Universal Diets v. Nutritional Fitness: One Size May Not Fit All
The question of what is a diet and can everybody and there grandmother be on the same diet that you are eating is asked today. That question is not only not nutritionally or medically sound when commercials say "you can do it too", but rather presumptious as well that my metabolism or the tastes of someone else's likes of food in a meal "must" be just like mine.
With different cars we know different engines take on efficiency with different fuels. A Ferrari will always require high octane and A Mack truck will run on diesel better and a Volkswagen bug will scamper down on regular fuel well. The same thing holds with people's fuels that supply to their own metabolism .Metabolism is what determines the type of diet you will best serve you body not only function on , but for survival.
The cell is packed with powerhouse generators of energy called mitochondria and different amounts of them exist in different parts of the body . Body fat, the natural fat burner Leptin as well as insulin, cortisol and thyroid hormone are all making an impact by modulating what is a better "functioning" diet for your metabolism and based on that note there are no such things as a true "universal" diet. A Dallas cowboy linebacker, an 88 year old grandmother and a chess player probably are not going to require the same nutritional component of a meals protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio as a diabetic, or someone with Chron's disease or liver failure. So, why do we presume "one diet fits all" on t.v.?
We all must eat what is not only what are tastey meals , but what are logically and nutritionally sound foods that act as bio-fuels for keeping cells generating energy to perform all bodily functions we never can keep track of.
Then , again how can all these different metabolic requirements be met by only one type of pre-fabricated meal? There are numerous metabolic types and three primary ones that need to be understood by us.
Metabolic types are defined by metabolic rates. The three larger metabolic rates are the fast , slow and mixed-variable types.But, from these 3 types various sub-types exist.
Fast rate metabolizers tend to combust fuels quicker and will require less of storage and more of readily usable fuels for activity.But, hypo-dense calories like carbohydrates will find them "sucking" win pretty bad with lactacidosis. Therefore proteins are a great source. Some of us are born that way while others acquire this type of metabolic functioning as athletes. The higher dense type calorie such as proteins are more beneficial for fast metabolizer.
Meats are not the only nutri-dense calorie source for fast metabolizers, but besides red meats high in saturated fats white meat sources are healthier. Meats such as chicken, wild fowl, and fish may have less saturated fats and more omega oil.
But, nutri-dense protein sources such as soy, whey, casein, navy beans, pinto beans, lentils, Goji beans, and brown rice are great non-meat sources also.
Diary sources of proteins such as cheeses, milk, and yogurt can be beneficial . Eggs , particularly the albumin is a good protein source of biotin.
Some high fitness and body sculptors are using branched chanin amino acids and protein bars in between their workouts to keep muscle mass as well.
The Slow Metabolizer tends to anabolically build up stores of calories so that they bulk up with meals more easily. Dense calories can be detrimental at disproportionate amounts necessary for slow metabolism to utilize adequately. We typically think of someone with low thyroid as the only type that meets this category, but today the immense number of those acquiring type 2 diabetes or type 2 diabetes associated with the Cardio-Metabolic Syndrome(Syndrome-X, Metabolic Syndrome, Couch Potato Syndrome, unHealthy Lifestyle)from excessive storage of calories with little burning is becoming the prevalent group. Inactive lifestyles such as these as well as those insomniacs who stay way up late at night to have their favorite 2 or 3 snacks are creating a large portion of the 2/3 of Americans who are either obese or overweight.
Their diets alone have to begin to cut down on high dense calories first and look at complex carbohydrates and fiber to help absorption rates of glucose, next. The glycemic index may not be as much a problem as the excess sugar being converted into glycerol and tri-glyceride which turns into adipose. Complex carbs such as fruits and vegetables slowly are digestable and do not cause sugar levels to plummet as much. Meals may need to be smaller , but more frequent. Where someone was use to eating 12 ounces of protein per meal it may need to be tapered down to 6-8 ounces over some time, then replace dense or empty calories with complex carbohydrates.
Activity is the "X" factor in this category thats often missing and lots of progress could be made if it is done regularly and leisurely.
Then , there are the "mixed-variable" types of metabolic rates that seem to have a "herky-jerkiness" to there own rhythm or sometimes not having any at all. Those who stay up all night to party, work and study are derranging their circadian rhythm pattern along with the regular endocrine signals from the brain that deals with feeding and energy balance. Doctors on call for 36 hours aren't exempt either from this as are not those who work multiple shifts like the grave yard shift.
The "mixed'variable" type metabolism is hit by fast food junkies, energy drink zombies and the supplement freak who doesn't eat real food. Those who are snacking all day long bombarded by high fructose corn syrup,saccharin , MSG, aspartame levels all day. The "on-the-go" junior exec trying to impress his boss by having tons of triple cheeseburgers on his desk next to his cigarette. Let's not forget the daily's, those who post up at the local watering hole with excess fat calories from ethanol in beers are a big source to obesity.
Let's also not forget those of us who are on multiple different types of diets at different times especially the "yo-yoers". This re-setting of the hypothalamic set point creates these plateaus that create more harm each time they try to diet again.
Our foods are the fuels for metabolism and the metabolic adjustments that have to be made by our cells and the hormones and neurotransmitters trying to figure out how to rebalance the equation of so much stuff being put into our mouths can be sometimes too much and illness is the result of it.
So, next time you hear some one say this is the diet for all....ask why is it and have they put all metabolic types on it and got the results in black and white.
Dr. Wells is the author of the book "Fit Family" available at www.fitfamily360.com.
Dr. Wells is a preventive health and lifestyles advocate
With different cars we know different engines take on efficiency with different fuels. A Ferrari will always require high octane and A Mack truck will run on diesel better and a Volkswagen bug will scamper down on regular fuel well. The same thing holds with people's fuels that supply to their own metabolism .Metabolism is what determines the type of diet you will best serve you body not only function on , but for survival.
The cell is packed with powerhouse generators of energy called mitochondria and different amounts of them exist in different parts of the body . Body fat, the natural fat burner Leptin as well as insulin, cortisol and thyroid hormone are all making an impact by modulating what is a better "functioning" diet for your metabolism and based on that note there are no such things as a true "universal" diet. A Dallas cowboy linebacker, an 88 year old grandmother and a chess player probably are not going to require the same nutritional component of a meals protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio as a diabetic, or someone with Chron's disease or liver failure. So, why do we presume "one diet fits all" on t.v.?
We all must eat what is not only what are tastey meals , but what are logically and nutritionally sound foods that act as bio-fuels for keeping cells generating energy to perform all bodily functions we never can keep track of.
Then , again how can all these different metabolic requirements be met by only one type of pre-fabricated meal? There are numerous metabolic types and three primary ones that need to be understood by us.
Metabolic types are defined by metabolic rates. The three larger metabolic rates are the fast , slow and mixed-variable types.But, from these 3 types various sub-types exist.
Fast rate metabolizers tend to combust fuels quicker and will require less of storage and more of readily usable fuels for activity.But, hypo-dense calories like carbohydrates will find them "sucking" win pretty bad with lactacidosis. Therefore proteins are a great source. Some of us are born that way while others acquire this type of metabolic functioning as athletes. The higher dense type calorie such as proteins are more beneficial for fast metabolizer.
Meats are not the only nutri-dense calorie source for fast metabolizers, but besides red meats high in saturated fats white meat sources are healthier. Meats such as chicken, wild fowl, and fish may have less saturated fats and more omega oil.
But, nutri-dense protein sources such as soy, whey, casein, navy beans, pinto beans, lentils, Goji beans, and brown rice are great non-meat sources also.
Diary sources of proteins such as cheeses, milk, and yogurt can be beneficial . Eggs , particularly the albumin is a good protein source of biotin.
Some high fitness and body sculptors are using branched chanin amino acids and protein bars in between their workouts to keep muscle mass as well.
The Slow Metabolizer tends to anabolically build up stores of calories so that they bulk up with meals more easily. Dense calories can be detrimental at disproportionate amounts necessary for slow metabolism to utilize adequately. We typically think of someone with low thyroid as the only type that meets this category, but today the immense number of those acquiring type 2 diabetes or type 2 diabetes associated with the Cardio-Metabolic Syndrome(Syndrome-X, Metabolic Syndrome, Couch Potato Syndrome, unHealthy Lifestyle)from excessive storage of calories with little burning is becoming the prevalent group. Inactive lifestyles such as these as well as those insomniacs who stay way up late at night to have their favorite 2 or 3 snacks are creating a large portion of the 2/3 of Americans who are either obese or overweight.
Their diets alone have to begin to cut down on high dense calories first and look at complex carbohydrates and fiber to help absorption rates of glucose, next. The glycemic index may not be as much a problem as the excess sugar being converted into glycerol and tri-glyceride which turns into adipose. Complex carbs such as fruits and vegetables slowly are digestable and do not cause sugar levels to plummet as much. Meals may need to be smaller , but more frequent. Where someone was use to eating 12 ounces of protein per meal it may need to be tapered down to 6-8 ounces over some time, then replace dense or empty calories with complex carbohydrates.
Activity is the "X" factor in this category thats often missing and lots of progress could be made if it is done regularly and leisurely.
Then , there are the "mixed-variable" types of metabolic rates that seem to have a "herky-jerkiness" to there own rhythm or sometimes not having any at all. Those who stay up all night to party, work and study are derranging their circadian rhythm pattern along with the regular endocrine signals from the brain that deals with feeding and energy balance. Doctors on call for 36 hours aren't exempt either from this as are not those who work multiple shifts like the grave yard shift.
The "mixed'variable" type metabolism is hit by fast food junkies, energy drink zombies and the supplement freak who doesn't eat real food. Those who are snacking all day long bombarded by high fructose corn syrup,saccharin , MSG, aspartame levels all day. The "on-the-go" junior exec trying to impress his boss by having tons of triple cheeseburgers on his desk next to his cigarette. Let's not forget the daily's, those who post up at the local watering hole with excess fat calories from ethanol in beers are a big source to obesity.
Let's also not forget those of us who are on multiple different types of diets at different times especially the "yo-yoers". This re-setting of the hypothalamic set point creates these plateaus that create more harm each time they try to diet again.
Our foods are the fuels for metabolism and the metabolic adjustments that have to be made by our cells and the hormones and neurotransmitters trying to figure out how to rebalance the equation of so much stuff being put into our mouths can be sometimes too much and illness is the result of it.
So, next time you hear some one say this is the diet for all....ask why is it and have they put all metabolic types on it and got the results in black and white.
Dr. Wells is the author of the book "Fit Family" available at www.fitfamily360.com.
Dr. Wells is a preventive health and lifestyles advocate
Comments
Post a Comment