The Ghost of Christmas Diets Past

By Dr. Steven Warfield

We’ve all tried them at one time or another.  Sometimes they work in the short term only to come back with a vengeance a month or so down the road.  And sometimes they don’t seem to work at all.  What I am referring to are Christmas diets.  These are begun with the best of intentions around Thanksgiving only to be tossed out as most people’s first New Year’s resolution.  The reasons that Christmas diets are almost always doomed to failure has more to do with the essence of the diet plan than it has to do with the myriad of holiday treats that abound during this time of the year. 

Forget Fad Diets

Doing a quick sweep of the web I found a number of fad diets being touted in 2013.  Everything from juice fasts and Baby Food Diets to Hot Yoga Workouts, body wraps and Alkaline Diets are making the rounds trying to entice you to give them a whirl.  The problem with most of these regimens is that they are just that: Regimented.  Unless you can strictly adhere to their many rules chances are that the only thing you are likely to shed with these diets is up to $75 per day in fees. 

Worst of all is the fact that while some fad diets will help you lose a few pounds in the short run, their long term prognosis is that you will put the weight back on once you stop dieting.  Some of these diets can be downright dangerous since they tend to adversely influence blood chemistry.  (People with diabetes, compromised livers or those taking heart or cholesterol medications should consult their physician before starting a diet.)  Restricting food intake also disrupts your metabolism, which convinces the body that famine conditions have been encountered.  This means that once you cease dieting your body has now calibrated the digestive tract to squeeze every ounce of nutrition out of the food that you eat.  This is the prime reason that most diets are doomed to failure.

If your diet urges you to forego certain kinds of food, then this can also result in nutritional deficits that can have a negative impact on your overall health.  Typical low carb or low fat diets can cause lethargy and/or mood swings that can take a toll on you as well as those around you.  Immune response can also be adversely affected by poor nutrition resulting in an increased risk of catching a seasonal cold or the flu.  Everything from reduced muscle tone to hair loss can be attributed to less than optimal nutrition.

Besides, not all fats are bad for you.  Beneficial fats such as omega-3fatty acids that are contained in Salmon, flax seeds, walnuts and shrimp are vital to your health.  They are known to reduce inflammation, fight cancer, maintain cell vitality, decrease the risk of blood clots and fight hardening of the arteries.  People suffering from medical conditions such as depression, Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease or joint pain need to consume foods rich in omega-3 as part of their treatment. 

A blog entitled The World’s Healthiest Foods states that, “Research indicates that omega-3s may be better absorbed from food than supplements. Norwegian researchers compared 71 volunteers' absorption of omega-3s (EPA and DHA) from salmon, smoked salmon, cod (14 ounces of fish per week) or cod liver oil (3 teaspoons per day). Cooked salmon provided 1.2 grams of omega-3s daily, while cod liver oil provided more than twice as much: 3 grams of omega-3s per day.”

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

Other nutrients found in food such as Vitamin C and D are also vital to your health and well being.  Even those who do not diet find it hard to maintain a sufficient level of Vitamin D during the winter months.  It is a fact that health care professionals such see a significant uptick in the incidence of health-related problems during the fall and winter months.  This includes everything from colds to higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, autoimmune issues, depression and even heart attacks.  Since the Sun is responsible for the production of Vitamin D, during the times of year when people’s exposure to sunlight is reduced this is the prime reason for Vitamin D deficiency.  The other is due to avoiding food that contains Vitamin D.

Foods Highest in Vitamin D

1.      Fish Oil and Cod Liver Oil

2.      Salmon, Catfish, Mackerel, Sardines, Halibut, Tuna and Herring

3.      Oysters and Shrimp

4.      Milk, Soy Milk

5.      Orange Juice

6.      Cereal and Oatmeal

What’s the Correct Way to Diet?

The reason that most diets fail has to do with the feast and famine repertoire to which dieters subject themselves.  Particularly during this time of year when everything from Christmas cookies to pumpkin pie beckons, the urge to splurge is nearly as irresistible as gravity.  So if you are looking for a way to avoid the roller coaster effects of dieting, here are a few items to stick in your Christmas stocking.

·         Eat More Often – While this tip sounds counterintuitive, the reason you put on weight is due to the fact that when you burn less calories than that contained in the food you consume then weight gain is inevitable.  Therefore the secret to shedding pounds is to divide your calorie intake into smaller and more frequent packets.  This way you will avoid the risk of having hunger pains that can lead to binging.  Studies have shown that people who eat four to five small meals per day are better able to control both their appetite and their weight.

·         Keep Treats at Arm’s Length – Trying to go cold turkey is one of the worst ways to curb any habit. (Ask any smoker who’s tried to quit this way.)  The problem with total denial is that it leads to binging.  Instead of a complete ban on goodies, allow yourself an occasional treat.  Better yet, have a treat when you are out and about.  For instance when you are shopping at the mall you could buy a cookie then go about your shopping, which will enable you to walk off some of those calories.  Portion control and exercise are the keys to handling holiday treats.

·         Protein is Your Friend – Diets high in protein and moderate in carbs not only 

      help you shed pounds, it can also help you preserve muscle mass and encourage the body to burn fat.  So the next time you need a snack, reach for nuts, cheese or yogurt instead of chips or cookies.  Your bathroom scale will thank you.

·         Exercise is Key to Weight Loss – Exercise can spell the difference between taking the weight off and keeping the weight off.  Now I realized that a lot of people have an aversion to exercise.  Just remember that exercise is not a four-letter word.  It also doesn’t necessarily equate with a visit to the gym or the hiring of a personal fitness trainer.  Everything from daily walks to bike rides around the neighborhood can help burn calories and fat.  The trick is to find an activity that you enjoy.  This way you won’t throw in the towel after a couple of days.

The single most important piece of advice I can give to anyone who really wants to lose weight is not to go it alone.   Also don’t fall for the next magazine article or TV spot touting the latest, greatest diet ever.  What you need in order to formulate a diet that really works is to speak to people who truly understand the big picture when it comes to dieting.  What you don’t need is to listen to a pitchman or someone trying to sell more magazine subscriptions.

If you are looking to lose weight over the long haul then your local chiropractor can help steer you in the right direction.  Not only does he or she have years of training and experience in nutrition and exercise, but they can also tailor a plan to your individual wants and needs.  This way when the season of giving rolls around in years to come you won’t be forced to wrestle with the Ghost of Christmas Diets Past.

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org or http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com