People who have diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than people who do not have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Additionally, the American Heart Association says that overweight people have an elevated risk of developing heart disease. If you are diabetic as well as overweight, you might want to try the Kempner Rice Diet to determine if it will lower your blood sugar levels and help you lose weight. The Kempner Rice Diet claims to prevent, treat and reverse diabetes, obesity and heart disease, according to the diet's website. Consult a physician before changing your diet plan.
History
Dr. Walter Kempner, a Duke University Department of Medicine staff member, developed the Rice Diet during the 1930s. Kempner postulated that people who ate rice as a staple food rarely experienced diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Consequently, he created an eating regimen that includes rice, vitamins and fruits and fruit juices to improve the health of ailing subject participants he studied at the university, according to Duke University archives.
Identification
In 1939, Kempner opened the Rice Diet Program in Durham, North Carolina to share his findings with interested participants around the world. Today, the "Rice House" still operates under Kempner's dietary guidelines to help people lose weight and improve overall health, according to the diet's website. You can also follow the program through the book "Rice Diet," published by Dr. Robert Rosati and Kitty Rosati, registered dietitian. Both Rosatis are staff members at the Rice House in Durham, North Carolina.
Methodology
When you go to the Rice House for a two- to eight-week stay, you follow Phase One and Phase Two of the plan under medical supervision. You can also follow the diet alone or with the help of your medical doctor. During both introductory phases, you consume a diet of beans, grains, vegetables and fruits, according to RiceDiet.com. However, during Phase One, your diet is comprised of 89 percent carbohydrates, 5 percent fat and 6 percent protein.
When on Phase Two of the diet, your diet consists of 80 percent carbohydrates, 13 percent protein and 7 percent fat. However, during Phase Two you can introduce nonfat dairy products and fish to your diet. If you do eat these additional foods, your diet will consist of 65 to 75 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein and 10 to 20 percent fat.
Phase Three is a medically- or personally-developed individualized maintenance plan that combines elements of Phase One and Phase Two. You use Phase Three at home to maintain your weight loss or to continue losing weight, says the diet's website.
Considerations
The Rice Diet's first two phases restrict calories to under 1200 per day and sodium intake to less than 1000mg per day, says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. The Rice Diet program also recommends that you exercise and perform stress reducing techniques such as Tai Chi, yoga and Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT, according to the diet's website.
Expert Insight
The diet's initial caloric restrictions can promote rapid weight loss, says Jamieson-Petonic. She also says that the diet's use of stress reducing methods can help you achieve long-term success with the program. However, Jamieson-Petonic says that the low-calorie diet can cause fatigue and fainting due to low blood pressure. Therefore, she recommends that you follow the diet only under your medical doctor's care.
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