Diet: From 3 Different Sources
See nutrition.
The mixture of food and drink consumed by an individual. Variations in morbidity and mortality between population groups are believed to be due, in part, to di?erences in diet. A balanced diet was traditionally viewed as one which provided at least the minimum requirement of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals needed by the body. However, since nutritional de?ciencies are no longer a major problem in developed countries, it seems more appropriate to consider a ‘healthy’ diet as being one which provides all essential nutrients in su?cient quantities to prevent de?ciencies but which also avoids health problems associated with nutrient excesses.
Major diet-related health problems in prosperous communities tend to be the result of dietary excesses, whereas in underdeveloped, poor communities, problems associated with dietary de?ciencies predominate. Excessive intakes of dietary energy, saturated fats, sugar, salt and alcohol, together with an inadequate intake of dietary ?bre, have been linked to the high prevalence of OBESITY, cardiovascular disease, dental caries, HYPERTENSION, gall-stones (see GALL-BLADDER, DISEASES OF), non-insulindependent DIABETES MELLITUS and certain cancers (e.g. of the breast, endometrium, intestine and stomach) seen in developed nations. Health-promotion strategies in these countries generally advocate a reduction in the intake of fat, particularly saturated fat, and salt, the avoidance of excessive intakes of alcohol and simple sugars, an increased consumption of starch and ?bre and the avoidance of obesity by taking appropriate physical exercise. A maximum level of dietary cholesterol is sometimes speci?ed.
Undernutrition, including protein-energy malnutrition and speci?c vitamin and mineral de?ciencies, is an important cause of poor health in underdeveloped countries. Priorities here centre on ensuring that the diet provides enough nutrients to maintain health.
In healthy people, dietary requirements depend on age, sex and level of physical activity. Pregnancy and lactation further alter requirements. The presence of infections, fever, burns, fractures and surgery all increase dietary energy and protein requirements and can precipitate undernutrition in previously well-nourished people.
In addition to disease prevention, diet has a role in the treatment of certain clinical disorders, for example, obesity, diabetes mellitus, HYPERLIPIDAEMIA, inborn errors of metabolism, food intolerances and hepatic and renal diseases. Therapeutic diets increase or restrict the amount and/or change the type of fat, carbohydrate, protein, ?bre, vitamins, minerals and/or water in the diet according to clinical indications. Additionally, the consistency of the food eaten may need to be altered. A commercially available or ‘homemade’ liquid diet can be used to provide all or some of a patient’s nutritional needs if necessary. Although the enteral (by mouth) route is the preferred route for feeding and can be used for most patients, parenteral or intravenous feeding is occasionally required in a minority of patients whose gastrointestinal tract is unavailable or unreliable over a period of time.
A wide variety of weight-reducing diets are well publicised. People should adopt them with caution and, if in doubt, seek expert advice.
n. 1. the mixture of foods that a person eats. A balanced diet contains the correct proportions of all the nutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulphur, magnesium, the *trace elements), and *dietary fibre, as well as water, carbohydrates and fats (which provide energy), and proteins (required for growth and maintenance). 2. a restrictive regime of food intake used by an individual to lose weight.
See ROUGHAGE.... fibre, dietary
This contains such an excess of fats that acetone and other KETONE bodies appear in the urine. The diet is sometimes used in the treatment of EPILEPSY and chronic infections of the urinary tract by Escherichia coli; butter, cream, eggs and fat meat are allowed, whilst sugar, bread and other carbohydrates are cut out as far as possible.... ketogenic diet
A synthetic form of the female sex hormone oestrogen, occasionally used to treat prostate cancer (see prostate, cancer of) and, in postmenopausal women only, breast cancer. Common side effects include nausea, oedema, and breast enlargement (gynaecomastia) in men.... diethylstilbestrol
A FILARICIDE derived from PIPERAZINE used to treat FILARIASIS – a group of diseases caused by parasitic worms called nematode ?lariae.... diethylcarbamazine citrate
See DIETETICS.... dietitian
Lysergic acid diethylamide belongs to the ergot group of ALKALOIDS. It has various effects on the brain, notably analgesic and hallucinogenic, thought to be due to its antagonism of 5hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). In small doses it induces psychic states, in which the individual may become aware of repressed memories. For this reason it may help in the treatment of certain anxiety states, if used under skilled supervision. LSD rapidly induces TOLERANCE, however, and psychological DEPENDENCE may occur, although not physical dependence. Serious side-effects include psychotic reactions, with an increased risk of suicide.... lysergic acid diethylamide (lsd)
GENERAL DIET use as a base.
Life is our most precious gift. But at some point that gift might be at risk. It is at such time that food and drink may contribute to our sense of well-being.
Rapidly accumulating evidence links cancer to a growing public awareness of the role of diet. Also, involvement of supplements in cancer prevention are a fruitful area of research.
Vital food enzymes are not destroyed in cooking when a large proportion of food is eaten raw. All food should be free from additives.
A high fat intake is a risk factor in cancer of the ovary, womb and prostate gland. It also affects the bowel flora, changing bile acid metabolism and the concentration of carcinogenic bile acid metabolites. Obesity significantly increases risk of cancer.
Epidemiological studies in man show that people with low Vitamin A levels are more susceptible to lung cancer. Cancer risk is increased by low levels of Vitamin A, particularly Beta Carotene, Vitamin E and Selenium.
Antioxidants control the activity of free-radicals that destroy body cells, and source foods containing them are therefore of value in cancer prevention. Most cancers generate a high degree of toxicity and this is where antioxidants, particularly Vitamin C are indicated. A deficiency of Vitamin C has been associated with cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, lungs and breast. This vitamin is known to increase life expectancy in terminally ill patients and is a mild analgesic for pain. Vitamin B6 may be of value for nausea.
Vitamins and minerals of value: Vitamins A, B6, C, E, Calcium, Chromium, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Selenium, Zinc.
Stimulants should be avoided: cocoa, alcohol, sugar, coffee (including decaffeinated). Tea should not be too strong as it inhibits absorption of iron. Choice should be over a wide range of foods, to eat less fat and more wholegrain cereals and raw fresh fruit and vegetables. ... diet - cancer
Often more difficult to ‘put on’ than to ‘take off’ weight. Eat plenty of carbohydrates: bread and wholemeal products. Butter, margarine and other fats, meats, eggs, cream and cheese. In order to metabolise these effectively, without kidney or liver congestion, large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables and juices should be eaten. Increase daily Vitamin B-complex intake. See: THIN PEOPLE. ... diet - thin people
To lower cholesterol. Avoid all animal fats and dairy products, bacon, ham, lobster, shell fish, milk (use skimmed), rich sauces, gravies, the use of cream, eggs, offal, ice cream, cheese (cottage cheese accepted), cream puffs, fried foods, crab, salami, pork, beef steak, veal, baked custard, mayonnaise made with eggs, milk chocolate, fried fish and chips. Alcohol, refined sugars. Accept: white fish, lean meat, chicken, skimmed milk, Tofu products, nuts except cashew and coconut, bread, breakfast cereals, cottage cheese, plenty of fruits and fruit juices, raw green vegetables and salad materials. For cooking – polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, corn or Soya. No more than 3 eggs per week. 2-3 fatty fish meals each week to prevent clumping of platelets. Artichokes. Dandelion coffee. ... diet - cholesterol
It is sometimes not possible to achieve worthwhile results from herbal medicine without due regard to the quality and type of food that enters the body. Suggested foods are those which experience has shown to assist recovery and conserve body energies that might otherwise be diverted towards elimination of metabolic wastes.
“A good and proper diet in disease is worth a hundred medicines and no amount of medication can do good to a patient who does not observe a strict regimen of diet.” (Charaka Samhita 300AD)
A healthy diet helps maintain the immune system, builds up reserves and hastens recovery from illness.
A good general diet includes foods low in fat, salt and high in fibre. All white sugar and white sugar products (chocolates, sweets, etc) should be replaced with natural sugars (honey, dates, figs, molasses, raisins etc). It should contain plenty of raw fresh fruit and vegetables; best prepared in a juice-press.
Vegetables should be conservatively cooked in very little water with little salt in a covered vessel. At least one mixed raw vegetable salad should be taken daily. Bread can be replaced by jacket potato, Soya- bean flour products or ripe bananas. Puddings, pastry and suety meals should be avoided.
Lean meat should be restricted to two or three parts a week with liberal inclusion of oily fish. Tofu, a Soya bean product, is an excellent alternative to meat. Three or four eggs, only, should be taken weekly.
Dairy produce (milk, butter, cream) contain cholesterol which thickens the blood, blocks arteries and increases resistance against the heart and major blood vessels, and should be taken sparingly.
Accept: Garlic, Onions, Lecithin, Muesli or Oatmeal porridge for breakfast or at other times during the day, yoghurt, honey.
Reject: fried foods, biscuits, confectionery.
Salt: replace with powdered Garlic, Celery or Kelp.
Alcohol: replace with fresh fruit or raw vegetable juices. Coffee is a risk factor raising cholesterol concentration; Dandelion coffee, Rutin or any one of many herbal teas available offer alternatives.
Avoid over-eating and meals when tired. Foods should be well masticated without liquid drinks; dry- feed. Plenty of liquid drinks, water etc should be taken between meals.
Supplements: Vitamin C 200mg, Vitamin E 200iu, morning and evening. Evening Primrose oil. Efamol produce a combined Evening Primrose and Fish oil capsule.
Dietary fibre can prevent certain colonic diseases. Treatment of disease by diet is preferred to drugs because it has the advantage of being free from side-effects. ... diet - general
Some people cannot absorb the protein gluten present in wheat, barley, rye and oats, and hundreds of foods made from them. Nutritional deficiencies may result in coeliac disease, schizophrenia, allergies and irritable bowel syndrome.
Foods containing gluten include: many breakfast cereals, shredded wheat, wheat germ flakes, white and wholemeal bread, cakes, puddings, biscuits, porridge, rye and wheat crispbreads, crumbled fish and meat, semolina, baked beans, macaroni, baby foods, soups in packets and tins, chocolate, cocoa, spaghetti, muesli, custard, sausages, batter, beer, instant coffee, bedtime drinks and all kinds of pasta.
Natural gluten-free foods include maize, peas, millet, Soya, lima beans, rice. Brown rice is the basic cereal food: cornflakes, puffed rice, rice cereals. Millet flakes, sago, tapioca. These may be prepared in skimmed milk. Gluten-free flours and bread. The potato comes into its own in the gluten-free kitchen, especially for thickening soups and casseroles.
One school of medical thought associates certain nerve dyscrasies with nutritional deficiencies, the gluten-free diet being advised for cases of multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, poliomyelitis, syringomyelia, motor neurone disease.
Book. Gluten-Free cooking Recipes for Coeliacs and Others, by Rita Greer. ... diet - gluten-free
n. an anthelmintic drug that destroys filariae and is therefore used in the treatment of filariasis and loiasis. Side-effects may include headache, malaise, joint pains, nausea, and vomiting.... diethylcarbamazine
acute obstruction of a kidney causing severe pain in the loins. The obstruction usually occurs at the junction of the renal pelvis and the ureter, causing the kidney to become distended with accumulated urine (see hydronephrosis). Sometimes the pelvis drains spontaneously, with relief of pain, but acute decompression of the kidney may be required with surgical relief of the obstruction (*pyeloplasty). [J. Dietl (1804–78), Polish physician]... dietl’s crisis
a diet in which foods suspected of not being tolerated are removed for a period of time and then reintroduced sequentially to identify any that then precipitate symptoms (e.g. *FODMAPS). An exclusion diet is a variant of this, in which a single food is excluded and symptoms monitored for any improvements (e.g. a lactose-free diet).... elimination diet
see elimination diet.... exclusion diet
(LSD) an illegal hallucinogenic drug that was formerly used to aid treatment of certain psychological disorders. Side-effects include digestive upsets, dizziness, tingling, anxiety, sweating, dilated pupils, muscle incoordination and tremor. Alterations in sight, hearing, and other senses occur, psychotic effects, depression, and confusion are common, and tolerance to the drug develops rapidly. Because of these toxic effects, LSD is no longer used clinically. See Appendix 12 for a list of street names for illicit drugs.... lysergic acid diethylamide
Diet plays an important role in modern herbal medicine. A faulty diet may ruin the effect of the best of medicine. In some instances it may seriously hinder recovery. The Hay Diet works well with herbal medicine and comprises three principles.
1. Starches and sugars are not eaten with protein and acid fruit. Acid fruits should be eaten with protein meals.
2. Sugars, proteins, fats and starches are eaten only in small quantities. Vegetables, salads and fruits should form 80 per cent of the diet – all these are necessary to maintain the alkaline reserve.
3. All refined sugars and starches are avoided.
Example: potatoes or bread are not eaten with meat or fish. Sugar or honey are not used on acid fruits.
Sugar and honey are only compatible with starch fruits such as bananas. There are, however, certain foods that are compatible with all meals: mushrooms, oils, butter, cream, raisins, nuts, milk, egg yolks (the white is one of the most acid foods known).
Dr Hay advised against eating refined or processed foods – white sugar, white flour, etc, and against eating one kind of meal within four hours of a meal of the same kind.
Book: “Food Combining for Health”, by Doris Grant and Jean Joice. (Thorsons)
The Hay Diet has proved beneficial for Crohn’s disease, Colitis, Indigestion, Migraine, Raynaud’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Heart disease, Allergies and certain other disturbances. ... diet - the hay diet
Salt is present in most foods. Spices, herbs and peppers (Black or Cayenne) may be used for flavouring. No salt should be used in cooking or added at table. Salty foods such as the following should be avoided:
Reject: canned foods (except fruit), packet mixes, all bought cooked meats – sausages, bacon, ham. Cakes containing baking soda, chocolate, toffee, treacle, bought biscuits, kippers and other smoked fish, yeast extracts, chutneys, sauces, excessively salted cheeses, butter and margarine.
Accept: rice, pasta, cereals, home-made cottage cheese, eggs (3 per week), all meats, chicken, poultry, whitefish, shellfish, herring, salmon, unsalted bread, butter, margarine, vegetable oils, restricted milk and cream, all vegetables and fruits, fruit juices, brown sugar, wines.
Excess salt leads to retention of fluid in body tissues and adds to work the heart will perform. ... diet - low salt
Low fat, low salt, high fibre. Dairy-free (no milk, cream, cheese, eggs). Soya milk is more suitable for children and adults than cow’s milk and provides protein, calories, calcium and vitamins. Polyunsaturates: oils of safflower, corn, Soya, sunflower seed, etc which are rich in essential fatty acids, low levels of which are frequently found in the blood of those with chronic skin disorders. Evening Primrose oil is a rich source of EFAs. Gluten-free diet has proved successful in some cases.
Accept. Goat’s milk, yoghurt, eggs – twice weekly. The high potassium and low salt content of bananas help reduce itching. Lecithin. Oily fish. Purslane is a non-fish source of EPA and suitable for the vegetarian approach. Cottage cheese. Pumpkin seeds as a source of zinc. Dandelion coffee. Artichoke: such as Schoenenberger plant juice. Salad dressing: emulsify 1 teaspoon Cider vinegar to each 2 teaspoons safflower seed oil.
Reject: Fried and greasy foods, pastries, chocolates, sweets, ice cream, spicy foods, seasoning, sausage meats, white flour products, white sugar products, alcoholic drinks, meat from the pig (ham, pork, bacon), peppers, horseradish, condiments. Powdered kelp in place of salt, powdered garlic or celery.
Foods known to contain artificial colours and preservatives. All soft drinks, except those made at home from fresh fruits or raw vegetables; coffee, strong tea, oranges. Cola drinks, chocolate, milk, cream, cheese, whey.
Supplement. Beta carotene.
Study. A flare-up can be caused by nuts, jams, fruits, artificially coloured or flavoured foods. (British Journal of Dermatology, 110, 457, (1984)) ... diet - skin disorders
Diet should be based on 1200 calories a day, eating habits being changed to a simple regime. Low-fat, high carbohydrate and fibre.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and raw vegetables for vitamins and minerals as well as for fibre. As a substitute for mayonnaise use low-fat plain yoghurt. Vegetable fats should replace animal fats: instead of butter – margarine from Sunflower or Safflower oils.
Carbohydrates. At liberty: porridge, muesli, wholemeal bread and wholegrain products, pasta, potatoes, beans, peas, brown rice. These are high in fibre and low in fat. Processed foods should be avoided and those with natural goodness preferred, except for All-Bran which is rich in iron.
Protein. Meat should be taken in small quantities only – turkey, poultry, steamed fish, replace red with grilled lean white meats. Chicken is the most versatile, least expensive and most nutritious of meats. Cottage cheese is low in calories. Food should not be fried but grilled, roasted or baked.
Fluids. Juices, or drinks made with skimmed milk, herb teas. Dandelion coffee. In place of alcohol – carrot, tomato and other fresh vegetable juices.
Reject. Fried foods, white and brown sugar products, honey, sweets, contectionery, jams, biscuits, chocolates, canned fruits, thick soups. Frankfurters, beefburgers, hamburgers, everything from the pig: bacon, ham, pork, lard. Avoid between-meal snacks but chew a carrot or piece of other raw vegetable or fresh fruit.
There is increasing support for a well-balanced vegetarian diet for weight reduction as it contains no animal fats. Protein is preferred from such foods as beans, pulses, nuts, eggs; and calcium from cottage cheese and milk. The Hay Diet also has been found to be frequently effective. ... diet - slimming
(roughage) nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), which cannot be digested and absorbed to produce energy; specifically, sources of NSP that do not contain lignin or resistant starch. Fibre is divided into two types: insoluble (cellulose and hemicelluloses) and soluble (pectins). Highly refined foods, such as sucrose, do not contain dietary fibre. Foods with a high fibre content include wholemeal cereals, vegetables, nuts, and fruit. A diet high in insoluble fibre (e.g. wheat bran, wholegrain and wholemeal bread and cereals) may help prevent bowel diseases, such as constipation, diverticulitis, and colon cancer. Soluble fibre (e.g. oats, barley, beans, pulses, fruit, and vegetables) slows the reabsorption of *bile salts and so helps to lower cholesterol as well as dampening the glycaemic response to glucose (see glycaemic index). A high-fibre diet used to be the first-line advice for irritable bowel syndrome; however, a low *FODMAP diet can be more effective.... dietary fibre
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