A diet is something that we eat or drink normally, and in some definition it becomes something that is provided for or enjoyed regularly. Diet can also mean restriction of a meal, or reducing calories for purpose of weight loss. While some of us live to eat, others may eat to live, especially those in famine wrought countries.
A diet can also be prescribed, I am not talking about fad diets like Atkins or Dukan, but people who have certain medical conditions should actually steer clear from food that might cause them harm. Western modern medical practitioners might discount this, but science prevails as there are more and more studies that show we are, essentially what we eat.
People who suffer from gout, a condition where uric acid accumulates in joints of toes and cause inflammation, benefits from avoiding foods that are rich in purine, a substance that present in meat based food. Avoiding foods are high in sugar is also recommended to shift the body's urine pH should be avoid. Purine is converted into uric acid by the liver, and because we lack enzyme that converts uric acid into a more soluble form, we rely on the alkaline state of urine to keep the uric acid soluble, when the pH of the urine is lowered uric acid is formed and would be deposited in joints or kidney.
Eczema is a problematic skin condition that many people suffer, while it is treated using creams, what you eat may also affect the outlook of the condition. The close relation between eczema with asthma and hay fever hints of an inflammatory response, so eating foods that help mediate that response generally helps. Consider food allergy, a food diary is useful in linking flare-ups with possible culprits; do not even let an apple pass scrutiny. While rare, fructose allergy is possible, and by ruling out foods that triggers eczema you can enjoy fewer flare-ups. But most often casein from dairy products or wheat would be a trigger.
Foods with saturated fats and trans-fatty acids should be avoided in general, this is because they trigger the inflammatory process in the body, plant sterols and fish oil however, are proven to reduce the inflammatory response. Refined flour and sugar generally cause a spike in carbohydrate and can lead to insulin spikes, which have been suspected to trigger the process, hyperactive immune system, perhaps. People who suffer from inflammatory based medical conditions like eczema, gout or sinusitis etc benefits from taking care of their diet.
While restricting calories is an acceptable way to lose weight, one should remember to feed the body with important nutrients. Eating fast foods are a bad way to lose weight, because the body is fed with fat, protein and simple carbohydrates that there are hardly any essential vitamins and proteins. Diet shakes are useful as a meal substitution but they are by no means a complete diet. A person should do regular exercise to burn the energy and avoid the body slowing down its metabolism due to reduced calories. But no matter what the reason of is, weight loss should not be quick because the body would start hoarding its energy to prevent the next big drop. A slow but steady weight lost is preferable.
No matter what reasons you have for going on a diet, it is best to remember that we have only one body to live it. We have to take care of our living 'environment' by keeping it healthy and clean at all times, and extreme diets should be avoided. Love yourself.
