What Are the BRAT and CRAM Gastrointestinal Upset Diets?

The BRAT and CRAM gastrointestinal diets are often recommended by physicians for gastroenteritis and/or severe diarrhea.

The BRAT Acronym stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast.

HOSPITAL DIET

The CRAM Acronym stands for Cereals, Rice and Milk.

When a person is suffering from severe dehydration caused by diarrhea and/or vomiting, it is essential to replace the loss of body fluids. Years ago, doctor's recommended the BRAT diet for several days until the gastroenteritis subsided, but now that diet has been replaced with the CRAM diet because it contains more protein and fat content than the BRAT diet.

Symptoms of dehydration include but are not limited to: dry mouth, lack of urination, dark urine, headache, rapid heart rate, dry skin, skin flushing, fatigue, fever, chills, extreme thirst and muscle spasms.

It is also important to start oral re-hydration therapy as soon as vomiting subsides and the patient can tolerate the intake of fluids. It is highly recommended that the patient start with caffeine-free soft drinks, low acidic juices and soup broths to help replace the fluid loss. These beverages are usually recommended for 24-48 hours.

Here is a suggested list of food and beverages to try:

plain oatmeal
rice cereals
toast
cream of wheat
pudding
gelatins (jello)
chicken or beef broth
gingerale
caffeine-free cola
water
Italian ice's
popsicles (fruit juice or rootbeer flavors)
bananas
plain rice
applesauce
yogurts

If your symptoms persist for more than 24 hours or if they are accompanied by abdominal pain, blood in your emesis, blood in your stools or a fever over 101 degrees, it is time for you to call your Physician or visit your local hospital or health clinic.

What Are the BRAT and CRAM Gastrointestinal Upset Diets?

HOSPITAL DIET

Fad Diets - What Dangers Are Associated With Fad Diets?

What is a fad diet? Fad diets can be best described as a quick means of weight loss that are often only popular for a brief period of time. Fad diets can range from methodologies as deeply entrenched as Atkins and the Zone diet or as unsustainable as the cabbage soup diet or the Special K Challenge diet.

First of all, it needs to be understood that the weight loss claims made by advocates of these diets are not only fleeting but unhealthy as well. Diets like the cabbage soup diet and the grapefruit diet are going to, in the case of the cabbage soup diet, make you flatulent and, in both cases, have you only regain the weight immediately afterwards.

HOSPITAL DIET

Fad diets will often overemphasize a single kind of food or type of food. For example, one diet that strikes me as being absurd is the Special K Challenge that advocates replacing two out of your three meals with any flavor of Special K cereal with 2/3 a cup of skim milk, thus typically resulting in a 5 pound weight loss after two weeks. The diet even advocates snacks consisting of Special K snack bars or fruits and vegetables. Astoundingly, there is virtually no decent source of protein included in this diet. While scanning the Special K website, the research used to make such rash assertions as being healthful are vague. They claim that Kellogg's "nutrition team" worked closely with "leading universities" in order to arrive at their far fetched conclusion. To me, this means little more than a clever marketing ploy led by the Kellogg Corporation. Diets like these don't take into account that people that are truly committed to weight loss are also working out several days a week, so, there would be a lack of calories needed to properly refuel the body. Basically, nutritional problems arise when a so-called "superfood" becomes the focal point of a diet.

Another diet that falls into the superfood category is the cabbage soup diet. This one along with some other unadorned diets have originated supposedly from hospitals. Diets such as the cabbage soup diet have been allegedly used by patients the week before undergoing heart surgery. By the end of the week, after having only eaten cabbage soup and fruits and vegetables , one is supposed to lose anywhere between 10-17 pounds. Unfortunately, one cannot maintain such a restricted diet for any prolonged period without feeling the ill effects of such a poor diet, such as vitamin deficiencies and the toxic repercussions of cannibalized muscle tissue.

Furthermore, this tremendous weight loss cannot be maintained once normal eating patterns are resumed since water constitutes a large percentage of the weight being lost and, to make matters worse, these diets provide no plan on how to gradually and safely reduce calories without compromising your own health. No matter how great the food is, none should be treated as a panacea. All diets need to be balanced as best as possible so that no ill effects arise.

Fad Diets - What Dangers Are Associated With Fad Diets?

HOSPITAL DIET

Lose 20 Lbs in One Week - Want to Lose 20 Pounds in 1 Week With Liquid Diets? Read This First

Losing 20 Lbs in one week may sound difficult at the first thought. But there are innumerable diet options that can offer you great results. Liquid diets have become quite a popular way of weight loss. These diets act as miracle diets for the dieters. Actually these are used in the hospitals to detox the patients' internal system before any major operation. This also helps in proper functioning of their digestive system after the operation. But how good is a liquid diet for a healthy person? It is surely a bad idea!

Read below to understand its ill effects:

HOSPITAL DIET

· The diets that claim quick and rapid weight loss do not give permanent results. The lost weight is easily gained once you discontinue the usage.

· Various diet programs deprive you of the essential nutrients. While you lose weight apparently, the body starts lacking the vital nutrients that further affect the proper functioning of your body.

· It is very important to check which type of diet would suit your body.

· Taking liquid diets with out proper medical guidance might lead to side effects as well. These could be ill functioning of the leg & heart muscles and kidneys.

· So if you decide to go for a liquid diet you must use it for a shorter period of time. This would reduce the negative effects.

Here are few points that would help you in case you are going for a liquid diet. If these things are followed properly, you would be able lose 20 lbs in one week:

· Along with the full liquid diet you must take eggs & meat. Check that they are pureed using a strainer.

· Consumption of protein shakes along with the regular food is advisable.

· A strict diet should be taken for three days at a stretch. Then take some fibers. Any how do not take any liquid diet continuously for longer than 10 days.

· Take plenty of water along with some vitamins supplements. Taking these supplements in the liquid form is advisable as liquid vitamins are absorbed in a better manner.

Lose 20 Lbs in One Week - Want to Lose 20 Pounds in 1 Week With Liquid Diets? Read This First

HOSPITAL DIET