The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Biologic_Dentistry — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 08:47:44 GMT

The paleolithic diet is best, eat what our ancestors ate. I have just discovered red palm oil and it is much better than frying stuff in coconut oil, because coconut oil makes all the food taste like coconuts and red palm oil I don't notice a funny taste. It is extremely healthy, too

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Biologic_Dentistry — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 08:14:58 GMT

The craziest diet I have heard is the one of breatharians. They eat nothing.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Nika Bella — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 01:56:38 GMT

Ok I think I have it! Anyway to DRC, I tried the Master Cleanse I was on it for 12 days I lost 15 lbs. never felt hungry the entire time and in addition I left behind some physical problems I thought were just a part of normal aging. I was begining to believe I had some real medical problem like fibromyalgia (I could never spell, and the cleanse didn't change that) anyway I was hurting all the time and I'm not anymore, after doing the cleanse. I plan to use it 3 times a year the book says you can use it 3 or 4 times a year and for as long as 40 days with no ill effects.

I had more energy after starting it than I did before I began, My husband was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on medication but after doing the cleanse for 10 days his blood pressure is normal, he's been monitoring it for two months now and it's still normal without the medication. After completing the cleanse we are eating healthier, less fatty foods and no fast foods I'm sure that helps but his blood pressure was normal through out the cleanse and has remained so.

I was surprized to hear Dr M. refer to the cleanse as a Wacky Fad Diet, it's been around since 1940 and has had very good results and I know how good I'm still feeling even after two months.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Nika Bella — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 01:38:32 GMT

???

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Cthulhu — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 04:07:29 GMT

Seg,

I am a natural bodybuilder and am majoring in nutrition, biochemistry, etc., and I disagree with some of the "diet information" that you handed out. You said to keep away from most fruits, except berries, because they are high in sugar. People on here somehow forget that Fructose is an insulin-independent monosachharide. This means that it converts into glucose and is stored WITHOUT the action of insulin. Higher sugar fruit or not, it is how that sugar gets absorbed by the body. Fructose is digested differently than refined sugar is.
In fact, fructose has been shown to facilitate both mobilization of endogenous lipid stores and lipid oxidation.

You would have to eat about 4-5 servings of fruit in one sitting to get ANY negative effect from it. When I cut, I make fruits and vegetables the main source of my carbohydrate intake and get fantastic results from it.

In fact, red meat, whey protein powder, and milk- raw or not- actually spike your insulin levels greater than any high GI fruit. This is the BIGGEST misconception going here. In fact, read on the difference between the "Glycemic Index" and the "Insulin Index." For example, the Glycemic Index mentions that milk is low GI, but it is actually high on the Insulin Index. This is because, unlike the Insulin Index, the GI only relates to blood sugar. Fruit does not make you fat. I know this because everyone I train, that is trying to lose weight, I have cut out all processed carbs and eat 4 servings of fruits and vegetables daily and they get fantastic results this way. Something can be low in

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

revcarson — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:06:28 GMT

Detox Diets like the "Maple Syrup diet" known as the "Master Cleanser" are fasts but are often times mistakenly thought of as diets. Are they powerful food diets, to be done often for the sake of weight loss, no that is not there intention. Fasting has a different purpose than building the body it is a detox purpose. Foods can be very detoxifying and Dr. Mercola of course promotes his diet program.

Fasting with a program such as water w/ lemon juice and maple or juice fasting gives immediate changes to how your body feels and is a great natural approach at healing and beginning a new healthy regiment. Many people will make lifestyle changes from doing something as simple as a ten day fast and many people are cured of many ailments and diseases by fasting. Stumbling upon therapeutic fasting is what got me into learning about health because I wanted to continue feeling that great. Mercola hasn't written many articles on fasting but there is many published books and records by doctors on fasting and it is used commonly in European fasting clinics.

Fasting has been around for a long time and is not a "fad diet", even animals will instinctively do it. And what is great is that you don't need to buy a particular companies product to do it.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

C Ed Wright — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:37:06 GMT

To Dr. Mercola:
I smile when I see you refer to Metabolic Type Diet. This is no doubt actually Dr. Peter D'Adamo's Blood Type Diet merely seen from another angle -- Blood Type O, Protein Type; Blood Type A, Carb Type; and so on. Check it out...

To everyone:
Just remember that all the fad diets are simply cases of various people trying to make money via sales of their books; i.e., whatever P.T.Barnum called the Sucker Born Every Minute will buy. Remember when people used to say, "it's just a gland"? The problem was simply too much food going into that 'gland'...! Too much empty carbs, mostly, although some folks need to be reminded from time to time that their beloved 24 ounce T-bone steak is actually Dinner For Four. I once knew a guy who distinctly resembled four fat guys leaning against each other! Don't know what he had for lunch but he'd return with a literally gallon-size soda which he'd drink until dry and then go for another. YA THINK that had something to do with being so huge...? (There'll be a nationwide shortage of mahogany after his coffin gets built...)

Rule Number One: RESIST the Soft Drink Trap, order 'lemon water' with extra lemon wedges when eating out. Lose the sugar addiction if you have one, buy smaller plates, and most weight problems will resolve themselves with sensible choices, including learning how to prepare appetizing veggies & salads to round out your meals. And for crying out loud don't be afraid of your food. Be afraid of pork, however.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

MomShap — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:33:32 GMT

I notice the article says "detox" diets don't work for dieting purposes. I guess what he actually means is that detoxifying the body doesn't carry the benefit of weight loss. I, and my 30-pounds-lighter self, beg to differ. While I never call what I do a "diet", it is my DIET, as it's what I consume. I regularly practice nutritional cleansing, and have for almost a year. This, combined with getting adequate healthy protein, purified water, and the equivalent to 6-10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables daily, regular exercise, and 6-8 hours of sleep a night, has brought me to the best health of my entire life as I approach the big 5-0. Nutritional cleansing, unlike enemas, perform on the cellular level and do, in fact (by study and experience) assist in allowing the body to release excess pounds. The steady intake of low-lactose, organic whey protein assures that lean muscle mass is not only NOT being lost, but is being increased. My metabolism is now performing as it should. Yes, I avoid processed, chemically altered, and nutritionally worthless foods. I'd say, don't dismiss nutritional cleansing as a way to help maintain a healthy weight unless you've tried it. I started at 160 1/2 pounds, at 5'7, 48 years of age, female, on August 2, 2006. November 1, 2006 I weighed 134. By November 15 I was at 130 lbs, which is where I happily remain. I do a one-day nutritional cleanse twice a month.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Kate_Weiland — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:47:04 GMT

I am a protein type, but I also have a very high ferritin level. The problem is that I am 100 pounds and cannot donate blood (which is the common /easy remedy).

Even with a prescription from my doctor, no blood bank in the country will take your blood if you are under 110 pounds! What can I do to get this ferritin level down?

I understand that cutting meat consumption is not the answer as it doesn't effect the ferritin issue and also I don't feel as healthy when I eat less meat.

Any HELP would be appreciated!

Katie

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

cavewoman — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 05:06:57 GMT

Comment deleted due to inappropriate content.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Witch Doctor — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:33:48 GMT

Okay I figured out my diet. I will only eat foods and drink water that have no "ingredients list", are organic, have never been in plastic, not microwaved or irradiated, not cooked in teflon or aluminum, only prepared by traditional methods. Also, my food must have eaten right itself, i.e. grass-fed cows and chickens that eat all the bugs they want. (I'm sure I missed some rules but you get the gist.) And all this within the constraints of a low-carb, moderately high protein, high fat diet (what I've been doing for years and works best for me). While I figure out how to do this, I expect to lose a lot of weight. In the meantime I will be spooning red palm oil out of a glass jar and chewing on butter to stay alive, maybe digging worms out of some virgin dirt.

There's only one way and that's all the way.

p.s. I just found out Starbucks hot cups ("paper cups") are lined with plastic. Now I'm pissed.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Birdlady — Sat, 26 May 2007 09:14:07 GMT

I went out to eat (this is a very rare occurrence for me and I check all ingredients before I go) and the waitress asked me what I do to stay so thin.
I told her to check every single label.

Don't eat HFCS
Don't eat any artificial sweeteners
Don't eat anything in a box or package.
Don't eat any "just microwave" foods
If you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it.
ETC...

I get myself in trouble sometimes because I use the word "diet" when that isn't really what I mean. I don't know what to call it though. They look at me and say, "Why are you dieting?" Then I have to try and explain what I mean. =/

I am definitely not the healthiest person, but I think I do fairly well.

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

DrJon — Fri, 25 May 2007 00:17:07 GMT

Dr. Mercola or anyone else that can help me...I agree totally with your recommendations and use them myself and share your wisdom with my patients. My question is that living within an hour drive from the clinic of the creator of the Blood-Type diet, I have a number of patients who use this visit this clinic and use this approach. I am not at all familiar with the whole blood type approach and from what I have learned it does seem a little wacky to me...was wondering your input as far as the problems with this diet so I can better educate my patients and community...other than the fact that I noticed he promotes/sells his synthetic based vitamins on his site. Thanks in advanced!

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Josh Rubin — Thu, 24 May 2007 15:30:24 GMT

I think when Americans stop using the word diet and when health professionals stop writing books on these so called "diets," that is when society will see the light.

To me dieting is just puttting prison bars up around you for the months that you do this diet. You can't live forever on a diet because the only thing they are designed to do are to make money and cutt your calories. Of course if you go from a high amount of calories to a level that is not even realistic, that you would loose weight.

The bottom line is that you don't learn anything about life, nutrition, how to eat, shop, how to love food, youself, etc when you diet. Health and nutrition is all about loving food and it is your fuel. It is not about calories, because if you eat the right foods and the right ratios, with a balanced physiological system, you willl expend this energy.

People might loose weight on a diet, but how long do they keep it off? How many people actually like to diet? ARe there any positive charges around dieting?? NO! So the bottom line is, once americans learn how to live and eat, they will loose weight. You don't loose weigth to get healthy. You must get healthy (inside and out) to loose weight!

re: The Wackiest Fad Diets in America

Rogway — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:02:55 GMT

My diet-I have none. If it is true-you should weigh yea much according to you height, body frame, age, so on and so on, then why is it that some are well overweight, and some are well underweight, and some are what they call normal weight when all are the same height, build, age and so forth? Maybe a question with no entrance door to walk in and find out. However, I have seen and read other testimonies that either a combination of stress, or something that happened when they were a kid caused at least part of the problem of being overweight. My wife has lost 33 pounds since she stopped taking her water pill. WHAT! Yes, that's right. She also had many tragic-trauma experiences as a child. The first time I talked her into taking a daily dose of magnesium oxide, organic whole food supplement, and coral calcium bags that you drop into water and she lost 40 pounds AND her fibromyalgia. It - - - - ed off her doctor rather violently. But, she is content on staying with her doc, but now at least, she is keeping herself grounded to the earth for stress (I hope) and taking the supplements and drinking enough water again and to behold all things, she can see her skin wrinkling a little on her badly swelled hands. A good sign for rheumatoid arthritis. I believe Dr. Mercola's stratigy. At least he does not say-I don't know but here is your pill! I believe-try to soften up your body cells that has hardened due to toxins with good and enough water and eat organic if possible and try to swing your body back to a negitive charge via grounding to the earth, thus giving them a chance to get rid of all the metobolic waist! As it proved true for me!