Buddhist Diet

Buddhism is a spiritual practice that teaches sacrifice and moderation as a means of reaching bliss. Most Buddhists are vegetarians and believe in minimizing harm to all living beings. Specific ideals and restrictions may vary among sects of Buddhism.

The Buddhist Diet is focused on intentions around eating rather than the actual food being consumed. The idea is not to fall victim to lust or desire. The “five contemplations” are meant to assure followers that their food choices will bring them closer to spiritual enlightenment. These contemplations follow:

  1. This food is the gift of the whole universe: The earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and hard, loving work.

  2. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it.

  3. May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.

  4. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that we reduce the suffering of living beings, preserve our planet, and reverse the process of global warming.

  5. We accept this food so that we may nurture our sisterhood and brotherhood, strengthen our community, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.

The Buddhist Diet is primarily an East Asian, vegetarian style of eating. It’s recommended that food is chewed thoroughly and portions are moderate in size. Flavor is thought to lead to overindulgence, so meals tend to be simple to avoid clouding the mind. Buddhists may omit pungent spices including onions, scallions, chives, and garlic. In the Buddhist practice, meditation and yoga are valued as activities that free the spirit and quiet the mind.

Foods to include:

  • Some vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Whole grains

  • Fish

  • Beans

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Healthy oils

Foods to avoid:

  • Meat

  • Eggs

  • Dairy

  • Onions, scallions, chives, and garlic

  • Root vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots, and parsnips)

  • Alcohol

  • Refined grains

  • Sugar

  • Trans fats

  • Processed foods

Pros:

  • May encourage a healthy relationship with food

  • Spiritual approach and considers primary food

  • Supports preservation of the planet by limiting animal harm

  • Mindfulness and moderation may lead to natural weight loss

Cons:

  • Requires strong religious conviction

  • Very restrictive

  • May not be suited for people who like seasoned food

Sources:

Buddhism Diet Laws www.livestrong.com 
Buddhist Dietary Customs www.clovegarden.com 
Buddhist Diet: Can you Reach Nirvana Through the Food You Eat? www.dietsinreview.com 

Cabbage Soup Diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet was designed as a short-term approach to rapid weight loss. Some sources claim this diet originated in hospitals, but no one has claimed it as their own. It was popular in the 1980s and many books have been written including The Ultimate Cabbage Soup Diet and The New Cabbage Soup Diet.

The Cabbage Soup Diet consists of a cabbage-based soup that contains very few calories. According to this diet, the more soup you eat, the more pounds you will drop. This happens because you’ll be eating less calorie-dense food. On this diet, you can eat as much cabbage soup as you want in addition to a very restricted set of other foods.

This radical weight loss diet is a low-fat, high-fiber approach that claims to get you in shape quickly before embarking on a more moderate, long-term eating plan. Because the diet is so restrictive, it should only be followed for seven days at a time with at least two weeks in between.

Foods to include:

  • Cabbage soup (made of vegetables including cabbage, green onion, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, etc.)

  • Limited fruits

  • Limited vegetables

  • Brown rice

  • Meat

  • Skim milk, unsweetened teas, cranberry juice, and water

Foods to avoid:

  • Dry beans, peas, and corn

  • Alcohol

  • Anything not included on menu

Pros:

  • May jump-start weight loss

  • Foods included are allowed in limitless amounts

Cons:

  • Very specific, restrictive menu that must be followed

  • Narrow diet can lead to boredom

  • Short-term dieting may prompt a quick return to old habits and rebound weight gain

  • Rapid weight loss not considered healthy

Sources:

Cabbage Soup Diet www.cabbage-soup-diet.com

Calorie Restriction Diet

Brian M. Delaney, president of the Calorie Restriction Society and co-author of The Longevity Diet, created the Calorie Restriction Diet based on the premise that restricting calories would extend human life. His theory is based on scientific studies that proved restricting calories in certain laboratory animals extended their lifespan by as much as 50%. 

The Calorie Restriction Diet is not to be confused with the calorie restriction associated with anorexia. It focuses on health and a balanced eating plan, not starvation. This diet is based on a 20-40% reduction in calories while still taking in all essential nutrients and vitamins. The desired macronutrient ratio of proteins, fats, and carbs is 30:30:40. There’s no strict set of rules to follow, or a list of good foods and bad foods – simply an overall reduction of calories consumed.

Benefits may include a decreased risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. It’s also said to enhance sense of taste, decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and trigger the release of feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.

 Foods to include:

  • Vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Whole grains

  • Lean meat

  • Lean poultry

  • Lean fish

  • Eggs

  • Beans

  • Non-fat dairy

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Healthy oils

Foods to avoid:

  • Refined grains

  • Sugar

  • Trans fats

  • Processed foods

Pros:

  • Calorie restriction may lead to weight loss

  • Possible lowered risk of age-related disease

  • May be associated with increased lifespan

  • Discourages processed food

Cons:

  • Scientific evidence proving efficacy is limited

  • Calorie restriction may lead to loss of muscle mass and reduced bone density

  • May lead to eating disorders

  • May not be specific enough to see results

Sources:

Brian M. Delaney and Lisa Walford’s The Longevity Diet
Calorie Restriction Society International www.calorierestriction.org 
Calorie Restriction – An Insider View Of One Man’s Lower Calorie Lifestyle www.thatsfit.com 
Calorie Restriction Diet www.nytimes.com

Candida Diet

Candida is a fungus (or yeast) that inhabits the gut flora in the mouth and intestines of every human. Candida becomes a concern when overgrowth occurs, usually a result of stress, antibiotics, or excessive sugar and refined carbohydrate consumption.

Ideally, Candida is properly regulated by good bacteria in the gut. However, as Candida multiplies, it produces toxic by-products that compromise the immune system and may cause damage to the body’s tissues and organs. When this occurs, various symptoms such as fatigue, depression, brain fog, yeast infections, and abdominal pain may ensue.

The Candida Diet was created to help remove excess Candida, manage yeast production, and restore the body’s immune system. There are three stages in The Candida Diet: the Cleansing stage, Strict Diet stage, and Reintroducing Foods stage.

The initial Cleansing stage restricts sugar and yeast heavily, and the Strict Diet phase includes a bit more variety but still eliminates fruit, added sugar, most starchy vegetables, and caffeine. At the Reintroducing Foods stage, dieters slowly reintroduce a wide range of foods, taking note of any that irritate and avoiding those foods indefinitely. The final stage is a flexible long-term eating plan, based on individual findings and intended to keep Candida at bay. Individuals gather findings about food intolerances during the first two stages then create sustainable, long-term plans that exclude those foods. Common excluded foods include gluten, dairy, corn, and soy.

Foods to include:

  • Organic, unprocessed meat, eggs, and fish

  • Vegetables

  • Gluten-free grains

  • Cultured yogurt

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Herbs, spices, and oils

  • Water and herbal tea

Foods to avoid:

  • Pork and any processed or cured meats

  • Fish (except salmon and sardines)

  • Fruit (fresh, dried, canned, juice)

  • Legumes and all soy products

  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, cream)

  • Grains and gluten (including corn and corn products)

  • Mushrooms and truffles

  • Nuts (cashews, peanuts, pistachios)

  • Peanut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, and soy oil

  • Sugar and artificial sweeteners

  • Coffee, soda, alcohol, black tea, and green tea

  • Additives, preservatives, vinegars, condiments, and refined products

Pros:

  • A natural alternative to fight Candida

  • Avoid expensive Candida medications

  • Wide range of whole, unprocessed foods

  • Honors bio-individuality

Cons:

  • Not a quick fix – takes time and dedication

  • Symptoms may reappear with reintroduction of foods

  • May be hard for some individuals to avoid foods they love, but are sensitive to

Sources:

The Candida Diet www.thecandidadiet.com 
What is Candida www.wholeapproach.com 
What People Are Saying About Candida Testing www.betterhealthusa.com 
Simple Home Candida Testing www.candidasupport.org 
Dr. Whiting on Systemic Candida and Yeast Infections www.youtube.com 

Chickentarian Diet

The Chickentarian Diet, also known as the Pollotarian Diet, was coined by vegetarians who choose to include poultry as a source of protein in their diet. This includes poultry and eggs, but excludes mammalian meat such as beef, pork, and lamb. Fish may or may not be included.

This is a less-restrictive vegetarian way of eating and suits those who do not want to eat red meat for various reasons, from taste preference to ethical concerns.

This approach may suit those dealing with conditions such an anemia and chronic fatigue (since some individuals require animal protein to function at optimal levels). This diet provides somewhat of a middle ground for an individual who falls into this category but wishes to follow a plant-based diet.

Foods to include:

  • Vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Grains

  • Poultry

  • Eggs

  • Beans

  • Dairy

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Healthy oils

Foods to avoid:

  • Meat

  • Fish

Pros:

  • Can be a lifestyle rather than a diet

  • Less restrictive than vegan and vegetarian diets

  • Avoiding red meat may reduce overall intake of saturated fat

  • Chicken provides clean protein

Cons:

  • Very restrictive

  • Certain individuals may require red meat

  • Some may be allergic to chicken

Sources:

Pollotarianism www.eatoutzone.com
5 Tips for Becoming a Vegetarian www.vegbang.com