For 22 years of my time in Padgate Medical Centre, many of our patients tried to stay healthy by following a low fat diet or by using the idea of eating less, moving more or by trying to eat a balanced diet. I'm sorry to say it didn't work.
The diabetic population in our practice in Warrington rose from 1% to 4.9% over 20 years and the weight of our practice population also rose significantly in line with the rest of the country.
For this reason, a doctor colleague and I looked into more effective approaches and found out that a diverse range of respected doctors and dieticians round the world have been giving the following advice (it's actually as old as the hills) and publishing it on books and websites, often for free.
Below is an example from Dr David Perlmutter in the USA. It is a lifestyle, rather than a diet, and so it can be continued long term.
Feedback from patients and staff who are following his lifestyle and those of the other like-minded specialists is very good. They love the real food and it makes them feel well. It is the first way of eating where I have seen whole families lose weight, and the first one where multiple health problems improve. These common health problems include as IBS and asthma, diabetes, arthritis and allergies. I was sceptical, but I have seen it with many people , so feel free to give it a go and let me know how you get on. Remember that we are all different so you may need to reduce your carbs e.g. to under 30g a day, to get the results you want. On the other hand you may need more if you get a lot of exercise and are a normal weight. I have a new simpler website you may wish to look at about food. It is found here.
The principles that cross all the eating plans
It will not come as a surprise to you these doctors and dieticians seem to be saying the same thing-
Your body thrives on REAL food,
Processed food is bad for you,
There are good fats out there which are beneficial to you.
That you can live without sugar and starch (carbohydrates) as they are not essential.
The Best Way to Eat?
Grain Brain books, and Free Website
This example is adapted from Dr Perlmutter's book Grain Brain.
Eat what you like of
· Healthy fat: extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, almond milk, avocados, coconuts, olives, nuts and nut butters, cheese (except for blue cheeses), and seeds (flaxseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds).
· Protein: whole eggs; wild fish (salmon, trout, sardines); shellfish and molluscs (shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams, oysters); poultry, pork, beef, lamb, liver, chicken, turkey, duck, veal; wild game.
· Vegetables: leafy greens and lettuces, collards, spinach, broccoli, kale, chard, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, artichoke, alfalfa sprouts, green beans, celery, radishes, watercress, turnip, asparagus, garlic, leek, fennel, shallots, spring onions, ginger, parsley, water chestnuts.
· Low-sugar Fruit: avocado, peppers, cucumber, tomato, courgettes, squash, pumpkin, aubergine, lemons, and limes.
· Herbs, Seasonings, and Condiments: You can go wild here as long as you watch labels. Try mustard, horseradish, tapenade, and salsa if they are free of gluten, wheat, soy, and sugar. There are virtually no restrictions on herbs and seasonings; be mindful of packaged products, however, that were made at plants that process wheat and soy.
Eat up to twice a week of
· Non-gluten grains: rice (brown, white, wild), quinoa, and gluten free oats.
· Legumes (beans, lentils, peas). Exception: you can have hummus
· Carrots and parsnips.
· Whole sweet fruit: berries are best; be extra cautious of sugary fruits such as apricots, mangos, melons, papaya, prunes, and pineapple.
· Cow’s milk and cream: use sparingly in recipes, coffee, and tea.
· Cottage cheese, yogurt: use sparingly in recipes or as a topping.
· Sweeteners: natural stevia and chocolate (choose dark chocolate that’s at least 70 percent or more cocoa).
Daily
· Drinks. Water 8-9 glasses a day.
For adults Wine: one glass a day if wished, preferably red.
The Grain Brain cookbook by Dr Perlmutter is full of real food recipes.
See FAQs on the final page
Diet Foods
Just don't bother with diet foods- they are not real and not as satisfying as real foods. Tests have shown that people on diet foods can even gain more weight than people on the equivalent non diet foods
www.dietdoctor.com is another FREE website which I love. Have a look and see what you think.
It is run by Dr Andreas Eenfeldt and goes through all the reasons why it is better for your body to follow a real food way of eating with lower carbohydrate and higher good fats. It's not a restrictive diet, it's a way of life that can be followed by all people, no matter what their age or weight.
The Harcombe books and website
Zoe Harcombe has been writing books about nutrition for over 15 years and her books (Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight; Why do you overeat? When all you want is to be slim) and websites(www.zoeharcombe.com and www.theharcombediet.com) were very popular with our patients in Padgate. The book aimed at men is particularly concise (www.theharcombedietformen.com).
A novel idea
www.buttermakesyourpantsfalloff.com
, pants being trousers here in the UK!
A man called Butter Bob Briggs in the USA says he has become a normal weight and been cured of numerous health problems through eating a high Good Fat and low carbohydrate diet. You can hear and see his story on YouTube or Twitter or his website of the same name. He lost 145 lb or 10 stone 5 pounds in a 14 months and kept it off. You can see his normal lipid and other blood results and you can see other people, including whole families who have all lost weight by following a similar lifestyle. Bob keeps his eating simple and says it doesn't have to be expensive..
Other Websites you may find interesting
I was an Expert Advisor for the iquit sugar programme from the 4th June 2015. See www.iquitsugar.com for further details
www.iquitsugar.com is an 8 week programme to get you off the white stuff if you have decided it's the time.