Tuesday 9 August 2011

Special Diet: A Way to Good Health

Your diet is always an important factor in your health, but it is especially important when you are suffering from any chronic health condition. During treatment, your doctor or dietician may recommend a special diet. So any time you make changes in your eating habits with a specific goal, you’re on a special diet. Special diets may be assigned for long or short term to address actual needs. Sometimes a pre-prepared nutritional formula, or vitamin and mineral supplements may be prescribed along with special diets.

Eating the right kinds and amounts of food can help you feel better and become stronger. If you have any disease conditions, you have to change your diet according to health conditions with help of dietician. But it's also important to get the facts when making changes in your eating habits. Below are some famous special diets: 

With regards to a cancer treatment, every food that we eat or drink can be categorized into several different categories:

1) Foods that feed and strengthen the cancer cells and/or the microbes in the cancer cells and body. Examples would be: refined sugar, refined flour, soda pop, dairy products etc.

2) Foods that cause cancer (e.g. Trans fatty acids [margarine, French fries and virtually every other processed food you by], aspartame [Diet Coke, NutraSweet, Equal, etc.], MSG, polyunsaturated oils [e.g. corn oil], etc.)

3) Foods that directly interfere with alternative treatments for cancer (e.g. chlorine, fluoride, alcohol, coffee, etc.)

4) Foods that occupy and distract the immunity system from focusing on killing the cancer cells (e.g. beef, turkey, etc.)

5) Foods that contain nutrients that kill the cancer cells (Antioxidants), stop the spread of cancer, or in some other way help treat the cancer (e.g. purple grapes with seeds and skin, red raspberries with seeds, strawberries with seeds, broccoli, cauliflower, several herbs, carrots, pineapples, almonds, etc.)

Ideally, during a cancer treatment, if foods are allowed on a particular diet, 100% of everything you eat should be in the category of "Foods that contain nutrients that kill the cancer cells, stop the spread of cancer, or in some other way help treat the cancer. This is why so many cancer diets are very high in certain raw vegetables and certain raw fruits. 

Celiac disease, a digestive disease, requires certain dietary restrictions. If you have celiac disease, you are unable to tolerate the protein gluten contained in wheat, rye, oats and barley. The celiac diet is a gluten-free diet. Gluten is found naturally in specific grains like wheat, barley, rye, spelt and a few other grains. Gluten is found in many commercially made products like salad dressings, sauces, mayonnaise, gravies, and products made from flours like breads, crackers, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods. So if you are suffering from celiac disease you shouldn’t eat these foods. 

Diabetes-Diet is specifically tailored to the needs of diabetics and has been shown to be able to reverse diabetes and enable many patients to be taken off their medication. The Diabetes-Diet strikes right at the core of the condition and is more effective than any current mainstream recommendations. It also prevents further health complications common for diabetes (heart and circulation problems, kidney disease, eyesight deterioration, etc.). A diabetes diet is simply a healthy eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. It is a healthy diet for anyone with diabetes. 

Dietary advice for reducing heart disease risk includes eating a balanced diet with less saturated fat from red meats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar, more fiber and for many people, fewer total calories. Then you can make your heart and the rest of your cardiovascular system even healthier by adding more of these foods. 

The main symptoms of IBS are pain or discomfort in the abdomen, feeling bloated, having a lot of gas (flatulence), diarrhea, constipation, or alternating periods of both. Certain foods can trigger symptoms and these foods differ from person to person. Common food triggers include alcohol, dairy products, beverages that contain caffeine, and the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and mannitol. The IBS diet is designed to avoid foods that will trigger symptoms and encourage the consumption of foods that help correct diarrhea and constipation and reduce gas. The function of the irritable bowel syndrome diet is to give the individual more control over his or her symptoms of IBS and this improve the quality of life. 

Mother who is breast-feeding her child has to eat for two. It is essential that she take balanced nutritious diet. In this period apart from calories and proteins, there is increased need of calcium and iron. Therefore, keep the following in mind:
Include all food groups in daily diet. These groups are cereals, pulses, ghee-oil, sugar, jaggery, vegetables, fruits, milk and its products, condiments. Let her consume more foods containing iron like green leafy vegetables, black sesame seeds.
Let her consume more foods containing calcium like milk & its product, white sesame seeds, ragi, gava, etc. Daily consumption of one liter of milk in any form e.g., as curd, yoghurt, paneer, etc provides all calcium and good quality protein needed.

Almost all pregnant women need to get more protein, more of certain vitamins and minerals such as folic acid and iron, and more calories (for energy). Foods rich in iron are foods that a pregnant woman ѕhουld eat to ensure that her baby receives adequate amounts of oxygen in hіѕ blood аѕ well аѕ over-аll blood supply fοr both mother and child. Aside from iron-rich foods, pregnant women mυѕt eat foods that аrе rich іn Vitamin C. Pregnant women mυѕt not cut off carbohydrates from thеіr pregnancy diet especially the complex carbohydrates аѕ thіѕ food group contains essential nutrients like Iron and B vitamins. Protein-rich foods аrе аlѕο ехсеllеnt foods to eat when pregnant ѕіnсе thеу hеlр іn cell building fοr the fetus. Fοr bone, teeth and muscle development fοr thе baby, pregnant woman mυѕt consume adequate amounts of calcium. Cheese, milk, yogurt and vegetables like broccoli аrе rich іn calcium. Frits аnd vegetables mυѕt be thе staple food fοr аnу pregnant woman аѕ thеѕе food groups contain thе mοѕt essential nutrients, minerals аnd vitamins needed fοr pregnancy like Vitamins A, B, C аnd E аѕ well аѕ riboflavin, folic acid, magnesium and potassium. Lastly, fats (Polyunsaturated & Monounsaturated fats) саn аlѕο be ехсеllеnt foods to eat when pregnant but ѕhουld only be taken plainly.

Managing the ideal body weight is crucial primarily because of several life threatening diseases and disorders associated with weight gain. Being overweight increases the chances of an individual developing high blood pressure, Diabetes mellitus, elevated cholesterol, Coronary heart disease, endometrial cancer, stroke, colon cancer, metabolic problems, breathing disorders or even probability of an early death. The optimal diet for prevention of weight gain is fat-reduced, fiber-rich, and high in low-energy density carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables and whole grain products).Low-carbohydrate diets may be an option for inducing weight loss in Obese peoples, but a very low intake of carbohydrate-rich foods is not commensurate with a healthy and palatable diet in the long-term. 

Fertility and diet go hand-in-hand. There are certain foods that can help boost a woman's chance of becoming pregnant, while other foods can harm her chance of conceiving. Maintaining a proper diet is key when trying to conceive. Meals should be healthy and balanced, containing foods from every food group.

Organic foods, whole wheat, fruits and vegetables can all help increase a woman's chance of becoming pregnant. These foods contain lots of vitamins and minerals, which are key to conception and fetal development. There are some guidelines to follow and these are as follows
  • Eat a lot of organic vegetables and fruits.
  • Eat less dairy or eliminate dairy products.
  • If you eat fish, eat only cold water fish.
  • Reduce the amount of meat that you eat and eat meat that is Grass Fed and Organic.
  • If you eat chicken, eat only free range/Organic chicken.
  • Eat only grains in their whole, natural form
  • Eat high fiber foods with each meal
  • No soy of any form unless fermented such as miso and tempeh
  • No refined sugars or fruit juices (unless freshly juiced).
  • Drink lots of clean water.
The signs of aging include not only wrinkles, but also memory loss, decreased brain function, and an increasing risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. Age-related changes may be delayed by consuming foods and beverages that are rich in a variety of compounds, including antioxidants, and are anti-inflammatory, such as cold-water fish and richly colored fruits and vegetables.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity, adequate rest, avoiding tobacco, and a diet full of healthy foods and beverages can be the best defense against aging.

Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that can be hard to live with if you do not adhere to the right diet and lifestyle. Eating with ulcerative colitis should be based on a well-balanced diet that's high in protein, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, and good fats. Such a diet will provide you with energy and keep you well. Your diet may include meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products (if you don't have lactose intolerance); breads and cereals; fruits and vegetables; and margarine and oils. If you are a vegetarian with ulcerative colitis, dairy products and plant proteins such as soy products can provide the nutritional elements found in meat, fish, and poultry.

Other than these there are so many special diets available e.g. Candida diet, Asthma diet, Autism diet, IBD diet, Diet for allergy, Diet for hypoglycemia etc.

Each diet has its own importance, advantages and disadvantages. So be watchful while following any special diet plan. Take suggestions from your dietician time to time.

 

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