I came across this doctor who blogs about various medical topics, and she herself is planning on going on the Atkins diet, after some skepticism regarding the healthfulness. It's a very good read about a doctor's feelings on the Atkins diet .

To get the word out, I posted to Yahoo! Buzz, click here to vote .

Cheers!

Yes, on the "new Atkins" we eat lean meats and heart healthy fats

Um, no actually there's more to it than that...there's a list of acceptable foods that you are supposed to stick to during induction. You can't for example, eat all meat + 20 carbs worth of cookies every day.



Um no, what eventually happens is that you go into ketosis which has a natural appetite suppressant effect for many people. I've never enjoyed my food more than I do on low-carb. If I was so bored with my food that I didn't want to eat, I'd just quit.

I hope she takes the time to actually READ a book, so she will understand the plan she is embarking on, but whether she does or not, she still may end up as a happy low-carber.

I replied

Great Reply!

Actually, you don't have to be in ketosis to have appetite suppression on low carb. I discovered that doing PPLP. The appetite suppression without ketosis is as strong as the appetite suppression with it.

I don't see why anyone would care that she is doing modified Atkins. The only thing that matters is that she is happy with her plan and losing weight.

I care because she's a MD with a blog and saying all kinds of incorrect things. First off, she's modifying Atkins because to the so-called dangers of saturated fat. The only frigging reason low carb has been kept in the closet for so long is because of this lie. OK, if it was just about diets to lose weight that wouldn't but so bad, but diabetics are killing themselves because of this lie. I tried for years to alter my lipids following their garbage advice and now I'm prediabetic. I don't just "care", I actually want to kick them in the teeth some days because the damage they continue to cause to others. Not one person I know who's on statins takes fish oil -- they've never been told by their Drs. Grrrrrrr

I think the fact she has endorsed it at all is a good thing. The reason why low-carb has been in the closet is that Dr. Atkins made bombastic statements and alienated people, particularly other doctors.

The Bernstein diet for diabetics has been around for years. A lot of diabetics know about it and don't embrace it. Almost all diabetics who spend any time reading on the internet are eating low carb in some form or another. Some of them may be restricting saturated fats too. They're all doing better because of it.

I've been a diabetic longer than anyone on this forum and I don't feel the urge to kick anyone's teeth in. Type 2 diabetes is largely a genetic disease. Type 1 has a genetic basis that requires a trigger such as a virus and it is much rarer. I don't waste my time blaming anyone for my problems. It happened.

I do too, but I do think it's too bad that she is spreading misinformation (such as "eat whatever you want, so long as you don't exceed 20g of carbs/day" which is not Atkins induction). Her words carry weight since she is an MD, it would be nice if she made an effort to be more accurate. Still I wish her well on her low-carb journey and hopefully she will learn as she goes.

I took her comment to mean eat as much as you want and don't worry about calories. Of course, you can't eat 20 grams of Oreos on any version of Atkins.

20g of carbs from an oreo...what is that...like 2 tiny nibbles?

I dunno, but I just betcha someone's plugging it into myplan right now...

I'm sure it's more than that, Zilla, if you only eat the middles.

Is there factual support for this statement?

Atkins was bombastic, and reportedly a sometimes caustic individual, but he was fighting a dogmatic establishment that was hidebound, supported by industry and the government, and unwilling to change, even when presented with contrary facts. Most of that established dogma is still enshrined today with the USDA.

Faulting Atkins for the lack of low carb acceptance is absurd. There is no South Beach, no Protein Power, none of it, if not for Atkins. We'd probably still be seeing diet doctors recommend SnackWells because they are fat free. We would not be seeing the likes of Ornish tap-dance their way into saying that they had always agreed with Atkins that refined carbs were unhealthy, when in fact they didn't. At least not at any level we see today. While he didn't invent the low-carb concept, he was the bomb-throwing guerrilla who forced the establishment to consider that it might be valid, patient by patient, book sold by book sold. His diet was not supported by the government, doctors or the nutritional establishment. His style didn't slow its acceptance. His style forced them to look, even when they didn't want to.

Don't dis the doc. You're probably low carb because he was a jerk.