PALEOLITHIC DIET THIS DIET PROMOTES EATING THE WAY OUR ANCESTOR HUNTER-GATHERERS DID. FOCUS ON PROTEIN AND FAT FROM ANIMALS VEGETABLES AND SOME FRUIT MODERATE CARB INTAKE NO REFINED SUGARS OR PROCESSED FOODS NO DAIRY, GRAINS, LEGUMES OR WHITE POTATOES WHO CAN BENEFIT? GREAT PLAN FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT & LEANING OUT MAY BE TOO LOW IN CARBS TO BE A LONG-TERM DIET PLAN FOR SERIOUS ATHLETES ATHLETES CAN MODIFY BY INCLUDING DAIRY AND POTATOES TO INCREASE GOOD CARBS FOR RECOVERY

KETOGENIC DIET Low Carb High Fat UP TO 80% OF DAILY NUTRIENTS FROM FATS: MODERATE PROTEIN & VERY LOW CARB WHAT’S THE THEORY? YOU ARE RE-TRAINING YOUR BODY TO USE FATS AS YOUR PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REDUCING BLOOD SUGAR AND INSULIN LEVELS. AS BLOOD GLUCOSE AND INSULIN LEVELS DROP AND KETONE BODY LEVELS RISE, THE HEART, MUSCLE AND BRAIN REDUCE USE OF GLUCOSE AND INSTEAD USE FATS AND KETONES TO FUEL THEMSELVES. THIS METABOLIC STATE IS CALLED NUTRITIONAL KETOSIS. WHAT’S THE DOWNSIDE? CAN BE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN – NEED TO COMMIT LONG-TERM YOU CAN’T FLIP BACK & FORTH BETWEEN A KETOGENIC DIET AND A TYPICAL CANADA FOOD GUIDE DIET

KETOGENIC DIET (LCHF)

MEDITERRANEAN DIET “The Heart Healthy Diet” HEAVILY PLANT BASED LEGUMES, WHOLE GRAINS, FRUITS & VEGGIES, WITH A BIG EMPHASIS ON OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS FROM OILS, NUTS & FISH MODERATE AMOUNTS OF DAIRY & WINE VERY SMALL EMPHASIS ON MEATS BENEFITS SOME RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS DIET MAY REDUCE RISKS FOR CANCER, DIABETES, PARKINSON’S AND ALZHEIMER’S THE HIGH GRAINS AND STARCHY FOODS ARE GREAT FOR ATHLETES BUT THIS DIET CAN BE TOO LOW IN PROTEIN FOR ATHLETES EASILY ADJUSTED BY INCLUDING MORE FISH & MEAT

VEGETARIAN DIETS WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET? The diet is high in fibre and usually low in fat and is suggested to decrease risk of: Heart disease, Colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers Diabetes Obesity Hypertension (high blood pressure) CONCERNS Ensure enough of vitamins B-12, D, calcium, zinc, riboflavin, iron Include a wide range of protein from whole grains, lentils, beans, tofu, nuts, seeds, eggs, peas, and dairy (if non-vegan) Vegans must ensure they get enough calcium

VEGETARIAN DIETS

THE PROS OF A RAW FOOD DIET 1. Living foods! Maximise these nutrient benefits by eating raw. 2. Cooking foods may release carcinogens and free radicals that are harmful to health 3. Unrefined, unprocessed foods and thus essentially eliminates trans fat and refined sugars, while offering very low levels of saturated fat and sodium. 4. Raw foods contain high levels of healthy fats and fibre. 5. Focus on purchasing local, organic foods lends a helping hand to our long term sustainable environment. THE CONS OF A RAW FOOD DIET 1. Raw food diets are often found to be low in essential nutrients – lack of certain vitamins and risk of low bone mass. 2. Risk of food poisoning from raw meats. 3. Certain vegetables actually require cooking to release key nutrients. 4. Cooked foods can be more gentle on the digestive system than raw foods, which can prove to be quite irritating to some digestive systems.

THE LAST WORD…. COMMON LINKS – REAL, HIGH QUALITY FOODS KETO, PALEO, AND MED DIETS ALL MANIPULATE CARBS YOU NEED TO EAT IN A WAY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM FIND OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY – EVERY ONE’S BODY IS DIFFERENT! RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT YOU EAT CAN HAVE AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL EFFECT ON YOUR HEALTH