Ask Dr. Gott » diet

Reader learns about self on Gott diet

Dr. Gott — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:01:01 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 72-year-old woman who has lived with a weight problem since puberty. My husband and I have been on the no-flour, no-sugar diet for the past 10 weeks. Although the weight loss is slow, there are some things I have learned about myself. First, after years of yo-yoing on Weight Watchers, including being a lecturer for them, I never learned how to keep it off. Secondly, I discovered that I have an addiction to flour and sugar products. I suffered withdrawal symptoms when I first gave them up. I don’t know why I didn’t know this before, but it is possible I didn’t want to face it. This program of eating is finally a way of life and not a diet. Thank you for helping me to become aware.

DEAR READER: I am glad to hear that you have found a program that you can stick with. Weight loss on my diet isn’t going to happen overnight. As I have said in the past, the weight gain doesn’t occur overnight, so the loss won’t, either. On average, people on my diet lose up to five pounds in the first week (mostly water weight from the diet change) and then drop down to about one or two pounds each week after that. Some weeks may be greater, and others less.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

Popcorn OK on Gott diet

Dr. Gott — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:01:27 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT: I started your diet six days ago. I have lost one pound and am thrilled. I wonder if I can eat popcorn as a snack while on your diet. I pop it in olive oil and don’t use butter.

DEAR READER: Congratulations on your initial success. A weight loss of about one pound per week is average and healthful while on my no-flour, no-sugar diet.

You can eat popcorn on my diet, but be careful about what type you choose. Air-popped is the best, because it doesn’t require any fat. But if you choose to pop it in oil, olive is the best. After popping, you can sprinkle on seasonings, such as garlic powder, chili powder or even a little salt. Remember, moderation is key, especially with regard to salt intake.

When labels are misleading

Dr. Gott — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:01:13 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have had great success with your no-flour, no-sugar diet. You have indicated that natural sugar from fruit is OK. I drink 100 percent cranberry juice, and the label states that the ingredients are 100 percent fruit juices from grapes, cranberries and apples (water, juice concentrates), natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and citric acid. The nutrition facts state the product contains 35 grams of sugar, which I assume is natural fruit sugar. I drink many glasses daily, but now wonder whether I have been inadvertently consuming added sugar and not natural fruit sugar.
DEAR READER: Natural fruit sugar, known as fructose, is an acceptable component to your diet, as long as your doctor has not indicated otherwise. The sugars listed on your nutrition facts label indicate the natural fruit sugar. If there were added sugar, known as sucrose, it would be listed on the ingredients panel. You are not consuming excess sucrose.
My only concern about your consumption of “many glasses daily” is that you are taking in extra calories. Each 8-ounce serving of your juice contains 140 calories. If you drink four glasses a day, that amounts to 560 calories, more than one-quarter of an average person’s daily caloric requirement of 2,000. That means that you should then consume only 1,440 calories throughout the rest of the day. If you have three meals a day, that’s 480 calories per meal. If you have snacks, that number will be further reduced.
Now, I know that my diet plan is not about counting calories, but the point of eliminating flour and sugar is to reduce the number of simple carbs and empty calories. By doing this, most people bring their caloric intakes into the normal range of 2,000 to 2,500 per day. If you just replace the calories from flour and sugar with calories from other, more healthful foods, you are still taking in excess amounts.
My suggestion to you would be to reduce your juice and increase your water consumption. If you do not like plain water, try herbal tea or no-sugar-added flavored waters. In this way, you can take in adequate fluids without the unnecessary calories.
However, this topic brings up a pet peeve of mine: misleading labels. You included the juice label with your letter that states “100% Cranberry” in large, bold print, but in much smaller print below this, in an area often ignored by consumers, it then states “flavored juice blend from concentrate with added ingredients.” The label even has pictures of actual cranberries on it.
If the product is labeled “100% Cranberry,” it should be made from cranberries only. If it contains other fruit juices, it clearly isn’t 100 percent cranberry juice. The other additives listed on the label are preservatives and additional flavorings that add shelf life and make the product taste better
The nation’s diet concerns would be better served by making the nutrition and ingredient labels easier to read and understand. These panels need to be a larger print size and give total daily recommended amounts rather than percentages. Also, a product should not be allowed to call itself something it is not. Rather than “100% Cranberry,” your juice should be called “100% Fruit Juice,” with a smaller, yet easy-to-see line below that states “from cranberries, grapes and apples.”
To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Meat Not Necessary In A Proper Diet

Dr. Gott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:00:05 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Over the past several years you have occasionally written about proper diets. The one that sticks out in my memory is one from a lady who said she didn’t like meat and wanted to know if it was okay to leave it out of her diet. You told her that we really don’t need meat but I completely disagree with you.

Most nutritionists tell us we need to eat at least three ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) of meat a day. They reason that there are 21 amino acids (which are proteins) we need to ingest to remain healthy and some of them are found only in meat.

Nutritionists tell us that we should eat one serving of meat, two to three servings of vegetables, two to three servings of fruits, four servings of whole grains, two servings of dairy products and one serving of potatoes every day in order to get the nutrients our bodies need. Eating a restricted diet is not a wise thing to do on a long-term basis but short term for weight loss is okay.

You need to let your readers know that it is important to eat meat every day.

DEAR READER:
The most important issue is vegetarian versus omnivorous diets. Despite your letter, I still maintain that meat is not a necessary part of the diet as long as legumes, nuts and other high protein foods are consumed as well.

According to the Mayo Clinic (www.MayoClinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596) there are four major groups of vegetarians. The most strict is the vegan diet which does not contain any animal-based food, preferring plant-based foods only. The next group is the lacto-vegetarians who consume milk and dairy products with their plant-based foods. Then there are the lacto-ovo vegetarians (the most common version of vegetarianism) who consume foods that are plant-based as well as those that come from living animals (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.). The final group is the flexitarians or semi-vegetarians who consume primarily lacto-ovo vegetarian diets but occasionally eat small amounts of meat, poultry or fish. I am not sure I would consider this part of the vegetarian group, however.

There are several meat alternatives available to vegetarians that simulate the taste and texture of meat such as soy burgers, texturized vegetable protein, tofu hot dogs and more. Soy milk, rice milk and almond milk are available as cows’ milk replacements. It is important to get the vitamin/calcium fortified versions to ensure adequate nutrition. Soy cheese is also a dairy alternative for cows’ or goats’ milk cheeses.

All vegetarians should take vitamin and mineral supplements or increase their intake of foods high in calcium, B-12, iron and zinc. It is also vital to have adequate intake of protein, be it from eggs, dairy, soy, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, or whole grains.

I also recommend anyone interested in a vegetarian diet to speak with his or her physician or request a referral to a nutritionist who can provide information about essential nutrients and what foods are highest in them.

Daily Column

Dr. Gott — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:00:07 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am 75 years old. I don’t drink, smoke or eat anything white. I am 5’4” and weigh 172 but should weigh 130. I walk four hours a day.

I lost 21 pounds on the South Beach diet. How can I lose that last 40 pounds? My doctor says I MUST eat 1200 calories a day but I feel that is too much. I currently consume 800 calories a day in an attempt to lose the extra weight.

DEAR READER:
You are not taking in enough calories and I fear that you may actually be starving yourself and may be malnourished. Your diet may be detrimental to your health. This could be why you have stopped losing weight. Without proper nutrition your body will not properly metabolize what you do eat.

You should not be so concerned about your weight. At 75, it will not make much difference to your health. Stop the restrictive diet, consult with a nutritionist and get back to enjoying life.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Eating Disorders”. Other readers who would like copies should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Nutritious lunch of granola, cheese and fruit nothing to worry about

Dr. Gott — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:00:08 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT: Please settle a very old argument I have with several of my family members and in-laws.

I am 52 years old, married with 2 daughters ages 25 and 19. I have a desk job so during the day I am not very active. I enjoy most sports but with a busy schedule don’t play much of anything anymore. Most of my physical activity comes from yard work and golfing (which I almost always walk).

The argument is about what I eat for lunch while at work. I usually carry-in four days a week and go out one day. When I bring lunch, it usually is seasonal fruits, cheese and nuts or granola. I drink water most days, but occasionally have a Pepsi. Breakfast generally consists of hot oatmeal or cold cereal. For dinner, my wife cooks an “old fashioned” traditional evening meal four or five days a week. The rest of the week we eat out, usually similar foods to what we have at home but occasionally pizza or other treats.

My family claims that my lunches do not provide proper nourishment during the day and insists that I need to eat a ham or other meat-based sandwich during the day in addition to what I already eat. Can you advise me if my lunches will adversely affect my long-term health? I am 6’1” and weigh 195 pounds. I get a full physical every 5 years (treadmill, EKG, blood work, etc.). My family doctor has not noticed anything about my physical health over the past 20 years.

DEAR READER: You diet appears to be healthful, balanced and nutritious. You do not need to make ham or other meats a regular lunchtime addition.

I have two recommendations.

First, because you are over 50 you should have a routine colonoscopy which needs to be repeated every 5 to 10 years in normal individuals.

Second, you should have a physical and blood work done every year. The EKG and treadmill can remain at 5 year intervals. As we age, our health can change more rapidly and to keep on top of any ailments and even to prevent them, yearly observation is the key.

Keep up with your lunches and show my response to your family. Perhaps they will take a page out of your book and start similar practices. Thanks for writing.