Review of the Cabbage Soup Diet Plan

The Cabbage Soup diet is another fad weight loss diet that is centered around eating cabbage soup. The origins of the soup are uncertain, but it is believed to go back as far as World War I. During that time, besides cabbage the American soldiers had few options for vegetables. Also eating it offered them protection against scurvy, a disease deficiency caused by inadequate vitamin C in their diet.

Over the years the diet has been know by many different names: TWA Stewardess Diet, Model's Diet, Dolly Parton Diet, Military Cabbage Soup Diet, Sacred Heart Hospital Diet, and the Skinny Diet to name a few.

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET

The reason for its popularity is that many of the diet proponents claim that you can lose 10 or more pounds in a week. Whether this is true or not, no studies have been performed that demonstrates that cabbage possesses any properties that can help to speed up the fat burning process like grapefruit.

Description of the Cabbage Soup Diet

The diet consist mainly of a recipe for the soup. Besides the cabbage, the ingredients of the recipes may also include other vegetables such as tomatoes, celery, green peppers, and onions.

Early versions of the soup would cook for an hour. However for newer versions of the recipe, the cooking time is 10 to 15 minutes. The shorter cooking time helps to preserve the nutrients found in the cabbage.

Also the dieters are expected to follow specific menus for each day. Many of the menus consist of some fruits, beans, and potatoes. On most of the days no meat is included in the diet. Also, depending on the version of the diet that you are following, cabbage soup is to be eaten once per day or in some case in an unlimited amount, or whenever you feel hungry.

Benefits

The limited benefits of the diet are that cabbage is a healthy vegetable and that it is in expensive to make and store. Given that 3 1/2 ounces of the vegetable only has 20 calories, you can eat a lot and not have to worry about ingesting an excessive amount of calories.

Precautions and Risks

There are many concerns that you should keep in mind about the diet. Since the diet is nutritionally restrictive, the primary precaution that you have to take is not to follow it longer than seven days. And again because of its restrictive nature, if you have health problems, you would be wise to consult a health professional before you start.

And since many of the pounds that you will lose will be water weight, you may also get in the habit of losing and then putting the weight back on-- the dreaded yo-yo dieting syndrome.

Some other effects that you should be aware of is the increase in flatulence, which can be embarrassing. Also, many of the recipes include lots of salt. So if you are trying to restrict your sodium intake, you need to be conscious of this fact.

Assessment of the Cabbage Soup Diet

As with most diets, because of its calorie restriction you will lose weight. For this same reason, following it over an extended period will probably be hard, not to mention unhealthy.

Hearing that you can lose 10 pounds are more on this diet does make it tempting to try, but over the long haul, it will not be worth it. This is mainly due to the nature in which you lost the weight. Even if it were healthy, it is very doubtful that you could follow this diet the rest of your life. Good dieting is not just about weight loss or burning fat, but also about sustaining your success and living healthy.

There are many diets out there that are healthier and can help you sustain weight loss permanently without compromising your health. Do yourself a favor and avoid the temptation of using this diet as the centerpiece of your weight loss plan. The only thing that you should take from it is the recipes for cabbage soup.

Review of the Cabbage Soup Diet Plan

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET

Diet Solution Book Review

I find the Diet Solution Book is much more than a simple diet program. This book changes our perception on what is healthy and what makes you gain weight allowing you to make better food choices. As you read you start to realize that the media has got our facts upside down regarding nutrition and dieting, actually most of the foods considered healthy (and boring), actually make us store fat and even make us sick.

Isabel de los Rios set us straight from the beginning, the Diet Solution Book is NOT A DIET, her program is more like a guide to help you body get to its best fat burning level. Although her books makes us realize that sadly we had it almost all wrong in weight loss matter she gives us good news: you can stop counting calories and burning your self out in the gym as this is not how healthy and effective weight loss really happens, and what´s best you may not have to quit your favorite food at all!

HOSPITAL DIET

The DSP Precedents

Nutritionist and fitness expert Isabel de los Rios, has written The Diet Solution Program with an expertise of more than ten years. This book comes as a result of her own battle against overweight when she was back in college.

The Diet Solution is a program that changes your life style, this is not a simple diet; in fact this program encourage us to leave behind that old and silly habit of dieting and begin to eat and enjoy our life. This program takes us to our ideal weight and figure trough tiny modifications in our diet, it´s all about knowing what fats and carbohydrates are good and which are bad for you.

Must people think that drop off those extra pounds has to be difficult, but the Diet Solution Book proofs this wrong. Isabel uncovers all dieting and "healthy food" myths, teaching us how losing weight can be very easy if you have the correct information at hand. As you read trough this book you will immediately sense how all she says is actually very logical and trustworthy, in fact this program is so good that it is medically approved and it has a 30 day money back guarantee.

How it Works

The Diet Solution Program rationale consists of three fundamental rules: take heed of the types of food that lead to fat storage, discover the types of foods that make you burn fat and lastly, learn how to mix and cook these fat burning foods to increase their fat burning capability. Just from the beginning, Isabel will tell you in great detail why these rules are important, how they work and most importantly, how to incorporate them into your life. Don´t worry if you feel flood out by the amount of weight loss facts you will learn, you can always opt to introduce them to your diet one at a time. I personally did it this way and shortly after I began to see the results, and this was not only reflecting in my figure, my cravings for junk food disappeared, I also started to notice that I felt satisfied with smaller portions of food.

The other feature I loved about this program was that instead of being forced to eat the diet of hospital-like food, this program is flexible enough to let you eat almost whatever you like (contrary to most diets). Let me give you an idea of what Isabel recommends you to eat to burn fat: beacon, eggs, spelt bread, peanut butter, nuts and of course all the variety of fruits and vegs.

Another important point is to remember that not everyone´s body is the same. This is why you might be frustrated because you are following the exact same diet as your best friend without getting the expected results. With the Diet Solution you will personalize your food intake according to your metabolic type.

For this, Isabel has included a Metabolic Test, with this you will find out if your body process better fats or carbs, so if after eating you are left feeling hungry you can just add more of these according with what your body can digest quicker. If you are in a hurry to lose weight and want to know more about what Isabel's program might do for you, Click on the link to read my I Need To Be Skinny! article.

Diet Solution Book Review

HOSPITAL DIET

The Sacred Heart Diet Review

Another fad diet that has been making the rounds for a while is the Sacred Heart Diet. The prevailing theory for many years was that this detoxification diet originated in the cardiology department of Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital to treat overweight patients. However, like many diet stories, this is false as the hospital itself has issued press releases that state that very fact.

It is a fad diet which means it is something to be avoided. It bears a strong resemblance to The Cabbage Soup diet.

HOSPITAL DIET

This diet is based on the consumption of soup with claims of weight loss up to 17 pounds in the first week. This may indeed happen but keep in mind that the vast majority of this weight loss will be nothing more than water. In addition, this weight will return as soon as the diet is concluded. What is in the diet soup? Here is the list of ingredients:

1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes. 3 plus large green onions. 1 large can of beef broth (no fat.) 2 lbs of Carrots. 2 Green Peppers. 1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix (chicken noodle.) 1 bunch of celery. 2 cans of green beans.

Luckily, there are a few other foods that you can have during the 7 days including fruits (bananas are restricted) and vegetables (leafy greens are best). Drinks that are allowed include tea, black coffee, skim milk, unsweetened juice and of course plenty of water. Here is the breakdown of the daily food consumption:

Day 1: Eat any fruit you desire except bananas. Nothing else but soup.

Day 2: Eat any vegetables you want, green leafy are recommended. No fruit at all but one baked potato with butter should be eaten for supper.

Day 3: Eat all the fruits and vegetables you want. Nothing else!

Day 4: Eat only the soup, bananas and skim milk

Day 5: Eat between 10 and 20 ounces of beef and up to 1 can of tomatoes. Also at least once, the soup must be eaten.

Day 6: Eat all the beef and vegetables you want. Eat the soup at least once during the day.

Day 7: Eat vegetables, brown rice and unsweetened fruit juice as often as you want. Also include the soup at least once a day.

I am not sure how this diet was devised or how the foods were chosen. I do know that it is severely lacking in proper nutrition and makes no mention of exercise. You will lose weight quickly on this plan but again it is not going to be permanent. This is one to avoid.

The Sacred Heart Diet Review

HOSPITAL DIET

A Book Review on "Quantum Healing - Exploring the Frontiers of Mind-Body Medicine" by Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra is a well-renowned medical doctor trained both in India and the U.S. Currently in endocrinology, he was also the former chief of staff of New England Memorial Hospital in Stoneham, Massachusetts and the founding president of the American Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. His insights on both Western and Eastern medicine give him a more complete and well-rounded understanding on the origin of disease.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, thought nature cured disease and although modern medicine is necessary for emergency purposes, it has recently taken a 90° turn away from Hippocrates original vision. The turn has been toward drugs and surgery, but many of today's modern diseases can be prevented with maintaining a healthy mind and body. These solutions lack long-term sustainability and lack the intelligence of the body. Understanding this requires a different approach called "quantum healing". Deepak Chopra describes quantum healing as "the ability of one mode of consciousness (the mind) to spontaneously correct the mistakes of another consciousness (the body)."

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET

The Quantum perspective began with Einstein, who found that nature was not always predictable and expanded upon Newton's straight-line physics. Planck discovered the measurable nature of energy, which transforms non-matter into matter, time into space and mass into energy. Later Irish physicist, John Bell, and English astronomer, Sir Arthur Eddington, both believed in a connection between our thoughts and the universe. An invisible force turns thought (non-material) into form (material). We know neurotransmitters perfectly match up the mind with the body and DNA builds RNA, a mirror-image copy of DNA, which carries out tasks in the body. From the quantum perspective, as we think and feel, we create chemical changes in the brain that set-off a chain reaction of bodily responses. Both good and bad thoughts alter the field of intelligence and thus the body for better or for worse. In this way, our stream of consciousness is the free circulation of intelligence between the mind and body.

Ayurveda is a medical perspective whereby symptoms are controlled by attention. In Ayurveda, every part of the body correlates to certain herbs, colors, minerals and even sounds. The use of meditation and techniques such as primordial sound are implored to initiate healing. Meditation brings awareness of thought patterns while primordial sound uses one vibration to heal another. Usually Om, pronounced AUM, is the vibration or sound used to represent the collective vibration or sound of all living things and is a way to connect to your true undistorted self. Ayurveda differs from Western Medicine in that it believes the war (disease) begins inside the body. Louis Pasteur's germ theory, the cornerstone of Western Medicine, believes the war (disease) begins outside the body. However, if even Louis Pasteur himself admitted that his controversial theory was wrong on his death bed. Don't you think its time for us to give up his theory?

Love and compassion are our highest qualities and in this state, we cannot contradict ourselves. True love and compassion for ourselves and all other beings enables us to live in accordance with nature. One way we manifest love and compassion for all is with what we eat. We can eat in support of nature and ourselves, but the ultimate gatekeeper of health is the mind. Carcinogens, stress, chemicals, fatty and processed or sugary foods, and diets high in animal protein can all induce cancer, but ultimately the body can restore itself. In the medical field, spontaneous healings are rare and not well-understood. Such unpredictable recoveries occur at the quantum level & are beyond what modern science can measure or record, they are formless.

The wisdom of the ancient Rishis of India was recorded in the ancient Vedic texts & predated the Egyptian pyramids by thousands of years. These texts revealed many of the concept found in quantum healing and Ayurveda. The Rishis discussed three subjective states of consciousness: waking, sleeping and dreaming and a fourth, non-subjective state attained only during meditation or prayer. This fourth state is known as our most natural state and from here we can destroy our illusions and rest in our own true nature. The Rishis also believed that all beings were not restricted by time and space, but were infinite. So think and feel from the heart not with the head, think good thoughts and feel good. Act in accordance with nature and nature will always provide for you in many ways. "In the deeper reality beyond space and time, we may be all members of one body." -Sir James Jeans

A Book Review on "Quantum Healing - Exploring the Frontiers of Mind-Body Medicine" by Deepak Chopra

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET

Body Rx Diet - Diet Review - Pros/Cons

Overview

Body Rx: Dr.Scott Connelly's 6-Pack Prescription was written by A. Scott Connelly M.D. Connelly is best know as the creator of MetRx the first popular protein powder supplement used by bodybuilders. Connelly's meal replacement MetRx along with his approach towards nutrition stems from his work in the intensive care unit of hospitals suffering from wasting syndrome. Connelly discovered that certain patients could be given over 10,000 calories a day and still not be able to put on weight. What he concluded was that the quality of foods along with their nutritional value are decisive in terms of weight gain and weight loss.

HOSPITAL DIET

According to Connelly one of the greatest villains in terms of the current obesity epidemic is high fructose corn syrup. He argues that there is a direct correlation to the dramatic rise in obesity with corn syrup's introduction into the american food supply. Most alarmingly, high fructose corn syrup can be found in almost every food product in the grocery store.

The basics of his plan are to adopt a bodybuilder type diet consisting of 6 balanced meals a day made up of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Some of these meals are recommended to be in the form of protein shakes, though he doesn't push you on his personal product. The idea behind six meals a day, is that it revs up your metabolism by constantly eating throughout the day, and also curbs your hunger since you're always eating. The exercise portion of the program consists exclusively of weight training, done 6 days a week. Connelly himself says that the diet is 80% of the program in terms of weight loss. He also argues against aerobic exercise, claiming weight training produces the same dilating effect on arteries that aerobic exercise does.

Pros

Burn Fat: The emphasis on this program is on turning up your fat burning furnace. This is done through increasing lean body mass through weight training, and by eating small meals throughout the day which speeds up your metabolism

Cons

Too much protein: This is not a low carb diet, however it is a very high protein diet, advising dieters to eat 1-2 grams of protein per day for every pound of bodyweight they have. This could cause excessive stress on the kidneys.

Bottom Line

If your goal is to put on extra muscle and bulk up like a bodybuilder then this program might be right for you. For those with typical weight loss goals of fat loss and toning, this diet might prove to be too rigorous and cumbersome for your needs. Ultimately a successful weight loss program involves a balanced diet with an emphasis on portion control and regular exercise.

Body Rx Diet - Diet Review - Pros/Cons

HOSPITAL DIET

3 Day Cardiac Diet Review

The 3 Day Cardiac Diet supposedly comes from the Birmingham Hospital in Alabama, hence it is also known as the Birmingham Hospital Diet. According to reports, this diet plan was designed for the use of patients who needed to lose up to 10 lbs weight quickly so they could undergo surgery.

The true origins of this diet are not clear and the Birmingham Hospital does not claim responsibility for it. Moreover, the diet now appears to have become the stuff of internet legend as there are versions of it widely known under a variety of names, including the Tuna Fish Diet, Baptist Hospital 3 day Diet, 3 day Navy Diet, 3 day Army Diet, Birmingham Cardiac Diet, Florida 3 Day Diet, American Heart Association Diet, Alabama 3 Day Diet, Hospital 3 Day Diet, and more.

HOSPITAL DIET

However, there is a strong correspondence between the menu plans of these different versions so, for all intents and purposes, they can be treated as the same diet and comments applicable to one are substantially applicable to them all.

In summary, the 3 Day Cardiac Diet comprises menu plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner covering a period of three days. The daily calorie intake is about 1,000 calories, so much of the weight loss benefit is likely obtained by the restricted calorie intake, although some claim is made that the benefit is due to chemical reaction. Eating a low level of carbohydrates will also mean that water is lost from the body.

For the plan to produce results, it's important to keep hydration levels up by drinking plenty of water: 6-8 cups is recommended. This also aids digestion.

An important source of protein for the 3 day Cardiac diet is tuna. 1/2 cup of tuna is consumed on the first two days, increasing to 1 cup on the third day. Variety and nutrition is provided with small portions of vegetables, grapefruit, banana, cheese, eggs, crackers and toast. Coffee or tea is permitted with meals. (For a detailed menu, do a quick search for my article, "3 Day Tuna Fish Diet- Menu and Diet Plan".)

Some concerns about this diet stem from the restricted levels of calories and nutrition. As the calories provided in this diet are so low, it's is likely that followers will feel hunger pangs and lower energy levels, especially by the third day. Vitamins and minerals are also low so that probably a multi vitamin supplement should be recommended as an additional source.

With only three small meals a day, your body may start to recognize that only a limited food supply is available and begin to compensate by reducing metabolism and energy levels to conserve fat reserves. This actually makes it harder to lose weight and, along with the feelings of hunger, places the body under additional stress.

The 3 Day Cardiac diet does not claim to be suitable for long term use and after 3 days you should follow a program that offers more variety in the content to provide the proteins, fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients that your body needs. More variety would also make it easier to follow this plan, as well as more enjoyable.

It is possible to follow a quick weight reduction plan that offers a more balanced and healthier range of foods. In particular, one which includes a technique known as calorie shifting and takes into account your own food preferences would be a good choice.

Following the 3 Day Cardiac Diet provides restricted calories and nutrients for its intended duration and the weight loss benefits come with some risk to health as well as bodily stress. Also, the diet is not a long term solution and any weight loss reduction could well be offset by food binging that results when your eating program returns to normal. A better approach would be to follow a dieting plan that is more likely to bring true fat loss and provide a continuing, long term loss of weight, along with a slimmer, trimmer, more attractive body shape.

3 Day Cardiac Diet Review

HOSPITAL DIET

Hospital 3 Day Diet - Birmingham Hospital Diet Review

The Hospital 3 Day Diet, which is also known as the Birmingham Hospital Diet, has become popular due to claims that the diet was created as a means of enabling patients intended for surgery to lose up to 10 lbs in weight over a period of three days. Other sources attribute the origin of this diet plan to the University of Alabama.

It should be noted that these institutions do not make that claim and do not accept any responsibility towards those who follow the diet.

HOSPITAL DIET

Notwithstanding the uncertainty of its origins, there is little doubt that this simple diet plan has become widespread and that many people have used it, often coming across the weight loss strategy under one of its many names. Apart from the Hospital 3 Day Diet, it is also known as Alabama 3 Day Diet, 3 day Tuna Diet, Tuna Fish Diet, 3 Day Cardiac Diet, and others.

The content of these weight loss diet plans is very similar and will here be treated as essentially the same.

A key element of the Hospital 3 Day Diet is that it contains a low daily calorie level of about 1,000 calories with specified ingredients to provide the protein, carbohydrates, fat (very little) and other nutrients that we need to survive. For a full description of the menu plan, do a quick search for my article "3 Day Tuna Fish Diet - Menu and Diet Plan".

In brief, the plan outlines the foods to be included for breakfast, lunch and dinner over a three day period.

There are many reports of weight reduction from those who have followed the diet. The amount of claimed weight lost during that time varies, as might be expected with so many differing metabolisms and food requirements being involved. However, a minimum weight reduction of at least 2.5 lbs does seem attainable and likely.

Much of the weight loss from a diet of such a short duration probably comes from water loss. As well, with a calorie count of about 1,000 this would be well below normal requirements for most adults, so energy expended would also account for some of the loss.

However, whilst not a 'starvation diet', the Birmingham Hospital Diet is likely to generate user problems if continued beyond the recommended 3 days. For instance, it is normal for our bodies to make adjustments when a food shortage is detected. This is a survival mechanism which protects us when little food is available, as in times of famine. The body slows metabolism and conserves fat stores to enable us to survive longer with less food. This actually makes it harder to lose weight, we have less energy and tire more easily. Not a satisfactory long term condition!

Although there may be some short-term loss advantage, the feelings of hunger experienced by the end of the diet encourage extra food intake after the diet has been completed. A better alternative is a program that does not produce a craving for food, does not cause the body to slow its activities, and takes into account nutritional requirements so that changes in eating habits would allow fat loss to happen over a longer period and be lasting.

Rather than following a simple, low calorie diet plan, losing weight over an extended period allows other tactics to be employed in the plan, such as 'calorie shifting', placing greater emphasis on fat loss and adequate nutrition. This is more likely in the long run to provide health benefits and sustainable weight loss.

Hospital 3 Day Diet - Birmingham Hospital Diet Review

HOSPITAL DIET