Help My Reader Remember The Memory Of His Nana And Papa With 'Relay For Life'

Support the effort to fight cancer with "Relay For Life"

Cancer more than any other disease has ripped through families, communities, churches, organizations, and cities all across America like no other disease I know. Just two weeks ago, endometrial cancer took the wife of national radio talk show host Mike Gallagher after months of battling it with chemotherapy and just one year ago my friend and former minister of music Steve Dyar went home to be with the Lord after esophageal cancer overtook his body.

This disease more than any other delivers a slow painful death and researchers are working around the clock trying to find a cure for it. I'm happy to report that progress is being made using a high-fat, low-carb diet in Germany to help cancer patients who have not responded to traditional chemotherapy treatments with GREAT success so far. We've seen remarkable results with low-carb being used in people suffering from brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer, so I'm hopeful for the future that more natural solutions like this will be further explored by the up-and-coming medical researchers and students today. It's truly amazing when you see how well cancer is subdued by implementing a low-carb attack strategy.

In the meantime as we wait for scientific research to produce the miracle we've all been looking for regarding cancer, we must mourn the loss of those we love, celebrate their lives for the amazing people they were, remember and cherish the memories we have of the time we were blessed to spend with them, and then fight back by making every effort to give of our time and resources to bring the answer to cancer sooner rather than later. That's why I'm so happy to share with you about an event one of my readers is participating in called "Relay For Life" put on in communities all across the United States annually by the American Cancer Society.

There's a man at my church who is the head of the American Cancer Society in South Carolina and he attends about 40 of these held in high school and college football stadiums all across the state each year. It's a beautiful scene watching thousands of people all coming out on a Friday night to celebrate, remember, and fight back. People have raised money from within their sphere of influence and then commit to walking the track for most of the night honoring the lives of those who cancer has taken from us.

In fact, a few years ago I was cajoled into participating in a midnight "womanless beauty revue" (before I lost my weight) and I wore a big dress, makeup, hairspray--THE WORKS! I was a pretty cute girl even if I do say so myself (and no, I don't have any pictures...not that I'd post 'em for you if I did!). I sang "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters as my "talent" and it went over well--especially when I rolled my belly for them (it's a long story and I was up WAY past my bedtime!).

Anywho, the point is you have a great time at these events and I'm so pleased to be sharing with you about Jeff Gould's "Relay For Life" fundraiser and I urge you to donate whatever you can to help with this very worthy cause. Even if all you can give is a couple of bucks, I know Jeff would appreciate it in memory of his beloved Nana and Papa who were snatched from him because of cancer. And it can happen all so suddenly--diagnosis, treatment, suffering, and then death. Anyone who has watched this unfold right before their very eyes will tell you how devastating it is because you are so helpless to do anything about what is almost an inevitable fate.

If you'd like to help Jeff raise money for his "Relay For Life" event, then simply click here to make a secure donation with a credit card. I just made my donation and encourage you to help make a difference by doing the same. THANK YOU! :)

Igniting Some Low-Carb Lifestyle Fourth Of July Fireworks

Before you celebrate the 4th of July, here's a low-carb update

It's almost time for the fireworks, backyard barbecues, vacations, and all the rest that comes with the extended Fourth of July weekend in celebration of our nation's independence. I am proud to be an American and appreciate all the freedoms and opportunities that this nation affords me as a citizen. While a lot has been said over the past few years about this great country I call "home," there's no denying the United States is and will always be the greatest socio-political experiment in the history of the world. God bless America now and forevermore!

Before you get caught up in all the busy activities of the holiday, I wanted to share a few low-carb headlines with you that have been in the news lately. It simply amazes me how a way of eating that has been so incredibly maligned and dragged through the mud like livin' la vida low-carb can somehow still be talked about so much in the media. Albeit it's not always in a positive light, but they can't help bringing it up. Maybe deep down inside they realize there is more to low-carb than they're letting on.

Here's what is going on in the world of low-carb right now:

LOW-CARB, HIGH-PROTEIN LEADS TO WEIGHT LOSS IN KIDS

People always ask me if low-carb living is healthy for children. Why wouldn't it be? Our bodies were never meant to handle high amounts of carbohydrates, so it stands to reason that eating a low-carb diet is gonna be healthier for kids. And now we have this study published in Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition from a researcher down in Australia I've blogged about before named Dr. Manny Noakes. She found that an unlimited low-carb, high-carb diet produces more weight loss than higher carb diets with limited calories, primarily because the protein seems to increase satiety. Additionally, these obese elementary school study participants placed on a low-carb diet experienced a significant drop in their total cholesterol and triglycerides. WOO HOO!

STUDY: LOW-CARB LEADS TO LONG-TERM DIABETES CONTROL

From the Department of Well Duh!, the results of a 12-week low-carb program for Type 2 diabetics found that they were continuing to improve their health and weight one year later. The program is called "Why WAIT" and was shared at the recent 68th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. Lead researcher Dr. Osama Hamdy followed 85 people with type 2 diabetes for an average of 10 years. The plan included regular exercise as part of the initial 12-week plan.

Although there were obvious improvements at the end of the intervention period of the study, the remarkable thing is that the study participants CONTINUED to lose weight on their own. However, their A1C levels did increase, but blood pressure was stabilized and HDL cholesterol was "significantly higher" at the end of one year. And, one shocking finding in light of all the negativity about low-carb diets, the study participants saw an IMPROVEMENT in their kidney function with a slight decline in protein in the urine.

For the purposes of this study, carbohydrate restriction was defined as 40 percent of the calories from carbs which is closer to The Zone level of carbs than the Atkins diet. It does make you wonder how much BETTER the weight loss, A1C levels, cholesterol, and other health markers would be if a truly low-carb ketogenic diet would be used on these patients. Dr. Hamdy says the reason patients regain weight is because they don't eat enough protein or cut back on exercise which results in the accumulation of belly fat. Interestingly, the financial impact of diabetics losing weight, according to this study, is huge--a 65 percent DECREASE in medical expenses coming out to a cool $560 annually. And let's not forget how good healthy feels! You can't put a price on that!

WHAT IF WE JUST GOT RID OF ALL THE FAT PEOPLE?

Don't be alarmed at the question in that headline above, but it's basically what this column from MSNBC recently wanted to know. They analyzed the financial burden that overweight and obese people have on our society in a rather uncaring and some would say demeaning way. That's why I appreciated one of my readers sharing this blog post from Chet Day with a very impassioned response to such an insensitive post. While I don't subscribe to the fat acceptance movement that tells overweight and obese people to just be happy with their large bodies, I don't think threatening to wanna wipe out fat people is the right way to motivate them to make the changes necessary to improve their weight and health. But it is a sensitive subject that warrants a little more class and a lot less crass.

NEWSWEEK PERPETUATES THE HIGH-FAT CANCER MYTH

I was listening to the radio the other day and a commercial for a colon cleanse product asked the question, "Are you eating too much red meat..." I didn't even hear much of the rest of the ad because that turned me off so much. This idea that high-fat meat consumption is somehow harmful to your health is so teetering on insanity that we should get straight jackets ready for anyone who chooses to declare something as absurd as that. But leave it to our buddies at Newsweek to jump right off the cliff with a column a couple of weeks ago entitled "Your Lifestyle, Your Genes and Cancer."

They assert in this article that if people would simply live a "healthier lifestyle" (which isn't exactly what you and I might consider healthy), then 70 percent of all cancers would cease to exist. Okay, now that's a pretty bold statement, especially in light of the specific kind of changes they expect people to make--get thinner (easier said than done!), exercise regularly (is that cardio or resistance training?), avoid diets rich in red meat (why would I do that when this is the basis of a healthy low-carb lifestyle?), eat diets rich in fruits and vegetables (I already do being selective about choosing low-sugar fruits and non-starchy veggies), and stop using tobacco (you don't need to smoke--EVER!).

We learned from my podcast interview with Doug Kaufmann earlier this year that fungus is at the root cause of most cancers and the best way to reduce the existence of fungus is to eat a low-carb diet. In fact, Newsweek competitor Time magazine last September featured a column about German researchers using a very high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet with GREAT success on cancer patients who have been told there was no hope for them. While it may be en vogue to continue repeating that red meat and saturated fat is harmful and leads cancer, the truth doesn't bear that out. These people won't be able to get away with such bombastic statements for very much longer without being sent to the funny farm!

37-YEAR OLD LOW-CARB BODYBUILDER SWEEPS COMPETITION

You gotta love it! Mike Benoit competed recently in the Newfoundland and Labrador Amateur Bodybuilding Association Championships as a 37-year old man and placed first in the Light Heavyweight Division (176-198 lbs), first in the Masters Class (35 years and up), winning the Top Poser Award and capturing the overall title of Mr. Newfoundland and Labrador as the best of the best in this competition. He was the oldest person EVER to be given that distinction and he credits his win to something that should put a big smile on your face.

"I was the only one at the show that did fat burning; every other competitor there avoided fats to get lean where I consumed mostly fats, essential oils and protein...So I did a modified fat diet for the show and at 37-years-old, I was the leanest one there with doing the least amount of cardio. Many people have heard of the Atkins diet, well I basically did a modified Atkins diet."

Holy cow, isn't that amazing?! Mike consumed dietary fat to burn fat, was thinner than anyone else in the competition, did little to no cardio at all, and was livin' la vida low-carb. Can you say WOW?! I'd love to interview this guy and have him share some of his training techniques with us because I'm sure it will turn everything we think we know about fitness training on its head. The unbelievable part of this story is the fact that this was the first competition he participated in since the late 1990s. AMAZING!!! Kudo Mike Benoit and if you're reading this, contact me about that podcast interview at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

WHO IS THE ADA KIDDING WITH THEIR SMOOTHIE RECIPE?

We know how deceitful the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has been about the negative impact of carbohydrates on the health of people suffering from both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. But did you catch this recipe posted on their web site for a Strawberry-Banana Smoothie? They have GOT to be kidding, right? Check out the nutritional content of this concoction:

Calories 130
Calories from Fat 5
Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 0mg
Total Carbohydrate 32g
Dietary Fiber 31g
Sugars 23g
Protein 1g
Exchanges 2 fruit

Did anyone else catch a MAJOR problem with those numbers? Aside from the fact that a diabetic has NO business at all eating a very high-sugar food like a banana, check out the dietary fiber content of this recipe--the ADA claims it has 31 grams. HUH?! If the total carbohydrates include all sugars and dietary fiber, then those two numbers should add up...but they don't! If you add 31g (dietary fiber) plus 23g (sugars), then your total carbs are ACTUALLY 54g per serving. And this recipe makes 2 servings, so ostensibly a diabetic could see this as a "healthy" recipe and consume both servings for a grand total of 108g total carbohydrate if indeed those numbers are accurate.

What is the ADA trying to hide keeping these actual totals hidden like this? Are they TRYING to make it look lower in carbohydrate than it really is so they don't freak out their well-educated and informed Internet readers who know carbs will make their blood sugar levels go haywire? What is the story with this very obvious mistake? Send your e-mail to them at AskADA@diabetes.org and ask what's up. Let me know if you hear back from them with an explanation. :)

DR. JONNY BOWDEN FEATURED IN NEW YORK TIMES STORY

Everybody's favorite health and nutrition expert Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of Living The Low-Carb Life and 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth, was featured this week in the New York Times in a story entitled "The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating." Jonny is quoted promoting these 11 foods that are PERFECT for your healthy low-carb lifestyle because of their powerhouse nutritional content, including cinnamon, sardines, and frozen blueberries. Don't forget you can meet Jonny in person on The 2nd Annual Low-Carb Cruise coming up in January 2009 and hear him speak about the subject of weight loss and health. He'll also be a special guest on my podcast show again coming up soon to talk about his other projects, including his latest recipe book called Healthiest Meals On Earth as well as his brand new Diet Boot Camp that's been 13 years in the making.

THE ROLE OF LDL PARTICLE SIZE ASSESSMENT (PDF file)

I recently shared in this blog post that my total cholesterol is 326 which includes an LDL cholesterol reading of 246. While this may shock a lot of people who still buy into the traditional cholesterol hypothesis (that number is diminishing more and more each day!), the fact of the matter is I am healthier with these numbers than someone like the late Tim Russert was at the time of his unexpected death. Why? This well-written article by Dr. Paul E. Lemanski, MD explains all about how LDL particle size is what is most important in assessing heart health.

The most interesting part of this two-page paper was when Dr. Lemanski noted that "individuals with triglycerides below 70 do not have small, dense LDL," the kind that are especially dangerous to cardiovascular health risk. These people have the large "fluffy" kind of protective LDL particle size that you want. Only those with triglycerides above 100 and HDL below 50 need to be concerned about having their LDL particle size measured. We need more doctors who are willing to talk about particle size rather than the total or LDL cholesterol number if we are ever gonna actually help people get healthier.

Dr. Lemanski noted that statin drugs, like Lipitor and Crestor, "do not change particle size appreciably." So it doesn't really do any good going on these drugs when you can remedy particle size problems through changes to a low-carb diet. Additionally, triglyceride therapies are needed when those exceed 150, but once again a low-carb nutritional approach can bring those numbers down below 100. Low triglyceride levels (below 100) and high HDL numbers (above 50) are two of the most effective ways to improve your cardiovascular health and both can be accomplished by livin' la vida low-carb. Why wouldn't you do that instead of taking a bunch of pills?

WEIGHT WATCHERS' "CORE" IS LOW-CARB, BUT ALSO LOW-FAT

One of the most popular diet programs in the world today is Weight Watchers. How in the world did they become so successful? They tapped into the community aspect of weight loss by bringing overweight people together in one place to share in their experiences as a group and to provide each other with the support they need to be the success they want to be. It's a good concept on paper. But it doesn't work for everybody.

A reader previously shared about how Weight Watcher publicly shamed her because SHE failed to lose weight on the low-fat, low-calorie diet advice they were pushing at her. It's no wonder how low-carb is so perfect for those who failed on Weight Watchers and why hearing the stories of low-carb success is so captivating for people who have been through the traditional Weight Watchers program.

And the people at Weight Watchers have been taking notice of this. That's why they created their program called "Weight Watchers Core." While this is indeed a low-carb option for people on Weight Watcher who need to be mindful of their carbohydrate intake, you can't help but notice all the low-fat crap they say you have to eat, too, that I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole: fat-free milk, fat-free cheese, fat-free sour cream, soy milk and cheese, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, and grains, cornmeal, rolled oats, puffed wheat, puffed rice, shredded wheat, and 100% bran cereals, "lean" meats, tofu, vegetarian burgers, fat-free salad dressings, fat-free margarine, fat-free mayonnaise, and popcorn--AAAAAACK! Make it stop! Make it stop!

If you wanna start livin' la vida low-carb, then just read Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution or Protein Power and do it! Keep attending your meetings if you are locked into an obligation to be there and show off your amazing weight loss totals. When they ask you how you do it, be sure to proudly say that you are consuming a healthy high-fat, low-carb diet. If the leaders keel over at that point in utter shock, then I think you will have made your point beautifully!

PBS INTERESTED IN AIRING LOW-CARB DOCUMENTARY

In early 2007, I shared with you about a new documentary film from an independent filmmaker named CJ Hunt called In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet. Hunt interviews all sorts of people in the world of diet and health including many low-carb researchers and activists you may know including Dr. Mike Eades, Dr. Barry Sears, Dr. Abby Bloch from the Atkins Foundation, Dr. Jay Wortman, Dr. Steve Phinney, Mrs. Veronica Atkins, Dr. Mary C. Vernon, Dr. Eric Westman, and MANY MANY more! It's quite a lineup and this film is now in post-production.

But the GOOD NEWS is CJ Hunt has received this letter of official interest from San Francisco's PBS station group led by KQED and they would like to share it with the 353 other stations in the PBS system to have them air this nationwide on PBS. How amazing would that be? CJ is hopeful this will be just what the film needs to secure the much-needed sponsorship and donations for the remaining completion funds.

Feel free to share this letter from PBS with any potential sponsors who you think might be interested in attaching their name to such a project. We saw what happened in Canada earlier this year when they aired a low-carb diet documentary on CBC-TV featuring low-carb researcher Dr. Jay Wortman and filmmaker Mary Bissell entitled My Big Fat Diet. The same experience could happen for In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet in the United States. I'll let you know if PBS seals the deal on airing this film. What an amazing opportunity!

THE TOP 10 CARBOHYDRATES FOR A "HEALTHY" DIET?

I know I shouldn't do this to myself, but I subscribe to a wide variety of diet and health publications online that offer varying viewpoints about what is considered healthy. Reading some of this stuff helps me solidify in my mind exactly what I believe and why I believe it. This article from ShapeFit extolling the virtues of consuming carbohydrates for weight loss was just a little too much for me, though.

This line alone was enough to make me nearly blow a gasket: "To lose body fat, you want to shoot for 150 g carbs/day, 150 g protein/day, and 75 g fat/day if you were the above person!" They were referring to a 200-pound individual with 25 percent body fat. I wonder how many carbs they'd recommend for a 350-pound man with 45 percent body fat?! Would they dare say 300 g carbs/day?! Sheeeeez!!!

Then you look at this list of the top ten carbs and it's the same stuff we always see. not all of it is bad, but most of it is:

10.) Brown rice (just because it's brown don't make it healthy!)

9.) Steel cut whole oatmeal (not going inside my body!)

8.) Quinoa (if I can't pronounce it, I ain't eatin' it!)

7.) Yams/sweet potatoes (Uhhh, no!)

6.) Winter squashes (not too bad, these are good!)

5.) Peas and Legumes (I don't eat beans or peas--too starchy!)

4.) Colorful fibrous veggies (again, not bad, but be choosy!)

3.) Super fruits (berries are amazing, but most other fruit is not!)

2.) Leafy green vegetables (this is the lifeblood of a low-carb diet!)

1.) Cruciferous vegetables (non-starchy veggies are truly the best!)

Yes, you want to eat some carbohydrates for their phytonutrient profile and nutritional impact on your body. But giving people the impression that they should be consuming triple-digit carb counts is irresponsible no matter how virtuous you make the carbs sound. Limiting your carb intake to double digits will make you healthier, more fit, and live longer than you ever would consuming a consistently triple-digit daily carbohydrate diet. There's no debating that based on all we know about carbs.

DR. JOHN BRIFFA PROMOTES LOW-CARB DIET FOR DIABETICS

In the UK, one of the leading voices on behalf of livin' la vida low-carb is Dr. John Briffa. It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is under constant attack from the medical and health establishment in that country for his positions in support of the low-carb diet for diabetics and the obese. In fact, one prominent health blog called NHS Blog Doctor has been relentlessly railing against Dr. Briffa over the past month in posts here, here, here, here, here, and here, just to name a few (I think this Dr. John Crippen must have some sort of man-crush on Dr. Briffa as much as he's writing about him!).

Despite these personal assaults against him, Dr. Briffa is still able to be an influential voice of reason in the health media in the UK as evidenced by this Business Day column highlighting the findings of the large-scale Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease study that found intensive treatment to lower blood sugar levels is a safe, effective way to reduce the serious complications of diabetes. This was the PERFECT response to the ridiculous ACCORD study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that warned diabetics AGAINST testing their blood sugars or else risk an increase in mortality rates.

Dr. Briffa breathed some sanity back into this discussion by stating the traditional diabetic diet of high-carb, low-fat "disruptive" foods just doesn't work to control blood sugars for diabetics. He adds that eating a diet low in carbohydrates and higher in vegetables and dietary fat will result in better control of this disease quite possibly without the need for medications. YES!!! THANK YOU Dr. Briffa for articulating what needs to be said.

I will be interviewing Dr. Briffa for my podcast show in the future when things settle down for him a bit. He's one of the most knowledgeable and articulate defenders of the healthy low-carb lifestyle across the pond and I'm grateful for the work he is doing there to help the British people suffering from weight and health ailments.

DIABETES/PRE-DIABETES NUMBERS JUMP TO 81 MILLION

Just two years ago I reported in this blog post that the number of Americans with diabetes or pre-diabetes totaled 73 million. But in just two years, that number has already jumped to 81 million, including a 5 million American increase in diagnosed cases of all types of diabetes, according to this CNN story.

Dr. Ann Albright from the Centers for Disease Control was lauding the fact that there was a 5 percent drop in the number of people who had diabetes and were unaware of it--dipping down to 25 percent from 30 percent. But in today's information-oriented society, there's no reason why people can't tell if they are dealing with blood sugar issues or not. Blood glucose monitors are readily available and diabetes care is quickly becoming a common health condition (although the way many doctors are treating it is out of whack!). Expect those numbers to continue to rise unless groups like the ADA takes their recommendation of livin' la vida low-carb to the next level. Expect that to happen within the next few years as diabetes rates keep rising!

AHA INTRODUCES THE "BETTER FAT SISTERS"

Do you remember those two stupid cartoon characters that the American Heart Association (AHA) created last year called Bad Fats Brothers? Sat and Trans (stands for saturated fat and trans fat) remind people of all the foods they are in and how much they'll "break your heart." Well, now the AHA has come out with a new set of characters Mon and Poly--aka the Better Fat Sisters. Get it? Mon for mono-unsaturated fat and Poly for polyunsaturated fat. Riiiiiiiight! These are supposedly the only healthy fats which is ridiculous since saturated fat isn't as bad for you as it has been made out to be by those brilliant minions at the AHA! And then to have Sally Squires from The Washington Post write this story about the Better Fat Sisters just puts this one over the top for me.

RESEARCHERS CHALLENGE ADA FOR SUPPORTING LOW-CARB

When the American Diabetes Association showed their support for low-carb diets in January 2008 just for weight loss up to one year, you had to know there would be some naysayers who are strongly in support of livin' la vida low-carb who realize this way of eating is more about blood sugar control than weight loss. And now it has happened.

This Diabetes Health column talks about a new study conducted by 24 doctors from around the world who say the ADA position of consuming a minimum of 130g carb daily is unreasonable for diabetics. This new "critical appraisal" of these recommendations is an effort to get the ADA and other diabetes health groups to rethink their position on low-fat, high-carb diets which usually lead to a pharmaceutical drug to handle the negative blood sugar/insulin response. YES! Here's hoping this leads to progress that will genuinely get the ADA to wake up to low-carb for diabetes control--and not just weight loss.

NEWSWEEK COLUMNIST BELLYACHES PARTY POOPER DIETERS

When I read this Newsweek magazine article, I couldn't help but laugh out loud because she was talking about people like ME! Of course, I disagree with her conclusions about how people on a diet that restricts their choice of foods leads to a drag on a summer party. Come on, don't put that onus on those of us who are choosing to live healthy lifestyles. ENJOY a good laugh with this one.

FAKE LOW-CARB CHEESECAKE RECIPE PROMOTED TO DIABETICS

Finally, after posting this cheesecake recipe on YouTube a couple of weeks ago, I was happy to see this Commercial Appeal story pushing a low-carb cheesecake recipe for people with diabetes. YEPPERS and it's red, white, and blue colored just in time to celebrate Independence Day. :D

Unfortunately, you'll notice the recipe calls for fat-free cream cheese, confectioner's sugar (WHAT?!!!), bran cereal crumbs for the crust (UGH!), fat-free yogurt...OH MY! Make appropriate full-fat, sugar-free substitutions and this one has promise. I just can't believe they're pushing this HIGH-CARB cheesecake as a "low-carb" cheesecake. Come on, where is the journalistic integrity?

Got a low-carb diet, health, or nutrition story to share with me? I'd love to hear it, so e-mail me the blog idea anytime to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS for reading and be sure to have a SUPER July 4th weekend!

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 132: Doug Kaufmann Says Fungus Responsible For Declining Health

Could this man have the answer to your weight and health problems?

When you think about obesity and health problems, generally the first place most physicians look at for dealing with these problems is a drug therapy. But what if the antibiotics that you consume are killing off the good bacteria inside of your body to fight the fungus that is eating away at you...LITERALLY! And what if the high-carb, low-fat diet that is so highly recommended is completely ineffective against these parasites that seek to destroy your health?

In Episode 132 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," we talk to a rather fascinating fungus expert named Doug Kaufmann from "Know The Cause" who believes the best way to bring your health into complete control is to limit your carbohydrates so you'll stop feeding the fungus that is at the root cause of diseases like cancer, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more. I'm sure you've never heard anything like this before, so hold on to your hats for some truly revolutionary ideas that could very well be the answer you need to address your health woes.

Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 132:

"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 132 [36:56m]: LISTEN NOW | Download

Doug Kaufmann may be on to something even bigger than a simple diet change. What if by default our healthy low-carb lifestyle is actually keeping fungus from growing and wreaking havoc on our bodies? Regardless of the reasons WHY you eat this way, the results are worth doing it for the rest of your life. You can hear the intense passion that Doug Kaufmann has for this issue and that he sincerely wants people to understand all the intricacies of the fungal connection to weight and health ailments.

Get cutting edge expert interviews like Doug Kaufmann anytime by:

1. Listening at the official web site
2. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
3. Subscribing to the RSS feed
4. Going to iTunes--Click here to subscribe!

He hit on so many topics, including cancer, statin drugs, Induction flu, and the fungal connection to virtually every health problem, but Doug Kaufmann really seems to know his stuff. What did you think about what he had to say regarding fungus and the healthy benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet for treating it? Share your thoughts in the show notes section of Episode 132. Be sure to visit KnowTheCause.com if you are interested in even more information about Doug and this one-of-a-kind topic.

Coming up next week, I'll be sharing my two-part interview with Drs. Mike & Mary Dan Eades from Protein Power fame. I saw them at the ASBP/Nutrition & Metabolism conference in Phoenix, AZ a couple of weeks ago and they were very kind to sit down with me for a 45-minute interview which you will hear on Monday and Thursday next week on "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." DON'T MISS IT! :)

Low-Carb Diet Craze Happily Continues On In 2008

I used to get a bit perturbed by that phrase "low-carb diet craze" because I thought it made those of us who believe in livin' la vida low-carb sound like a bunch of raving lunatics (well, not all of us are!). But the more I've thought about it, the better I've felt about the "craze" description because everywhere you turn somebody is saying SOMETHING about the low-carb lifestyle. Much of the time, especially in media accounts of this way of eating, it is the WRONG perspective, but at least they're still talking about it (despite claiming for the past four years that "low-carb" is dead).

Now that 2008 is here, the continued stories from people who are eating low-carb as well as news and commentary in the media and blogosphere have shown me that this "craze" is still just as strong as it has ever been. There's so much to share with you today that it's coming out my ears, so sit back and enjoy all this stuff I've found from over the past week about a diet that supposedly nobody does anymore. HA!

RESTAURANTS STILL CATERING TO LOW-CARB DIETERS

After blogging about how to eat low-carb when you go out to a restaurant last week, I was pleasantly surprised to read this Daily Press story about how several restaurants in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia (my old stomping grounds during graduate school) are specifically catering to the low-carb dieter. WOO HOO! Italian restaurants are allowing non-starchy vegetables to be substituted for the pasta and one restaurant is offering an appetizer of sauteed artichoke hearts. Mmmm mmmm! Somebody give those restaurants a pat on the back for not forsaking those of us who are still very mindful of our carbohydrate intake. WAY TO GO!

FORGET WEIGHT LOSS WILLPOWER, JUST GET COMMITTED

Here's an e-mail cry for help I received from a reader:

I am 47 years old and I find myself at 6’1” and 300 lbs, and barely able to fit into size 42 pants. I have battled being overweight all my life. About 15 years ago I went to a clinic called Nutribolic weight loss centers, and after a few months I had gotten down to 190 and lifting weights on a regular basis.

When I think back on the kind of things they had me eating (small portions of meat, cheese, and real butter) it struck me this was probably very Atkins-like. This was before I knew what Atkins was. All I know is that it was incredibly effective and I felt great!!! Now I look at myself and I am ashamed. I have set a horrible example for my kids and my wife and I can hardly stand the look of myself in the mirror in the morning.

I have tried the Atkins diet, but I only have enough willpower for a couple of weeks. I am in the food business, and spend a lot of time in restaurants. I always lose my willpower. When I attended Nutrabolic, you needed to weigh in twice a week with a counselor, and I think when I had that type of encouragement and personal contact I could stick with it.

Can you recommend any program that follows Atkins that has personal counselors that could help me? Maybe you can help me since it sounds like you have probably seen it all. I hope you can help. I’m desperate. Thank you.

Can I share with you a secret about weight loss--IT DOESN'T TAKE WILLPOWER! If you had willpower, then you wouldn't have gotten up to 300+ pounds in the first place. Instead, you need to have in your mind right now that you are going to have a
STEADFAST RESOLVE TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES no matter what. If you can be on the Atkins diet as outlined in his book Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution for two weeks, then you can do it forever. Don't give the excuse that you can't because YOU CAN!

I am very much in support of people finding support for their low-carb lifestyle. Unfortunately, there isn't a system set up where there is a low-carb friendly assistant in your local area. But I'm happy to help you stay encouraged and moving in the right direction which is what I try to do at my blog, podcast shows, and YouTube videos. But you should find someone who will support you in this. It will help you be successful. If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer to get you back into weight lifting again along with your low-carb lifestyle and you'll be back down to 190 pounds again by the end of the year! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Please don't ever give up!

MICHAEL POLLAN RANTS ABOUT THE DEMISE OF REAL FOOD

Just as Real Food author Nina Planck shared during my recent interview with her, I was pleased to see in this Bloomberg column information about a new book from Michael Pollan that expresses his concerns about what has happened to the genuine food in modern society. You'll recall I shared my review of his previous book The Omnivore's Dilemma that detailed some rather shocking information about the food supply we have today compared with our ancestors (NEWSFLASH: Big difference!).

Now he's got a new book that came out on January 1, 2008 called In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto which some are describing as a more condensed and targeted version of his bestselling Omnivore's Dilemma. I'm looking forward to reading this book and sharing my review of it here real soon. I'll possibly have an opportunity to interview Pollan, but his book tour schedule is so busy right now it may not happen quickly. If it can be done, it will be done. Stay tuned!

ATKINS BADMOUTHING HAPPENING DOWN IN AUSTRALIA

One of my readers from way down south in Australia e-mailed me about a radio station continuing to spread lies about the death of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins nearly five years ago. You'd think these people would have better things to do with their time than focus on how someone passed away so long ago, but the anti-Atkins contingent seems hellbent on continuing with their character assassination of this diet legend. Here's what the Aussie wrote to me in the e-mail:

Hi Jimmy,

I'm from Perth, Western Australia and thought you may be interested to know that the misconception of how Dr. Atkins died is still alive down under. On one of our radio stations this morning (92.9 with Em and Wippa) they were talking about the Atkins diet. I didn't catch the show but heard excerpts of it. Em said something like "but you need carbohydrates for energy" and Wippa said "you don't want to do Atkins considering Dr. Atkins died of a heart attack."

THANKS for letting us know about this nonsense being spread over the airwaves there and I encourage my Australian readers (and anyone else for that matter!) to contact the radio station to set them straight. The fact that these people feel like they need to attack a dead man just goes to show you the tremendous power and respect that Dr. Atkins commands over them because they know he was right! And that's what bothers them the most.

STRONG PROMOTION OF CARBS IS LAUDED AS "HEALTHY"

The carb-loving interest groups never stop with their propaganda about how "healthy" a high-carb diet allegedly is as we see in this Arizona Republic column that refers to carbs making a "comeback." Rice, pasta, and potatoes are promoted as virtuous in this column and low-carb diets are chided as a "fad" that was irrelevant since most people don't gain weight eating carbohydrates. Oh really? Then why are three out of four people overweight or obese, hmmmm? It couldn't have anything to do with that high-carb, low-fat diet that's been recommended all these years, eh? Share with the reporter Karen Fernau YOUR experience on the low-carb lifestyle by e-mailing her at karen.fernau@arizonarepublic.com.

YOU CAN'T DO ATKINS, YOU KNOW IT'LL GIVE YOU CANCER

Even after losing 180 pounds and proving to people how much better off my health is now than it was when I weighed 410 pounds, there are people who sincerely feel like I am damaging my health by continuing to follow the Atkins diet. That is just amazing to me because nobody even thinks twice about the health of someone losing triple digits on a high-carb, low-fat diet. Instead, they are loudly applauded for sticking to a diet of bean sprouts and tofu! EWWW!

Here's an e-mail someone sent to me warning me of future health dangers:

Jimmy,

Wow, it is wonderful that you have lost so much weight, you probably have added years to your life. But I would like to warn you that my sister also did the Atkins diet for years. She didn't do it for weight loss--well maybe to lose a few extra pounds and to maintain. My sister has never been overweight by no means but after many years of following the Atkins diet she was diagnosed at age 38 with cancer in her colon and she blames it on the red meats she ate for many years while being on the Atkins diet. My sister did both radiation and chemo treatment. She will soon be 43 years and now does the Makers Diet and feels great! I would please urge you to look into the Biblically-based Makers Diet.

I know this lady means well, but she's speaking too much from her heart and not at all from her head. If she does even a little bit of research, then she will not be able to locate any credible scientific evidence that points to any relationship between meat consumption and cancer. I'm sorry for her sister's cancer condition, but I doubt her "Atkins" diet was the cause (and I put quotations around that since I sincerely doubt she actually read the book).

Cancer research has become more and more focused on the role of diet in recent years as a means for both treatment and prevention. And what researchers are finding is that carbohydrates actually FEED cancer cells and make them grow. In other words, if you remove the carbs, then the cancer dies. It's as simple as that despite all the recommendations by the so-called health "experts" that you should eat a high-carb, low-fat diet. We've got it so bassackwards these days it's no wonder cancer is out of control.

As for The Maker's Diet, I haven't read that particular book. But I have read a similar one that's also based on the Bible called The Hallelujah Diet that highly touted the vegetarian lifestyle as the way God intended for man to follow. I even did a blog post asking the question, "Does The Bible Consider The Atkins Diet A Sin?" that received an enthusiastic response from my readers. This is a subject that has always fascinated me as a Christian because people think God doesn't want humans to eat meat. So, why did He give us dominion over the animals, hmmmm?

LOW-CARB DECLINE CORRELATES WITH BIRTH DEFECTS DROP?

Talk about stretching the imagination, have you seen this Winston-Salem Journal story that tries to show some sort of connection between a drop in the number of people who are livin' la vida low-carb and a dip in birth defects over that same time period? I kid you not, some idiot nonprofit agencies in North Carolina are making this claim and proudly, too.

They believe that because birth defects fell over the same time period that the popularity of low-carb diets weakened that it HAD to be the causal effect. Um, no it doesn't. This all circulates around the issue of folic acid and the fact that many whole grain products are fortified with folate. Thus, if you reduce your whole grain consumption on a low-carb diet, then you'll not get enough folic acid in your diet to ward off birth defects. Did you follow all that?

Of course, I've completely obliterated this argument against low-carb and it is the height of ignorance to try to pass off this ridiculous assertion that low-carb diets lead to more birth defects as is being promoted by these groups. Please end this kind of purposeful misinformation that serves only to cause alarm without telling people the truth. Express your concerns to the reporter of this column Richard Craver by e-mailing him at rcraver@wsjournal.com.

CONFUSED AND BEFUDDLED READER NEEDS DIRECTION

This one needs no introduction. ENJOY!

Hi Jimmy--

I hope you don't mind my intrusion on your life here, but I'm looking at going on a low-carb diet, and trying to figure out which one to go on is as confusing as trying to figure out which car to buy. You know: lease, buy new, buy used, buy vehicle after leasing. Atkins, Sugar Busters, Carb Wars, Carb Addicts, Zone: everyone has an opinion; everyone is convinced they're right and everyone else is wrong or misguided or playing with a diet that will kill them, plain and simple.

I tell you: it's stressful enough to get me eating another chocolate brownie. (Which, of course, is part of the problem.)

Anyway.

A friend recommended the Zone diet, on which he lost 50 pounds in 1 year and didn't even feel like he was dieting. (His doctor told him it was not a matter of "if" he became diabetic and had a heart attack, it was only a matter of "when".) He ate protein, veggies and fruit everyday. No ice cream. (Or chocolate brownies.) He recommended "A Week in the Zone" but it's out of print. (And I'm wary of online used-book sellers.) Then he said "The Top 100 Zone foods" but it's also out of print.

I read "The Zone" by Dr. Barry Sears eons ago, and I don't remember much except thinking "How do you eat when you're on this diet? Like, can't I just be given some recipes and a week of menus that I can wrap my head around?" Granted, maybe that was all in the book and I missed it. Or I'm forgetting it. (It wasn't a great time in my life, as I recall.)

So then I hear "Forget Zone, it's just a watered-down version of Atkins. Do Atkins." So I go to Amazon. We have "Atkins for Life", which several reviewers suggested was not the best book to begin with. They recommend "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" of which there is the "Revised edition" from Sept 25, 2003; the "Revised Diet Package" dating from Sept 25, 2002; and then finally (I think) there's the Diet Revolution dating from December 4, 2001. Okay, I've checked again, and I see no other in-print editions of that book. Then I hear that I never eat vegetables on Atkins, and I never have to exercise or take any kind of nutritional supplement.

But then I read that I do need to exercise, and I will eat plenty of vegetables, and I will need "supplements." Splenda is perfectly safe to eat. Or it isn't; the jury is still out on it. Pass me another chocolate brownie, would you please?

So, maybe you can help. Please help demystify it all for me. Please. If I'm going to eat Atkins (and I don't want to eat a whole bunch of low-carb bread, and low-carb chocolate bars and so on) which edition of which book title should I start with? Since we all know that Atkins is a killer (and I don't want to eat steak everyday: I actually really don't like steak all that much, I'd rather have pot roast or stew), and I like eating vegetables (I really like raw carrots and I'm sad that they're going to kill me because they have carbohydrates in them) and I'm not a fan of fiber replacement products (sorry, don't know what else to call them), which edition of Zone would be good to use to get started eating?

Honestly, I don't need to read 100 pages about human physiology and about insulin and carbohydrates to have someone tell me how to plan a meal and give me some decent sample menus. I will be grateful for any guidance you can offer. I am pushing 50 years old and am afraid to step on the scale. I bought pants at the end of 2007, and I am up 2 pant sizes since I went clothes shopping in 2006. It's not my weight that bothers me: it's my size. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said "If it jiggles when you move, it's not muscle." A lot of me jiggles when I move. I must make change.

Does anyone know what Gary Taubes eats? Thanks again, in advance, for any guidance you can offer.

This is the perfect example of somebody who's thinking too much about this. Pick a plan, follow that plan exactly as the author prescribes, and then execute it. If you discover along the way that the plan doesn't fit your life, then go to another one. But the worst thing you can do is worry about this and that and everything in between. That's why so many people get frustrated and discouraged in their quest to lose weight and get healthy. They think it's too confusing. But a lot of that is brought on ourselves because we are unwilling to just find a plan and stick to it. That's what this man needs to do.

DELTA AIRLINES NOW OFFERING LOW-CARB SIDE ITEMS?

My friend, fellow author and blogger Judy Barnes Baker reported at her "Carb Wars" blog that Delta Airlines is now offering some low-carb side item choices while serving in-flight meals. AWESOME!!! She discovered this pleasant news when her husband was flying back from an international business trip recently and they were serving mashed cauliflower (here's a post with the recipe about how you can make it at home). WHOA! Another meal featured a side of spaghetti squash. SUPER!

Judy, who wrote an outstanding low-carb cookbook called CARB WARS: Sugar Is The New Fat last year, summarized her thoughts about this new development with Delta's menu choices in a way I think we'll all agree with.

"I find it very encouraging that this airline is making an effort to accommodate those of us who prefer an alternative to potatoes, rice, and pasta. And who would be better served than an airline by helping their passengers control their weight?"

Couldn't have said it better myself, Judy! :)

JOIN DISCOVERY HEALTH'S NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE 2008

This year, Discovery Health has made its own resolution: To help Americans achieve their health and fitness goals. National Body Challenge 2008 is a comprehensive fitness and weight loss challenge that provides the tools to get in shape and lead a healthier lifestyle. Registration is absolutely free, and includes an 8-week trial membership to Bally Total Fitness. Much of this campaign happens online with a thousand recipes, customized meal plans, a progress tracker, expert tips and advice, games and quizzes, and a discussion forum. I'm not sure how low-carb any of the recipes or advice will be, but I'm all for people finding support for their healthy lifestyle change. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

NUTRITIONIST SAYS ATKINS DIET FAILS IN THE LONG-TERM

If you've read my blog for a while, then you know what I think about a lot of nutritionists these days. Just in case you haven't seen my response to one before, you can read a few examples of them here, here, here, and you definitely don't wanna miss here. Yes, I have fun with dietitians and nutrition "experts" because they are fully convinced the Atkins diet is destroying your health--until I shine the light of truth on their hyperbolic accusations.

Such is the case with this Houston Chronicle column featuring--WHAT ELSE?--the opinions of a nutritionist about what she thinks of diets. Here's what University of Texas Medical School dietitian Carol Wolin-Riklin had to say about the Atkins diet:

"Typically people can't stick to these diets long term. And that's why the rates in the scientific literature are that 90 to 95 percent of the time, diets don't work, or they work short term. You know, if we knew what to do (with dieting), there wouldn't be a multibillion dollar weight-loss industry. Diets are just very difficult. The weight loss can be positive, but it's often fleeting, and when the weight comes back on, it usually comes back on plus extra pounds. So success eludes most people."

Why is it ALWAYS presumed that people who follow a diet like Atkins is gonna gain the weight back? I've never understood that commonly-held belief that it NEVER really works and that you will gain back the weight and then some. Sure, I know it happens, but it didn't happen to me after I lost 180 pounds in 2004. Aren't these self-proclaimed diet experts even curious in the least about how I was able to beat such incredible odds and keep the weight off for good? One would think.

The fact is low-carb is a permanent weight loss solution and it is proven by my own low-carb success story. This is gonna sound mean, but I don't intend for it to be. It's just the truth. If the Atkins diet didn't work, then look in the mirror for the reason why. You've got to make this a permanent lifelong way of eating or it won't work. This is the central message that is too often missed by the professionals who are supposed to be helping people in their pursuit of getting healthy. Somebody is dropping the ball on this one!

HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIM EATS FAT TO IMPROVE HEALTH

Stress can do so many things to your weight and health that I could not imagine what life was like for all the many victims of Hurricane Katrina from a couple years back. Today I have one who shared a positive story about what happened to him after he started up on a low-carb diet done the RIGHT way. Here's what he wrote:

Hey there. I just happened across your blog and wanted to tell you of my experience. About 2 years ago I tried low-carb and did fantastically. I'm 50 (48 then) and had just gone through Hurricane Katrina and had packed on even MORE pounds. I'm 5'9 and weighed 245 before Katrina, hit 275 afterwards due to stress and lots of boxed foods, lost down to 230, and now am back up again.

The key for me seems to be that if I try to stick to low-carb, low-fat with veggies in bulk I GAIN. Not a little, huge honking amounts. I am tired, cranky, can't eat a meal without sleeping two hours afterwards--NOT a good life for the single parent of an autistic child who takes loads of care.

I had read about coconut oil and bought some, but never tried it until recently ran out of my regular corn oil. One meal cooked with the coconut and I felt BETTER. Didn't want to eat as much and definitely cut the carb cravings. I figured out how to make coconut mayo and coconut butter mix (1/3 coconut oil, 1/3 butter, 1/3 buttermilk). Today, I was starved. Ended up using the mayo with about 2 oz cheese as a dip.

To make a long story short, this was the first day in 2 years that I didn't take an early evening nap. I ate a great dinner--broccoli and hot and sour soup, homemade--and I just flat out feel BETTER. After reading your blog I'm convinced I've been short-selling myself on the meals in the name of dieting, and eating all the "right" things that the doctors say, but I swear to you they DO NOT WORK.

Where will I be in a year? hopefully 100 pounds lighter, but definitely I will be on a high-fat, low carb diet. Even if I do not lose a single pound--I FEEL so much better. I never, ever would have believed it. Thanks for listening.

If you could see me right now, I'm grinning from ear to ear! I just LOVED this e-mail because it once again hammers home the important lesson that livin' la vida low-carb is only effective when it is accompanied by ample fat consumption that serves as your fuel in the absence of carbohydrates. You don't mix low-carb with low-fat because that's a recipe for disaster to your health as we discovered is happening with people following the Kimkins diet scam.

As for coconut oil, I've blogged about how it is great for weight loss and this reader confirms that it makes you feel better, too. I personally use Nutiva brand coconut oil and buy it in the big one-gallon buckets. It's more economical and this stuff keeps for a very long time. I cook with it and eat it straight up as a supplement--YUMMY! I'll have to look into making my own mayo and dips. COOL!

HEART DISEASE BLOG LAUDS ATKINS DIET FOR HEALTH

I've always said the science is what is going to convince intellectual people that livin' la vida low-carb is a viable alternative to the low-fat diets. And that's what we see in this About.com Heart Disease blog column that looks at the status of the low-carb diet in 2008. You know this is making About.com Low-Carb Diets blog author Laura Dolson very happy to hear and I suspect she may have played a role in convincing Dr. Richard Fogoros to look at the studies and decide for himself. Very encouraging news indeed to start the new year!

DOCTOR "ACCIDENTALLY" STARTS LOW-CARB, IMPROVES HEALTH

If only this scenario would repeat itself exponentially...

Dear Jimmy,

First, I'd like to thank you for your blog. It has been a wealth of information for me--and very entertaining. Allow me to introduce myself. I am a physician (pathologist), who stumbled onto low-carb sort of accidentally. My wife had read and recommended to me the book SUGAR SHOCK! I read it also, and thought I would try to eliminate sugar--but simultaneously decided to increase the fat in my diet (replace the calories in sugar and simple carbs).

I was startled at how much better I felt the very day I made the switch. Because I felt so much better, I decided to continue the changes, progressively decreasing the carbohydrates, and increasing the fat. I was also surprised when I spontaneously lost 10 pounds (I didn't have much to lose), my blood pressure dropped, an inflammatory skin condition that I have had for years cleared up (sebhorreic dermatitis), and recurrent canker sores that I have suffered from cleared up.

As a physician, I was trained to be somewhat skeptical of dietary treatment of physical conditions, especially diets that claim to solve multiple problems but I cannot deny the changes in myself or others that I have observed following a low-carb diet. Since then I have tried to follow the research of low carbohydrate diets on diseases of civilization. I have read Gary Taubes GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES book and consider it a masterpiece.

One doctor down, 150,000 more to go!

HOUSTON CHRONICLE JOURNALIST IS A LOW-CARBER!

Hey, you know how much I like to rib many of the people who report on the Atkins low-carb diet in the media because they generally get it wrong (I did it locally with my newspaper when they trashed low-carb and it ended up leading to a feature story on my Atkins diet weight loss success). Well look at this Houston Chronicle column from a man named Ken Hoffman. Check out what he says at the beginning of paragraph six:

"I know low-carb people (and by that, I'm talking about me)..."

Yep, you heard him right! He's livin' la vida low-carb, baby, and it's good to know that someone who is actually eating this way writes for such a major American newspaper. Let's send Ken a whole buncha encouraging notes congratulating him on choosing the healthy low-carb lifestyle and to keep up the great work. His e-mail address is ken.hoffman@chron.com.

HEALTHY EATING REALLY IS MORE EXPENSIVE

Okay, so we get confirmation in this New York Times piece that eating healthy actually does cost more money than eating a junk diet. No shocking news to me! But what does it really mean? Does it depend on which diet you are following as my fellow blogger Amy Dungan from the "Healthy Low-Carb Living" blog shared in this recent column?

Poverty does not automatically mean pudginess and obesity hits both rich and poor, so you can't really blame being fat on your lack of wealth. But it is a worthy debate for discussion about whether there should be incentives or something given to encourage people to make the better food choices rather than gravitating to that 99-cent package of potato chips. What do you think?

THE MOST OBJECTIVE DEFENSE FOR LOW-CARB EVER

I realize my enthusiasm for the low-carb lifestyle is much greater than that of most people because of the tremendous turnaround in my weight and health it produced. But I've found someone who doesn't really have a dog in this hunt, but has come up with a list of reason for choosing low-carb for the sake of your weight and health. It's from a Type 2 diabetic named Jenny and she posted this instant classic blog post entitled "Safe Low-Carb Dieting For Weight Loss" at her "Diabetes Update" blog. You'll probably end up printing this one out and sharing it with everyone you know. IT'S THAT GOOD!

Sorry this was so much news in one post, but it's piling up quickly here in the early days of 2008. I try to keep on top of things, but sometimes it's a challenge. But so many of you help me by sharing information you have seen about livin' la vida low-carb and I appreciate that very much. Please continue to pass on anything of interest to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS!

Eating Fat For Health Back In Vogue Thanks To 'Good Calories, Bad Calories'

Sometimes it takes a singular event to shake people back into reality when the lines between fact and fiction become blurry and unclear. That's precisely what has happened in the last six weeks since the hottest health book of the year Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes was released to the public with all the unconventional, counterintuitive information contain therein that was gathered from more than five years worth of research. And the evidence is speaking for itself as people are finally being told the truth about carbohydrate restriction and how eating fat, even saturated fat, is indeed an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

Best of all, real lives are being changed for the better because of this remarkable new book. Take a look at the following e-mail I received from a reader whose shared how her life was forever changed for the better as a result of reading Taubes' masterpiece. Here's what she wrote to me in her e-mail:

Dear Jimmy,

I have never written on a blog or to a blogger before in my life. But, as I recently found your blog site and have been reading through your posts, I wanted to share my story with you.

I have ALWAYS bought into the low-fat hype as gospel, ever since I was 19 and went through a depressed period in my life that caused me to develop anorexia. Now, granted, most people don't take the low-fat diet to that extreme (I am 5'4" and at my LOWEST was 85 pounds!), but the bottom line is that because I was combining such a low calorie/low fat diet with obsessive exercise, it was relatively easy for me to lose weight and keep it off. Of course I use the term 'easy' in the loosest definition imaginable. I was starving myself to death because of emotional issues - trying to stay healthy was the furthest thing from my mind.

It didn't help that my family is made up of emotional eaters - my mother and two of my sisters are very overweight and my other sister is like me - starving herself to stay in control of her life.

Even later, through my early to mid-twenties as my weight stabilized around 105 to 110 or so, I was able to stay at that weight while eating extremely low fat/high carb food. But, again, I was physically hungry all the time, not to mention pretty NUTS - planning out my meals by the minute, counting calories obsessively, refusing to let even a sliver of anything that might have fat in it past my lips. I thought if I didn't make it to the gym on a particular day, I would surely wind up gaining weight.

As I got older, I was able to work through a lot of my issues regarding food (although I was still a control freak about it) and even gained enough weight to be considered pretty normal looking. I got married and had my son (thank GOD my body recovered from the abuse I put it through in order to be able to carry my baby.) But, still even after having him, I was able to lose the weight pretty quickly with a low fat diet. Still obsessing over whatever I put into my mouth, though. Still angry with myself if I couldn't exercise every day and avoid gaining weight from the tiny sliver of pie I might have allowed myself the night before.

Now, I am 33 and divorced and for the first time in my life, I was suddenly having difficulties with my weight (like, I am up to 127 - the horror!). So alarming for someone like me - who has remained in strict control of my weight and my life for so long. I had recently starting dating (and cooking) for someone I cared about tremendously and I realized that my diet had changed dramatically to include many more carbs than I was used to eating on my own. You know the way to a man's heart is his stomach, right? :-)

My mother sent me an e-mail a few weeks ago about the Gary Taubes book. At first, I dismissed it - the whole idea about it was so crazy - eat a lot of fat to get skinny? Aerobic exercise is meaningless for weigh loss? I would be challenging the very foundations of my identity by even entertaining these notions. But, whether it was my recent inability to lose weight or just the timing - I bought the book to check it out.

I started reading everything I could about Taubes and his opinions and his research. And, it was like someone suddenly pointing out to me that the only reason I thought the sky was blue was because everyone on TV and in magazines and on the radio was telling you so. There was actually a good possibility that it was green. It was literally blowing my mind to think that I (and most of the health gurus) had been totally wrong. That all this low fat stuff was based on shoddy research and corporate agendas. And, as I read through the book IT MADE SENSE.

I started eating the low carb/high fat way (which was REALLY REALLY hard for me....) a few weeks ago. And, I feel better than I have in months. But, although I have not lost a tremendous amount of weight (I feel slimmer due to the water weight, definitely), probably because I really don't have a lot to lose to get to my ideal weight, I no longer feel like a slave to my emotional food demons. Or to the gym. Yeah, now I have to worry about carbs a bit - but the food I am eating is real, solid, satisfying food. I am no longer hungry - physically or emotionally. And, the more I read about Taubes and his research (and related research by others), the more confident I am that I am doing what is good for my health, too.

My point is that if someone who was as crazy and obsessed about the low fat/high carb diet dogma as I was can change their ways, then ANYBODY can do it. Please share my story on your site as you see fit and feel free to respond! As an avid writer and recent low carb convert, I think your forum is phenomenal.

This is the kind of transformational story you WON'T be hearing about in the mainstream press. But this woman is merely one example of how Good Calories, Bad Calories is changing the way people think about what a healthy diet really is. If the past three decades has taught us anything, then it should be that fat-phobia is indeed foolish. Fat is your best friend and it is the excessive amount of refined and even those highly-touted whole grain carbohydrates that you should be leery of. That's the clear-cut message that Gary Taubes delivers throughout his book.

I've been keeping you up-to-date on all the latest news regarding Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories book and you can access those previous posts by clicking here. There's still so much happening with the book that it's time to give you yet another update about what's going on. ENJOY!

TAUBES RESPONDS TO 'CLASSIC JUNK SCIENCE' STUDY ON GLYCEMIC INDEX

Examples of the kind of bad research that Gary Taubes wrote about in his book abound and actually are easier to identify now. Take this Junkfood Science blog post about a so-called "study" on the glycemic index and diabetes. One of my readers was very concerned that the conclusions made about consuming carbohydrates ran directly counter to what Taubes wrote in Good Calories, Bad Calories. But leave it to Gary Taubes to explain why studies like this one published in scientific journals are bogus. Here's his analysis of the study:

It's an association study. They measure glycemic index of the foods people ate and follow them for however many years. Such studies tell you nothing about cause. (See my recent NYT Magazine article "Unhealthy Science.")

In this case, for instance, if people who were constitutionally predisposed to gain weight, who will also have an increased tendency to become diabetic, altered their eating habits to maintain their weights -- say, they ate less white bread, drank less beer, etc. -- then this would "confound" the results because the study would identify these people as eating the lower glycemic index foods and yet being more likely to become diabetic.

The problem with all such studies is that if there is any self-selection involved -- and diet is all about self-selection -- and if the self-selection is related to the endpoint being studied -- in this case diabetes -- then the results you get will be impossible to interpret. These people interpret them to fit their preconceptions, and that's classic junk science.

The only way to establish whether sugar or high glycemic index carbs cause diabetes is to do a randomized controlled trial. Take a few thousand people, randomize half of them to a low carb, low sugar diet, tell the other half to continue eating the massive amount of carbs (150-odd pounds of sugar a year, etc.) they're already eating, and follow them for say a half dozen years and see which group has more diabetes. They should fund such a trial to find out the results.

If health and weight management are the true objectives of those researching dietary concepts like carbohydrate consumption and the glycemic index, then why wouldn't they want to fund such randomized, controlled trials as Taubes has suggested? Unless those things don't take precedence and maybe protecting the financial interests of big corporations does...hmmmm?

AUDIO OR ABRIDGED VERSION OF 'GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES' COMING

Many of you have asked about an audio version as well as a more reader-friendly version of Good Calories, Bad Calories to share with your friends and family members who are more likely to check it out in these formats. So far the publisher Knopf, a division of Random House Publishers, has not indicated that either of these is forthcoming anytime soon. But if the book performs well during the upcoming holiday season and shows sustained sales into the new year, then perhaps an audio book will be in order.

Keep in mind that would be one long audio book since Good Calories, Bad Calories is still about 400 pages even after you remove the references. So an abridged version of the audio would be warranted. The greater likelihood is that a paperback and even a mass paperback version of the book will be released about one year from now that will reduce the size of the book to expose its message to a broader audience. When you see this happen, then all of us should start gobbling up copies and distribute them to everyone we know who has weight and health problems.

DR. EADES APPLAUDS TAUBES' RESPONSE TO KOLATA CRITICISM

In my previous Taubes updates, I shared with you a critical review that Taubes' fellow New York Times journalist colleague Gina Kolata had to share about Good Calories, Bad Calories. Let's just say she wasn't impressed. Taubes then responded to this negative criticism which was again tersely answered by Kolata, who has her own self-interests to look after regarding the diet hypothesis she put forth in her book Rethinking Thin.

Respected nutrition expert and Protein Power author Dr. Mike Eades was pleased with Taubes' response to Kolata and added a few more observations of his own as only he can. Dr. Eades was not at all pleased that the New York Times allowed Kolata another opportunity to slam Taubes and didn't pull any punches about it either:

Gary should have been allowed his rebuttal without her refutation of his rebuttal. That would have been equal time for all, with her getting four times the space that Gary did. But that’s not the way the media works when one of their own is attacked. Nor is it the way the media works in general when one of its shibboleths - in this case, the idea that carbs may be unhealthful - is under attack.

Keep spreading the truth, Dr. Eades! We need strong voices like yours to break through loud and clear for these imbeciles to wake up and listen!

CAN I HAVE SOME WINE WITH MY HIGH-FAT, LOW-CARB DIET?

The best part about a book like Good Calories, Bad Calories being released to the general public is it fosters an open discussion of livin' la vida low-carb in the form of some very intriguing questions. Here's an example of that in an e-mail I received from a reader:

I just finished Gary Taubes book, Good Calorie-Bad Calories; I now know more than I ever wanted to know about the history of diets but still don't know if you can have a glass of wine or not or if he thinks one should use lard instead of butter as he said on Larry King. After all that reading I guess I'm back to the South Beach thing....wish I knew his email address! Or maybe you could answer my question.

While I don't pretend to speak for Gary Taubes, I did feel confident about what he would say regarding this inquiry. Here was my response:

THANKS for writing! If you'd like an occasional glass of wine and your blood sugar can remain stable from it so you are not producing high levels of insulin, then I'm sure Gary Taubes would tell you it is okay to drink it. It's all about finding how much your body can tolerate so you reduce insulin production which is at the heart of obesity and disease.

As for fat, butter and lard are both excellent ones for cooking as is coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, and others. Just stay away from margarine and other low-fat substitutes because they don't provide your body any nutritional benefit.

THANK YOU again for your e-mail! And pick up GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES to find out more about what Gary Taubes has been talking about.

Remember that drinking alcohol stops the fat-burning process because it has to be burned up just like carbohydrates do. For more information on why fat is healthy, check out this blog post I compiled about the subject.

MORE SNIPPETS FROM TAUBES' 'LARRY KING LIVE' INTERVIEW NOW ONLINE

Ever since Gary Taubes appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" show a few weeks back, people who missed it have been clamoring to see the video. I released this segment featuring Dr. Andrew Weil endorsing Good Calories, Bad Calories on YouTube, but CNN had been slow to post any video of the interview.

Now they have about 17 minutes of snippets from the show you can watch by clicking here. Again, this was not the totality of the show, but a pretty good representation of what transpired. Dr. Mehmet Oz shows his arrogance, Joy Behar exhibits her ignorance, and "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels exudes her intolerance of ideas that run counter to her own.

Whether you've seen the "Larry King" interview or not, you'll DEFINITELY want to watch this again to see what we're up against challenging the conventional wisdom. The status quo hates it!

TAUBES CALMS CONCERNS OF DISTRAUGHT READER OVER CANCER STUDY

Another example of alarmist research regarding cancer was recently released that had one of my readers who started livin' la vida low-carb last year in a tizzy. It was about the subject of cancer, something I've blogged about how changes in the diet may help with as has Gary Taubes in his book. Here's what my reader wrote:

Hi Jimmy,

Love your blog! A low carber by need myself (I follow Dr. Berstein's program since being diagnosed as a diabetic last March), I have to defend myself often from ignorant (misinformed) people who just don't believe that low-carb is healthy. Using Gary Taubes' masterpiece to back me up I have recently started 'educating' my surroundings a bit more strongly.

Today however, I am faced with the publication of the latest report on Diet and Cancer by the World Cancer Research Fund going against red meat, salt, energy dense foods (fat isn't mentioned explicitly but implied) and pro-exercise.

It would be great if Gary Taubes could comment on this report, as it seems to contradict his findings partially and is IMHO another piece of bad science. As I am not able to reach Gary, and I'm pretty sure you can: Could you ask him if he plans to comment (and post it if he does)?

As a matter of fact, he did have a comment about this study to share:

The report is typically disheartening. First, it concludes that excess fat is the primary risk factor for cancer, but then goes back to the 1900s to say that the cause of excessive fat is nothing more than eating too much or sedentary behavior.

It actually does talk about the role of insulin and insulin-like growth factor in cancer formation, a major step forward, but then comes down only on red and processed meat based on the same kind of meaningless observation studies I discussed in my recent NY Times Magazine article.

In fact, clinical trials have been done to test the hypothesis that eating more fiber or fruits and vegetables and less meat has any ability to prevent colon cancer -- the cancer that these experts say red meat causes -- and the trials have shown no effect.

So these experts ignore the clinical trials and instead focus on the observational studies. By not raising the role of insulin in fat accumulation, the report manages to do an excellent job of avoiding an explanation that would cover all their evidence. Instead, it's just more of the usual.

Insulin is credited with a role in cancer formation, but the carbohydrates that elevate insulin are not considered cancer-causing (although, of course, foods with dietary fiber are considered potentially cancer-preventing). Excess fat is credited with a fundamental role in cancer, but the insulin that causes us to accumulate excess fat is not discussed and so it's all about calories.

It's probably worth noticing that the authors are the usual suspects in this business and the report matches up well with the preconceptions they've had since the 1980s.

You hate to say FOLLOW THE MONEY when it comes to dietary research, but that seems to be where we are at right now in the oftentimes dicey world of bad science.

OTTAWA CITIZEN PRESENTS AN INTERESTING TIMELINE ABOUT FAT

Have you ever wondered why we got to be so fearful of fat in the first place? Well, take a trip down memory lane with a history lesson on dietary fat by reading this brilliant timeline published in the Ottawa Citizen explaining the evolution that has taken place since the 1960's. From the introduction of margarine as a replacement for butter to the trumpeting of omega-3 fats in 2007, this is one column you won't want to miss. Taubes' book is listed as part of the change in mindset regarding fat consumption.

NPR'S 'SCIENCE FRIDAY' PROGRAM INTERVIEWS GARY TAUBES

Gary Taubes was given an opportunity recently to appear on NPR's "Science Friday" with host Ira Flatow to talk about his book Good Calories, Bad Calories. Appearing on the program with Taubes was Dr. Robert Krauss from the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California. You'll recall I highlighted this study by Dr. Krauss regarding how low-carb is beneficial to cholesterol. In my previous blog interview with Taubes a few months ago, he described Dr. Krauss as "one of the smarter scientists in the metabolism field."

My favorite part of this interview on "Science Friday," which you can hear by clicking on the play button at the program link, is when Taubes rather bluntly stated "you need to eat carbs to get fat." I never really thought about that before, but there's a lot of truth in that statement since carbohydrates are the root cause of obesity and disease for so many people. Listen to the entire interview and smile if you're livin' la vida low-carb!

BRYANT STAMFORD DOES A HATCHET JOB ON 'GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES'

There are certain people who have access to a newspaper column and use that power they have been given to spread their absolute disgust and disdain for anything positive related to the healthy low-carb lifestyle. One such person is Bryant Stamford whose "Body Shop" column appears in the Louisville, KY-based Courier-Journal newspaper. I've previously blogged about his anti-Atkins drivel here and here.

Now he's at it again with this recent column where he attempts to discredit and rip apart Good Calories, Bad Calories bit by bit. In fact, Stamford hates low-carb so much that he doesn't even mention the name of the book in the first of a two-part column. He again repeated his ridiculous claim that this way of eating failed because people are now fatter than they've ever been. Um, then why isn't it the fault of the low-fat diet recommendations that have been hammered down our throats for three decades, Mr. Stamford? I can hardly wait for part two of this column--NOT!

Tell Bryant Stamford what you think about his idiocy regarding livin' la vida low-carb by sending him an e-mail at stamford@hanover.edu.

ANTHONY COLPO TAKES ON GARY TAUBES REGARDING HIS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Of all the people in the world who would oppose the concepts of Good Calories, Bad Calories, one person you would not name is Australian independent researcher Anthony Colpo. Once an ardent supporter of livin' la vida low-carb and the creator of an outstanding low-carb bodybuilders forum, Colpo's views have noticeably shifted this year as he moves away from the "metabolic advantage" that happens with a controlled-carbohydrate nutritional approach.

In light of that, it's probably not surprising that Colpo would make some strong statements against the new Taubes book at his forum. One of the members there asked Colpo what he thought about Good Calories, Bad Calories and Colpo responded in typical fashion from him:

"If Taubes' message is that the current obesity epidemic is not due to insufficient activity and/or excessive calories, but simply due to high carbohydrate consumption, then his message is complete bullsh*t."

There are at least 10 pages of comments discussing the book, although most of the people, including Colpo, have NOT read the book. READ THE BOOK, people, before making comments based on your own preconceived notions of what you think the book says. You'll save yourself a lot of embarrassment over a lack of knowledge. I'll be blogging more about Colpo's change of position on low-carb in a future post. Stay tuned!

THE FAT IS GOOD MESSAGE IS FINALLY GETTING OUT

I wanted to share an example of how the message presented in Good Calories, Bad Calories is now helping to shape the discussion regarding dietary fat, especially saturated fat. Once thought of as the great evil nemesis that leads to heart disease, Gary Taubes has opened a lot of eyes with what he uncovered in his research about saturated fat and it is making an impact on some popular diet and health media outlets.

Check out this Men's Health column entitled "What if Bad Fat Is Actually Good for You?" by Nina Teicholz. Absolutely, positively INCREDIBLE!!! You wouldn't have seen this kind of column in the 1980's or 1990's with people like Dr. Dean Ornish or Susan Powter out there claiming fat is why you're fat. Those days are becoming ancient history! Taubes' book is merely the beginning of the end for the low-fat lie.

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER DISCUSSION OF 'GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES' CONTINUES

Finally, you are invited to get in on the conversation about Good Calories, Bad Calories that we are having over at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Discussion" forum right now. In this chapter-by-chapter discussion, led by my intelligent and enthusiastic moderator Charles Washington, the members there are able to talk about what they learned in each chapter. So far we have covered the Prologue and Chapter 1. This week we'll be moving to Chapter 2 as we continue looking at each chapter one week at a time until we're finished. Won't you join us?

We'll keep updating you on a lot more news about Gary Taubes and his book Good Calories, Bad Calories as it continues to make a difference in the lives of doctors, nutritionists, and patients who are looking for a way to manage weight and health.