Diets

Paleo Diet vs. Modern Diet

The human diet has evolved drastically since the Paleolithic period of our caveman ancestors. Millions of years ago, people ate what they hunted and what they could gather. Today, getting food is as easy as browsing the aisles of a supermarket.

According to Paleo diet supporters, this evolution has its benefits and downfalls. Although the way food is produced is much more convenient, it has also ushered in an age where human beings have strayed from a healthy diet in favor of modern foods that cause a range of diseases and ill health.

Overview of the Modern Diet

For Paleo diet experts, the modern diet began with the agricultural or farming revolution. This is when human beings stopped hunting and gathering foods and started farming grains and domesticating animals. This change in food production was the catalyst to more advanced ways of farming and led to the introduction of the foods we eat today.

Although farming technology has allowed farmers to feed growing populations in a more cost-effective, convenient way, it is also the reason why modern humans suffer from poor health. In other words, the agricultural revolution led people away from what we are designed to eat to a diet that is unnatural and unhealthy.

Problems with the Modern Diet

Paleo supporters argue that the diet humans follow today is unnatural, harmful and low in nutrition compared to the Paleolithic diet.

Introduction of Grains

During the Paleolithic era of cavemen (hunter-gatherers), grains were not considered a good food source. Grains like wheat, rye, rice and barley were thought of as “peasant food” and only eaten when other foods were not available. Although it is not clear why hunter-gatherers did not favor grains, Paleo experts believe that it was because they were not nutritionally valuable.

Today, grains are staple foods in the human diet, so much so that they are encouraged even by health experts. Paleo supporters, on the other hand, think encouraging dieters to eat grains is a bad idea. They argue that human beings are just not designed to eat grains and doing so actually leads to health conditions like indigestion, gluten intolerance, obesity and many more.

The Paleo diet discourages all kinds of grains, whether they are unrefined or refined. Unrefined grains are those that have not been processed or made into products. Refined grains are the products of unrefined grains and include foods like bread, flour, white rice and cereals.

Fatty Foods

Another problem with the modern diet is that it contains too much saturated fat and not enough nutrients. Beef, for instance, has more fat than ever before and is steadily increasing the risk of heart disease around the world. Other fatty foods considered to be healthy are dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt.

On top of this, processed and fast foods are now adding more unhealthy fats to the modern diet. From hydrogenated cooking oils to commercially baked goods, people are consuming foods with saturated and artificial trans fats that clog arteries and promote obesity.

Low Nutrition

In addition to being fatty, modern foods are also low in essential nutrients and high in potentially harmful substances. Modern food production technologies are replacing the vitamins and minerals the body needs with more salt, sugars and all kinds of preservatives. In other words, human beings consume more artificial ingredients than in any other age. We are eating substances our bodies are not designed to process and suffering from illness because we lack the nutrients vital to good health.

Paleo diet experts are appalled at the way that even healthy foods are turned into health hazards. Fruit, for example, is healthy when eaten raw. However, modern food technologies are now canning fruit in high-fructose syrups, diminishing the nutritional profile of fresh produce. Another prime example is processed meats that have been stripped of protein and cured in high-sodium solutions.

Effects of the Modern Diet

With people suffering and dying from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and many more illnesses than ever before in human history, Paleo experts believe that the modern diet is to blame for the decline in good health. In fact, they believe that returning to Paleolithic food choices can reduce the risk of these diseases significantly and help people live longer, healthier lives.

The Paleo Diet as a Solution

To reverse and prevent the damage caused by today’s low-nutrition, unhealthy diet, Paleo experts recommend a Paleolithic meal plan. This meal plan was created to not only imitate the diet of hunter-gatherers but to formulate a diet that, in their opinion, is compatible with human DNA.

The Paleolithic meal plan encourages dieters to eat only:

• Low-starch vegetables
• Fresh fruit
• Animal meat and eggs
• Seeds and nuts (except peanuts)
• Water

Therefore, dieters should stay away from:
• All processed foods
• Fast food
• Dairy products
• Legumes
• All grains

Effects of the Paleo Diet

Nutritionally, the Paleo diet is a much better alternative to the modern diet. It features more natural, high-nutrients foods like vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts which are loaded in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These are foods that people in this age do not eat enough of. Fresh produce as well as nuts and seeds are high in everything from vitamin A to zinc, which can do wonders for your vital organ functioning, metabolism and immune system.

The diet also helps those who are dependent on processed foods. Processed foods contain a number of unhealthy ingredients which should be avoided. By avoiding these foods, you are also lowering your risk of serious conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Another proven benefit of the Paleo diet is steady weight loss. By reducing fattening carbohydrates and sugars from grains and processed foods, and increasing protein to control your appetite, dieters can shed pounds and keep them off for life.
There are many take-away lessons from the Paleo diet that modern humans can and should incorporate in their daily diets. From replacing processed products with natural foods to increasing your intake of essential nutrients, it is a diet designed to un-teach bad eating habits and re-introduce healthier food choices to modern society.

The Skinny of the Skinny Girl Diet

With a name like the “skinny girl diet”, it is not hard to mistake this meal plan for an anorexic diet. In fact, there are similarities between the two. The skinny girl diet is a VLCD, a very low calorie diet that aims to kick start your weight loss efforts by eating fewer calories. It is designed for women and promises fast results within a week of following it.

How Does the Skinny Girl Diet Work?

Literature about this diet is limited. This can be partly due to its similarity to many other low-calorie meal plans. Another reason might be because VLCDs are hugely frowned upon in the medical community. It is believed to be the brainchild of Bethenny Frankel, a popular television personality. This diet is more about eating strategies than it is about a meal plan people should follow.

In a nutshell, the skinny girl diet teaches followers to select their foods carefully and employ certain dietary strategies to either lose weight or keep it off. It recommends that dieters stick to a 400-800 daily calorie limit. This can be done by eating more fruit and vegetables, while avoiding starchy foods.

What Can You Eat On The Skinny Girl Diet?

Fresh produce is the order of the day with this meal plan. In some modified versions of the diet, followers are advised to feast on only vegetables and fruit. Foods should contain as few calories as possible. This means foods like watermelons; leafy greens and low-sugar fruit are at the top of the list. Dieters are advised to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding carbonated drinks.

Basic Skinny Girl Diet Eating Strategies and Principles

The diet is accompanied by the philosophy that you should view your daily diet as an account balance. Some foods should be forfeited for the sake of maintaining your caloric limit, while others are replaced by healthier alternatives. Dieters are allowed to consume more than 800 calories a day, provided they burn off the additional calories through exercise. The last day of this 30-day meal plan is dedicated to fasting.

Principle #1: Taste all, eat nothing

This principle states that you can have a bite of any food you want, as long as you don’t have it all. For instance, a dieter can “taste” a fattening food like chocolate cake by taking one or two bites. By tasting and not eating, you can keep calories low without depriving yourself of favorite treats.

Principle #2: Make portions smaller

The Skinny Girl diet is about downsizing the portions of the food you eat. Having smaller portions is a way to enjoy meals without going overboard with calories.

Principle #3: Eat only real food

Avoiding processed food is a big principle to follow on this diet. Processed foods like packaged meats, commercially-baked products and canned ingredients are discouraged. Dieters should therefore strive to eat fresh, “real” food in its most natural state.

The Skinny Girl Diet can be best described as an attitude towards food and a set of strategies that can aid weight loss. What you eat is important, but how you eat it might be even more valuable. Choosing fresh foods over processed, taking small bites and having small portions are legitimate weight loss tactics. However, the low-calorie content of this meal plan can be dangerous to your health.

Consider this article as an awareness campaign. If you want to lose weight fast, choose a diet that won’t harm your body.

What is the Tracy Anderson Diet?

The Tracy Anderson Diet is a meal plan created by a fitness guru of the same name. Anderson is considered to be a “trainer for the stars” because of her client base of Hollywood actors, musicians and personalities. Despite the trainer’s impressive resume, the Tracy Anderson diet has drawn a lot of attention, both for its effectiveness and extremity. While many dieters say they’ve experienced weight loss, experts are concerned about this meal plan’s safety.

How Does the Tracy Anderson Diet Work?

The diet is a 3-month eating plan. It is divided into what is called the “nutrient boost week” and the “body reset week”. There is a unique menu for each week and dieters should alternate between these two weeks for 90 days. In other words, week 1 would be a nutrient boost week, week 2 will be body reset, week 3 is nutrient boost week again and so forth.

The Nutrient Boost Week

According to the Tracy Anderson diet, the nutrient week boost is all about pumping your body with as many nutrients as possible. These nutrients are derived mainly from vegetables and fruits. Dieters are also advised to make the foods soft in order for the body to digest them easily. This means that foods should be pureed or consumed in liquid form. Green smoothies and fruit juices are recommended.

During nutrient boost week, you don’t have to count calories. You are allowed to eat and blend as much fresh produce as you want. The diet claims that by filling your system with nutrients, the weight loss process will kick in and eliminate toxins from the body at the same time.

The Body Reset Week

Body reset week is all about protein. While you can still eat vegetables in this phase, protein-rich foods take center stage. Foods like chicken, fish, beef, turkey, eggs and legumes are highly encouraged during this week. Ideally, you should keep to three meals a day and supplement with veggies to keep you feeling full. The Tracy Anderson diet focuses on protein because it helps to control appetite and helps in maintaining weight.

Does the Tracy Anderson Diet Work?

There have been some reports of weight loss with this diet. Many dieters lose an average of 3 pounds every nutrient boost week. Because the diet can also be combined with a workout plan, some lose even more weight than the average 3 pounds. How much you lose depends largely on your starting weight.

Is the Tracy Anderson Diet Safe?

The jury is still out on whether the meal plan is safe or not. Some experts argue that the dietary changes are extreme and can lead to health complications. The Tracy Anderson diet is also a VLCD (very-low calorie diet), which means dieters only consume between 500 and 1000 calories a day. An extremely low caloric intake can produce harmful side effects, especially if you have a history of medical conditions.

It is not hard to see why the Tracy Anderson diet is generating a lot of media attention. Not only is it the brainchild of a famous fitness guru, it also has an unusual meal plan. If you’re interested in following this diet, take a moment to consult your doctor. Low-calorie diets can be harmful and there are many safe weight loss methods that are just as effective.

How the Popcorn Diet Works

For most people, popcorn is and has always been a movie snack. That was until the popcorn diet came along. According to this diet, you can lose weight naturally by switching one meal with a serving of air-popped popcorn.

How Does the Popcorn Diet Work?

The idea behind this diet is to cut calories by replacing a meal with popcorn. You can have air-popped popcorn for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but not as a snack. Oil-popped popcorn is not recommended because it contains more fat.

Instead of adding butter and salt, you can buy special seasoning from vendors online. Seasoning is apparently made with Superfoods like mushrooms and pomegranate juice. The seasoning comes in a variety of healthy flavors to provide nutrients.

You are required to eat three full meals a day. Your other two meals should consist mainly of vegetables, lean protein and fruit. Beverages should be limited to low-calorie options too. Water, herbal teas and unsweetened juices are encouraged.

Pros of the Popcorn Diet

As far as cutting calories goes, the popcorn diet can work. One cup of popcorn can contain 23-50 calories depending on the seasoning. If you follow the diet’s plan for the other two meals in the day, there’s a good chance you will lose weight steadily.

As a meal, popcorn is quite filling. It has a decent amount of fiber to keep hunger at bay until your next meal. Special seasoning also adds disease-fighting antioxidants, energy-boosting vitamins and health-restoring minerals.

Cons of the Popcorn Diet

Followers of the popcorn diet might find controlling quantities challenging. Because many people are used to cinema servings, it is easy to mistake portions. Regular-sized popcorn at the movies ranges from 9-20 cups. The diet recommends much less.

Another disadvantage is that the diet does not give clear guidelines on what to eat for your other two meals. Vegetables, fruit and lean protein are naturally low in calories. However, it is still possible to overeat if you don’t know how to measure portions.

Eating too much popcorn has the potential to block the absorption of other nutrients as well. Some people may suffer digestion problems as a result of eating too much fiber.

How to Make Air-Popped Popcorn at Home

Air-popped means that popcorn is cooked using hot air instead of oil or butter. You can make a bag of your own using a microwave in just minutes. All you need to do is add ¼ cup of kernels in a lunch bag, fold it down twice at the top and place the bag upright in the microwave.

Set the heat on high and microwave for a couple of minutes. Listen carefully for pops. Popping should be consistent with very short pauses in between. If there is a long pause between pops, remove the bag from the microwave and let it cool.

If you don’t have seasoning, try some healthy alternatives like olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also sprinkle cinnamon, nutritional yeast and chili powder for extra flavor.

Shrimp Nutrition Facts

A small animal with big health benefits, shrimp is one of the best shellfish you can eat. It is a delicious protein source that is packed with many essential nutrients. Learn more about shrimp nutrition facts and how to prepare it at home.

Shrimp Nutrition Facts

Shrimp has an impressive quantity and quality of nutrients. It provides half of the daily value of protein and a good amount of omega fatty acids. It is also a known source of astaxanthin, a carotenoid that is being studied extensively for its health benefits.

Very few foods contain the amount of copper found in shrimp. One 4-oz serving contains as much as 32% of the recommended daily intake, which is unusually high. In addition to copper, the shellfish is rich in selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, choline and iodine.

Shrimp Health Benefits

Unless you are allergic to shrimp, adding it to your menu can boost your body’s performance in many ways.

Prevents Heart Disease

Shrimp has all major nutrients to maintain good cardiovascular health. Omega fats and selenium provide extra protection from heart failure and disease. They lower cholesterol to reduce the chances of cardiac arrest and strokes. The selenium found in shrimp is also special because most of it can be absorbed.

Protects Digestive System

One of the reasons why astaxanthin is interesting to researchers is because it can help prevent colon cancer. There are animal studies that can attest to this. Because this nutrient cares for the colon, it inadvertently improves digestion and bowel movement.

Supports Immunity

The strength of the immune system is dependent on the intake of certain nutrients. Selenium and copper are two of them. Without these minerals, the body can become weak and defenseless against disease. Increase your intake by eating shrimp more frequently.

Aids Weight Loss

Shrimp can make maintaining a healthy weight easier. Because it contains both iodine and selenium, it reduces the risk of thyroid malfunction. Vitamin B12 also aids weight loss by encouraging your body to use up fat instead of storing it.

Promotes Good Mental Health

In addition to good physical health, shrimp can also improve your mental health as well. Choline is known for supporting brain and nervous system function. When you pair it with vitamin B12, it can clear up mental fogginess and give you more energy.

How to Cook Shrimp

Hopefully, shrimp nutrition facts have given you plenty of reasons why you should add it to your diet. You can now learn how to prepare your own shrimp platter at home.

Buying Shrimp

You can find fresh or frozen shrimp from the local grocery store or fish market. If you can, find shrimp that has already been de-shelled. If you can’t, choose ones with light grey shells and translucent white meat.

Prepping Shrimp

If you have the de-shelled variety, remove the shell and slice shrimp in the middle to remove the black vein. Rinse the fish in cool water and allow them to sit for a few minutes in room temperature.

Cooking Shrimp

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add shrimp. Make sure the water is enough to cover all the fish. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove the pot from heat when bubbles start to appear. Let them sit in the water to cook for 5-10 more minutes. When they turn pink, shrimp is done.

You can also sauté shrimp in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil or grill them on skewers. Avoid seasoning the meat before cooking as it may ruin the flavor. You can squeeze fresh lemon over shrimp after it is cooked or serve with your choice of sauce.

Paleo Diet: Is Salt Healthy for You?

The consumption of salt is one of the highly debated subjects not only in the Paleo diet community, but the world of nutrition in general. On one hand, salt is essential to the function of your body. On the other hand, experts argue that excess salt can lead to potentially fatal diseases like heart disease and stomach cancer. While most nutritionists suggest sticking to recommended amounts, Paleo advocates urge dieters to put down the salt shaker for good.

A Brief History of Salt

Salt has a very rich and long history. Although it cannot be confirmed when it was first collected for distribution, historians believe that it was already a main item of trade as far back as 2200 BC. In fact, salt was such a coveted foodstuff, emperors and kings charged heavy taxes for it. At one point, it was considered a currency and made into coins.

So why was salt such a sought after commodity?

It is challenging to pinpoint the reason why salt was so valuable but there are several factors that contributed to its worth. It was a very difficult item to get in those days. Technology to extract and filter salt was not available in those times. Nations had to invent this equipment and opened mines across the world dedicated to retrieving the mineral from either rocks or the sea.

The salt mined was used in many ways by various communities worldwide. Some communities valued the mineral for culinary reasons. Some valued it for its religious associations and others for its healing properties. Today, people eat salt because it enhances the taste of food and also for its nutritional benefits.

Health Benefits of Salt

Salt is one of the main sources of a nutrient called sodium. Sodium is essential to several processes in the body. These include:

The healthy contraction of muscles
Transmission of signals throughout the nervous system
Regulation of blood pressure
Maintaining the pH balance of fluids in the body
Helps the kidney eliminate excess fluids

Given its many, important benefits, it is obvious that consuming enough sodium is healthy for you. In other words, a sodium deficiency can cause serious health problems. If salt, a source of sodium, is healthy, then why do Paleo experts discourage it?

The Paleo Diet View of Salt

Strict Paleo diet followers do not add salt to meals or eat foods high in sodium. The reasons behind this are two-fold. First, Paleo experts believe that the amount of salt people eat in the modern age is just too much and is the cause of many diseases prevalent today, like high blood pressure. Secondly, they believe that cavemen or hunter-gatherers had no access to salt and this is why they were healthier and lived longer.

How Does Salt Cause Disease?

The number 1 disease associated with salt is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is the condition that leads to many other diseases, including those of the kidneys, heart and even the brain.

How High Blood Pressure Starts

High blood pressure begins in the kidneys. The function of the kidneys is to remove excess fluids from your bloodstream and transferring these to be passed out with your urine. The nutrients that help with this process are sodium (found in salt) and potassium. If you have enough sodium in your body, this process is normal and healthy. However, if you consume too much sodium, it is interrupted.

Too much sodium puts the kidneys in a position where it there is too much excess fluid and the organs cannot keep up. As a result, the waste the kidneys are supposed to get rid of end up being accumulated in the body and your blood pressure rises. Putting such strain on the kidneys can cause them to fail, resulting in kidney disease, which can lead to terrible health systems and possibly death.

How it affects the Heart

Salt’s effect on the heart is one of the biggest concerns for Paleo diet experts. When blood pressure rises because of malfunctioning kidneys, the heart has to pump harder to keep up with blood that has increased in volume. As the heart pumps harder, the arteries come under a lot of strain as well. Over time, artery walls can rupture and cause heart attacks and strokes.

One other possibility is that artery walls can become thicker or narrower, eventually starving the other bodily organs that depend on the arteries to give them blood. When your other organs cannot receive blood, they shut down and oftentimes lead to death.

How it affects the Brain

Another organ affected by high blood pressure is the brain. If arteries are unable to pump blood to the brain, it can become starved of oxygen and other nutrients, this can lead to strokes or partial brain damage. In other words, you might lose function over the area of your body that particular part of the brain controlled.

Needless to say, high blood pressure is a very dangerous disease and one that should be avoided at all costs. This is why Paleo diet advocates advise people to stop or limit their salt intake drastically.

High-Sodium Foods to Avoid on the Paleo Diet

Most dieters are not aware of how much salt foods have these days. Therefore, the Paleo diet has highlighted these foods and eradicated them from the meal plan to help you avoid raising your blood pressure. These foods include:

Processed/brined meats
Processed food products
Baked treats
Table or sea salt

Processed and baked goods contain very high amounts of sodium. In fact, others have more than 3 times the recommended sodium intake, which should be less than 2300 mgs for the average adult and less than 1500 mgs if you are over 50.

The Paleo diet suggests that it is better to get your dose of sodium naturally from healthy foods like:

Beets
Spinach and chard
Celery
Carrots
Meats

If you frequently consume processed products and add salt to all your meals, you might need to stop and assess how much sodium you are actually eating. Eating processed foods high in sodium puts you at risk of high blood pressure, a potentially fatal conditions that causes multiple organs to malfunction. For this reason, the Paleo diet discourage salt to help you feel healthier and live longer.

What Types of Fats Can You Eat on the Paleo Diet?

Nutritionists have been arguing for years over which fats are good and which are bad. This debate has spilled over to many diets and is a hot topic for Paleo diet followers and skeptics as well. Find out what the Paleo view is on the sources, types and amounts of fats you should consume for better health.

Types of Fats

There are different types of fats, some which are deemed healthy and beneficial to the body, while others have the exact opposite effects. The debate about fats revolves around which fats cause weight gain and raise cholesterol. Here is a brief overview of the kinds of fats available.

Monounsaturated

Monounsaturated fats are considered to be the healthiest kind. These fats come from natural foods like nuts, seeds, avocadoes and olives. This includes the cooking oils made from these foods like avocado oil, olive oil, macadamia and other healthy oils.

Polyunsaturated

These kinds of fats are usually described as hybrids consisting of both monounsaturated and saturated fats. They have been classified as healthy because of their ability to lower bad cholesterol. However, many nutritionists including Paleo diet experts, are still wary of its effects on your health.

Saturated

These are perhaps some of the most talked about kinds of fats in the nutrition world. Although most experts agree that these fats increase cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, some still argue that they are not all unhealthy.

Trans

There is no disagreement about how unhealthy and dangerous consuming Trans fats is. They are the most artificial of all fats and can be found in many processed oils. Because oils with Trans fats are easier and faster to cook with, many fast food outlets use it to prepare food.

Omega Fatty Acids

These are a kind of fats found mostly in seafood, seeds and nuts. They are classified into omega 3s and 6.

Fats you can eat on the Paleo Diet

From the above list of fats, it comes as no surprise that the Paleo diet encourages monounsaturated fats. These are fats that can be sourced from nuts, seeds and natural, unrefined cooking oils. They are preferred because the fats help reduce LDL cholesterol, therefore cutting your risk of getting heart disease in half.

These are also the kinds of fats your body needs the most. They are used by different cells for energy and other important uses. However, they are still high in calories. If dieters overeat these fats, the body will have more than it needs and will store excess as body fat.

Another type of fats the Paleo diet allows are omega fatty acids. This fat can be sourced from fish and other seafood, especially salmon. They have various uses in the body, some of which include reducing inflammation associated with conditions like heart disease and arthritis. They are also known for being good for the brain.

Omega fatty acids are unique in that dieters need to maintain a healthy balance between omega 3 and 6. These fatty acids play off each other, and if you overload on one and neglect the other, you might experience some negative health effects.

Having high levels of omega 6 without enough omega 3 can lead to diseases like:

Diabetes
Obesity
Heart disease
Arthritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Metabolic syndrome

Fats You Cannot Eat on the Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet is based on intensive research that suggests some fat is not healthy and can have dangerous effects on the body. As a result, the diet excludes these fats to ensure dieters enjoy the healthiest diet possible and avoid a myriad of diseases for longer life.

Saturated fats

The diet tries to eliminate saturated fats as much as possible. This is because saturated fats increase cholesterol, which triggers a range of illnesses and symptoms. The fat is commonly found in many meats, dairy, hydrogenated cooking oils, baked goods and processed meats. Because fats raise LDL cholesterol, dieters who indulge in the mentioned foods can potentially experience:

Thickened, narrow or clogged arteries
Plaque buildup in the heart
Chest pains
Damaged brain cells leading to stroke
Bile imbalance in the stomach causing digestive problems
Abdominal pains
Bloody, irregular stools
Jaw pain
Gallstones

High cholesterol is very harmful to the body and is the catalyst behind the many symptoms and disease people experience today. The Paleo diet urges dieters to go back to the hunter-gatherer era where saturated fat was hardly consumed and heart disease was rare.

To achieve this, dieters should:

Eat organically raised animal meat
Avoid processed meats and those with excessive marbling
Avoid dairy products and refined oils
Avoid commercially baked and processed foods

Trans fats

Although there is some debate about saturated and polyunsaturated fats, nutritionists agree that there is nothing good about trans fats. In fact, experts say that it is the worst kind of fat a human being can ever eat. Although this fat is found naturally in some foods, most of it is manufactured by partially hydrogenating oils and then adding these oils to foods.

Most people wonder why food producers are even allowed to use trans fats given their effects on health. The reason why the fats are used is because they have a longer shelf life. In other words, processed foods with this fat last longer and its cooking oil can be used repeatedly without changing it.

Trans fats are most prevalent in:

Fried foods (fast food)
Baked goods
Snacks like potato chips, microwave popcorn and many packaged goods
Dough and products made from it (biscuits, frozen pizzas, etc.)
Products made from vegetable oils (margarine, cream, etc.)

Trans fats not only raise bad LDL cholesterol, they also decrease good HDL cholesterol. This double action is detrimental for your heart and is a precursor to cardiovascular disease, strokes, gallstones and many other illnesses.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are often referred to as a “mixed bag” by Paleo diet experts. This is because they can be both beneficial and harmful. Vegetable oils, for instance, might contain omega 3 acids that are healthy for your body, but also have too many omega 6 fats, which can cause health problems. This is why Paleo advocates encourage dieters to avoid vegetable and fish oils, peanuts and other foods with polyunsaturated fats.

Fats are an essential part of any meal plan. However, the type of fats you eat have a significant impact on your health. Paleo diet experts advise dieters to stick to monounsaturated and omega fatty acids because they are very healthy. This means, you should avoid saturated, Trans and some polyunsaturated fats whenever possible.

Difference between the Ketosis and Paleo Diet

Ever since the Paleo diet started making waves, it has been compared to a number of low-carb meal plans, one of which is the Ketosis diet. The similarities between the two suggest that they are based on the same premise. However, Paleo experts disagree and claim that their diet differs from the Ketosis in every way, from food choices to its effects on the body.

An Overview of the Ketosis Diet

The Ketosis diet is a meal plan based on the premise that reducing your carbohydrates can promote weight loss. It is a version of a low-carb diet in that it cuts down carbs drastically. What makes it different is that its goal is a state called ketosis. Ketosis is when the body chooses to use fats and protein as a source of energy instead of carbohydrates. According to ketogenic experts, it is a fat-burning state conducive to weight loss.

What You Eat on the Ketosis Diet

Like the Paleo diet, the ketosis also has its list of preferred foods dieters are allowed to eat in order to see results. These include:

Animal and plant-based protein

On the ketosis meal plan, dieters can get their protein from both animals and plants. Sources of protein can include all types of meat as well as seafood. You can also eat legumes and nuts provided they do not come in sauces containing carbohydrates.

Fats from oils and dairy

Fats are a significant part of the ketogenic diet and can be sourced from a variety of cooking oils, dairy and fish. Permissible cooking oils include olive, flax seed, avocado, macadamia, coconut and vegetable oils. You can also fill up on healthy fats from butter, milk, cheese and other dairy products except those high in sugar like ice-cream.

Vegetables

The ketosis generally prefers vegetables that are green and leafy. Dieters are warned to steer clear of high-carb veggies like potatoes, squash, carrots, pumpkin, yams and squash. These vegetables are to be avoided because they contain a high amount of carbohydrates and sugar capable of sabotaging ketosis.

Grains

Whole grains like quinoa, couscous and brown rice can be eaten in some versions of the ketogenic diet, but in very limited amounts.

Beverages

Although fruit juices are not allowed, dieters are permitted to drink coffee and teas. Drinking plenty of water is also encouraged as it hastens metabolic processes and prevents dehydration.

How the Paleo Diet Compares

The Paleo diet shares certain elements of the ketosis meal plan but also differs from it in several ways. Let’s look at how the Paleo’s food choices differ from ketogenic options.

The foods permitted on the Paleo diet include:

Animal proteins
Fats from nuts, seeds, fish and natural oils
Vegetables
Fresh fruit
Natural, unprocessed beverages like water and teas

Difference in Proteins

There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between the source of proteins in both diets, but the Paleo diet is strictly against some plant-based protein. It particularly discourages protein from legumes like beans, lentils and peanuts. Apart from meat and eggs, the only other sources of protein allowed include vegetables, fish and nuts.

Difference in Fats

While the ketosis diet appears to be a high-fat diet, the Paleo meal plan contains moderate amounts of fats. The source and types of fats are also important distinctions. Ketosis advocates fats derived from a range of cooking oils and dairy, as long as they are not hydrogenated. This includes products like butter, ghee and vegetable oils.

The Paleo diet, on the other hand, only supports fats from certain oils and sometimes butter, provided it is made from grass-fed animals. Cooking oils need to be made from plants like coconuts, avocado and olives. Fats can also be derived from nuts and seafood. Fats from dairy products are strictly prohibited.

Difference in Grains

Although grains are discouraged from the ketosis diet, there are some versions of the meal plan that allow a cup or two of grains a day. Grains, however, need to be whole and not refined. They are used as a source of carbohydrates, especially for dieters who experience low energy levels. The Paleo diet forbids all kinds of grains, whether they are whole or refined.

Difference in Fruit

As you might have noticed, there is no fruit list for the ketosis diet, which is typical of low-carb diets. Dieters are discouraged from eating any form of sugar, even those from fresh fruit. The argument is that glucose and fructose, both of which are found in fruits, can promote insulin resistance and trigger weight gain and obesity.

Paleo supporters strongly disagree with this view. They argue that glucose and fructose lead to weight gain only when they are sourced from processed foods and are consumed in excessive amounts. In other words, the levels of glucose and fructose in fruits are low, provided you eat fruit low in sugars. In addition, fresh fruit contain nutrients that the body needs, which of course are good for health.

Difference in Beverages

One of the few elements the Paleo and ketosis diet have in common is water. Dieters are encouraged to drink plenty of water, ideally 8-10 glasses each day. However, the Paleo diet shies away from caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea. Although they are not strictly discouraged, they are not strictly banned from the meal plan.

Which Diet is Most Effective for Weight Loss?

The question of which diet is more effective for losing weight is a head-scratcher. Both diets require lifestyle dietary changes and both have equal potential for weight loss. With the ketogenic diet, you can lose weight rapidly once your body enters the state of ketosis, but long term results have not yet been scientifically confirmed.

The Paleo diet also has great potential for weight loss in the short and long term. Because it discourages all manner of processed foods, limits many fatty foods and reduces carbohydrates, it has all the makings of an effective lifelong weight loss plan. Read more about the Paleo diet and consult your doctor to make an informed decision.

Best foods for Rosacea diet

Rosacea can be one of the most frustrating conditions to have because it is often mistaken for acne or skin sensitivity. Because it’s frequently misdiagnosed and therefore wrongly treated, sufferers of this skin condition find controlling it through the Rosacea diet much more effective. Research has discovered that Rosacea can be hereditary or caused by bacteria, mites and even fair skin. Symptoms, however, can be managed and kept to a minimum through good dietary choices.

What are the symptoms of Rosacea?

Cases of Rosacea range from minor to severe and if left untreated, symptoms can get worse. One of the most common telltale signs of this skin ailment is flushing episodes. This is when the skin feels uncomfortably hot and you experience a blush on the face, neck and chest. Skin turns red for a few minutes per episode but without treatment through medication, surgery or the Rosacea diet, the blush turns into permanent redness.

Another symptom is skin that is sensitive to touch and to sunlight. Spots might appear on the face and skin might become blotchy or swollen. It is also common for blood vessels on the nose and cheeks to appear in a formation that resembles a spider web. Other signs include blurred vision, burning in the eyes, inflamed eyelids and an enlarged nose.

Which foods trigger Rosacea?

It is believed that hot foods and drinks can flare up symptoms. Patients are also warned to avoid caffeinated drinks and spicy foods. Dairy products like cheese, milk and cream are also known for aggravate the condition.

Which foods treat and control Rosacea?

There is no one exhaustive Rosacea diet. Some patients have reported seeing symptoms after eating beans, vinegar and spinach. Others say that chocolate, cheese and citrus fruits are the culprits behind their worsening condition. This means that your Rosacea diet should be unique to you because even the healthiest of foods can intensify your condition.

The best way to go about creating your daily diet is to stick to balanced meals. Include plenty of proteins from meat, fish, eggs, beans and milk and carbohydrates from whole wheat breads, pastas, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed, packaged foods and treats with excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates to be safe. Cook meals with canola, vegetable or olive oil and snack on nuts and seeds.

Keep a detailed food journal of your meals to keep track of ingredients that cause flare ups. This will help you determine which foods you should avoid in future.

Avoid cooking with hot spices such as pepper, curry, chili powder, cayenne and paprika. It is best to substitute these with milder flavors like cumin, coriander, turmeric, sage, basil, oregano and cardamom.

Extra precautions

There are other elements outside of your diet that can aggravate symptoms and mislead you into thinking food is to blame. Exposure to sunlight, using harsh skin products, stress, humidity, windy weather, saunas, hot showers and baths are all contributing factors. Speak to your doctor if you suspect you have Rosacea and ask for further dietary and treatment advice.

Pros and Cons of the Anorexic Diet

To this day, many people are surprised to discover that the anorexic diet exists. In fact, advocates have taken the diet a step further by publishing diet books about it. It is basically an eating plan that aims to achieve the same weight loss as anorexic patients do. Because there is a thin line between being anorexic and following the meal plan, it’s important to examine how this method actually works.

The Basics of the Anorexic Diet

For a long time, diet experts have advised people against depriving themselves of food in order to lose weight. The reason is because of a state called “starvation mode” where the body hangs on to existing fat as a means to survive. Although there is truth to this, it is also true that prolonged deprivation and consumption of fewer calories can counter starvation mode and lead to weight loss. This is the premise of the anorexic diet.

On the anorexic diet, dieters are encouraged to consume 500-800 calories a day. You can also take vitamin and fiber supplements to meet your daily recommended intake. Generally, you should strive to eat only five bites of food every meal, regardless of the type of food you choose. This diet’s promoters claim that reducing calories drastically will ultimately result in quick, significant weight loss. The duration of the meal plan is not specified.

The Pros of the Anorexic Diet

Given the effects of anorexia nervosa on the body, it is difficult to outline benefits. However, anorexic patients do experience a lot of weight loss, which is why many people are interested in this diet as a solution. Reducing calories is also one of the cornerstones of weight loss, and is an important principle of this meal plan.

The Cons of the Anorexic Diet

The anorexic diet does not provide nearly enough calories body processes need to keep your systems functioning normally. In other words, eating less than 1200 calories a day can disturb vital organs and prevent your body from performing its daily duties. Nutritional deficiencies can cause a wide range of illnesses. You are also likely to experience consistent fatigue, dizziness, fogginess, mental disorientation, bowel conditions, muscle weakness and many other symptoms.

This meal plan is also not sustainable. Dieters who attempt it usually revert back to their old eating patterns and gain more weight than they wanted off. Other followers of the diet claim to have lost weight after prolonged used, but developed the actual eating disorder in the process.

Seeking Professional Help

It is not uncommon for those on the anorexic diet to end up developing anorexia nervosa over time. Dieters skate a thin line with this meal plan because it is difficult to differentiate whether a person actually has anorexia nervosa or is just using the diet as a meal plan. If this is a weight loss option you’re seriously considering, speak to your doctor about it immediately.

Anorexia nervosa is a devastating condition and any diet that encourages its development should be approached with caution. Although it is based on calorie-reduction techniques that are effective, there are many other ways to change your diet that are healthier and safer.