Nutrition Health Articles

Free Diet plans and Diet Programs

Diet is perhaps the most important factor which affects our health. Eating the wrong foods for our individual nutritional needs can cause all sorts of ailments, diseases, and chronic conditions.

I have laid out some simple free online diet plans which can have dramatic and positive effects on your health. Conditions such as Diabetes, hypoglycemia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Candidiasis, Liver dysfunction, Adrenal exhaustion, Copper toxicity, migraines, arthritis, and gynecological disorders are all affected by the foods we eat. Certain foods can heal while others will worsen your condition.

Much of these free diet programs are based on the Atkins Carb Counter Diet and Candida Diet which emphasizes the reduction of dietary intake of Simple Sugars which can cause blood sugar swings, high blood pressure, increased fat deposition and glycogen storage in the Liver, hypoglycemic attacks, Candida overgrowth in the intestines, fatigue and is a major factor in the development of Adult onset Diabetes.

Vegetarian Diet - Nutritional deficiencies

1. Zinc – Necessary for all protein synthesis in the body including digestive enzymes, neurotransmitters, adrenal hormone synthesis, insulin, the optic nerve and sexual reproductive cells all need Zinc. The male prostate especially needs lots of Zinc, as well as our immune cells.

Pumpkin seeds are the only adequate source of Zinc in a vegetarian diet that does not also have too much Copper which will displace Zinc in enzymatic binding sites. Legumes and grains have the highest amounts of Copper with low Zinc. Meat has high amounts of Zinc with low amounts of Copper. Stock up on pumpkin seeds!

Low Zinc to Copper will increase your tendency to retain other heavy metals in the body such as Mercury, Cadmium, Lead, and Aluminum because Metallothionein (the main metal binding protein which detoxifies heavy metals) is 50% Zinc.

2. Tryptophan – is an essential amino acid only found in meat and eggs. Tryptophan is the precursor to Serotonin so low dietary intake of meat and eggs can result in a Serotonin deficiency which can cause insomnia, anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, and other mood disorders. Turkey is the best source of tryptophan but Pure Encapsulations makes a great L-Tryptophan supplement.

3. B12, Folic acid, and B6 – are very low in vegetarian diets. I would supplement these three with nutritional supplements. Take 100 mg of P5P (B6), 500 mg of Folic acid, and 1000 mg of MethylCobalamin (B12) to start. I would increase this dose to 3 times per day, with meals, as well as Calcium and Vitamin D3.

Broccoli is the most powerful food Vitamin. Eat it every day!

4. Soy – I would not eat soy. It contains Phytates (as do all grains and legumes) which block mineral absorption. Soy is very high in Copper. Soy is high in phytoestrogens which may block T3 thyroid hormone at the cellular level which will reduce your metabolism and cause liver dysfunction. All soy grown in the US now contains GMO’s because Monsanto has cross pollinated all of their GMO soybeans with every other Soy farm in the country. Even Asians don’t eat as much soy as some vegetarians who rely on it for protein.

I would recommend eggs, fish (tilapia and catfish, not tuna or seabass or swordfish because of mercury), quinoa, amaranth, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, jack fruit, papaya, moderate amounts of coconut (too much can cause copper toxicity), and I would also reduce avocado (which is very high in Copper). Chocolate and coffee are the highest Copper foods, so I would avoid these also. Pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seeds…

Metabolic Types: Fast or Slow Oxidizer

Metabolic types were discovered by George A. Watson of UCLA. He determined that metabolic types are divided into two categories:

Fast oxidizers or Slow Oxidizers.

Fast Oxidizers convert their food into energy at a fast pace while Slow Oxidizers convert food into energy at a very slow rate. Each one comes with their own set of symptoms and health trends.

Slow Oxidizers

Slow Oxidizers are more prone to chronic fatigue, weight gain, Copper toxicity, and having a less inefficient digestive system for producing energy from the food ingested. These people tend to do better taking dietary enzymes, as well as reducing dietary intake of Fat and Simple sugars. Slow oxidizers tend to do better eating animal protein three times per day.

A Slow Oxidizer Metabolic rate is revealed on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis test by a high Calcium and Magnesium reading with a low Sodium and Potassium reading.

This indicates both an under active Thyroid gland, referred to clinically as Hypothyroid, as well as under active Adrenal function. The Thyroid is responsible for increasing our Metabolic rate and lowering Calcium levels in the blood and soft tissues. Hypothyroidism can also be assessed by the presence of a low Basal Body temperature.

You can measure your Basal Body temperature by taking your temperature each morning for at least one week while still in bed, before you get up. If it is consistently low (less than 97 degrees Fahrenheit) than this is a sign of Low Thyroid Activity which will slow down your Metabolic rate, leading to weight gain, fatigue, water retention, feeling cold, and is directly correlated with Adrenal exhaustion since the Thyroid depends on the strength of the Adrenals to function properly.

Slow Oxidizers should avoid excess Fat in their diet since fat slows down the metabolism even more. Slow Oxidizers also need to avoid Simple Sugars and stimulants such as Caffeine and nicotine as these will worsen their condition.

Fast Oxidizers

Children and young adults are more likely to be Fast Oxidizers since they are more prone to having overactive Adrenals and thyroid glands. This can cause hyyperacidity of the stomach which can lead to gastric ulcers, GERD (gastro-esophogeal reflux disease). These people tend to lose weight and get hungry more often.

Fast oxidization is usually due to our response to stress which tends to speed up our nervous system. After a while of being in fast oxidation, the adrenals and thyroids begin to wear down from being overactive for so long, and then these people will become slow oxidizers since their adrenals and thyroid are now fatigued from being overworked for too long.

Fast Oxidizers generally need more fat in their diet because fat helps to slow down the metabolism and help stabilize blood sugar levels. Fast Oxidizers should also avoid excess sugar intake which acts as a stimulant and burns up very quickly. A high carbohydrate diet will simply not be able to satiate the appetite of a Fast oxidizer. They need protein with fat to hold them over for much more than one hour.

Fast Oxidizers should also avoid spicy foods such as chili peppers and salsa since Fast Oxidizers tend to be too acidic and hot. Spicy foods would worsen an already over acidic stomach and could worsen a Gastric ulcer type of condition which is more typical of a fast oxidizer.

A Fast Oxidizer metabolic rate is revealed on a Hair Analysis test by a high Sodium and Potassium reading along with low levels of Calcium and Magnesium which reflects the over-stimulation of the Adrenals and Thyroid glands.

Below is a chart that shows some trends with each Metabolic type to help distinguish one from the other. Note that these are only trends and not all symptoms will fit in perfectly with every individual since we are usually a composite of both Fast Oxidation and Slow Oxidation metabolic rates. The main thing is to determine which is most dominant.

Mixed Oxidation: from Fast to Slow

Most people who are Fast Oxidizers end up being Slow Oxidizers later in life. This is because being in Fast Oxidation is very stimulating and depleting to the Adrenal glands. Fast Oxidizers tend to be hyper-emotional, insomniacs, and irritable which are all mental states which causes the over-secretion of Adrenal hormones such as Cortisol, Aldosterone, Epinephrine and Norepinehrine.

Cortisol helps to boost blood sugar levels to power our "fight or flight" stress reaction by converting proteins and fats into glucose. This causes an increase in Potassium levels as cells are broken down and used for fuel. This is a catabolic condition of the body breaking down to fuel a high energy situation. This is why Fast Oxidizers tend to lose weight.

Aldosterone is secreted in response to stress to increase Sodium retention in the Kidneys, due to the increased need for Sodium in all of the nerve impulses required of a "fight or flight" stress reaction. Water is also retained along with Sodium which raises blood volume and thus leads to high blood pressure and edema or swelling.

Aldosterone also causes the elimination of Zinc and Magnesium, since these are calming to the nervous system. The body has no use for Zinc and Magnesium when the body thinks that it is under some imminent threat. This leads to muscle cramps and less tolerance to stressors since the body chemistry is now set up for an increased reactivity to environmental stressors. As Zinc is lost, a Copper imbalance results since Zinc is needed to balance Copper and make it bio-available.

After years of stress and these "fight or flight" stress reactions, the Adrenals get depleted leading to Adrenal exhaustion. The Adrenals are no longer able create adequate amounts of the hormones Cortisol and Aldosterone to sustain the Fast Oxidizer metabolism, so Sodium and Potassium levels decline in direct correlation to the amount of Aldosterone and Cortisol secreted by the Adrenals.

The Fast Oxidizer becomes a Slow Oxidizer not by choice but because it has burnt up all of its resources and cannot sustain the Fast Oxidizer metabolism. They still have the mind set of a Fast Oxidizer but now they are tired all the time, have less of an appetite, and are now exhibiting many of the Slow Oxidizer symptoms.

Slow Oxidizers and Sugar Cravings

As Fast Oxidizers become Slow Oxidizers due to Adrenal fatigue, they tend to have more sugar cravings in order to boost their energy levels. Blood sugar levels tend to drop more easily in a Slow Oxidizer because the low levels of Cortisol production are unable to stabilize the blood sugar levels, leading to a condition of Hypoglycemia.

Slow Oxidizers have increased cravings for chocolate, nuts and coffee as well because these foods all have high levels of Copper. Copper stimulates the Adrenals and boosts Sodium levels to give a false impression of energy.

Slow Oxidizers tend to have severe Sugar cravings because of low energy and Hypoglycemia. However, Slow Oxidizers are in no way capable of handling Simple Sugars in their diet due to impaired insulin production and Adrenal function, giving rise to a diabetic condition of excess blood glucose levels which can become very dangerous and may eventually lead to fatality if not remedied.

Elevated Blood Sugar

Elevated Blood sugar levels can lead to a host of different degenerative diseases because of Sugar's toxic effects on the tissues. Sugar is supposed to get into the cells to make ATP cellular energy, not staying in the blood stream in large quantities for an extended period of time.

Diabetes with elevated blood sugar levels can cause:

>
• blindness
• kidney failure
• heart disease
• gangrene
• nerve degeneration with loss of sensation and motor function
• plus many others
• Sugar in excess quantities will degenerate all of the tissues that it contacts.

A more accurate test for Diabetes is the HBA1C test for Cross-linked proteins in the blood. This is more accurate than a fasting Blood Glucose test which only shows a snapshot of one moment in your blood sugar levels. The HBA1C test shows a chronic degeneration of the proteins in the blood due to constant elevated blood sugar levels. These blood proteins become "cross-linked" or glued to the glucose molecule so that it is no longer able to carry out its prior function.

These "cross-linked" gluco-proteins can also cause placque buildup in the artery walls leading to Atherosclerosis and Coronary Obstructive disease. These accumulations of glucose and blood proteins can produce clots and can even lead to stroke.

What are Simple Sugars?

Simple Sugars are all foods that dramatically elevate blood glucose levels in a short amount of time causing a stressful Insulin response to remove the sugar from the blood. Starches and Alcohol also breakdown into sugar in the intestines and are thus also categorized as Simple Sugars.

Foods that are considered Simple Sugars and cause a drastic elevation in blood glucose levels include:

• Candy
• Pastries
• Cookies
• Ice Cream
• Fruit Juice
• Fruit
• Dried Fruit
• Honey
• Agave Syrup
• Bread
• Pasta
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Crackers
• Soda
• Wine
• Beer
• Hard Liquor
• Popcorn
• Muffins
• Scones
• Maple Syrup
• Date sweetened items
• most Protein Bars

You really have to read the Nutrition Facts on the back label of your food items to read the Sugar and Carbohydrate contents.Some labels that do not show a high Sugar or Carbohydrate content are dividing the whole product into two or three servings. You would then have to multiply the Sugar or Carbohydrate readings by two or three respectively if you plan to eat the entire thing in one sitting.

I've seen a single 12 ounce beverage split into 3 servings making the Sugar and Carbohydrate readings severely reduced. These companies are tricky and are not so forthcoming with their true Sugar content.

Slow Oxidizer Diet Plan

The first thing to balance a Slow Oxidizer metabolism, to increase energy and for weight reduction is:

Avoid the consumption of Simple Sugars!

Excess amounts of Simple Sugars in the diet are the main causes of Chronic fatigue, gas and bloating, indigestion, chronic infections, high blood pressure, chronic headaches....every major chronic ailment is worsened by Simple Sugars in the diet.

Stopping the intake of Simple Sugars is even more difficult for a Slow Oxidizer than a Fast Oxidizer since we crave these sugars due to their stimulating effects on the adrenals and the temporary energy boost that they give us. Also, as our blood sugar drops due to our Low Cortisol production, we crave the Simple Sugars to help us rebound and raise our blood sugar levels.

Some quick and easy Low-Carb snack ideas include:

• Nuts
• Beef jerky
• Low-Carb protein bars
• String cheese
• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks with peanut butter
• Sardines and whole grain crackers
• Tuna fish and celery sticks
• Deli Meats that don't contain Sulfites
• Hummus and Cucumber
• Leftovers

Leftovers are a great way to have quick and easy yet nutritious and low in Simple Sugars.

Here is a great recipe for Chili that can be stored in the fridge and eaten over 3 to 5 days. The spices help to preserve the freshness and even tastes better after a day or two.

Red Meat Chili

• 1 1/2 lb.s Ground Beef, Lamb, Buffalo, or other Red Meat
• 1/4 cup Red Wine
• 1 cup Beef Stock
• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 1 Bell Pepper (chopped)
• 1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Cloves of Garlic (peeled and mashed)
• 2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 4 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 4 tsp. Dried Basil
• 2 tsp. Paprika
• A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• 2 cups Kidney Beans
• Olive Oil
• Garnishes:
• Chopped Cilantro
• Chopped Green Onions
• Creme Fraiche (used sparingly)

Saute onions in Olive oil for a couple of minutes in a large heavy pot. Add the Ground Beef and brown on all sides. Add all of the remaining ingredients (beside garnishes) and then bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Add your desired garnishes and enjoy.