Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
I suspect that the real problem with carbs is more of a lifestyle thing. If you're a farmer out manually plowing your fields behind a horse, carbs aren't going to be a problem for you. If you're a housewife churning butter, hand washing all your laundry, same thing... but for us modern folks we can't handle it.
|
I do agree that this is very true. During the Saturday show Dr. Atkins was asked why marathoners don't have any problems with a 60% carb diet, and he explained that of course these are top athletes who have no problem burning the carbs.
However, Dr. Atkin's statement about heart attacks and 1912 is absolutely correct. Prior to that, doctors didn't have the best access to surgery, or drugs, but what they did do like the dickens was DIAGNOSE. In fact, right before the turn of the century was a real revolution in the systematic diagnosis of conditions using simple tools and informed observation, since blood tests, etc, were still in their infancy.
And there were diagnoses of heart murmurs, chamber deformities, the ravages of scarlet fever, valve troubles, on and on...but what they didn't find was today's all too common "heart disease." Clogged and stiff arteries that led to heart attacks were so rare as to be not even lumped in as a common diagnosis.
The rich were known to have "diseases of ease" but even they were more likely to suffer from gout than heart attacks.
Carbs, even refined carbs, are not any problem for the body if you BURN THEM UP. Heck, I've seen Ironman competitors chug down pure sugar shots. And they do burn them up.
But what chance does an ordinary person have to burn up a 60% carb diet, most of which is refined?
Very little.