If First Contact Happens/Atkins Diet

by metatron 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  outbackaussie

  I have a few friends that have been using the Atkins diet. There is little disputing that it can work, but the only info I have turned up on it is pretty negative. Something about really depleting the body of calcium, by being in a state of ketosis you dramatically increase the acidity level in your body which can quite quickly impact on bone density etc. I am not an expert by any means but it was enough to give me cause for concern. I wouldn't do the diet.

  I wouldn't however rule out First Contact
• 

  Mary

  The Atkins diet is NOT a healthy way to lose weight, I don't care what they say. One of my co-workers was on it, was losing weight left right and center (anyone can lose weight if you cut out one area of food, whether it's fat, protein or carbs). She went to her doctor to discuss some tests and he said "what the heck has happened to your liver?! What are you eating?" When she told him the Atkins diet, he said "get off it now." She had lots of extra fatty tissue around her liver that had not been there before, courtesy of all the red meat the Atkins diet promotes. A few weeks after she stopped, she had her liver checked again and it was normal. One of the problems with carbs, is that virtually all the carbs we eat: bread, pasta, rice, is made with white flour and all the goodness has been zapped out of it. Products made with whole wheat have a far less dramatic role with the whole 'converting sugar to insulin' and we should be eating more whole grain products.

  I sincerely doubt that a diet that promotes meat and eggs as being better for you than fresh fruits and lower fat foods, could possibly be healthy in the long run. A sister in my hall tried it earlier this year and she said she felt terrible on it.

  I've lost 30 lbs. through cutting down on all the fatty foods, and have increased my fresh fruits and vegetables considerably. As soon as I'm able, I'm going back to working out at the gym. Fruits and vegetables have all the vitamins and nutrions that we need: meat and eggs do not.

  Edited by - Mary on 29 November 2002 19:1:50
• 

  patio34

  I'm surprised that no one has mentioned:

  1. All the subjects took supplements that are known to lower cholesterol (omega-3 oils).

  2. The Atkins diet study was paid for by Dr. Atkins.

  To some, especially since this study is rather solitary in its conclusions, it's much ado about nothing. But if one wants to eat contrary to the majority of experts' advice, it's your health. Salud!

  Pat
• 

  AGuest

  Well! I guess that's why I haven't used the Atkins Diet... yet... and thank you all so very much!

  Oh, and Franc, I was talking muscle mass... and speed... not "fearsomeness". I mean, you don't see too many lions trying to take down elephants either, do 'ya? Big cats are leaner... and faster... there's no disputing that. They also have a high incidence of disease, some of which is directly related to their diet.

  Personally... I am quite "okay" with my extra 35-40 pounds. Why? 'Cause my mom who ate right and everything... and and weight about 130 when she got sick, died at age 42 from pancreatic cancer. My paternal grandmother, however, who cooked and ate real "soul food" (you know, pork and pork fat laden, butter, bacon, the whole schla-boobie...) and thus was obese as long as I could remember... as well as a diabetic and amputee... lived to age 87. Go figure.

  Peace, ya'll!

  SJ, on her own...
• 

  metatron

  I have to marvel at how well some of you prove my points about reality!

  You bring up dated studies, ignore the latest info., quote 'experts' who offer their
  own prejudices as fact, and accuse an objective study of fraud because Atkins funded it.

  Thank you, I'm glad we've cleared up all this Wright Brothers nonsense and realize man
  will never fly, as experts tell us.

  metatron
• 

  DannyBear

  Metatron,

  So true.

  My personal Dr. who is board certified and renowned for his expertise in the field of diabetes, has not only admitted that Atkin's has it right, but actually prescribed the diet.

  Iam afraid the world of medicine is also subject to whims of 'the politically correct'. The majority do not alway's have it right.

  Danny
• 

  patio34

  Hi Metatron,

  What about the supplements that the persons in the small study took to lower their cholesterol?

  It would seem to me to be premature to change one's eating habits on the basis of one small study that flies in the face of the majority. It's interesting to me that, as you point out, in 30 years this is the sum of evidence in favor of a radical regimen.

  Many feel they should broaden their base of information before possibly jeopardizing health. But then, with some, it doesn't take a whole lot of persuasion to go against the grain (so to speak, hee, hee).

  Personally, having already once suffered through cancer, I'm not willing to risk my health on dubious studies. Even if they were sound (which I'm not in a position to decide), I wouldn't take the odds of one or two studies. But that's just me.

  Good luck on your high-protein, high fat, and your UFOs. I believe you'll need it.

  Pat

  Edited by - Patio34 on 30 November 2002 18:37:50
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  AGuest

  I just had a thought:

  Didn't the "experts" (which, I might add, included a GOOD many doctors over a very LENGTHY period of time)... concur... and the majority believe... that Hormone Replacement Therapy was a good... and necessary... thing? Wasn' t there a "study" done (I mean, didn't there HAVE to be in order to be "FDA-approved"?

  Are the "experts"... the doctors... and the majority... always right? And how long does it really take to know when they aren't?

  Just a thought.

  SJ, on my own... and scratching my temple...