hey there everyone

[bethers]

Hi guys, just signed up for the site today, hoping to find some good information support and get some questions answered. I started doing Atkins a week ago and have already lost 5 pounds, which is great because i had "plateaued" at the same weight for several months prior to this past week. In the past two years ive lost 30 pounds via decreased calorie consumption and it worked... to a point. So, im here to switch things up and hopefully find something that works better with my body.
Onto a couple of clarifications....
Im actually a medical student so I am extremely interested inthe biochemistry involved and understand most of what is going on. There are two prominent questions/concerns that i have.
First- what is the deal with no diet soda? Is it an issue of battling caffeine addiction or the artificial sweetner. And regarding artifical sweetner, why are they supposed to count as carbs?

Second- has anyone heard of any complications with metabolic acidosis or anything else that could be hazardous to the health? I know that by low carbinbg the body is supposed to enter a state of ketosis where fat is broken down into fatty acids and eventually ketone- but they are acidic and i know that with diabetics, who when they have no insulin will burn fat for nutriets, will go into ketoacidosis which is a life threatening condition?

Anywho, hope to hear back from someone to satiate this inquisitive mind.
Thanks :D

[alisbabe]

Hi there, with regards to diet soda, firstly caffeine has been linked to poor blood sugar control, so if (pre)diabetes is a problem, caffeine may also be a problem. Sweeteners can also cause insulin spikes (either through a pavlovian response to the sweet taste - your body says hey sugar coming get ready - or it's some other mechanism not already known). Many people are also worried about the side effects of taking sweeteners - for example aspartame aggravates my IBS with explosive results (sorry if that's TMI), plus they can aggravate asthma, epilepsy and all sorts.

Ketosis and ketoacidosis are two entirely different things. Unless you are a type 1 diabetic, there's no need to worry. See this thread (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=117720&highlight=ketoacidosis) for more info.

[cajuda]

I can't answer any of your questions so I'll just say 'Welcome'. :wave: This is a great place to be. I'm sure you'll be able to find the answers to your questions. Good luck to you!