Alternative Diets

Chances are you have heard of alternative diets before. The question is how familiar are you with these diets? Alternative diets focus on improving the health through food intake. Some of these diets specify what foods to eat while there are those which state what foods to avoid. Alternative diets are often called healing diets with good reason. Most of these diets are regarded as therapies for diseases like cancer and heart ailments.

Alternative diets can be classified into acid reflux diets, alkaline diets, anti-aging diets, anti-inflammatory diets, apple cider vinegar diets, blood type diets, Candida diets, detox diets, lactose-free diets, lemonade diets, macrobiotic diets, master cleanse diet, vegan diets, and others. Since there are numerous choices, we figured you need more information on these diets in order to pick the alternative diet that best suits your needs.

Acid Reflux Diet

This diet basically controls the intake of foods which help increase the acid in your stomach. Say no to citrus fruits. Other foods to avoid when you are on the acid reflux diet are tomatoes, lemons, mashed potatoes, raw onions, French fries, chicken nuggets, buffalo wings, marbled sirloin, ground beef, ice cream, milk shake, regular cottage cheese, sour cream, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, creamy salad dressing, brownies, high-fat butter cookies, doughnuts, corn chips, potato chips, and chocolate. Some of these may be your favorite snacks but these foods can trigger acid reflux. Avoiding chocolate may be a form of torture but it is nothing compared to heartburns and chest pains.

Anti-inflammatory Diet

This diet includes eating foods that are known to have anti-inflammatory effect. The common anti-inflammatory foods are fresh fish like sardines, tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel, vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, spinach, parsley, peppers, kale, celery sticks, radishes, cilantro, raw carrots, cucumbers, and onions, fruits like kiwi, oranges, pears, apples, currants, plums, peaches, grapefruit, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, lean meat such as turkey, grass-fed beef, and venison, teas especially green and brown, dried nuts and beans, herbs and spices, and added virgin olive oil. All these foods considerably lessen inflammation which, in turn, reduces the risk for chronic illnesses.

Blood Type Diet

Apparently this diet is highly dependent on your blood type. The blood type diet capitalizes on “one man’s food is another man’s poison.” If your blood type is O, your diet plan should be low carb and high protein. Indulge in meat and fish but stay away from vegetables like brussel sprouts, cauliflower, corn, cabbage, and grains particularly wheat. For those whose blood type is A, your diet is the exact opposite of O—high carb and low protein. Type B individuals simply have to keep their diet balanced. If you are Type AB, your diet profile is best defined as moderate. You can have a mixed diet of Type A and Type B but in moderation. Although the blood type diet is controversial, it has valid points such as the person’s blood type determines how the body takes in food and that the blood type is indirectly related to one’s susceptibility to diseases.

Candida Diet

This diet is ideal when it comes to preventing systematic candidiasis, a grave medical condition where the Candida infection is already widespread. Any food containing refined sugar, natural sugar, yeast, gluten, vinegar, alcohol, and peanuts are to be avoided when on Candida diet. Processed foods, coffee, black tea, mushrooms, and cheeses are not allowed as well. The Candida diet is also recommended to put off skin infections and oral thrush.

Detox Diet

The main concept of the detox diet is to get rid of the toxins that built up in the body hence the term detox. In order to eliminate toxins from your body include the following foods in your diet: fresh fruit, artichokes, beets, red vegetables, green vegetables, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, rice cakes, rice crackers, rice pasta, buckwheat, green peas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, unsalted nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and cashews. When it comes to beverages, you can drink herbal teas, vegetable juices, unsweetened fruit juices, lemon water or just plain water. There are several variations of the detox diet. What they have in common is that they cleanse the body and guarantees good health in the long run.

Lactose-Free Diet

At last, here is a diet suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. If you are lactose intolerant, eating food containing lactose will lead to cramping, bloating, and diarrhea. While these conditions are not that serious, it is better to avoid the inconveniences they result in. The lactose-free diet is literally cutting off foods which have lactose. These include most dairy products, some bread and starch foods like muffins and waffles, creamed vegetables, fruit smoothies, chowders, pudding, fudge, sherbet, ice cream, butterscotch, toffee, and chocolates.

These are only few alternative diets. Although most alternative diets are safe we advise you to consult with a physician first before actually practice the diet.