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1. The Pritikin Diet
2. Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
3. Dr. Dean Ornish's Life choice Program
The Pritikin Diet
Overall
Philosophy:
The Pritikin plan, developed by Nathan Pritikin, is a lifestyle modification
program, focused more on changing destructive habits than on weight loss
(much like the Ornish plan). It is a near-vegetarian regimen that's low
in fat, and packed with high fiber foods, which, in theory, help to curb
excess calorie consumption. There is no calorie counting, food weighing
or measuring on this plan. The Pritikin philosophy is one that encourages
healthy eating and discourages practices of denial like calorie counting,
which often leave people feeling hungry and frustrated. Much like the Ornish
plan, this diet was developed to combat the ills of cardiovascular disease.
Overall Nutrition:
Pritikin advises eliminating or reducing all animal products--meat and fish
are limited to four ounces a day, total. This plan also encourages participants
to steer away from added fats (butter, margarine and oils); highly-processed
plant foods (breads and pasta made with white flour); and fatty fish. The
program emphasizes eating the freshest foods possible, mostly fresh fruits,
vegetables and whole grains. This emphasis on complex carbohydrates makes
it high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and low in sodium. In spite of
the focus on eating more whole foods, the plan is low in several nutrients,
including zinc, iron, calcium, folate, and the B vitamins, particularly
vitamin B12, which are found naturally only in animal foods.
Duration:
Unlimited. Again, because this program is an overall lifestyle modification
plan, you can stay on it for life.
Expense:
Affordable. Pritikin carries its own line of foods that you can find in
most grocery stores in the special foods aisle, or in the diet food section.
The products are mostly low sodium, low-fat soups. They're a little more
expensive than similar store-bought products.
Family Friendly:
Yes, with modifications. Your family would do well to eat more plant foods,
as the Pritikin diet suggests. While this diet allows for a small portion
of meat (at least one serving in a day), I would not suggest that children
be encouraged to severely restrict their fat intake to the levels suggested
in the Pritikin diet. From a child's standpoint, the nutritional advantages
of a modified Pritikin plan would be the elimination of sugary, high fat
snack foods; fatty lunch meats like bologna and salami; and sugary beverages
like soda and artificially-flavored fruit drinks.
Menu Choices:
The plan provides a sample menu. However, for people making major changes
in their eating habits, this may be a difficult plan from a meal preparation
standpoint. The restrictions can make it challenging to prepare meals at
first. Again, a vegan/vegetarian cookbook may be helpful. Dining out will
require lots of questions in terms of food preparation. For example, while
vegetables may be offered as a side dish on the menu, find out whether they
are steamed or sauteed in oil or butter. Look for places that specialize
in vegetarian cooking or that feature an ample salad bar.
Food Choices:
Will you be tempted to raid the cookie jar? Perhaps. Very low fat diets
can leave you feeling hungry because fat is what helps you feel satiated
after a meal (fat molecules take longer to pass through the digestive system).
Additionally, Pritikin restricts many favorite foods, like eggs, sweets,
most dairy products and red meat. Cheating is a real possibility; however,
there is ample opportunity to "overeat" the foods that are allowed on this
diet.
Prepackaged foods:
All prepackaged, prepared foods are restricted, with the exception of Pritikin
products.
Exercise:
Exercise is a vital part of this program and brisk walking two times a day,
for at least a half an hour to an hour, is strongly encouraged. Joggers
should run for five 30-minute bouts a week. Given the high levels of complex
carbohydrates consumed on this diet, the body should have ample energy for
exercise.
Supplementation:
This plan makes no recommendations for vitamin and mineral supplements,
which is too bad, since you'll definitely need a daily multivitamin and
1,000 milligrams of calcium to make up for deficit brought on by this diet.
Success/Failure rate:
None known.
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Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
Overall Philosophy
Dr. Atkins maintains that excess intake of dietary carbohydrate results
in the overproduction of insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that
promotes fat storage and increases appetite. Supposedly, eating according
to this high-protein, very low-carbohydrate regimen can lead to the following:
- rapid weight loss
- suppressed hunger
- reduced fatigue
- lowered risk for
chronic illnesses, like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
Overall Nutrition:
Unlimited amounts of protein-rich foods (including meat, cheese and eggs)
are allowed while carbohydrate choices--bread, pasta, starches, fruits and
vegetables--are severely restricted. For example, during the first 14 days
of the diet, Atkins restricts:
- fruit
- bread and other
grains
- starchy vegetables
(peas, potatoes, corn)
- all forms of alcohol
- dairy--excluding
cheese, cream and butter.
As a result of these
limitations, the plan is packed with fat (specifically saturated fats) and
cholesterol, and it is deficient in many nutrients, including: fiber, calcium,
magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and folate. Since protein by-products must
be excreted in the urine, this high-protein eating program promotes dehydration
and a condition known as ketosis. Ketosis occurs when your body turns primarily
to fat for energy, which usually happens when you eat very few carbohydrates
in the form of grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy foods. Rapid fat burning
produces ketones which accumulate in the blood stream, causing ketosis.
Ketosis does keep away hunger pains, but it also makes for bad breath, fatigue
and nausea. Carbohydrates are a necessary part of any diet because they
provide the body with fuel in the form of glucose. On the Atkins diet, glucose
levels in the body can become very low. It should be noted that excessive
levels of ketones in the blood stream can cause unconsciousness and, in
severe cases, lead to a coma
Duration:
Indefinite. Atkins considers it a diet for life, but I would not encourage
staying on this diet for long periods of time.
Expense:
Affordable, but on an ounce-per-ounce basis, the high-protein foods on this
diet plan are more expensive than the plant and grain foods you would eat
on a balanced low-fat diet plan.
Family Friendly:
This is for adults only. The poor nutritional content of this diet would
not provide adequate nutrition for any children under the age of 18.
Menu Choices:
Meal plans are easy to figure out. Eating out is doable on this plan, as
long as you can forego bread, potatoes; pasta, rice and other grains; dessert,
and alcohol.
Food Choices:
This plan is low in choices from the bread, milk and fruit groups. Unless
you really love meat and cheese, it's easy to become bored with the limited
food choices of this plan.
Prepackaged Foods:
No prepackaged foods are required.
Exercise:
It's encouraged as a way to build muscle and reduce blood insulin levels.
However, given the extremely low carbohydrate intake, sustaining aerobic
exercise for 20 minutes or more would be questionable while on this plan.
Supplementation:
Large doses of Atkin's own brand of vitamin and mineral supplements are
recommended, which is not necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, you'll
need a daily multivitamin and about 1,000 milligrams of calcium to make
up for what the diet lacks.
Success/Failure Rate:
There is no documented evidence in peer-reviewed journals of the success
rate of this diet.
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Dr. Dean Ornish's Life choice
Program
Overall Philosophy:
This is basically a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (it allows for some dairy
and eggs) where you can eat as much as you like. This diet was developed
by Dr. Ornish to help heart patients recover from, and even reverse, heart
disease brought on by poor eating habits and lifestyle. Everything you eat
on this is very low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and fiber (fruits,
vegetables and whole grains, no nuts or seeds). Moderate amounts of protein
are eaten, mostly in the form of egg whites or vegetable protein, like that
derived from beans and legumes. The upside of this diet: You don't measure
servings or count calories. The basic goal is to eat whenever you feel hungry
and only until you are satisfied, but not stuffed.
Overall Nutrition:
This is a sound eating program, but there are some prominent pitfalls. For
example, Ornish recommends avoiding all meat, including chicken and fish.
Many deep water fish are an ideal source of omega-3 fatty acids--good fats
that help keep cholesterol levels in check--and avoidance of meat could
lead to an overall deficiency in iron, zinc, and other vital nutrients like
B vitamins. This may not be an ideal diet for women due to the limited amounts
of dairy products you are allowed to consume--Ornish recommends eating nonfat
dairy products in moderation. This seems misguided because women need at
least three glasses of milk--or an equivalent--daily to meet recommended
daily allowances (RDA) for calcium and vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D
(combined with weight- bearing exercise) are necessary for preventing osteoporosis.
I would recommend that any woman who is planning on following this program
make sure she increases her intake of green leafy veggies, like cabbage
and kale (which are rich in calcium) or to ask her doctor about a calcium
supplement.
Duration:
Indefinite. Ornish sees this eating program as something that can be adhered
to for life. I think most people will have difficulty sticking to this diet
for long periods of time.
Expense:
Inexpensive to moderate, depending on the availability of good fresh produce
in your area. During certain times of year it is difficult to buy fresh
veggies or they can be expensive.
Family Friendly:
Helping your family to eat more plant foods is a great idea, but this diet
lacks adequate fat, calcium, iron and other nutrients for growing children,
all of which are critical to their overall development. For these reasons
I would call this an adults-only diet. Kids could benefit from the increase
in complex carbs and the elimination of high fat, high sugar processed foods.
Menu Choices:
Ornish provides a week's worth of suggested menus that can help simplify
meal planning and preparation. Dining out may be a bit of a challenge unless
you choose a vegetarian establishment. You will have to improvise at family-based
restaurants. For example, opt for steamed veggies or load up on salad at
the fixin's bar, choosing lots of greens (spinach over iceberg lettuce),
kidney beans or chickpeas for protein, and lots of crisp veggies, while
steering clear of dressing and mayonnaise-based salads.
Food Choices:
This diet could become tiresome very quickly due to all the food limitations.
Alcohol consumption is discouraged and you are advised to avoid all fatty
or processed foods and sweets--no honey, molasses, brown, raw or white sugars
are allowed. The only sugars that are allowed are those found in fruits.
A strictly vegetarian cookbook may be necessary to help you make the most
of those foods you can eat and to help you develop a wider range of menus.
Prepackaged Foods:
None required.
Exercise:
Recommends 20 to 60 minutes of walking daily.
Supplementation:
None recommended. Given the lack of meat on this diet, I would strongly
suggest a daily multivitamin supplement, specifically one designed for vegetarians.
Success/Failure Rate:
Not known.
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