Yoga Poses for Back Pain

Yoga has emerged as one of the best forms of exercise due to its ability to reach at the base of a problem. Yoga does not correct a problem at the mere surface but goes beyond the obvious and chooses to correct the core, the roots of it, from where the problem emerged. Usually, the ailments that we suffer from are a manifestation of a deeper underlying cause which makes way to the surface in the form of these symptoms. One of the most common ailments that people suffer from is back pain, and there are several yoga poses that can provide relief. In the article that follows, we shall look at some of the best yoga poses for back pain. Continue reading if you suffer from this problem and want to tackle it in the natural way without taking synthetic medication.

Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain

For those who have gone through the problems of lower back pain will know how excruciatingly painful it can be. Along with the overall discomfort, pain in the lower areas of the back thwarts the movements of walking, lifting, and stretching and therefore has an effect on all the normal activities of the day. Here are some poses that will help.

Child's Pose

• Place a mat on the floor and kneel on all fours.
• Stretch the knees about shoulder-width apart but make sure that the big toes are touching at the back.
• Now, take your chest through the gap between the knees and touch your forehead and chest to the ground.
• Extend your arms and release your shoulders, armpits, and arms.
• Stretch out the fingers and extend as much as possible.
• Breathe in and out.
• Get into a variation by bringing the knees together to touch each other and sit on the heels with the toes still touching
• Rest your chest onto the thighs and take your forehead forward to touch the ground.
• Extend your arms at the back so that the hands are in line or further than the heels.
• Breathe in an out.
• Stay in this position for 10 counts. You'll feel an instant release in the back.

Forward Bend

Stand on the mat and maintain a distance that is equivalent to shoulder-width in between your feet.
Bend forward very slowly and release your upper body down so that the chest and belly rest on the thighs.
Fold your hands so that the elbows are locked with each other and make your hands into a fist.
Do not lock your knees.
Relax your neck, head, and back region and breathe in and out for 20 - 30 counts to complete this back exercise.

Yoga Poses for Upper Back Pain

Just as many problems as there are with the lower back, there are problems with the upper back as well. Thankfully there are several yoga positions meant especially for this.

Dog Pose

• Place your hands and feet on the floor with the palms stretched out.
• Place a 10 - 12 inch distance between your feet and shoulder width between the hands.
• Now, arch your back (but don't put pressure) and come up so that your buttocks are in the air and the entire body makes an inverted 'V' shape.
• Let your head hang loose from your body. Don't tense the neck.
• Try and place pressure on the hands as if you're trying to push the feet down to the ground.
• You'll feel a pressure in your shin.
• Breathe in and out for 10 counts.
• This pose relaxes the back completely.

Cat-Dog Pose

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat against the ground.
• Place your hands on your thighs (without bending) and straighten your back.
• Now, look towards the ceiling while arching your back and inhale.
• This is the dog pose.
• To get into the cat pose, curve your spine completely and come to look down at the legs. Bend at the elbows and exhale.
• Alternate both steps 10 times for complete back rest.

These yoga poses for back pain also help in achieving weight loss, did you know? But that apart, just try these yoga exercises and you'll find instant relief from back pain.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-back-pain.html

Is Drinking Too Much Water Bad for You?

Sugar, alcohol, and salt are the obvious bad guys, when it comes to over consumption. But, even over consumption of water can be bad for you. Drinking too much water can cause serious damage to your health.

Drinking a large quantity of water in a short span of time can make you feel sick. It is also known as water intoxication, water poisoning, or overhydration. Any food when consumed in excess is bad for you, and water is no exception. Water intake reduces your body's temperature and transports oxygen and other nutrients into your cells. But, it is eventually thrown out from the body in the form of urine and sweat. Your kidneys have a limit, and removing water is much slower than drinking it. Hence, in case of overhydration, the kidneys struggle to remove the excess water, which seeps into your blood and dilutes it. The salt concentration in your blood also starts decreasing. When the level of salt in the blood drops, the cells start absorbing excess water, in order to balance the salt ratio. This leads to swelling of the cells. This unnatural swelling of cells can have unwanted effects on various parts of your body. The heartbeat gets affected, the nervous system is strained and behaves erratically. But the most important body part, i.e. your brain, is adversely affected. The brain which is protected by the skull starts swelling and touches the skull. It can lead to severe headache.

Is it Unhealthy to Drink Water Excessively?
What starts out as a headache, can turn into a variety of symptoms due to the intracranial pressure, depending on the swelling. Some symptoms are:

• Change in behavior
• Throbbing headache
• Drowsiness
• Feeling of confusion and irritability
• Twitching features
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty in breathing
• Dulled senses

If the cells expand to a dangerous level, then the blood flow is hindered and pressure develops on the brain stem. Due to this, the central nervous system is compromised. At this point, a person could go into a seizure or coma, and in severe cases it can be fatal.

How Can You Drink Too Much Water?
Hyperhydration is a rare condition, but some people are more prone to this condition than the others. They include:

• As athletes sweat heavily, it can lead to loss of vital electrolytes. If these electrolytes are not replenished through drinks and only plain water is consumed, then it can lead to this condition.
• Infants who are less than a year old, have little body mass and can end up consuming too much water as compared to their body weight.
• People affected by severe diarrhea and vomiting lose a lot of electrolytes and end up drinking a lot of water. Water does not make up for the lost electrolytes and this can cause overhydration.
• Ecstasy takers feel more thirsty and consume a lot of water. Moreover, the pill is an anti-diuretic itself, so the water is not flushed out, leading to this condition.
• Psychogenic polydipsia is a psychiatric condition where the patient is compelled to drink large amounts of water.
• When a person is fed intravenously, care must be taken in balancing the fluid intake.

Prevention and Treatment
The major problem with this condition is lack of correct diagnosis. The symptoms can be easily confused with alcohol or drug intoxication. Once diagnosed, diuretics are prescribed to reduce the water levels, and certain drugs are also given to reduce the swelling. Prevention of overhydration doesn't mean that the person should stop drinking water. Rather, the amount of water and the time at which you drink it is important. Human kidneys can flush out 1 liter of water per hour (approx.), so regulate your water intake accordingly. The water intake depends upon the body weight, activity, and the weather. When exerting oneself a lot in extremely hot whether, or if you are taking certain medicines, your water consumption should increase. Remember that food also provides water. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains replenish your body's water levels. But, if you do not include such foods in your diet, or use a lot of salt or spices, then you should have several glasses of water per day.

Water is good for health, but moderation is the key. If you feel unusually thirsty, don't gulp down large quantities, but space out your drinking intervals. Also, avoid drinking water immediately after exercisin
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/is-drinking-too-much-water-bad-for-you.html

Tricks for Drinking More Water

Research says that about one-quarter of the children in the US do not drink enough water on a daily basis. Kids are particularly prone to having sweet drinks like soda and fruit juice instead of plain water, and many teens prefer sports and energy drinks over water.

There are several little things you can do when trying to live a healthier life. Exercising regularly, following a healthy diet, and limiting your calorie intake are some of them. But one of the most important things we often ignore, is drinking enough water. Staying well-hydrated helps maintain good health. But daily water intake is something we pay very less attention to.

Many of us are so busy throughout the day that we hardly realize that we are not drinking enough water daily. Caught up in our hectic schedule, we don't make a deliberate effort to drink more water. And some of us are just too lazy to get ourselves a glass of water at regular intervals or refill our water bottles. We ignore drinking water till we feel really thirsty. Well, this happens with most of us. At times, we are too tired to get water, at other times we are too busy to remember having it. Whatever be your reason for drinking less water, this article brings you some tricks to drink it more and stay hydrated and healthy, always.

Tricks for Getting Yourself to Drink More Water
Carry a Water Bottle with You
It is unlikely that you will drink water if you don't have it near you, so it's a good idea to buy a water bottle that you can carry wherever you go. Choose a BPA-free bottle that's large enough to hold a good amount of water, but small enough so that you can comfortably bring it along to work, school, gym, or while running errands. Depending on how often you're on the go, you may want an insulated bottle so that the water stays cold throughout the day. Remember to refill your bottle as soon as it's empty.

Tag Your Water Bottle
Put an inspirational sticker or image on your water bottle, or create a DIY remind-bottle by writing down the timings at which you should drink water or how much should be finished by what time. Put up encouraging lines about drinking more water. This will let you bond more with the water bottle and keep your goal literally in sight throughout the day.

Spice It Up!
Though it is refreshing and perfect for quenching your thirst, one of the biggest challenges to drinking enough water is that eventually you get bored because it is tasteless and bland. To solve this issue, try a detox recipe or add fresh fruit to your water. Lemons and oranges can be cut and added to a pitcher and kept in the refrigerator to create a zesty and tasty drink. Additionally, you may try cucumber, watermelon, kiwi, berries, or other fruits that you love or think would be tasty. Adding herbs, such as mint or basil, can add an extra kick of flavor to your water.

Track the Amount of Water You Drink
The best way to keep up with your hydration is to track how much water you're drinking. Some bottles have built-in counters that allow you to easily move the pointer up with each refill. If your water bottle isn't this high-tech, try using something like My Fitness Pal, make a tally for each refill using a notes app, or use an alarm to remind you to drink a glass of water every hour during the day. By doing this, you may be surprised to find how much water you are drinking.

Set Small Goals
To make drinking enough water a bit more manageable, you may want to break your goal into smaller milestones. For instance, you may want to drink four glasses before breakfast, an additional four before lunch and another four glasses before dinner. By focusing on smaller goals, it'll be easier for you to drink enough water and ensure that you're hydrated all day long.

Drink in Sips
If gulping down water is daunting for you, get a straw or a water bottle with a built-in straw. Sipping water, you will drink a lot of it without realizing. This trick works for kids too, as they like to sip through a straw and it's also much easier for them.

Eat Water-Rich Foods
It is a good idea to have foods that contain water. Many fruits and veggies such as cucumber, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, among others, have a high water content. Including more of these in your daily diet, will automatically increase your water intake.

Exercise
Workout is another good way to trick yourself into drinking more water. As the body gets exhausted after exercising, you have the tendency to gulp down more water after a workout.

Challenge Yourself
You, along with your friends or colleagues, can take a challenge to increase your daily water intake. You all can set a goal to drink a certain amount of water daily and then see who can attain it. Decide something like finishing one bottle of water before lunch or a certain number of bottles till evening, and keep a penalty for those who don't follow it, or a prize for those who complete the challenge successfully. A competitive spirit will surely help everyone in the group, to drink more water.

Have Foods that Make You Thirsty
Snacks like salted nuts and chips, and other high-sodium foods make you feel thirsty. Sugar-rich foods have the same effect. Though having these foods is a trick to make yourself drink more water, it is not advisable to have them in excess. They are unhealthy. Natural diuretics like celery and eggplant increase urine production, thus increasing your need for water. But any such drastic changes in your diet, should not be made without expert advice. As such, having foods that make you feel thirsty will leave you wanting more water. You'll find yourself drinking more water without even realizing it.

Ensure the Purity of Water
Impurities in water spoil its taste and no one likes to drink bad-tasting or bad-smelling water. So, to make yourself drink more water, ensure that it is pure. In case the taste of your tap water is not very appealing, use a filter or other ways of cleaning and purifying it before consumption. Also, impure or unclean water will harm your health.

Make it a Habit
A great way to drink more water is to make it your habit. Have a glass of water after waking up. Make a habit to sip some water every half an hour, or have a glass of it every hour, and so on. Make it a point to have a certain amount of water daily. Have a glass of it before going to bed. Make a habit to drink some water each time you wake up during the night. Try this for a few days in a row, and it will soon become a well-formed habit. After that, you won't have to try very hard or trick yourself into drinking water. It will happen quite easily.

Drinking enough water daily is really very important, though you may find it a bit difficult initially. Staying hydrated benefits the skin and overall health, and drinking enough water daily is a habit that pays off in the long run as well. Though water intake should be taken seriously, don't overdo it. Drinking more water doesn't mean having too much of it, or having a bottle-full in one go and then staying without it for hours. It is important to drink it in the right amounts and at regular intervals.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tricks-for-drinking-more-water.html

Are Pickles Healthy for You?

Did You Know?
Dill pickles are the most frequently consumed pickles in the United States. They are often served along with sandwiches, burgers, and other snacks.

 

Pickles have long been the first choice when it comes to adding a dash of tangy spice to daily meals. They are a terrific flavor enhancer that can certainly make the dish more exciting. However, from a health standpoint, do these pickles have any nutritional value? Does the pickled taste provide more, other than making the meals tastier? The following Buzzle article discusses whether having pickles can be beneficial to your health.

Are Pickles Good for Health?

As aforementioned, it all depends on the pickling method of food preservation. The vegetable cucumber or fruits such as apples, peaches, and pears used in making pickles are no doubt nutritious but the process of pickling determines nutritional content of the final product. They are discussed below:

Natural Fermentation
The traditional method of fermentation used in making pickles is found to preserve the nutrition of the vegetable or the fruit used for pickling. This is because the traditional way of fermenting does not use any heat or canning. Only unrefined sea salt or pickling salt is used for fermenting and brining. This way of naturally fermenting pickles makes them a good source of beneficial bacteria that are known to improve digestion.

So having these pickles in small amounts is an easy way to increase beneficial bacteria in the gut. The good gut bacteria also help enhance immunity as well as play a key role in the synthesis of B and K vitamins. Moreover, heat-sensitive vitamins and minerals are also not lost when pickles are naturally fermented. This is one of the most important benefits of traditionally fermented pickles.

Modern Pickling Methods
The vinegar-based pasteurized pickles, the most common way of pickling, are heat-treated. Although this pickling process increases shelf life, it kills the rich enzymes, beneficial bacteria, as well as vitamins that are heat-labile. The heating process reduces the nutritional value of the final product. So these heat processed pickles have lesser nutrition than the traditional salt-based pickles.

Watch your Portion Size
No doubt traditionally fermented pickles are healthy and flavorful, but certainly, one should avoid excess consumption. The reason is simple; because of their high salt content. Extra addition of salt in pickles is necessary so as to preserve them for a longer duration. So having too much of pickles is like adding too much salt on a regular basis.

For instance, just a spear of dill pickle delivers a whopping 306 mg of sodium, which is 13% of daily dietary intake. So if you have a couple of spears on a daily basis, your sodium intake may well go beyond the prescribed limit (2,300 mg per day). This increased salt intake has been one of the primary factors in the development of high blood pressure (HBP). Too much sodium intake can also cause dehydration and increase the risk of kidney damage, heart attack, and stroke. Keeping these health risks in mind, it is essential that you have pickles in moderation.

Pickle Juice
Drinking pickle juice in small amounts may also provide a few health benefits. Due to its high sodium content, taking the juice may help relieve muscle cramps and hangover symptoms. Quite a few athletes take pickle juice and have reported that it provides much-needed relief from sports-related cramps. Consuming the juice of vinegar-based pickles may also contribute to alleviate heartburn symptoms.

Pickles During Pregnancy

It is commonly observed that women tend to develop a craving for pickles during pregnancy. Although pregnant women consuming these salt-based pickles is not a cause for concern, one has to be careful about the portion size so that excess sodium is not consumed during pregnancy.

On the whole, natural fermentation is the original pickling procedure and the pickles obtained in this manner have been an integral part of healthy meals for quite some time. So avoid pickle products on which vinegar is listed as an ingredient, as they are not a good source of beneficial bacteria.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/are-pickles-healthy-for-you.html

Is Whole30 Just Another Fad Diet?

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
― Thomas A. Edison

 
What is Whole30?

Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, founders of the Whole9 website, are also the creators of the Whole30 diet, a 30-day diet program designed to "reset" the body's metabolism and detoxification systems. The Whole30 diet is especially popular among people who are interested in "paleo" diets—diets that do not include many processed foods and other foods that would not have been available to humans before the development of cities and complex food production.

Why this Diet?

According to the creators, the benefit of the Whole30 diet is that it allows participants to see how their everyday food choices are affecting their energy levels, overall health, and athletic performance. Their website claims that by cutting out many types of food for 30 days, the body has time to heal from the damage caused by poor food choices. The idea is that people will feel better after completing a Whole30 program, and will be encouraged to continue making healthier food choices as a result.

The Specifics

The list of foods that are allowed by the Whole30 diet is much shorter than the list of foods that are prohibited. The diet program allows meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs, and "good fats." Everything else is prohibited, including all processed food, dairy products, all beans, and other legumes, including all soy-based products, like tofu, soy sauce, and all grains, including wheat, rice, barley, oats, quinoa, etc. White potatoes are also excluded from this diet.

Does it Work?

Many people have claimed that the Whole30 diet made a big impact on their overall health and well-being, and other paleo programs have enjoyed similar popularity. Some restaurants even offer paleo menu items. Is this a new lifestyle that will change people’s health choices, or just another fad diet?

Fad Diet Programs

In certain ways, the Whole30 program resembles other dietary fads that have come and gone. The Bible Diet or the Maker’s Diet, promoted by Jordan S. Rubin, is based on the premise that Old Testament dietary restrictions were in place because they reflected what’s best for human nutrition. That diet also involves a detoxifying program that begins by cutting out everything except fish, eggs, certain kinds of meat, fruit, vegetables, and highly specific oils. The target audience for the Bible Diet is much different from the target audience of the Whole30 program, but the details of the diet have a lot in common.

What’s the Difference?

When assessing dietary programs, one can’t overlook the fact that most people who promote the programs stand to gain a profit if the diets are successful. Both the Hartwigs and Rubin also sell or sold products like books and dietary supplements associated with the diet to help people with their programs. Although these products could really be of some benefit to dieters, they also seem to suggest that one of the differences between these fad diets is the brand and the language used to sell them.

The Benefits of Fad Diets

In general, it’s probably better for people to create their own dietary programs based on their individual needs. Those who are interested in detoxifying the body by cutting out processed foods can do it without adhering to a particular 30-day program. However, Whole30 and other programs like it have one benefit that individuals can’t get on their own—community. People going through the Whole30 diet program can do it together, exchanging stories, tips, and support. In the end, that might be the main benefit of branded programs, and hopefully, it can help a few people improve their lives through healthier eating.

So, rather than following a fad diet, or making dramatic changes in your diet, focus more on a healthy lifestyle. Start making gradual changes in your diet to incorporate more healthy foods, and less processed food. Switching to healthy eating habits and working out regularly will help you maintain good health and fitness, and keep you happy too.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/is-whole30-just-another-fad-diet.html

Paleolithic Diet

This diet, also popularly known as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet, or paleodiet, includes meat, live food, such as wild fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It has no room for processed and packaged foods and eatables that are not naturally available. Even grains, legumes, and dairy products are not included. As such, it is a great diet for people aiming at weight loss, athletes, and even those who wish to control their blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Foods Permitted in this Nutriment

The food items mentioned in this list can be cooked and had. Of course, there are certain staunch followers who believe that these items must be eaten in their raw form in order to get maximum nutrition. There are also a few others who believe that cooking has been an integral part of civilizations since time immemorial, therefore, it should be allowed. In any case, the food should not be overcooked to retain its nutritional value. Avoid frying and stick to steaming, grilling, or baking food.

Fruits and Vegetables

• The rule regarding vegetables is that it should be consumed raw. Kale is a popular vegetable of this dietary plan.
• As legumes are not allowed, peas and green beans are out of the list. Potatoes and other starchy vegetables are also not included. Apart from these, all other veggies are permitted.
• Out here, almost every fruit is allowed. However, if you aim to lose weight, then fruits that have a high sugar content should definitely be avoided. These include mangoes, grapes, and in some cases even bananas.
• Avoid the consumption of fruit juices and dry fruits in this regime.

Meat

• Meat consumed in the caveman diet should be free-range or organic. This means that the animal, whose meat is taken, should be bred on an open farm where it is allowed to graze freely.
• This practice is believed to reduce the chances of an infection from bacteria, such as E.coli or Salmonella. This renders the brawn safe for consumption in both the raw and cooked form.
• The flesh consumed in this nutriment should be lean and low-fat. One may even resort to having a raw meat diet, as it is believed that brawn upon being cooked results in a loss of all the vital nutrients.

Nuts

All nuts and seeds are allowed except peanuts as they are legumes. Some propagators of this nourishment believe that cashews cannot be eaten, as they are rarely consumed in their raw form.

Oils

Unprocessed oils in the form of olive oil, oil from nuts and seeds, and canola oil are allowed. Avoid the usage of processed vegetable and hydrogenated oils.

Other Items

Water and tea without milk is allowed in moderate quantities. Keep away from coffee and alcohol. Every once in a while, you may have a glass of wine along with your meals. Free-range eggs may be included, and one can also have raw eggs if they wish to. Bread is completely forbidden in this diet.

Certain Food items Specific for Athletes

In case of athletes, remember to specifically exclude sodium (though it is not allowed in the paleo diet) from the nourishment. Avoid tea and alcohol completely. Moreover, consume food in its raw form to gain maximum strength. You can definitely try some delicious recipes using the above mentioned foods. But before you go ahead, take a look at the items that can be added to those recipes.

• Salt
• Yeast
• Refined sugar
• Pickled products
• Legumes: beans, peas, and peanuts
• Grains: rice, wheat and its products, corn
• Starchy foods: potatoes, yam, beets, cassava, and sweet potato
• Processed meats: bacon, salami, meat with fat or skin, sausages, and red meat
• Dairy products: milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, butter, and ice cream
• Processed oils: corn oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, wheat germ oil, soybean oil, and cottonseed oil

So, give the Paleolithic diet a shot if you are keen on achieving a healthy body and mind. It also helps in improving blood lipids, reducing pain from autoimmunity, and increasing the intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/paleolithic-diet.html

Is Whole30 Just Another Fad Diet?

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
― Thomas A. Edison

 
What is Whole30?

Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, founders of the Whole9 website, are also the creators of the Whole30 diet, a 30-day diet program designed to "reset" the body's metabolism and detoxification systems. The Whole30 diet is especially popular among people who are interested in "paleo" diets—diets that do not include many processed foods and other foods that would not have been available to humans before the development of cities and complex food production.

Why this Diet?

According to the creators, the benefit of the Whole30 diet is that it allows participants to see how their everyday food choices are affecting their energy levels, overall health, and athletic performance. Their website claims that by cutting out many types of food for 30 days, the body has time to heal from the damage caused by poor food choices. The idea is that people will feel better after completing a Whole30 program, and will be encouraged to continue making healthier food choices as a result.

The Specifics
The list of foods that are allowed by the Whole30 diet is much shorter than the list of foods that are prohibited. The diet program allows meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs, and "good fats." Everything else is prohibited, including all processed food, dairy products, all beans, and other legumes, including all soy-based products, like tofu, soy sauce, and all grains, including wheat, rice, barley, oats, quinoa, etc. White potatoes are also excluded from this diet.

Does it Work?

Many people have claimed that the Whole30 diet made a big impact on their overall health and well-being, and other paleo programs have enjoyed similar popularity. Some restaurants even offer paleo menu items. Is this a new lifestyle that will change people’s health choices, or just another fad diet?

Fad Diet Programs

In certain ways, the Whole30 program resembles other dietary fads that have come and gone. The Bible Diet or the Maker’s Diet, promoted by Jordan S. Rubin, is based on the premise that Old Testament dietary restrictions were in place because they reflected what’s best for human nutrition. That diet also involves a detoxifying program that begins by cutting out everything except fish, eggs, certain kinds of meat, fruit, vegetables, and highly specific oils. The target audience for the Bible Diet is much different from the target audience of the Whole30 program, but the details of the diet have a lot in common.

What’s the Difference?

When assessing dietary programs, one can’t overlook the fact that most people who promote the programs stand to gain a profit if the diets are successful. Both the Hartwigs and Rubin also sell or sold products like books and dietary supplements associated with the diet to help people with their programs. Although these products could really be of some benefit to dieters, they also seem to suggest that one of the differences between these fad diets is the brand and the language used to sell them.

The Benefits of Fad Diets

In general, it’s probably better for people to create their own dietary programs based on their individual needs. Those who are interested in detoxifying the body by cutting out processed foods can do it without adhering to a particular 30-day program. However, Whole30 and other programs like it have one benefit that individuals can’t get on their own—community. People going through the Whole30 diet program can do it together, exchanging stories, tips, and support. In the end, that might be the main benefit of branded programs, and hopefully, it can help a few people improve their lives through healthier eating.

So, rather than following a fad diet, or making dramatic changes in your diet, focus more on a healthy lifestyle. Start making gradual changes in your diet to incorporate more healthy foods, and less processed food. Switching to healthy eating habits and working out regularly will help you maintain good health and fitness, and keep you happy too.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/is-whole30-just-another-fad-diet.html