diet myths

Wouldn't you agree the diet industry is saturated with unhealthy weight loss misconceptions? This has helped lead to an explosion of behaviors, which do little to encourage good health and well-being in the long run.

I hate the fact that in our day and age for some people "health" equals "fad dieting!"

The word "cult" may conjure up an image of unorthodox or otherwise questionable or extreme religious followings, but the definition of "cults", according to Webster, also defines them as;

Eat fish - it's full of omega-3's... wait don't - it contains PCB's and mercury. Drink milk - you need the calcium... don't drink milk, it causes prostate cancer. Eat soy... actually don't. Drink coffee... stop drinking coffee...

Nutrition is a deeply confusing topic. Joe Schwarcz, PhD is hoping to change that.

An Apple a Day: The Myths, Misconceptions and Truths About the Foods We Eat, is a comprehensive and refreshingly evenhanded look at what we know, what we think we know, what we don't know and how we can apply what we do know to our nutritional choices. Instead of giving dietary plans, Schwarcz teaches us how to think about nutrition and does so in a thoughtful, humorous and engaging manner.

Detoxing and cleansing are big business. And why wouldn't it be? The promise of fast weight loss, removing toxins, improving digestion and fighting just about every ailment known to mankind is pretty enticing. I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the phenomenon. I think that detox and cleansing promoters use deceptive and fear-based marketing to promote protocols that are unnecessary, ineffective over the long run and potentially dangerous.

Perhaps you or someone you know is faced with the "to detox or not" conundrum. Here are 4 rationalizations people tend to give for fasting, accompanied by a counter argument.

8 glasses - that's what most people think they need as a daily requirement. Copious water intake is supposed to keep organs functioning properly, skin supple and body weight at bay. Nonsense! - say researchers from the University of Pennsylvania who conducted a study to test these theories (which will be published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology).

We all know that our bodies need water, but nobody quite knows exactly how much. Let's take a look at where this misconception began, shed some light on water and hydration and look at some more realistic water goals.

This challenge put forth by Michael Pollan, author of The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore’s Dilemma. In a captivating excerpt from Pollan’s soon-to-be-released book “In Defence of Food: An Eater's Manifesto”, he raises these thoughts on the state of nutritional science and it’s impact on our health.

Although it is difficult to ascertain what constitutes a “fad diet”, there are certain shall we say… qualities that come to mind when thinking of a fads. Oh sure, they ALL claim to be a “way of life”, but often they are trying to either start or capitalize on an existing trend.

So here are 7 indications that the diet book you saw gracing the shelves of your local bookstore may be unworthy of your hard-earned dollar.

A review of weight loss trials that included counseling has shown sobering results.

Out of 46 trials (that met the criteria) - the weight loss after 12 months was just 6% of start weight. As time goes on it gets worse...

The BBC have made every episode of TV series "The Truth About Food" available on-line. The series explores the various myths and ideas about food and diet.

As part of the series the producers performed various experiments on different people to determine what actually happened.

Here are a few interesting "discoveries".

Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions has been in Australia promoting her book. Fallon promotes the benefits of saturated fats (from research undertaken by the Weston Price Foundation).

Fallon has come under heavy criticism from the Dietitians Association of Australia: "She's basing her ideas on observations of primitive populations in isolated areas who eat traditional diets, and it's so far removed from Western civilisation," [...] "In a population that is sedentary there is no need to consume saturated fats." (The Age)

So what is the truth? Are there any real answers to this controversial and ongoing debate?

Detox diets are popular after the holiday season. Detoxifying is a huge business - there are hundreds of books, pills, supplements, and kits that go to make up a multi-million dollar industry. The BBC News Magazine calls it all "empty promises". A recent study by American researchers also concluded that detox diets do no more than the body's own natural system to get rid of toxins. They said most modern books and detox kits serve up "empty promises".