The word diet can mean “a daily food allowance” from Old French and Medieval Latin meanings . Or if we look at the Latin and Greek meanings, it can mean, “a way of life, a regimen”.

There are so many diets out there, I won’t begin to cover them all. I will only mention some of them in order to make a point.

The Atkins Diet significantly reduces one’s carbohydrate intake to control the levels of insulin and consumes a higher proportion of proteins than normal.

The Zone Diet aims for a nutritional balance of 40% good quality carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% protein each time one eats. The focus is also on controlling insulin levels.

There are various types of vegetarian diets: Lacto, Fruitarian, Lacto-ovo, Living food diet, Ovo-, Pesco, and Semi-vegetarian. The majority of vegetarians do not eat animal-based foods, except for eggs, dairy, and honey.

The Vegan Diet involves not eating anything that is animal based, including eggs, dairy, and honey. Many vegans adopt veganism not only for health reasons but also for environmental and ethical/compassionate reasons.

The Paleolithic (Paleo) Diet consists chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excludes dairy or grain products and processed foods.

The Raw Food Diet involves consuming foods and drinks which are not processed, are completely plant-based, and ideally organic.

The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes plant foods, fresh fruits, beans, nuts, cereals, seeds, olive oil as the main source of dietary fats, cheese and yogurts are the main dairy foods (not exceeding 8% of calorie intake) , some fish and poultry, eggs, small amounts of red meat, and some wine.

Summing up the “Western Diet”, it is high in sweet and fried foods, and studies show that eating this way raises a person’s risk of dying early.

You get the idea, so many versions of eating depending on people’s desires (like weight loss) and lifestyles. Every year there is a new diet that hits the media. People are hungry for that quick fix.

The challenge I have with all of these diets is something called biochemical individuality. None of these diet plans are going to be good for everyone. Each one of us needs different foods even on different days and different seasons. The other aspect is that some people have sensitivities to various substances and food so can’t possibility follow a laid out diet. Then there are the physical symptoms that the person may be experiencing already, that has to be taken into consideration.

So in my 40 plus years of practice as a nutritionist, I have never once offered the same diet plan. Every individual needs something different and even that is different depending on the season. It’s about being in harmony with nature.

Today I read about someone who said the Paleo Diet made them sicker and it compelled me to write this blog. Stop trying to fit your body into someone else’s diet plan. Get an assessment from a holistic nutritionist and find out what your body is looking for. If you want take advantage of my expertise, check out http://charleneday.com/personal-health-assessment.

To your good health,
Charlene