Replies

I'm by no means anti low-carb. I've seen reduced-carb diets work just fine. I picked that article in the hopes that it would show the anti-Atkins person the value of lowered carbs on PCOS without resorting to stronger low carb articles that they'd reject out of hand. Carbs cause all sorts of problems for people with PCOS, many of whom are overweight and try to diet. If they are given a high-carb/low-fat diet, they will (as you say) fail. But, again, I think they key is to see what works (which, if you've read it, that article does suggest ajusting carbs downward). For some people with PCOS, Atkins works. For others, reduced carb diets such as The Zone or Carbohydrate Addicts works just fine. If you can lose weight with it, use it. But as with all things that can change a person's life, diets seem to encourage a one-size-fits-all religious zealousness which I don't think is helpful.

I don't push low-carb on anyone who is not looking to address problems with weight or other things (like that sleepiness that hits about three o'clock, or why one is ravenous at ten o'clock in the morning). Fact is, I used to be able to eat as I pleased, and get a little exercise, and that would control everything. In my forties this stopped working.

I still love to bake, and I need people around who can handle flour and some sugar to enjoy the things I make. But my DH, who is not on low-carb, has lost weight just eating more of the things that I happen to eat, not necessarily less of his usual diet. Atkins is a breeze for men--men can maintain many more carbs than women.

And we're doing the Omega-3 thing, eating losts of fish, to see if that helps. It doesn't look dangerous, so why not?