How Can Fad Dieting Affect Digestion?
What is a Fad Diet?
A fad diet is one that aims to help you lose a dramatic amount of weight quickly. However, such diets may not typically result in a long-term weight loss and some may not be good for your health. They tend to backfire because as soon as you end the diet (which usually means cutting out whole food groups) and go back to eating normally and regularly, you’re likely to regain the lost weight.
In the next section, we will take a look at some of the most popular fad diets which people try.
Fad Diet Examples
1. New Atkins diet: This is based on starving yourself of carbohydrates in order for your body to burn more fat for energy.
2. South Beach diet: A two week diet that aims to achieve quick weight loss. People following this diet are advised to eat lean protein, from meat, fish and poultry sources, vegetables with a low-GI* and also unsaturated fat. Low-GI carbs are re-introduced during the second and third phases of the diet, which, it is claimed, encourages a gradual, sustainable loss of weight.
3. Cambridge diet: It is based on eating meal-replacement products such as food bars, soups and shakes as either your only source of nutrition or together with low calorie regular meals.
4. Raw Food diet: This involves solely eating raw fruits, vegetables and grains - all low in calories and fat. Since cooking foods by heating destroys nutrients and natural enzymes, eating the food raw helps preserve these nutrients.
Do Fad Diets Affect Your Digestion?
When you make changes to your diet, particularly with fad diets, there is always a chance you are removing nutrients that help prevent indigestion. A balanced diet should include the right mix of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, salts, vitamins and fibre which are all requirements for avoiding it.
For example, with the New Atkins diet, people are advised to remove carbohydrates from their day-to-day diet which could hinder digestion and cause pain.
Alternatively, if you are suffering with indigestion and some of your symptoms include nausea and bloating, what you shouldn’t eat becomes equally important.
Again, the Raw Food diet advises people to only eat raw fruit and vegetables (as the name suggests) but this can become a struggle when it comes to acidic foods. Tomatoes and citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits can all cause digestive problems due to their acidity.
If you suffer from indigestion, ask yourself if your diet - be it a fad diet or just your usual diet - could contain any food-related triggers of indigestion.
As well as food related triggers, there is also a question around the time of day you could be eating too. For example, eating irregular meals or eating and drinking late in the evening could be what is causing your indigestion. If you are cutting out a large portion of food in place of a fad diet then you might find you are hungry by the late evening. Come up with a plan of when you are going to eat and try to be consistent with it. However, try to avoid eating late at night and give your body time to digest food before you go to bed.
Preventing & Treating Indigestion
Taking measures to try to prevent indigestion is an advisable first step. Firstly, you need to check your fad diet is not the cause of your indigestion. Often, new foods are brought into or taken out of your diet and you may not be aware if this is what is causing it. Also, check your lifestyle and ask yourself if it may be having an effect on your digestion.
On top of what we have already mentioned, try to avoid the following:
• Big meals - in addition to potentially stretching your stomach lining, overfilling your stomach can cause extra pressure on digestion. If you are on a fad diet that allows you to eat as much of one food group as you desire, choose to eat smaller portions often to prevent indigestion and heartburn.
• Foods you know have caused indigestion - is your indigestion linked to a new diet or food that you don't usually eat? If a fad diet includes known indigestion triggers for you, this diet should be avoided.
• Spices and tomatoes - some food eaten on a fad diet may seem quite bland and tasteless after a while. Don’t be tempted to add spices or tomato-based sauces to enhance the flavour as these ingredients are known indigestion triggers.
Many treatments are available should you suffer from indigestion. Gaviscon Extra is a well-established medication for helping to relieve indigestion and works in the following ways:
• It contains calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate which both work to quickly neutralise stomach acid.
Gaviscon Extra offers long-lasting relief from indigestion and heartburn. It also 2x faster than antacids.
Whilst your digestive system can cope with just about any foods, your stomach may not always react well to everything you eat. If you're having indigestion problems, due to a new diet, or simply with the way you normally eat, consider consulting a dietician or a doctor.
Indeed, it may be advisable not to start any sort of diet without getting a professional opinion first.
All information presented is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. Gaviscon Extra Oral Suspension and Gaviscon Extra Chewable Tablets Contain sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate for heartburn and indigestion. Always read the label. If symptoms are severe or last more than 7 days consult your doctor or pharmacist.
References:
1. http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/weight-loss/nutrition-for-weight-loss-what-you-need-to-know-about-fad-diets.html
*GI = glycaemic index which provides an indication of how quickly foods may cause a change in your blood glucose. High GI means a rapid increase in blood glucose.
2. http://www.cheatsheet.com/life/5-diet-fads-to-stay-away-from.html/?a=viewall
