At the end of last year I wasnt in too great of shape. I had just started low carb again after a long intermission, and I was lifting weights and taking alot of supplements.

I wound up getting anxiety attacks (most likely due to the elevated testosterone levels from the pro-hormones I was taking). The anxiety attacks sent me to the ER one night as I was feeling tightness in my chest, and after that to 3 other doctors.

The chest pain was just a result of the anxiety attacks luckily, but with all the bloodwork I had done I was told me cholesterol was very high, my liver enzymes were elevated, and I had somewhat high blood pressure.

I ate low fat for a while and was eating alot of foods for cardiovascular health, and to help lower cholesterol. I also stopped taking all my sports supplements and instead started taking Red Yeast Rice, B12, Garlic Extract, and a good Multi Vitamin (ie, not a supermarket one a day).

I eventually switched back to low carb and now after 2 months of it I am down almost 20lbs again but even better is my recent doctors visit this week shows (in my doctors own words) "Perfect" cholesterol level, liver enzymes, and heart enzymes. My blood pressure is also back to normal.

I always "knew" low carb could do these things but having definitve results is so much better. Now when people try to be smart and say "That diet is not good for you with all that fat you eat" I can tell them otherwise with a clear head .

By the way, I dont follow any plans like atkins or southbeach. Honestly, I think a standard ketogenic diet is much easier and alot more effective. I just keep my carbs under 20-30 grams a day (although it's usually 20 or less). I supplement with healthy fats such as flax seed and hemp oils. I cook with Smart Balance instead of butter for even more unsaturated fatty acids. I also use R-Isomer Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA) to help drop me into ketosis and/or phaseolamin based carb blockers if I feel I may have had a few too many carbs.

That's really good, and very encouraging, too. I'm back on the wagon again, too. My doctor uses my bad cholesterol to try and scare me off of low carbing, but I know how much I "cheated" in all those past attempts.

Thanks for the inspiration.