Commemorate Dr. Robert C. Atkins On Cruise To Carribean Coming March 2008

It's back and better than ever before--the official Atkins Diet Cruise!!!

Believe it or not, there are tons of brand new people who are JUST finding out about livin' la vida low-carb for the very first time because of the explosive new Gary Taubes book called Good Calories, Bad Calories. I've seen a noticeable increase in traffic over the past months or so and the e-mail inquiries from people wanting to know more about how to do the Atkins diet have nearly doubled since so many people are ready to give this healthy nutritional approach a try.


Rest and relax on the beaches of the Eastern Caribbean

That's why I'm pleased to announce the thrilling return of the very popular Atkins Diet Cruise coming in March 2008. After a few years away, this fun and exciting more than week-long trip down to the Eastern Caribbean has returned and is just as educational, enjoyable, and entertaining as ever! This is arguably the most unique cruise you will ever take in your life!


You won't eat this good on your low-carb lifestyle on just any cruise

While most cruises have so much food, mostly high-carb offerings that tempt you to go off plan during your vacation, the Atkins Diet Cruise is different. On the previous 11 cruises they have done over the past 15 years, they have had expert Atkins chefs right there on board to provide delectable Atkins-approved dishes for those who are following the low-carb lifestyle.


Master Atkins chefs stand ready to serve you low-carb meals

The chef who will be on board this upcoming Atkins Diet Cruise is a veteran low-carb diet cook who is quite experienced with the needs of low-carbers and has been on many past cruises. The ship's menu will be completely compatible with your Atkins diet, so there's no need to worry about gaining weight. In fact, the average weight loss for the people who go on this 8-day cruise is an astounding 4-8 pounds!!! WOW!

Obviously, NOBODY is gonna get you results like that, so this is quite a lucrative deal for anyone who is new to the Atkins diet or would like a refresher course.


Dr. Atkins enjoyed finding low-carb treasures on the island stops

The cruise line is the Costa Mediterranea, which leaves the port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday, March 29, 2008, and will travel down to luxurious destinations in the Caribbean including San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands. The cruise will return to port on Saturday, April 5, 2008.


Eberstein, seated next to Dr. Atkins, knows all about low-carb living

Leading the Atkins seminars on board the ship will be Jacqueline Eberstein, R.N. who worked directly with Dr. Atkins for three decades and orchestrated all of the past successful Atkins Diet Cruises. She will be joined by Karen Paris, P.A., who has an additional 20 years of Atkins diet experience to impart on the people who will be attending this outstanding cruise.

Some of the topics that will be covered on the cruise include:

- How to get started on a Low Carb Plan
- The Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
- Low Carb and Family Nutrition.

Both of the hostesses will also be available for one-on-one personal nutritional counseling sessions for those interested in customized help with their low-carb lifestyle. Additionally, there will be yummy cooking demonstration, a regimented exercise routine program, and an open question and answer session about anything and everything related to the Atkins diet.


All the Atkins dishes will be clearly marked for you to enjoy

Best of all, all the meals will ENCOURAGE you to eat healthy while indulging in the delicious offerings of the master Atkins chef who will prepare everything for you to keep you on the straight and narrow all week long. You most certainly won't have to worry about what you put in your mouth on this cruise because it's ALL gonna be low-carb and oh-so-yummy!


Dr. Atkins and Veronica always looked forward to these cruises

Plus, there will be a very special commemoration and celebration of the life of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins on the 5th anniversary of his passing while on this cruise. So many of us owe a great deal of gratitude to this man who committed his career to helping people overcome their weight and health problems with the use of a non-traditional diet plan that just plain works! It helped me lose over 180 pounds and keep it off for the past four years. And I'll never be the same again!


Oooh la la, I can smell the tropical air now! AHHHHHH!

Christine and I are so excited to be going on this cruise and I can't wait to meet those of you who will be going on this trip. It looks to be a great way to start your 2008 off on the right foot and it's only a matter of months from being a reality. I hope you can join us on the Atkins Diet Cruise!


The Atkins Diet Cruise is both affordable and practical

With rates starting as low as $799 per person (which is all-inclusive for the cruise, Atkins-approved food, and all the low-carb lifestyle classes on the ship), this could be just what you need to kickstart YOUR Atkins diet into high gear. Please call 1-800-947-6051 to speak to your cruise captain Bob Lincoln with any questions you may have about this cruise or go to the Atkins Diet Cruise web site for more information.


These gorgeous sunsets await you on the Atkins Diet Cruise

If you decide to go, then let me know! I'll be looking for you and would love to talk to you on the ship about how the Atkins diet completely changed my life for the better. :D

Dr. Atkins And His Low-Carb Diet Still Command Respect Years After His Passing

You know someone's life has made a lasting impact on the world when their contributions to society are still being talked about many years after that person is gone. That's precisely what has happened to the founder of the world's most popular low-carb nutritional approach.

The late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins of Atkins diet fame was prematurely taken from us on April 17, 2003 after a tragic slip and fall accident on some ice in New York City which resulted in a massive head injury that he was unable to recover from at the age of 72. It was a sad day for the millions of people who were positively touched by this remarkable man and you should read this touching tribute from Lora Ruffner and her readers at Low-Carb Luxury.

Although I had not yet chosen to begin livin' la vida low-carb at the time of his death and never had the chance to actually meet Dr. Atkins in person, I have since grown to love and appreciate all that this incredible man has done for me even after his untimely demise. My life will forever be changed for the better because of the lessons I learned from the Atkins diet and nobody will ever convince me otherwise.

Even still, there are some out there who are so threatened by this man who has been gone for four years and four months that they feel compelled to continue spreading lies, innuendo, and propaganda about how Dr. Atkins died claiming he was obese, had a heart attack, and that it was all because of his "unhealthy" diet. The best example of these kind of repugnant statements comes from Mr. Low-Fat Diet himself, Dr. Dean Ornish. Will he ever learn to give it a rest?

When you hear these kinds of personal attacks against someone like Dr. Atkins long after their passing, it's got to make you wonder what all the fearmongering and fuss is REALLY about and why they don't just move on with their own agenda and message. Could it be they realize that people's lives are STILL IMPROVING TO THIS DAY on that there Atkins diet, so they have to grasp at straws to try to discredit it in any way?

I can almost hear Dr. Atkins saying from the grave, "Go ahead, make my day!"

In my recent interview with Veronica Atkins in May 2007, the faithful and loving wife of Dr. Atkins for much of his career, she expressed how much all these rumors surrounding her husband's tragic death hurt her personally and that these distortions of the truth are obviously being spread by "fanatics" who are "unwilling and uninterested in seeking the truth."

"They certainly showed their true colors when they illegally obtained copies of Dr. Atkins' medical records following his death and then leaked false information to the press claiming he was obese," Mrs. Atkins told me in the interview. "When my husband was admitted to the hospital following his accident, he weighed 195 pounds--a healthy weight for a 6’ 2” tall man. The extra weight he gained during his hospital stay was due to an accumulation of body fluids related to his treatment and linked to organ failure."

But, despite this...

"This group chose to distort the facts to suit their agenda, which is very disturbing indeed," she added.

It's on secret that Dr. Atkins suffered from a heart condition called cardiomyopathy stemming from a viral infection and most realize it had nothing at all to do with his healthy low-carb diet. In fact, if you go back through statements he made throughout his 30+ years in the diet industry, then you will hear him speak quite candidly about this personal condition he suffered from and the many hours of research he personally undertook to study it to help others with it. You won't hear this anywhere else.

Nevertheless, the neverending drumbeat of personal vilification of Dr. Atkins goes on in 2007 and I'll sometimes get an e-mail like the following one inquiring about the circumstances surrounding his death and whether it had anything to do with his diet.

I'm always happy to respond to these questions because it's an opportunity to share the truth. Here's what an Ohio man wrote to me this week:

Hello,

I really enjoy your blog! Congratulations on the fine success you continue to enjoy.

I just started up Induction after a three-year lapse...recent blood profile was getting pretty bad and first thing out of the doc's mouth was Lipitor. I said no thanks, would rather try diet changes. So here I am, 7 pounds down in less than a week, walking 2 fast miles a day, and feeling fine!

My questions for you: Is there any truth to the stories circulating a few years ago that Dr. Atkins had arteriosclerosis and other circulatory conditions? I know the family addressed his post-coma weight gain, but can't find where they addressed these reports. Any info? If this is already answered on your blog I overlooked it, I'm sorry. Thanks for your time.

Actually, I had addressed this previously at my blog, so I replied:

Hey,

It's so GREAT to hear from you and I'm happy that you have chosen to start livin' la vida low-carb. GO BOY! :D

Your question is indeed one I have addressed previously at my blog in the following post:

"Dr. Atkins Death Debate Resurrected"

There are some pretty radical low-fat loving, anti-meat individuals groups who will continue to rail against this way of eating because it threatens them and their chosen way of life. It's great that they have chosen be a vegetarian or a vegan. But that doesn't work for all of us as you well know.

EXCELLENT QUESTION and I appreciate hearing from you. Contact me anytime! :)

This precipitated a follow-up response and question from my reader:

Hey Jimmy,

Thanks for the quick reply. Okay, I did not see that article you wrote previously so thanks for pointing it out.

Can you tell me, if you know, what the nature of the infection Dr. Atkins had that led to these conditions? Did his family or Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. representatives ever say?

Unless that issue is buried once and for all, there will be no end to the ammunition his enemies will have to claim that the diet could lead to long-term damage to the cardiovascular system, even if it takes 30 years to do it.

And I'll confess, it's given me a bit of cautious doubt myself, despite the benefits I've seen so far in my own weight and energy (the next blood test is several weeks away yet). I'm one of those "examine all sides first, then decide" people! Thanks again.

Man, if I had a dollar for everyone that asks me this question... ;)

Here was my reply:

Yes, Dr. Atkins had issues that were present in his own health LONG before he even started his research on low-carb diets. Read this statment from Veronica Atkins for more detailed information.

To me, it's as simple as this--looking at Dr. Atkins and his health is not going to prove or disprove what livin' la vida low-carb has done for me (although there is a long-term study that found low-carb diets are not unhealthy for heart health with lots more research to come over the next few years). The fact is it IS working for me and I've never been healthier in my entire life. It sounds like the same thing has happened for you, too. CONGRATULATIONS!

Ultimately, the decision about continuing on with this way of eating is yours. But ask yourself one question--How else am I going to eat healthy if I don't eat low-carb?

Something to think about, my friend. THANKS again for your e-mail.

The bottom line that I try to tell people is don't let anyone try to talk you out of your low-carb lifestyle when you know it is what's right for you. This is YOUR life and health, so anyone who disparages your decision to eat a healthy low-carb diet can just go suck on an egg (which is very low-carb, by the way!). :D

You could tell it was like a light bulb went off in my reader's head when he wrote his final e-mail to me:

Thank you! I never saw that statement from Veronica Atkins before and it is entirely satisfactory to me. Thanks for pointing me to it!!!

As for the occasional anti-meat fanatics you get dropping by, just remember, "You will never reason a man out of something he wasn't reasoned into in the first place."

I personally wouldn't waste time on them. They won't dispute Atkins on any medical, scientific or otherwise objective basis because they can't. But in their minds they don't really NEED to, either.

As you know, they view eating anything with a face as morally wrong. That (in their minds) ends all need for rational, mature discussion. No success you have will make one bit of difference to them, except to make them angrier; you are still WRONG and EVIL for eating meat, period.

Hence the losers who threaten you with the heart attack bogeyman. That you tolerate them as well as you do is impressive...I have no patience for such fools.

Continued success to you!

Ah, another satisfied low-carb convert...welcome to the fray, my friend! He really needs to read what Dr. Barry Groves had to say about the sacrosanct meat-hating minions in my exclusive interview with him earlier this week. Classic Barry and 100% right on!

I couldn't resist sharing why I engage these anti-meat activists:

Awww, but it's so much fun to yank their chain every once in a while...they're
threatened by people like me and you. :D YOU GOTTA LOVE IT! THANKS again!

So, you see, even though it has been years since Dr. Robert C. Atkins has departed from us, we're still talking about him. And they'll still be talking about him in 2008, 2009, 2020, and beyond! His legacy will live on for a very long time because you and I both know he was right after all! :)

I welcome anyone to e-mail me with your questions about the low-carb lifestyle anytime by writing to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. It's my pleasure to hear from my readers and I make it a priority to answer every single request for information about livin' la vida low-carb! THANKS for reading and I'm always thrilled to correspond with you.

Veronica Atkins: AMA, ADA 'Have Their Heads In The Sand' About The Atkins Low-Carb Diet

My favorite interview yet with the lovely and gracious Veronica Atkins

When I started blogging about the low-carb lifestyle two years ago, what I wanted more than anything else was to carry on the torch of advocacy for livin' la vida low-carb that had been conspicuously absent since the untimely death of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins. It was as if all the defenders of this way of eating fell off the face of the planet or decided to suddenly clam up. I for one felt that somebody needed to stand up on behalf of Dr. Atkins to defend his life's work.

Dr. Atkins left behind an incredible legacy that will continue to postively impact the lives of millions of people around the world for decades and generations to come. My only regret is that I was never privileged enough to meet him and shake his hand for helping me lose over 180 pounds in 2004. I am a permanently changed man today because of the Atkins diet and nobody can ever take that away from me.

But although I can never have that fateful meeting with my nutritional hero, I got to experience the next best thing--an interview with none other than Mrs. Veronica Atkins. As the faithful wife and loving companion to Dr. Atkins through all the ups and downs of his unprecedented medical career, nobody knew the human being she affectionately referred to as "Bobby" better than Veronica.

I've been able to meet and interview a lot of interesting people at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog over the past couple of years, but none more thrilling than this one with Mrs. Veronica Atkins. Eloquent, articulate, and ever-faithful to the mission of her late husband, you will be encouraged anew to start livin' la vida low-carb after hearing from this engaging and elegant woman. ENJOY!

1. Words cannot adequately express how privileged and honored I am today to have with us here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog the one and only Mrs. Veronica Atkins. As most of my readers already know, Mrs. Atkins is the widow of Dr. Atkins who came up with the most widely-discussed diet program in the history of the world. Did Dr. Atkins have any idea this low-carb diet he stumbled upon decades ago would create such a ruckus? More importantly, did he ever really expect the Atkins diet to be fully embraced by the health and medical community?

Thanks Jimmy. It’s my privilege and pleasure to be here with you and to share a little bit with you and your readers about my late husband, Dr. Atkins. Your Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb blog has been an invaluable resource for health professionals and the public alike to remain informed and current on all things low-carb. Your passion equals that of Dr. Atkins-–and that’s saying something!

The short answer to both your questions is a resounding “Yes.” Bobby certainly didn’t want to create a ruckus--he hated controversy--but he had no choice. He was ridiculed and alienated by his peers for pointing out that carbohydrate restriction is the single best strategy for treating excessive levels of insulin which leads to diabetes, obesity, hypertension, heart disease and even cancer. So, of course, he felt compelled to speak out.

Certainly, he fully believed that the controlled-carb lifestyle would eventually be accepted as a healthy lifestyle choice. How could he not when he saw the evidence in his clinical practice every day where he could reverse Type 2 diabetes and prevent it in those who were at risk of developing it. My husband firmly believed that had mainstream medicine adopted his teachings, the public health crisis that we see today, where obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions, could have been averted.

2. As much as he and his healthy nutritional approach have been irresponsibily chided and scorned by the so-called health experts and the media over the past few years, nobody in this world really knew Bobby Atkins the human being as well as you--his faithful companion. What are the qualities you best remember him for and is there anything about the real Dr. Atkins that you wish people would never forget?

Well, I was in constant awe of Bobby...his intellect, his honesty, his courage, his boundless energy, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge and his commitment to his patients and their rights.

One of my fondest memories is of him leaving our apartment every morning at 6:30am for the short walk to his clinic...and the worn black canvas bag (that I tried, unsuccessfully, to replace with a briefcase on his birthday!) that he carried with him wherever he went—stuffed to the gills at all times with his writings, notes and medical journals. For all his brilliance, there was a childlike quality that he never lost...and every day was an adventure for him.

I wish people knew how hard he fought to change things. Even though he knew that by speaking out he would be attacked and vilified by his detractors, he never wavered in his convictions. In his monthly newsletter, writings, radio show and media appearances over the years he spoke out about many of the issues that only now are making headlines: the dangers of trans fats, the over-prescribing of hormones, antibiotics, statin drugs, and the consumption of denatured foods such as white flour, sugar and high fructose corn syrup --which make up the majority of products that line our supermarket shelves--and their role in the obesity epidemic; he brought to light scientific evidence that heart disease is not caused by cholesterol when it was widely accepted that it was the #1 cause.

He called to task some formidable opponents--the food companies, the pharmaceutical giants, the FDA, the ADA, and the AMA--and exposed their deceptive and in many cases dangerous practices. And he was instrumental in changing policy that led to the passing of patients’ rights bills.

I’d also like people to know that he was a brilliant clinician and diagnostician and not just a “diet doc," a label that stuck due to the phenomenal success of his Atkins Diet Revolution books. In his clinical practice, he treated a myriad of illnesses and succeeded in weaning patients off of their medications using diet and correcting nutritional deficiencies--something that gave him enormous satisfaction. He used the low-carb approach as the basis for all of his treatments.

Another interesting and little known fact about my husband is that at one point he wanted to pursue a career in comedy--in fact in his early years, it was a toss-up as to whether he would pursue a medical career or a career in stand-up comedy. He had a wonderful wry wit and I think he could have been a successful comedian. However, I have no doubt and neither did he that he was put on this earth to make a difference.

3. How did it make you feel when the downright malicious lies from anti-Atkins, anti-meat groups like the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) came out about your husband's untimely death following a slip and fall on ice in New York City were plastered all over the news boldly and erroneously reporting that Dr. Atkins had died of a heart attack and was obese? If you could respond directly to those who make such allegations, what would you say to them?

As you can imagine, it hurt me to the core. I’d ask this group to try and see reason, put aside their agenda and tell the truth. Unfortunately the more I hear about this group, the more I’m convinced that they are fanatics--unwilling and uninterested in seeking the truth.

They certainly showed their true colors when they illegally obtained copies of Dr. Atkins’ medical records following his death and then leaked false information to the press claiming he was obese. When my husband was admitted to the hospital following his accident, he weighed 195 pounds--a healthy weight for a 6’ 2” tall man. The extra weight he gained during his hospital stay was due to an accumulation of body fluids related to his treatment and linked to organ failure. However, this group chose to distort the facts to suit their agenda, which is very disturbing indeed.

Dr. Atkins had suffered from a heart condition called cardiomyopathy--which is a disease of the heart muscle caused in his case by a viral infection and was totally unrelated to his diet. He spoke openly about his condition and did a lot of research, publishing his findings to help others with this condition.

4. Carrying on the amazing work of your husband today, you head up The Robert C. Atkins Foundation where quite literally millions upon millions of dollars are being invested in those research facilities who are willing to test the Atkins low-carb diet in the battle against obesity and the twin epidemic of obesity and diabetes. How does the Atkins Foundation go about determining who gets these generous endowments and when can we expect to see the fruits of those dollars produce scientific proof of what most of us who are livin' la vida low-carb already know?

Well, many types of studies are being funded by the foundation, not just low-carb diet studies. The foundation accepts proposals from any serious non-profit organization wishing to pursue questions still needing answers in nutrition, metabolism, childhood obesity/diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease to name only a few, along with numerous advocacy and community projects.

The selection process is based on how well the study is designed, the importance of the questions being asked, the amount of funding being requested, and, very important, how we see the findings being put into practice. My goal is to impact childhood obesity and diabetes in my lifetime along with contributing to the science that shows the benefits of low carbohydrate food choices on many other diseases.

5. Speaking of diabetes, you are thoroughly convinced that it CAN be cured and eradicated through the use of the Atkins diet and a 2006 study from Dr. Eric Westman out of Duke University has already shown that is exactly what happens when diabetics are placed on such a plan.

If such clear evidence is on the table that a low-carbohydrate plan can bring A1C levels down to "normal" while vastly lowering triglycerides, raising HDL "good" cholesterol, and normalizing blood sugars sometimes without the use of any prescription drugs or insulin, then why does the American Diabetes Association (ADA) continue to overlook the Atkins diet as a viable option for taking on this preventable disease? What is it going to take to convince diabetics to stop eating the ADA-recommended high-carb, low-fat diet and turn to low-carb as the lifestyle change they need to finally bring their condition under control?

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. And Dr. Atkins proved over and over again in his 40 years of clinical practice that the controlled-carbohydrate program is without question the correct one for the prevention and treatment of obesity and Type II diabetes. However, whenever he tried to bring his findings to the attention of the medical establishment, they were shot down for lack of supporting research studies.

Nevermind the fact that the low-fat proponents who dismissed his findings had no research to back up their theories. We now have an overwhelming amount of research which supports carbohydrate restriction as the number one therapy in the prevention and treatment of Type II diabetes. Yet they still choose to look the other way.

These organizations, the AMA and ADA, obviously have their heads in the sand when they continue to ignore the mounting scientific evidence on the impact of a controlled-carb diet on obesity and Type 2 diabetes. There is also the concern that many experts are influenced by strong lobbying groups such as the food industry and pharmaceutical giants.

Bobby would often tell me of patients who were able to get off their medications and better control their blood sugars within days of starting his program. But the tide is turning, especially on a grassroots level, as more and more people try low-carb and do well. I certainly believe that the "powers-that-be" will have to come to their collective senses and be forced to address the immeasurable damage done by the low-fat dogma.

6. I know it breaks your heart to see childhood obesity and obesity-related diseases afflicting children at record levels over the past decade. But you came across a small glimmer of hope last year when a class of 5th grade kids from a Florida elementary school did something quite extraordinary--they refused to sell sugary candy as a fundraising avenue for their field trip to Washington, D.C. because they said it was too unhealthy. WOW, now that's a shocker in this day and age! When you heard about the bold stand against sugar of these courageous students, what did you do to help them out and have you come across any other examples of similar actions taken by students elsewhere?

As heartbreaking as it is to see the devastating effects of childhood obesity, it is equally heartening to see the ability of children to change things. When I heard about the children in Florida not having enough funds to take their field trip because they chose not to sell sugary snacks, I met with the children and of course funded the trip.

This was not my first experience with the ability of children to create change. Surely, the greatest example of the power of youth to create change is an extraordinary Canadian group called Free the Children. It was started in 1995 by two brothers, Craig and Marc Kielberger, both barely in their teens. It has since grown into an international movement of children helping children that has improved the lives of over a million children in 40 countries.

They’ve built over 400 schools to date, provided much needed clean water and medical supplies and set up supporting community women’s groups. In 1998, they started Leaders Today, a leadership institute that empowers and inspires over 250,000 youth every year around the world to become actively involved in volunteerism to help those in need and to make the world a better place.

The Robert C. & Veronica Atkins Foundation joined with Free the Children to create a program called Life in Action, which has already been implemented in 120 Canadian schools. It’s about educating children in the basics of nutrition, the importance of good wholesome, nutritious food and the avoidance of nutrient-deficient foods and sugary snacks. It also encourages regular physical activity in creative ways.

I’ve visited some of these schools and spent time with the children and it’s just incredible to see the enthusiasm with which they have embraced this, and their eagerness to pass on their knowledge to family and friends. We are working on bringing this program into U.S. schools as well.

7. I had the privilege of meeting you for the first time in January 2006 in Brooklyn, New York at the Nutritional & Metabolic Aspects Of Carbohydrate Restriction conference and was able to personally thank you on behalf of your wonderful husband for the Atkins diet. In January 2004, I weighed 410 pounds and my health was on the verge of collapse had I not done something about it as soon as possible.

Today, I am 190 pounds lighter and no longer taking the three prescription medications for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and breathing I was on at the time. With literally tens or even hundreds of thousands of other Jimmy Moores out there living healthy for perhaps the first time in their entire lives because of the Atkins diet, why isn't the Atkins low-carb nutritional approach being recommended alongside the high-carb, low-fat diet by government and health organizations? What can those of us who have been so dramatically changed for the better by the Atkins diet do to convince these people in positions of power over health policy in America that low-carb should be given equal treatment?

Well, I don’t believe there’s anyone out there who could say you’ve not done your share--and certainly what we need more than anything are more Jimmy Moores! Your own story of dramatic weight loss and return to health following the low-carb approach is something that Dr. Atkins would have relished.

Unfortunately, it takes time to turn the tide of popular thinking. The slick marketing tools employed by the food companies ensures that the low-fat dogma remains ingrained in people’s consciousness, and of course that takes time to reverse.

However, we are seeing some very positive policy changes take place, such as the removal of unhealthy snacks from school vending machines and healthier school cafeteria lunches being served. We have Mayor Bloomberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger and former President Bill Clinton, among others, all of whom appear to be committed to following through on children’s health issues in various ways.

While we are making strides, the low-fat mentality however is still quite pervasive. For example, I would love to see a return to the day when schools will again start serving full-fat nutritious milk to children instead of the tasteless, blue-tinted low-fat substance that passes for milk and is so popular with school authorities. I doubt children are overweight because of drinking whole milk!

I am fully committed to doing everything I can to educate people with the facts and to further Dr. Atkins legacy. And to that end, my new web site launched just recently. My site will feature many low-carb recipes--including favorites of mine and Bobby’s--all tasty, nutritious and easy to prepare. It also has a section on family nutrition.

I’m very excited to be working with Jackie Eberstein, who was one of Dr. Atkins closest colleagues, to provide a source of accurate and up-to-date information for the public and professionals alike on the low-carb approach, research and complementary medicine. Jackie Eberstein’s web site just recently launched as well. Jackie is the consummate expert on all things Atkins.

8. That recent JAMA study out of Stanford University in March 2007 showing the Atkins diet was the best among four popular diets for weight loss and improved health after one year certainly gave a huge shot in the arm to the life's work of your husband as interest in the low-carb approach has been rekindled. Do you see anything else coming up on the horizon in the next year or so from the realm of research, a new book, or even from the entertainment industry that could help continue the rebirth of the Atkins diet?

Yes, that study was a wonderful validation of Dr. Atkins' work and I feel certain it will spur many more. Certainly, it lends credence to all of the studies funded to date by the Atkins Foundation which showed similar results.

Many of the initial studies funded by the Foundation have been completed and the results published. For a listing of articles already available, readers can look on the Atkins Foundation’s web site. Several of our investigators will be publishing their findings in the coming year. There is a large two-year NIH study comparing the Atkins diet with a low-fat diet and the results of that should be available this coming year as well.

Gary Taubes, the journalist who wrote the eye-opening article in the New York Times magazine section is coming out with a wonderful new book clarifying much of the history and dogma about our current guidelines and recommendations.

Also, an independent filmmaker named CJ Hunt is finishing a documentary called The Perfect Human Diet which chronicles the evolution of our dietary habits which should be a fascinating account of our eating habits and how they have changed.

9. Despite the constant negativity that is hurled against the Atkins diet, the fact is it has left an indelible impression on our society about how people perceive carbohydrates, especially nutritionally bankrupt ones such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, potatoes, rice, pasta, processed foods, and fast food. In the perfect world, though, what would Veronica Atkins like to see happen with all the invaluable information that was provided by Dr. Atkins in his books? Do you think future society will one day look back at all the needless criticism about the Atkins low-carb diet and shake their heads in disappointment?

Well, Dr. Atkins upset a lot of apple carts in his time! The bread, pasta, fast food and soft drinks industries lost millions because of him. He challenged the proclamations of the FDA, the AMA, ADA, and others--and in so doing incurred their wrath. However, his commitment paid off and I read recently that more than 44% of people in the U.S. are eating less carbs.

I’m so optimistic about all that is happening at the moment in the area of health--the emerging science on the safety and health benefits of the Atkins approach and the recognition that in the midst of an obesity epidemic, low-fat is not the answer. The World Wide Web of course will continue to have an enormous impact on people’s ability to access and exchange information. We now have so many wonderful low-carb web sites and blogs, like your Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog, which provide a forum for intelligent discussion and the dissemination of accurate and truthful information.

10. THANK YOU, Mrs. Atkins, for taking just a few moments of your time to spend with me and my readers today about the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb. You are an amazing and gracious ambassador for the low-carb lifestyle and we in the low-carb community want you to know how much we love and appreciate what you are doing to help continue the fanastic legacy of that incredible man you called husband, Dr. Robert C. Atkins. Do you have any final words of encouragement or advice to share with my readers who are already following or even thinking about going on the Atkins diet?

For anyone thinking about starting the low-carb approach, the most important advice I would give them is to read two of Dr. Atkins’ most important books. First, start with Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and when you’re close to your goal weight, then read Atkins for Life. While I realize that in today’s world of instantaneous access to information, taking the time to read a book might be considered passé, these are no ordinary books and you will find yourself referring to them again and again.

There’s a wealth of knowledge contained within those pages plus they’re written in Dr. Atkins inimitable style so it’s never boring. And, please remember--it’s a lifestyle, not a diet.

Thank you so much Jimmy for all that you’ve done and continue to do for the health and well-being of humanity and for being such an ardent supporter of my husband and his work.

WOW! Thanks for your awe-inspiring responses to my questions, Mrs. Atkins. I am so happy to share your amazing memories about the man who was so instrumental in changing my life and the lives of many of my readers forever. God bless you for keeping the spirit of the late great Dr. Robert "Bobby" C. Atkins alive and well.

New Web Sites Keep Atkins Diet Legacy Alive

Mrs. Veronica Atkins and Jackie Eberstein have new web sites

Although members of the media and those low-fat loving health "experts" would desperately like to convince people that the Atkins diet is just some passing overnight fad that is dangerous and unhealthy, the truth is just the opposite. There's not a more healthy way to eat on this planet than the low-carb lifestyle and now we have two strong voices with brand new web sites in an effort to keep the incredible legacy of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins alive in 2007 and beyond.

First up is the Veronica Atkins Foundation from the lovely and gracious widow of Dr. Atkins (I'm working on an interview with her as we speak...stay tuned!). If anyone knows what the Atkins diet is all about, then it has to be the woman who lived with Mr. Low-Carb Diet for all those years he was using this way of eating to improve the weight and health of the patients he was using it on.

This new venture from Mrs. Atkins should not be confused with the Dr. Robert C. And Veronica Atkins Foundation which was set up to provide endowments for the advancement of low-carb research. Instead, the Veronica Atkins Foundation will be used to educate the public about the benefits of following the Atkins low-carb lifestyle by imploring simple and useful information to help them make this more than just a diet.

Mrs. Atkins knows that if people would simply begin to watch the kind and amount of carbs they are consuming that they could ward off such needless health issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and more. Arming people with the facts is what will help them more than anything.

In the absence of her amazing husband, Veronica is picking up the baton and carrying the torch high for everyone to see that this is STILL an awesome way to eat and live to be as happy and healthy as you can possibly be. There are some excellent resources for people at every level of the Atkins diet, including "The Basics Of The Atkins Lifestyle," "When To Move Beyond Induction," and some "Helpful Hints" to incorporate this into your life.

There's even some delicious low-carb recipes, helpful Atkins presentations, and so much more! Bookmark this site and recommend it to your friends and family members who want to learn more about the Atkins diet.

While the Veronica Atkins Foundation web site is all about Atkins advocacy, the Controlled Carbohydrate Nutrition web site is focused primarily on "providing accurate and concise information regarding the benefits and uses of a controlled carbohydrate lifestyle based on the Atkins Nutritional Approach."

Created by Atkins diet expert Jackie Eberstein, R.N., this site will be extremely helpful for assimilating just about every bit of information about livin' la vida low-carb that you can think of. She is targeting not just people who desire weight loss, but also healthcare providers to educate them about how the Atkins diet can be an effective means for bringing about weight and disease management.

Similar in design to the Veronica Atkins Foundation web site, the Controlled Carbohydrate Nutrition site adds a lot more material that will constantly be updated. So be sure to keep coming back as Eberstein updates the information often with solid factually-based articles you can use to feel confident about this healthy way of life.

For example, check out the Atkins Myths page to counter many of the common misconceptions people have about the Atkins diet. It's still under construction as of right now, but Eberstein is excited about the Research page to highlight all the latest in the gobs and gobs of studies coming out in favor of livin' la vida low-carb.

Additionally, you can see the new low-carb Projects that Eberstein is working on (including an Atkins cruise coming in March 2008--WOO HOO!), interesting and educational Presentations about low-carb living, and positive News about the Atkins diet. Finally, don't miss the soon-to-be-updated FAQ section for answers to your common questions.


The man whose legacy will never be forgotten

These new web sites all come down to one thing: honoring the work of Dr. Robert C. Atkins. My only regret is that I never had the chance to walk up to this man and shake his hand (heck, I might have even hugged his neck if he would have let me!) for changing my life forever. Had it not been for the Atkins diet, then I could quite possibly be a dead man today.

I've never taken for granted the lessons I have learned from my Atkins experience which is why you hear me talk about making sure you read books like Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and Atkins For Life because this lifestyle change is too important to just wing it. Do it by the book and never stop learning. When you think you know it all, then you've reached the place where you need to start the education process all over again.

That's why I'll be visiting the Veronica Atkins Foundation and Controlled Carbohydrate Nutrition web sites often to build on what I already know so I can better share with others the miracle that has happened to me because of the Atkins low-carb life. If you've never taken this journey for yourself, then there's no time like the present to get started! Let these web sites help you do just that!

Veronica Atkins Promises $10 Million To UC Berkeley For Childhood Obesity Research

Atkins pledged money to Pat Crawford and her researchers at UC Berkeley

In an official presentation at the 2007 California Childhood Obesity Conference in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday night, The Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation agreed to pledge $10 million to the Center For Weight And Health at the University of California-Berkeley for research into eradicating childhood obesity.

The center's co-founder Pat Crawford, who is also co-director of the center, Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health and Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology (whew, that's a mouthful for a title!), was thrilled by the donation from the widow of the late, great Dr. Robert C. Atkins and agreed to rename the center the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health as a small gesture of her appreciation for the much-needed funds.

"What distinguishes our center is our focus on the prevention of pediatric obesity, and we are so grateful that the Atkins Foundation is supportive of that," she said. "With this pledge, we'll be able to continue the important work we've been doing to help reverse the troubling epidemic of childhood obesity in this country."

Stephen M. Shortell, who serves as dean of the School of Public Health, said the timing of this pledge could not have been better to continue on the legacy of Dr. Atkins and the center for the "generations" to come.

"The Atkins Foundation support will significantly strengthen our ability to solve one of the nation's most intractable problems--the growing percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese," he said. "The foundation's commitment means that we will be able to touch thousands more lives with our interdisciplinary research and teaching that ranges from basic science research to community-wide interventions."

You will recall that Veronica Atkins has been quite the philanthropist over the past year or so providing funding to solid nutritional research that furthers the cause that Dr. Atkins was pursuing--namely eliminating obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more through the use of sound scientific methodology. Other benefactors of these dollars include The University of Connecticut, The University of Texas-Southwestern, and Dr. Atkins' alma mater at The University of Michigan.

While funding alone is NOT the answer to the childhood obesity problem that plagues our nation, I like the way Mrs. Atkins is being discerning about who gets the money and who doesn't. If the potential recipients are unwilling to even consider the positive benefits of livin' la vida low-carb as the starting point for their research, then it's a sure bet the funding will go elsewhere.

While the new Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health does not actually promote or advocate the Atkins low-carb nutritional approach in its research, they are most certainly open to a wide variety of ways for handling the obesity problem from different perspectives customized to the individual. The researchers there are adamant that obesity be examined at every point in the proverbial food chain, including where the food is produced and distributed, how it is handled in the process of bringing it to the market, and the unique role played by the health industry, public education and even the pesky media who has a knack for conveniently leaving out pertinent facts regarding the treatment of obesity.

Right now, there are 30 different ongoing research projects, inlcuding a program aimed at poor black children with Type 2 diabetes, the removal of sugary soft drinks from public schools, and the impact of the frequency of meals on the weight of teenage girls. These are the kind of studies that will be funded thanks to the generous donation from Mrs. Atkins.

"The center at UC Berkeley is a tribute to my husband's belief in the power of influencing public health outcomes, particularly in the battle against obesity," Veronica Atkins stated at the obesity conference on Wednesday evening. "On behalf of the Atkins Foundation, I am proud to partner with a center as active and accomplished as Berkeley's, and excited to support the ongoing advances of its outstanding researchers."

Mrs. Atkins was especially drawn to the preventative nature of the research being done at UC Berkeley and how those measures could be clearly explained to the public for easy implementation. In other words, Atkins Foundation executive director Abby Bloch said, it's more than just coming up with a few theories for dealing with obesity, but actually identifying solutions that will have a greater impact over the long-term.

"The researchers at the center are out in the trenches, in the community, working hands-on to help people have healthier lifestyles," she noted. "The commitment of these researchers to this area of research and the translational application into the community are very much on target with the mission and goal of the foundation."

The center will continue to be funded by $500,000 grants from the College of Natural Resources and the School of Public Health until Veronica Atkins passes away. At the time, the center will inherit her $10 million gift.

Lost in the debate over the long-term health benefits of livin' la vida low-carb is the fact that the science is indeed coming, as Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University recently said in my interview with him, to prove the veracity of this diet. All those people who thumb their nose up at this way of eating smugly proclaim that there are no real studies showing low-carb is a healthy diet for the long-term.

Because of the generosity of the lovely and gracious Veronica Atkins and the money her husband made from the sale of his diet books, the next 5, 10, and even 20 years should be VERY exciting to watch as we continue to learn more about how safe and effective the Atkins diet is not just for weight loss, but improving overall health as well. Ready or not, here it comes!