Strategy shift: When following a gluten-free diet, eat at least three servings of whole grains a day, such as brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum or millet. You can find recipes in Case’s book and at Celiac.com.3. Low-Sodium DietYou need to ease up on salt if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or congestive heart failure. Unless, of course, your physician tells you otherwise. Even without a doctor’s warning, you should still cut back: The recommended daily intake is 1,500 milligrams sodium (about 1 slice of Sbarro’s Supreme pizza); most Americans eat more than the upper limit of 2,300 milligrams, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt. Pitfalls: The only downside? You'll be cooking a lot. About 80% of our sodium intake comes from restaurant and prepared foods – not from a heavy hand on the salt shaker. And you may have to find other sources of potassium. Strategy shift: Get more potassium, which counteracts the harmful effects of too much sodium and lowers blood pressure. Eat several servings daily of potassium-rich foods, such as salmon, broccoli, lima beans, spinach, oranges and tomatoes (unless your doctor nixes potassium because of kidney or other problems).The mineral has been linked to healthy blood pressure, which counteracts the harmful effects of too much sodium. 4. Vegetarian and Vegan DietsA plant-based diet has many health benefits: It lowers cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon and prostate cancers, says dietitian Mark Rifkin, R.D., president of Preventive Nutrition Services in Baltimore.
Vegetarians avoid animal flesh like beef, chicken and fish, but may eat eggs and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Vegans avoid all animal products including eggs and dairy.Pitfalls: You could become deficient in protein, iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins D and B-12. Also, many vegetarian diets – like the typical American meat diet – may be loaded with grease, fat and added sugars too.“Pizza, fries, soda, ice cream, chips and cheese balls are, after all, vegetarian,” Rifkin says. So going vegetarian is not necessarily a "guarantee of good health.”Strategy shift: If you cut out animal products completely, you’ll need to get vitamin B-12 from supplements or fortified foods. Vegans and vegetarians (who don’t eat fish) might become deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and vitamin D. Supplements can help. Here are the daily recommended amounts:
5. Low-Carbohydrate DietLow-carb diets like Atkins have helped many people lose weight and curb appetite too. But like low-fat diets, they only work if you trim enough calories. You may shed pounds initially, but when compared to other weight-loss plans, that advantage usually disappears after several months to a year. Pitfalls: If you’re filling up on unhealthy foods like bacon, greasy burgers and steaks, you’re not doing yourself any favors. They’re loaded with heart-clogging fat and cholesterol. Plus, many carb-rich foods are necessary for your body, such as milk, yogurt, fruit, juice, oats, cereals, beans and corn. Without them, you won’t get enough fiber to stay regular and keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy.In a healthy diet, carbs also promote memory and learning. A 2008 Tufts University study found that low-carb dieters didn’t perform as well on cognitive tasks as participants on a balanced plan that included carbs. Strategy shift: Pick better carbs. Swap highly processed carbs like sweets, mac ‘n’ cheese and cereal bars for unprocessed or minimally processed foods like whole fruit, whole oats, kidney beans, sweet potatoes and whole-wheat pasta. 6. Diabetic DietMost diabetic diets control carbs because those raise blood glucose the most. Even if you don’t have diabetes, limiting unhealthy carbs such as sugar and white-flour foods can boost your health.Pitfalls: Blood glucose control is critical to avoiding diabetes-related kidney, nerve and eye disease. That’s why it’s so tempting to focus all your dietary efforts on keeping your glucose in healthy range. (The target numbers are highly individualized, so ask your doctor for yours.)