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OMAD Diet: Is Eating One Meal a Day Safe and Effective for Weight Loss?

On July 31, 2023   /   Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment

Posted from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/omad-diet/

The OMAD, or “one meal a day,” diet, is a type of intermittent fasting (IF). There are many ways to do IF, but the general idea is that you’ll set strict periods of time in which you don’t eat, and eat as you normally would while not fasting. You might choose to do alternate-day fasting and eat every other day. You might choose an “eating window” each day, and fast outside of that window. The idea of the OMAD diet is you consume all of your daily calories and nutrients during one meal each day. It may sound straightforward enough, but registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) have some concerns about the approach.
What Is the OMAD Diet? What It Is On the OMAD diet, you’ll fast except for when you’re eating that single daily meal. “Overall, it’s a time-restricted, calorie-restricted diet,” explains Amy Shapiro, RDN , the founder of Real Nutrition in New York City. Generally speaking, OMAD is an extreme version of fasting, says Lisa Moskovitz, RDN , CEO of NY Nutrition Group in New York City. For that reason, she adds, “some experts may argue that consuming just one meal a day is unnecessary in order to get the benefits of fasting.”
How the OMAD Diet Works How It Works There are a couple of ways people may follow the OMAD diet, Shapiro says: They may eat one meal a day, or choose a short eating window in which they consume one meal and limited snacks per day. But she adds that it’s not recommended to practice OMAD every day, and so some people will practice a less extreme version of IF the other days of the week. For example, someone may do OMAD one to several days per week, and then follow a 16/8 IF schedule (where they fast for 16 hours and eat during 8 hours) for the rest of the week. In this sense, doing OMAD combined with another IF approach would be more flexible than, say, the ketogenic diet , a strict high-fat, low-carb plan.
Is the OMAD Diet Safe? Is It Safe “This can be a safe diet if done correctly, and if you ensure you are getting adequate calories and nutrition when you’re eating,” says Shapiro. Overall, IF diets (including more extreme versions, like OMAD) are unlikely to cause harm to adults who are a healthy weight, overweight, or who have obesity, notes one review .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a6fbc673-9184-4ee3-be43-e45dbb8b71de But OMAD is a restrictive eating approach that won’t necessarily appeal to everyone. If you’re following OMAD, you’ll need to take care not to overeat or overindulge on unhealthy foods during your main meal. You may also struggle to fit an entire day’s caloric intake into one large meal — or find yourself feeling uncomfortably full after eating this much in one sitting. There’s also a lack of research on the long-term effects of OMAD Moreover, OMAD may actually be unsafe for certain groups of people. This includes people who are pregnant or nursing, who are younger than 18, and people who have an eating disorder or a history of disordered eating, says Moskovitz. e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e249e72e-38b6-4654-880e-921486fbfa5b Another word of caution: If you take medication that must be consumed with food, reconsider OMAD. Not taking meds as prescribed could negatively affect absorbability and increase your risk of side effects, says Moskovitz. Examples of food-dependent medications include aspirin , certain NSAIDs, certain steroids, and allopurinol (Zyloprim) .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297fb7cbcc-87d4-4f81-a833-65ba982a1d81 Shapiro also advises that people living with diabetes who are taking insulin should not follow this diet, as OMAD can affect blood sugar levels. In general, people with diabetes need to eat balanced meals regularly throughout the day, adds Moskovitz. “Going prolonged periods of time without eating can lead to harmful blood sugar lows followed by subsequent highs once a larger meal is inevitably consumed,” she explains. “This pattern of inconsistent eating can make it difficult to keep blood sugar levels low and stable.” Finally, if you often have gastrointestinal (GI) issues like bloating or an upset stomach, OMAD may not be a good fit for you. This diet requires you to eat a lot of food at one time, which may cause GI discomfort. Still, many people who are not in these categories will decide to move ahead with OMAD — and if you’re one of these individuals, know that careful planning is key. “If you’re going to attempt it, you still have to make sure you’re doing your best to eat balanced and nutritious meals and that you’re still eating enough calories for the day if you want to stay healthy,” advises Moskovitz. “Fasting alone won’t be beneficial if [you’re] not carefully constructing the meals you’re eating in that time frame.” Always speak to your doctor or an RDN before starting a new diet, especially if you’re managing an underlying health condition or taking medication, or if OMAD represents a dramatic change in the way you eat. If you are interested in trying OMAD but have not yet tried other types of IF, start slowly, suggests Shapiro. “Start with a 12-hour fast and then build up to 14 or 16 hours. Then try OMAD for a few days once you have eased your body into it,” she explains.
What to Eat on the OMAD Diet What to Eat The single meal you eat on OMAD may contain anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 calories or more, depending on your body weight, size, and health goals, says Moskovitz. She cautions that it shouldn’t contain less than 1,200 calories: “Eating this way is not an excuse to undereat.” (At the same time, however, it’s worth noting that it can be difficult and uncomfortable to eat a whole day’s worth of food in one sitting.) The challenge is ensuring all of the necessary food groups make an appearance, Moskovitz says. To make this happen, fill your plate with whole grains, lean protein (such as fish, poultry, beans, or tofu ), vegetables, fruit , and low-fat or fat-free dairy (if you consume dairy). You can follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate guidelines to build a nutritionally balanced meal — vegetables, fruit, grains, and protein should each comprise about a quarter of your plate. Incorporate one serving of dairy if you wish.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290e2d3719-d31a-4fbc-951b-c84341f76b55 Here are two ways your day might look — one in which you’re following a traditional healthy diet, and one following Moskovitz’s suggestions for a balanced OMAD meal: Traditional Balanced Diet Breakfast Oatmeal with berries and walnuts Lunch Leafy greens topped with quinoa , roasted vegetables, avocado , and chickpeas and drizzled with a vinaigrette Snack Baby carrots and red pepper strips and hummus Dinner Piece of salmon served with broccolini and farro Dessert Dark chocolate OMAD One meal, lunch example: 1 turkey sandwich with 2 full-sized slices of bread, 4 slices of turkey, 2 slices of cheese, 1/3 avocado, lettuce, and tomato 2 hard-boiled eggs 1 banana 1/3–1/2 cup of trail mix 1 smoothie with 1 cup of veggies, 1 cup of berries, 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of almond butter, 4 ounces (oz) of yogurt, 1/3 cup raw oats, and almond milk base 1 oz of dark chocolate One meal, dinner example: 6–8 oz of fish, chicken, turkey, or tofu 2 cups of cooked whole grain/starch (rice, pasta, or potatoes) 2 cups of cooked veggies 2 tbsp of olive oil 2 oz cheese or 1/2 avocado 1 cup of fresh fruit 1 cup of Greek yogurt + 1/3 cup chopped nuts
Touted Pros of Eating One Meal a Day Health Benefits There’s a lack of research on the health effects of consuming one meal a day specifically. However, emerging research on IF provides some clues about the potential benefits of this type of diet. e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762983d35d1d-bd14-4618-9eeb-e1ceb6f53282 Eating fewer times per day through IF may improve blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and lead to a ketogenic state in which your body burns fatty acids for energy, suggests one review .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762971e8c86c-0f91-4c74-9e85-76dcfecb4d3e This may be particularly beneficial for heart health, as IF may help lower heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol , and improve blood sugar control, concluded the authors of the review after looking at human studies. However, there are important caveats to these conclusions. The authors point out that there are no large, randomized controlled trials that look at how IF patterns affect cardiovascular disease. They conclude that more research is needed, especially when it comes to which specific IF regimen is best and how long it’s necessary to follow IF for these benefits. Moskovitz advises that you do not need to fast to garner these types of health benefits. It’s possible to reap these benefits with a traditional healthy eating plan with three meals per day. Moreover, Shapiro says that some people may actually see the opposite occur: Their blood sugar and cholesterol may instead increase on OMAD if they’re filling their one meal a day with unhealthy foods, such as lots of processed food, fast food, and added sugar. If you are going to start OMAD, she recommends having a blood test taken before starting and then again three months later, which will provide a personalized picture of how your body is responding.
Potential Weight Loss Effect of OMAD Weight Loss If done correctly, you may lose weight on OMAD. “You’ll see weight loss due to calorie restriction, healthier food choices, and proper energy usage,” says Shapiro. But losing weight on OMAD isn’t a given. “If you eat the wrong food and eat unhealthy junk food during your eating window instead of nutritious foods, this can be very unhealthy.” In a systematic review of 27 studies on the weight loss effect of IF, people lost 0.8 to 13 percent of their body weight on this eating plan .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629746ee7c5-106b-47a5-919c-985a31575eab There are some limitations. Most of these studies were generally short-term (lasting less than six months) and some included a small number of participants. Researchers also noted that IF seemed to be as effective as simply reducing calories , and the authors note that most of the existing research has studied small groups of people for short periods of time. It’s unknown whether IF (and OMAD) is truly better for weight loss over the long term compared to other diets.
Possible Cons of Eating One Meal a Day Cons As noted, individuals who are pregnant or nursing, under 18, take insulin to manage diabetes, have a past eating disorder, or take food-dependent medication should not follow OMAD. If you have diabetes, Moskovitz advises speaking with your doctor before starting OMAD, as one large meal per day may lead to an unhealthy blood sugar spike . While, anecdotally, some people note that they have better gastrointestinal function on OMAD, others notice the exact opposite. With so much in your stomach at once, it’s likely that not everything will get broken down or digested properly, says Moskovitz. In the time after eating this supersized meal, you may not feel well. Also, you may find that your hunger level can get out of control as you wait to eat your one daily meal. That, in itself, can lead to overeating and cravings for less healthy foods during your meal. Moreover, you may assume you can eat whatever you want in this one meal or eating window. But that’s not the case, especially if you’re doing OMAD with the goal of promoting your health.
Other Types of IF That May Be Safer Alternatives If you’re committed to trying IF, consider allowing yourself a wider eating window. “Many people see great results with time-restricted eating with windows of 12 to 16 hours of fasting because it limits additional calorie intake while allowing your body to burn its own fat for fuel, and allows for balanced meals,” says Shapiro. During this type of IF, you are still able to eat several times a day, so you’ll have more opportunities to get in the calories and nutrients you need. Other popular varieties of IF with wider eating windows than OMAD include: 5:2 fasting , where you’ll eat normally for five days and then fast (or eat very few calories) for two Overnight fasting , where you’ll stop eating after dinner and resume eating at breakfast the next morning (at least 12 hours later) Alternate-day fasting , where you’ll alternate fasting and nonfasting days Learn More About Other Types of IF
Summary Summary Eating an OMAD diet may be an on-trend way to do IF, but it’s not a surefire way to achieve your health goals or improve health problems. What’s more important is that you are listening to your body’s needs. “Find a way of eating that works for you,” says Moskovitz. “Make sure it fits within your lifestyle. If OMAD makes you feel great, keep going, but make sure you’re doing it as healthily as possible.”

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12 Foods to Eat or Avoid With Immune Thrombocytopenia

On July 30, 2023   /   Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment

Posted from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/immune-thrombocytopenia/itp-foods-to-eat-avoid/

Living with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a blood disorder that can lead to excessive bleeding and bruising, can be frustrating in many ways. Aside from getting the proper treatment and medication from a doctor, many people with ITP may wonder if there are any dietary changes that can help get their platelet count up. “I think we all wish there was one food you could eat or one thing you could do” to help ITP, says Ginger Hultin, RDN , who is based in Seattle and is the author of How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook . “But the fact of the matter is, what we’re trying to do is support the body’s natural ability to create the type of cells that it needs.” Hultin notes that for people who have ITP , probably the most important aspect of their diet is getting enough calories and protein to support your body’s normal functions and a consistent energy level. “This is a population that I really think should be eating on a regular basis,” she urges. “So breakfast, lunch, dinner, and probably a snack or two in between.” While it can be frustrating that there isn’t a dietary magic bullet for ITP, “diet does matter, and there are things you can do,” Hultin says. Beyond the foundation of eating enough and eating regularly, Hultin says, there are specific nutrients found in foods that may help support platelet production or clotting, as well as things you should avoid. In general, the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA) advises people with ITP to focus on eating more whole foods, healthy fats, and leafy greens, and to opt for organic whenever possible to reduce their exposure to chemical additives and sprays; and to limit canned foods, processed foods, products with sugar and white flour, red meat, dairy products, and alcohol. Start with this list of foods and beverages to consider including or limiting in your diet when you have ITP.
1. Eat: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables One nutrient that may support platelet production and function is folate. “That’s actually really easy to get as long as you’re eating fruit and vegetables,” explains Hultin, especially if you’re eating leafy green vegetables. But nearly all fruit and vegetables, Hultin says, contain a variety of nutrients that can help your blood function. 2. Avoid: Concentrated Foods That May Interfere With Clotting Certain foods, including red grapes , blueberries , garlic, onions, and ginger, may interfere with clotting when eaten in large quantities, notes the PDSA . But in most cases, small amounts of these foods in your diet shouldn’t be a problem, says Hultin. “If you have low platelets and you eat a little bit of garlic in food, I’d be surprised if that would drastically thin your blood,” Hultin notes. “Where I’d be more worried is a supplemental form, or if you’re using lots of garlic powder. That’s more concentrated than a garlic clove.” When in doubt, Hultin says, talk to your doctor about any foods you should be avoiding because of your ITP.
3. Eat: Foods That Contain Healthy Fats Healthy fats include nuts and nut butters, seeds, and avocados , which provide not just unsaturated fat, but a wide range of other helpful nutrients, says Hultin. What’s more, Hultin says, these foods can help you get enough calories and provide an antidote to the fatigue that at least half the people who have ITP experience, per the National Organization for Rare Disorders . “With fatigue, people need to focus on getting enough calories,” she emphasizes. “You’re not going to feel energized if you don’t get enough calories.” 4. Avoid: Foods High in Saturated or Trans Fat While avoiding unhealthy forms of fat is good advice for most people, this precaution may be even more important for people who have ITP because of the long-term corticosteroids sometimes prescribed for the condition, Hultin notes. People who receive corticosteroid treatment “could be at an increased risk for high blood pressure, so looking at heart-healthy foods” is recommended, she says. Saturated fat can be found in meat and high-fat dairy products, while trans fats are found in processed foods that contain the word “hydrogenated” before a type of oil in the ingredients list, and the PDSA advises people with ITP to avoid hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or trans-fats as much as possible. 5. Eat: Lean Sources of Protein Including protein in your diet not only provides the critical building blocks for many processes in your body, but can also help ensure that you avoid spikes and dips in your energy level throughout the day. Quality sources of lean protein to include in your diet are poultry, fish, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and soy products. Meat provides an easily absorbed form of iron, although Hultin notes that you can get enough iron in your diet from other sources, including plants. “One of the biggest challenges with red meat, from a health standpoint, is saturated fat, ” she says. 6. Avoid: Fatty or Processed Meats Not only do fatty or processed forms of meat provide potentially unhealthy levels of saturated fat, they also contain less protein and are often high in sodium. Too much saturated fat and salt, Hultin notes, can be a concern for your heart health. So be sure to stay away from things like bacon, sausage, and deli meats. 7. Eat: Whole Grains Whole grains are an important source of complex carbohydrates , which form the basis of a balanced diet along with healthy fat and lean protein, says Hultin. Some options include oats, whole-wheat bread and pasta, quinoa , and other grains. These foods are also often a good source of B vitamins, she says. 8. Avoid: Refined Grains and Added Sugars While it’s probably not realistic to avoid all refined grains and processed foods, these types of carbohydrates tend to be absorbed more quickly and don’t contain the nutrients found in their whole-grain counterparts. Added sugars are especially important to limit, says Hultin, to ensure that your blood sugar and energy levels remain stable. “Added sugars often come with other refined carbohydrates, so if you’re avoiding that, you often get a two-for-one” benefit, she adds. 9. Drink: Water and Other Fluids Hydration is an important part of overall health and nutrition that is often overlooked, says Hultin. Consuming enough water can help you fight fatigue and may also help improve digestion. While beverages other than water can help you stay hydrated, it’s important to make sure you’re not consuming added sugars in large amounts. Herbal teas and flavored water may be good options if regular water doesn’t excite you. 10. Avoid: Alcoholic Beverages Alcohol has well-established anticoagulant properties and should be consumed with caution if you have ITP, says Hultin. Whether you need to avoid alcohol entirely “really depends on an individual’s counts, and where they are with their treatment,” Hultin notes. “Some people won’t be able to drink much, if at all. And they definitely need to be talking to their doctor about that.” 11. Maybe Eat: Dairy Products While some people with ITP choose to avoid dairy entirely, dairy products offer a variety of nutritional benefits, according to Hultin. Dairy is “a good source of calories and protein, it’s a natural source of B12, and it’s a bone builder — there’s phosphorus and calcium,” she says. But if you’re eating dairy products that are high in saturated fat or sodium, “you might need to look at the way you’re eating dairy,” says Hultin, who generally recommends low-fat dairy products. 12. Maybe Avoid: Coffee Coffee “can be a mild anticoagulant, because it has really potent antioxidants,” says Hultin. “With coffee, I would suggest that each individual work with their doctor and say, ‘How much can I have, if any?’” The caffeine in coffee may be helpful, Hultin admits, to combat occasional bouts of fatigue. But if you find yourself needing caffeine often to stay energized, “go back a little bit and make sure that you’re hitting the basics: getting enough calories, protein, and fat; getting enough water; and eating on a regular schedule,” she recommends. Additional reporting by Ashley Welch.

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