What Kind of Diet Would Prolong a Healthy Life - Essay Example

What Kind of Diet Would Prolong a Healthy Life (With Reference to Current Thinking on Nutrition, Comparing the Atkins and a Vegetarian Diet) One of the earliest recorded attempts in the Western world to diet for the purpose of improved health is that of Luigi Cornaro from fifteenth-sixteenth century Padua in Italy. Cornaro, when he was forty, was warned by his doctor that he did not have many years to live because of his excessive eating and drinking; he decided to take matters into his own hands, and reduced his intake of food drastically. He then beat all odds to live a long, productive and full life, well into his nineties; some sources claim that he died a centenarian. His writings recording his lifestyle are both interesting and illuminating. (Day - website) As for vegetarianism - this has become a way of life, as part of religious practice among several communities in the East. Buddhism advocates vegetarianism; the adherents of Jainism - a religion whose followers are mainly confined to western India - are vegetarian;(Culture Cuisine) some Hindus are lacto-vegetarian (taking milk and milk products, but not eating fowl/ fish)1, or ovo-lacto-vegetarian (eating eggs as well)2. Even before the recent interest displayed in vegetarian diets in the West, there have been several well-known advocates of the vegetarian way of life as both moral and healthy (e.g. Pythagoras - Greek mathematician, and George Bernard Shaw) (Melwani 2006) In the US, dieting became popular (starting of diet 'fads') with the Hollywood diet of the 1930's. This diet better known as the grapefruit diet involved eating only 585 calories per day, for 18 days including "only grapefruit, hard boiled eggs, green vegetables and melba toast." (Marples - website) Saccharine, a sugar substitute was introduced in 1958, and Aspartame in 1981. In 1919, the Continental Scale Company manufactured the first bathroom scales, and in 1942 the Metropolitan Insurance Company started using weight tables to decide insurance premiums - the closer you were to your ideal weight, the lower the premium. (Marples- website) The Atkins Diet (AD) was introduced in 1972, with the publication of Dr. Atkins' 'Diet Revolution'. This diet received quite a bit of criticism, as its methodology was contrary to the 'expertspeak' of the day. It recommended almost a complete cutting down of carbohydrates, and eating only protein and fat. A few vegetables, but only in small doses, were permitted, as veggies also contain carbs. (Marples-website) Let's look how the Atkins' Plan, as stated by Atkins, works. There are four phases in the operation of the AD. Anyone can commence using it by starting from any one phase and going on to the next. But it is advisable to start from Phase 1, as this phase "jump start(s) your weight loss". (The New Look of Nutrition Phase 1) The first phase is the induction phase of 14 days, when significant weight loss is achieved by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates drastically. A dieter is permitted to have only 20 grams of net carbs (total carb grams less fibre grams) from salad vegetables. All types of non-vegetarian food is permitted - fowl, fish, shellfish, eggs and cheese. Here, there are some restrictions depending on the exact calorie count of these. (For instance, mussels and oysters contain some carbs, so this should be factored in before having them). Artificial sweeteners (like spenta) are permitted, but their carb value should be considered, and added in the computation of total carbs. A total of 8 glasses of water are to be drunk, over and above any other liquids. Anyone with a coffee addiction should give it up and only decaffeinated drinks should be taken. Oils like olive oil, canola or safflower are permitted. No fruit, bread, pasta or starchy vegetables, and no nuts or seeds, nor legumes, which combine protein and carbohydrates, can be had. Have three meals daily or have several smaller meals; in any case, don't go for more than 6 hours without eating. Ensure not to get constipated. If you do, take psyllium husk in water, (this has bulk or fibre and promotes bowel movement. Have a multivitamin tablet daily, but avoid iron. Induction starts lipolysis/ketosis, converting your metabolism to one that burns fat and not carbohydrate for energy. So do not switch to low fat foods. This could hamper progress. This conversion happens within 48 hours of starting the diet. Feelings of uneasiness and cravings for food, will subside after this 48 period, and weight loss also commences then. (The New Look of Nutrition Phase 1) The Atkins is a low-glycemic approach to weight loss. Glycemic means relating to sugar. The higher the glycemic impact of a food, the higher the blood sugar levels, and the higher the insulin necessary to bring the blood sugar back to normal levels. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, and if more is produced, it affects the weight loss process. The Glycemic Index (GI) is used to measure the glycemic impact of food. The GI is measured by comparing the effect of a 50 gm portion of food on blood sugar to that of a 50 gm standard like white bread or glucose. The Glycemic Index does not consider the portion size. The concept of the Glycemic Load considers portion size. For instance, carrots are a food with a high Glycemic Index, as compared to pasta, but since a portion of carrot (it would take around 6 carrots to make 50 gms) would be much less than a portion of pasta, carrots have a lower Glycemic Load than a normal portion of pasta that one consumes. The Glycemic Load is the GI multiplied by the net available calories, and divided by 100; you also need a carb gram counter to measure this. (The New Look of Nutrition - Phase 1) (Quite a complicated calculation to take in a mouthful of food - does it mean that the mathematically challenged say good bye to the AD!) However, Atkins has analysed all permitted food items and ranked it in order - the Atkins Glycemic Ranking (AGR). You eat more of those towards the bottom of the AGR. The second phase is the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase (OWL), when you are permitted a net carb intake of 25 gms. You are permitted to increase carb intake by not more than 5 gms per week, till you are within 5 to 10 pounds of the desired weight. In OWL you are permitted to add nuts and berries, but you should be careful not to undo all the benefits achieved in phase 1. In this phase, the rate of weight loss comes down. You have a threshold for carbohydrate consumption, which is the CCLL or Critical Carbohydrates Level for Losing. If you stay below CCLL you lose weight. If you go above, weight loss stops. In this phase you will get to understand what your personalised CCLL is, depending on your metabolism. (The New Look of Nutrition - Phase 2) The third phase is the Pre-Maintenance Phase, where your carb consumption is such that weight loss is less than a pound a week. You continue at pre-maintenance for a month after you reach your targeted weight. Your aim here is to reach ACE or Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium, at which level your weight is stable. You neither lose nor gain. In the pre-maintenance, you go very slowly, because the idea is that you get used to it, so that once you get into maintenance, there is no slip up, and coming back.(The New Look of Nutrition- Phase 3) In the fourth and final phase, the Maintenance Phase, you try and ensure that you don't go more than 5 pounds off your ideal weight. If ever you increase a little more than 5 pounds you must get back into induction. You maintain your ACE, which you manage because you understand how your body behaves, and reacts to the consumption of carbs. The Atkins food pyramid given on page 6 explains this. (The New Look of Nutrition - Phase 4) You have a wider choice of foods, at the highest level (5) of the pyramid. And as long as you are able to maintain your weight, you may go to higher levels. You may have to drop down to a lower level, if weight gain starts. Exercise helps you to enjoy the benefits of being at a higher level, and thus enjoy a greater range of food items, from level 1 to level 5, as shown on page 6. (The New Look of Nutrition - Phase 4) Does the Atkins diet work Is it detrimental to health The Atkins has been at the core of many a controversy. The induction phase has been criticised as an extreme form of carb control, and utter laxity in fat and protein intake in the form of non-vegetarian food. It has been attacked as having a dangerous impact on the cholesterol levels of subjects, as being bad for the kidneys, as it overloads them, in the flushing out of ketones, and that if sufficient water is not drunk, there could be permanent kidney damage. It has also been criticised on the grounds that Atkins' subjects have rarely achieved permanent weight loss, though this argument has been refuted with a counter argument that this has happened only where dieters have not strictly adhered to the rules. (Website- Atkins Controversy) " The problem for Atkins is that the National Academy of Sciences, the most prestigious scientific body in the United States, oppose (s) the Atkins Diet. So does the American Cancer Society; and the American Heart Association; and the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins;] and the American Kidney Fund; and the American College of Sports Medicine; and the National Institutes of Health. In fact there does not seem to be a single major governmental or non-profit medical, nutrition, or science-based organization in the world that supports the Atkins Diet. As a 2004 medical journal review concluded, the Atkins Diet "runs counter to all the current evidence-based dietary recommendations." (atkinsexposed.org) One way or the other, although the Atkins Diet has shown itself as successful in helping people lose weight, especially in the initial stages, it has been criticised on the grounds that it achieves it in an unnatural, and imbalanced way. It is also a diet difficult to adhere to, because it requires precise and minute calculations in order to maintain the fine equilibrium of the right intake of carbs. Coming to the vegetarian diet. A pure vegetarian diet is one that is based only on plant food. A lacto vegetarian diet is more commonly followed than a purely vegetarian diet. There are also 'vegetarians' who include eggs in their diet. The primary objection to a pure vegetarian diet has been that it does not supply all the nutrients required by the body. Non-veg foods contain all the essential amino acids, whereas, in veg foods, only milk contains this. However, a judicious combination of vegetarian food ensures that all these amino acids are received by the body (Barreto) Vegetarian food is lower in protein than non-veg foods. But this is taken care of by using pulses. Sprouting pulses, before use enhances the nutritive value of vegetarian food. "Pulses are deficient in sulphur containing amino acids whereas cereals are rich in sulphur containing amino acids. This makes a cereal-pulse combination a complete source of protein. Hence it is a mistaken belief that non-vegetarian food is essential to provide adequate proteins for growth and development"(Barreto) Nuts, fruits and coconuts used in the vegetarian diet provide nutritive value and a fibre rich food which is health enhancing. In fact coconut, and coconut oil, which had been condemned as being bad for health (leading to increased cholesterol) is now being reinstated in the nutritionist's list of healthy foods. (Wellness Directory of Minnesota- Website) Vegetarian diets are now being recommended as being strength enhancing for athletes in competitive sports. Advocates of a veg diet (Martina Navratilova for instance) are living testimony to the fact that it is not necessary to eat meat to succeed in competitive sport. If the vegetarian diet is so good for health, how is it that in India, there is a marked increase in recent times, in the incidence of lifestyle diseases of cardiac problems, hypertension and diabetes among vegetarians How come the vegetarian diet has not protected these people The answer to this apparent puzzle is 1) a lot of avowed vegetarians actually take in a lot of animal products like butter, ghee (clarified butter), full cream milk, cheese and yoghurt with full cream milk, and their intake of animal products could be higher than that of a 'careful non-vegetarian'(!); 2) there is greater consumption of processed foods - white rice instead of unpolished, refined flours instead of unrefined wheat flour in the making of bread and chappati; and 3) a sedentary lifestyle. The vegetarian diet is therefore not the culprit. Let us examine whether it is possible to have an Atkins diet for the vegetarian, i.e. a low carb vegetarian diet, or is the term (Vegetarian -Atkins) a contradiction in terms A strict vegetarian cannot be on AD, since the veg diet will perforce have more carbs than what is permitted by the Atkins Plan. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian can go on AD by stocking up on milk, eggs and tofu. (How to use the Dr Atkins') Let's now come to the question of the kind of diet that would prolong a healthy life. Is it the Atkins', is it the vegetarian, is it some kind of a combination of the two, if that were possible, or is it an entirely different kind of diet A healthy diet involves 1) eating high fibre foods like fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, which have higher dietary fibre, and therefore helps keep blood sugar steady; these foods have important vitamins and minerals as well. 2) Eating fruits and veggies of different colours - green, orange and yellow like cantaloupe, carrots, broccoli, coloured cabbage (at least 5 servings a day). These have anti-oxidant properties, which prevent cancer. 3) Limit intake of sugar (cola drinks) and refined grain (white bread) 4) Cut down on animal fat. Eat lean meat, skinless chicken. Prefer white (chicken) to red (beef and mutton) meats, to prevent a high level of cholesterol. 5) Cut down on hydrogenated vegetable oils, which have trans-fats. Many processed foods contain these. 6) Eat fish and nuts, which contain unsaturated fat. Use olive oil 7) Serve smaller portions of food. In restaurants, split a dish with someone else. Get over the hang up that it is 'sinful' to waste food. Don't serve yourself more initially; but if you have done so, don't insist on finishing it. 8) Cholesterol intake to be kept below 300 mgs per day. Cholesterol is found in eggs, meat, and in some kind of sea-food like prawns and mussels. 9) Eat a variety of food. This gives you all the nutrients you require. It protects you from the toxic effects (if any) of a particular food item. 10) Have adequate calcium from low fat milk and yoghurt, and from supplements. 11) Try and get your vitamins and minerals from food, not supplements. Recent research has shown that over-dependence on (especially anti-oxidant) supplements to the exclusion of real food could affect longevity. 12) Maintain the correct weight, by exercising. A healthy BMI (body mass index: weight divided by height-in-metres squared) would be between 18 and 25) 13) If you drink, drink moderately. A drink a day for women, two for men. A drink would be 12 ounces of beer, or 4 of wine, or 1.5 ounces of other spirits. Excessive alcohol consumption, leads to various problems, apart from giving you excess empty calories. (Foundations of Wellness) While looking at the diet that is best for increasing longevity, along with maintaining a good quality of life, we must not forget that, ultimately, it is not diet alone, but lifestyle as a whole that increases lifespan and improves its quality. I would like to conclude by quoting from different sources (not necessarily from writings on health and nutrition) to emphasise that not only nutrition but also other factors play an important part in having a long, fulfilling and healthy life. "Covey, 72, the spry author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (has) boundless energy and stamina. Covey just returned from a trip to Europe and Canada; he was in seven countries in 12 days. This month, he heads out for 12 days and 15 presentations in Australia, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan Even when Covey gets off a plane and arrives home at 11 p.m., he'll spend 90 minutes in his generous home gym, where he swims with fins on both hands and feet, bikes and does yoga or Pilates. "He never mentions the 'R' word (retirement)," says his wife of 48 years, Sandra." (Jones) The above is a description of Stephen Covey, inspirational speaker and author. The National Geographic Magazine in its article on the longest lived people on earth, mentions three different cultures, the people of Okinawa (Japan), the Sardinians (Italy) and the Seventh Day Adventists (Loma Linda, California). (National Geographic - multimedia presentation) The Okinawans, "the longest lived people on Earth" have many centenarians among them. The National Geographic researcher and writer, Mclain found that the ninety-year olds were riding bikes and even diving! They ate well, but ate a healthy diet having carrots, seaweed, onions and potatoes, all home grown. The older people had a good social support system. They even had a word in their language, which meant "reason for which you wake up in the morning"! (National Geographic- Multimedia Presentation) Among the Sardinians, Mclain found that the men had the same longevity as the women, which does not happen in any other culture in the world. It has been attributed to the fact that stress among men is low, because the women wear the pants in the family, and take all major decisions. Family solidarity was high, and every weekend there was one meal, where the whole family - four generations - joined in. (National Geographic - Multimedia Presentation). The Seventh Day Adventists have a life span ten years longer than the average for the rest of the US. It is a fact that they also practice a religion, which insists on vegetarianism, no drinking, no smoking, and a compulsory rest day for the Sabbath, on all Saturdays. (National Geographic -Multimedia Presentation) We can certainly infer from the above quoted examples that the secret for a happy, long and fulfilling life lies in moderation and balance in all things - in pleasures and enjoyment and work, not just in food, and in continuing to maintain zest and interest in life, the reason for which you wake up in the morning. Works Cited 1- Atkins Diet Controversy, Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.atkins-diet-plan-n-recipes.com/atkins-low-carb-diets.html> 2- atkinsexposed.org Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.atkinsexposed.org/atkins/1/Atkins_Facts.htm> 3- Atkins The New Look of Nutrition Advantage Phase 1 Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-one> 4- Atkins The New Look of Nutrition Phase 2 Retrieved 5th May 2007 5- Atkins The New Look of Nutrition Phase 3 Retrieved 5th May 2007 6- Atkins The New Look of Nutrition Phase 4 Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-four > 7- Barreto, Mariella Food Values of a Vegetarian Diet Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.bhj.org/books/diets/chap1.htm 8- Culture Cuisine: Vegetarianism in India Retrieved 5th May 2007 9- Day, Chet Introduction to Luigi Cornaro's Discourse on the Sober Life: How to Live Hundred Years, Discourse no 1, retrieved 5th May 2007 10- Foundations of Wellness, Retrieved 5th May 2007 11- How to use Dr Atkins' Diet as Vegetarian or Vegan, Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.ehow.com/how_8646_dr-atkins-diet.html> 12- Jones, Del: USA Today: Covey Takes a Lesson from Himself, Releases 8th Habit (updated 11th Sept, 2004) Retrieved 5th May 2007 13- Marples, Gareth The History of the Atkins Diet - A Revolutionary Lifestyle! Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.thehistoryof.net/history-of-the-atkins-diet.html 14- Melwani, Lavina Famous Vegetarians and their Favourite Recipes by Rynn Berry (book review) page updated 18th July 2006, retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www.ivu.org/books/reviews/famous-vegetarians.html> 15- National Geographic - Multimedia Presentation: Secrets of Living Longer Retrieved 5th May 2007 < http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/sights_n_sounds/index.html> 16-Wellness Directory of Minnesota: Coconut Oil, Retrieved 5th May, 2007-05-08 Read More