7) THE MANY WEIGHT LOSS DIETS POSSIBLE
e) Reasonable Diets
It cannot be emphasized enough that weight loss to a low normal range is paramount for anyone with type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar control is still important but it is not as important as weight loss. Weight loss and exercise will often bring about blood sugar control by significantly reducing insulin resistance in a person with type 2 diabetes. So any high protein, low refined carbohydrate diet is acceptable, so long as the person with type 2 diabetes loses weight. There are so many high protein, low carbohydrate diets out there that there is even a book about the diets; "Living the Low Carb Life" by Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S. This book identifies 14 different "low carb" plans: Atkins Diet, Carbohydrate Addicts Diet, The Fat Flush Plan, The GO-diet, The Lindora Program, Neanderthin, The Paleo Diet, Protein Power, The Scarsdale Diet, The Scharzbein Principle, Somersizing, the South Beach Diet, Sugar Busters, and The Zone. They all have books which can be found on the web. We haven't read all these plans and can only give you a sampling below of some of these plans synopses. It has to be remembered that only one of the diets listed below targets individuals with diabetes (Dr. Bernstein's Diet Plan).
The Zone Diet™
A good diet worth considering is the "Zone Diet™" by Doctor Sears. The "Zone Diet™" is a high protein diet where ketosis must be avoided. As such it is an excellent candidate for an individual with type 2 diabetes. We just can't agree with unlimited fruit but then Doctor Sears wasn't targeting diabetics.
Refined carbohydrates (corn flour, flour, baked goods, sugar, rice, potatoes, bread) Severely Restricted Unrefined carbohydrates (high fiber carbohydrates) OK in moderation Red meat (beef, pork, dark meat chicken, dark meat turkey) Only small lean cuts Lean meats (fish, shrimp, white meat chicken, white meat turkey) Main Protein Source Unsaturated Vegetable Fats (flax seed, canola, Omega 3, plant sterols, olive oil) Monounsaturated preferred Dairy Products Non-fat, non-sugar only, skim milk Beans, Orange vegetables, peas, green beans Unlimited Fruit Unlimited Green Leafy vegetables Unlimited amounts, at least one serving per day Wikipedia states about the Zone Diet:
"The diet centers on a "40:30:30" ratio of calories obtained daily from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, respectively. The ideal formula has been under debate, although studies over the past several years (including a non-scientific study by the PBS documentary show Scientific American Frontiers) have shown that it can produce weight loss at reasonable rates.The Scientific American Frontiers study compared the effectiveness of several popular 'diet' regimes including the Zone; somewhat to the surprise of the show's staff, the participants on the Zone experienced the greatest fat loss while simultaneously gaining muscle mass.Participants also reported the Zone as the easiest regime to adjust to, i.e. having the fewest adverse affects such as fatigue or hunger.Most people who report fatigue find that the fatigue diminishes by day 2 or 3.
"The Zone" is Sears' term for proper hormone balance. When insulin levels are neither too high nor too low, and glucagon levels are not too high, then specific anti-inflammatory chemicals (types of eicosanoids) are released, which have similar effects to aspirin, but without downsides such as gastric bleeding. Sears claims that a 30:40 ratio of protein to carbohydrates triggers this effect, and this is called 'The Zone.' Sears claims that these natural anti-inflammatories are heart- and health-friendly. There is no evidence that eating in this way affects hormone levels.
Additionally, the human body in caloric balance is more efficient and does not have to store excess calories as fat. The human body cannot store fat and burn fat at the same time, and Sears believes it takes time (significant time if insulin levels were high because of unbalanced eating) to switch from the former to the latter.Using stored fat for energy causes weight loss.
The American Heart Association does not recommend the Zone Diet due to high protein, lack of essential nutrients, and little information on long-term effects. However, Sears believes the characterization of the Zone diet as 'high-protein' is inaccurate. In his book, he advocates a formula based on lean body mass and activity level to determine the appropriate daily intake of protein. For example, a female of average height and average build who has a moderately active lifestyle is encouraged to eat around 60g of protein daily.
Most vegetarian or vegan diets, according to Sears, are highly dissimilar from The Zone because they generally utilize very little protein relative to carbohydrate consumption. This, says Sears, prohibits the body from operating truly efficiently. As critical as Sears is of vegetarian and vegan diets, individuals who promote a vegetarian diet are also very critical of aspects of the Zone and similar diets. In 2000 Dr. Sears published the Soy Zone where he outlined a zone diet based around soy protein, making it more vegetarian-friendly.
Other nutritional experts, including some of Sears' former colleagues, are critical of his conclusions from the scientific evidence, contending that he has distorted or exaggerated the meaning of much of the basic research. They point out that no direct studies to verify his conclusions have been performed."
We are hesitant about the Zone diet simply because of its claims about some magical anti-inflamatory hormonal balance. We can find no research which supports any such thing.
The Mediterranean Diet™
The Mediterranean Diet™ is just that, the diet prevalent in rural Greece and Italy, which consists of a lot of unprocessed vegetables, fava beans, dark breads, fruit, lots of olive oil, lots of dairy products, lots of fish, some fowl, wine with every meal and only small amounts of red meat. There are a lot of claims for this diet, such as that it prevents heart disease, but a lot of the effect can be explained by the eating of the omega-3 Fatty acids found in fish and nuts and by the lack of processed carbohydrates. Again, we don't like the unlimited intake of fruit for a diabetic.
Refined carbohydrates (corn flour, flour, baked goods, sugar, rice, potatoes, bread) Eliminate Unrefined carbohydrates (high fiber carbohydrates) Unlimited Red meat (beef, pork, dark meat chicken, dark meat turkey) Discouraged Lean meats (fish, shrimp, white meat chicken, white meat turkey) Unlimited Unsaturated Vegetable Fats (flax seed, canola, Omega 3, plant sterols, olive oil) Only olive oil and nuts Dairy Products lots of cheese Beans, Orange vegetables, peas, green beans Unlimited Fruit Unlimited Green Leafy vegetables Unlimited amounts, at least one serving per day From Wikipedia:
"The most commonly-understood version of the Mediterranean diet was presented by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University's School of Public Health in the mid-1990s. Based on "food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s", this diet, in addition to "regular physical activity," emphasizes "abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts". Total fat in this diet is 25% to 35% of calories, with saturated fat at 8% or less of calories. The diet is often cited as beneficial for being low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber.The principal aspects of this diet include high olive oil consumption, high consumption of legumes, high consumption of unrefined cereals, high consumption of fruits, high consumption of vegetables, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate to high consumption of fish, low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption.
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (May 29, 2008), the traditional Mediterranean diet provides substantial protection against type 2 diabetes. The study involved over 13 000 graduates from the University of Navarra in Spain with no history of diabetes, who were recruited between December 1999 and November 2007, and whose dietary habits and health were subsequently tracked. Participants initially completed a 136-item food frequency questionnaire designed to measure the entire diet. The questionnaire also included questions on the use of fats and oils, cooking methods and dietary supplements. Every two years participants were sent follow-up questionnaires on diet, lifestyle, risk factors, and medical conditions. New cases of diabetes were confirmed through medical reports. During the follow-up period (median 4.4 years) the researchers from the University of Navarra found that participants who stuck closely to the diet had a lower risk of diabetes. A high adherence to the diet was associated with an 83% relative reduction in the risk of developing diabetes.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (July 17, 2008) examined the effects of three diets: low-carb, low-fat, and Mediterranean. The study involved 322 participants and lasted for 2 years. The low-carb and Mediterranean diet resulted in the greatest weight loss, 12 lbs and 10 lbs, respectively. The low-fat diet resulted in a loss of 7 lbs. One caveat of the study is that 86% of the study participants were men. The low-carb and Mediterranean diets produced similar amounts of weight loss in the overall study results and in the men. In the remaining participants who were women, the Mediterranean diet produced 3.8 kg (8.4 lbs) more weight loss on average than the low-carb diet.
A meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal (September 12, 2008) showed that following strictly the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of dying from cancer and cardiovascular disease as well as the risk of developing Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The results report 9%, 9%, and 6% reduction in overall, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality respectively. Additionally a 13% reduction in incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases is to be expected provided strict adherence to the diet is observed."
Doctor Bernstein's Diet
This is a high protein diet specifically designed for diabetics which is very similar to the Atkins diet but which will generally avoid ketosis. Doctor Bernstein aims for a maximum carbohydrate intake of 30 grams per day. In addition to being a reasonable diet, there is a lot of very good information on the disease of diabetes in the different books by Doctor Bernstein ("The Diabetes Diet" and "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution" by Richard Bernstein, M.D., see his website at www.diabetes-book.com). This is a high protein diet with some very strong taboos. Just don't go overboard to the point of ketosis. Use ketone test strips and adjust carbohydrate intake accordingly. Doctor Bernstein is a type 1 diabetic and his books tend to emphasize treatments which are very effective for type 1 diabetes. His books have less emphasis for a person with type 2 diabetes, for instance he doesn't emphasize weight loss nor does he emphasis aerobic exercise for heart health. This might explain why the author found he couldn't lose weight on this diet, possibly because of the large amount of fat inherent in this diet.The high levels of saturated fat in red meat might also interfere with sizable reductions in cholesterol, although Doctor Bernstein says it doesn't.
Refined carbohydrates (corn flour, flour, baked goods, sugar, rice, potatoes, bread) Eliminate Unrefined carbohydrates (high fiber carbohydrates) Eliminate Red meat (beef, pork, dark meat chicken, dark meat turkey) Unlimited Lean meats (fish, shrimp, white meat chicken, white meat turkey) Unlimited Unsaturated Vegetable Fats (flax seed, canola, Omega 3, plant sterols, olive oil) OK Dairy Products Only high fat in small amounts Beans, Orange vegetables, peas, green beans, etc Only green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, summer squash Fruit Avoid completely including tomatoes Green Leafy vegetables Unlimited amounts, at least one serving per day
Current Chapter: 7) The Many Weight Loss Diets Possible
a) Diets: Which One is the Best?
b) The "Hunter Gatherer Diet"
c) Moderation Type 2 Diabetes Diet
d) Good Diets
e) Reasonable Diets
f) Helpful Diets
g) Radical Diets
h) Diets We do not Recommend
i) Fad Diets and Pills
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