As a nutritionist-dietitian, I've found that diet is the most commonly used word for weight loss. I have observed people using this word in sentences.
Example sentences are as follows:
Are you on a diet?
Yes, I will start a diet to lose weight.
I'm afraid this is incorrect because, according to the World Health Organization:
Diet is the total amount of food and drinks a person consumes. It can be regular or special.
Everyone is on a diet. It doesn't matter how much food you eat.
In this article, I will show you different types of diets.
THERAPEUTIC DIET
We have therapeutic diets. Food or portion is modified to meet a patient's nutritional needs during their stay in the hospital. It can also be given at home. Hospitals use therapeutic diets for confined patients. Some of the most restrictive therapeutic diets are before and after surgery—also, patients that can't consume food through their mouth, such as tube feedings and delivery of nutrition via the bloodstream.
Four Types of Standard Hospital Diets:
Clear Liquid Diet
Physicians and dietitians recommend it to patients before and after surgery. If you have undergone surgery on your digestive tract, you may have been given a clear liquid diet by your physician and dietitian. It can also be provided for patients with vomiting and diarrhea symptoms. It should be recommended for at most three days because it lacks all nutrients. It is commonly recommended after surgery because our gastrointestinal tract can easily digest fluids. It is named a clear liquid diet because the food and drink are translucent. One purpose of a transparent liquid diet is to help a patient stay hydrated while recovering from surgery, illness, or decreased function in the digestive system. Most foods and beverages served are fat-free, such as tea, coffee, broth, fruit juice, gelatin without fruit, and a popsicle.
Full Liquid Diet
This is similar to a clear liquid diet but involves semisolid foods at body temperature. In contrast to a clear liquid diet, a complete liquid diet offers more nutrients. It can be given to a patient for up to a week because this diet still lacks essential nutrients to perform daily tasks. Since a patient mostly confines in bed, providing a complete liquid diet is okay because it does not need high calories and depends on their medical condition. It can be given after a clear liquid diet to prepare the body for solid foods. Some food examples are pureed vegetables or pureed meat in the soup, yogurt, whole milk, evaporated milk, and others. You may notice that foods are starting to become flavorful.
Soft Diet
A soft Diet is for preparation for a complete or regular diet. It does not contain foods that are hard to chew and swallow. Most foods are tender such as those that are not pureed: boiled carrots, squash, chayote, scrambled eggs, bread, cheeses, and other delicate foods. Bland foods are allowed.
Regular Diet
Hospitals also serve a regular or complete diet for patients that do not require modification in their food, especially if they can eat everyday foods and drinks. All foods are allowed with no restrictions as long as they supply the needed calories for patients and promote health.
More Types of Therapeutic and Disease-Specific Diets:
Diabetic Diet
A diabetic diet needs to be thoroughly planned by a dietitian to balance physical activity and medication. Foods are modified for the proper regulation of blood sugar and to attain a desirable body weight if an individual is obese. This diet is most likely given to a patient or person if laboratory test results indicate high blood sugar levels.
No Added Salt Diet
It is suitable for people with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and edema. Some foods already contain the salt our bodies need to function. Therefore, give a diet without added salt. Dietitians do not recommend it for pregnant women. Examples of foods included are natural fruit juice, fresh vegetables, honey, dried nuts, herbal tea, etc.
Low Sodium Diet
Some people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive, which means consuming more sodium or salt can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure. The most industrially processed foods are avoided, meat extracts, salty crackers, bread, cheeses, etc. This diet requires only 0.85 teaspoons of salt, compared to a healthy person's recommended daily intake of one teaspoon.
Low Fat and Low Cholesterol Diet
Dietitians recommend it to individuals with atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension to reduce the accumulation of lipids and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols within the arterial wall, which can reduce blood flow. This can be given to patients suffering from other cardiovascular diseases because saturated fats increase problems in the circulatory.
Bland Diet
This diet is recommended explicitly to individuals with gastric and duodenal ulcers because foods to be avoided are known to cause stomach discomfort and irritation, such as fried and greasy foods, black pepper, chili, strong coffee, tea, alcohol, cauliflower, onion, cabbage, hot beverages, iced beverages, etc.
Low Purine Diet
People with gout and renal stones may benefit from a low purine diet because it restricts foods that can cause high uric acid in the blood. Examples of foods to be avoided are glandular organs of meat, poultry, and fish, alcohol, fried foods, anchovies, and sardines; it also limits the intake of fats.
Other Types:
Low Residue Diet
Renal Diet
High Protein Diet
Low Purine Diet
Raw Food Diet
Ketogenic Diet
High-Calorie Diet
High Protein Diet
Heart Surgery Diet
Neutropenic Diet
VEGETARIAN DIET
Now, let's proceed to a vegetarian diet. Most vegetarians follow a raw diet, such as fresh organic vegetables and fruits. Just like therapeutic diets, a vegetarian diet also has different types.
Vegan or Total Vegetarian Diet
Lacto-Vegetarian Diet
Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian Diet
Semi-Vegetarian Diet
DIET FOR DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES:
Pregnant Women
Pregnancy plays a significant role in giving birth to a healthy human in all life stages. A healthy diet during pregnancy is critical. The caloric intake should be increased. Iron, zinc, and folic acid supplementation are highly recommended. Teenage pregnant women are at risk of malnutrition.
Lactating Mothers
Like pregnancy, a lactating mother should increase her daily calorie requirements to supply enough milk for her newborn.
Infants
From 0 to 6 months, human breastmilk is the only food or drink given to a newborn child. Most mothers stop breastfeeding after six months. However, the appropriate age for a child to stop drinking human breast milk is until two years of age. After six months, an infant can start to eat soft and solid foods. It should be carefully planned to meet the daily nutrient requirements and to avoid choking.
Preschool-Age Children
Most preschool children from the age of two to six years are picky. Taste and odor play an essential role in their food preferences. Foods that smell fishy, sulfur, musty, moldy, burnt, smoky, grassy, etc., can significantly affect the child's food preferences. Parents must include a variety of foods, and preparing nutritious foods while being creative is essential. Most children at this age prefer finger foods. Parents should know that giving nuts, grapes, candies, and seeds may cause choking.
School Children
The more a child grows, the higher calorie intake is needed to support physical activities, basal metabolic needs, and food intake.
Adolescents
Girls starting the age of 13 to 19 years should watch their iron intake. Iron is essential to prevent anemia and prepare for pregnancy in adulthood.
Adulthood
Reducing body fat is the most important thing adults can do for health. Adults do not need an increased kilocalorie due to slow growth. A nutritional problem among adults is low calcium intake, which may result in future osteoporosis. An excessive intake of dietary fats by the average adult may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Older Persons
An older person's diet must have a high nutrient density and be moderate in kilocalories.
If you want to follow a healthy diet, you may want to follow the simple tips below:
Avoid sugar and sweets.
Include high-fiber foods.
Exercise, but follow your physician's advice regarding your daily routine.
Limit excessive consumption of salty and processed foods.
Minimize the consumption of fried foods.
Eat homemade meals.
Avoid saturated fats.
Eat fresh and raw fruits and vegetables every day.
Include milk in your diet.
A nutritious and healthful diet should include the six diet planning principles: adequacy, balance, calorie control, moderation, variety, and nutrient density.
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