A Collection Of Low-Carb News To Kick Off 2008

It's the dawn of a new year, but low-carb hasn't slowed a bit!

Waving goodbye to the end of another year simply means it's time to say hello to a new beginning as the calendar year turns over yet again. While 2007 was indeed a year to remember, I'm so looking forward to 2008 and all that awaits people who are contemplating, in the midst of, or head over heels about the amazingly healthy low-carb lifestyle.

Good things are happening all the time and it is always a pleasure to share with you the very latest in the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb. My commitment to you is to keep doing this in the new year so you'll always stay ahead of the game. In fact, I'm happy to share with you a collection of positive low-carb news right now to help kick off your 2008 the right way. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

BREAST CANCER MADE WORSE BY HIGH INSULIN LEVELS

I've shared with you many times over the past few years how researchers are beginning to see an unmistakable connection between the prevalence and growth of cancer tied to the existence of high levels of insulin in the body. Most notably was this Time magazine article on German researchers using a high-fat, low-carb diet to combat cancer in the most dire of patients with astounding results.

Now researchers out of Yale University have found that women with high levels of insulin in their body are likely to develop breast cancer. Although the lead researcher Dr. Melinda Irwin recommends "exercise and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat," what they need more than anything is a sugar-free, low-carb diet rich in healthy amounts of fat, including saturated fat, to combat and prevent this disease.

The problem I have always had with generalized recommendations from people like Dr. Irwin who say we should "eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with a low-fat diet" is that it is not backed up by the latest published research and in my opinion is simply a copout for providing guidance about which foods are better. Not all vegetables are good for you (potatoes and other starchy ones especially) and neither are all fruits (bananas alone have 29g carbohydrate in them!).

It's nice to see the research is finally showing the detrimental role that insulin is doing to our health brought on by a high-carb diet, but it's high time we start matching up our dietary recommendations to adequately take on these health challenges properly. Share your comments and concerns with Dr. Melinda Irwin about her study by e-mailing her at melinda.irwin@yale.edu.

IS THERE REALLY ANOTHER NEW ATKINS DIET BOOK?

You may have already heard about this new book, but in case you haven't it is not a misprint. There's a brand new Atkins diet book called The All-New Atkins Advantage: The 12-Week Low-Carb Program to Lose Weight, Achieve Peak Fitness and Health, and Maximize Your Willpower to Reach Life Goals that released on December 26, 2007 and is being marketed as an updated version of the low-carb diet made popular by the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins.


This Atkins book co-written by Dr. Stuart Trager and Collette Heimowitz

I've been reading through this "new" Atkins diet book and the overriding message that I am seeing is that there are different levels of carbohydrate tolerance for each individual and this book will help guide you regardless of the amount of carbs your body will permit you to eat. There are menus for varying levels of carbohydrate intake from 20g a day to 80g a day, so you never have to guess about what to eat.

Dr. Trager is a fitness expert who uses his experiences in Ironman competitions and implementing a low-carbohydrate nutritional approach to help others reach their weight loss goals. I've blogged about him previously in this blog post and he devotes a major portion of the book on specific exercises you can do to go along with your Atkins diet.

As for Collette Heimowitz, I've interviewed her at my blog before talking about the continuing role of Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. in the realm of diet, health, and nutrition. She has been a long-time supporter of livin' la vida low-carb sharing with others all the research and data supporting low-carb living.

I will likely be sharing a book review of The All-New Atkins Advantage as well as some possible giveaways real soon, so keep reading the blog for those updates! This looks to be a good book for anyone needing a little bit of extra hand-holding as you begin the low-carb lifestyle.

CAL-CARB CLICKER TO BE FEATURED ON QVC

A few weeks ago, my wife Christine and I shared with you some great low-carb gift ideas to share with people who are livin' la vida low-carb on special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, and other such events involving presents. One of those products I told you about was something called the Cal-Carb Clicker which allows you to keep track of your calories, carbohydrates, and water intake all in one device that's super-easy to use.

Well, this little gadget is gonna hit the big time on New Year's Eve as the clock strikes midnight to head into 2008 because it will be featured for the first time ever on the QVC television shopping network. If you are up late watching the ball drop in Times Square, then be sure to switch over to QVC to watch Sandy Martucci, one of the two sisters who invented this gizmo, talk about it sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. This thing is expected to blow the doors off of QVC and it's exciting that one of the things it measures is carbohydrate intake. AMAZING!!!

If the Cal-Carb Clicker does as well as QVC expects selling at around $12, then they will keep offering it as part of their regular programming. This is excellent news because more and more people are discovering the importance of carb control and this tool will help them keep better track of it. And that's a VERY good thing! :)

ARIZONA STATE RESEARCHERS RIP LOW-CARB DIETS

As much as all the evidence keeps pointing to low-carb as being one of the healthiest ways you could possibly eat, I have come to the conclusion that there will ALWAYS be somebody out there who thinks the sky is green. When it comes to the alleged healthiness of a high-carb diet, this guys takes the cake (both figuratively AND literally!).

Joining in on the lunacy are researchers from Arizona State University who put out this damning press release against low-carb diets recently that claims (among many things) ketosis from a low-carb ketogenic diet will kill you, your bones will dry up and crumble like a cookie, and your LDL cholesterol will go up so high your arteries will explode! Okay, maybe it wasn't filled with that much hyperbole, but it might as well have since all of those flimsy excuses are the same ones we've heard over and over again for years.

What do they recommend instead? Eating a more "moderate" level of around 120g of carbohydrates daily as a STARTING POINT and much more than that if you even dare try to exercise a little. They say your body needs carbs but we know better don't we? It's called gluconeogenesis and is a very natural part of human physiology and metabolism.

These pompous, self-proclaimed researchers--Carol Johnston and Pamela Swan--need to get off their high horse every once in a while to start living in the real world like the rest of us rather than the fantasy land of higher academia! I'm sure they'd LOVE to hear from YOU, so feel free to e-mail them at carol.johnston@asu.edu and PSwan@asu.edu.

NUTRITION DATA GIVES LOW-CARB DISCERNMENT ADVICE

If you haven't been to the "Nutrition Data" blog yet, then you are doing yourself a huge disservice because they offer some really fantastic information about diet, health, and nutrition. And they also are quite the fans of livin' la vida low-carb, too. In this recent post about dietary dogma against low-carb diets, an excellent response was provided by Monica Reinagel for people confused about how to discern the good information from the bad as it relates to low-carb studies that seem to contradict themselves (as will frequently happen when the zealots release their biased research while genuine studies show the truth).

I especially liked Monica's four tips about what to do for living healthy:

1. Do what works...If a low-carb diet is the only way for you to do it, then the possible risks are probably justified.

2. Consider your health history. If you are diabetic or have metabolic syndrome and have weight to lose, a lower-carb diet may be a better choice.

3. Monitor your risk factors. Regardless of which dietary dogma you ascribe to, have your cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammation markers (CRP) tested on an annual or bi-annual basis.

4. Don't over-simplify...A diet rich in low-glycemic carbs like vegetables and legumes is not going to have the same negative effects as a diet high in high-glycemic carbs like rice cakes and white bread.

See what I mean...don't you LOVE it when you find someone of like mind? In 2008, make it a point to visit The ND Blog early and often! And let Monica hear from you about what you think of her site by e-mailing her at feedback@nutritiondata.com.

Speaking of this fabulous web site, I just had to share with you about a recent poll conducted by NutritionData.com that simply asked the question, "What motivates you to eat healthier?" Wanna know what the surprising results were depending on what part of the United States you live in? Check this out:

One-third of Americans want to look good (33.3%) and just under a third want to feel better. But the results of the poll showed that Americans have different motivations for eating healthier based on where they live.

- Americans living in the Heartland States want to change their diets to lower their risk of diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer

- People living on the East Coast of the U.S. eat healthier in the hopes that they will live longer

- People in the South and on the West Coast try to eat better in order to lose weight and/or look good

- Americans on the West Coast change their diets for the better so that they will have more energy

What do you think about this? Is it true based on where YOU live? This should be a lively discussion in the comments section. :D

A USER-FRIENDLY WEB SITE EXPLAINING LOW-CARB DIETS

Have you been looking for a page on the Internet that would accurately describe what the low-carb lifestyle is REALLY all about, explain in simple terms what makes this way of eating so effective, and put it in language we can all understand? Well, look no further than "Why Low-Carb Diets Work" by author Adam Khan. He did a yeoman's job of breaking it down in digestible chunks for virtually anyone to grasp the basic concepts of livin' la vida low-carb. Whether you are a low-carb expert or a novice, this one's WELL worth the read!

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS LOW-CARB FOR EPILEPSY TREATMENT

I've blogged about the use of a very low-carb ketogenic diet for seizure control in people with epilepsy and other neurological diseases before. In fact, I highlighted a web site called "Atkins For Seizures" that is a grassroots attempt to educate people who suffer from epilepsy about this potential dietary cure for their disease Now there's a study scientifically backing up this treatment method.

Lead researcher Dr. Kelvin Yamada, professor of Neurology at the St. Louis, MO-based Washington University School of Medicine, and his team of researchers found that the key to helping people with epilepsy the release of leptin brought about as a result of a ketogenic low-carb diet. The science is a bit complicated to follow, but the bottom line is livin' la vida low-carb was shown to help reduce the occurrence of seizures in laboratory rats.

This study was published in the December 20, 2007 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation. You can e-mail Dr. Kelvin Yamada about his study at yamadak@wustl.edu.

LAURA DOLSON HELPS WITH "BABY STEPS" TOWARDS LOW-CARB

One of the greatest low-carb resources on the Internet is the About.com Low-Carb Diets page from Laura Dolson. She works tirelessly to provide accurate, informative, and professional information regarding anything and everything that has to do with the low-carb lifestyle. I wanna be like Laura when I grow up! :)

Recently, Laura shared a post entitled "Seven Steps to Greater Carb Control" that is essential reading for anyone who thinks livin' la vida low-carb is an impossibility for them. It's amazing how making some very minor changes in your current habits can reap huge rewards in both your weight and health management. I know from talking to Laura that health is a HUGE part of everything she does, so take some advice from someone who has been there and cares.

DIABETES HEALTH MAGAZINE PUBLISHES LOW-CARB SUCCESS

Now that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has given the green light to low-carb for diabetics, it will be very interesting to see how many amazing stories of blood sugar control that start happening for people who will try this for perhaps the first time as a means for treating their diabetes. While the ADA is focused on the weight loss aspect of livin' la vida low-carb, it's what will happen as insulin production slows for Type 2 diabetics that will be the really fun thing to watch for.

But even before that has happened, there's a fantastic column in Diabetes Health magazine written by Riva Greenberg from the "Diabetes Stories" blog. She simply shared from her experiences following Dr. Richard Bernstein's plan for controlling her Type 1 diabetes.

Here's a quick excerpt, but be sure to read the whole column:

"I essentially eliminated refined carbs, such as white bread, white potatoes, rice, pasta, sweets, muffins, and starchy veggies. The result? My sugars indeed dropped. They were consistently lower, and my insulin doses dropped. Maybe best of all, I was no longer chasing high blood sugars - you know, the ones that come from refined carbs, where you just can't seem to knock them down all day. My Lantus dose went from 20 to 12.5 units, and my pre-meal Humalog was all but cut in half. The results were so dramatic and made my life so much easier that I never went back to my old ways."

Riva's story is merely the first in a long line of successes that are to come now the the ADA has given recognition and credence to the healthy low-carb lifestyle. If you have an amazing story you'd like to share about how low-carb has helped you control your diabetes, then please feel free to send it to me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. It's important for the ADA and other health entities like them to know that real people are getting healthy eating this way. THANKS for sharing!

DR. RICHARD FEINMAN'S SATURATED FAT COLUMN AT DLIFE

I had the privilege of interviewing one of the most brilliant low-carb researchers in the world today in June 2006--Dr. Richard Feinman from the Brooklyn, NY-based SUNY Downstate. He told me in that interview that he believed the ADA was close to coming out in support of livin' la vida low-carb and 18 months later he was right!

As a strong advocate of the metabolic science behind low-carb living, we have seen Dr. Feinman challenge the status quo and now he's at it again on the popular diabetes and health web site called dLife.

In a guest column called "What if Saturated Fat is Not the Problem?" he shares about some of the latest research behind saturated fat to reveal it's not the public health menace we've all been led to believe. He notes this study from University of Connecticut researcher Dr. Jeff Volek that found a diet low in saturated fat actually increases saturated fat in the blood compared to a diet high in saturated fat. Counterintuitive? You betcha, but that's what the data shows.

Here's a taste of classic Feinman at his best:

"Carbohydrate, through its effect on insulin, is the key player. Insulin not only sweeps up glucose from the blood but it also plays air traffic controller, making the call as to whether that glucose is turned into fat or is used for energy. Most importantly, insulin determines what happens to dietary fat — whether it gets stored or oxidized for fuel. In fact, insulin has so much control over how dietary fat is metabolized that when levels of fat are measured in the blood, they are not strongly associated with a person's diet. In other words, one person who has a high intake of saturated fat may turn out to have a similar ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat in the blood as someone who consumes very little saturated fat."

There's plenty more nuggets of truth to chew on in Dr. Feinman's column, so read the entire thing, print it out, and give it to your doctor and anyone else whose health you care about. This is a subject that we've only just begun to scratch the surface on and will be at the center of debate in the months and years to come.

3800 CALORIES A DAY FOR A MONTH AND NO WEIGHT GAIN?

We often hear from all those so-called "experts" who tell us we need to create a calorie deficit in order to manage our weight. But those of us who consume a high-fat, low-carb diet with no regard for calories have always believed that theory was bogus--but we didn't really have any way to back it up other than our own personal experiences.

Allow me to introduce you to a Wisconsin man named Jeff. Over the course of 30 days during the entire month of December, he has conducted an experiment on his own body a la what Morgan Spurlock did in his Super Size Me movie. Jeff attempted to eat as many calories as he possibly could on his 169-pound frame to prove you can maintain your weight as long as you keep your carbohydrates reduced.

Check out his daily log of calories consumed and a list of the foods he ate to average a whopping 3822 calories for thirty days in a row! His high day was on Day 5 when he hit 4620 calories and his low day was on Day 30 when he only got to 2998--three-fourths of which was FAT! WOW! You go Jeff!!!

Conventional wisdom regarding calories would say that Jeff should have gained close to 14 pounds on this diet of his. But guess what? He didn't gain 14 pounds. He didn't even gain 10 pounds or even 5 pounds. The shocking result--HE MAINTAINED HIS WEIGHT!!! Incredible! I'd love to interview Jeff about his little experiment if someone who knows him will have him e-mail me. THANKS!

DR. WALTER WILLETT ACKNOWLEDGES LOW-CARB DIETS

A friend of mine pointed me to a rather fascinating interview with Dr. Walter Willett, a nutrition expert from the Harvard School of Public Health. While I've both praised and been critical of Dr. Willett at my blog, I'm pleased to share this interview conducted by PBS and their "Frontline" program with you because it has some good information from this leading American health expert on a variety of subjects.

Yes, he still subscribes to the Ancel Keys theory regarding fat causing obesity among other things, there are moments during the interview that Dr. Willett comes to the defense of fat consumption and livin' la vida low-carb. Here are some of my favorite parts:

"The reality is that during this campaign for fat-free and reduced-fat products, actual fat consumption did go down, but Americans got much fatter during this period of time. Now of course lots of things were going on at the same period in time, but I think it's highly likely this focus only on fat calories to the neglect of carbohydrate calories has contributed to this epidemic of obesity."
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"The evidence that we accrued really suggested not only that the type of advice that people were getting was not useful, but it actually could be dangerous, because some people were eliminating the very healthy types of fat that actually reduce heart disease rates."
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"The thinking in nutrition about carbohydrates really had broken them down into two classes: sugars and so-called complex carbohydrates, which are mostly starches. The idea has been pushed that all forms of so-called complex carbohydrates are really the poster child of nutrients, and we should be eating them in large amounts. That's what the pyramid tells us to do. But in fact, these kinds of starches -- white bread, white rice, potatoes -- are starches that are very rapidly converted to glucose, really pure sugar, and almost instantly absorbed into the bloodstream. And these are the kinds of carbohydrates that we really should be minimizing in our diets."
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"Actually, careful studies have shown, demonstrated that you get a bigger rise in blood sugar after eating potatoes, a baked potato, say, than you do from eating pure table sugar. Really."
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"First of all, when the blood sugar goes skyrocketing up, the body wants to bring it back down. So our pancreas pumps out a big blast of insulin, and as a result, the blood sugar comes crashing down rapidly. In fact, in many people, after three and four hours, it overshoots and actually become a little hypoglycemic, and that rapid crashing down of blood glucose and insulin stimulates hunger. That would be no problem, except that it's often all too easy to go in the refrigerator or find a snack, and if we do that frequently throughout the day, that can add up to too many calories over weeks and months and years, and contribute to obesity.

Second, these high rises in blood glucose and insulin have a bad metabolic effect on the blood cholesterol fractions. Specifically the HDL, the good cholesterol, is driven down, and triglycerides, another type of fat in the blood that leads to heart attacks, goes up.

Third, after many years of demand for high amounts of insulin, the pancreas tends to give out. And at that point in time, we've got type 2 diabetes."
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"Interestingly, in traditional Asian societies, people were very lean, very active, and therefore had low insulin resistance. They could eat large amounts of rice, even white rice, in the diet and have low heart attack rates and have low rates of type 2 diabetes. But if you take that same person, and they [now] may be living in Beijing and driving a car and watching a television, and they put on a few pounds, they're going to have much more insulin resistance. So if you take that same diet, high in carbohydrate and white rice, they will have a much worse metabolic response and much higher rates of type 2 diabetes."
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"If you're overweight and living in the United States, and you go to a hospital and see a dietician, almost for sure, you're going to be put on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet."
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"Dr. Atkins was saying as much as 30 years ago, that if we reduce our carbohydrate intake to quite low levels, that will make it easier to control our caloric intake and thus promote weight loss. As it turns out, there is a strong element of truth in that. A number of studies in the last year have looked in a very careful way, comparing low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets with reduced-carbohydrate diets, and in general people have done better on the reduced-carbohydrate diets in terms of their weight."

This was one incredible interview and I hope you take the time to read it all for yourself! While Dr. Willett is certainly no low-carb champion, he at least understands the mechanism behind why it works for those of us who choose it to manage our weight and health. This is something more health experts should get in the habit of doing.

Got some low-carb news you wanna share with me? I'm always happy to hear from my readers, so don't hesitate to e-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

My New dLife Column Questions Why Low-Fat Diets Aren't So Healthy

Starting my very own health and weight loss blog in April 2005 was simply a hobby where I could have an outlet for sharing about my experiences livin' la vida low-carb and all that comes with that. Of course, it grew into something a whole lot more than that in very short order and I am grateful for the platform I have been given to reach thousands of people on a daily basis with the positive message I share here.

Of course, I've expanded the reach of this blog into other areas with my book, my podcast show, my discussion forum, my YouTube videos, and syndication of my columns on a whole host of other web sites across the Internet. I enjoy entering into new areas where people have never heard of me and my writings because it's like starting over on day one here at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog again. Newbies are always amazed by what they read in my columns.

One of the best opportunities I have been given to expand the reach of my low-carb message is at the popular diabetes and health web site called dLife. In October 2007, they brought me on as a contributing writer for their Food & Nutrition division to write specifically about the benefits of carbohydrate control. I blogged about this and shared a link to my very first column with them called "Research Round-Up: The Case For Low-Carb."

Since this is more of a professional health and information web site than my blog is (which tends to lean on the news and commentary side of things), the style is a bit more stuffy than I would personally prefer. But getting these kind of columns out into the mainstream on a site like dLife is important for people to understand there are dissenting voices that are backed up by the scientific data. And all of the studies cited in my columns at dLife will be listed clearly.

Such is the case with my latest article that was published today entitled "Healthy, Low-Fat Diet? Maybe Not" and it's not very flattering to the low-fat diet. All I did was simply take what has been published in some of the major medical journals this year and put it all in one place for people to see for themselves why livin' la vida low-fat ain't all that!

Here are some blog posts I have written about these studies this year if you'd like to see my personal thoughts and commentary about each one:

- Study: High-Carb Consumption Leads To Lower HDL, Higher Triglyceride Levels
- Study: High-Carb, Low-Fat Diet Ineffective For People With High Insulin Levels
- High-Carb Diet Raises Insulin Levels Which Spikes Blood Pressure, Research Reveals
- Study: High-Carb Diet Leads To Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Possible Blindness

They just put a brief bio of me up on dLife today and now I've got two column under my belt. I'm contracted for at least one more and hopefully more if they continue to like the content I am providing. Be sure to go read my latest column and tell others you know about my dLife articles. Long live the low-carb lifestyle! :D

Seven Prodigious New Low-Carb Blogs Gift-Wrapped With A Bow Just For You

I've got an early Christmas present for you--7 new low-carb blogs!

My wife Christine loves it when I surprise her with an unexpected gift at an unsuspecting time. That's why events like her birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day and the like are a bit anticlimactic since I try to spoil her with gifts just because. She loves it and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, today you get your own "surprise" blog post gift-wrapped with a bow "just because" I think you all are very special. There are STILL lots of BRAND NEW low-carb blogs emerging from Main Street members of the world who have been impacted for the better because of the healthy low-carb lifestyle.

I've highlighted many of the up-and-coming low-carb blogs over the past year or so at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, including these five blogs, these five more blogs, even these five other blogs, these 10 healthy blogs, these five additional blogs, these five eclectic low-carb blogs, and this huge list of 50 blogs. Now I have seven new blogs to share with you that I'm sure you're gonna bookmark and enjoy. Check them all out for yourself!


1. FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Bonnie from Mansfield, Texas is the wife of a preacher and, like me, is a fan of contemporary Christian music (I love MercyMe, Chris Tomlin, and Jeremy Camp, too...and who doesn't like Journey?!). Like me and Christine, Bonnie and her husband are dealing with infertility too and she suffers from PCOS (something that this study shows low-carb improves). She is serious about getting her weight under control again after the stress of being childless. You gotta love her attitude about the life she has been given and the perspective she has as she lives through it. Cheer Bonnie on and let her know she's gonna make it! You can e-mail her your encouragement by clicking here.

2. SAYING GOODBYE TO A LIFELONG ADDICTION

Yin Tieng from Malaysia recently started eating a no starch, no sugar diet again following a modified version of the Heller's Carbohydrate Addict's Diet. While I'm no fan of this kind of cheating on your low-carb plan, Yin explains how she counteracts the impact of the carbohydrate meals she consumes. There are some excellent insights on this blog that you won't want to miss.


3. SIX UNTIL ME

How can you NOT like Kerri Morrone? She is a diabetic freelance writer who is a member of the editorial team of the diabetes web site dLife (I was recently brought on as a contributing writer for this outstanding educational tool!). Kerri's enthusiasm for helping diabetics be healthy is contagious and you can tell she genuinely cares about being there for diabetes sufferers. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear from you if you have any questions or comments about diabetes, so feel free to e-mail her your feedback to thank her for the work she is doing.

4. WIFEZILLA'S WAY

Coming across a blogger with the name Wifezilla can be a bit scary, but this 44-year old graphic designer from Colorado shouldn't be feared unless you're a low-fat loving lunatic! You see, she's a wholehearted supporter of livin' la vida low-carb because she overcame two decades of obesity as a result of this way of eating. And she knows her stuff, too--check out how you can be "Partyin' Low-Carb" and some really "Stupid Things" about low-carb that you need to be aware of. I LOVE IT!!! Go Wifezilla and keep tellin' them like it is! Contact her and ask her what she thinks. I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you. :D


5. FAT GIRL ON ATKINS

Our perception of what we look like dictates our reality when it comes to how we see ourselves. That's what this beautiful 27-year old teacher from Georgia with the nickname Tree is dealing with describing herself as a "fat girl on Atkins." I can understand how Tree sees herself, but I don't see anything close to that when I look at her picture. She is a gorgeous woman created by God to do His purpose and will for her life. If that means losing weight on the low-carb lifestyle as she hopes, then she's definitely on the right path. And she's quite adept at this lifestyle too as evidenced by her latest blog entry on the "Side Effects" of livin' la vida low-carb on her and her family. Outstanding!

6. HEART CIPHER

This very new blog with a rather "dark" look to it is focused almost exclusively on the prevention of cardiovascular disease implementing the strategies outlined by Dr. William Davis who I have interviewed here at my blog. Click here to see what the name means and here to find out why there is a city skyline at the top of the blog. If heart health and Dr. Davis' "Track Your Plaque" program interests you, then you might want to check out this blog.


7. LOW-CARB LIVING

Finally, we have a blogger who is on a "journey into a healthy low carb lifestyle" where she hopes to "inspire others" along the way. Although there's not much content on the blog yet (but this low-carb whipped cauliflower recipe looks very yummy!), I'm sure she'll get going real soon. Pay this new blog a visit and encourage her as she begins what will likely be the best thing she's ever done for her weight and health.

Do you have a new low-carb or health-related blog that you'd like for me to feature here at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb?" Feel free to e-mail me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net with a link as well as a description of why you decided to start a diet blog.

Jimmy Moore Becomes Food And Nutrition Writer For dLife

I am now a contributor to the outstanding diabetes site dLife

I'm pleased to share with you another new writing opportunity I have been given with one of the premier health web sites on the Internet today--dLife. They were impressed by my writing skills and strong blog following and asked me to contribute to their Food and Nutrition section on a monthly basis. It was such an honor to have this opportunity to write about livin' la vida low-carb in an arena that is not necessarily pro-low-carb.

My very first column is now available for you to read: "Research Round-Up: The Case For Low-Carb." I shared about how the new Gary Taubes book Good Calories, Bad Calories has brought low-carb back to the forefront again and that some very exciting research has come out in support for low-carb living in 2007.

These dLife columns will feature much of the research showing why carbohydrate restriction is healthy and why high-carb, low-fat diets are not. My column for November will take a closer look at the high-carb diet studies showing how this nutritional approach leads to a decline in health. You'll enjoy that one! :)

Be sure to tell everyone about Jimmy Moore's new dLife column!

Dr. Mary Vernon Praises The Low-Carb Diet Approach For Diabetics On CNBC's dLife

Get to know diabetes and obesity practitioner Dr. Mary C. Vernon

If you are livin' la vida low-carb and/or have Type 2 diabetes, then there is a doctor that you should be abundantly aware of for the tremendous contributions she is making for the cause of health in the United States today. She is Dr. Mary C. Vernon and she has a private medical practice in her hometown of Lawrence, Kansas.

I previously shared with you my podcast interview with Dr. Vernon a couple of weeks ago as well as an interview at my blog last year to introduce you to this remarkable doctor who is actively using the low-carb nutritional approach as an effective means for controlling her patients' blood sugars as well as their weight.

She is on the frontlines of the debate over how to best treat Type 2 diabetes as the co-author of the book Atkins Diabetes Revolution and has been going around touting the Duke University study that found dramatic improvements in diabetics who went on the Atkins diet to treat their disease. Dr. Vernon is constantly at odds with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) who insist people with diabetes should eat all the carbs they want as long as they take their medicine. But Dr. Vernon says carbohydrate restriction is the key, not medicine.

After meeting Dr. Vernon in person twice over the past couple of years, I can tell you there is nobody more devoted to seeing people get healthy the low-carb way than she is. Educating her patients and helping them see real results just through changes in their diet is what helps motivate her to keep doing what she's doing. She even is willing to answer questions from people across the country and around the world through her informative "Ask Dr. Vernon" blog.

Because of all that she has done to change how people view the low-carbohydrate nutritional approach as a viable alternative to the low-fat diet, I named Dr. Vernon among my Top 10 Movers & Shakers of 2006. Additionally, her work got national recognition when it was highlighted in this outstanding column by Adam Campbell in Men's Health magazine in November 2006.

Because of all the added attention being given to Dr. Vernon over the past year for her work to change the dynamics of how to best treat diabetes and obesity, she has been getting more and more attention from the diabetic media, including CNBC's dLife.

If you are ready to be inspired and reinvigorated about why you are livin' la vida low-carb, whether you have diabetes or not, then check out this brief 4-minute clip of Dr. Vernon during her recent appearance on dLife:



WOW! Can we clone you, Dr. Vernon? :)

While it would be nice to have access to doctors who are as committed to their obese and diabetic patients as Dr. Vernon is wherever you live, that is sadly not the case. But as the current president and a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), she assures me that there are others out there who are just as passionate as she is about livin' la vida low-carb.

Click here to locate a bariatric physician in your area and ask them if they are open to using a low-carbohydrate approach to treating obesity and diabetes. If they say YES, then you've found a doctor who can help tailor an effective strategy for helping you.

THANK YOU, Dr. Vernon, for being a shining example of what a doctor is supposed to be like with their patients--empathetic, caring, willing to listen, and knowledgeable about what really works. You are a real hero and on behalf of my readers here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, I salute you today. God bless the work you are doing!

Let's party in Dr. Vernon's name with a porterhouse, shall we?

Atkins Diabetes Expert Interviewed On dLifeTV

As more and more people are finding out about the low-carb solution to the diabetes epidemic that has spread across the United States and around the world, invariably they are turning to the one person who has not only been preaching this message but also practicing what she preaches in dealing with her patients. It's Dr. Mary C. Vernon.

Dr. Vernon co-authored Atkins Diabetes Revolution in 2004 and has been passionately working with diabetic sufferers in her Kansas medical practice imploring the low-carb principles with her desperate patients. She is on the frontlines of some truly remarkable cutting edge advances in diabetes treatment and is finally getting the recognition she deserves.

Her popularity especially exploded in December 2006 when Adam Campbell featured Dr. Vernon in Men's Health magazine. Since then, more and more people around the country are finding out the truth about livin' la vida low-carb as it relates to diabetes because of Dr. Vernon. Read my interview with her from last year to catch a glimpse of her heart for people dealing with diabetes.

In a strange coincidence, I will be featuring five studies as part of my "Fact-Filled February" series showing the connection between a low-carb diet and improvements in the weight and health of diabetics in both episodes of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" podcast this week on Monday and Thursday. Dr. Vernon is specifically mentioned in Thursday's episode, so don't miss it!

But you can catch Dr. Vernon on CNBC's dLifeTV on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at 7:00PM EST. In an exclusive interview with them, she reveals that the current state of diabetes care in the United States has her greatly "saddened" because the low-carb approach is being widely ignored despite being shown to be extremely effective for treating diabetics.

”If you control the carbohydrates that go in your mouth...then you will control your blood sugar and your blood sugar hormones (insulin),” Dr. Vernon said in her interview, reiterating her belief that diabetes can be controlled naturally through the diet without the necessity of medication in many instances.

She added that the proof is in the massive improvements her patients have seen in their weight and health when they start livin' la vida low-carb.

"Giving them control over their diabetes by giving them the tools to eat in such a way that they require less medication” is an important advancement, Dr. Vernon contends in the interview.

Tune in Sunday night at 7:00PM EST to watch the interview with Dr. Mary C. Vernon in its entirety. For even more from Dr. Vernon, be sure to check out her "Ask Dr. Vernon" blog as she answers YOUR questions about low-carb, weight loss, diet, and health.

Holiday Recipes For Diabetics And Low-Carbers

Our friends at dLife have diabetic-friendly recipes for YOU!

The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is chock full of festive celebrations of the season with friends and family. But for people with diabetes who have to be mindful of what they eat because of their disease as well as low-carbers, seeing all those scrumptuous desserts and dishes at all these parties is enough temptation to cause you to give in and put your weight and healthy in jeopardy.

That's why our friends at dLife have come to the rescue with a very special Holiday Recipes link at "The Quintessential Diabetes Links Resource" blog featuring over 1,200 recipes of all kinds designed specifically for people with diabetes to help them enjoy the holidays without jeopardizing their health. You'll find all the ingredients and even some special how-to videos about how to make these recipes using this resource.

Here's a sampling of the kind of recipes you'll find there:

BBQ BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP W/BASIL STUFFING

32 fresh or frozen large shrimp in shells
Basil Stuffing
32 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 slices bacon, cut in half
3/4 to 1 cup bottled barbecue sauce

THREE KINGS COLORFUL QUESADILLAS

8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 small flour tortillas (try La Tortilla Factory)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves or 9 oz. frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese or other cheese

SILVER BELLS SPINACH DIP

1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach or broccoli, thawed
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh minced mint
1 cup sour cream
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Find out all the directions to these yummy holiday recipes as well as full access to the complete diabetes recipe archives compliments of dLife by clicking here.

Fabulous Low-Carb Chicken Recipes On dLife

Chef Becker perfects the art of cooking chicken on dLife this week

After receiving overwhelming feedback from viewers last week about his diabetic-friendly low-carb fried chicken recipe, Chef Franklin Becker returns again this Sunday night to the CNBC show dLife to prepare not one, not two, not three, but FOUR chicken recipes that will delight anyone who is diabetic or following a low-carb lifestyle.

Chef Becker will show you how to make these scrumptious recipes:

1. Skinless Roast Chicken Chinoise
2. Skinless Roast Chicken Italiano
3. Skinless Roast Chicken Provencale
4. Skinless Roast Chicken with Herbs and Spices

Mmmm, I think I've died and gone to chicken heaven! :)

Also appearing on this week's episode is the heart-wrenching and inspiring story of a diabetic Holocaust refugee named Eva Saxl that you won't want to miss as well as how to cut through the sometimes confusing diabetes-speak that exists today with master storyteller and actor Jim Turner.

Tune in on Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 7:00pm ET on CNBC for dLife!

Making Fried Chicken Low-Carb On dLife

dLife Chef Franklin Becker whips up a low-carb fried chicken recipe

A lot of people think that going on a low-carb diet or being a diabetic means you can no longer enjoy your favorite Southern comfort foods anymore. But nothing could be further from the truth as long as you know how to prepare them in such a way as to cut down on the carbs so they will fit your lifestyle change.

What would you say if I told you that homemade fried chicken could be made with 80 PERCENT LESS CARBS? Would you be interested? Sure you would, which is why my friends at the CNBC show Chef Franklin Becker on this week's show airing Sunday night, October 8, 2006 at 7:00pm ET. You will have the opportunity to see Chef Becker transform what is normally a 20g carb fried chicken breast and make it with just 4g carbs instead. WOW! Click here to see the yummy recipe for yourself!

If you like that recipe, then be sure to check out his version of mashed "potatoes," grilled BBQ pork chops, pickled cole slaw, and yogurt dipping sauce for crudités.

Of course, I previously shared my own fried chicken recipe that is also perfect for people with diabetes or who are livin' la vida low-carb (even if I do say so myself!). Talk about your finger lickin' good! :D

Don't forget to catch dLife every Sunday night at 7:00pm on CNBC. And you can learn more about Chef Franklin Becker at his brand new web site that is still under construction.

Diabetes In Urban America On CNBC's dLife

Taking the dLife message to the urban streets this Sunday on CNBC

This Sunday, October 1, 2006, there is another brand new episode of the health-oriented CNBC program dLife that is chock full of some excellent information for people who are diabetic or are livin' la vida low-carb.

It will feature a segment helping diabetics and low-carbers make good choices about how they can cut down on the carbohydrates their bodies don't need when dining out in a fast food restaurant (if you must!). My friend Carla Gray from "The Low-Carb Fast Food Diet" would be so proud. :)


Brown and Coleman care very deeply about improving minority health

Also, you won't want to miss a special interview discussion featuring comedian and dLife host J. Anthony Brown as he tours the streets with minority diabetes health expert Dr. Lenore Coleman talking about diabetes in the hood and what can be done to slow the exponential increases of Type 2 diabetes among the African-American population in America. You WON'T want to miss this!


Tune in to dLife on Sundays at 7:00pm for diabetes info you can use

Remember to watch dLife on Sunday night at 7:00PM EST on CNBC!

Bernstein vs. Warshaw On dLife This Sunday

Dr. Richard Bernstein and Hope Warshaw debate carb intake on dLife

Whether you have diabetes or not, you really should be watching the television talk show about diabetes called dLife on CNBC on Sunday nights. This program provides amazing guests and commentary about controlling diabetes through various means, including the active discussion of livin' la vida low-carb as a treatment option.

If you haven't seen this program yet, then be sure to tune in THIS SUNDAY, September 17, 2006 at 7:00PM EST for a very special edition of dLife featuring the most renowned proponent of a low-carbohydrate diet for treating diabetes, Dr. Richard Bernstein, author of "Diabetes Solution." Dr. Bernstein will be debating the subject of carb intake with Hope Warshaw, RD, CDE and author of "ADA Complete Guide to Carb Counting."

Warshaw will no doubt provide the official position of the American Diabetes Association regarding carbohydrates which is slowly backing into supporting the low-carb solution. The good news is that the low-carb lifestyle is already being promoted in local diabetes seminars pushing counting carbs as an effective solution for diabetes patients. Studies like the one from Duke University a few months ago are proving that livin' la vida low-carb DOES work to control diabetes with little to no use for any medications.

Look for Dr. Bernstein to articulate these points clearly in his debate with Warshaw on CNBC's dLife this Sunday night. DON'T MISS IT!

Hey Diabetics, CNBC Offers dLife Just For You

Tune in Sunday nights at 7PM EST for the diabetes-focused dLife

If you are one of the 73 million Americans who are either diabetic or pre-diabetic, then you will want to know about the first television talk show to help people who suffer from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It's called dLife!

Featuring inspiring stories of triumph, timely sources of information, and educational resources from some of the most qualified field of experts on the subject of diabetes today, dLife is devoted to arming diabetics with exactly what they need to better understand their disease and how to deal with it in a variety of ways.

This weekly broadcast airs on the cable news channel CNBC on Sunday evenings at 7PM EST and is jam-packed with the very latest news and information about diabetes research and treatments that will keep diabetics abreast of how to best control their condition. The dLife show also includes many delicious recipes (most of which are perfect for people who are livin' la vida low-carb!) and tales of real people living with diabetes in today's world.

What an amazing opportunity for diabetics to get connected with everything they need to make the best of their disease! I highly encourage you to watch some past episodes online, read some of the expert answers to some common questions regarding diabetes, and join the free forum to interact with other diabetics who are dealing with the same issues that you are.


Dr. Howard Wolpert and Dr. Richard Bernstein face-off on dLife

For diabetics interested in the low-carb treatment option for dealing with diabetes, something that is becoming more and more commonplace these days because of the latest studies, you won't want to miss this recent debate on dLife between Dr. Howard Wolpert from the Joslin Clinic in Boston and Dr. Richard Bernstein, author of "Diabetes Solution" and a world-renowned diabetes expert focusing on natural low-carbohydrate dietary solutions to diabetes.

Be sure to read Regina Wilshire's take on this debate between Dr. Wolpert and Dr. Bernstein in two recent blog posts she wrote at her fantastic low-carb blog "Weight Of The Evidence" found here and here.

One of the highlights of the debate was when Dr. Bernstein was asked by dLife host Howard Steinberg about a point made by Dr. Wolpert regarding diabetes patients on a dietary treatment plan feeling discouraged and defeated. Dr. Bernstein hit the ball out of the ballpark with this poignant response.

"Very rarely have we lost patients. Getting a person to switch to a low-carbohydrate diet, which is essential, there's no way to control blood sugars on a high-carbohydrate diet. You have to do it fast, all at once, otherwise it takes forever. Those where you change them immediately they lose the cravings and you forge ahead and they see the results. When patients see the payoff, they stick with it."

KABOOM! That was an AWESOME answer from Dr. Bernstein. But, not surprisingly, Dr. Wolpert said it takes an especially motivated patient to follow such advice which is ridiculous. Sure, it's not easy, but neither is trying to lose weight. The bottom line is IT CAN BE DONE and livin' la vida low-carb can get you there.

Don't miss the rest of the debate by clicking here and be sure not to miss a single episode of dLife on Sunday nights at 7PM EST.