One of the hottest topics of the 21st century is the issue of diets and nutrition. This notion is usually there to help us become more physically attractive and healthier at the same time. As with any hot topic, some of its aspects are highly controversial. Namely, even though some diets are completely harmless, all of them possess certain deficiencies which require supplementation in order to show their full potential. Of course, this doesn’t mean that these diets are inadequate in any way, only that they lack something which can easily be made up for. With this in mind, here are some of the ways in which modern-day diets interact with supplementation.
The Paleo Diet
The paleolithic diet (or simply Paleo) revolves around the idea that in order to clean our body of all harmful substances, we need to return to the eating habits of our distant ancestors. Namely, advocates of Paleo claim that since the Stone Age, our nutrition has become tastier but less suitable for our organism. Because of this, while on Paleo, one should eat lean meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, root vegetables, eggs, and nuts. The thing that should be avoided the most is milk and any other dairy products. While some may be concerned with this deficiency, it can easily be substituted with the consumption of adequate supplements.
The Gluten-free Diet
Another thing we have the 21st century to thank for is a raised awareness of how gluten may interact with gluten intolerant people’s organisms. By ruining people’s lifestyle significantly, this simple protein can become a serious problem which is why it is advisable that those who are sensitive to it avoid it at all costs. This diet is especially recommended for those suffering from Celiac disease, which may cause gas, diarrhea, stomach pain, fatigue, joint pain, weight loss, and skin rashes.
Unfortunately, even though a gluten-free diet is sometimes completely necessary, it has some nutritional deficiencies consisting of a range of vitamins and minerals. Because of this, it is the most effective when combined with proper supplementation.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet, as one of the most popular weight loss diets of today, is quite an interesting topic. First of all, it was created to fight obesity, and no one can deny its effectiveness in this field. By consuming a lower amount of carbohydrates and considerably more proteins, people on this diet lose from 0.1% to 2.9% bodyweight more than people on most other diets. Still, seeing how this diet has its deficiencies, taking supplements in form of vitamins A, C and E, plus selenium, glutathione, Co-enzyme Q10 and bioflavonoid is highly recommended.
Raw food diet
The raw food diet or raw foodism, is a practice of eating only uncooked and unprocessed foods. This diet is quite similar to Paleo (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat and dairy products) with the exception of dairy, and the fact that the food is unprocessed. The plus side of this diet is the fact that by avoiding additives that can be found in most of the food these days, you reduce your chances of getting cancer significantly. Unfortunately, even this diet has its drawbacks. You will be dealing with deficiency of vitamins B12 and D, as well as the shortage of DHA/EPA Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids. Still, if you make up for this with proper supplementation, you will have nothing to worry about.
As you can see, each and every one of these diets offer great advantages. Some make you lose weight in a completely natural way, while some make you considerably healthier. Being as it may, as nothing in life is perfect, neither are these diets. Luckily, their imperfections can easily be remedied with the use of the right supplementation.