Which is the best diet for overall health and weight loss?
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singingflutelady wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Dr. Josh Axe must have done a google search on PubMed. Try it yourself. intestinal permeability, pubmed
I just pulled up the pubmed site and searched "leaky gut." My search only found 248 returns, most of them studies on patients with other conditions already. What did you do differently to get 11k?
Sounds like quack Dr Axe said it so I guess it must be true.
Oh btw I actually had holes in my intestine (fistulas). If you aren't in a huge amount of pain or have major health issues you do not have hles.
Hugs1 -
1) Dr. Axe is a quack (as are most "functional medicine doctors):
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Joshua_Lee_Axe
https://badscidebunked.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/axe-idental-poisoning-josh-axe-debunked/
http://thesciencepost.com/dr-josh-axe-debating-which-fake-doctor-degree-to-get-next/
http://www.overcomeobesity.org/overcome-obesity/research/josh-axe-d-c-spewing-a-bunch-of-nonsense-on-the-dr-oz-show/
2) Leaky gut is an imaginary, made-up thing which is only diagnosed by quacks like "functional medicine doctors". It doesn't exist.11 -
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Leaky Gut is definitely a "thing". You also need to find out what foods you are allergic to or sensitive to. Read the Whole 30 and the Plant Paradox. The Whole 30 eliminates foods that generally cause allergic reactions, wheat, dairy, sugar, processed foods for 30 days. You eat real food, real fats, fruit as well. Then you start adding back the items that were eliminated to see if any of these bother you. The Plant Paradox discusses leaky gut quite a bit and talks about additional foods to eliminate to keep the gut biome healthy. It is quite strict and I am not totally sold on it at this point in time. One thing I did take away and started immediately was using psyllium fiber husks every day - this helps to clean out the digestive tract and I feel it has really helped me. As most everyone else has stated - real food - not processed is absolutely the best - and you will find you get way more bang for your buck. You can eat a lot more real food for the calories than you can processed food.36
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Leaky Gut is definitely a "thing". You also need to find out what foods you are allergic to or sensitive to. Read the Whole 30 and the Plant Paradox. The Whole 30 eliminates foods that generally cause allergic reactions, wheat, dairy, sugar, processed foods for 30 days. You eat real food, real fats, fruit as well. Then you start adding back the items that were eliminated to see if any of these bother you. The Plant Paradox discusses leaky gut quite a bit and talks about additional foods to eliminate to keep the gut biome healthy. It is quite strict and I am not totally sold on it at this point in time. One thing I did take away and started immediately was using psyllium fiber husks every day - this helps to clean out the digestive tract and I feel it has really helped me. As most everyone else has stated - real food - not processed is absolutely the best - and you will find you get way more bang for your buck. You can eat a lot more real food for the calories than you can processed food.
You're not strengthening the case any by using Steven Gundry as a reference. He's another quackadoodle who's been widely panned by evidence-based sources.18 -
Leaky Gut is definitely a "thing". You also need to find out what foods you are allergic to or sensitive to. Read the Whole 30 and the Plant Paradox. The Whole 30 eliminates foods that generally cause allergic reactions, wheat, dairy, sugar, processed foods for 30 days. You eat real food, real fats, fruit as well. Then you start adding back the items that were eliminated to see if any of these bother you. The Plant Paradox discusses leaky gut quite a bit and talks about additional foods to eliminate to keep the gut biome healthy. It is quite strict and I am not totally sold on it at this point in time. One thing I did take away and started immediately was using psyllium fiber husks every day - this helps to clean out the digestive tract and I feel it has really helped me. As most everyone else has stated - real food - not processed is absolutely the best - and you will find you get way more bang for your buck. You can eat a lot more real food for the calories than you can processed food.
So you know more about the GI tract than all the gastroenterologists? Hmmmm...10 -
I can’t help you with an ideal diet because we evaluate claims differently.
The “wait ten years and we’ll see who is right” is used by all sorts of quack claims. Any agency who uses this argument immediately goes on my least trusted list.
There are ways to reliably test claims for veracity. It’s called the scientific method and there are rules. Due to the scientific method I trust all substances that have made the GRAS list.
I see an “ideal diet” one that generally hits the daily minimums for calories and protein and is tasty. It will include a variety of foods so that the micronutrients are covered. That’s it. Therefore my ideal diet will include a little chocolate daily.9 -
Hey, can you guys help me figure this out? Hmmm, I don't like your answers. You're all going to die of diseases, and thanks for taking the time to read my post! :huh:
OP, if all of the experts you are consulting are telling you different things, what do you think that means? Isn't it possible that maybe they aren't really experts?
I recently read about the Blue Zones, areas where there are an extraordinary number of healthy centenarians. They eat a lot of veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes plus a little dairy, oil, fish, alcohol and meat, with lots of variations between communities. But what they all had in common was they live constantly active lifestyles and remain socially active in the community. I am firm a believer that it's not really difficult to eat a healthy diet, just aim for variety and make sure you are eating a decent amount of nutritious food. I think how you live is way more important. But I'm guessing that's not what you are looking for.
I'm going to enjoy a Coke Zero and a Fiber One brownie and then take a brisk walk while phoning a friend, and I bet it does me more good than avoiding low fat dairy or taking a Dr Axe recommended supplement.20 -
Here's a couple opinions on "leaky gut" from credible sources (i.e., not naturopaths, "functional medicine" doctors or other quacks):
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/leaky-bowel/
https://www.badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/leaky-gut-syndrome/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leaky-gut-syndrome/
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Just eat food. Best way to lose weight? Eat less.
As a human race we’ve made it this far without fad diets designed only to lighten your wallet.5 -
And just to throw some gasoline on this train wreck... Lactulose (as far as I can find any info on the term) is either a laxative used to relieve constipation or an indicator of ammonia in urea (your pee). I don't think the first is the case (given the discussion going on) so it devolves to the second and guess what? We all have ammonia in our pee because it is a normal by-product of the digestion of protein which the liver/kidneys remove from the blood and pass out of the body thru your pee.
Think about that - your 'functional' doctor got a positive result for something that is present in EVERY human being on the planet and then 'treated' you for having an 'abnormal' condition.11 -
No diet at all?1
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What’s that saying about a fool and their money?9
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WinoGelato wrote: »What’s that saying about a fool and their money?
they're always on MFP!?12 -
I think the best “diet” is one that is well balanced and includes all different food groups. I heard a radio interview of a guy who traveled around the world studying the “healthiest” groups of people (those wth the longest life expectancy) and the trend was they ate a lot of plant based foods, vegetables, beans, nuts, and they were also very active.4
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why not just eat a well rounded balanced diet consisting a lot of whole food nutrition and a moderate amount of each macro?
I don't think this *kitten* is that hard...it doesn't have to be low carb or low fat...a balanced diet is pretty *kitten* easy to accomplish.17 -
Eat a variety of nutrient dense foods in a balanced fashion (ie, in a way that covers your nutrient needs) and that you enjoy within your calories. That is the best diet for you. For me, I achieve this by focusing on eating some protein and a significant amount of veg at each meal (usually), some fruit, some sources of healthy fats, and just generally cooking a wide variety of foods I enjoy.The goverment healthy plate diet is good if you use sourdough bread or sprouted bread, and sprouted grains.
It can be fine if you don't too. I don't think bread choice is really that important a difference in most diets. (I would say my diet is consistent with gov't recommendations and yet I almost never eat bread because for me it's a waste of calories).The paleo diet is so high in good fats that it may not let you lose body fat.
Actually, there is no need to consume "good fats" at all (as I understand the term) when eating paleo, but yeah, if you overeat on paleo you won't lose. Paleo is an okay way of eating but I wouldn't recommend it since I think there's no reason for most to cut out legumes, grains, and dairy, and legumes are actually quite healthful and a good source of non meat protein. Plus the caveman rationale is silly and based on inaccurate claims.Is fat fat whether good or bad?
No, trans fats are bad for you, although they shouldn't be hard to avoid. Omega 3's are probably worth focusing on, and you will hear debate about whether to limit (not avoid) sat fat. I do, but I don't think you need to worry about this much detail when first working on your diet -- focus on calories, what you like, protein and vegetables.Low fat dairy and low fat diets may cause inflammation of the organs, causing acne and diseases. Because low fat products are all too processed. This is just my experience, what's yours?
Um, most low fat foods are naturally low in fat, like potatoes, grains, beans and lentils, vegetables and fruits, pasta and bread, so on. I'm not sure why you think low fat products are "too processed."
I don't consume much dairy, but I would choose some low fat dairy (because I like it!) over full fat, such as low fat greek yogurt. It's really not significantly more processed and I don't think it causes "inflammation" vs. full fat. You seem to be reading questionable sources. In fact, reading your last paragraph, VERY questionable sources.
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Leaky Gut is definitely a "thing". You also need to find out what foods you are allergic to or sensitive to. Read the Whole 30 and the Plant Paradox. The Whole 30 eliminates foods that generally cause allergic reactions, wheat, dairy, sugar, processed foods for 30 days. You eat real food, real fats, fruit as well. Then you start adding back the items that were eliminated to see if any of these bother you. The Plant Paradox discusses leaky gut quite a bit and talks about additional foods to eliminate to keep the gut biome healthy. It is quite strict and I am not totally sold on it at this point in time. One thing I did take away and started immediately was using psyllium fiber husks every day - this helps to clean out the digestive tract and I feel it has really helped me. As most everyone else has stated - real food - not processed is absolutely the best - and you will find you get way more bang for your buck. You can eat a lot more real food for the calories than you can processed food.
Uh oh.
You do understand that psyllium fiber husks are a processed food, I hope?11 -
Back to the we are going to all due of autoimmune diseases in 10 years if we don't fix our leaky guts thong. Most autoimmune diseases are "deadly" and as someone who has one and knows lots of people who do i can tell you it is usually the people who stop their medication and turn to quacky gurus who become the sickest. Seen it many a time. You might be ok for a while but inflammation left to run rampant causes huge issues and pushes people into flares and increases cancer risks.10
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The goverment healthy plate diet is good if you use sourdough bread or sprouted bread, and sprouted grains. The paleo diet is so high in good fats that it may not let you lose body fat. Is fat fat whether good or bad? I don't know. In terms of losing weight I mean. Low fat dairy and low fat diets may cause inflammation of the organs, causing acne and diseases. Because low fat products are all too processed. This is just my experience, what's yours?
You mean you've read these things on various web sites and blogs, and believe what you've read, not that it's your experience.
Best way to lose weight: reduce the number of calories you're eating, and increase your activity. There is no "magic" diet that will make you lose weight. You need to make sustainable choices you can live with for the rest of your life.
Best way to stay healthy: eat fruits, a variety of vegetables, avoid all trans fats, reduced saturated fats and increase vegetable fats (nuts, avocados, etc), make sure your diet has enough fiber and nutrients, increase the amount of protein you're getting from non-animal sources. And avoid advice from New Age and pseudo-scientific pundits - Like Drs. Axe, Mercola, Oz, etc.Thinking aloud, I need to start the best diet that will eliminate all possible disease. i just went through the healing leaky gut elimination diet with dr. axe and i didn't finish it properly. Then i went to a nutritionist who has a healthy plate diet, low fat dairy, and lots of carbs. I can't figure out which one will help me mainly maintain healthy gut and still lose weight. I think it's the paleo diet.
If you like the paleo diet, do it. If you don't like it, you won't stick with it. Again, you need to find a way of living that you can stick with for the long hall.
And there's no "best diet" that will "eliminate all possible disease", just as there's no drug that will do this. All you can do with your choices is reduce the probability of getting certain diseases. Comedian Andy Kaufman died of a rare form of lung cancer and had never smoked in his life. Some people live to 100+ on a daily diet of cigars and booze and steak. It's called probability.4 -
Back to the OP (though the discussion sure has been interesting to read.) There is no one 'healthiest diet' that anyone can recommend for you, with the sole exception that your regular way of eating should nourish you, not harm you.
You may (and I fully advise consulting with a medical professional, because I am most certainly not one) need to start with one basic eating plan, such as Paleo, or whatever eating plan that you settle on, and see what your body best responds to in accordance with your health goals.
Personally, after a few years of trial and error, I eat mainly Paleo, because that's a method of eating that I feel the best on, and eating this way brought my blood sugar from pre-diabetic back into the normal ranges. Also, I enjoy the food, so it's not a hardship for me, and a sustainable, enjoyable way of life. And I really only use 'Paleo' for lack of a better term, because it's a close approximation and therefore easier than rattling off 'I eat protein, and produce and healthy fats, and avoid most grains but enjoy corn and quinoa occasionally, also, since I don't have problems with soy, I use tamari instead of coconut aminos, because they taste nasty.'
Most grains and sugar make me feel cruddy, cause my moods to swing drastically, and literally make me want to eat the world. As a result of this, I don't indulge in the multitude of 'paleo desserts' out there, because while I feel high fructose corn syrup is the devil, other than that, my body treats sugar as sugar, as far as cravings/mood swings go. My body has a higher tolerance for fruit, so I'll eat a couple-three modest servings a week...but again, too much, and it triggers the 'eat the world' urges.
This all being said, my mother tried Paleo, and didn't do well on it. Her system is different than mine, and it wasn't her optimal eating plan. One friend does Keto, and loves it, she feels good, looks great. I tried Keto, and my body hated it, apparently, I need a wider array of produce than Keto allows to feel healthy.
Basically, this long-winded post is saying to just listen to your body.and remember that you don't necessarily have to adopt an eating plan with a label, or buy into what anybody is selling, in order to be healthy.8 -
Well Said!livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Stress contributes to ill health. Stressing about the healthiness of every food choice you make is probably going to cause more health issues than enjoying some foods on occasion that may not be "healthy".
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acorsaut89 wrote: »I've lost 80lbs on my own, and honestly moderation is key. I've watched friends go on plant-based, yada yada diets and they actually gained about 30lbs because nuts and seeds - while very good for you - are also very calorie dense.
I tend to follow the nature rule: if the world went through some catastrophic event and I had to go out and find my own food, could I find this item? Could I grow this item, or make it from food I could grow myself? If the answer is yes, it goes into my diet. If the answer is no then it doesn't. I follow this rule about 85% of the time, the rest I do allow myself some items outside of the nature rule. I eat a lot of produce, actually when I grocery shop there are very few items of mine that come from the inner aisles of the store, or as I call them: the box aisles. There are some things like coffee and PB, but most of my food is from the produce and fresh meat sections.
Another good mindset is this one: if you purchased this food, and let it sit out for a week would it rot or would it look exactly the same? If it is going to go bad, you want to eat it. If it will look exactly the same, stay away from it.
Or ask yourself this: has there been any advertising for the food you're looking to buy? Foods that are the best for you - nutritionally speaking - often have the least amount of advertising.
Just some food for thought.
No pun intended on the Food for Thought!!! hehehe0 -
The goverment healthy plate diet is good if you use sourdough bread or sprouted bread, and sprouted grains. The paleo diet is so high in good fats that it may not let you lose body fat. Is fat fat whether good or bad? I don't know. In terms of losing weight I mean. Low fat dairy and low fat diets may cause inflammation of the organs, causing acne and diseases. Because low fat products are all too processed. This is just my experience, what's yours?
Thinking aloud, I need to start the best diet that will eliminate all possible disease. i just went through the healing leaky gut elimination diet with dr. axe and i didn't finish it properly. Then i went to a nutritionist who has a healthy plate diet, low fat dairy, and lots of carbs. I can't figure out which one will help me mainly maintain healthy gut and still lose weight. I think it's the paleo diet.
This post will get cleaned up and the debate split off at some point like all of the others, so back to the OP. Human beings can survive, thrive, and minimize disease on a wide variety of diets. We usually look to Blue Zones for the longest-lived people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Zone) but there's a lot of debate over how much of that is based on diet vs. lifestyle.
Even the healthiest populations have disease. Finding a diet that will eliminate all possible disease doesn't exist. If anyone has told you that it does exist, they are trying to sell you something.
Eating fat will not stop you from losing fat. The body doesn't work like that. Again, stop reading any source that tells you it does.
Leaky gut is not medically recognized and falls into the realm of pseudoscience. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaky_gut_syndrome If anyone has given you a test for it, you need to have some serious questions about what they're claiming and how much you're paying them.
If you like the paleo diet and it doesn't cause you undo stress maintaining it (remember, lifestyle and minimizing stress is part of the whole healthy living thing) then I don't see why you shouldn't try it out and see how you feel.
In general, the guidelines I live by look something like this:
Eat foods that you like in portion sizes that fit your goals.
Get enough of fats & protein for health and satiety. (minimum amounts look something like .3-.4 grams of fat per pound of body weight and .6-.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight)
Get plenty of fruits & veggies for the micronutrients.
Fill in the rest of your calories with carbs, sweets, and treats as you see fit.
Reach a minimum level of activity daily through whatever activity you like or whatever activity is needed to reach your specific goals.
Anything beyond that is just added stress, imo.7 -
In the interest of making an on-topic post in this thread: I've realized that I actually "published" my thoughts about "the best diet for overall health and weight loss" right here on MFP:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm
As far as I can tell via search, no one has linked it in this thread (despite some kind MFPers occasionally giving it endorsements in other threads), so I will therefore shamelessly self-promote . . . on topic.18 -
A good friend of mine's father works in the NIH. He works with a guy who is one of the leading research scientists on nutrition in the NIH. That man says: "Basically, we don't really know for sure. All these recommendations doctors make to you with such sureness are our best guesses, but we find new exceptions every day". You see new nutrition studies come out every day with conflicting results. Any good scientist will tell you that well-designed, peer-reviewed studies which show conflict results don't necessarily indicate that one of the studies must be wrong -- it just means that there may be more to the picture than we are seeing. Anybody claiming to know for certain what the perfect diet is, or which foods are absolutely good or absolutely bad for you, is probably full of it. There is a lot of BS "science" and speculation out there in regards to nutrition and health, because for some reason humans can't seem to accept "we don't actually know right now" as a real answer.
It's a highly individual matter, and a highly flexible one at that. It may be there are several different diets that you'd be perfectly healthy on. There may be several different ones that you wouldn't be healthy on, but someone else might. Try it out for yourself, watch your vital signs, and realize in the end that we don't have 100% control over our body's fate. Doesn't mean you shouldn't try to influence your risk levels, but also don't fall in the trap of thinking you can really micromanage your health to the extent some people claim.9
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