Major Goals of the DASH Diet

One of the major goals of the DASH Diet includes the lowering of sodium in one’s daily diet. Since sodium has been shown to increase hypertension, by limiting one’s sodium intake each day to less than 3,000 mg and optimally less than 2,000 mg, one can help control their hypertension.

In addition to a low sodium diet, it is recommended that the foods one eats are not processed. Processed foods are not only generally high in salt and preservatives, but also high in fat. Choose healthy foods such as nuts, whole grains, poultry, fish and of course lots of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from foods with high fat and cholesterol- specifically red meat. Other foods that should be avoided include sweets and dairy products that are high in fat and cholesterol.

Benefits of the DASH Diet

Generally speaking, those that followed the DASH Diet did see a substantial drop in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Other benefits included losing weight and the general increase in energy due to healthier eating habits.

Studies have been conducted on the benefits of the DASH Diet and the results are available by accessing the NIH website. As always consult with your physician first before starting any diet program.

 Candida can be found in the mouth, throat, genital/urinary tract and intestines.  While usually held in check by other types of bacteria, if overgrowth occurs, it can cause infections including vaginitis, vulvar rush, conjunctivitis, athlete’s foot, jock itch, muscle and joint pain, kidney and bladder infections and other ailments.  While Candida can cause infection, most, if not all can be managed and cured with traditional medicine.  In addition, for those that are more susceptible or have experienced a Candida infection in the past, the Candida Diet can be helpful.

The Basics of the Candida Diet

The Candida Diet was not developed to lose weight, instead it was developed to manage and reduce the risk of Candida.  In the Candida Diet, there are generally 4 stages.  They include:  Detox, Reduce the yeast population in your system, inoculate yourself with probiotics and improve your diet.

 Detox

In this stage, you will want to clean your body of the many toxic byproducts that Candida may cause.  Some ways to detox include fasting, drinking special drinks that include detox herbs (such as teas), drink fresh vegetable juices, etc.

Reduce the Yeast Population in Your Body

In order to keep Candida under control, you must create a balance in your body.  This can be done with anti microbial herbs which can be found in many formulas at your natural food store.

Inoculate Yourself with Probiotics

Probiotics can help you balance Candida in your body.  Probiotics are bacteria that help inhibit harmful bacteria and increase immunity.  They can include: lactobacilli, acidophilus and bifodobacteria.

Improve Your Diet

To ensure that your body continues to manage and keep under control Candida, the Candida Diet can be helpful.  Some of the foods that you should eat to help manage Candida include:  fresh vegetables, foods high in protein, live yogurt cultures, nuts, seeds, oils and grains such as rice, millet and certain types of bran. 

In addition some of the foods that you should avoid include:  alcohol, chocolate, fruits, mushrooms, glutinous grains, foods that contain yeast such as breads, baked goods, cheese and muffins. As always, when starting any diet, consult with your physician first.

The BRAT Diet Acronym

The word BRAT is actually an acronym that stands for the types of foods that one should eat in order to avoid an increase risk of diarrhea, dyspepsia and gastroenteritis.  BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Tea.  It should be noted that there are other possibilities such as BRATTY (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea & Yogurt).

How the BRAT Diet Works

The BRAT Diet works by choosing foods that are bland, easy to digest and have a low amount of fiber.  For those that suffer from the above stomach problems, fiber can actually exacerbate these conditions by causing gas and upsetting the stomach.  Since this diet is also used when a child has diarrhea, make sure that your child is receiving plenty of fluids and salts- especially if their diarrhea is severe.  It may also help to avoid foods and drinks such as gelatin, sugary, processed fruit drinks and carbonated beverages.

It is important to realize that the BRAT diet while being helpful to reduce stomach problems, is not a comprehensive diet and lacks food such as protein.  For this reason, foods that are high in protein must be consumed.  Tofu is one suggestion as are lean meats such as turkey.  An alternative to the BRAT diet that includes more protein and fat is the CRAM Diet.  The word CRAM is an acronym for Cereal, Rice and Milk.

The BRAT Diet was not developed for weight loss; it was developed to treat specific stomach conditions.  As always, consult your doctor before starting any diet program.

The Ketogenic Diet works similar to the Atkins Diet in that it forces the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates.  In general, the body generates glucose for the functioning of the both the body and brain, however, when carbs are restricted, the liver has no choice but to convert fat into ketone bodies.  As more and more ketone bodies are created, the body goes into a state of ketosis.  The excess amount of ketosis is actually quite beneficial to those children that suffer from hard to treat epilepsy, because ketosis acts as an anti-convulsant.

Results of the Ketogenic Diet

The Ketogenic Diet is backed by scientific studies that show a substantial reduction in epilepsy by those children that go on the diet.  However, if your child is experiencing seizures it is best to consult with your doctor if the Ketogenic Diet is right for him or her.  For many children, the Ketogenic Diet can be an extremely effective tool, helping to reduce seizures.

Foods to Avoid

Generally speaking there are several types of food that can be associated with gout.  While these food are not necessarily unhealthy (in many cases they are part of a nutritional and healthy diet), they can increase the risk of gout and/or make symptoms of this disease worse.  Foods that are high in purines and high in protein should generally be avoided.  These foods can include:

• Meat, such as bacon, veal, turkey and pheasant
• Fish, such as scallops, anchovies, sardines & Mussels
• Sweetbreads and foods that contain lots of yeast
• Alcoholic beverages

Foods OK to Eat

Here is a list of foods that one can eat when on the Gout Diet:

• Low-fat dairy products
• Vegetables such as peas, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach (it should be noted that although these foods contain purines, they have shown not to increase the risk of gout).
• Coffee & Tea

Considerations

It should be noted that most people that suffer with Gout are now able to take specific medications that reduce their uric acid and inflammation in the body.  In many instances, a person can eat a normal diet due to these medications instead of following the stricter Gout Diet.  However, it is best to consult with a physician for your specific case.

As with all diets, talk with your physician before starting a new diet program.

Eat Well

Eating well can mean many things to many people; however the Mayo Clinic does have its own Food Pyramid which shows dieters exactly which foods are classified as good.

Increase Your Activity

Another guideline of the Mayo Clinic Diet is to increase activity.  One way to increase activity in your lifestyle is to schedule regular exercise or participate in sports.

Identify Your Eating and Health Goals

The more you identify what health and eating goals you would like to achieve, the better the chance you will create a plan of action and achieve these goals.  Goals can be as simple as to exercise 3 days per week or as difficult as losing 50 pounds over the course of a year.

Remain Motivated

Dieting and conducting a healthy lifestyle is easier said than done.  It is important to keep a positive attitude and remain motivated.  This can be achieved by setting specific goals and having a support system to go to when you are feeling less motivated.

Pros of the Mayo Clinic Diet

The Mayo Clinic is one of the world’s top medical institutions.  The diet and guidelines that they have developed is generally looked upon as positive in the medical community and is based upon sound medical research.  Another good reason this diet can be helpful to many is that it not only recommends dieters to eat healthy foods, but to exercise regularly. 

Cons of the Mayo Clinic Diet

There are no big negatives to this diet, however, some of the Mayo Clinics Diet plans are not free and include a small cost.  As always, before starting a new diet, consult with a physician.

Foods that Contain Gluten

The follow foods are a major source of gluten. These foods should be restricted from one’s diet:
Wheat, barley, rye and malt vinegar.

Terms often used on food labels that may indicate the presnce of gluten include:
Starch, flavoring, emulsifier, hydrolyzed plant protein and stabilizer.

Foods that most likely include gluten are wheats, grains, and some processed foods such as flour, cereal, vegetable protein, malt, malt flavorings, vegetable gum, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and soy sauce.

Not all foods include gluten. Although it is always best to check the lable, here are foods that likely do not contain gluten:
Corn, rice, soybeans, potato, tapioca carob, buckwheat, millet, arrowroot, distilled vinegar and quinoa.

It should also be mentioned that the vast majority of distilled beverages probably do not contain gluten. In addition, there are specific food companies that sell various food without gluten. These foods are often clearly labeled and available at most health food stores.

Considerations

Generally speaking, the Gluten Free Diet is not designed for weight loss; instead it is designed for those that either have a wheat allergy or for those with digestive disorders including Celia. As always, consult your physician when starting any diet program.

Key Guidelines of the Cardiac Diet

The Cardiac Diet is focused on lowering cholesterol, reducing fat and sodium. Following are some of the Cardiac Diet’s nutritional guidelines to keep in mind when on the diet:

Reduce Cholesterol
One of the most important guidelines when on the Cardiac Diet is to reduce cholesterol.  Try to keep your entire cholesterol for the day to less than 300 mg.  Cholesterol is usually found in meats and dairy products such as butter.

Reduce Fat
By reducing fat, you not only can lose weight, but also cut out foods that may help to increase cholesterol.  The Cardiac Diet suggests that you keep your daily fat intake to less than 30% of your total calories.  For instance, if your diet calls for eating 2100 calories per day, less than 700 calories should be from Fat.

In addition, try to consume mono-unsaturated fats which are found in nuts, olive oil, avocados, etc instead of saturated fat which is usually found in fast food and processed food.

Increase Your Daily Fiber
While you will want to reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol you consume each day, increasing your dietary fiber will help your digestive system work properly and usually increase the amount of vitamins and minerals you consume.  Fiber is usually found in vegetables, complex carbohydrates and fruits.  An increase of fiber to about 30-35 grams per day should be sufficient.

Reduce Your Daily Salt Intake
Certain individuals may be directed by their doctor to also reduce their sodium (salt) intake.  Generally speaking a low sodium diet should consist of about 2,000 to 3,000 mg of salt each day.

As always, before starting the Cardiac Diet (or any other type of diet program), consult with your doctor first.

For more information on the Cardiac Diet please visit Cardiac Diet

What is a Low-Sodium Diet?

A Low-Sodium Diet, as the name implies, is a diet that contains about 2 grams or less of sodium per day. Sodium is commonly found in table salt and in a wide variety of foods both processed and natural. Foods high in salt are usually also high in sodium.

Effects of Too Much Sodium in Our Diet

It has been proven that too much sodium in one’s diet can lead to hypertension. In addition, it can also lead to water retention and bloating. In the long term, people that eat high amounts of sodium can develop not only heart conditions but kidney complications as well.

Foods High in Sodium

For many, salt is important to our meals as it adds flavor, however, too much of it can be detrimental to our health and cause hypertension. Some of the foods that one should avoid while on the Low-Sodium Diet include the following:

• Foods from fast-food restaurants that are high in sodium and fat content.
• Processed foods high in sodium
• You should also avoid sauces and ketchups as they have high sodium content.
• Junk foods and snacks as they are usually high in salt.

Substitute for Sodium in Meals

As stated above, sodium can add flavor to any meal, so as a substitute for salt instead use herbs and spices to make your food more palatable. Some other substitutes that can be helpful as well include lemon juice, vinegar, cooking wine, pepper, paprika, etc.

Low Sodium Diet Cons

There is very little downside to the Low-Sodium Diet. Obviously if you eat out a lot, it can be tough to comply with, but many individuals simply ask their waiter or waitress not to add salt to their foods or order items that are low in salt to begin with.

What is the Diverticulitis Diet?

The Diverticulitis Diet has two main functions. The first is to relieve the discomfort caused by Diverticulitis and the second main function is to prevent the individual from experiencing Diverticulitis again.

For relief of the diverticulitis, the doctor will order the patient to increase the intake of fiber. Too little fiber in a diet can aggravate this condition and cause the individual to experience pain. Secondly, the doctor will usually prescribe some type of medicine to lower the risk or fight infection and inflammation.

For prevention of the diverticulitis, the Diverticulitis Diet includes a diet that is imbalanced- ensuring that you eat quite a lot of fiber each and everyday. Since diverticulitis is brought on by a diet too low in fiber, the Diverticulitis Diet is built upon a diet that consists of foods rich in fiber. While not a vegetarian diet, the Diverticulitis Diet includes lots of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. Whole grains are also another food that is recommended for one to consume daily as well as plenty of liquids (water) to assist the digestive system.

Diverticulitis Diet Pros

For individuals suffering from diverticulitis, the Diverticulitis Diet can offer lots of health benefits. Not only can the Diverticulitis Diet help relieve the pain one experiences from diverticulitis, but it also can help in the prevention of a relapse of the disease. The Diverticulitis Diet is also known to help a person return to healthier bowel movements.

Diverticulitis Diet Cons

Obviously, the Diverticulitis Diet is a diet created for a specific health condition. This diet is not recommended as a tool to lose weight. As with all diets, consult with your physician to decide whether this diet is for you.