diet didnt help with anything.
But Dr. Westman said more research is needed into the specifics of the ketogenic diet to better understand the optimal ratio of macronutrientsfat, protein and carbohydratesa person should consume. While everyone thinks they know what the right number is, I dont think anyone really knows, he said. When I use this diet in a clinical setting, I allow people to choose their own foods within a range of certain foods, and not really fine-tune the macronutrient mix at all.
The Drawbacks
Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty
While the ketogenic diet can aid in weight loss, it may not be nutritionally sound, said Jim White, RDN, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios in Virginia Beach.
It really almost avoids three food groups, he said of grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. Those are some major foods that can help to decrease cholesterol, decrease the risk of cancer and help improve the body.
The carbohydrates that are severely restricted under the ketogenic diet are an important macronutrient, said White. While reducing added sugars and highly processed carbohydrates is helpful, he explained, eliminating nutritious carbohydrates can deprive the body of the energy it needs to function properly.
White also hesitates to recommend a diet that restricts fruits and vegetables, since most Americans struggle to eat the recommended five servings per day. Before we make all these other suggestions, just getting them to eat fruits and vegetables is a big goal, he said. Studies show that fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy products help you lose weight and give you nutrients for vitality. I never have people come to my clinic and say theyre obese because they eat too much fruit.
And he doubts the long-term viability of extreme eating regimens. If you look at a lot of the studies, not just ketogenic, many of the diets are effective for a 12-week span, but longevity is very challenging, he said. Most people end up starting to eat carbs again and it knocks them out of ketosis, and they end up right back where they were.
Instead, White recommends a more balanced approach of about 50 percent carbohydrates, 20 percent protein and 30 percent fat. If we start neglecting one of these, were out of balance and were not getting the nutrients we need, he said.
Tips and Tricks
For Maria Emmerich, author of several ketogenic cookbooks including Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking: Meal Plans and Time Saving Paleo Recipes to Inspire Health and Shed Weight, eating this way doesnt have to mean giving up favorite foods.
I love food, so I recreate my and everyones favorite dishes into ketogenic dishes, she said. If you dont mind spending a little time in the kitchen or being creative, it definitely can become a lifestyle.
Emmerich replaces starches with cauliflower rice (which she said can be made from scratch or even found pre-made in some grocery stores), zucchini or cabbage noodles and baked avocado fries wrapped in bacon. Some of her go-to homemade dinners include pizza with a zucchini or almond flour crust and skillet lasagna.
Eating out is where many people slip up on the diet, she said. But its not impossible. At brunch, instead of French toast, order an omelet or salmon, eggs and hollandaise sauce. For lunch or dinner, try a burger with a side salad instead of a bun, but be wary of condiments like ketchup, which are full of sugar.
Even dessert using alternative sweeteners such as Stevia isnt off limits. One of Emmerichs favorites is a flourless chocolate torte, which she always keeps on-hand in her freezer, and push pops made of heavy cream, unsweetened almond milk and avocado.
I learned to have desserts at home, she said. Prepping ahead helps you to say no when the dessert is staring at you in the face.
Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil is a journalist based in Southern California who covers social issues, culture, food and health.
Follow this link:
Everything You Need to Know About the Ketogenic Diet - Paste Magazine
