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.

[carlo3b]

They don't get it - do they?
 
Sure they do Senator, they understand all too well! Their problem is that they are on record as opposing the Atkins Diet for years now, without even testing it out.

I believe it has a great deal to do with their overall attitude about life.. most are practicing the religion of Liberalism! Anti anything that isn't part of their social, practical, and conventional dogma. How would it look if they withdrew from the gang of fellow travelers, true haters of everything that isn't liberally blessed.

I too was hard to bring around, after spending years as a guilty chef.. LOL

[MarkL]

Where are the studies indicating kidney damage? I'd like to see the same concern about obesity and diabetes in our society.

I remember reading something similar, but if you dring adequet water, unless you've got kidney damage before starting the diet, the odds of damaging your kidneys is pretty remote. I know the atkins diet recommends at least 64 oz of water a day, and more is better. Personally, I drink more than 3 liters a day, so I doubt that I'll have that problem.

Mark

[The Shrew]

OK, I've been reading these Atkins diet threads for months and thought I'd finally pitch in my story. I weighed between 248 and 243 last November. I now weigh in about 205-207. I have been on Atkins since late March. I have 35 - 37 more pounds to lose then I will reevaluate to see if I'm going to go any lower.

I had ankle surgery on the right ankle in October and on the left in mid-March. So, with those repaired I was able to start exercising again. This morning I ran 4 miles in 26:00.

As a professional chef I'm quite capable of developing recipes for Atkins etc. Anyone with real money want to start a restaurant chain that caters to this diet program?

Regards,

TS

[Savage Beast]

I reached a plateau also. In his books, Atkins tells what to do when this happens--basically follow the induction diet very strictly. I did this and eliminated carbohydrates altogether. This combined with exercize has brought my weight continuously downward by about a half a pound a day--slow but worth it.

[RJayneJ]

...can you sustain a vigorous exercise regime?

I am physically unable to exercise which is one reason why I have gained so much weight and I get around with the use of a little scooter. I am diabetic but, since I have been on Atkins diet I have not had to take any insulin one time. Another problem I had was acid reflux and take prilosec at $100.00 for a month supply. I have only taken about two capsules in the last 2 months, and none in the last 3 weeks.

[Saundra Duffy]

I lost ten pounds on this diet but it made me so constipated, I had to quit. (I know; that's more information than you needed.) But it's true. So there.

[Savage Beast]

I was drinking 4 or 5 cups of coffee every morning. I switched to decaf--because Atkins told me to. It has the same effect on me that non-decaf did. I think it's the morning ritual that I like.

[The Shrew]

I had read prior to starting this diet that constipation was a problem. In the first six weeks of the diet I took 2 tablespoons of physllium husk powder stirred into cold water. I have never had a problem.

Additionally, in January my cholesterol was tested at 373. In May it tested at 109. My doctors are all in the mode of "Whatever you're doing. Keep doing it." I did have a serious bout of kidney stones in May. but this is my seventh session of them over the course of my life. So, Atkins may have exacerbated that problem - or not - But, the improvement to my health, attitude, exercise program appearance etc. is more than worth it.

When asked by my trainer and Dr. what motivated me to lose weight, my reply was, "I want to have sex again before I die!" Now that may be more information than you want, but it's the truth!

Regards,

TS

[MarkL]

Just out of curiosity, have you guys lost all that weight with or without adding exercise into the mix?

Well, I've lost 50 pounds in about 15 weeks, just with the Atkins diet. No, and I mean NO, exercise. I've got osteoporosis, and walking caused problems for me in the past, breaking bones in my feet. Due to other physical problems, I can't swim or ride a bike either. However, now that I've lost some weight (to say that I was morbidly obese was an understatement... 6'4", 325#.) I'm now at 275, and I am going to start to try doing some walking, and see how it goes. I'm hoping that the weight loss will help, and that the walking might also improve the osteoporosis as well. When I was in college, I played lacrosse and lots of intramural sports, and I weighed in at 215-220. Since I'm no longer that active, my goal is to get down to 200#, which would have me with a 34 or 35 inch waist.

Mark

[MarkL]

Atkins is already dead.

You know, I actually heard a BEM (Booger Eating Moron) say, "If the Atkins diet is so healthy, why's Dr Atkins dead?" My response was, "A healthy diet simply can't protect your head from blunt force trauma, you idiot!"

Mark

[T Wayne]

MITYNTK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Fibercon

[bonesmccoy]

I hate to sound cynical... but the reality is that almost every medical organization is a left-wing organization.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics was tightly linked to Clinton Administration policies... so much so that the economic interests of monopolistic pediatricians in national leadership made it's way into the national Gore 2000 agenda.

That made younger pediatricians a bit peeved.

[xm177e2]

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

These are a bunch of hard-left wackos. They hate Atkins because they are vegetarian types (not because they think it might have anything to do with peoples' health). Their stances are entirely political, and have nothing to do with actual medicine.

[StarFan]

Tried it for a few days and the ketostix never turned colors. Someone said it's due to the coffee I drink and one must only drink decaffeinated (which I detest). Would you know if this true?

[MarkL]

Anyone with real money want to start a restaurant chain that caters to this diet program?

The best Italian restaurant (IMHO) in KC has an "Atkins Diet Special" on their menu. It's Chicken Spedini (charbroiled, marinated chicken breast - minus the bread stuffing that it would normally get), in an alfredo sauce with precuito (sp?) ham and roasted veggies! YUM!!! And I make something sort of similar at home... Sauteed chicken breast in olive oil and (tons of) fresh garlic, in a home made alfredo sauce (the secret is nutmeg!). All of the carbs in that dish comes from the garlic!

Mark

[lafroste]

I am 5'11" and topped out at 296 lb. I contienciously dieted and began a swimming regimen. I swam every day at lunch time instead of eating, ate miniscule portions of "healthy" foods, no fat, high carbs. When I started swimming, I struggled to swim 200 yards. After six months, I struggled to swim 400 yards. I wore size 42 pants and XXL or XXL shirts. After six months of this effort, I gained one pound.

I was despondent. It seemed hopeless. This phenomenal effort on my part had yielded - nothing.

Then I tried Atkins. What the heck, at least I can eat food I like without the guilt trip. I started on Feb. 11. On March 15, I weighed in at 268. On May 2 I weighed in at 234 and my doctor decided his office scale was broken. By mid July I weighed 214, 208 by the end of August. My swimming went from struggling to swim 400 yards in February, to struggling to swim 2,000 yards by May. I developed (for me) incredible stamina, such that, at 45 years old I am much stronger and have much more enduarance than I did at 21.

Count me as an Atkins fanatic.

[MarkL]

It's known that a low carb diet can cause constipation. The Atkins diet books talks about it. By making sure that you're drinking plety of water and taking fiber supplements, you can cure that problem. But be sure that you're taking in plenty of water.

Mark

[baseballmom]

As a professional chef I'm quite capable of developing recipes for Atkins etc

I've been following these Atkins posts for the last few weeks or more, and been cheered by the success. I'm down 8 lbs., with very little excercise - but getting ready to gear up. :-)

If you decide to develop/share recipes, will you clue me in, please?? I'm an unmotivated, unimaginative cook. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Squantos]

Ketosis........it's a good thing !

I have lost 8lbs in last two week....Stay Safe Sam !

[Savage Beast]

“Discipline is remembering what you want.”
George Virl Osmond