That weight gain is
simply the result of eating inapproprite foods at inappropriate times of the
body’s natural cycle. Fit for Life
authors Harvey and Mari-lyn Diamond say that the body has three natural cycles:
appropriation, or eating and
digesting which happens from noon to 8 p.m. , assimilation or absorption
and use (8 p.m. to 4 a.m.) , and elimination
of body waste, which happens from 4 a.m. to noon. They further contend that
since the body is made up of 70 percent water, so should your diet; hence the
ratio of 70 percent fruits and vegetables to 30 percent concentrated foods (or
everthing else).
The Provisions:
Just fruit juice or
fruits before noon, salad and fruit for lunch,starch and either vegetable or
protein for dinner, and a fruit snack at least three hours after dinner. Every
two or three days, lunch should only consist of fruit, so you have two meals
consisting of just fruit. You’re also allowed nuts, and nut butters, pasta, bread,
and grains during lunch and dinner, but all dairy products (except butter) are
strictly off limits. Consumption of meat is also discouraged.
The Promise:
Lose as much as 50
pounds in a month by eating proper food combinations at the appropriate times.
The Proof?
Christine, 23, a
student says “I lost eight pounds from this diet after only three weeks, but it
left me feeling weak and almost always hungry. I decided to get off it after
four weeks at which I returned to eating as much of a balanced diet as I could.
I try to stay away from fat as much as possible. It took me only two weeks to
gain the weight back plus two more pounds. I never want to diet again.”
The Prognosis:
The weight loss
Christine experienced from this diet was expected due to its low caloric intake
and high the bulk content. This diet
restricts the intake of meat and carbs to a total of one to two servings per
day and replaces the rest of the days’ intake with fruits and vegetables.
Although it does encourage you to increase your veggie intake, this diet puts a
slightly higher premium on the nutritional value of our leafy friends by
claiming that all the nutrients the body needs can be found solely in foliage.
Some foibles: The
authors state that “fruit should never be taken with or immediately following
anything,” (an important Fit for Life rule) , and that fruit taken after a meal
rots and cannot be assimilated- ir ferments and its accumulation causes
obesity. But fruits in themselves contain a chemical called pectin which is
fermented. Following the authors’ contention that fermentation leads to obesity,
eating fruit would then lead to obesity and not cure it. Another claim that
raised more than a few eyebrows in the health industry is that dairy products
are indigestible and acid and mucus-forming. The authors further argue that cow’s
milk is for cows and not suitable for huma ns and that the only acceptable form
of dairy is butter. Unless they’re actually taking about the butter made from
human milk, their arguments simply don’t make sense.
The Pros’ Position:
According to Ana Cruz,an
L.A. nutritionist and dietician who once worked for the Duke University Medical
Center, “The diet is highly deficient in protein, calcium, zinc, vitamins B and
D and iron, and can lead to iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. A diet
that restricts milk and protein can seriously affect the development of young
children and strict adherence to the diet during pregnancy can do serious harm
to a developing fetus.”
Top nutritionist Dr.
Sanirose Orbeta says, “In practice, we try to avoid nutrient specificity, like
emphasizing one group of food over the other. Precisely it’s the complimentary,
supplementary action one food gives another food that creates the balance of
nutrients. That’s the reason why a variety in food choices is important. For
example, the amino acids lacking in rice or pasta together with the protein
from animal meat or plant source will combine to make the food healthy and high
in biologic value and nutrient density.”
Image Sources:
fruits : http://www.flickr.com/photos/feastguru_kirti/2295831315/
fruit juices: http://www.flickr.com/photos/comunicati/6071069098/
vegetables: http://www.flickr.com/photos/suckamc/2488644619/
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