daup h i n c m s .o rg Helping Patients Find Their Way Through the Diet Maze Encouraging Good Dietary Lifestyle Choices for Long Term Health By RICHARD RAYNER, MD Co-Founder of Aspire Health Concepts, Inc. P atients in the primary care setting bring us questions about diet with great frequency. Is Keto OK? What about Whole30? The Zone? Adkins? What about good ole Weight Watchers? Are carbs ok or are they poison? What about grains? Are they dangerous? In the '90s we were told to avoid all fats, but now we hear they're good and keep us from getting fat. What gives? Patients can receive any of these messages (and more!) about diet on any given day. It's confusing for them and frankly for us clinicians also. Most often the patient bringing the question wants to know how she can get back to the weight she was at a certain age. Or the gentleman wants to build muscle and lose the fat that's come on over the last several years. Whatever the subject, it's helpful if we can counsel patients in a way that is simple, yet truthful, and considers the real issues they face in their everyday Continued on page 24 Central PA Medicine Winter 2020 23http://www.dauphincms.org