Tag: nutrition

There are so many popular diets that range from ‘fad’ to ‘therapeutic’. Here’s my take on defining the parameters from a nutrition perspective. The world of ‘diets’ is WILD. There are so many eating patterns available; some with too-good-to-be-true promises and many with wonderful health benefits. As a nutritionist, I find merit and therapeutic usefulness in many ‘diets’ depending on your symptoms and concerns. I’m not here to tell you ONE diet is right for everyone.  Instead, I’ll help break down some popular diets and their ‘rules’ so you can make an informed decision about the best nutrition strategy FOR YOU. There is no established optimal diet for humans; but eating choices can drive us closer or further from health. Here’s a look at some popular diets and eating patterns: Anti-inflammatory: A primarily plant-based diet used to address chronic inflammation and associated health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. An anti-inflammatory diet typically includes large amounts of phytonutrients and antioxidants. This is considered a sustainable long-term eating pattern. Gluten-free: A therapeutic diet adopted by individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance that excludes all gluten-containing grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. This may be a lifelong commitment for those who have a reaction to gluten. Due to cross reactivity, those who follow a gluten-free diet may also adhere to dairy-free, corn-free, and soy-free choices. Mediterranean: A traditional diet common among individuals living in the Mediterranean region that consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and whole grains. The Mediterranean diet has a lot of similarities to an anti-inflammatory diet. It has been greatly studied due to the long life expectancy and health of people native to the region. Ketogenic (keto): A high-fat, very low-carbohydrate diet used to promote weight loss and address neurological conditions such as pediatric epilepsy. The keto diet doesn’t necessarily restrict any categories of foods, but requires food choice based on macronutrient ratio. Some individuals thrive on a ketogenic diet, while others don’t do as well. For women, a cyclical keto approach may be a better option. Paleolithic (paleo)/ Primal: A dietary pattern inspired by the diets of hunter-gatherers of the paleolithic era that consists of lean meats, fish, healthy fats, vegetables, and certain fruits. The Paleo movement gained traction in the Crossfit community. It has since evolved, with some paleo proponents changing the ‘rules’ around things like legumes. Carnivore: An extreme version of the paleo diet that focuses on ONLY animal-based foods. This means all meats, eggs, fish and shellfish, and some dairy. The carnivore diet is more of a therapeutic diet in that in limits all potential anti-nutrients from plants. It is actually quite simple, and with proper planning, does supply adequate nutrition. PLANT-BASED: A blanket term that may or may not mean a diet built exclusively from plants. The choice to eat plant-based may come from moral and ethical reasons as much as health. Often, a plant-based diet falls within one of these subcategories: Pescatarian: A primarily plant-based diet that eliminates most animal sources of protein except for fish and shellfish Vegan: A strictly plant-based diet that restricts all animal-sourced foods and products Vegetarian: A dietary pattern that restricts meat, poultry, and fish but allows other animal products such as dairy, eggs, and honey Macrobiotic: A vegetarian diet based on the principles of Zen Buddhism. This diet is rich in whole grains, legumes, and seasonal produce thought to balance the elements of yin and yang within. In studies, this diet has been shown to be unsafe for children (and nursing mothers!) and can result in nutritional deficiencies. Breaking Down Therapeutic Diets: Most of these popular diets are used on a short-term basis (2-9 months) for healing specific conditions. After the initial restriction, new foods are added in to resume a more balanced approach to food. Elimination: While there are many iterations of an elimination diet, most will limit the top allergens (dairy, eggs, wheat, and soy) followed by a systematic reintroduction to better understand how each food group affects physiology. Whole30: An elimination diet over a 30-day period that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods and minimal additives. The Whole30 has a psychosocial component, helping participants to break unhealthy eating patterns, stop stress-related and comfort eating, and reduce emotional food attachments. Autoimmune Protocol: An advanced elimination diet that restricts all grains, seeds, nuts, nightshade vegetables, legumes, dairy, and eggs. The AIP Diet has been studied as a treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and other autoimmune conditions. It closely mimics the Wahls Protocol, developed by Dr. Terry Wahls for the treatment of MS. Low-FODMAP: An elimination diet that limits fermentable carbohydrates. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligo- Di- and Mono-saccharides and polyols. This diet was developed at Monash University as a therapeutic intervention for IBS, SIBO, and other functional bowel disorders.  Low-Histamine: A diet that limits high-histamine foods. This diet is helpful for those with reactions to histamines (allergies). True histamine intolerance affects only about 1% of the population. However, this diet can be helpful for taming an overactive immune response. Specific Carbohydrate: A grain-free, sugar-free, lactose-free diet first developed by Dr. Sydney Haas for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). This diet is meant to help rebalance the gut microbiome and increase oral tolerance. Low-Glycemic: A diet that limits foods based on the glycemic index. The low-glycemic diet is a therapeutic intervention for Type II diabetes and heart disease. Anti-Candida: An elimination diet that limits simple sugars and other carbohydrates that feed the yeast species, Candida Albicans. This diet is a short-term intervention paired with anti-fungals to eradicate systemic yeast infections. Other Popular Diet Fads & Trends: Here are a few other diet trends you may have heard about… Celery Juice – The ‘Celery Juice Diet’ is really just a morning habit of drinking 16 ounces of fresh celery juice every morning. Introduced by The Medical Medium, and popularized by the likes of Goop and Well&Good, this trend claims to yield weight loss, lowered inflammation, and ‘restored health’. It’s nothing short