These days there are so many diets to follow, so many choices that it can really be confusing. A sampling of those choices can make your head spin. There’s the vegan diet, the raw diet, the paleo diet, the gluten free diet, the Mediterranean diet, the low carb diet and the good old vegetarian diet.

Then there are some diets that perhaps you haven’t heard of like the low FODMAP diet or the GAPS diet.

But which of these is the right diet, or better, the right diet for you?

Well, that all depends.

If you have special needs for special conditions, then you need a very specific diet. If you are diabetic you will likely do well on a low carb diet. If you have celiac disease you will need a gluten free diet. If you have SIBO, or IBS you might benefit from the low FODMAP diet.

Generally speaking however, for overall health the best diet is the one that includes whole foods, lots of  vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and adequate protein. But let’s consider two of these diets that are currently very popular.

Should you go gluten free even if you aren’t suffering with celiac disease? It depends. Some people may have a sensitivity to gluten. Gluten is also known for increasing
inflammation in the body and many people feel better not eating foods that contain gluten.  This can include many of the common grains that we have come to depend on.

Listen closely to your body. How do you feel when you eat wheat? Do you get bloated?

Do you have rashes or eczema? Do you have allergies? These are indications of inflammation. Do an experiment. Eliminate gluten for 4 weeks and see how you feel. Then slowly add it back into your diet. How do you feel? Learn to become sensitive to what your body is telling you.

What about the raw food diet? Many people feel that the only way to get adequate nutrition is to eat raw since cooking foods reduces the original enzymes and nutrients that vegetables contain. Is this really true? The real question I ask is,  how many people have the digestive strength to actually extract the nutrients in the raw vegetables

Remember, digestion begins in the mouth. You need to spend lots of time chewing to begin the digestive process and to enable the stomach and the rest of your digestive tract to be able to properly process and assimilate the nutrients. If your stomach is too burdened by large quantities of raw veggies that aren’t completely digested you will damage your digestive function. This can lead to more troubles down the line like bacterial overgrowth. Some veggies are easier than others to digest. Some of the more difficult are the cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts.

If you really want to eat raw I recommend blending your veggies in a Vitamix or the equivalent. That way
it will do some of the break down for you. Again, listen to your body. Do you get a lot of gas and bloating when you eat raw veggies? Then perhaps you are lacking the ability to properly digest your food. You may want to consider lightly steaming them to break down some of the fiber that is difficult to digest.

In my next newsletter I will consider the vegan diet and the paleo diet. What do they have to offer and could one of them be right for you?