There are 3 main diets in my opinion with a few variations. The first one is the carnivore diet. There are people that literally eat just meat. The main argument for the diet is that our ancestors ate mainly meat. That most of the problems with health today is that we eat too many carbs, and the carnivore diet is zero carbs. There are claims of weight regulation, improved mood and regulated blood sugar. Some of the things that I like about the diet is no processed foods and you can only drink water. You cannot drink alcohol so I personally would find that too restrictive for my taste. But there is a lot of research on how alcohol is unhealthy for people. Your body immediately tries to flush alcohol out of you. I think for a short period of time the diet could be good. Helping to possibly regulate your blood sugar levels. But the lack of carbs and fiber in your diet I think would lead to possible health problems down the road.

The next diet which is my favorite is the omnivore diet. I believe that we need meat or most of us need to eat meat and vegetables. As an omnivore you can eat meat, dairy, nuts, grains and vegetables. I was a vegetarian twice in my life. The first time in my 20’s I did it for a year. I gave in and had a steak. The second time in my 40’s for around 6 months. I felt drained, low energy and not good. I ate meat and sure enough I started to feel better right away. You get the benefit of eating meat which is rich in iron, zinc and omega fatty acids. Omega fatty acids help with brain function, improve mental health, may improve eye health, ease inflammation and improve prenatal growth and development. One of the greatest nutritional deficiencies in the world is the lack of omega fatty acids in the population. You also get the benefits of a plant based diet. Which is also very important for your health.

A plant based diet is a diet where you eat only fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. The core of a true plant based diet is very good. The main thing that I have noticed from eating vegetables is how it helps with inflammation. I have an inflammation hub in body it is in the bottom of my left foot. If I eat sugary foods, it will start to hurt it gets inflamed. Also, the next day I am achy, and it feels harder to move. However, when I eat vegetables preferably organic my left foot doesn’t hurt, and I don’t feel achy. Sometimes I eat some sugar at work, and I get achy. I eat vegetables and the achiness goes away. Nothing in my opinion tops vegetables for their anti-inflammatory properties. One of my favorite things to eat is a tub of Earthbound Organic 50/50 Spinach and Spring Mix and put Wildbrine Organic Green Sauerkraut on top of it. Right after I eat it, I don’t ache, and I get a ton of energy. As good as I feel after eating this, I wonder why I eat sugary foods at all.

Besides anti-inflammatory properties plant based diets are rich in vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, folic acid, iodine, iron and zinc. If you decide to eat a plant based diet, I highly recommend eating spinach that way you keep your iron levels up. A plant based diet is also rich in fiber to keep you regular. Just like the sauerkraut I mentioned earlier fermented vegetables are very high in probiotics for gut health.

One of the problems in our modern day grocery stores are the processed foods labeled as plant based. In the dairy section for instance there are creamers labeled plant based. They range in flavors from hazelnut to caramel vanilla. Some are labeled unsweetened even though the sweetening is coming from coconut cream. There is something giving it that flavor. Products such as these are highly processed and unhealthy. Processed foods are some of the worst things you can put in your body. Unfortunately, a lot of people on plant based diets are eating very few live foods and are eating mainly packaged processed foods.

The food industry has been cutting back on seed oils. Mainly due to the studies showing how unhealthy it is for you. Crisco at one point was cotton seed oil. Cotton seed oil was used as a machine lubricant. Seed oils were used to fatten up livestock. If you are going to eat oils consume the ones that are well known for their fantastic health benefits. Olive oils and flax seed oils are healthy.

For all the diets mentioned some of the same things apply. Eat food that is not packaged and processed. Eat food that you must make yourself. Shop the perimeter of a grocery store. Come back next month for The Spine and Back Health. Have a great day.