Whether it's keeping the weight off, managing
cravings, medical needs, dietary or religious requirements, it seems like everyone
on the planet is on a diet.
Eating outside the
standard American diet doesn’t have to mean deprivation. Navigating a specific
way of eating can be challenging, but very rewarding. No single diet is right for
everyone, therefore testing things on yourself and finding out what works for
you could be your path to nutrition success.
There are countless diets. Here are
some tips on special diets and how they may be the key to your healthy
lifestyle.
Dairy Free
Some people are allergic to dairy,
while others lack the enzyme lactase, which digests milk sugar, called lactose.
People who are lactose-intolerant may choose to eliminate or reduce products
containing lactose, while those with allergies must eliminate dairy proteins
altogether. When following a dairy free diet, avoid: dairy, cheese, milk,
custards, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, gelato, sherbet, ice milk,
whey and casein.
Detox Diet
Detox and cleanse diets are very
popular using liquids and herbal teas as a big part of the program. Drink fluids
all day in high volume to help your body’s natural detox system flush out
toxins. Eat lots of fiber, fruit, vegetables and healthy oils. When following a
detox diet, avoid: packaged or processed foods, red meat and sugar.
Gluten Free
Many people avoid gluten due to a
chronic digestive disorder which may cause a toxic immune response when they
ingest gluten. There are also many who do not have celiac disease but follow a
gluten free diet due to wheat sensitivity or by choice. When following a gluten
free diet, avoid: wheat, rye, barley and oats.
Low Fat
A successful low fat diet relies on the consumption
of the right amount of healthy fats, saturated fats and cholesterol. Reducing
fat in the diet can help lower calories and help with obesity. The Institute of Medicine
Low Sodium Diet
According to the FDA, low sodium
foods contain 140 mg or less of sodium. People on low sodium diets should limit
sodium intake to between 500 mg to 1500 mg daily. Many people monitoring sodium
intake, also monitor the fat, saturated fat and cholesterol levels. Processed foods and restaurant dishes may be high in
sodium.
Paleo Diet
The premise is simple, if your caveman
ancestor could’ve hunted, fished, gathered or plucked it, eat up. No counting
carbs or calories. You can eat fruit, nuts, berries, tubers, meat and fish. While
on a paleo diet, avoid: grains, legumes and dairy.
Raw Diet
Think uncooked, unprocessed and
mostly organic foods. You can eat raw fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, fresh
fruit juices, beans, seaweeds, nuts, seeds, coconut milk, legumes and sprouted
grains. Some may also eat unpasteurized dairy, raw eggs, sushi and meat. Your
food can be cold or even a little warm, but not above 118 degrees.
Sugar Free
According to the American Heart
Association (AHA), the average American consumes over 22 teaspoons (355
calories) per day of sugar and recommends limiting sugars to 100 calories/ 6
teaspoons per day for women and 150 calories/ 9 teaspoons for men. One teaspoon of granulated sugar equals 4 grams of sugar. Sugar has no nutritional value and excess
sugar consumption may lead to health problems. While on a low sugar diet,
avoid: refined sugars (brown and white), high-fructose corn syrup and unrefined
sugar (fructose, honey, agave, molasses, maple syrup and sugar alcohols). Even
too much fruit can be problematic for some diets.
