How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

[Irie Dawta]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

From what I've read about the Atkins diet plus from people that I know that are on it, it doesn't strike me as being healthy unless you substitute the heavy meat consumption for fish and chicken. People's cholesterol tends to get high from all the meat, eggs, etc.

Plus, too much protein puts a strain on the kidneys.

Not because I've tried it but Weight Watchers allows you to eat anything from all food groups and forbids nothing, yet is successful. It's all a matter of portion control and exercise - that's what makes it work.

My 2 cents... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[yardy]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?



He really look sick here [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Pepper]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

Most people do not read the entire book.

The Atkins diet does not tell people to eliminate carbs forever from their diet. And it does inform on the benefits of exercise.

Unfortunately most people read, the section that says at the start of the program, one must eliminate carbs. This helps with weight loss. Once the desired weight is reached, the dieter is supposed to gradually re-introduce carbs to their diet.

The dieter is supposed for example...eat one baked potato for the first week. And add one potato, or one starch each week. At some point, the body will begin to gain weight. I may be able to eat 4 starches per week and maintain my weight, while you might be able to eat 6 and maintain yours. If you were eating fried meats, this is supposed to stop once you are back on carbs.

Once you know your maximum, you should use that as your weekly limit.

The book does claim that a diet of carbs and high fat will increase cholesterol, and increase the risk of heart disease. If you eliminate the carbs, there is detailed info on why Atkins says your cholesterol will decrease.

But key factor that most critics omit is that Atkins says no carbs is only TEMPORARY. Once you reach your desired weight, eat a balanced diet of carbs, meats, and exercise regularly.

[Pepper]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

I should add the critics and lovers of the diet plan don't read past the eliminate carbs and you will loose weight.

[britisha]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

The wife is now planning to sue because information as to the cause of his death was revealed. She also alledges that the weight gain is due to "fedings" he had while in the hospital..This was discounted by a group of doctors surveyed...while possible, most unlikely.. Mek mi si, that with inactivity [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] ..draw your own conclusions.

[yardy]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

Many physicians and nutritionists still have concerns that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets may have adverse long-term health effects. However, scientific data to support these concerns is lacking.





I like my meat well cook

The Atkins Diet, one of the most popular diets in the United States, has been shown to both reduce weight and lower cholesterol. Yet physicians have been hesitant to recommend Atkins-type diets because of concerns that high fat content may lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

[yardy]

Re: How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

I don't believe that there is enough data to determine whether a link exists between [heart disease and] low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets in otherwise healthy persons, said Dr. Peter Schulman of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

The Atkins Diet, one of the most popular diets in the United States, has been shown to both reduce weight and lower cholesterol. Yet physicians have been hesitant to recommend Atkins-type diets because of concerns that high fat content may lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

In my experience, unless you're willing to throw out decades of research, you cannot ignore that diets chronically high in saturated fats are linked to heart disease, said Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Ayoob is also a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association.

The Missing Link


The latest controversy involving Atkins-type diets arose today as the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine held a news conference calling for an investigation of the potential harmful effects and deaths that may be associated with these diets. The organization compiled the results of an online survey of Atkins-type diet participants who complained of adverse effects they attribute to the diet.

However, many experts say that conclusion about Atkins-type diets and possible adverse reactions cannot be drawn from the data presented by the PCRM.

The study … does not appear to be randomized. Theoretically, if the people who elected to go on a low-carb diet were different somehow — sicker, for example, and more willing to try something else — that could explain the results, said Dr. Donald Hensrud, professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn.

Critics of the PCRM's data maintain the problem with these types of studies is that the authors cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between these diets and adverse effects.

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