Diets
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet
This Mediterranean Diet is more of a lifestyle plan than a diet. It is a guideline to eat for health and longevity while enjoying good food, good times with family and friends, and good health. According to the Mayo Clinic, the plan is associated with overall health through disease prevention and treatment of many of the common life threatening, chronic diseases that have a high prevalence in the U.S., including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes.
Key Points
- Enjoy all foods, focus on plant sources-choose fresh & colorful foods
- Make time to enjoy friends, family, and socialize-take time to laugh and connect
- Joyful, daily movement is necessary for self-care-find activities that make you smile, feel alive, and rejuvenated
- Healthy fats are our friends-nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish = happy heart.
- Include treats in moderation and enjoy-have dessert & wine occasionally, and enjoy!
Evidence-Based Research
This original research article by Collette, Percheron, Pares-Herbute, and Michel, (2003) showed that energy restriction of both carbohydrate and lipid produced similar results in weight loss. However, the study showed that reducing overall energy intake and higher intake of monounsaturated fats (MUFA s) lowered blood lipids, particularly triglycerides, which reduces risk for CAD. The Mediterranean Diet focuses on including MUFAs.
Ketogenic Diet
According to Diabetes.co.uk, the global diabetes community, "Ketosis is a natural state the body finds itself in when it is using fat as its main fuel. This occurs when following a very low carb, ketogenic diet, and often during intermittent fasting too." Furthermore, Nutritional Ketosis "is a state the body goes into if it needs to break down body fat for energy. The state is marked by raised levels of ketones in the blood which can be used by the body as fuel. Ketones which are not used for fuel are excreted out of the body via the kidneys and the urine (Diabetes.co.uk)."
This article can be read here.
Ketogenic Diet Testimony
In this article written by Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD which was published on the Cleveland Clinic website, she describes what the ketogenic diet is essentially about. The diet prescribes that about 80% of consumed calories is from fat and 5% is from carbohydrates, and the remaining consumed calories are from protein.
Kristin describes how she felt the first week of doing the diet, and what she had to do to replace the carb hunger so that she could overcome her goal to stay on track with the diet. Once a person consumes more than the allowed amount of carbs, the person is essentially no longer in ketosis and therefore not on a ketogenic diet. She goes into detail on a daily meal menu. She then explained how she was tired all the time during the first part of the diet, but then she describes how she finally got over the hump and was not tired anymore, describing it as a Keto flu.
Kristin goes into detail about her greatest challenge in the diet, and also the biggest benefit of the diet. Kristin also throws in a word of caution about doing this diet, but explains that if you do get a green light from your doctor start making a meal plan so that you do not fall off the diet because you are starving for carbohydrates.
Click here to read this article!
Paleolithic Diet
- According to the Mayo Clinic, a Paleolithic Diet is a diet that consists of foods that may have been consumed during the Paleolithic Era, which dates from 2.5 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago.
- This diet includes what would be found during the Paleolithic Era such as lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and any other food items that may have been accessible to hunter gatherers.
- Limitations to this diet include any food or food groups that were consumed exclusively within the last 10,000 years. This includes processed sugar, diary products, legumes and grains, or any foods that could not have been attained or made during the Paleolithic Era.
- Other common names for the paleolithic diet or paleo diet for short, are the caveman diet, the stone age diet, and the hunter-gatherer diet.
Evidence Based Research
One of the articles written in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology called "The Beneficial Effects of a Paleolithic Diet on Type 2 Diabetes and Other Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease" described this diet as being a caveman type of diet where a person consumes more nuts, berries and meat; basically what a caveman would have eaten back in the stone age. This article stated that this diet could have health benefits for individuals who are diabetic, and there may also be benefits to individuals that have some cardiovascular diseases (Klonoff, 2009). Dr. Klonoff brought up facts saying that the diet excludes itself from dairy products, cereal grains, refine fat, sugar candy and salt.
Vegetarian Diet
- Vegetarian diets are increasing in popularity. This could be due to the fact that following a vegetarian diet has associated health benefits such as lowering an individual's risk for heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
- In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are many various types of vegetarian diets. All vegetarian diets exclude meat and poultry, but there are variations that allow for fish such as a Pescatarian diet, and in general most vegetarian diets include eggs, lactose, and dairy products. This means that milk, cheese, and egg or egg-containing products are consumable in a Vegetarian Diet.
- The most strict of them all would be the Vegan diet, as it excludes all meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. There is debate between vegans about whether to include things such as honey.
Vegan Diet
Vegans are vegetarians who do not eat meat, fish, poultry, as well as animal products or by-products such as eggs, dairy, leather, fur, silk, wool, and at times, honey. Individuals may choose a vegan diet due to health, ethical, or personal reasons. One important nutritional aspect to be aware of is to maintain adequate protein intake while on a vegan diet. Any diet should be detailed and discussed with a Registered Dietitian and any other health care practitioner that is needed.
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Evidence Based Research
In a systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies of vegetarian, vegan diets, and multiple health outcomes, Dinu, Abbate, Fensini, Casini, and Sofi found some outstanding results. They concluded that "this comprehensive meta-analysis reports a significant protective effect of a vegetarian diet versus the incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (-25%) and incidence from total cancer (-8%). Vegan diet conferred a significant reduced risk (-15%) of incidence from total cancer" (Dinu, et al, 2017).
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
The best way to help yourself is to learn more about what you're interested in. We have provided a link for a great resource from Allied Health Professionals all over to help you achieve your own personal goals. Before starting any diet, be sure to consult with your physician or registered dietitian.