Health Expert Shouldn't Be Inflamed Over Low-Carb

Michael Woods from The Toledo Blade

This Toledo Blade story out of Ohio from their health and science editor gives some compelling reasons why our bodies are in pain, but then incorrectly concludes that livin' la vida low-carb is a part of that.

In his column entitled "How to adopt anti-inflammatory way of living," Michael Woods points out that over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, Advil, and Aleve as well as controversial anti-inflammatory prescription drugs such as Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex are the not the only ways to relieve those minor aches and pains we all have.

How about those potent anti-inflammatory agents called salmon, dark chocolate, red wine, garlic, ginger, and blueberries – to name just a few?

Guess what most of those foods have in common? That's right, they are acceptable on your low-carb lifestyle. In fact, just last night I had some fish cooked with garlic for supper. The Dark Chocolate Z-Carb bars are my absolute favorites and have ZERO carbs. As for blueberries, I use them often to complement my dessert creations or just to eat by themselves. Since I eat these kind of foods on my low-carb plan, then I must be doing what I can naturally to ward off pain.

In addition to foods, Woods said some "anti-inflammatory lifestyle changes" have been show in some clinical trials to be more effective than aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve pain. This can be especially important considering the risky side effects these drugs can pose on your body.

That's why livin' la vida low-carb really must be your lifestyle change. If you think of it as a diet for losing weight, then you will fail miserably. But if you apply the principles of healthy eating you learn during the early phases of whatever low-carb program you choose, then you will have no problem sticking with it long after the "diet" is over. Now we have evidence that it could be just the answer you've been wanting to hear about that nagging pain in your neck (no, not him, the literal pain in your neck!).

The lifestyle change is also supposed to help the "invisible kind of inflammation" in arthritis which has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other physical disorders.

Your body will do what it has to do to protect itself from danger. Sometimes in the process of fighting off bacteria and other enemies, the immune system inadvertantly hits some joints and can bring on symptoms of arthritis, Type-1 diabetes and other "autoimmune" diseases.

In fact, you may have invisible inflammation for years before you even realize something is wrong. This is dangerous because it makes your body more susceptible to life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks, cancer and other serious health problems.

The list of foods that are good against inflammation include:

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines; garlic, onions, and almost all green vegetables; nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) and beans; fruits and berries (especially deeply colored items like blueberries, oranges, tomatoes, and cantaloupe); herbs (especially rosemary, oregano, and parsley); spices (especially ginger, turmeric, clove, and cinnamon); certain beverages (especially green, white, and black tea and red wine; olive and canola oil; and cocoa)

Again, this reads almost like a verbatim list of foods found in just about every low-carb book I've ever seen. This just goes to show you that the fringe benefits of livin' la vida low-carb are even greater than we already know.

Woods noted that people should avoid foods like French fries, hamburgers, and potato chips because they increase the chances of having inflammation.

Among the lifestyle changes that can help stop the pain of inflammation include losing body fat, stopping smoking, exercise more, and take supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin-C, and vitamin E.

Although Woods suggests people inquire with their doctor about taking a low dose of aspirin daily to deal keep their risk of heart disease at bay, new evidence released today suggests that advice may have just been a lot of hot air.

After penning such an incredibly informative article about how to reduce inflammation and pain in your body, Woods had to go and throw this inflammatory statement about low-carb into the mix at the end:

Nobody is certain about those popular low-carb/high protein diets, but some evidence suggests that they increase invisible inflammation.

Say what? What evidence is there to back up that claim? That is nothing more than his opinion based on his own bias against the low-carb lifestyle. It's amazing how these people who call themselves health experts can get away with this kind of irresponsible journalism by spouting off their own theories in their attempt to pass them off as facts. Evidence is building that shows the safe, effective, and healthy effects of livin' la vida low-carb. What's ironic is his entire column talked about eating foods that are low in carbohydrates to reduce inflammation. Where's the disconnect here?!

You can send Michael Woods and e-mail at mwoods@theblade.com. Let him know that what he is suggesting for pain relief is nothing more than the low-carb lifestyle.