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I used to think they helped heart health & lower diabetes risk by reducing insulin spikes, etc. They also keep you trim, thus helping heart health via aiding weight loss/normal weight. But now I see Atkins' type diets w/ low carbs cause issues w/ higher chances of heart problems?
Can anyone clear this up? I'm sure some other people here are lost like me.
I can only tell you my own experience with this type of diet, as I am the only "test subject" I am familiar with.
I had never had a real weight problem in my life. I had been a heavy smoker since high school. Had my first baby in my early 20s, resumed smoking as soon as he was weaned, and went right back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I lived on Lean Cuisine and coffee and cigarettes and then....
I have been battling with my weight since 2001, when I got pregnant with my 2nd child and quit smoking for good. After he was born, I immediately started exercising, tried Weight Watchers, and lost some weight determined to finally be really healthy, but still had approximately 20 lb to lose when in 2006 I got pregnant with my daughter. I was doing the South Beach Diet after she was born and in 2009 became a serious and avid exerciser. I exercises approximately 5-6 hours a week, doing regular spin classes and riding my bicycle outside. Last fall I even started cross training a la Crossfit and fell in love with that. Still, in spite of this, I had at least 20 lb of weight to lose. South Beach is low carb but not as strict as Atkins. I did feel pretty good on it, way better than on low-fat, low-calorie or WW with counting the points (I was hungry a lot on WW, even with the activity points when I was exercising, and I was always hungry on WW while nursing a baby).
I went to the doc early this year for irregular periods. She ordered a pile of labs. To my surprise, my cholesterol was a bit elevated and my blood sugar was just shy of diabetic levels. My BMI was just inside the "overweight" level at that point in spite of South Beach. My doc advised an Atkins type plan to immediately get that sugar down as low as possible and continuation of cross training exercise. I also had a very low vitamin D level, and I supplement that with a prescription-grade vitamin D supplement (and I continue to spend lots of time outside hiking, kayaking, and riding my bike)
It is now July. I have lost that 20 lb mentioned above and 10 more besides. I am within 5 lb of what I weighed when I graduated high school (but without smoking cigarettes!!!!). I have plenty of endurance for exercise, even for sustained periods of time (people say you need carbs for that....). My menstrual cycles have normalized (they were way too close together and way too heavy - and I'm not perimenopausal, the lab testing showed my progesterone & estrogen were normal, it was all my other hormones that were "off," but the dietary shift seemed to normalize this too. My labs are completely normal now, and I will continue to follow them to be sure they stay that way. But best of all, I don't feel hungry. My blood sugar is not rising and falling and causing all the insulin spikes. I just feel really good and healthy and happy. Again, your mileage may vary. I'm not saying this is the perfect lifestyle for everyone. My dad is a type 2 diabetic in spite of being thin and active and not too old. However, he is not too strict with his diet. I am going to be extremely tight with mine in spite of all my genetic risk.
I went to an event on Friday night where there were all these professional athletes (my husband works there), and all the women were asking me about my workouts and my diet and giving me compliments - it was positively surreal
Heavens, there are a gazillion threads about this exact topic.
I agree. This horse has been beaten to death. Just look through the threads and you will find more than one that will answer all your questions or make you more confused. Do not expect to get any clarity here. The only thing that you will get if you read between the lines is that it is very individual and that you need to find what works specifically for you. Good luck!
I agree. This horse has been beaten to death. Just look through the threads and you will find more than one that will answer all your questions or make you more confused. Do not expect to get any clarity here. The only thing that you will get if you read between the lines is that it is very individual and that you need to find what works specifically for you. Good luck!
Yes, but... it is just for yrs we're told 'go low carb'. Then, now we see, 'lack of carbs alters cardio health' is the recent claim. It is not that low carbs aren't good but they seem - in extremes - to alter metabolism in a way that adversely affects heart health. No idea why, as seemingly no one else can qualify as well.
Any time you deprive your body of something it requires to survive over an extended period of time, your body will suffer for it. Your body requires a certain amount of carbs on a regular basis, to function properly. How much depends on the individual's body. Your body will -also- suffer if you overfill it with things it doesn't need extra of. You will die if you don't drink enough water. You will die if you drink too much water. You can get sick without enough carbs, and you can get sick with too many carbs.
If you want to know the chemistry involved in metabolism, you could check out Berkeley College, which has an online series of articles about nutrition. Nutrition.gov has some information geared toward the layman. Harvard University and Davis University both have online access to nutrition and metabolism studies and articles.
But the simple answer to "why" is "because your body is designed to handle a minimum, and a maximum, of a variety of input. If it goes over the max or under the minimum, it will suffer."
Yes, but... it is just for yrs we're told 'go low carb'. Then, now we see, 'lack of carbs alters cardio health' is the recent claim. It is not that low carbs aren't good but they seem - in extremes - to alter metabolism in a way that adversely affects heart health. No idea why, as seemingly no one else can qualify as well.
I am against demonizing any food group. My philosophy is to eat a wide variety of whole fresh foods that include lean proteins, mono-saturated fats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dairy. I think it is wise to stay away from processed foods, simple carbs and fast food. I believe in portion control and exercise. But there are plenty of people that will tell you meat, fat and vegetables are the answer.
I think the most important aspect of any way of eating is if it is doable for life, and not something that will grow tedious after a period of time.
Dr. Dean Ornish, a highly regarded cardiologist, has prescribed a way of eating that's vegetarian and includes carbs--and he's ended/reversed heart disease for some. So, yes, I would say the science says carbs are heart-healthy (but that's not to say doughnuts and pastries and cakes and pies with white flour and loads of sugar and fats are the kind prescribed). think more high-fiber carbs.
when I eat low....usually no..carb meals, I always feel GREAT....I think it's good as long as you allow some complex carbs (red river cerial) ...maybe occasionally oatmeal...in some of your meals......my SO eats red river cerial with blueberries almost every morning...always lightly topped with a little mollasses.....the rest of our meals consist of vegetables and meats.....I almost always feel ill when I indulge in carbs, they're hard to resist...and I always regret it....I think whatever works for you and has you feeling fine, is what's best for you.
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