Press Depressed Over Atkins Success

The Free Republic of Naspino ^ | 3/4/2004 | Naspino

[Naspino]

If the press had its way, the national dialogue would be over a constitutional ban on the controversial Atkins Diet, rather than on the sanctity of marriage. You know the culture war has reached a fevered pitch when you can decipher someone's politics by the diet they choose. It now seems there are few certainties in life, except death, taxes, and that vegans will cast their vote for Ralph Nader. Therefore, the politicizing of the Atkins Diet has come as no surprise.

The diet has no shortage of enemies either. Its "reported" emphasis on meat drives vegetarians insane. "Big Sugar", said with tongue in cheek, sees its bottom line plummeting as Americans increasingly kick their sugar habit and those in academia, for reasons that elude me, are unable to let go of the fact that the food pyramid is not carved on a stone tablet. Still others, caught in the loose alliances of the Democratic Party, can agree on the concepts of Atkins but are forced to sacrifice it in order to appease others, sort of a "the enemy of my friends in my enemy". So they have not kicked the concept out the door, they have just opted for a more liberal sounding version like the "South Beach Diet".

The press spares no punches for the diet or the man behind it, either in his life or in his death. Proof of this came when the press stole Dr. Atkins' medical records in a desperate attempt to punch a hole in the diet. Now the press is after the diet again, this time linking it to depression. In a recent "Medical News Today" article, researchers from MIT have claimed that the diet can stop the brain from regulating serotonin, leading to depression and mood swings. The article is, naturally, very vague and at no point cites the evidence that leads the researchers, or perhaps only the press, to this conclusion. The only information, that the press deems us intelligent enough to receive, is that the researchers have found that eating sweet or starchy carbohydrates can lead to increases in serotonin. I hope that none of our taxes were spent reaching such an obvious conclusion.

Interestingly, this claim is not new, which begs the question, why is it newsworthy? The claim is now seeing resurgence of attention and as with any press endeavor, the claim need not be true so long as they can repeat it often enough. Ask someone not on the diet if it allows you to eat fruits or vegetables. The vast majority, having only heard press accounts, believe it eliminates those foods from one’s diet and that is utterly false.

"Atkins 'can put you in a bad mood'" -- BBC News

"Atkins Diet 'Causes Mood Swings and Depression'" -- The Scotsman, UK

The above headlines are just some of the "fair and balanced" articles coming out of a press that loves to hate the Atkins Diet. Keep in mind that the researchers found that serotonin levels increased in subjects that consumed sweets and starches, not that those on the Atkins Diet entered a depressed state. A further example of press "piling on" comes from a story that ran, in virtually every news outlet in the world (see news.google.com), about a "new trend", called "macrobiotics", which shuns meat in favor of carbs. Strangely, "macrobiotics" sounds eerily similar to the diet that Americans have followed for the last thirty years and which has resulted in miserable failure for most Americans.

The Atkins Diet website's response to these claims is that the "...safe way to build up the serotonin level is to enable the body to manufacture its own serotonin by taking the immediate precursor to serotonin. This natural substance does not block a reaction, but simply enables a reaction to take place. The precursor to serotonin is a chemical called tryptophan..." Obviously the press would want to inform people of both sides, right? A quick search on the "new.google.com" website reveals not one article that links the words "tryptophan" with "Atkins".

Cheese, chicken, fish, pheasant, eggs, nuts, and turkey all contain notable amounts of tryptophan. Therefore, it is not surprising when you review the anecdotal evidence, that many of those who have suffered from chronic depression have found relief when switching to the Atkins Diet.

While reviewing internet forums where people with depression go for help, it is not difficult to counter the claim that the "Atkins Diet 'Causes Mood Swings and Depression'". People are finding happiness after they liberate themselves of processed sugars. One poster by the name "mollymom" claims, "...that [low-carbing] has helped my mood a great deal, perhaps it is that I actually have some hope that I can lose weight and get in control of my body." A second poster, "lissa uk" says of Atkins, "[I] must admit, [I] have to agree with the others, my mood has definitely stabilized...and I also came off Ciprimil during the first couple of months of following Atkins."

The most damning evidence though comes from a poster by the name of "amym". Suffering from Hypomania and Bipolar Disorder Type II she was on a mood stabilizer, Risperdal, and a low dose of Lexapro, an anti-depressant, before starting on the Atkins Diet. After about one week on Atkins, she noticed not only increases in energy, ideas, and self-esteem, but also of trouble falling asleep and calming down, a state of hypomania. Taking the hypomania as a sign that the anti-depressants had become superfluous, she obtained her doctor's blessing to drop the Lexapro dose in half and later she stopped taking it altogether. She now states, "My mood is now slightly above what it used to be before the diet...so, basically, the high protein diet is working as a natural, low dosage, anti-depressant." Does Atkins cause mood swings though? According to "cs_carver", it has the opposite effect. "I am seeing stabilized moods and I think it is [not only] from increases [in] serotonin but also as much from not eating the stuff that depressed me..."

It is clear that the press is using its tried and proven method of "piling on" to discourage consumers from starting on the Atkins Diet. The same scenario recently took place with the Mel Gibson film "The Passion of the Christ" where the press fabricated one scenario after another on why the viewer should avoid the film; however it was easy to disprove their lies simply by sitting through the two hour movie. It is much more difficult, and they know this, to disprove their lies about Atkins because it requires at least two weeks of dedication and commitment to the diet for its first phase. Simply put, their bias is not as obvious with Atkins as it was with "The Passion of the Christ".

The only answer, therefore, is to defy "conventional wisdom", defy the mainstream press, and try the diet. Take the lessons learned from the press accounts of the "The Passion of the Christ" and the economy. They are purposefully misleading the public in order to achieve their own agenda.

[gobucks]

Hey carlo, a ping, a mega, mega ping for your ping list!!

After about one week on Atkins, she noticed not only increases in energy, ideas, and self-esteem, but also of trouble falling asleep and calming down, a state of hypomania.

Taking the hypomania as a sign that the anti-depressants had become superfluous, she obtained her doctor's blessing to drop the Lexapro dose in half and later she stopped taking it altogether. She now states, "My mood is now slightly above what it used to be before the diet...so, basically, the high protein diet is working as a natural, low dosage, anti-depressant."

Excellent article, incisive insight tie-in to the Passion, and the thesis of this about moods is absolutely true.

An expose of this, tongue in cheek, but it has to be true too in its own way, has already been posted here.

It's not a coincidence its affected my golf performance for the better, dramatically so, either ...

[Moose4]

I've been on Atkins for one month today, I started it after I was diagnosed diabetic.

In that month, I have lost 14 pounds (from 312 to 298), tightened my belt two full notches, had my mood swings and stress stabilize considerably, felt my energy level increase, have increased concentration and endurance at work, and had my morning blood sugar drop from 243 to 105 between the diet and the medication I'm taking.

In short, I look a little better (still a LONG way to go) and feel MUCH better. And it's been remarkably easy to stick to.

Screw the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Socialism and their PETA allies. On Atkins I eat meat *and* vegetables, it's a fairly well balanced diet. The program, in fact, emphasizes how important vegetables are. The biggest things that I can't eat during the "induction" phase are fruits, nuts, and most dairy products--but after the first few weeks, I can begin to increase my carb intake and then can add those foods back in, within reason.

A lot of the junk printed about Atkins comes from people who have never read the book or never tried to understand how it works or why it works. They just have this mindset of "meat is bad for you, we should all be eating alfalfa and rocks and gravel" and aren't willing to try and open their minds.

I'm not an Atkins evangelist or "Atkins-nazi" as some people call them, I'm just a guy who's seen family have success on the program and now I'm having success on the program.

}:-)4

[Mr. Jeeves]

Atkins undercuts a whole, huge realm of leftist pathologies - not surprising to see the Fairy Folk all atwitter over its success.

[gobucks]

bttt

[CholeraJoe]

Have you noticed that your hair and fingernails grow faster on the Atkins diet? Mine sure do.

[gobucks]

Atkins undercuts a whole, huge realm of leftist pathologies

Well and pithily said - and a FLAT OUT A FACT.

[GrandMoM]

BUMP

[gobucks]

Have you noticed that your hair and fingernails grow faster on the Atkins diet? Mine sure do.

I would argue that it's not faster. It's just now the 'normal' rate for you that you are now experiencing, b/c you have corrected a protein deficiency in your diet.

Most people are experiencing a whole range of unnatural health consequences from insulin over-exposure, the epidemic of obesity and type II diabeties not the least of them.

[gobucks]

Do you know how to get this to the Christian ping lists?

[RolandBurnam]

mmmm animals are tasty

[bereanway]

The new paganism has found good company in the left. Underlying the hatred which is dominant in leftist culture is the belief that eating meat is immoral. It's based upon a pantheistic worldview which sees god in all of creation therefore we have no right to consume other mammals. Especially those mammals which are cute and cuddly. Vegans are viewed as another step up the evolutionary ladder to a less bloody, more refined, morally superior culture.

It's amazing to watch these attacks on Atkins. The reason for the vitriol is because something as benign as a diet is seen as attacking a basic premise of their worldview.

[Moose4]

I need a haircut anyway, I haven't been on it long enough to tell. :)

I dropped twelve pounds in just over the first two weeks...and then as soon as I cracked under 300, I hit the wall. Hard. My weight has wobbled between 298 and 300 for over a week solid. My wife's in the same boat, she's lost over 15 pounds in the same time period (she works out a LOT harder than I can, walks 3-4 miles a day) and her weight has stabilized as well. The funny thing is, we're both still losing size.

Apparently after the first few weeks of rapid weight loss, the body adapts somehow. This is, according to some stuff my wife's read--she's been lurking hard on the message boards at lowcarbfriends.com--quite normal. The trick is not to get discouraged and just keep plugging away.

My typical lunch on a day at work used to be a cruise down to Sonic for a breakfast burrito, bacon/egg/cheese toaster, large tots, and a medium Diet Coke. And maybe a hot fudge sundae afterwards. Now I eat a two-cup Glad container full of romaine, spinach, shredded turkey lunchmeat, shredded cheddar, and flaxseeds (for regularity)...and often get too full to even finish it. I have to MAKE myself eat. It's remarkable!

The best part is that my doctor says once I lose 20-25 more pounds, I can try stopping the diabetes meds for a few days and see what happens to my blood sugar. There's a very good chance I can get off them if I stick to a good diet and exercise and keep losing weight.

}:-)4

[Moose4]

ping

}:-)4

[Arthur McGowan]

Excellent, interesting article. Misuses the expression "begs the question," however.

[dread78645]

mmmm animals are tasty

Of course. They're made with meat.

[BibChr]

Going Atkins was actually one fruit of my, by God's grace, making my way out of a longterm and serious depression.

Been low-carbing since April of '03 and, if it's done anything at all for my mood, it's greatly improved it.

I thank God for Atkins.

Dan

[Lady Eileen]

Atkins bump.

[Kahuna]

Try Klondike's "Carb Smart" ice cream bars. "WOW" for only 5 carbs they are awesome!

[Barnacle]

mmmm animals are tasty

If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat.