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.... diet
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
Accept: rice, cornflour, honey, salad vegetables, all fruits, preserves. ... diet - low protein
As the Vegan diet is deficient in Vitamin B12 which may lead to anaemia, supplements are available. Some Vegan products have this vitamin added.
Their rule is to combine legumes with other cereals, seeds or nuts at the same meal. The combination is claimed to be equal to one animal based. ... diet - vegan
“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
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
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
Unsaturated fatty acids, as in vegetable oils, should replace animal fats (saturated fatty acids) that increase deposits of cholesterol on the inner coat of arteries and encourage hardening. Vegetable oils contain lecithin – a homogeniser which thins and separates the cholesterol, sweeping it along through the bloodstream and preventing deposits to form on walls of the arteries.
A study on the European population has shown a strong link between oily fish consumption and a reduced risk of heart disease. Populations that eat a lot of fish, such as Greenland Eskimos (about 400g a day) and Japanese fishermen (about 200g a day) have low rates of heart disease.
Another study, by the Leiden University of the Netherlands, has found that men who ate more than 30g of fish per day were less than half as likely to die from coronary heart disease as those who ate no fish. A diet high in fish lowers plasma cholesterol, triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein levels and is of value in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia (abnormally high concentration of fats in the blood).
Indicated: Magnesium-containing foods, lecithin, Evening Primrose oil for gamma linoleic acid which is converted into prostaglandin E1 in the body and helps reduce high blood pressure and prevents platelet clumping. Coffee carries a risk factor and should be taken sparingly – alternatives: herbal teas Rutin, Lime flowers and others as available in bulk or tea-bags. Green grapes.
Supplements, daily: Vitamin C 1g; Vitamin E 400iu; Magnesium 300mg – 450mg for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Iodine. Chromium, Selenium. Garlic tablets/capsules – 2-3 at night.
Flora margarine is high in essential polyunsaturated fats – made from sunflower seed oil. Hay diet: good results reported. ... diet - heart and circulation
Fibre-deficient foods lead to poor elimination of body wastes and constipation, disposing the colon to a toxic state. This induces depression, a coated tongue and tiredness during the day. Such foods bring about a change in the balance of bowel bacterial flora, and form gas which may cause pouches of diverticulitis to develop. One of its less obvious effects is to enhance the risk of tooth and gum disease. Soon calcium is expelled by the urine and the intake of magnesium reduced, thus favouring the development of stone.
All plant material; leaves, stalks, seeds etc contain fibre. High-fibre foods include: whole grains, wholemeal bread, wholemeal flour (100 per cent extraction rate), crispbreads, biscuits (digestive, bran, oatmeal or coconut), raw green salad materials, potatoes boiled in their jackets, breakfast cereals (porridge, muesli, All-Bran, Shredded Wheat), brown rice, bran (2 teaspoons thrice daily; increase if necessary), fresh or dried fruit once or twice daily. ... diet - high fibre
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
The average macrobiotic diet is made up approximately of the proportions: whole grains 45 per cent; vegetables 25 per cent; beans, legumes and seeds 10 per cent; nuts 5 per cent; fruit 5 per cent; seaweeds 5 per cent; poultry 2.5 per cent; fish 2.5 per cent.
Whole grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, corn. Vegetables: green leaves and roots – grown organically. Beans, legumes and seeds: all beans, aduki, lentils, chickpeas. Seeds: sesame, sunflower, etc. Seaweeds: hiziki, wakama, dulse, Carragheen moss, kelp. Very low sugar. Moderate fats and oils. ... diet - macrobiotic
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
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
Overconsumption of alcohol can lead to various alcohol-related disorders. A high salt intake predisposes a person towards hypertension. Some components of the diet protect against disease. For example, fibre protects against diverticular disease, chronic constipation, and haemorrhoids.
Many people’s diets contain too few natural vitamins. Pregnant women need high intakes of folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
Although many illnesses are commonly ascribed to food allergy, it is only rarely that a definite link is proved. (See also nutritional disorders).... diet and disease
Health Encyclopedia