Great Masticator Diet Spawned Victorian-era Fletcherism

Ancient Mediterranean cultures had uniquely different ways of preparing and consuming each meal that differs drastically from the Western population. Their practice of preparing meals through slow cooking and using healthy oils ensured nutrients and vitamins are retained and absorbed by the body. Although anorexia nervosa was rare until the later part of the 20th century; the psychogenic disorder existed long beforehand. Some early Christians were thought to suffer from Holy Anorexia where they starved themselves to death for the purpose of remaining holy.

Listed below is a chronology of both good and bad diets over the years:

• BANTING DIET - In the 1863 pamphlet, Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public, a weight-conscious British undertaker outlined a low-carb diet that he had used to lose a significant amount of weight. The "Banting Diet" became so popular in Europe that followers would ask others, "Do you bant?".
• ALCOHOL DIET - A descendant of Rollo, William the Conqueror became so overweight that he could no longer ride his horse. The frustrated Norman King decided that he would eat no more and stayed in bed drinking alcohol until he shed the weight.
• RAW FOOD DIET - While numerous versions of this 19th century diet exists today, followers still claim they consume about half the calories they would eat on a cooked diet. Some medical experts caution that a raw food diet doesn't deliver all the nutrients needed.
• GREAT MASTICATOR DIET - American health food enthusiast Horace Fletcher popularized the idea that food should be chewed until thoroughly liquefied before swallowing (32 to 100 chews per mouthful). A Victorian-era concept called "Fletcherism".
• SLEEPING BEAUTY DIET - This dangerous method of weight loss encourages dieters to use sedatives to sleep up to 20 hours a day. By limiting the time spent eating, people would awake a slimmer version of themselves.
• THE COOKIE DIET - Hollywood celebrities loved the Cookie Diet that was introduced in 1975. Dr. Sanford Siegal's magical diet required dieters to eat nine specially formulated cookies throughout the day that contained secret amino acids to keep one's appetite at bay.
• SEVEN DAY COLOR DIET - Also referred to as the ROY G BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) diet, followers consumed only foods of the specified color group. Artist Mindy Weisel's book utilizes principles of "Savor the Spectrum" by the National Cancer Institute.
• THE SOUTH BEACH DIET - South Florida cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, says he borrowed concepts from the Atkins Diet, where followers were losing belly fat opposed to dieters on low-fat diets.

Dieting dates back as far as the third century BC, when the Greeks adopted a belief that being fat was morally and physically detrimental. Whether you're trying to lose pounds or simply maintain your goal weight, paying attention to your body when you eat is critical to determining how much food your body needs. Never feel like you have to clean your plate. It can hinder your overall efforts because it ignores your body's signals for regulating food intake.