Florence J Martin

Vertical Diet Guide For Novice Florence J Martin

The Vertical Diet is a diet that is based on whole foods that are high in nutrients. It is promoted through claims to optimise gut-health and improve performance. A "horizontal" diet would be described as one that emphasises a wide variety of foods. The Vertical Diet, therefore, focuses on a limited number of foods that Stan Efferding has chosen for specific reasons. One of the pieces of reasoning behind this is that it is hypothesised that limiting the variety can help the body become more efficient at digesting the foods that are consumed. This would allow for better absorption of nutrients, while also making it easier to eat more total food volume across the day. According to Efferding, this limited variety and improved digestive efficiency should improve muscle growth, recovery, gut health, and metabolism. The vertical component of the diet includes red meat and white rice. These are designed to make up the majority of the calories. Red meat is chosen because it is a quality protein source that is also higher in iron, B vitamins and zinc than other options. White rice is chosen as the main carbohydrate source because it is easy to consume a lot of carbohydrates through and it doesn't take long to digest. This makes it easier for heavier strength athletes to consume more carbohydrates and calories. Within the horizontal component of the diet, there is more variety as these foods are chosen to meet micronutrient needs. They are specifically nutrient-dense; however, the goal is to consume them in an appropriate amount and no more than that. They are designed to reach the optimal targets for micronutrient needs and no more. Adding more micronutrients than this level typically does not provide any additional benefit, so the preference is to focus the majority of the diet on the vertical component once these needs are met. The foods chosen are generally low-FODMAP as well. They are designed to limit gas build-up and the bloating or other gastrointestinal issues related to that.