Food for thought

Let’s face it — most of us would do anything to lose weight or have a celebrity body. While the best way to do this hasn’t changed — eat moderately and exercise — outlandish methods abound. While these may help you temporarily lose kilogrammes, it will be at the expense of your overall well-being, a vital organ or your sanity.

GN Focus speaks to three experts about healthy approaches to eating which will help you kick the diet habit and adopt a holistic path to health.

Panchakarma

Panchakarma (meaning five therapies) is an Ayurvedic detox process that uses a combination of therapies and diet plans. Each individual’s plan is based on their dosha (body constitution) imbalances, age, digestive strength, immunity levels, and the season, among other factors. “Ayurvedic detox therapies promote deep purification within the tissues, using safe, gentle and easy methods. These procedures help loosen accumulated toxins, which then exit the body through major channels of elimination. The diet supplements these processes,” says Dr Chandy George, Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant at Balance Wellbeing 360.

How does it work?

The process first determines an individual’s dosha following which a customised diet plan is suggested. “Tears, mucus, sweat, urine and faeces are all nature’s way of detoxification. However, due to the increased levels of toxin accumulation in our bodies, as a result of lifestyles, natural elimination is not adequate. Toxins and free radicals cause damage to our health and cause additional wear and tear to the tissues in the body, especially the skin. Sluggish immune function, weight gain and memory problems are some of the common issues,” says Dr George.

Panchakarma recommends eating everyday at the same time. As for the portions, dinner should be the lightest meal, breakfast more substantial and lunch the biggest of the three meals.

What should I avoid?

Alcohol, tobacco products and excess use of spices should be avoided.

What are the benefits?

“[When followed diligently] it cleanses, rebuilds and maintains the body while increasing energy levels both physically and mentally,” says George. “Positive changes can be noticed within five days, which include corrected sleep patterns, better digestion and glowing skin. One also tends to be more alert and active. It is always recommended to have the diet accompanied by bespoke treatments to flush out toxins,” he explains.

● Intuitive Eating

Popularised by two nutritional therapists and authors, Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole, Intuitive Eating (IE) focuses on getting people more in tune with their bodies. “[IE] encourages detecting inner signals of hunger, fullness, taste preferences and how the body feels in response to foods eaten. It promotes satisfaction in eating and positive change in one’s relationship with food and body,” says Resch.

The idea behind IE is to keep the body well fed with adequate energy to avoid triggering a primal overdrive to overeat. Habit-shaping techniques include unlearning self-imposed deprivation and resolving issues that lead to emotional overeating. >

How does it work?

There are two ways to learn the process. First, read Resch’s and Tribole’s book Intuitive Eating, which provides step-by-step advice. The alternative is to find a registered dietician or nutrition therapist skilled in teaching IE. “People attending a lecture on IE could also begin the process without the book, but with the guidance of the speaker,” says Resch.

As the approach is predominantly thought driven, the concepts constantly evolve. “We have strived to put weight loss on the back-burner and help people understand that a focus on weight loss can only lead to sabotaging the process of tuning in to inner signals,” says Resch. “We find that people enjoy positive meal experiences by eating when hungry, stopping when full, being satisfied by the meal, and knowing that they will never again have to feel the deprivation that comes from specific food or quantity restrictions or the guilt and shame that comes with breaking their diet rules,” she says.

What should I avoid?

What are the benefits?

Resch vouches that the benefits can be felt immediately. “There are more than 25 research studies that find an association between IE and increased self-esteem, well-being and optimism, body appreciation and acceptance, interoceptive awareness, pleasure from eating, proactive coping skills, psychological hardiness, and unconditional self-regard,” she says. In fact the studies also showed it is associated with lower triglycerides, higher HDLs (good cholesterol), and lower body mass index.

Viva Mayr

Founded more than 100 years ago by Austrian physician and researcher Dr Franz Xaver Mayr , the diagnostic system recognises irritations of the digestive tract before they lead to pathologies and typical diseases. In recent years it has added a lot of modern methods to specify functional disorders of the digestive tract.

How does it work?

Essentially an educational programme, Viva Mayr trains people to develop healthy habits and focuses on eating easily digestible foods, chewing well, taking time for meals and creating a nutritional rhythm. As a personalised programme, individual reactions or allergies to food types are factored in. “As this is to help digest food better, we don’t use foods that need lots of energy — such as beans, lentils, legumes, garlic, onions, and spicy food that could irritate the digestive tract,” says Dr Stossier.

It also stresses on drinking enough fluids between meals. “By fluids we mean water or herbal teas. Milk, alcohol and juices do not count because there are always some nutrients which need to be digested,” he says.

Viva Mayr must be conducted under medical supervision. “At the very beginning we often have to support people in the detox programme with orthomolecular medicine, massages and detox baths. The objective is to activate the digestive tract, increase the elimination and help the body establish a healthier digestive system. So it is not possible to do a successful treatment without a doctor,” he explains.

What should I avoid?

Raw vegetables should not be eaten in the evening. Avoiding negativity is also important.

What are the benefits?

According to Dr Stossier’s book — The Viva Mayr Diet — people have felt the benefits within 14 days. These include more energy, better sleep, glowing skin and the ability to think more clearly. n