Atkins Health

Question: How damaging to your health is the atkins diet?

Answer: On the previous comment, Dr Atkins didn't die from a heart attack/problem but slipped on ice, hit his head and died from the brain bleed. There are so many different diets out there but I think there are many different ways to eat to suit your body. Many people feel good on a vegetarian diet with minimal fat where as many will benefit from a low carb more protein diet. In today's society people eat too much carbohydrates in combination with sugar and the wrong types of fat which makes them overweight and can lead to problems such as heart attacks/strokes etc. Atkins is a diet that can start a weight loss if you're in need of it, just make sure that it suits your body and your needs (and why are you overweight/feeling unwell in the first place?). I have myself not gone as extreme as Atkins but am leading a low carb life (no wheat/sugar etc) and am refusing to eat artificial sweeteners/msg/chemicals that affect my body in a negative way and have found many benefits to this. Not feeling sluggish, no longer having stomach cramps etc spurs me on and my weight loss is just an extra plus. If you've got problems with your body/weight, I would suggest you read up on blood type diets and collect the necessary information you need to change your life/diet. Reducing carbs in order to loose weight is not a new idea, it's been around for a long time (Dr. Banting and others). If you want to try reducing your carbs, why not start with a low GI (glycemic index) diet and see how you feel.

Question: do you think atkins diet is bad for health ? I have been on atkins diet for 6 months now , and it fits me well as i reduced my weight 25 kilos , and i raised my carbohydrates as i can eat sombe rice , piece of bread ,sweet ,,,,,ect from time to time , but everyone who c me tell me atkins is bad and it will hurt my kidneys eventually . do anybody know more about atkins?

Answer: No, you're NOT loosing muscle weight either. The protien eaten on Atkins helps that problem. I've used Atkins for quite some time. It helped me with a lot of my health problems. The Atkins books stated in what I read that it doesn't hurt the kidneys. The one reason some have showed up with kidney harm is because their kidneys were bad in the first place. If you're really worried, just have your dr. do a simple urnine test to make sure everything is functioning right. A lot of people mistake the keytosis that Atkins puts you into for the keytosis that diabetecs go through. Two different forms there. Just make sure you keep up with your water. Sounds like you're doing just fine. If you need more proof of the good this diet does, just look at the scientific studies done in the past few years. Even my dr. approved of me using Atkins. And for those that are saying it's an unbalance diet,sorry again. If you read the books you'll see Dr. Atkins did the research and also ran the diet by a program that calculates food intake. There were only one or two vitamins lacking in the diet which were easily replaced with a multivitamin, that Atkins suggests taking in the first place. It's a diet low in carbs, your carbs do not come from refined carbs, but from low glycemic fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Whole grains go into the blood stream slower than refined carbs like breads,pastas,sugars, cakes, what have you. Meat, and fats are also used. In the book it's said to use fat in moderation.

Question: Urgent question about my health regarding to the Atkins diet? Ok, so I started the Atkins Diet 6 days ago, but last night my right kidney started to hurt a bit...now I don't drink much water like the diet says...what should I do...is it really bad???? Plz answer!!!!

Answer: well, were your kidneys healthy when you began the diet? If so, they are healthy now. If you are not drinking your water as the diet says, then how can you be doing Atkins. All diets require water...even before "dieting" you need lots of fluid. Here, read some good information on this to make sure you stay on your merry healthy way. http://www.lowcarb.ca/ http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/ http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/lowcarbmistakes.htm http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/ig/Low-Carb-Food-Pyramid/lowcarbpyramid1-IG.htm I need to add one more thing. My mom is on dyalisis. She just began last week. On here new diet she is encouraged to eat meat,chicken, fish etc. So I don't understand the link between protein and kidney disease. I makes no sense.

Question: Could Atkins cause me serious health problems ? I'm 15 yrs old right now and I feel great on Atkins. I really don't want carbs anymore and I don't feel weak. BUT I heard that Atkins causes heart problems, though I wonder : why centuries ago people didn't die of heart problems, though they ate ONLY meat ? ( I'm talking about that period when they really ate only meat ) And what can be the worst ? That I die maybe at......50 yrs ? Just asking

Answer: There is no better way to bring the body to the state of optimal health than with a low carb way of eating. Low carb doesn't cause high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol, it cures it. It is actually dangerous to take meds that lower these levels and do low carb at the same time because the levels will become dangerously low. Carbohydrates trigger insulin. High insulin levels unbalance other hormones. Anything less that 9 grams of carbs per hour controls insulin and is considered low carb (up to 144 grams per day). U.S. government guidelines were changed 35 years ago to suggest we lower our fat intake & increase our carb intake. American society followed these recommendations & lowered their fat intake by 11% & increased their carb consumption. In this same time frame obesity, diabetes, heart disease are all at epidemic levels. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbohydrates are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. A low carbohydrate diet is a high fat diet. The protein should only be a little higher than adequate. Although it is completely possible to live on a fat/protein only diet for long term (as proven by research done in a hospital setting) it becomes boring fairly quickly. Luckily many vegetables & some fruits, nuts & seeds are low in carbs & greatly expand the diet. Most long term low carbers eat as many, if not more non starchy vegetables than vegetarians. Glucose is the bodies preferred fuel (if you want to get technical, it actually burns alcohol most efficiently, but that doesn't make it any healthier for the body than carbs), the body can convert 100% of carbs, 58% of protein & 10% of dietary fat into glucose. The body can also be fueled by fat (dietary fat & fat cells) but only in the absence of carbs. Your brain actually prefers* to be fueled by ketones (part of the fat burning process), it does require glucose also, but glucose can be easily converted from excess protein if needed or dietary fat. Plaque build up in the arteries is more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque & glycation - the precursors to a heart attack & heart disease. http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/1… study from the Oxford group examining the postprandial (after-eating) effects of a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet. (Roberts R et al, 2008) Postprandial lipoproteins, you'd think, would be plentiful after ingesting a large quantity of fat, since fat must be absorbed via chylomicrons into the bloodstream. But it's carbohydrates that figure most prominently in determining the pattern and magnitude of postprandial triglycerides and lipoproteins. Much of this effect develops by way of de novo lipogenesis, the generation of new lipoproteins like VLDL after carbohydrate ingestion. Gary Taubes who wrote "Good Calories, Bad Calories" spent 7 years going through all the studies over the last century & dividing up the real science from the faulty science & concluded that low carb was the best way to control insulin levels which balances out other hormones & allows the body to function properly. His main points are: 1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease. 2. The problem is refined carbs in diet, their effect on insulin secretion & the hormonal regulation of homeostasis. 3. Sugars - sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup specifically - are particularly harmful, the combination of fructose & glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels & overload liver with carbs. 4. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbs, starches, sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. They are likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's & other diseases. 5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating. 6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter. 7. Fattening & obesity are caused by an imbalance in the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue & fat metabolism. Fat synthesis & storage exceed the mobilization of fat from adipose tissue & its subsequent oxidation. 8. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from fat tissue. 9. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbs make us fat. 10. By driving fat accumulation, carbs also increase hunger & decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism & physical activity.

Question: what are some potential negative health effects for the atkins diet?

Answer: Cholesterol, high blood pressure, hard on your liver and kidneys to filter all that fat from the food from your body. try this Body fat has around 3500 calories, so to loose a pound you need to cut back what you eat and exercise more intense. so to loose a pound you can do it eat less then 1500-1800 calories a day and try to get 500-600 calories burned on treadmill, beach body power 90 is really good. Your body burns calories all day long so long as you keep moving. Also try to eat every 3-4 hours small 300 calorie meals and drink 3-4 litters of water. Maybe put a lemon in the water or i have been adding a packet of arizona green tea and ginseng to mine. gives ya energy and fills you up. since our stomachs work on pressure, if you have your stomach topped of with water your less likely to be hungry. Try doing these things for a week or two i guarantee you will loose at least 2-5 pounds.

Question: Can you buy Atkins shakes anywhere that sells food products or do you have to go to a health food store?

Answer: I have found them at hyvee, price chopper, and wallgreens pharmacy in Independence MO. You can also use slim fast low carb shakes too.

Question: Real truths about Atkins diet? -HEALTH EFFECTS, big business/meat industry lobby, legalistic threats against? against critics, environmental effects, etc

Answer: Atkins is dead. if the diet worked he wouldn't have died a fat man.

Question: Atkins diet and cardiovascular health? With any of the higher protein low/no carb diets I know this is horrible for your cardiovascular health. If someone ate leaner meats such as turkey and fish as their protein would it still be as unhealthy cardiovascular-wise? Thanks :)

Answer: Both Dr.Atkins (creator of Atkins Diet) & Dr.Agatston (creator of South Beach Diet) were both cardiologists. Neither created the diets for weight loss, both created diets for optimal health (normalizing weight is just a by product of optimal health) I believe plaque build up in the arteries are more attributable to carb consumption but definitely not from coconut oil. Carb consumption raises triglycerides. Your triglyceride to LDL ratio is indicator of plaque, glycation - the precursors to a heart attack and heart disease. I eat and advocate a high fat diet (more commonly called a low carb diet). My dietary fat levels run 70-80% of my calories and mostly from saturated fats (coconut oil, butter, fats in meats). I use a large amount of mayonnaise but am dismayed of the oils used in it (but I am disabled and use it for convenience anyway) There seems to be confusion about saturated fats (and naturally occurring trans fats) falling into the same realm as man made chemically altered fats (trans fats from hydrogenated fats) which they usually alter saturated fats because they are stable and don't become rancid the way unsaturated (vegetable oils) oils can. There is a need to balance your Omega 6 oils equally with Omega 3 and with a diet that is so high in fat. I feel more comfortable with saturated fats. They are stable and don't go rancid, they aren't oxidized outside my body, I feel more comfortable with them not oxidizing inside my body. Saturated fats may not be considered as yet an essential fat required for life but natural breast milk is 50% of it's calories from fat & half of it is saturated fat (half saturated & half oleic acid) for infants (the fats in coconut oil & olive oil - surely nature can't be too wrong). Coconut oil (the only oil close to duplicating breast milk and added to baby formula) has an extremely unique make up with it's medium chained fatty acids and can be processed directly as energy in the liver in much the same manner as a carbohydrate. We all feel comfortable recommending olive oil (with it's unusual oleic omega 9 makeup - the same as in breast milk) but canola oil has the same monounsaturated type oil and there are serious concerns about using this genetically modified oil as a food source. (cattle won't eat it and I trust their instincts better than marketers) We all feel comfortable recommending fish oil but there is dispute with the same omega 3 make up in flax seed oils. The link between saturated fats and heart health is based on faulty science but very few are willing to contradict the long standing edict. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies and children, especially the development of the brain. Still, the American Heart Association recommends a low-cholesterol, lowfat diet for children & adults. 50% of dietary fats need to be from saturated fats for calcium to be effective in the bone structure. Saturated fats enhance the immune system & are important for good health.

Question: Thinking on going on Atkins diet again. Are there any health risks I should be aware of? Last 2 times I went on it for only 2 weeks, and lost around 10 lb each time. The last time was almost a year ago, and I have kept off all the weight I lost due to good diet; but it is hard to lose fat. Should I go on this diet again? I am thinking of doing it for only 2 weeks to lose some weight, and then just keep it off again. Is it going to hurt my body or cause damages in any way?

Answer: The only problem I have with Atkins is its lack of Vitamin C and Calcium. Since you can't eat any fruits basically, and milk is pretty much out of the question. If you take a multivitamin though, that covers your daily intake that you need of those 2 things. :) A lot of the hype about the diet being unhealthy is due to the amount of red meats people *think* you have to eat. But the diet has actually been proven to improve your sugar levels (if you want to get technical, this is the diet a diabetic would be put on from their doctor), and cholesterol levels. So no worries there. All in all you will be healthier on this diet, than the average person it who eats processed (mac & cheese) food, or fast food. If you want to go long term heres some good food ideas. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnwNU4OIfuqp9hAeDA2ZflMjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080505083808AApjQTO and try miriclenoodle.com....they have noodles you can use for pasta and stir fry. :)

Question: is the dr atkins diet good for the health if you have a heart problem?

Answer: I would say No. I can only tell you from personal experience. I remember when the Atkins diet was all the rage and everyone that couldn't loose weight wanted to try it. It did help some people, but I wasn't able to do the diet because of the kidney problem I have. The diet puts too much protein in your blood. You have to use good judgment when trying new things. A good rule of thumb: always check things out and find out what your alternatives are.

Question: is atkins unsafe for you health? My friend is only 13 years old, and she weighs 105 punds. Is it safe for her to go on Atkins diet?? *she is 5' 3" and in my opinion she ahs no need to go on a diet. only reason she's going on adiet is that she 'cannot fit into her bathing suit'

Answer: Like any other health question...it depends on who you ask. The question should really be answered by a health professional...of which I am not. Now ask a health professional some will say no, and some will say yes, and some will say that it depends on your body/health type. I am more of the third persuasion. I have met people that have done really well on the Atkins (usually they were predisposed to diabetes, which the diet gains is concepts from). Others don't do well at all on it. Of course there are the occasional few who had a bad experience with it. As for your friend (105 at the age of 13) is she at a "target weight" for her body type/size? She really should go talk to a health professional, and find out what is best for her, if she needs a "diet" a all.

Question: Why do Conservatives want Universal Health Care for Criminals like Manson & Atkins but not for non-Criminals?

Answer: They do not want to give those convicts universal health care. This is part of the judicial branch to allow prisoners health care while serving their time. Overall, we do not want government to run the health care of the country. DTG

Question: Are there any health repercussions for being on the the atkins diet for 6 years....? and still not eating any carbohydrates?

Answer: Although a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine is sometimes cited as providing evidence that the Atkins Diet works, in fact its conclusion is that although more weight was lost at the end of 6 months on the Atkins Diet than on a low calorie diet, after one year, the difference was insignificant. The same study found that both types of diet, Atkins and low calorie, had a large drop out rate so it seems the apparent choice of food on the Atkins Diet is not a sufficient inducement to keep people on it. The metabolic processes involved in using fat for energy instead of carbohydrates can lead to increased uric acid and ketones which can cause kidney problems, gout and headaches. There can be low amounts of dietary fibre on the Atkins Diet leading to constipation and chronic bowel disease. Some experts believe that the high amounts of animal fat eaten on the Atkins Diet can have a bad effect on cholesterol levels and can lead to cardiac disease. There is some argument that a reduction in carbohydrates automatically leads to a reduction in calories because many high fat foods are unpalatable in large quantities without carbohydrates. For example, many people would not want to eat an egg without bread either fresh or toasted, or a burger without the bun or at least potatoes. The Atkins diet doesn't conform to the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines for a healthy heart.

Question: any cardiac/other major health problems with the atkins diet?

Answer: You had best get another doctor. He is a quack! Atkins correctly followed includes veggies and fruit. Did your doctor happen to mention that people following atkins or similar low carb plans lower very high cholesterol and triclycerides? Why would this change over the the long term? Whith a low carb high fat and protein diet people eat less because they stay full longer, so kidney failure claims are a big joke. Atkins first published his diet in 1972... .Where are all the kidney failure claims? Give me a break. And look at the new FDA mypyrimid B.S. The say use sweets sparingly and then go and recommend 6 to 11 serving of grains a day. Hello, did anyone tell the FDA and grains convert to sugar in the body!? What is really causing heart disease is TOO MANY CARBS! Read, Life Without Bread and The Great Cholesterol Con get the real story of what is making us get diabetes, heart disease and OBSESE!

Question: The Atkins diet has always worked for me but is it really bad for my health?

Answer: People are so misinformed when it comes to Atkins, it's almost funny. You eat enough protein for your body weight (which everyone should do)with the focus on lean proteins like chicken, turkey, lean meat, beans. You replace SIMPLE carbs (white bread, sugar, white flour pasta, white rice, sweets, soda) with COMPLEX carbs (brown rice, whole grains, whole wheat bread, etc.) You eat a variety of vegetables, and try to cut back on the high-sugar fruits like raisins and bananas and instead eat oranges, apples, apricots, etc. Instead of having 2 donuts and coffee for breakfast, you have 2 eggs and orange juice--and that's "dangerous" how?? You limit your fat intake to small portions of olive oil and nuts, some cheese. You drink 2 liters (8 cups) of water and exercise. Given the concepts of Atkins I've just outlined, I'm sure you won't find anything "bad" for your health. Or, you can eat Special K and take diet pills.

Question: Why do we have a flood of disinformation about health? I'm amazed at the number of conflicting opinions about what a healthy diet and lifestyle is. You can find a book or a study supporting almost any kind of wacko lifestyle that you like. Experts assert completely contradictory claims. Why do we live in a world filled with confusing ideas about health? I believe T. Colin Campbell and distrust Atkins, but you can find conflicting claims throughout any bookstore, library, web site, or media outlet. How do you discern the truth from marketing hype?

Answer: Hi! As a health and nutrition reader of a lot of books and websites I can tell you the answer. We have a conflict here and it is all about money! The pharmacutrical makes trillions from chemicals - drugs. They only numb the problems or temporarily take away the problem of illnesses - ie chemotherapy or paracetomal! However, food is the key. That is what makes us what we are, you are what you eat. Doctors don't like this - otherwise they would have no job! The confusion is caused by drugs and chemicals - it's all about money as that is what makes the world go round - lies lies lies!!! I read books by Patrick Holford and take Supplements from Healthspan. I can recommend a brilliant book for you which will improve your health and further answer your brilliant question, it's by Ralph W Moss called Antioxidants Against Cancer and also try Patrick Holford 500 Questions about Nutrition. You will see from this that the reason there is such confusion is because there is a conflict between doctors and nutritionists! Take notice of the nutritionists, they make no money from this unlike the drug lords! Eat healthily as nature never lies! Hope this helps!