Low-carb revolution unhealthy, and perhaps dangerous

[rawstory]

By Phillip J. Carlson | RAW STORY CONTRIBUTOR
http://www.rawstory.com

With the USDA estimating that 40 million Americans are turning to a "low-carb lifestyle," it is time to examine the effect of this widespread dietary change on health and culture. While so many American's are signing up for the latest fad diet, low-carb, marketers have been quick to turn a profit by targeting these individuals with low-carb snack pepperonis, pork rinds and the 73 grams of fat Low Carb Breakfast Bowl from Carl's Jr./Hardee's.

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Two recent studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine, however, report that individuals on a low-carb diet obtain the same amount of weight loss after a year as those on more traditional low-fat diets. It is important to note that, according to Dr. Donald Hensrud, Weight management specialist at the Mayo Clinic, that caloric intake is "the bottom line." All the carb cutting in the world won't matter unless caloric intake is also controlled. Dr. Ian Smith of Men's Health magazine reports that individuals on a low-carb diet are more likely to gain the weight back after stopping than any other diet. In addition, a 1995 study found that diets similar to Atkins are detrimental to complex cognitive performance and brain function after only one week.

The bad news is the increased risk to an individual's health. For example, if the body is burning large amounts of fats without sufficient dietary carbohydrates, the body produces ketones. These ketones produce side effects such as headaches, dehydration, bad breath and nausea. Over time "health care professionals fear bone loss, muscle breakdown and kidney disease" as a result of low carb diet induced ketosis, reports Ann Saul Dudrich of the Tribune-Review.An additional side-effect of the low-carb diet is an increased risk for heart attack. Although two recent studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that low carb diets do not increase LDL or bad cholesterol levels long term, doctors still acknowledge the increased risk of heart attack. One of the authors of this study, Frederick F. Samaha, believes that "Odds are" a low-carb diet that is high in fat is going to increase the risk of heart attack.

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I'm sorry I can't post more of this here -- a definite read from http://rawstory.com (Raw Story)-- I was amazed at how much detail the writer got into; it also explains why diet sodas may make you fatter, and more research on Aspartame (nutrasweet).

One comment on the piece, which I think is telling: Very good article. As I have recently brought a lawsuit against the Atkins empire for negligently misrepresenting the safety of their diet amongst other causes of action which resulted in my now having had an angioplasty and a metal stent installed in my heart, it is gratifying to see others attempting to warn the public about the dark side of low carb diets such as Atkins. For at Least one in three dieters, this diet could have dire results. If you know someone on the Atkins diet, ask them to have their cholesterol levels checked. If the total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels have increased, GET OFF THE DIET, regardless of what the Atkins people say. I believed in them and it almost killed me.

[dodger501]

1. Then get on a Low Carb diet that does not include all that fat

http://www.southbeachdiet.com

No pepperonis, pork rinds, cheeseburgers, none of that crap.
South Beach says to get on good carbs, those that contain dietary fiber.

[RodneyCK2]

2. I have been on the SB diet for three weeks now...

and doing great, losing lots of weight and the best part is that you don't feel hungry. I was surprised.

The only drawback is that you eat 3 meals, 2 snacks and a dessert each day. This, as you can imagine, requires a lot of prep work, basically every two hours or so you are in the kitchen making something. However, this is a minor minus, IMO.

I was on Weight Watchers last year and lost weight, but was always hungry. Needless to say, I gained back all my weight and fell off the bandwagon.

The SB diet seems promising, plus I am weightlifting now and will soon start Tae Kwon Do classes. 190lbs, here I come... Woo Hoo!!!

[librechik]

3. SB is much more sensible--I'm on what I call the "non-white diet"

no refined sugar, no white flour bread or pasta, no white rice.

Also known as the The Whole Foods Diet, where you eat complex carbs from veggies and fruits, lean meat, and low fat dairy. It comes from the Texas Tech Medical Centre & is designed for heart patients and diabetics. It's also called the Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light Diet. There are green light foods that you are free to eat at will (raw veggies and some fruits,) yellow light foods that you can consume in limited quantities,(like whole grain bread and cereals, whole grain pasta, brown rice) and red light food you are not allowed. (you don't like that stuff anyway, right?)

Raw and fresh is key. It's a very healthy way to eat, and easy to remember--no sugar, no bread, and eat a salad instead of a burger. The Classic Weight Loss Concept Diet. I have lost 15 pds in 3 months and feel pretty good about it. If I go out to eat, I order whatever I want but I only eat half.

You still have to exercise, which is what builds up the HDL. I lowered my total cholesterol so much with medication that I had a Too low HDL, so no I walk on the lateral thigh trainer 10 minutes twice a day.

[ThatPoetGuy]

4. Completely unsolicited advice.....

So tell me to get lost if you want.

My advice would be to quit the SB diet and focus on the lifting.

The most important, most valuable moments in the lifting come when you do extra repetitions after you've reached exhaustion; for this you need a store of cellular glycogen in your muscle tissue, to generate the ATP for that extra rep. For this glycogen, your carbohydrates are your best friend.

If you're interested, I wrote a good little summary introduction to weight loss/working out over here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=948376#948532

[RodneyCK2]

5. I read your post...

and most of your diet tips parallel the SB Diet. Remember, SB is not eliminating carbs, but eating good carbs, sensibly. Basically, it is just low-fat, diet replacing veggies for the bad stuff and eliminating sugars. In the process, as stated by librechik, it maintains good blood sugars and healthy eating.

IMO, your recommendation above of pure lifting without a diet is pointless, more or less. It is sort of like having a nice body under a layer of thick fat. Plus, my goal is not to be a weightlifter, but just fit and healthy. I use to be a weightlifting fanatic years ago and know how much time it can take. Life is to short...LOL.

[ThatPoetGuy]

6. Lifting is better than a diet

When you put on an ounce of muscle tissue, that tissue will be burning calories all day long; some of that will come from fat. The SB diet will make it harder for you to put on that ounce of muscle tissue, since you will have less ATP with which to do those reps. Why impair a great health program (lifting) with one that is nowhere near as good (SB diet)?

That nice body under the thick fat -- the nice body will be melting the fat away, 24 hours a day. Even while you sleep, your fat cells will be shrinking.

No, I'm also not a competitive bodybuilder anymore, for just the reasons you say. But I do lift weights, and afterwards there is a 45-minute window where I carbo-load -- with sugary drinks like Hydra-Fuel and Ultra-Fuel; this guarantees that my next lifting session will be fully energetic.

People pay a small fortune for creatine monohydrate, which only exists to boost the benefits of taking in the right carbohydrates at the right times.

[depakid]

7. Aerobic exercise is a lot better than lifting

if your goal is to reduce your proportion of body fat. Moreover, things like bike riding and swimming are low impact in terms of causing soft tissue injuries, and are a lot more fun than lifting- which is kind of a chore for most people.

[October]

8. Maybe for you

...but I'm a female, and mother of two. I weight-train (bowflex) and I've been a runner for 6 years or more.

On my workout days, I make sure to eat a bit of carbs. It's a must. I absolutely need a carb in order to run even 3-miles. But that's it. I don't load up on carbs any more. (And this little bit of carb eating is recommended by the SB diet for people who work out.)

I needed to change my diet for the so called "melting of the fat" that you described, to occur. It didn't happen for me till I changed my diet. I've been running and lifting for years and always appeared trim. NOW, however, after 1 month on SB, I've completely altered my appearance. You can actually see my muscle definition now. It was a shock to see what I can only imagine was hiding "under there." LOL

And I have to admit that I did it through the SB diet. Un-freaking-believable difference. Years of running and lifting -- and all it took was (less than) 1 month of SB for those years of work to be visible.