A new dieting trend doing the rounds on TikTok has caught the attention of one nutritionist who is speaking out to warn of its dangerous side effects.
The social media platform is renowned for its tips and tricks across all aspects of life, but time and time again, experts are having to call out these viral trends for their negative health impacts.
In the weeks after the Christmas break, many people are working to ditch the festive pounds and get their body summer holiday-ready, so diets are always the subject of the month of January.
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The ‘Lion’ diet is the newest viral trend setting the internet alight and apparently misguiding younger people on its weight loss benefits - leaving out the potentially dangerous after effects for those who follow it.
The Lion diet includes people eating salt, water, and red meat for one month. However, according to Claudia Le Feuvre, a nutritional therapist and eating psychology coach at Goldster, it has many dangers and negative impacts.
While it might seem a good idea for some it could leave people short of vital vitamins and minerals, and Le Feuvre warns: “Beef is a very low-allergenic food so while the lion diet might feel like an easy and good solution for people with IBS, underlying food intolerances, and inflammation triggered by the food allergens. It is not a long-term or healthy solution.
“The biggest risk is that if you're only eating beef, you are missing out on other nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, and all the vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables. In the long run, you could develop a significant nutrient deficiency.
"We don’t know the long-term consequences of this diet, but we know that salt is not helpful for fluid retention and blood pressure, so I wouldn’t recommend people to try out this trend.
“I understand that people are doing it because it provides temporary relief from some of their symptoms, but there are far more superior ways of identifying and addressing underlying food intolerances and what the triggers are.
"If you’re still unsure, please speak to your GP and ask them if they have a dietician or nutritionist that they work with and seek expert help, because this is a fad diet."
She went on to warn that those who follow the plan for an extended period could face a string of health issues and nasty side effects most would prefer to avoid.
She said: "The long-term results and consequences from this are likely to include: halitosis (bad breath), piles, high cholesterol, constipation, haemorrhoids, and very low energy because they’re missing a lot of the fibre and good nutrients from carbohydrates.
“So, in short I'm not a fan and would highly recommend people skip out trying this TikTok trend”.
Goldster is a paid-for digital platform that promotes healthy ageing and provides over 450 classes targeted at the mind, body, and soul. (Goldster.co.uk).
To join Claudia’s Digestive Health programme on Goldster to learn how to heal the gut and address underlying food intolerances here.
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