Doctors' group urges Atkins diet ban

Washinton Times ^ | August 22, 2003 | UPI

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are urging the top 10 U.S. hospitals to ban the Atkins diet, reports said Friday.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine announced Friday in Washington it hopes the hospitals will emulate England's Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, which is eliminating the controversial diet from its menus, fearing a link to kidney damage.

[Molly Pitcher]

Here ya go...

[SamAdams76]

Before going on the low-carb diet, I was a big coffee drinker. With lots of sugar and cream. Every day, I had to go to Dunkin' Donuts at least once. And of course, I'd usually have a donut or muffin to go with the coffee. I felt that I couldn't function without coffee to start the day and so bad was my "addiction" to coffee that I remember spending Christmas mornings driving around looking for a Dunkin' Donuts that was open!

Well when I went on the low-carb plan, I had no plans on cutting back on my coffee intake (which was about 3-4 cups a day). But it just happened. About six weeks into my plan (mid-May), I just stopped having a desire for it. Still, I went and got it anyway but ended up only drinking half of it or a quarter of it and throwing the rest away. Finally, around the beginning of June, I stopped going altogether and I haven't had a drop of coffee since.

That's not to say that I'll never drink coffee again. But I certainly don't have the desire for it anymore. Not when I get up at 5AM and go for long walks!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't know what they're talking about and somehow I very much doubt they do.

Dr. Atkin's diet lists different medications that are not compatible with this diet. But he also lists conditions that, once you've started Atkins, improve.

[Eva]

This is probably the physicians group that is related to PETA, I'm not sure, but it sounds like it. PETA does have their own team that they pay to put out this type of statement.

[SamAdams76]

Well how would you define a "high fat" diet? I think that the disinformation we've had over the past few decades by the mainstream medical establishment has skewed the definition of "high fat."

I don't consider my low-carb diet high-fat at all although many who are on the traditional "low-fat" diet would certainly think so. To them, even a couple of eggs and a piece of steak in a day would be considered "high-fat." In the same manner that a teetotaler might think you an alcoholic for having a couple of beers after work.

[Eva]

Yep, that's the group PCRM is bought and paid for by PETA. CLICK HERE

[dandelion]

Three words: Neil Barnard, Vegan. Neil Barnard, M.D., is the founder of PCRM, friend to the Animal Defense League and science advisor for PETA...

"Meat consumption is just as dangerous to public health as tobacco use. It's time we looked into holding the meat producers and fast-food outlets legally accountable."
-Neil Barnard, PETA science advisor and president of the militant Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

[USMA83]

I have a question for the Adkins folks. I'm 42, 5'10 and 2 years ago weighed 195. I returned to cycling and now weigh 150. Obviously, I put in a lot of miles on the bike each week, but I do so being fueled with a diet that's 60% carb, 25% protein and 15% fat. That's pretty generic for endurance sports. Here's the point...on the Adkins diet, can you sustain a vigorous exercise regime? Does the lack of carbs restrict your glygogen production/stores?

[Revolting cat!]

Dude, I just got back after a month overseas where they fed me fat, fat and more fat. For breakfast, dinner and supper (I had to add lunch to that on my own.) Other than doing lots of walking I didn't exercises as much as do here in the States every day. I wasn't trying to lose weight and I didn't need to, but I came back 5 pounds lighter.

[T Wayne]

For the encouragement of any who might need it.

I was born in Oct. of '48. I am 6'3" and as of Oct of '01 I weighted 315 lbs. At this point in my life, I really didn't care if I lived. It was too much effort. I wore 44" waist pants (but 46's felt so good I bought 48's), XXX shirts, etc.

In Jan of 2002, I started Atkins. I now weigh 190, walk 4 miles 4 or more days a week, am starting a weight lifting workout program, and haven't felt this good for 30 + years. I look forward to each and every new day now. I'm down to med. shirts and 36" waist pants.

My ultimate goal is to loose (or replace with muscle) 25 more lbs.

In keeping with the title of the late Dr. Atkins' book, I will be following "Atkins For Life"

This has been and continues to be a life changing experience.

Thank you Lord!!!!

[Kevin Curry]

I smell animal rights activists behind the scene here.

[Miss Marple]

No, you can't store glycogen, if I understood the book correctly. That is the whole point of the diet.

Your diet seems to be working for you, probably because you burn up all the carbs with your daily exercise. I would hesitate to recommend a change because you have something that is working.

I cannot do much more exercise than walking, because I have a bad knee. Also, I had found it increasingly difficult to drop weight, which is why I am trying this. I need to get my weight down because of blood pressure and because of my bad knee.

[Maelstrom]

Atkins is already dead.

[Orangedog]

Have we really become so addle-minded as a society that we are ready to turn over control of our food supply to the lawyers?

[SamAdams76]

Did you happen to be in a country near the Mediterranean? Reason I ask is because the Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest in the world. Lots of oils (especially olive oil), meats, fish, nuts, cheese, garlic, etc. Of course, they have lots of pasta and rice too which is supposedly bad for you. But they eat so much of the good stuff (and very little junk) that it is probably more than offset.

Once I get to my target rate, my diet will probably more closely resemble the Mediterranean diet than a low-carb one.

[USMA83]

Thanks. Yeah, I am locked into equalibrium basically burning what I consume (my weight doesn't vary much now week to week). I know so many people that have had success with Adkins which is great. Most of them have added some form of exercise which I understand Adkins recommends. I am interested if there comes a point where the low carb intake affects energy consumption after an hour or 2 of moderate to high intensity effort.

[Red Boots]

Boy, I am sure convinced of this. When we were vegetarians we were always sick; colds, flu and just general yuck. We quit 4 years ago, and have had very very few colds or any illnesses since. I am convinced that we think better,too. Now when I'm around my family members who are still vegetarians,I notice that they are airheads in addition to being sick a lot!! Also I think too many starches makes people passive.

[Miss Marple]

You will have to ask someone more knowledgable than I am about that. I walked a mile and a half today twice and that is a big deal to me! I doubt I could ever get to the intense level of exercise that you routinely do.