Dr Melvin Page's Diet Plan

The International Foundation for Nutrition and Health hails Dr. Melvin Page as a "pioneer of nutrition" for his commitment and interest in overall health. Born in 1894, Page successfully ran a dental practice in which he specialized in dentures. His interest in nutrition peaked when he studied the relationship between white sugar, carbohydrates and serum calcium. He developed his diet in an attempt to help his patients improve their dental health, but people today can benefit from his healthy, non-fad diet.

Diet Principles

Dr. Page believed that eating a diet full of refined sugars and carbohydrates harmed the body, that consuming food additives was bad for your body, that milk was not an appropriate choice for all people and that certain enzymes and supplements may help overall health. Dr. Page's diet falls into two phases, each designed to cleanse your body of its sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings, help improve your blood sugar and lower cholesterol levels. The first phase lasts about two weeks, and the IFNH explains that phase two of the Page Diet should be followed indefinitely, as the habits you learned in phase one can help your health and weight in the long-term.

Benefits

The benefits of Dr. Page's diet plan lie in its intrinsically healthy nature. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that a healthy diet and weight loss plan involves eating an appropriate balance of foods rich in proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The Page Diet Plan can help your blood sugar stay stable because of his philosophy of eating regularly, balancing protein and carbohydrate intake and avoiding sugar-filled foods. You can lose weight if you consume more vegetables on his plan, and fewer high calorie carbohydrates or fatty proteins.

Sample Diet

Following the Page Diet Plan requires that you eat vegetables with low levels of carbohydrates, such as tomatoes, broccoli and leafy green kale for the first two weeks of your diet. After the first phase, you can eat starchy vegetables, including peas, potatoes and beans, as well as other lettuce choices and cauliflower. Eat small amounts of lean protein with each meal such as chicken, eggs and lean beef. You can have nuts, cottage cheese, olive or canola oil and small amounts of fruits. After the first two weeks, you can have one gelatin-based dessert each week. Page's book, "Health vs. Disease," recommends whole grains such as oats, brown rice or rye rather than wheat or barley products.

Implementation

Implementing the diet likely requires adjustments in the amount of processed foods you normally consume, and a reduction in your normal calorie intake. Prepare for the diet by purchasing the vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole-grains recommended on the diet. Page recommends drinking water throughout the day to help your energy level, avoiding fruit juices or cow's milk and eating small meals every two to three hours. Avoid most sweeteners to follow the Page Diet Plan. If you need to sweeten your food, Page recommends honey or stevia.

References

• International Foundation for Nutrition and Health:Melvin E. Page, DDS (1894-1983)
• International Foundation for Nutrition and Health: Page Food Plan, Supporting Whole Food Nutrition: Starting Your Journey to Better Health Today!
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Losing Weight
• "Health vs. Disease"; Melvin E. Page; 1971