10 Best Diets for Weight Loss, Heart Health, and Diabetes

Jenny Craig may have taken top prize when Consumer Reports ranked the best diets of 2011 in May, but the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet earned best diets overall honors in U.S. News & World Report’s first-ever diet rankings, released today. 

In an effort to help Americans weed through a seemingly endless array of weight-loss plan options, U.S. News recruited a panel of 22 health experts (nutritionists and specialists in weight loss, diabetes, heart health, and human behavior) to rank 20 of today’s most popular diets. “The goal of the Best Diets rankings is to help consumers find authoritative guidance on healthful diets that will work for them over the long haul,” according to U.S. News Health News editor Lindsay Lyon in a press release. 

The results include the the best weight-loss diets, the best diets overall, the best heart-healthy diets, the best diets for diabetes, and the best commercial diets. 

Each diet was rated from one to five in the following categories: short-term weight loss (within 12 months), long-term weight loss (two years or more), ease of compliance (satiety, taste appeal, special requirements), nutritional completeness (based on the 2010 U.S. dietary guidelines), health risks (malnutrition, rapid weight loss, contraindications for certain health conditions), and ability to prevent or manage diabetes and heart disease. Cost and exercise were not included in the scoring.

“Evaluating weight-loss plans isn’t an easy task, there’s a great deal to consider,” says Everyday Health nutritionist Maureen Namkoong, RD, adding that the “ease of compliance category” is essential when ranking diets, considering how difficult sticking to a diet plan can be. “I think they missed the mark by only having ‘experts’ evaluate these plans. It’s easy for a nutritionist to say a plan would be easy to follow, but it’s more important to know if dieters themselves — people who’ve struggled with healthy, balanced eating — would find it easy.” 

So what do all of these rankings mean for you? Well, don’t read too much into the results.

“Different plans work for different people,” says Joy Bauer, Everyday Health diet and nutrition expert and creator of JoyBauer.com. “Just because one diet ranks higher than another doesn't necessarily mean it’s going to be best for your personality, lifestyle, or taste buds.” 

Read more about the diets ranked below, and take our What’s Your Diet Personality Quiz for a perfect plan that’s truly customized for your lifestyle.
Best Weight-Loss Diets Winner: Weight Watchers
Runners-up (tie): Jenny Craig and the Raw Food Diet
Best Heart-Healthy Diets
Winner: Ornish Diet
Second place: TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) Diet
Third place: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet
Best Diabetes Diets
Winner: DASH Diet
Runners-up (three-way tie): Mayo Clinic Diet, Ornish Diet, and Vegan Diet
Best Commercial Diet Plans
Winner: Weight Watchers
Second place: Jenny Craig
Third place: Slim-Fast
Best Diets Overall
Winner: DASH Diet
Runners-up (three-way tie): Mediterranean Diet, TLC Diet, and Weight Watchers

The Inside Scoop on the Best Diets From 'U.S. News'

Here, get more details about all of the diets that U.S. News ranked, listed in alphabetical order.
And to find the best diet for you, visit us on Facebook to take our What’s Your Diet Personality Quiz.
Atkins Diet: The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate plan that emphasizes protein and fats, with a minimum of carbs during its initial phase. Select carbs are added back into the diet after an “induction” period of two weeks. No. 7 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best commercial diet plans, No. 18 best diabetes diets, No. 19 best diets overall, No. 19 best heart-healthy diets

DASH Diet: Recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet aims to control hypertension and promote overall health through foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and lean proteins. Dieters are encouraged to eat nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, lean meats, lean poultry, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. No. 1 best diets overall, No. 1 best diabetes diets, No. 3 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets

Eco-Atkins Diet: The vegetarian version of the Atkins Diet, this weight-loss plan still focuses on eating high-protein foods, but it replaces the high-fat animal protein with vegetable protein from such foods as soy and gluten. No. 8 best weight-loss diets, No. 10 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets

Glycemic-Index Diet: Also known as the GI Diet, the Glycemic-Index Diet focuses on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index, which is a measure of how long your body takes to break down food. The longer foods take to digest, the less likely they are to spike blood sugar. Eating low-GI foods can help you feel full and may be helpful for diabetes. No. 12 in best diabetes diets, No. 16 in best diets overall, No. 18 in best heart-healthy diets, No. 19 in best weight-loss diets

Jenny Craig: Known for its support system and customized meal program, the Jenny Craig diet includes three prepackaged meals and one snack each day, supplemented with your own fresh fruits and vegetables. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 2 best commercial diet plans, No. 7 best diets overall, No. 11 best heart-healthy diets, No 11 best diabetes diets

Mayo Clinic Diet: Created by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, this diet is based on achieving long-term weight management. The key principles focus on healthful eating and portion sizes, physical activity, realistic weight-loss goals, and motivation. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best diets overall, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets

Medifast Diet: The Medifast Diet includes eating small pre-made meals. Dieters follow a "5 & 1" plan: They eat five Medifast "meals" (shakes, bars, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pudding, and soup) and one self-prepared meal. No. 7 best commercial diet plans, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 16 best heart-healthy diets, No. 16 best diets overall

Mediterranean Diet: Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is protective against heart disease and can improve the way your body processes blood sugar and insulin, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This diet emphasizes eating healthy fats (think omega-3 fatty acids) as well as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 4 best heart-healthy diets, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Nutrisystem Diet: On this low-calorie weight-loss program, dieters eat pre-made meals that deliver a certain amount of daily calories based on their age and sex. Meals contain 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 20 percent fat. No. 4 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best diets overall, No. 12 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 17 best heart-healthy diets

Ornish Diet: This extremely low-fat, high-fiber diet developed by Dean Ornish, MD, has been shown to lower heart risk factors like high blood pressure. With fewer than 10 percent of calories coming from fat, this veggie-heavy diet excludes meat, fish, and fowl. No. 1 best heart-healthy diets, No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best diets overall, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Paleo Diet: Also called the Caveman Diet, this high-protein, low-sodium plan relies on cutting out processed foods and eating like our ancestors did 10,000 years ago: lots of meat, fish, poultry, fruits, and veggies, and no refined sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains. No. 19 best heart-healthy diets, No. 20 best diets overall, No. 20 best weight-loss diets, No. 20 best diabetes diets

Raw Food Diet: A strictly vegetarian diet, the Raw Food Diet restricts food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Advocates believe that the typical American diet of processed and pasteurized foods, animal products, and foods that include chemical additives contributes to diabetes and high blood pressure. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 18 best diets overall

Slim-Fast Plan: On this low-calorie meal plan, dieters eat one “sensible meal” and swap out the others with meal-replacement products: shakes, snack bars, meal bars, smoothies, cookies, and powders that are reconstituted by mixing with skimmed milk. No. 3 best commercial diet plans, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 10 best diets overall, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets

South Beach Diet: Created by Florida-based cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, this heart-healthy weight-loss plan includes three phases and involves cutting out processed carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit — as a way to lose weight, get healthy, and reduce cravings. No. 5 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, No. 12 best heart-healthy diets, No. 13 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets

TLC Diet: The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low-fat diet recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a way to lower cholesterol. The diet focuses on reducing saturated fat — less than 7 percent of your daily calories come from saturated fat — by limiting meat and milk products. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 2 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets,

Vegan Diet: The Vegan Diet eliminates all animal-based foods, including milk, eggs, and even honey. This type of plant-based diet has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best heart-healthy diets, No. 12 best diets overall

Vegetarian Diet: As a general rule, a vegetarian diet involves not eating meat; but there are several sub-types of vegetarian diets including lacto-ovo vegetarians , lacto-vegetarians, vegans, and semi-vegetarian. People on vegetarian diets have been shown to consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have lower body mass index (BMI) than people who eat meat regularly. No. 5 best diabetes diet, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 9 best diets overall, No. 15 best weight-loss diets

Volumetrics Diet: Created by renowned nutrition researcher Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, Volumetrics is a weight-loss plan based on avoiding high-density foods that are high in calories. The plan says that foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthier because they have lower energy density, or number of calories in a specific amount of food. No. 4 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best diets overall diet, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best heart-healthy diets

Weight Watchers: Known for its famous point system, Weight Watchers focuses on eating a balanced diet, eating in moderation, and eating the foods you want. Every food has an assigned number of points, depending on its calorie count and how much fat and fiber it contains. No. 1 best weight-loss diets, No. 1 best commercial diet plans, No. 2 best diets overall, No. 9 best heart-healthy diets, No. 10 best diabetes diets

Zone Diet: Developed by Barry Sears, PhD, the Zone Diet is a high protein, low-carb plan — 30 percent of calories come from protein, 30 percent come from fat, and 40 percent come from carbohydrates — designed to reset one’s metabolism and prevent chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. No. 6 best commercial diet plans, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 18 best weight-loss diets, No. 19 best diabetes diets
Here, get more details about all of the diets that U.S. News ranked, listed in alphabetical order.
And to find the best diet for you, visit us on Facebook to take our What’s Your Diet Personality Quiz.
Atkins Diet: The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate plan that emphasizes protein and fats, with a minimum of carbs during its initial phase. Select carbs are added back into the diet after an “induction” period of two weeks. No. 7 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best commercial diet plans, No. 18 best diabetes diets, No. 19 best diets overall, No. 19 best heart-healthy diets
DASH Diet: Recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet aims to control hypertension and promote overall health through foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and lean proteins. Dieters are encouraged to eat nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, lean meats, lean poultry, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. No. 1 best diets overall, No. 1 best diabetes diets, No. 3 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets
Eco-Atkins Diet: The vegetarian version of the Atkins Diet, this weight-loss plan still focuses on eating high-protein foods, but it replaces the high-fat animal protein with vegetable protein from such foods as soy and gluten. No. 8 best weight-loss diets, No. 10 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets

Glycemic-Index Diet: Also known as the GI Diet, the Glycemic-Index Diet focuses on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index, which is a measure of how long your body takes to break down food. The longer foods take to digest, the less likely they are to spike blood sugar. Eating low-GI foods can help you feel full and may be helpful for diabetes. No. 12 in best diabetes diets, No. 16 in best diets overall, No. 18 in best heart-healthy diets, No. 19 in best weight-loss diets

Jenny Craig: Known for its support system and customized meal program, the Jenny Craig diet includes three prepackaged meals and one snack each day, supplemented with your own fresh fruits and vegetables. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 2 best commercial diet plans, No. 7 best diets overall, No. 11 best heart-healthy diets, No 11 best diabetes diets

Mayo Clinic Diet: Created by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, this diet is based on achieving long-term weight management. The key principles focus on healthful eating and portion sizes, physical activity, realistic weight-loss goals, and motivation. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best diets overall, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets

Medifast Diet: The Medifast Diet includes eating small pre-made meals. Dieters follow a "5 & 1" plan: They eat five Medifast "meals" (shakes, bars, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pudding, and soup) and one self-prepared meal. No. 7 best commercial diet plans, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 16 best heart-healthy diets, No. 16 best diets overall 

Mediterranean Diet: Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is protective against heart disease and can improve the way your body processes blood sugar and insulin, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This diet emphasizes eating healthy fats (think omega-3 fatty acids) as well as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 4 best heart-healthy diets, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Nutrisystem Diet: On this low-calorie weight-loss program, dieters eat pre-made meals that deliver a certain amount of daily calories based on their age and sex. Meals contain 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 20 percent fat. No. 4 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best diets overall, No. 12 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 17 best heart-healthy diets 

Ornish Diet: This extremely low-fat, high-fiber diet developed by Dean Ornish, MD, has been shown to lower heart risk factors like high blood pressure. With fewer than 10 percent of calories coming from fat, this veggie-heavy diet excludes meat, fish, and fowl. No. 1 best heart-healthy diets, No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best diets overall, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Paleo Diet: Also called the Caveman Diet, this high-protein, low-sodium plan relies on cutting out processed foods and eating like our ancestors did 10,000 years ago: lots of meat, fish, poultry, fruits, and veggies, and no refined sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains. No. 19 best heart-healthy diets, No. 20 best diets overall, No. 20 best weight-loss diets, No. 20 best diabetes diets

Raw Food Diet: A strictly vegetarian diet, the Raw Food Diet restricts food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Advocates believe that the typical American diet of processed and pasteurized foods, animal products, and foods that include chemical additives contributes to diabetes and high blood pressure. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 18 best diets overall

Slim-Fast Plan: On this low-calorie meal plan, dieters eat one “sensible meal” and swap out the others with meal-replacement products: shakes, snack bars, meal bars, smoothies, cookies, and powders that are reconstituted by mixing with skimmed milk. No. 3 best commercial diet plans, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 10 best diets overall, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets

South Beach Diet: Created by Florida-based cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, this heart-healthy weight-loss plan includes three phases and involves cutting out processed carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit — as a way to lose weight, get healthy, and reduce cravings. No. 5 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, No. 12 best heart-healthy diets, No. 13 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets 

TLC Diet: The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low-fat diet recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a way to lower cholesterol. The diet focuses on reducing saturated fat — less than 7 percent of your daily calories come from saturated fat — by limiting meat and milk products. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 2 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, 

Vegan Diet: The Vegan Diet eliminates all animal-based foods, including milk, eggs, and even honey. This type of plant-based diet has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best heart-healthy diets, No. 12 best diets overall

Vegetarian Diet: As a general rule, a vegetarian diet involves not eating meat; but there are several sub-types of vegetarian diets including lacto-ovo vegetarians , lacto-vegetarians, vegans, and semi-vegetarian. People on vegetarian diets have been shown to consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have lower body mass index (BMI) than people who eat meat regularly. No. 5 best diabetes diet, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 9 best diets overall, No. 15 best weight-loss diets

Volumetrics Diet: Created by renowned nutrition researcher Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, Volumetrics is a weight-loss plan based on avoiding high-density foods that are high in calories. The plan says that foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthier because they have lower energy density, or number of calories in a specific amount of food. No. 4 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best diets overall diet, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best heart-healthy diets 

Weight Watchers: Known for its famous point system, Weight Watchers focuses on eating a balanced diet, eating in moderation, and eating the foods you want. Every food has an assigned number of points, depending on its calorie count and how much fat and fiber it contains. No. 1 best weight-loss diets, No. 1 best commercial diet plans, No. 2 best diets overall, No. 9 best heart-healthy diets, No. 10 best diabetes diets

Zone Diet: Developed by Barry Sears, PhD, the Zone Diet is a high protein, low-carb plan — 30 percent of calories come from protein, 30 percent come from fat, and 40 percent come from carbohydrates — designed to reset one’s metabolism and prevent chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. No. 6 best commercial diet plans, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 18 best weight-loss diets, No. 19 best diabetes diets

Here, get more details about all of the diets that U.S. News ranked, listed in alphabetical order.
And to find the best diet for you, visit us on Facebook to take our What’s Your Diet Personality Quiz.

Atkins Diet: The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate plan that emphasizes protein and fats, with a minimum of carbs during its initial phase. Select carbs are added back into the diet after an “induction” period of two weeks. No. 7 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best commercial diet plans, No. 18 best diabetes diets, No. 19 best diets overall, No. 19 best heart-healthy diets 

DASH Diet: Recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet aims to control hypertension and promote overall health through foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and lean proteins. Dieters are encouraged to eat nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, lean meats, lean poultry, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. No. 1 best diets overall, No. 1 best diabetes diets, No. 3 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets

Eco-Atkins Diet: The vegetarian version of the Atkins Diet, this weight-loss plan still focuses on eating high-protein foods, but it replaces the high-fat animal protein with vegetable protein from such foods as soy and gluten. No. 8 best weight-loss diets, No. 10 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets

Glycemic-Index Diet: Also known as the GI Diet, the Glycemic-Index Diet focuses on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index, which is a measure of how long your body takes to break down food. The longer foods take to digest, the less likely they are to spike blood sugar. Eating low-GI foods can help you feel full and may be helpful for diabetes. No. 12 in best diabetes diets, No. 16 in best diets overall, No. 18 in best heart-healthy diets, No. 19 in best weight-loss diets

Jenny Craig: Known for its support system and customized meal program, the Jenny Craig diet includes three prepackaged meals and one snack each day, supplemented with your own fresh fruits and vegetables. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 2 best commercial diet plans, No. 7 best diets overall, No. 11 best heart-healthy diets, No 11 best diabetes diets

Mayo Clinic Diet: Created by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, this diet is based on achieving long-term weight management. The key principles focus on healthful eating and portion sizes, physical activity, realistic weight-loss goals, and motivation. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best diets overall, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets

Medifast Diet: The Medifast Diet includes eating small pre-made meals. Dieters follow a "5 & 1" plan: They eat five Medifast "meals" (shakes, bars, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pudding, and soup) and one self-prepared meal. No. 7 best commercial diet plans, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 16 best heart-healthy diets, No. 16 best diets overall 

Mediterranean Diet: Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is protective against heart disease and can improve the way your body processes blood sugar and insulin, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This diet emphasizes eating healthy fats (think omega-3 fatty acids) as well as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 4 best heart-healthy diets, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Nutrisystem Diet: On this low-calorie weight-loss program, dieters eat pre-made meals that deliver a certain amount of daily calories based on their age and sex. Meals contain 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 20 percent fat. No. 4 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best diets overall, No. 12 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 17 best heart-healthy diets 

Ornish Diet: This extremely low-fat, high-fiber diet developed by Dean Ornish, MD, has been shown to lower heart risk factors like high blood pressure. With fewer than 10 percent of calories coming from fat, this veggie-heavy diet excludes meat, fish, and fowl. No. 1 best heart-healthy diets, No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best diets overall, No. 11 best weight-loss diets

Paleo Diet: Also called the Caveman Diet, this high-protein, low-sodium plan relies on cutting out processed foods and eating like our ancestors did 10,000 years ago: lots of meat, fish, poultry, fruits, and veggies, and no refined sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains. No. 19 best heart-healthy diets, No. 20 best diets overall, No. 20 best weight-loss diets, No. 20 best diabetes diets

Raw Food Diet: A strictly vegetarian diet, the Raw Food Diet restricts food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Advocates believe that the typical American diet of processed and pasteurized foods, animal products, and foods that include chemical additives contributes to diabetes and high blood pressure. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 18 best diets overall

Slim-Fast Plan: On this low-calorie meal plan, dieters eat one “sensible meal” and swap out the others with meal-replacement products: shakes, snack bars, meal bars, smoothies, cookies, and powders that are reconstituted by mixing with skimmed milk. No. 3 best commercial diet plans, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 10 best diets overall, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets

South Beach Diet: Created by Florida-based cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, this heart-healthy weight-loss plan includes three phases and involves cutting out processed carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit — as a way to lose weight, get healthy, and reduce cravings. No. 5 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, No. 12 best heart-healthy diets, No. 13 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets 

TLC Diet: The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low-fat diet recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a way to lower cholesterol. The diet focuses on reducing saturated fat — less than 7 percent of your daily calories come from saturated fat — by limiting meat and milk products. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 2 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, 

Vegan Diet: The Vegan Diet eliminates all animal-based foods, including milk, eggs, and even honey. This type of plant-based diet has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best heart-healthy diets, No. 12 best diets overall

Vegetarian Diet: As a general rule, a vegetarian diet involves not eating meat; but there are several sub-types of vegetarian diets including lacto-ovo vegetarians , lacto-vegetarians, vegans, and semi-vegetarian. People on vegetarian diets have been shown to consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have lower body mass index (BMI) than people who eat meat regularly. No. 5 best diabetes diet, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 9 best diets overall, No. 15 best weight-loss diets

Volumetrics Diet: Created by renowned nutrition researcher Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, Volumetrics is a weight-loss plan based on avoiding high-density foods that are high in calories. The plan says that foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthier because they have lower energy density, or number of calories in a specific amount of food. No. 4 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best diets overall diet, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best heart-healthy diets 

Weight Watchers: Known for its famous point system, Weight Watchers focuses on eating a balanced diet, eating in moderation, and eating the foods you want. Every food has an assigned number of points, depending on its calorie count and how much fat and fiber it contains. No. 1 best weight-loss diets, No. 1 best commercial diet plans, No. 2 best diets overall, No. 9 best heart-healthy diets, No. 10 best diabetes diets

Zone Diet: Developed by Barry Sears, PhD, the Zone Diet is a high protein, low-carb plan — 30 percent of calories come from protein, 30 percent come from fat, and 40 percent come from carbohydrates — designed to reset one’s metabolism and prevent chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. No. 6 best commercial diet plans, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 18 best weight-loss diets, No. 19 best diabetes diets

Some Natural Ways To Prevent Diabetes

A few years ago, my sister discovered she had prediabetes after a routine blood test. For her, daily insulin injections and the health problems that come with diabetes were no mere abstraction. She had been giving our mother insulin shots and taking her to doctors’ appointments for years — and she did not want to travel the same path.

So she began a regimen to avoid getting type 2 diabetes. She lost weight (about 10 percent of her body weight), began daily walks and exercise, and started paying close attention to her diet and caloric intake. To help keep her blood glucose level within a normal range, she also monitors her blood sugar and takes metformin, which targets the body’s insulin resistance rather than increasing insulin production. So far, she has averted full-blown diabetes and its consequences.

My sister is one of 79 million Americans over the age of 20 who have been diagnosed as prediabetic. More sobering statistics, however, are these: 90 percent don’t know they’re at risk and 70 percent will go on to develop diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Even more significant is that type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 95 percent of diabetes cases, is highly preventable.

Insulin is the central, underlying problem in developing diabetes. A hormone produced by the pancreas, insulin moves glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into liver, muscle, and fat cells. Without insulin, blood glucose levels climb, leading to tissue damage and starving cells.

In type 1 diabetes the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin. In type 2 diabetes the pancreas makes plenty of insulin, but the liver, muscles, and fat cells become insulin-resistant — that is, they fail to respond to insulin. Consequences of chronically high blood sugar are accelerated aging of many tissues, arterial disease, heart disease and heart attack, stroke, eye disease, nerve damage, and poorly healing wounds.

A family history of diabetes makes it particularly important to avoid these risks. Following are some tips and a recipe from 500 Time-tested Home Remedies to help prevent the devastations of the disease:

1. Try mindfulness meditation to reduce stress. The hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and glucagon rise during stress, thereby raising blood glucose and antagonizing insulin.
2. Enjoy an occasional beer or glass of wine. (One drink a day for women, two for men.) Moderate alcohol intake correlates with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
3. Get plenty of sleep. Poor-quality sleep and sleep deprivation increase the risk of obesity and diabetes.
4. Exercise every day. Physical activity improves tissue sensitivity to insulin and weight management.
5. Eat real food rather than processed food. Real food (fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, seeds, and nuts) will help you avoid refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and trans fats — all of which promote unhealthy weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes.

Try This Roasted Veggie Explosion

Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which slows the absorption of dietary sugars, and many nutrients good for reducing diabetes risks. The World Health Organization recommends eating at least five portions a day to prevent diabetes.

Ingredients
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, quartered
2 carrots, diced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 bunch of asparagus, woody bottoms removed
2 beets, peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup crushed fresh rosemary
Sea salt (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables in a bowl and toss to coat them. Spread the vegetables and garlic evenly across the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the rosemary and sea salt to taste (if using). Roast for 15 minutes and then flip the vegetables and roast for another 10 minutes. They should be browned but not overcooked.

Natural Ways to Treat Disease Chickenpox

Smallpox or the name of medical terms "varicella simplex" is a disease that affects the skin in children - children and adults. Where this skin disease marked by symptoms such as runny nose, fever, debilitation, followed by the appearance of red spots on the skin, beginning around the abdomen, chest, back and any subsequent spread to the face and other body parts. Then the red spots will be bubbly and water in a few days later.

Chickenpox disease, including infectious skin diseases, as for the mode of transmission is through discharge from chickenpox blisters or objects that are exposed to the liquid, as well as through the air that the patient coughs or sneezes.

This disease if left unchecked could be quite serious. However, in general this disease rarely leads to death. Only the former's disease, will leave stains on the skin, both skin and skin. This is what makes people with chickenpox become restless, because it will feel less confident and sometimes cause embarrassment that protracted.

To overcome or treat chickenpox, you can use natural and traditional treatments below:

Ingredients:

• Fruit blinggo / small pumpkin (thumb)
• Bengklei (thumb)
• Manggar nut (1 bunch)
• Shallots (2 cloves)
• Cumin (1 spoon)
• Betel leaves are met segment leaves (3 pieces)
• Lemongrass leaf (1 sheet)

Ways Of Making:

• Wash all the above ingredients thoroughly.
• After clean all the material shredded / ground.
• Pour 1/2 cup of hot water, and stir.
• Squeeze the juice of these ingredients so that the water will be clean.

Treatment Method:

• Drink the potion 3 times a day @ 1 tablespoon

Thus information on how to treat chicken pox naturally, the information may be useful to you.

Natural Ways to Treat Epilepsy

Doctors estimate that the composition of the central nervous disorders or brain is one of the causes of epilepsy. Joy exaggerated, deep sadness. Disorders constipation and drink - drink that contains alcohol it can mepercepat epileptic seizures / epileptic this. Severe epilepsy / great-called grand mal while usually called petit mal, heredity is also one of the causes of this epilepsy.

When an attack of epilepsy / epileptic comes, then the first aid people with epilepsy is by loosening the inherent dibadannya clothes, especially the collar. Opened his mouth and input a handkerchief or a clean cloth that has been rolled between the two sides of the teeth. This is intended to prevent the tongue from biting. Keep the patient in order not to hurt himself.

If the attack has begun to decline, selimutilah her until he regained consciousness. keep people from fire and water, do not let people overeat, give food simple and digestible and try sufferers can remove dirt and urine every day. In addition you can also try using natural and traditional medicine to treat epilepsy / epileptic this, and here's how - how:

Method 1: Treat Epilepsy / Ayan Naturally

Ingredients:

• Grip leaf powder (1 tablespoon)
• Ways Of Making:
• Pour the powder with warm water (1 cup)

Treatment Method:

• Drink while warm instead of tea or coffee
• do several times a day, bilaman thirsty

Method 2: Treating Epilepsy Naturally

Ingredients:

• Fruit ceplukan (8-10 pieces)

Ways Of Making:

• Wash fruit thoroughly ceplukan

Treatment Method:

• Eat fruits ceplukan one by one 3 times daily @ 10 pieces

Method 3: Treat Epilepsy / Ayan

Ingredients:

• Meniran leaves (3/4 handheld)
• Water (3 cups)
• Honey (to taste)

Ways Of Making:

• Wash the leaves thoroughly meniran
• Boil the leaves with 3 cups water to boil until the water reserving 3/4
• After the cold water and then filtered

Treatment Method:

• Drink the potion mixed with honey
• Perform routine 3 times a day

Thus information on how to treat epilepsy / epileptic, the information may be useful to you. Thank you for visiting the site zonasehat

9 Healthy Reasons to Indulge Your Coffee Cravings

There's no need to feel guilty about your morning cuppa joe. On the contrary: People who drink a cup or more of coffee daily have up to a 10 to 20 percent lower risk of skin cancer than those who sip the dark stuff less often, according to a new study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers gathered information from 447,400 white seniors in 1995 and 1996 and followed up with the participants for 10 years. They found that people who drank the most coffee every day had a lower risk of melanoma than those who drank little or no coffee. 

But this study is hardly the first one touting good news for java junkies. "Coffee is incredibly rich in antioxidants, which are responsible for many of its health benefits," says Joy Bauer, RD, nutrition and health expert for Everyday Health and The Today Show. Its caffeine content may also play a protective role in some health conditions, but many of coffee's health perks hold up whether you go for decaf or regular.

Beyond lowering your skin cancer risk, you may be surprised to learn that coffee can also decrease your odds of developing the following health issues:

1. Stroke. Women who drink a cup or more of coffee a day have up to a 25 percent lower stroke risk than those who skip coffee or drink it less often, according to a study in the journal Stroke.

2. Diabetes. Women who drank four cups of caffeinated coffee daily were nearly 60 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers, UCLA researchers found. The beverage is rich in the minerals magnesium and chromium, which may help control blood sugar levels.

3. Stress. You know how the mere aroma of a rich French roast seems to wake you up on a sluggish morning? Turns out that whiff can help minimize the effects of too little sleep on your body. Researchers found that when stressed-out, sleep-deprived rats simply smelled coffee, it triggered gene activity known to protect nerve cells from stress-related damage.

4. Cavities. Although this doesn't mean you can ditch your dental floss, coffee may even help fight cavities. According to research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, coffee's compound trigonelline (responsible for its flavor and aroma) has antibacterial properties that may keep cavity-causing germs, such as Streptococcus mutans, from invading tooth enamel.

5. Parkinson's disease. Here's some good news if Parkinson's disease runs in your family: People with a family history who drank coffee were less likely to develop the debilitating neurological disease, according to Duke University Medical Center researchers. Although scientists are still trying to understand why, evidence suggests that the caffeine in coffee (as well as caffeinated tea) may act on a gene called GRIN2A to help lower risk.

6. Breast cancer. Women who drank boiled Scandinavian coffee, which is similar to stronger French press or Turkish or Greek varieties, more than four times a day had a reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women who had it less than once a day, found a study in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.

An important point: Because the coffee wasn't filtered, it contained up to 80 times as many coffee-specific fatty acids, which have been linked to slower growth of cancerous cells.

7. Heart disease. Dutch researchers found that people who drank coffee in moderation — two to four cups a day — lowered their heart disease risk by 20 percent, compared to those who had more or fewer cups. Coffee's antioxidants may have a protective effect, says Keri M. Gans, RD, who has a private practice in New York City.

8. Head and neck cancers. Although some of the data on coffee's cancer-fighting capabilities have been mixed, Italian researchers found that the caffeinated kind guards against head and neck cancers. Compared with coffee abstainers, those who drank about four or more cups daily reduced their risk of certain mouth and throat cancers by nearly 40 percent.

One coffee caveat: Most health experts agree it's wise to limit your intake to a few cups a day — that's a standard 8-ounce mug, not the super-sized beverages many coffee shops offer. Overdoing it can lead to interrupted sleep or even insomnia, stomachaches, a racing heart, nervousness, irritability, and nausea. Remember, we're talking coffee with a splash of milk or a packet or two of sugar — not loaded with whipped cream and sugary syrups.

"Adding a lot of calories to your coffee can actually raise your risk for diseases like stroke and diabetes," says Gans.

Also, doctors recommend that pregnant women or people with certain health issues, such as high blood pressure or high blood sugar, limit their caffeine intake. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about how much coffee is safe for you.