In March 2008, I blogged about a new Canadian documentary about a revolutionary documentary featuring a whole community of Canadian Namgis First Nation people who went on a traditional high-fat, low-carb diet to see if that would help curb the trend towards obesity and disease that has afflicted them in recent years. It was an innovative and ingenious experiment to determine if the modern Western influence on their diet was responsible for their decline in health.
Did it work? Uh, DUH!
The results of this remarkable study were unbelievable in light of all the continued negativity about low-carb living that STILL occurs in the media and from so-called health "experts" in 2008. Led by Dr. Jay Wortman, along with assistance from some of the most prominent low-carb researchers and genuine low-carb experts in the world (Dr. Eric Westman, Dr. Mary C. Vernon, Dr. Stephen Phinney, Jackie Eberstein, etc.), the lives of these people experienced quite a turnaround thanks mostly to the healthy low-carb lifestyle they now enjoy which was the original diet of their early ancestors.
To help get the message out about this study featuring a high-fat, low-carb diet, Dr. Wortman had a film crew from Mystique Films come out to document what was happening to the people as they went on this "big, fat diet." As we heard in my podcast interview with the producer Mary Bissell and Dr. Wortman last month, the documentary was a big hit on CBC Newsworld when My Big, Fat Diet aired earlier this year and it has gone on to become one of the most-watched documentaries of the year in Canada. Not too shabby for a film about a dying "fad" diet, huh? :)
During my trip to Phoenix, Arizona for the ASBP/Nutrition & Metabolism conference in April, Mary and Dr. Wortman showed their documentary to a group of bariatic physicians on Sunday morning and these obesity doctors just ate it up! When an announcement was made that there were copies of the DVD available for purchase at the conference store, there were droves of bariatric physicians lining up to get their own personal copy like they were purchasing concert tickets for Hannah Montana for their kids! It was mayhem--and a beautiful thing!!! :D
Up until now, people in the United States have been unable to see this surprisingly funny documentary because it has neither been shown on television here nor has it been made available for purchase on DVD. But after Mystique Films received tons of public demand since it aired in Canada, the filmmakers have finally decided the time was right to release this groundbreaking documentary about the Canadian high-fat, low-carb diet study to the masses. And you're hearing about it first here today at my blog!
Be one of the first people in your area to own a copy of My Big, Fat Diet by clicking here. You can purchase an Individual View version of the DVD (which means for your personal use inside your home) or the Public View version of the DVD (for larger audiences in a group setting) by using PayPal. You can purchase this DVD by using your Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal account and the price includes your shipping and handling charges. I cannot think of a better gift for someone you love and care about who needs to hear about how low-carb has changed the lives of real people.
I've been inundated with e-mails from so many readers who have been waiting for this DVD to arrive. Well now it's here, so let's show Mystique Films how much we appreciate all their hard work in bringing this pro-low-carb documentary to us. ORDER TODAY and get extra copies for your doctor, your friends and family with weight and health issues, and anyone else who could stand to benefit from livin' la vida low-carb.
Special THANKS to Dr. Jay Wortman for conducting this study and to My Big, Fat Diet producer Mary Bissell who was at first skeptical about a high-fat, low-carb diet but became thoroughly convinced after she saw the changes happening to them right before her very own eyes. That's the power of this message of a healthy low-carb diet and I can't wait to hear what you think about this DVD!
Last week I had a contest on my podcast show where I asked people to share their real life stories of how livin' la vida low-carb has changed their lives. Three winners were chosen at random--Justin Wallraven, Maya, and Steve Whitley--for a complimentary copy of the DVD of the documentary My Big Fat Diet. CONGRATULATIONS to the winners! :)
The responses were so amazingly encouraging and uplifting that I just had to share them with the readers at my blog. Special thanks to each of the men and women who so openly shared and GREAT JOB on your success. Keep it up!
Justin Wallraven wrote:
Low carb has changed my life.
I’ve struggled with weight (and been on some form of diet) for as long as I can remember. For a long time, I assumed it was my own self-discipline that caused me to remain overweight. All that changed when my wife and I began seriously talking about having a baby. Not wanting to be the “fat dad,” I threw myself into what was “everyone knows” is the healthiest weight loss program. Weight watchers. I counted every point and never cheated. I lost about 12 pounds the first month but then my weight lost stalled.
I thought, “No problem. I’ll exercise.” I threw myself into an intense exercise program. I worked an hour and a half a day, 5 days a week. Exercise helped me lose about 4 more pounds…then the scale stopped moving downward for me permanently.
For 4 more months, I counted every WW “point” and exercised religiously. Despite my effort and dedication, I was horrified to find that not only was I NOT losing weight, I began to GAIN weight! Weight watchers was making me fatter! When I got back within about 5 pounds of my starting weight (despite my religious dedication to the diet and exercise program), I quit Weight Watchers.
I was incredible frustrated, but at least I now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it wasn’t my level of dedication that was keeping me over weight. The dedication was there. I just had bad information. That’s when I began reading about low carb.
Weight loss—for me—has always felt like an uphill battle. The analogy I like to use to describe it is pushing a rock up a steep hill. It’s a tremendous amount of work, and I know that if I slip up even once, the rock is going to roll right back over me, and I’ll be right back where I started (or worse.) Even if I could somehow find a way to lose weight, I knew that I would find it impossible to keep the weight off. It was just too hard.
Eating a high fat/low carb diet completely changed that. Losing weight still isn’t easy for me. I still have a few more pounds to lose, and I have to watch my carbs, portions and exercise (The trifecta!) in order to LOSE pounds, but now it’s possible when it wasn’t before!
However, the magic of a high fat diet—at least for me—is in the maintenance. I’ve lost over 55 pounds, and I find maintaining the loss to be effortless. I don’t even think about it.
I have found that when I keep my carbs low, I am unable to gain weight no matter how much food I eat, and remember, I’m the kind of guy who can LOOK at a donut and gain weight. Being able to eat as much as I want without gaining weight is a completely foreign concept!
For me, THIS is the miracle of a low carb/high fat diet and it has changed my life.
Dan (aka Renegadediabetic) wrote:
Low carb has also changed my life. I have always struggled with my weight and tried to follow the low fat dogma for close to 20 years. I always suffered from insatiable cravings, which drove me to overat. I would pig out on “health, complex” carbs with plenty of fiber, but they failed to satisfy me. I was just on a weight roller coaster and eventually ballooned up to 350+ lbs. I became so frustrated that I just gave up on trying to lose weight. I thought it was impossible.
Then I got my wake-up call after being diagnose with type 2 diabetes. I had to do something. In diabetes education, they told me to eat low fat, high “complex” carb. However, it soon dawned on me that they were telling me to do the same thing I had been doing before, which had failed me big time.
Insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. I had to end the insanity and tried low carb. I was shocked to see that I was getting about 70% of my calories from fat, but I quickly got used to the idea. Fat is yummy and much more satisfying than carbs. Even though I now give myself permission to eat as much as I want, I find I don’t want as much and don’t eat as much. There are still some “mindless eating” situations, but I find it much easier to deal with them now that the cravings ar gone.
The results are that I’ve lost over 110 lbs to date. More importantly, my blood sugar has improved greatly and I have been able to get off some of my meds. I have adopted low carb, high fat as a permanent lifestyle and will never go back to my former way of eating (or my former weight for that matter.)
Amy Dungan wrote:
Low-carb has been my saving grace. Before starting my low-carb lifestyle I was an overweight, lethargic, depressed stay-at-home Mom who felt completely useless, hopeless and defeated. Keeping up with my two young children was a monumental task. I saw no hope for change. After being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, someone recommended I try a no-sugar diet. I started researching sugar-free diets and naturally it led me into low-carb diets. I was skeptical, but bought Dr. Atkins book and read it cover to cover. I was amazed. I felt like this might just be the answer I’d been looking for.
Since that day I’ve learned a tremendous amount about health and the benefits of low-carb dieting. I’ve lost weight, improved my health, and regained my life! My energy levels are high and my FMS pain is non-existent. Besides weight, I’ve lost Acid Reflux, IBS, joint pain, and my depression is under control WITHOUT medication. I enjoy living again!
I’ve learned a lot about myself as well. My emotional and mental state has improved beyond what I could have ever imagined. I have a self confidence that I don’t think I have ever had. Low-Carb has given me the courage to branch out and help others with their low-carb lifestyles. I now run a low-carb website, a low-carb blog, and help in various other capacities. It’s exciting to see others discover this amazing way of living. I’ve also gained the confidence to further my education and start my own business.
I simply would not be who I am today if it had not been for the low-carb lifestyle. I would still be sick, miserable, depressed, and scared of living life to it’s fullest.
Maya wrote:
I’m not sure which came first the depression or the fat. Regardless the loss of control I felt gaining weight for the first time in my life after a lifetime of being small was a huge jolt. I had always felt slim and beautiful and was if anything...cocky and suddenly I didn’t know who I was anymore. I came the low carb desperate. I was heavy, hadn’t dated in over two years and allowed myself to be hurt in far too many ways because I honestly felt I didn’t deserve better.
I gave up on my BA one unit shy because that tiny obstacle seemed so huge and I was tired of trying. I gave up three years smoke free. I never looked in the mirror or ate with my kids for the two years. As a single mom that was the worst, one time my kids asked why I never ate with them anymore and I just couldn’t admit the shame; I changed the subject.
Low carb made sense, it seemed to follow what my ancestors would have eaten. I made a false start once and it felt right but I wasn’t quite ready. While I wasn’t ready I knew I had found the key. I just wanted to do it right. I abandoned my effort after three weeks. Instead I choose to quit smoking three days before Christmas and caffeine a few days after all in preparation for low carb.
My official low carb start was February 5. That is what I would consider my new birthday. Not for physical reasons but because of all the emotional and life changes low carb has given me. I had never stuck to any diet more than a few weeks. This didn’t feel like a diet though; it felt like a new life.
Low carb showed me my own strength. It showed me that given the right tools I can succeed and that I can give those tools to myself. It helped me get ahold of my ADD and asthma when I ran out of health insurance and medication. Finding that inner strength allowed me to find joy in exercise for the first time in 10 years. I feel strong regardless of being assaulted not long ago.
It reminded me that I can overcome and achieve. My weight gain was full of emotion and as the weight comes off so do those emotions. I have began to shed hurt, pain, and confusion with every pound. I’ve also began to own my own body again.
On Saturday I graduate after 10 years of being in and out of school and having given up last year. In OCT I am taking the LSAT and applying to Law School. It sounds really over dramatic but Low carb reminded me of who I am. Everything suddenly became much easier because I knew I was committed and stronger than something that most people never overcome. Quitting smoking or applying to law school back east doesn’t seem so scary.
I am braver now. I guess Low Carb changed my life the way some Marathoners talk about that first race. So for me the gains emotionally have been far more that physical. I am in awe at the human capacity for strength and healing.
Teresa H wrote:
At the young age of 34 I had already been on every low-calorie low-fat diet out there. I was in poor health and getting fatter every year. Then once I started the low-carb high-fat lifestyle my life started to change. My health started to improve and the weight started coming off.
As a child, I loved beans and corn bread night! My grandmother used to tell us, “You better eat your beans because they stick to your ribs” (little did I know they really would stick to me!). Because of our wonderful diet I was over weight all my life. I remember going on my first diet the summer before my freshmen year in high school. I limited myself to 500 calories a day. I ran a mile in the morning and before bed.
During this time I also had summer Marching band practice and color guard drills all on 500 calories a day. I lost 25 pounds that summer just to regain it as fast as I lost it. So started my yo-yo dieting of starving and low-fat eating which lasted around 19 years and left me weighing a whopping 325 pounds.
In November 2007 I sat in my doctors’ office with type 2 diabetes, PCOS, high blood pressure and taking all kinds of medications for all my ailments. My doctor came into the room with my lab results shaking his head. He told me my results were not good and then went on to tell me that he was going to have to add another medication to my list because my cholesterol was high.
It was then I knew I was going to die if I did not make a change. The doc then told me that if he sent me to a dietician it will only make me sicker. I looked at him in shock. He then handed me a two page diet outline he wanted me to follow. After looking it over I realized he just told me to go on a low carb diet.
I went home, talked to my husband and started a new chapter in my life. Low-carbing was hard at first. I wanted bread so bad I could taste it. I started researching and joining low-carb support groups and cooking at home. It only took a few weeks to start feeling like me again. I started working out and coming home and eating bunless hamburgers with a side salad and low-carb pizza with loads of vegetables (which did feel a little strange at first). I was no longer hungry all the time and my blood sugar was under control. I also started having monthly menstrual cycles again and the weight was falling off.
Six months later I went to my doctor for a follow up appointment. My doctor was in shock! I had dropped 59 pounds, my blood pressure was normal my cholesterol was down and my Diabetes was under control. He took me off my medications for all my ailments and cut my Diabetic medication in half! My doctor told me I was his first diabetic patient to ever change there health around the way I had and that he wished he could have someone follow me around to see how I did it. I was thinking “What?”, “I am living the low-carb lifestyle like you told me” but he was out the door before I could say a word. The doctor was out in the hall telling his staff the great news! I was on cloud nine.
In conclusion, my new found low-carb high-fat lifestyle has taken me from a young dieing woman with uncontrolled Diabetes, PCOS, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, taking all kinds of medications and a whopping 325 pounds to a healthy young woman with controlled Diabetes, PCOS, only on one medication and down 59 pounds! Low-carb is my life and living this way will keep improving my health and help drop the pounds so that I will have a long and fulfilling life.
Taiwan gal wrote:
I am still new to the low-carb lifestyle. I stuck to a low-fat diet in my early 20’s, and managed to lose around 50 pounds. I hovered around 105 pounds for about many years, which wasn’t healthy, I know. But I loved being thin. Unfortunately, I lost my menstrual cycle for 9 years due to distance running, low body fat, and a messed up thyroid. My pituitary gland was “frozen,” according to the doctors, and I probably saw up to 30 different doctors during those 9 years.
Strangely enough, even though I still exercise a LOT, I have gained about 30 pounds in the last 3 years. I DID need to gain some weight…but I could stand to lose about 5 of those pounds. I would feel a lot better if I did. Since low-fat living wasn’t working for me anymore, I needed to try something else. Finding Jimmy’s web site has been a real eye-opener for me.
I have had a phobia of fat for as long as I can remember. Even now, it’s sometimes hard for me to acknowledge that fat is GOOD for me. But after 5 years of dealing with no menstrual cycle and infertility, I realized that my diet needed to change. I have always had a sweet tooth, and I know now that I can’t eat 3 brownies and then just “run it off.” It doesn’t work that way anymore.
Therefore, I am trying my hardest to live a low-carb life. I am also taking Chinese herbs to help get my body back in balance, and for the first time in NINE years, I have had several menstrual cycles ON MY OWN. (with no help from hormone shots or birth control pills). It is truly a miracle, and I think that a low-carb/ high-fat diet plus Chinese meds plus God’s mercy is the reason my body is slowly getting back where it should be.
I would like to give up sugar/flour/wheat for good, and I am taking steps in that direction. I hope someday I can bear my own children. I hope I can spread the news about low-carb living here in Asia, where I live. And I hope I can someday see the DVD, My Big Fat Diet, so I can continue to learn more about this life-changing way of eating.
Thank you for asking us to submit an essay, Jimmy. I enjoyed writing down my thoughts, and I hope I didn’t get too personal. But you’re always so transparent and REAL with us that I don’t think you’ll mind all the details. :)
TigerEyes wrote:
I started getting interested in nutrition sometime around last year, as my family has a history of degenerative diseases, including Celiac Disease from my grandfather, Diabetes from my late grandmother, and a tendency to gain weight (both my parents). My father has also had problems with his appendix and gall bladder (both are now removed). I started researching nutrition in hopes of helping them and also not ending up like them.
My mom and youngest sister have started to adopt some of the things I tell them, although not as much as I think they should, especially my mom who still has some weight to lose. I’m not perfect either, as I don’t regularly have access to grass-fed meat and dairy and organic, local produce, and all that at the moment. Going low-carb has helped clear up my acne and relieve me of my insomnia and menstrual cramps though, and I’m extremely thankful for that. Little by little, we’re all getting healthier!
Nicholas Hahn wrote:
I was–and still am in the military–and while I could still pass the physical fitness tests, I could see that I was gaining weight, even though I really didn’t eat that much. Additionally, I ran on average 32 miles a week, but I was still 235 pounds. Obviously, there was a disconnect. I think I actually eat more now than I did when I was eating all the carbs, yet I weigh 30 pounds less. I knew nothing about hormones and all the effects they have on us.
I came across the Zone diet and learned about hormones, GI, GL, and how these things can affect not only how much fat we carry, but how hormone levels are probably better explanations for “diseases of civilization” than simply obesity. Then I read Taubes’ book. He was saying that all these diseases were the effect of probably one cause–carbohydrates and it all made sense. It was a revelation to me.
I started by cutting out all bread, jellies and cereal. Later, I cut out oatmeal. Now, I eat leafy greens, non-starchy fruits and veggies, and lots of meat and olive oil.
I’m not sure if all the science is true or not, but I’ve started suggesting to all my friends that they try it out. I tell them all the benefits: I don’t get food coma any more, I rarely get hungry, and I’m not overweight. My fasting blood sugar is 88, and my cholesterol is 128. I tell people those figures and they just play it off as genetic or because I exercise more than them.
I still can’t believe how long the high carb myth has persisted so long. I’ve gotten a few converts and hopefully I’ll get more. Thanks for your blog.
Steve Whitley wrote:
120 Pounds Down in 7 months!
At 345 pounds I would look in the mirror and feel that I wasn’t that overweight. I was just big boned you know. I figured out that walking down the stairs backwards was easier on my knees. Not because I was fat of course, but because I had arthritis in my knees. Hearing my stomach growl 15 minutes after eating a whopper and fries meant that it was time to eat again, goody! I had to listen to what my body was telling me to do so another trip to the drive through was called for. I avoided having my picture taken. not because I was fat, but because I wasn’t photogenic.
So many more examples, but then something clicked. I saw a picture of myself cooking dinner at a party and realized I wasn’t fat, I was OBESE! I got mad at myself. It wasn’t fair to my better half, I was letting her down. How could she stand being around me? I became embarrased at the way I looked. That’s what it took. None of that big and proud crap for me, I was a medical time bomb. High blood pressure, arthritis, allergies, anxiety, I had issues.
I looked on the web for weight loss information and soon found out about the evils of carbohydrates. I decided that I would start my journey by staying away from everything white - sugar, rice, pasta, white flour, and no more fruit juice either and the pounds started to come off. I got motivated and bought a “trainer” for the bicycle I owned. That’s a device that you attach to your bike to make it a stationary bike you can ride indoors. It was a struggle to do more than 10 minutes--my knees hurt, but I just kept them moving. It got easier after the fourth day. I would peddle for 15 minutes at a shot 3 times a day after eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Luckily I have the luxury of being able to come home from work for lunch so it worked out well for me.
Then I stumbled across the Livin’ La Vida Low Carb podcast site. I listened for a couple of hours straight. It really kept me motivated and on track over the ensuing weeks. Following the advice I was hearing led to more weight loss with very little hunger cravings. This eating fat and protien idea really seemed to work for me.
I’ve lost 120 pounds, my allergies are gone, I’m off half the medications I was on. And the best part is it has seemed pretty easy, just stay away from carbs and move my body some everyday.
Jimmy, please keep up the great work. I’ve motivated about 5 other people so far to actually start a low carb weight loss program and use your site as a tool to keep them going. Great interviews an links on your site. Thanks!
P.S. My stomach hardly ever growls any more. That’s a good thing.
Wanna share your story? Please feel free to do so in the comments section below. And if you have a passion for sharing how low-carb living has changed your life, then consider sending your story to the American Diabetges Association, the United States Department of Agriculture and the American Heart Association. These key health organizations need to know low-carb is working for real people. Let 'em NEVER forget this fact!
In Episode 137 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," we will hear from Mary Bissell, an independent filmmaker in Canada who shot the hit CBC-TV Newsworld documentary which aired earlier this year called My Big Fat Diet. I met up with Mary in Phoenix for a few moments to talk about her movie which highlights what happened when a low-carb researcher and physician named Dr. Jay Wortman decided to put a community of First Nations people on a high-fat, low-carb diet (see my blog post about this documentary by clicking here).
Although I wasn't able to meet with Dr. Wortman at the Nutrition & Metabolism conference in Phoenix last month, he managed to squeeze in a few minutes over the weekend for me to interview him about My Big Fat Diet while he was visiting New Zealand. I sincerely appreciated his sacrifice to appear on this podcast and I think you're gonna like what he has to say regarding this important film.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 137:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 137 [32:55m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
After the one-hour Sunday morning showing of My Big Fat Diet was shown to nearly 150 bariatric physicians at the conference, you would have thought there were rock concert tickets on sale in the lobby with the stampede of people headed to the conference store to buy the DVD of this masterful documentary. It was an encouraging sign that the movie resonates a positive message of livin' la vida low-carb because it just made sense for the members of this Canadian community to get back to the roots of the diet of their ancestors.
Mary Bissell was so excited about this podcast interview that she agreed to give me three copies of the My Big Fat Diet DVD to give away to my listeners. As you may or may not know, this has not yet been shown in the United States, but they are encouraging people who support a healthy high-fat, low-carb nutritional approach to contact their local PBS stations and other broadcasters about showing it since it has been so well-received in Canada. There has been a great amount of interest in having this shown in the US, so let's do our part to provide our feedback to PBS about wanting to see this outstanding documentary here.
In the meantime, YOU can possibly win your own copy simply by going to the show notes section of Episode 137 and sharing a brief essay explaining how a high-fat, low-carb diet has transformed and changed your life forever. Even if you are still in the midst of this journey or simply want to share your own low-carb success instead, that's fine. Just tell us YOUR low-carb experience and we will have three big winners to share on next Monday's podcast. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
Never miss a beat on the latest in low-carb living by:
So, are you excited about going on your own big fat diet after hearing from Mary Bissell and Dr. Jay Wortman? What do you think about the premise of their documentary and do you think something like this could ever happen in America? Talk about it in the show notes section of Episode 137. We need to rally behind something like this because it is a rarity in our fat-phobic culture.
By the way, there's a new way for you to provide audio feedback for my podcast show. We have set up a special telephone number so you can sound off on anything you've heard on the show or in the news about livin' la vida low-carb. Got a rant and want to share it? We want to hear from YOU! Simply dial (206) 202-6516 and leave us your feedback. Who knows? You may just hear yourself on a future episode of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." THANKS so much for your support everyone!
Jennette Fulda is coming up on Thursday's show...SEE YA THEN!
Can it REALLY be? A television show about a low-carb diet? YEP!
With popular weight loss reality television shows like "The Biggest Loser" in the United States, Australia, and around the world, it was only a matter of time before a television network was gonna be willing to give the low-carb lifestyle an opportunity to be featured and displayed prominently in its very own program. And now it's here for all the world to see for themselves the life-changing impact of healthy low-carb living!
Have you heard about the new Canadian show called "My Big, Fat Diet" which premiered on the CBC on Tuesday night at 10pm? Oh my gosh, if you are a fan of livin' la vida low-carb, then hold on to your hats folks--they're actually putting the participants on a sugar-free, no junk food, high-fat, low-carb diet. WOW doesn't even begin to express how amazing it feels to see something like this on television.
Wanna see a sneak peek of the show? Check out these three YouTube videos:
Based in the Alert Bay area of British Columbia in Canada, the premise of the show is to get the people to return to the native diet of the orginal Namgis First Nation ancestors. With outside influences changing the makeup of the aboriginal community there, the negative impact on the weight and health of the people there has been undeniable with rampant obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. It's a sad state of affairs which is why Métis physician Dr. Jay Wortman, who I have had the privilege of interviewing at my blog previously, took a strong interest in researching and developing a diet program which closely mirrors the one used by the people not that long ago.
Dr. Jay Wortman is passionate about the high-fat, low-carb diet
Most upsetting to Dr. Wortman and like-minded doctors in that area is that the typical diet and lifestyle intervention prescribed to people with the conditions that are being seen in the health of these participants is a high-carb, low-fat diet and hours of exercise. But Dr. Wortman knows better based on the studies he has conducted with his unique approach to improving weight and health issues through the use of a high-fat, low-carb nutritional approach. He blames the cultural influence of the United States on most of the problems the people of his country are suffering from today.
"Obesity, diabetes and heart disease were unknown in these populations until very recently," Dr. Wortman exclaimed. "No aboriginal language has a word for diabetes."
As a Type 2 diabetic, Dr. Wortman is keenly aware that he needed to make drastic, immediate changes in his diet when he was diagnosed with it four years ago so he could not only survive his disease, but thrive despite it.
"My immediate instinctive response was to stop eating any food that caused my blood sugar to rise," he added. "So I eliminated carbohydrates from my diet. Within four weeks, my blood sugar and blood pressure had normalized and I began to feel much better."
And he's STILL feeling better to this day which is one of the reasons why he wanted to be involved in this new television project following real people from the Namgis First Nation to see how they do giving up the culprit carbohydrates and replacing it with more fat. Wanna see what they are eating on this diet? Check this out:
- Wild salmon - Oolichan grease (wickedly EWWW!) - Bacon - Eggs - Cauliflower, broccoli, and salad greens - Beef, pork, chicken, fish or seafood - Cream (but not milk because of lactose--sugar!)
There was absolutely NO pasta, rice, potatoes, bread or sugar allowed. Dr. Wortman is convinced the introduction of these foods to the culture in the late 1800s is what led to the problems with health that exist today. Avoiding all starches and sugars was the key to the diet plan on "My Big, Fat Diet." It's a very unique concept considering the continued antagonistic attitude held by the media and health "experts" who believe the low-carb diet is a "dangerous fad" that can cause damage to your health over the long-term. I'm waiting for some pompous low-fatty health group to file a lawsuit against the CBC for daring to do such a television show about livin' la vida low-carb.
Directed by Mary Bissell, this Bare Bones Productions show follows the lives of six real Namgis First Nation people who willingly give up sugar and starch and replace it with fat over a period of a year with fantastic results. This program is sponsored by Health Canada and the University of British Columbia. Mixing a bit of historical culture influences with sound documented medical science is what makes "My Big, Fat Diet" the first such program like this in television history.
Interestingly, on the official web site for "My Big, Fat Diet" at the bottom of the page there is a big disclaimer that I couldn't help but laugh at when I saw it.
"The research in this study is still being evaluated. Anyone taking medication for diabetes or high blood pressure should consult their doctor before starting a low-carb diet."
Isn't it funny how we NEVER see these kind of warnings against a high-carb, low-fat diet because we all KNOW how healthy they are. HA! Just you wait and see the outrage that comes when there is so much positive improvement in the weight and health of the people on this show. How will people like Dr. Dean Ornish and his ilk explain away results that speak for themselves? Oh, they'll downplay it as anecdotal and say there's no evidence to support this for others. And yet the lives of these people, like mine and many others who read this blog, SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES!!!
I will have the distinct pleasure of meeting Dr. Jay Wortman at an obesity conference taking place in Phoenix, Arizona in April and will try to interview him for my podcast show about his work with the First Nation people and this exciting new television show "My Big, Fat Diet." I've met him once before and he's a really funny guy for a researcher who has turned out some very serious studies on the efficacy of low-carb living. Be looking for that podcast in the next few months.
In the meantime, if you live in Canada, then you HAVE to watch "My Big, Fat Diet" and see the remarkable turnaround that happens in the lives of the diet participants. I only wish we could see this show in its entirety in the United States. But you know what? They need to do something like this in America. Why not have a "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" weight loss reality show, hmmmm?
We could get a group of experts like Dr. Eric Westman from Duke, Dr. Richard Feinman from SUNY Downstate, Dr. Jeff Volek from the University of Connecticut, and Dr. Stephen Phinney from the University of California to head up the nutritional plan with consulting from Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, Dr. Barry Sears, and others. Then implore the training assistance of people like Fred Hahn and his "Slow Burn" workouts along with inspirational messages from Dr. Jonny Bowden who could actually host the show and you've got a real recipe for a ratings winner in my book! Sure, I'm dreaming but wouldn't you love to see a show like that one!!! I SURE WOULD! How about it ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX? Do you have the guts to take a chance on a controversial, but very unique television show idea?
If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Jay Wortman and the work he is doing with low-carb diets in Canada, then you might want to check out his new blog. You can find out anything you want about "My Big, Fat Diet" as well as get in touch directly with Dr. Wortman. Like I said, he's a very personable guy who is open to helping people understand how living the low-carb life can radically transform your life for the better. It happened to him and now he wants others to experience that same gift.
3-12-08 UPDATE: There's more good news about low-carb featured on television happening in the UK. According to this The Sun column, a 6-part series on Channel 4 entitled "The Diets That Time Forgot" will feature the low-carb diet created by William Banting.
"But which diet plan is the most effective? Is it the 1863 phenomenon the Banting Diet (which is essentially the Atkins diet)."
WOO HOO! If you live across the pond, then be sure to tune in to Channel 4 at 9pm beginning on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 for "The Diets That Time Forgot." Could we be getting closer to programming like this coming to the United States? Cross your fingers!
