Should Dieting Be Avoided when You Are Sick?

Most people associate the word dieting with the avoidance of specific foods or amounts of food for the purpose of weight reduction. However, dieting can also refer to a temporary change in eating habits to achieve a clearly defined goal that might or might not have anything to do with losing weight. This must be understood first before your consider dieting when you are sick.

Have Sound Answers to These Four Questions

1. From what kind of sickness are you suffering?
2. Are you overweight or underweight. If you're not sure, consult an ideal weight chart to find out for your height, body frame, and gender.
3. Are you under the care of a doctor for a disease or condition?
4. Are you pregnant?

Consider Your Dieting Options Based on Answers to the Above Questions

Option #1 - Detox Diets

Fortunately, detox diets are very easy to understand how to follow; you also have great freedom to customize your dieting experience as long as you remember some basics that must be followed to reap benefit. Detox diets are not fasts; they are both cleansing and nourishing and can be followed by anyone suffering from virtually any kind of sickness as long as that individual isn't underweight. If you have been diagnosed with a disease or condition or are pregnant, be sure to consult your physician before embarking on true detox diets. Detox diets simply consist of consuming only fruits and vegetables for a period of one day to an entire seven-day week.

Basic rules to follow for Detox Diets

1. Never mix fruits and vegetables ( a mixture of apples and carrots is the exception).
2. Mix no more than three kinds of fruit at a meal.
3. Don't use any kind of sugar on the fruits or vegetables--not even an all natural one.
4. Season vegetables with natural seasonings and herbs only. For example, table salt is not natural. Opt for a natural rock salt or sea salt instead.
5. Drink copious amounts of water.
6. Don't neglect to exercise. This is very important.
7. Eat nothing but raw or slightly cooked fruits and vegetable. If you add any other kind of food or drink, you are no longer following a true detox diet.

Following the Fruit Diet When You are Sick

Some people who just aren't very fond of vegetables prefer to follow a fruit diet instead of a fruit and vegetable diet. The fruit and vegetable diet is better for someone who's sick, but the fruit diet is also beneficial and cleansing. Some of the same rules apply: eat only fresh, raw or slightly cooked fruits; eat no more than three kinds of fruits at a meal, drink copious amounts of water, exercise until breaking a sweat, don't add any sweetener to the fruits, follow the fruit diet for a maximum of three days if you are not underweight.

Is dieting harmful when you are sick? Each person must base that answer on the answers to the four aforementioned questions to help him or her make a wise decision. Dieting while sick can be harmful if done irresponsibly and it can be extremely beneficial, even necessary when done responsibly.

Sources:

Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal
Back to Eden (new revised edition) by Jethro Kloss