If you were suddenly put on a strict diet by a doctor... (health, bread)

[Cinnella]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I would do it, with occasional lapses for good behavior.

+1

However, my rewarding of good behavior would be pretty frequent... If I was good for two or three days? Reward meal or snacks!! I can't just deprive myself all the time everytime, or I would probably be affected in other negative ways such as high blood pressure from frustration.

[jasper12]

I struggle with this every day. I need to be more pro-active about my diet...food is just food...after all, you just need to make an adjustment to this, and re-arrange how you feel about food.

[Miaiam]

It is very difficult for most people to change their eating habits quickly. It takes time and commitment.

I would adapt, but would certainly keep some of the food I enjoy, even if only on occasion. Things like crusty bread, chocolate, pasta, and several kinds of cheese. I would just have them much less often. In fact, I already try to keep a balanced diet. Lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains (which I like), and also some of my favorite foods, like the ones I mentioned before.

I am hoping that trying to keep a balanced diet will allow me to enjoy the foods I like - and the ones I love! - for a long time.
I keep an open mind and will often try "healthier" substitutes, and while not everything tastes good and some foods are just "meh", I am happy that some of them are perfectly fine.

[elnina]

I would get a second opinion... lol

But seriously - I would ask the doctor for the reason and then adjust my diet to the requirements, remembering that there are always more options than whole grains and basicly lettuce.

[jtur88]

I don't trust modern medical advice, in the first place, and the doctors I don't trust are lucky if they had two weeks of instruction in diet and nutrition in eight years of medical school. So they've probably read less research on nutrition than I have.

But the diet you described is not too far from what I'm eating now, so I'd probably make some adjustments, but keep on eating pretty much as I have been.

However, I'm assuming that the recommended diet is based on a pretty exact diagnosis for a specific condition that that diet is applicable to, and I would weigh it on that basis.

[Mooseketeer]

I would find it difficult to be warned off my favourite foods for health reasons . I would probably try to abide by a new diet though how long I would resist certain goodies I do not know...

I would not have any problems giving up sweet stuff, fried foods , fast foods etc... as I rarely eat those anyway and that would be no hardship.

I would have a real issue with giving up Fish, Seafood, and Beef in particular though. Life without Sushi or Fillet steak forever would indeed be a pretty bleak one to me. Humans are very adaptable so I suppose you have to learn and re-think the way you eat but it would be pretty devastating to me. Life without cheeses as well... what a cruel trick for nature to play on me ! Same with a life with no soups, vegetables, good artisan bread, yoghurts, etc...

Unless one has an actual allergy/very specific medical condition diet related I tend to believe that everything in moderation is fine so I think most foods no matter how bad for you are fine as long as you have them only on an occasional basis.

[*Sixy*]

I recently (in the early fall) was tested for food allergies because I was having stomach issues for a very long time.

Found out I was severely allergic to beef and pork. I cut those out of my diet and haven't had them since. Even cross contamination sets off a reaction and it makes me miserable. I don't miss them because I just would rather not live through the hell that is the reaction.

I tested moderate to mild for dairy, wheat, corn, shrimp and watermellon and while I will eat some of those in moderation (a serving or less a day) I never push it beyond that otherwise I'm suffering.

I can't eat soy because it aggrivates my thyroid (or that's the understanding anyway, and once I cut it out of my diet, the symptoms I suffered have disappeared).

So yes...I have NO problem cutting out foods for medical reasons. It's easy for me though because I have a severe physical reaction to them that makes me feel miserable.

Oh...I don't really miss any foods per say. When I make one particular pork recipe (chili rubbed tenderloin with ginger apricot glaze) I do get a hankering for it. Every so often I get a craving for a filet or a juicy burger too but that doesn't tempt me to cheat.

[PJSaturn]

I would adjust out of necessity.

However, I can't imagine a sane physician recommending a diet devoid of all fats, starches and sugars. I changed my diet several years ago to relatively low-carb and low-fat; however, there are GOOD carbs and GOOD fats which are essential to GOOD health, and I do eat those.

Speaking of which.....I'm hungry. I think I'll go and prepare some whole-grain oatmeal (good carbs) for breakfast!

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by PJ8

However, I can't imagine a sane physician recommending a diet devoid of all fats, starches and sugars.

In fact, when I had hepatitis, my doctor told my wife to put me on a "fat-free" diet. She did, but my condition did not improve. On my next visit my doctor explained that "fat free" does not mean "no fat", and I was being deprived of essential fat-soluble vitamins.

That was in Chile, where the definition of "regimen sin grasa" is "don't sop up all the bacon grease with your bread, after frying your eggs in it".

[cynwldkat]

Sounds like a nightmare! Of course I would do it but it would be easier for me to stop eating all together honestly!