The concept of diets can be traced back thousands of years to the 5th century, B.C., when Hippocrates began prescribing fasting for many of his patients. Since then a myriad of diets have emerged, mostly with an emphasis on quick or easy weight loss. In 1087, William the Conquerer, who found himself too fat to ride his horse, proposed the Alcohol Only Diet, which required him to lay in his bed drinking whiskey until he had lost sufficient weight. 1912 brought the Tapeworm Diet, in which people swallowed mail-order, live tapeworm eggs to consume the extra calories from junk food; instead they became malnourished. The 1920's introduced the Cigarette Diet as an appetite suppressant, which led to an increase in mortality. The diet revolution of the 1980s was the Atkins Diet, promising weight loss through high fat and low carbohydrate consumption. When that didn't work, people in the 90s began following the Low Fat Diet which contributed to today's obesity epidemic because it promoted the overconsumption of refined carbs.
None of these diets emphasized health benefits, and in the long run, none were sustainable.
Mediterranean vs. Keto Diets
Currently, two diets getting a lot of attention are the Mediterranean and Ketogenic diets. In our upcoming Wellness Wednesday session on March 24th, 11-11:45 am PT, Stanford nutrition scientist Dr. Christopher Gardner explores the health benefits of these two diets, based upon a recently completed a study to assess the effects of each on metabolic health and blood glucose control.
What You Will Learn
In this session, Dr. Gardner will share a surprising finding of the research: how well people did (or did not) follow a specific diet in either the clinical trial or afterwards, even when armed with evidence about its impact on their health. This presentation combines cutting-edge research with fresh insights into human behavior and eating habits.
How to Attend
The March 24th Wellness Wednesday session with Dr. Gardner is free, but you need to register to attend (or receive the recording). Special thanks to our sponsor, The Forum at Rancho San Antonio.