Atkins diet kills two people

[wolfsoul]

On the news yesterday they put out a warning to those on the Atkins diet. Two people have died and their deaths have been linked to the diet. A number of other people on the diet have died, but their deaths weren't known to be related to the diet or to their health problems. Also there has been a number of cases of heart disease, osteoarthritis (or perosus, can't remember). It apparently damages your kidneys and makes your blood too acidic. Something to do with too much protien?

[moosmom]

I know a couple of people on that diet. I'm SO glad I like Weight Watchers!! I could never eat just meat. At least WW teaches you to eat a well balanced diet.

[catland]

What I don't get about Atkins is that people go on it knowing that if they go off the diet they'll gain their weight back.

I prefer the "eat less, exercise more" plan.

(btw - for those of you with an Applebee's in your neighborhood - they now have an official "Weight-Watcher's" menu:))

[popcornbird]

I don't like the Atkins idea. I think its WAY WAY WAAAAAAAAAAY to low in carbs. I mean.......one small bowl of cereal is more carbs than you're allowed to eat with Atkins in a whole day. I don't like organized diets. I like to lose weight by exercising, and eating healthy..........and lower calories/carbs/sugar. I've found that it works, and I'm not *stuck* on eating protein 99% of the time. :o

I heard the South Beach diet is better........and everyone recommends Weight Watchers. I'm happy doing it on my own though. No Atkins for me! :D

[mahayana]

I heard a reference to Atkins on NPR while driving home from work today.

Apparently there was a meeting of bread manufacturers in Providence, RI today, and they were concerned that Americans ate about 10 lbs less flour-based products last year, per capita, due to cutting back on carbohydrates.

They booed when someone held up a copy of "The Atkins Diet."

The question about excess protein making the blood acidic is an interesting one. Most Americans eat way more protein than they can digest and excrete it in the form of nitrates and nitrites. Could it be that excess amounts of amino acids (digested protein food) in the blood can cause damage?

I looked up "proteins" in a 1990 medical book, it recommended the "well-balanced" pyramid type diet.

"Unlike fat, protein cannot be stored in appreciable quantities...it is not economical to feed relatively expensive high-protein foods in large quantities...Worldwide, protein deficiency and protein malnutrition are common."

They discussed lots of bad things that happen with too little protien, but nothing about too much.

[Tonya]

I lost alot of weight on the Atkins and I never put it back on. I wasn't as strict on it, though. I just mainly watch my carbs after noon.

[Amber]

We were talking about this in Health Class today...Its a bad diet!
and you NEED your Carbs!!

[NoahsMommy]

I've always been against the Atkins diet. Its just an illogical approach to a healthy lifestyle.

For most people, that much protien is liable to make them sick. Hope people realize that soon. Its not good for your organs at all!

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Amber
you NEED your Carbs!!
That's true. I always wonder why people do the "no carb" diets. Think about it. I mean, usually when you're on a diet, you're usually exersising too. Well you need your carbs for energy to exersise. :confused: So why not give yourself energy?

[mahayana]

There must be some carbohydrates in this diet. Can someone give a short description of what they eat?

Of course meat has lots of fat, and that is convertible to sugars.

And the eskimos survive without much besides meat and fish...

[Twisterdog]

Its just an illogical approach to a healthy lifestyle.

I agree.

Humans are omnivores, just like dogs are.

It has been proven that feeding a dog a diet that is too high in protein causes health problems, such as kidney failure.

The same is true of humans, and any omnivore.

There are few true carnivores in the world. Humans are not one.

[Tonya]

The first week or two (called induction) is strictly meat and veggies. No veggies with carbs such as potatos or carrots. No lettuce, use romaine lettuce instead. Induction is intended to break all sugar addictions and bad eating habits. For the first few days, you feel lousy. After your body gets used to it, if you do it right, you feel great. The most important thing is that you are supposed to take lots of vitamins. Dr. Atkins really stresses that because you are depriving your body of alot of necessary vitamins otherwise. After induction, you slowly but surely add carbs back into your life. Without the carb addictions, you continue to eat much better and continue to lose weight.

People are hurting themselves because they aren't going by the book. If they followed the diet correctly, they wouldn't be depriving themselves.

I get plenty of carbs in my diet. I just don't insist on having pasta and bread with every meal now. There was a time where I had to have carbs all day long. It has actually helped with my insomnia quite a bit too.

[Miss Meow]

Too much of anything is bad for you, be it protein or carbs. I read one of the Atkins books recently, and while the first two weeks is very low carb, it seems quite sensible once you're on the maintenance plan. Your body doesn't need plates of pasta, bread rolls, processed cereals, or refined sugar at every single meal, especially before bedtime. I don't remember the book advising people to eat more protein than they need, either.

I didn't try it because I don't eat meat, and don't have the time and/or motivation to make it work without animal protein. But it certainly gave me a new perspective on how many carbs I DON'T need to get through the day.

Thousands of people die annually from the effects of obesity, so one or two dying as a result of Atkins shouldn't be too much cause for alarm.

Mahayana, atkins.com is the offical Atkins web site :)

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
That's true. I always wonder why people do the "no carb" diets. Think about it. I mean, usually when you're on a diet, you're usually exersising too. Well you need your carbs for energy to exersise. :confused: So why not give yourself energy?

I don't agree *at all* with *no* carb diets. No carbs at all is unhealthy. You can't live on all Proteins! The reason people eat low carbs when trying to lose weight is because........our body's main energy sources are carbs and fat. If you take the carbs away, then your body will use the stored fat for energy, burning it and assisting in losing weight. I'm all for *temporary* low carb diets..........in which you eat carbs...........just eat less. I do this once in a while..........eat less carbs for a few days to assist in losing weight. Its only temporary though and nothing like Atkins. It just helps speed things up....and I make sure I'm getting proper nutrition at the same time. I count my calories though........all the time, and make sure I'm not going over my *set* limit. Carbs....some days I'll eat a decent amount, some days I'll eat less..........but the calories are the main thing I keep watch on. Calories..........and sugar....and of course carbs too, up to a certain extent. I don't watch my fat intake much because our diet barely consists of much fat anyway. :p

[babolaypo65]

A friend of mine passed away recently from a coronary thrombosis. She had just lost 30 pounds on the Atkins diet.

[mahayana]

Sorry to hear about your friend, babolaypo. Do you think the diet contributed to her death?

[mugsy]

Interesting. We just talked about the Adkins diet yesterday at WW. D, our instructor, made a very valid point,and one that I have always thought to be true. She said that it doesn't matter if you eat too many carbs or too much protein, or too much anything, you will gain weight. It matters about the number of calories you take in. People who deprive themselves on diets are doomed to fail. I am a fan of the "pyramid" diet. You need to have a balanced diet with variety to prevent boredom. I'm very happy with the WW diet because you eat as you choose and keep track of your points and make sure you get 5 fruits or vegetables and 3 milks and drink your water. I eat a bowl of oatmeal and a banana for breakfast every morning now and I feel loads better. I have a yogurt and whatever else I choose for lunch and then a variety of different things for dinner. I don't feel deprived or hungry.

[babolaypo65]

Originally posted by mahayana
Sorry to hear about your friend, babolaypo. Do you think the diet contributed to her death?

You know, I'm not sure. She was older. Many of her friends DO think it was directly responsible. I'm just not sure. Perhaps at least in part...

[Corinna]

Ok as a diabetic being monotered by my doc on Atkins I must really protest. Yes too much of anything is bad for you. I have to go slower on the program as the meds i am on slow the diet down. The first two weeks are the toughest and then it's not NO carbs just low.
If you read the whole book your self you realize it makes Perfect sense!!!
The problem is just as any diet people do not check with doctors and do it with out approvel. I have also heard many horroir stories on them. I have tried every thing under the sun and this is the thing working for me . My sugars have not only stabizled and I am getting rid of some of my meds down to 4 not 6 different ones a day. Most doctoers and cererl companies don't want you to doit couse then they lose money becouse of falling sales and healthier people don't need to see them as much.

[mahayana]

I listened to another interview on NPR that discussed a study of various popular weight-loss diets, including Atkins and Weight watchers. They found that every diet worked, for people who followed them faithfully. And every one failed for those that didn't.

If you lock someone in a dungeon and only feed them bread and water, even the most obese person will come out skinny!

Americans are very fortunate to have a choice of diet, and to have an abundance of good quality, relatively inexpensive food.

[mugsy]

I totally understand Corinna. If someone is under a doctor's care and they recommend a diet, that's what you should go with. I just can't lose when I feel deprived and if I had to be miserable for 2 weeks, I would quit, but that's me. I know you said that you couldn't lose on WW and that Adkins works for you and that's great. The problem comes in, as you said, is that people just go off half cocked and do it wrong. I just couldn't give up my carbs!! I just have cut back on the pastas (although I eat the Smart Ones lasagna all the time). I love whole wheat bread.

[carole]

Yes its not the diets that fail, its the human beings try to follow them, many of you already know I am a firm believer in WEIGHT WATCHERS, I personally have no time for all these other different diets, WW is recommended by the heart foundation and all doctors will say go for it, if you need to loose weight.

Its great because it allows you to eat everything in MODERATION and that my folks to me is the success of keeping that weight off, and when we indulge or I should say over indulge, thats when the pounds sneak on.

I am not at all suprised to hear this about the Atkins Diet, my girlfriend tried it for a few weeks, sure she lost weight, everyone does who sticks to any diet, but she could only last a few weeks, and had the weight back on in no time at all.

For those that have successfully kept their weight off no matter which diet you tried, congratulations , and WELL DONE.

[wolfsoul]

The people I had seen on the news HAD followed the diet, and still ended up skinny and ill. The one man said "I traded a 34 inch waist for heart disease."

[2kitties]

Fad Diets are my pet peeve. I hate them!!! But, I don't believe in dieting anyway. I believe we all need to learn healthy lifestyles. The idea that it is healthy to completly eliminate a food group is off.

Fad diets prey on people who are looking for an easy way out- a quick fix.

The thing with Atkins and heart disease is two-fold. First, the diet- the way most people do it- is murder on your arteries. I mean hamburgers for breakfast? Come on.
But second, many people who try these fad diets are already to a point that their weight has seriously compromised their vascular system. So, it's doubly dangerous.

[micki76]

Exactly 2kitties! There are many ways to lose weight, but we must ask ourselves if they're healthy ways or not. Weight loss can be critical in some very obese people and everyone who is overweight would be better off shedding a few lbs, but if the way you're doing will cause more harm, then it's really not a solution.

Sure I could drop 40 lbs if I used methamphetamines, but that's not healthy. I could drop more if I only ate fruit. Once again not healthy. My point is that there are many ways to lose weight, but the smartest and healthiest one is to monitor calories, eat healthy, and move your butt!

I'm not doing any of those, though! :p

[mahayana]

Or for really obese people, that stomach stapling thing works. Then you get full with less food.

[2kitties]

gastric bypass is major surgery and dangerous- a last resort to what should have been dealt with years before with diet and exercise.

[mahayana]

Right. That's why I said really obese. Someone over 300 pounds is going to die from heart attack or stroke; putting them on a diet that they probably won't stick to is prolonging their health risk.

Do you know of harm done by this? I just have experience of two relatives who are normal weight now by having this procedure.

These people could hardly get out of a chair by themselves. They were out of breath walking to their mailbox. I couldn't carry the amount of weight they each lost; a 90 pound sack of concrete is about the limit to what I can pick up and carry.

[2kitties]

A five minute internet search will turn up plenty of harm caused by any major surgery. But you know that. I'm glad you friends have had good luck, plenty of people have. That doesn't change the fact that a healthy diet and active lifestyle could've saved them from reaching morbid obesity in the first place.
Like I said, a last resort.

[babolaypo65]

Speaking of stomach stapling, I just saw a news report (cnn headline news) on a "new" procedure where they put a "pacemaker" in your stomach that makes your stomach think it's full. Folks are losing weight like crazy. Again, may be an interesting option for the morbidly obese.

segue, yes, I admit it, I bought low carb beer tonight. Its not bad!:D

[mahayana]

I'm drinking a Pearl Lite myself. Is this Thursday already?

I'd have to drink several more before trying the Atkins diet!:D

[babolaypo65]

How is pearl lite? Im having a rock green light (which I had never heard of til tongiht.)

[mugsy]

I have a friend who was grossly obese and had tried everything and they didn't work, so she had the bariatric surgery and LOVES it. She has officially, as of today, lost 135 pounds since April 15 and would like to lose another 115 pounds. She looks fantatic and acts like a different person. Even she says though, that it's not to be taken lightly and that her case is the textbook example.

[wolfsoul]

You know what all of the celebrities are getting? They are getting that surgery where they make the stomach opening alot smaller, so you have to chew your food alot so that the food will go through without hurting you. With all that chewing you get more full, quicker!

[mugsy]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
You know what all of the celebrities are getting? They are getting that surgery where they make the stomach opening alot smaller, so you have to chew your food alot so that the food will go through without hurting you. With all that chewing you get more full, quicker!

That's the bariatric surgery. They rubberband the stomach so it's about the size of your thumb and then bypass part of the intestine so everything pretty much slides right through. My friend takes liquid vitamins everyday and various other things. It is definitely a life altering thing.

[Christiansmommy]

Too much of anything is a bad thing...and that includes carbs. You really must watch your carb intake, as well as anything else. Lots of people are walking around in this world with diabetes and don't even know it...and that is certainly not becasue they have been living a healthy lifestyle...granted, some people may get it throuhg heredity.

I had gestational diabetes, fortunatly it went away after the delivery of my son, but my endocrynologist warned me to take in less carbs even after my pregnancy to help prevent getting it long term in the future. Really anybody can get diabetes, over weight or not...so i think that is good enough reason to eat less carbs. My endo also told me that alot of Americans don't even realize they might have diabetes, and eating an excessive amount of carbs will certainly not lessen the chances. But i agree, everything in moderation. Instead of consuming 40 some carbs in a can of soda...just drink a glass of ice tea with a hint of sugar...

I honestly felt more healthy and not so tired, when i went on the gestational diabetes diet (smiliar to atkins)...

I was allowed a certain amount of carbs at each meal...and in reality, a lot of people today, and alot of pregnant woman who don't even have GD might be a lot more healthy if they went on a lower carb diet (not cutting them out completely)...just watching them...it only makes sense. just my honest opinion.


Just wanted to add...when considering the fact that the serioous health issue of diabetes could be lurking in your families health history...it wouldnt be a bad idea to lower the carbs...certainly better that getting diabetes...that is irreversable!! i know this doesnt affect everyone, but more people that you might think.

[mahayana]

Isn't it odd living in a country where obesity is a so common, and nearly everyone is overweight, when half the children in the world go to bed hungry?

You have all heard my opinions on this...about Americans eating so much meat when the grain that the meat animals eat could feed people!

Don't worry, nothing personal...I'm mad about corn being made into ethanol too!

[micki76]

Originally posted by mugsy
That's the bariatric surgery. They rubberband the stomach so it's about the size of your thumb and then bypass part of the intestine so everything pretty much slides right through. My friend takes liquid vitamins everyday and various other things. It is definitely a life altering thing.

Actually the procedure that Jordan is talking about is called Lapband surgery, it's not the same thing as a gastric bypass, also known as stomach stapling.

There is no cutting of any tissue and they do not bypass part of the intestine. That is what they do in the traditional stomach stapling; they create a small pouch and connect it directly to the intestine.

Lapband is also totally reversible and adjustable. Here's an interesting link with a neat "movie" that shows how it' done and how it works:

http://www.belighter.com/how.html

[Pam]

With stroke in my family history (my dad) I would never even think of going on the Atkins diet. I just wouldn't do that to my arteries. I agree with the "all things in moderation" point of view. There are easy and safe things to do to keep those extra calories from turning into those extra pounds, like leaving the table when you could still eat a little more and definitely never taking that second helping. We seldom if ever have desserts in the house also. (OK, now and then if Breyers ice cream is on sale....:rolleyes: ) If it's not in the house, it's sort of hard to snack on it. :p

Now for some real depressing thoughts. I was listening to the radio several months ago and there was a nutritionist on talking about the "menopause years." It seems as women approach that time of their lives they must eat 30% less calories just to maintain their present weight due to metabolism changes. How unfair is that? How come men don't have to deal with that? :p So for women especially it might be a good idea to get ride of those extra pounds before you hit those *magical years* when it will be harder. :(

[mugsy]

When my friend had her bariatric there were no staples involved. There is a tight rubberband around the stomach. She said that it is reversable, but just another major surgery.