diet Archives - BlogAppeal

Fruit Diet

13 Apr

Only Fruit Diet – Too Much of a Good Thing?

Is it possible to overdue a diet? That is exactly what happened to film and TV star Ashton Kutcher as he attempted to slim down for a role in an upcoming biopic movie about Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Staying true to the character, Kutcher started a fruit-only diet which the film claims Jobs adhered too. While part of a healthy diet, it appears fruit may not be enough to sustain an active lifestyle. Kutcher was hospitalized with pancreas problems. He doubled over in pain and his pancreas levels were completely out of whack, he told USA Today.

Interestingly enough, the same happened to Jobs. He died in October 2011 from pancreatic cancer.

The fruitarian diet, which as implied by its name, consists of eating only fruit all day every day. It could result in a dietary double-whammy – too much of a good thing. While your body gladly accepts fruit, and in fact nutritionists encourage daily fruit intake, apples, oranges, pears, and bananas are simply not enough to sustain a healthy lifestyle. People also need protein and other essential vitamin and minerals not necessarily found in fruit. Essentially, fruit alone doesn’t provide cells with enough building blocks to maintain your organs, muscles, bone, immune cells and hormones. As a result your body is tossed out of whack which can lead to serious health risks and even starvation.

The moral of this story is simple: Consult an expert before undergoing any special fad diet. Make sure your body is getting the proper nutrients and vitamins it deserves. Too much of one thing can be bad for your health. The old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away may be true , just as long as you add in some fish and vegetables alongside that apple.

Only Fruit Diet – Too Much of a Good Thing?

13 Apr

Only Fruit Diet – Too Much of a Good Thing?

Is it possible to overdue a diet? That is exactly what happened to film and TV star Ashton Kutcher as he attempted to slim down for a role in an upcoming biopic movie about Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Interestingly enough, the same happened to Jobs. He died in October 2011 from pancreatic cancer.

Nuts and Olive Oil Found to Decrease Heart Disease

13 Apr

Nuts and Olive Oil Found to Decrease Heart Disease

Worried about having a heart attack? Reduce the risk by eating like the Spaniards. That is the recent advice that emerged from a study that examined the health benefits associated with following the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, beans, vegetables, nuts, fish, and fruits.

In fact, about 30 percent of deaths, strokes, and heart attacks can be prevented by following the diet, according a new study published on The New England Journal of Medicine’s website recently. The findings even revealed that drinking wine with meals could reduce the risks.

The study was so clear and conclusive that researchers felt compelled to call it quits early – just after five years – because it would be unethical to continue.

The study followed 7,447 people in Spain who were overweight, smoked or had diabetes or other risk factors for heart diseases as they switched from their normal diets to the Mediterranean diet which is essentially low fat. Researchers assigned one group to use extra virgin olive oil weekly, using about 4 tablespoons a day. The other group was told to eat a combination of nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts – about a quarter cup worth.

The diet’s mainstay? Three fruit servings and two vegetable servings daily. At least three times a week they were required to eat beans, peas, lentils and eat white meat instead of red meat. Those who routinely drank were told to keep drinking, as much as seven glasses of wine a week with meals.

The result was the whopping 30 percent decrease in stroke, heart attack or death. It sounds simple enough. Eat healthy. Stay away from red meat and follow your mother’s advice to always eat your vegetables. In America’s fast paced environment of take-out food and quick meals, staying on this diet would be much easier said than done. But the results are clearly worth the trouble. The next time you are at restaurant maybe try ordering the fish or chicken instead of the bloody steak. Oh, and don’t forget the wine to wash it all down

Low carb vs Low Fat diet

12 Apr

Low-Carb Diet Helps Retain Weight Loss Over Low-Fat Diet

Is a calorie really a calorie?

Researchers from the National Institute of Health recently wrapped up a new study that challenges what we know about the calorie, a unit of measurement used by nutritionists to characterize the energy-producing potential in food.

Essentially, researchers have found that dieters trying to maintain their weight loss burned significantly more calories eating a low-carb diet than they did eating a low-fat diet. The study’s finding published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was designed to see if dieters who changed their type of diet could help shed pounds that are often regained.

Scientists selected 21 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 40, and had them each lose about 30 pounds. After their weight loss, the researchers had different segments use varying diets for four weeks to see if the weight would return. Each diet had the same amount of calories, but the fat, protein and carbohydrate content varied.

The findings revealed that participants burned about 300 calories more a day on a low-carb diet than on a low-fat diet, about the same amount one would burn off with an hour of moderately intense physical activity. Essentially, eating low-carb foods helps you lose more weight than low-fat foods, according to the research.

But despite this finding, researchers are still unclear of the underlying reasoning for these findings. But they theorize that the low-carb diets don’t cause a surge-and-crash in blood sugar, which in turn doesn’t tripper the starvation response. When the body thinks its starving, it turns down its metabolism to conserve energy.

Only time will tell if this theory proves correct, but in the meantime eating a low-carb diet over a low-fat diet may be more beneficial. Of course all diets are hard to maintain and regulate. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to simply change one’s lifestyle altogether by eating healthier and exercising on a routine basis.

Tagged With: weight loss

12 Apr

Low-Carb Diet Helps Retain Weight Loss Over Low-Fat Diet

Is a calorie really a calorie? Researchers from the National Institute of Health recently wrapped up a new study that challenges what we know about the calorie, a unit of measurement used by nutritionists to characterize the energy-producing potential in food. Essentially, researchers have found that dieters trying to maintain their weight loss burned significantly …

Overweight Individuals May Lead A Longer Life, Says JAMA Study

Being overweight is the cause of a host of health risks that contribute to a shorter lifespan, right? Not necessarily, says a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Bucking common belief, the study indicates that being overweight may actually lead to a longer life. The finding is compelling to say …

Your Weight Loss Resolution And Difficulties That Accompany It

If you’ve recently engaged in a weight loss resolution for the new year, take note. New research has emerged regarding weight loss: the longer you maintain an unhealthy weight, the longer and harder it will be to lose. Researchers and practitioners in Australia have found that after a strict clinical weight loss diet, even those …

Tagged With: diet

12 Apr

Nuts and Olive Oil Found to Decrease Heart Disease

Only Fruit Diet – Too Much of a Good Thing?

Is it possible to overdue a diet? That is exactly what happened to film and TV star Ashton Kutcher as he attempted to slim down for a role in an upcoming biopic movie about Apple founder Steve Jobs. Staying true to the character, Kutcher started a fruit-only diet which the film claims Jobs adhered too. …

Low-Carb Diet Helps Retain Weight Loss Over Low-Fat Diet

Mardi Gras Diet

Well, it’s just around the corner. The day you’ve all been waiting for (or dreading). With Mardi Gras coming, the parties have already started with food and drinks galore. But if you’ve been working on keeping the weight off from the last Mardi Gras, you might feel a little trepidation at the upcoming festivities. I …