You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘diet’ tag.
The Dukan Diet was developed by French nutritionist and medical doctor Pierre Dukan over ten years ago and has gained incredible popularity since its creation. The media reports that millions of French women follow this diet to maintain their figures, as well as celebrities and models. Until recently the diet has only been available inFrance but the English version of The Dukan Diet officially became available in 2010. The U.S.version recently became available just this month of April 2011.
The Dukan Diet is similar to the popular Atkins diet in that it is based around eating high-protein foods while severely limiting all carbohydrates including fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Unlike the Atkins diet, the emphasis is on sources of protein that are low in fat such as fish, poultry and reduced-fat dairy products. The Dukan diet includes four phases: the Attack phase, the Cruise phase, the Consolidation phase, and finally the Stabilization phase.
The Attack phase is followed for one to ten days and dieters are told they can expect to lose between seven and ten pounds within the first five days. During this phase dieters consume only protein foods that may be seasoned with condiments that do not contain fat or carbohydrates Dieters are warned that they may experience bad breath and a dry mouth during this phase, which may be alleviated to some degree by drinking more water.
In the Cruise phase of the Dukan Diet, days of protein only are alternated with days of protein and vegetables. The types of vegetables allowed in this phase are limited to those that do not contain starch such as lettuce, spinach, celery, cucumber, asparagus and tomato. Vegetables can be consumed raw, steamed, or in soups and stews.
The Consolidation phase is the maintenance phase and commences once you have achieved your goal weight. You will continue to base your diet on protein and vegetables but are also allowed one portion of fruit as well as two slices of whole-grain bread each day. In addition you are permitted one extra serving of a carbohydrate food per week, which may include foods like pasta or rice. In this phase of the Dukan Diet you are also allowed one ‘celebration meal’ each week, which is increased to twice a week after you have been in phase three for a while.
The final Stabilization phase is the ongoing lifestyle phase of the Dukan Diet. In this phase you are instructed to go back to eating whatever you like while continuing to use the rules of the Consolidation Phase as a guideline. One day of the week dieters are instructed to eat only protein.
Just like any other diet, there are pros and cons to the Dukan Diet. Some pros include fast results in the first phase which can boost motivation, no calorie counting required, the diet includes vegetarian options, a meal plan, and recipes, and the “celebration meals” in the final phases of the diet can help psychologically to improve adherence to diet.
Some cons of the Dukan diet include that it is highly restrictive and requires elimination of healthy foods including fruit, grains, legumes, and nuts. Some dieters may experience mood swings and fatigue. Dieters may also experience constipation, headaches, and bad breath on high protein diets, and the diet is not suitable for people with a history of gout, kidney disease, high cholesterol, or eating disorders. Furthermore, dietary boredom is highly likely due to the limited food choices, especially for those who don’t enjoy eating animal products, and the diet also encourages consumption of artificial sweeteners and diet soda.
In conclusion, the Dukan Diet is an extreme approach that emphasizes low-fat protein. While dieters can expect to lose weight following this plan, it is highly likely that weight will be regained upon a return to normal eating habits. The best way to approach weight loss is to eat a variety of healthy foods which include fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, healthy fats and low fat protein foods, and to maintain good portion control. Exercise is also important as well for overall health and wellness and can accelerate weight loss. Restriction of certain foods or food groups is not recommended due to the high possibility of feeling deprived and overeating or bingeing on that type of food and regaining any weight lost.
Answer submitted by Mia Handell, registered and licensed dietitian at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley and can be found in a large variety of foods that we eat. Gluten-free nutrition therapy is only indicated for individuals who suffer from gluten intolerance or have a condition called celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune ailment in which a person is unable to metabolize gluten and causes symptoms including diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal distention, and electrolyte depletion.
Today, many people who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease and experience no symptoms have given up gluten in an attempt to lose weight. A gluten free diet eliminates any food containing wheat, barley or rye. Bread, pizza, pasta, most cereals, cookies and cakes made with traditional white or whole wheat flour all contain gluten, so therefore are not allowed on a gluten-free diet. Gluten is also present in not so obvious products as well including many soups, pasta sauces, salad dressings, packaged meals and frozen dinners which contain gluten in the form of soy sauce, barley malt or modified food starch. A strict gluten free diet requires you to study food labels to avoid gluten-containing ingredients.
The demand for gluten free products is very high and there are more products on the market today that are “gluten-free.” Gluten-free products were not readily available in the past. The little amount of gluten-free foods that were available in the past did not taste very good. Going gluten free is easier than ever nowadays because of improvements in labeling and greater awareness. Stores such as Whole Foods even have specific shopping guides for gluten free shoppers.
A gluten-free diet that eliminates refined flour and simple sugars (such as those found in packaged cookies and snacks) will improve health and help with weight loss. Many people report feeling better and more energized after giving up gluten. For these reasons, people who do not have gluten intolerance may follow a gluten-free diet to aid in weight loss. However those who follow a gluten-free diet for weight loss still need to be careful because gluten-free products may still contain a significant amount of calories. In fact, some gluten-free products have more calories than their gluten-containing counterparts because of added sugars and the presence of white rice flour and potato starch. Gluten-free on a label does not mean that a product is low calorie or healthful.
In conclusion, if your doctor prescribes you a gluten-free diet, you must follow it. If you follow a gluten-free diet for weight loss, it is important to still follow sound nutritional practices which means including a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, and limiting refined sugars and fatty/fried foods.
Answer submitted by Mia Handell, registered and licensed dietitian at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
All of us are concerned with getting the most out of our food, whether it is taste, quality, texture, and overall nutrition. The most nutrient dense foods are those eaten immediately after picked or caught, however not all of us are farmers, hunters, and/or fishermen. With modern technology, most of our food supply is processed for the benefits of consumer safety and food variety.
Research shows that canned and frozen ingredients are comparable in nutrition to cooked fresh counterparts. The moment you pick a fruit or vegetable, or catch a fish, or milk a cow, food starts to change texture, taste, perhaps color, and nutrient content. That’s why food producers usually process food as fast as possible, while nutrient content and overall quality are at their peak. Immediate processing helps lock these qualities into food. As long as processed foods are handled properly, from the food manufacturer to the supermarket to your home, there’s little nutrient loss. Freezing, drying, and canning retain the nutritional quality of foods. Whether food is fresh or processed, it is up to you to minimize nutrient loss in your kitchen.
Nearly every food preparation process reduces the amount of nutrients in food. In particular, processes that expose foods to high levels of heat, light, and/or oxygen cause the greatest nutrient loss. Nutrients can also be “washed out” of foods by fluids that are introduced during a cooking process. For example, boiling a potato can cause much of the potato’s B and C vitamins to migrate to the boiling water. You’ll still benefit from those nutrients if you consume the liquid (i.e. if the potato and water are being turned into potato soup), but not if you throw away the liquid. Similar losses also occur when you broil, roast, or fry in oil, and then drain off the drippings.
Freezing, when properly done, is the method of food preservation which may potentially preserve the greatest quantity of nutrients. Most frozen fruits maintain high quality for 8 to 12 months. Unsweetened fruits lose quality faster than those packed in sugar or sugar syrups. Most vegetables will maintain high quality for 12 to 18 months at 0° F or lower. Longer storage of fruits and vegetables than those recommended above will not make the food unfit for use, but will decrease its quality.
You must use good quality freezer containers to maintain the quality of frozen fruits and vegetables. A high quality container should be both moisture and vapor proof so that moisture can be kept in the product and air kept away from it. There are two types of packaging materials for home use: rigid containers and flexible bags or wrappings.
Rigid containers made of plastic are suitable for all packs and are especially good for liquid packs. They are often reusable and make the stacking of foods in the freezer easier. Cardboard cartons for cottage cheese, ice cream and milk are not sufficiently moisture-vapor resistant to be suitable for long-term freezer storage. Covers for rigid containers should fit tightly. Flexible freezer bags and moisture-vapor resistant wrapping materials such as plastic freezer wrap, freezer paper and heavy-weight aluminum foil are suitable for dry packed products with little or no liquid. Regardless of the type of storage container, press to remove as much air as possible before closing.
For more information on food storage and preservation, please visit: http://www.nutrition.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=2&tax_subject=391&topic_id=1759&placement_default=0
Answer submitted by Mia Handell, registered and licensed dietitian at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
This is certainly a question I am asked often. The most recent body of research does seem to be suggesting that an excess of sugar in the diet from foods or beverages may put a person at higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes. What is not completely clear, is whether the increased risk is due to the sugar itself or the increased weight a person may gain as a result of the additional calories. When we are carrying extra weight, our body can become resistant to the action of the insulin we produce. This insulin resistance can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. So, if you could eat a banana split every night and not gain any weight, would you be at higher risk of Type 2 Diabetes? Maybe not, but how many of us can do that?
Answer submitted by Robert Carrara, RD LD CDE at Provena Mercy Medical Center – Center for Diabetic Wellness
There are numerous “diets” available commercially, which happens to be a billion dollar industry in America. It is prudent to know which will work for you because the needs of a person looking to lose one-hundred pounds will be different than one tying to get rid of ten. The basic “mantra” is: in order to loose weight, the calorie intake should be less than the calories expended. This can be done by increasing calories burned by exercise, and reducing calorie intake by making changes in diet.
A study in the”New England Journal of Medicine” in 2009 compared “the total calorie intake vs. various compositions of diet (like low carb or low fat, etc.)” After a two-year follow up of various groups, it was concluded; low caloric intake, with a balanced diet was the most effective way of loosing weight and keeping it off, rather than different diets focusing on the composition. Up-short to the study is, make healthier choices in everyday life like replacing coffee creamer with skimmed milk and reducing portion size. Be conscious of the calorie content in food for long-term weight management rather than following a “fad diet.”
A diet plan has to tailor to an individual. Depending on personal preferences, target weight loss, the diet can be selected. Some important facts about various diets which were studied are as follows:
- “Low carbohydrate diets” are proven to give fastest weight loss, but are often hard to follow long-term. As a rule, the more drastic the diet, the harder it is to adhere to it for a prolonged time.
- “Mediterranean diets” rich in olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. were proven to have health benefits because of the high antioxidant content.
- “Low fat diets” help with more sustained weight loss due to a lower caloric content.
- “Portion control diets” (like weight watchers or Jennie Craig) do show results depending on the compliance with the diet and making healthier choices once the weight has been lost.
These are just some very basic facts about weight management, there are several sites which have comprehensive knowledge about “diets” with objectivity.
- American Heart Association
- Weight –control Information Network
- Food Drug Administration
- National Institute of health
Answer submitted by Dr. Nidhi Tiwari who specializes in Internal Medicine and is with Provena Medical Group and is a member of the Provena Mercy Medical Center Medical Staff.
Nobody wants to get sick, especially if it can be avoided. And because there has been a nationwide increase of Salmonella infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with several other entities including, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and others to investigate this increase. The good news is that there are some things you can do to protect yourself.
To give you some background, Salmonella is a group of illness-causing bacteria that mostly live in the intestinal tracts of animals and birds that can be transmitted to humans by contaminated foods of animal origin such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs. However, any food, including vegetables, may become contaminated. For example, one type of bacteria known as Salmonella Enteritidis can be found on both the outside and inside of eggs even if they appear normal. If the eggs are eaten raw or undercooked, it can cause illness.
If you are infected with Salmonella, symptoms will usually appear 12-72 hours after consuming the contaminated food or beverage with the illness lasting 4-7 days. Common symptoms include: fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Most people do recover without antibiotic treatment; however, if the diarrhea is severe, the fever cannot be controlled, or a sick person is not able to keep adequately hydrated with fluids, you should seek medical attention. Infants, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system are more vulnerable to severe illness and should be treated promptly with antibiotics.
Here are some tips to reduce your risk of a Salmonella infection:
• Avoid eating undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat
• Keep eggs, meat, and poultry products refrigerated
• Discard cracked or dirty eggs
• Wash hands and cooking utensils with soap and water after contact with raw eggs, meat, or poultry
• Avoid consuming raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products
• Thoroughly wash produce
In addition, Salmonella can be found in the feces of some pets, especially turtles, lizards, snakes, young birds and those with diarrhea. It is possible to become infected by not properly washing your hands after contact with pets or pet feces, so always be sure to wash your hands immediately after handling a reptile or bird, even if the animal is healthy.
For more information, visit the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/
Answer submitted by Sue Quirin, RN, BSN, CIC, Infection Control Practitioner at Provena Mercy Medical Center Behavioral Health Services.
“With too many leaves around, the fruit of wisdom is seldom found.” There is too much literature and conflicting reports on the topic of fortified foods, hormones, organic food. There is no conclusive data to show the benefits of organic food over the others. The recent study linking pesticides to ADHD is considered a “suggestive” study and in order for a physician to state organic is proven better compared than non organic; there has to be a “conclusive” study.
Pesticide residues are found on the surface of many fruits and vegetables, some (like peaches, apple, bell pepper ) more than others. Thorough washing of these products is recommended which can be more economical and as safe as organically grown products. There is no agency which regulates the labeling of so called “organic” food.
A study done to determine the effect of type of milk (fortified vs. organic) on the age of menarche in females, failed to show any statistically significant difference. Incorporate more healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet rather than spending more money on organic foods.
Answer submitted by Dr. Nidhi Tiwari who specializes in Internal Medicine and is with Provena Medical Group and is a member of the Provena Mercy Medical Center Medical Staff.
Weight loss is simple, you must burn off more calories than you eat. If you love to eat and have a hard time controlling portions, the important thing is to choose foods that are low in calories and high in nutrient value. Fill up on fruits, veggies and lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish. These foods are lower in calories and provide many important vitamins and minerals that your body needs to be healthy and strong. To satisfy a sweet tooth, try smaller portions like sugar-free hot chocolate or strawberries drizzled with a low fat chocolate sauce.
Answer submitted by Melissa Gash, registered and licensed dietitian at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
