Paleo Diet
Paleolithic Diet: The Paleo Diet, or to give its full name, the Paleolithic Diet, is a dietry regime that modern day humans (us) follow in order to simulate the kind of food intake our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have ate.
In those far gone pre-historic days, hunting food and gathering food was the norm for humans (according to paleontologists) and, as we modern-day humans are best evolved for that lifestyle, mimicking the hunter-gatherer diet is the most natural, and most healthy dietry choice for us to follow.
The Paleolithic diet encompasses fish, eggs, lean meat, fruit, tree-nuts, root vegetables, berries and green leaves. In general anything that can be hunted and picked and eaten raw is allowed. It should be noted that it is not neccessary to eat food raw, just that it is possible to eat it raw.
The Paleo Diet is also known as the "caveman diet", or stone age diet, or hunter gatherer diet, or simply the paleodiet.
Further reading and information about the Paleo Diet here, and here.
Atkins Diet
Atkins Diet: The Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The Atkins Diet was popularised by Dr Robert Atkins who resolved his own obesity by following the diet.
Dr Robert Atkins propounded that refined carbohydrates such as flour, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup were the major contributors to obesity in the Western World.
Dr Robert Atkins suggested by eliminating or greatly reducing these (sugar, flour, fructose syrup) carbohydrates from the human diet it was possible to eat freely AND lose weight.
In many ways, the Atkins diet (especially at the beginning of the diet) seeks to create a state of Ketosis, and thus force the human metabolism to burn fat instead of glucose.
Interestingly, the Atkins' diet is one of the few modern diets that specifically allows alcohol to be consumed regularly as part of the dietry regime.
Further reading and information about the Atkins Diet here, and here.
Ketogenic Diet
Ketogenic Diet: The Ketogenic Diet is aimed at getting the body to go into a state of ketosis where the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. Ketones then circulate in the blood and are used as fuel for the heart, brain and the rest of the body instead of glucose.
Ketones in the blood are a perfectly healthy response of the body to needing to use up fat stores when sugar, glucose and carbohydrates are not immediately available. Rapidweight loss can be achieved with a ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet may also help regulate the body's production of insulin, which may have other health benefits. Research into the effects of ketones, and the insulin response is currently being carried out.
Further reading and information about the Ketogenic Diet here, and here.
Instincto Diet
Instincto Diet: The Instincto Diet allows you to eat anything, as long as it is raw and, importantly, as long as it tastes good to you and you want to eat it. Also known as Anopsology, the Instincto diet was created in 1964 by Guy-Claude Berger.
Guy-Claude Berger proposed the theory of Anopsology, the Instincto Diet, based on the hypothesis that humans are genetically adapted through evolution to consume original / raw foods.
The smell and tase of food is of vital importance in the Instincto Diet. Anopsologists maintain that we (modern-day humans) are evolved absolutely to recognise good and healthy food; and if a food smells good AND tastes good then it IS good for us (humans). So. Instincto Diet followers are free to browse and eat whatever they want and need, as long as it is raw, AND IMPORTANTLY, as long as it tastes good.
The central concept of the Instincto Diet is that we can trust our bodies to know and recognise food that is good for us, and also recognise when we have eaten enough of a good food.
This instinctive sensibility to the food we eat is only possible if we don't change our food in ANY way from its original, natural and raw state. Even simply adding salt or a spice to a natural food changes the way our body will evaluate that food (according to Anopsology).
The Instincto Diet is sometimes described as "the raw food diet" or "rawism".
Further reading and information about the Instincto Diet here, and here.
Mediterranean Diet
Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean Diet conjures up sun drenched tomatoes, healthy, crisp, fresh-grown salads, flapping fish and luscious golden olive oil, but of course, it is much more than that. As much a lifestyle statement as a diet, the Mediterranean Diet emphasises natural unprocessed and healthy wholefoods.
The Mediterranean Diet incorporates fresh, locally available seasonal foods, and so the Mediterranea Diet changes with the seasons and the availability of fresh locally-caught, or locally grown food. In summer there are fresh salads, in winter nourishing bean soups and stews.
Other common foods incorporated into the Mediterranean Diet include beans, fruit, tree-nuts and the ubiquitous olive, and olive oil. Chickens, eggs and beans are an important staple, and good source of protein. Fresh caught fish is relished, as is fresh grown tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and squashes. dairy products eaten include yoghurt and cheese.
Another important aspect of the Mediterranean Diet, sometimes forgotten when we are just counting calories is that regular excercise and relaxed dining are important factors. In addition, it seems to me, the benefit of the sun plays a role in a healthy diet, ensuring people in the Mediterranen climate zone do not suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
Further reading and information about the The Mediterranean Diet here, and here.
Superfoods
Superfoods: Superfoods are a class of food that contain nutrients that have above average health benefits for human beings. I say "above average" because all food has some health benefit to us homo sapiens. Superfoods, however may be abundant in anti-oxidants, or vitamin C, or dietry fibre, or essential minerals. Superfoods are sometimes claimed to be able to reduce your risk of cancer, lower the "bad" cholesterol circulating in our veins, lower the chance heart disease and even, improve mental cognition and mental health - super food indeed!
Superfood Examples: Some examples of some (but not all) commonly described superfoods are blueberries, seaweed, yogurt, spinach, tomatoes, pomegranate, wheatgrass, apples, pumpkin, oranges, oily fish, turkey, oats, soy, cherries, lentils, shiitake and maitake mushrooms, olive oil, pickles, honey, brazil nuts, walnuts, red wine, tofu, avocado, asparagus, brocolli, bananas, chile peppers, kidney beans, and there are even superdrinks: coffee, tea, and cocoa. As you can see from this list (which is certainly not exhaustive) there are an abundance of super food choices that can be added to anyone's diet, at almost any meal.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon appears to have multiple health benefits. As well as being a powerful anti-oxidant, Cinnamon is a natural food preservative; as when Cinnamon is added to food it inhibits the growth of bacteria. Cinnamon is good for flavouring and enhancing spicy foods - it has a warming aroma and taste. Cinnamon is known to lower LDL cholesterol, the effect occuring with just half-a teaspoonful of cinnamon a day.
Other positive health benefits attributed to Cinnamon both in Ancient Times and in modern medical studies include anti-athritic properties, the ability to lower cholesterol, cinnamon is said to be good for flatulence, good for stomach cramps and digestion problems, good for freshening the breath, and cinnamon has a beneficial effect on the bodies ability to regulate blood sugar levels, and also improve memory and brain function - Cinnamon is a super food indeed!
Caution is neeeded when purchasing Cinnamon as there are two distinct varieties of this sweet, golden brown spice. Make sure to purchase the cinnamon you actually want. The true cinnamon is Ceylon Cinnamon, and is usually purchased in quills. The bark of the cinnamon plant has been harvested, dried and rolled into quills. There is another version of cinnamon from a totally different plant that is sold as cinnamon bark - this is Cassia Cinnamon - and I personally, would avoid this type as it has been shown in some medical studies to have possible anti-health effects.
Further reading and information about Superfoods here, and here and here.
Fasting
Fasting: Fasting as a human dietry choice is often claimed to have multiple health benefits. Apart from the very obvious benefit to those who are obese or overweight of losing some excess body fat, there are claims that fasting can cure desease, strengthen the immune system and contribute to a happier and healthier life.
Further reading and information about Fasting here.
Alternate Day Fasting
Alternate day fasting: Alternate Day Fasting is a dietry regime that allows unrestricted eating for 24 hours followed by a food fast of the same time. There is some scientific evidence that such a fasting diet can have considerable health benefits. In studies on mice that followed this alternate day fasting diet, lifespans for the mice were extended by a third! compared to mice who ate every day. Alternate day fasting offers a viable method of managing calorie intake without having to focus on calorie counting at meal times. Just eat what you want on one day, then eat nothing the following day... and repeat! Of course, it would be important to stay hydrated when on the alternate day fasting dietry regime, so water should be drank freely as needed.
Further reading and information about Intermittent Fasting and Alternate Day Fasting here.
Juice Fasting
Juice Fasting: Juice Fasting is a popular way of trying out a detox fasting diet without feeling like you are starving yourself in the process. Juice fasting encompasses almost any nutricious vegetable or fruit that is "juiced" in a blender and drunk as a substitute for a more traditional meal. Fresh vegetables and fruit are valuable sources of vitamins, anti-oxidants and micro-nutrients, and processing vegetables and fruit in a juicer maintains this food value.
Further reading and information about Dieting, Life, The Universe, The Meaning of Life and Everything here.
Why Diet?
Why Diet?: Well, this is not going to be a re-gurgitation of the multiple websites that are re-hashing dieting information. (Excuse the very deliberate foodie wording: -)).
What I want to write here are MY reasons for dieting.
Reasons that include feeling unhealthy and also include the continual need to detox, and wanting to better understand the food, drink and other substances (water?) I am consuming. Of course, I am also always seeking a healthier lifestyle, a healthier and a better way to live in and with the world.
Diets and dieting can become an obsessive interest. It can dominate and overpower everyday life. In some way this is unavoidable - we have to eat and, of course, feel like we NEED to eat every day. Dealing with these feelings and controlling our eating is important for health and well-being.
Further reading and information about Dieting, Life, The Universe, The Meaning of Life and Everything here.