PLEASE UPDATE YOUR BOOKMARKS TO LIVINLAVIDALOWCARB.COM/BLOG
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Prayers Needed For My Obesity-Battling Brother Kevin, Given One Year To Live
Are these the final days of my brother Kevin's life?
My heart is very heavy and saddened today with even more grim news about my only full-blooded brother named Kevin. I just blogged about him two weeks ago with an update on his weight and health, but I received some news this week that doesn't sound good at all. The doctors have basically given Kevin one year to live. His morbid obesity, despite his recent efforts to bring it under control, has become too much of a burden on his struggling heart and now it's only a matter of time.
For those readers who haven't heard about the history behind my brother Kevin's before, he suffered three straight heart attacks at the age of 32 back in 1999 that nearly killed him primarily from his poor eating habits which ballooned him into morbid obesity. He and I both had struggled with this most of our lives and it was this event that really got me to thinking about my own health and led me to make the necessary changes in my life to prevent this from happening to me, too. Kevin's heart function got down to 15% and he was told to lose weight or die before the age of 40.
Here are some blog posts about Kevin I have previously written:
Well, today Kevin is 40 (he will turn 41 on August 22nd if he survives that long) and still weighs upwards of 350 or so pounds. He's been on and off various diets the past few years, including stints on low-carb and most recently his cardiologist's highly-recommended low-fat, low-salt, low-cholesterol, and HIGH-CARB diet. UGH! It's disappointing and frustrating to see my own brother, who also has Type 2 diabetes, doing this to himself when his health is already teetering on the brink of disaster. The way he's currently eating, it's a death trap just waiting to snatch him from us.
The fragility of Kevin's health was made abundantly apparent just two weeks ago when he had to rush himself to the hospital with major chest pains. I was just on the phone with him two hours before this happened and we were joking about how he lived halfway between two hospitals in case something ever happened. It did and this was no laughing matter. The doctors put THREE stints in his heart to open up the only remaining passageway that was unblocked providing blood to this most vital organ of them all. Three of his arteries are COMPLETELY clogged up and the other one is almost all the way blocked. It didn't look good at the time and we knew something like this could happen again at any moment.
And it did not sooner than we thought.
Kevin went home after a few days in the hospital and then he had to call an ambulance to come get him soon thereafter because he couldn't breathe and his heart felt like it was about to explode. The stints hadn't worked and they rushed him into the critical care unit to attempt yet another stint. This time, the doctor was very concerned that the blockage is just too severe and has now given Kevin less than a year to live unless something miraculous happens with his arteries. They're so clogged up now that there is really nothing the medical experts can do for him. He's just run out of time and the clock is ticking on his life.
Now, I truly believe in the great healing power of Jesus Christ to do virtually anything--including the impossible--because I've seen it time and time again in my lifetime. But at the same time I am pragmatic about things like this that happen in life too knowing that this day would be coming sooner rather than later most likely. Kevin has already lived even longer than the doctors had originally expected him to despite his failure to lose the weight as he was told to. Even still, coming to grips with the fact that my brother may not be with us much longer is a devastating blow to me and my family. But I'm ready for it whenever God wills it to take place--whether that's years, months, weeks, or even days.
I've spoken with both my mom and my dad about this and they are in the same mindset as I am. This was inevitable and we're ready for it when it does happen. I can't imagine what it's like for them to see one of their own children near his deathbed at such an early age. The pain that comes with losing a child especially in a way that was clearly preventable many years ago cannot be adequately measured. It's gonna be a sad day when Kevin leaves this world and I hope that God spares him just a little longer so we will have the chance to spend just a few more moments with him. He's truly a good man who deserves so much better than the hand life dealt him.
Kevin called me yesterday and wanted to talk to his "little bro" as he calls me. He said he's going home from the hospital today and he can't wait to get out of there. I told him how much I loved him and was praying for him through this experience. You could almost sense that he knows the end is near and it's an emotional time for all of us right now. We cherish your thoughts and prayers and offer our sincerest THANKS to all the readers at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog for staying interested in how Kevin is doing. Your notes of care and compassion have been an incredible source of encouragement to me over the past few years, so THANK YOU for your loving support.
I'll let you know if anything else changes for the better or for the worse. In the meantime, if you could share this prayer request with your church group, we'd certainly appreciate it. When the good Lord decides to take Kevin home, I pray even now that we can find peace in the midst of the pain that will come. He's still here with us and I'm gonna make the most of every moment I have left with Kevin.
6-26-08 UPDATE: I just got a call from my mom today. She said my brother Kevin went home from the hospital on Tuesday and then went back to the doctor today to see how he's doing. The physician said Kevin needs to get his affairs in order and hospice has been called in. There's nothing more they can do for him at this point.
When my half-sister Beverly who Kevin and I grew up with heard about this, she lost it. Mom was upset as I was talking to her, but pretty steady considering the gravity of this. She said it could be days or he could live as much as a few more months or a year. But it looks like Kevin's been on borrowed time for a while according to his doctor.
His physician noted that the event last week that put him in the hospital should have been the end of Kevin's life, but he's been given a little extra time for which I am thankful. I asked my mom if Christine and I need to come down to Florida to spend Kevin's last days together with him and she didn't think that was necessary since it could be months before he's gone. We have a planned trip to Durham, NC and a one-day stint in New York City coming up the week after the 4th of July and will likely drive down to Pensacola, Florida to be with Kevin and basically say goodbye.
If you care about diabetes health, then sign this petition!
We all know how incompetent many of the government and leading health organizations are in the United States as it relates to providing information to the public about taking care of themselves to protect against disease and death. We've seen it with the failed low-fat, low-calorie diets they've been pushing on the American people for decades with no positive impact whatsoever and yet they continue to promote it as the only way to control obesity and health. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, then I do believe we can officially describe those in charge of health policy in America as INSANE!
But that adjective doesn't even begin to describe something so utterly despicable that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has done in response to the results of the ACCORD study published in the June 12, 2008 issue of New England Journal of Medicine. Have you seen this so-called "study" that concludes there is a HIGHER death risk among those diabetics who attempt to control their blood sugar levels? This is NOT a joke--that's exactly what they're saying and this just goes beyond the pale.
Check out this ridiculous statement from the abstract of the ACCORD study:
"As compared with standard therapy, the use of intensive therapy to target normal glycated hemoglobin levels for 3.5 years increased mortality and did not significantly reduce major cardiovascular events," the authors conclude. "These findings identify a previously unrecognized harm of intensive glucose lowering in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes."
Okay, let's think about this logically for a moment. A diabetic who is attempting to control their disease through an "intensive therapy" (we'll assume this doesn't mean carbohydrate restriction, although it should) of controlling their blood sugars over a 3 1/2 year period of time had an INCREASED risk of death and NO REDUCTION in the risk of a heart attack? Is that what they're saying? So are we to believe through deductive reasoning that a diabetic who allows their blood sugar to stay out of whack indefinitely without any treatment is better off than those who do try to normalize glucose levels?
Am I missing something here? There is absolutely NO rationality in this conclusion by the NIH and this borderlines on criminal behavior on their part by perpetuating this notion that controlling blood sugars is somehow bringing harm to diabetes patients. This kind of fear tactics serves no good purpose and spreads misinformation to scared diabetics who become confused and dazed by what they hear from an official government health source.
That's why I am urging everyone who reads this to SIGN THIS PETITION telling the NIH to acknowledge the existing science behind why controlling blood sugar levels in diabetics is ESSENTIAL. This isn't something to be played around with--there are bigger health consequences involved with uncontrolled blood glucose levels in diabetics than with those who are controlling them. It doesn't appear that the NIH cares about these facts because they are instead seeking to put out their own twist on this ACCORD study to baffle Type 2 diabetics.
"Patients with type 2 diabetes should not be alarmed by these findings of the ACCORD trial...This goal of less than 6 percent A1C is very hard to reach for most patients who have had diabetes for several years, often requiring multiple medications. Even the achieved level of A1C of about 6.4% is often difficult to achieve in such patients."
All I can say is WHAT?! First you tell diabetics that they "should not be alarmed," but then you follow that right up with the pessimistic view that getting A1C levels down below 6 percent is "very hard" and can only be accomplished through "multiple medications." It is too "difficult" to make this happen in patients, the NIH claims, so just throw your hands up in the air and give up. Is that what you're telling diabetic patients, NIH?!
Plus, keep in mind the definition of "intensive therapy" as noted in this study is never described, so we have NO IDEA what they're talking about. From that answer above, we can assume it includes lots of prescription drugs which may have been the culprit in the increased death risk rather than the "intensive therapy" as they stated. Instead of trying to figure out WHAT the cause was, they just ASSUMED (and you know what that means!) that lowering A1c levels were what created the jump in mortality rates.
This is like stating a firefighter has an increased mortality rate because he breathes oxygen since that's what he was doing when he died. It's not that he puts his life at risk trying to douse a raging ball of fire, oh that can't be it! It's must be that oxygen he's sucking in, so that's our story and we're sticking to it. Sound absurd? Well, it is! And so is this conclusion by the NIH. They should really be ashamed of themselves.
Their argument is not based on any kind of rational scientific reasoning or thought process at all. But who's gonna call the NIH's bluff? Doctors and medical researchers don't want to stick their neck out against this powerful government group in the fear that some much-needed research dollars are withheld from their future studies. It's a sickening place to be in at the mercy of such a group that can make or break your career.
But I and the thousands more who come to my blog each day are NOT tied to the NIH in any way. We are public citizens who care about the issue of diabetes and helping our mom, dad, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, son, daughter, and friend with this terrible condition find the hope they need to beat this disease once and for all.
And most of us realize that it is livin' la vida low-carb that has helped to bring the ill effects of diabetes under control, especially for those with Type 2 diabetes. This ACCORD study gave absolutely ZERO consideration for carbohydrate restriction which has been shown time and time again to be the most safe and effective method of improving glycemic control. Why is the NIH so silent about low-carb diets for diabetics? That's what this petition is all about and I hope you and your entire family will SIGN THIS PETITION to share what the healthy low-carb lifestyle has done for you.
Notable signatures appearing on this petition so far include Dr. Richard Feinman, Regina Wilshire, Dr. Richard Bernstein, Jackie Eberstein, Dr. Keith Berkowitz, Uffe Ravnskov, Fred Hahn, and many others! Christine and I have done our part to SIGN THIS PETITION and we invite you to do the same for the sake of providing accurate information for diabetics dealing with this terrible disease. Let's not make the problem worse by discouraging the goal of normalizing blood sugars.
I love what Dr. Bernstein, the most famous Type 1 diabetic in the world who has been using a low-carb dietary approach to control his disease since 1946, had to say in the comments beneath his signature on this petition.
"I've had type 1 diabetes for 64 years and have an HgbA1c of 4.6% thanks to a low carb diet. I have a coronary artery calcium score of '1' at age 74. My patients with similar A1c's enjoy similar cardiac health."
You tell 'em, Dr. Bernstein! The low-carb diet is indeed an effective "intensive therapy" that is helping CONTROL blood sugar levels without the use of the risky drug therapies. How about the NIH taking a closer look at the REAL studies that have come out in favor of using something like the Atkins diet to benefit diabetics? There PLENTY of evidence out there and I'm all too happy to share it anytime.
Tim Russert's Fatal Heart Attack Was Preventable, He Followed Antiquated Advice
In this supercharged and oftentimes volatile political election year, something tragic and sudden struck this country and has everyone buzzing in Washington and across the United States. No, it wasn't some sex scandal, drug bust, or any of the other usual news that has become almost too commonplace these days. This was something much more serious and has greater implications than even the extensive coverage the mainstream media is giving to it.
Last Friday afternoon, hard-hitting political interviewer and long-time host of NBC-TV's Sunday morning news talk show "Meet the Press" Tim Russert experienced his first heart attack and it almost instantly killed him. I cannot imagine how his family is responding to this news and my sympathies and prayers go out to them during this very difficult time. Tim was in the midst of doing what he loved--preparing for his television show--when the heart attack took his life and took him away from all of us.
So, how did a 58-year old man die from a heart attack when he was doing all of the things his doctor said he should to prevent it? Should we be concerned about what doctors are telling us about how to ward off cardiovascular disease so that we don't become the next victim of what befell Tim Russert? These are the questions people are asking in the wake of this tragedy and was the subject of what one of my readers wanted to know in an e-mail I received.
Here's what she wrote:
Hi Jimmy, I have been an avid reader of your blog for a long time. I am so scared since Tim Russert died suddenly of a heart attack at only age 58 (my husband is 57 and I'm 54) that I'd really like to get some clarification on the statin drugs and cholesterol issue. Seems like Tim Russert's doctors did all the usual things and he died anyway. I trust what Dr. Jonny Bowden has to say as he has an advanced degree in nutrition and he seems to think for himself instead of just following the status quo. Can you see if he would help reassure me with this? Thanks for your assistance, and keep up the fantastic work!
While I am no Dr. Jonny Bowden, I do have some things to say about Tim Russert's death that need to be said. I can understand your concerns and I am delighted to forward your questions to Dr. Jonny Bowden. He's one of the brightest, most articulate people on nutrition in the entire world, so you are in good hands with the information he provides to you.
But if you would allow me to comment on this subject, I have some thoughts about it. Isn't it interesting that Tim Russert did everything exactly as his doctor wanted him to and yet his very first heart attack was a fatal one? I don't think that's a coincidence either and it happens every single day without a blink of an eye from anyone.
Watch this video interview with Russert's doctor to see how dejected he is about Russert's "unexpected" death despite his best treatment strategies. It's amazing to hear his doctor basically say that Tim did everything he was "supposed" to do and yet it wasn't enough to save his life. Wanna know what the scariest part of this story is?
Check out Tim Russert's lipid profile:
LDL--68 HDL--37 (up from the lower 20's) Total Cholesterol--105
Did you see that? Most doctors would look at those numbers and say, "See how healthy this person is because we lowered his cholesterol." And they would pound their chest with pride at putting someone like Tim Russert on a statin drug to artificially make this happen. But what good did it do him in the end? He's gone now because of that advice and there's no outrage about it. Worry, concern, perplexity, yes--but nobody is angry that this preventable death was made WORSE by the use of all the traditional means for improving heart health.
According to Russert's doctor, he didn't have Type 2 diabetes nor did he have any blood sugar issues at all. His A1c was in the normal range and as I noted previously his cholesterol was considered VERY healthy. For all intents and purposes according to the modern day medical conventional wisdom, he was the epitome of perfect health. And yet he tragically died before his time.
We now know posthumously that Russert had coronary heart disease that he was being treated for, but his doctor apparently didn't know how severe it was. But even if he did know it was extremely serious, what else would he have recommended to Tim? Higher doses of his statin drug? Even less fat in his diet? More exercise? In the end, all of these seemingly good strategies from the conventional wisdom point of view would have very likely done NOTHING to prevent this from happening.
His doctor put him on blood pressure lowering medication as well as a cholesterol-lowering statin drug to see if that would help. And Russert even rode an exercise bike to try to lose weight, although it didn't work. There's no doubt the plaque buildup around his heart was getting bigger and bigger over the years until his heart couldn't take it any longer.
As you know from reading my blog, my most recent total cholesterol reading was 326 with an LDL of 246, HDL of 65, and triglycerides at 77. I am confident I don't need to go on a statin drug now or ever and I am as healthy as I have ever been in my entire life. On face value, any typical physician in America would say to me, "Oh my God, you need to be on Lipitor, Crestor, or Zetia to lower your LDL and total cholesterol."
When you are livin' la vida low-carb correctly, then your HDL will be well above 50 and for women well above 70. At the same time, your triglycerides will drop below 100 for an HDL/triglyceride ratio of around 1. That's what you want. Of course, you will need to get the particle size of your cholesterol subsets measured using a VAP or Berkeley test, but you can almost be guaranteed that if your HDL is up over 50 and your triglycerides are down below 100 that your LDL particle size will be the large, fluffy protective kind.
This cholesterol issue is one I am quite passionate about because the modern means for dealing with it is simply exacerbating the problem. The medical community has the blinders on and they refuse to take them off long enough to see the harm they are doing to patient after patient they put on these risky prescription drugs for a purpose that is futile and fatal in the end like it was for Tim Russert.
Here are quite a few posts I have penned about the subject of cholesterol that I think you should read when you get a chance to help you understand this issue even better:
There's much more to this cholesterol issue and the connection to Tim Russert's death than most people even realize. I encourage you to read a few more commentaries from people in the health community who I respect and trust about this:
Hopefully my answer will make you feel better about this and that consuming a diet lower in carbs, higher in fat, and with moderate protein at every meal is what is going to work best for improving your heart health over the course of your life. If only Tim Russert had been given this information instead of the antiquated traditional advice he received, then his fatal heart attack may have been averted. Perhaps this event will begin a serious discussion of heart health treatment in this country so that others can benefit from the healthy low-carb lifestyle, too. We can only hope.
Anyone interested in learning more about the alternative cholesterol hypothesis I've written about today must check out the following books:
6-24-08 UPDATE: In response to an anonymous comment left about this blog post regarding the kind of diet Tim Russert ate OBVIOUSLY being a low-carb one, here's my comment:
As for Tim Russert, he most certainly was NOT on a low-carb diet because his triglycerides were very high and his HDL was very low...these are signs of a HIGH-carb, low-fat diet that his cardiologist no doubt put him on. Here's an excerpt from the New York Times about Russert's health:
Mr. Russert had low HDL, the protective cholesterol, and high triglycerides. He was quite overweight; a waist more than 40 inches in men increases heart risk. A CT scan of his coronary arteries in 1998 gave a calcium score of 210, indicating artery disease — healthy arteries do not have calcium deposits — and a moderate to high risk of a heart attack.
It's seems like light years ago now, but before my livin' la vida low-carb days I used to be actively involved in the Christian music industry in the 1990's. While I was attending graduate school at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA beginning in 1993 at the age of 21, I was privileged to be able to meet and know quite a few of the most famous singers and performers in contemporary Christian music thanks in part to my gig as a radio disc jockey and later as the music buyer for a major Christian retail chain.
Because I absolutely fell in love with Christian music while still attending The University of Tennessee at Martin from 1989-1992, I was thrilled to have the chance to work at a Christian radio station on Virginia Beach Boulevard called WODC 88.5FM The Lighthouse (the station changed the call letters to WJLZ The Current in 2003 when it updated to become a more progressive Christian music station) where I hosted my own weekly countdown show called "The Christian Hits Countdown." Featuring the latest top 20 songs in contemporary Christian music, I became well acquainted with the biggest and the best artists producing the songs that inspired and uplifted people of faith.
Additionally, I started out working part-time at Christmas while still pursuing my Master's degree in the mid-1990's at a pretty major regional Christian bookstore chain in Virginia called Heaven & Earth and eventually worked my way up to my store's music expert then manager and then music buyer and marketing manager for the entire chain of 16 stores. It was a very cool job to have (didn't pay much, but the fringe benefits were VERY nice!).
One of those benefits included meeting the top artists in the world of Christian music. And if you think Christian music is just a bunch of boring hymns and sappy twangy ballads, then you don't know what you've been missing. The rise of contemporary Christian music in the early 1990's brought us some truly amazing artists with a heart for God and reaching the younger generation with music that appeals to them. The biggest names included dc Talk, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, The Newsboys, Jars of Clay, and so many more I could just keep naming. But one man stood above the rest when it came to excellence in creating engaging Christian music--Steven Curtis Chapman.
Here's an old photo of (fat) me and SCC in the late 1990's
What a true godsend this multi-Dove Award (the Christian Grammy award) winning artist has been in my own life encouraging me with such stirring songs as "The Great Adventure," "His Strength Is Perfect," "Dive," "Signs of Life," "Speechless," "Let Us Pray"...the list just goes on and on. Steven is the most highly-decorated and honored Christian music ambassador there is. Every time I have met him over the years, the immediate thing you notice is his humility. He does what he does because he has a Savior who loves him and was willing to die on a cross for his sins. That act of selfless love is what drives Steven Curtis Chapman to share his talents with those who are lost and dying and don't even know it as well as bring believers closer to God.
When the infamous Columbine shootings happened in April 1999, I was in Nashville, Tennessee for Gospel Music Association week where Steven was scheduled to attend to promote his new album entitled Speechless. But as soon as he heard about this tragedy in Littleton, Colorado, Steven canceled his promo tour with the Christian music industry to offer words of comfort and solace for the families of the victims singing a song he was inspired to write for them called "With Hope." That's just the kind of person Steven Curtis Chapman is and he has always been there to offer the peace that passes all understanding for grieving victims of life's circumstances.
That's why it pains me today to report that Steven's 5-year old adopted daughter from China was killed yesterday when her older brother accidentally backed into her with the family SUV. Steven and his wife Mary Beth have three biological children as well as three adopted children from China. They are so committed to providing solid loving homes for orphans in China that they set up an adoption assistance organization called Shaohannah's Hope, named after the Chapman's oldest adopted daughter. The news of Maria's sudden and tragic death is stunning and a reminder of the fragility of life.
You can see how much Steven loved Maria in this YouTube video he posted last month while washing the dishes with his beloved daughter:
Ironically, Steven's latest release to Christian radio is a song called "Cinderella" which he wrote for his two little ones, Maria and Stevey Joy. Here's the music video and story behind the song that will break your heart in light of their great loss this week:
Here are the lyrics to "Cinderella" which somehow take on even more meaning now than Steven probably ever thought they would:
She spins and she sways To whatever song plays Without a care in the world And I'm sitting here wearing The weight of the world on my shoulders
It's been a long day And there's still work to do She's pulling at me Saying "Dad, I need you
There's a ball at the castle And I've been invited And I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone...
She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed She wants to know if I approve of the dress She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away And I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone
She will be gone
Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand Just glowing and telling us all they had planned She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away But I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone
Rest in peace Maria Sue Chapman (2003-2008)
Today, Maria Sue Chapman may be gone, but she's dancing with Jesus in heaven. Remember the Chapman family in your prayers during this very difficult time as they try to make sense of all that has happened. A tribute blog in memory of Maria has been set up to communicate messages of love and support for the Chapman family as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death with one of their children. You can send cards of condolences to Steven Curtis Chapman and his family by writing to P.O. Box 150156 Nashville, TN 37215. They are requesting in lieu of flowers that any gifts be directed to the Shaohannah's Hope web site or by sending in your check directly to Shaohannah's Hope, c/o Maria's Miracle Fund, P.O. Box 647, Franklin TN, 37065.
Steven, hold strong to your faith, trust God's eternal wisdom for what has happened, and continue living your life as the amazing testimony you are for the glory of the God Almighty who gave you the privilege of having Maria in your life. We love you and will remember you in our prayers during this difficult time. God bless The Chapmans!
I Feel Like Death May Be Following Me With Recent String Of Tornadoes
A twister touches down in Suffolk, VA one day after I was there
Have you ever seen that movie series Final Destination? The premise in all three flicks is that once you cheat death, it comes back to get you anyway in the most peculiar ways. It certainly made for an entertaining set of movies, but now I'm beginning to wonder if "death" may be following me with tornadoes over the past three months.
Here are 3 tornadoes incidents we came close to in 2008:
Just six weeks prior to the tornado I blogged about ripping through Union University in Jackson, TN, we drove right by there on a trip to Bolivar, Tennessee to visit my dad for the Christmas holidays. I can remember pointing directly at the Union campus telling Christine that I had several friends who went to college there while I was at the University of Tennessee at Martin in the early 1990's.
It was only one week before the tragic tornado hit downtown Atlanta that I was walking straight up International Boulevard in that very city at the 2008 Heart, Patio, and Barbecue Expo on a Friday night right after returning from my low-carb cruise to Mexico. It's scary to think that could have happened one week later and we would have been right there in the center of it all!
This time was almost too close when only one day prior to the tornado ripping through hundreds of homes in the town of Suffolk, VA, Christine and I were driving back to our home in Spartanburg, SC after a quick weekend trip to the Hampton Roads area in Virginia Beach, VA for my sister-in-law's wedding reception. Had we known what was to come to that town the next day as we drove by it on Sunday, then we would not have been able to control our emotions. We drove through several very heavy downpours on the way home, but had no idea a tornado was about to hit where we were driving along US-58.
Coincidence? Sure. What are the odds of being that close to three different tornadoes in three cities over the span of three months though? I'd say the probability of that happening is at least a bazillion to one. And yet it has happened and the tornadoes seem to be getting closer and closer each time.
It's all just a bit unsettling when you stop and think about it. Of course, if there really was something like "death" coming to get you, then certainly it would all be within God's perfect plan for my life and I'm cool with that. But I'd prefer to stick around a lot longer doing what I'm doing helping people as they begin the healthy low-carb lifestyle.
This blog post doesn't really have anything at all to do with livin' la vida low-carb, but I couldn't help sharing this story with you today in the wake of yet another sad story about a tornado tragedy. Thoughts anyone?
Dr. David Schlundt pinpoints another obesity-related problem
We all know the health dangers associated with obesity, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and a whole host of other health calamities. But now researchers out of Vanderbilt University have stumbled upon another unexpected side effect of the overweight and obese population that is likely being overlooked by a lot of statisticians: automobile accident injuries and death.
Lead researcher Dr. David G. Schlundt, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the Nashville, TN-based Vanderbilt University, hypothesized that the use of seat belts among the obese was likely less than their non-obese counterparts because of a variety of concerns, not the least of which is the comfort of use. He wanted to test this theory against hard data regarding BMI rates to calculate the rate of seat belt use among the increasing degrees of obesity.
Using existing data from the Center For Disease Control's 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, Dr. Schlundt and his team of researchers implemented a multivariable logistic regression to determine the seat belt use among the following groups split up according to their BMI:
These statistics were compared with the non-overweight/non-obese (BMI below 24.9) and the numbers were adjusted for age, race, gender, education, and the individual state seat belt laws. According to what Dr. Schlundt found, here was the breakdown of seat belt use among the various categories of people according to their weight:
The researchers found that women especially were discouraged from seat belt use the higher their BMI was, but they noted an increase in seat belt use the older they got, the more education they received, and in states that have a secondary seat belt law in place legally requiring it. The conclusion of Dr. Schlundt and his team was that obesity now can lead to reckless behavior when the obese get behind the wheel of an automobile.
"Lack of seat belt can be added to the list of risk factors associated with obesity," the researchers contended. "Effective preventive interventions are needed to promote seatbelt use among overweight and obese persons."
When I was researching this study, I couldn't help but think about that scene in the Eddie Murphy movie called Norbit where one of his characters named Rasputia, an ornery 300+ pound monster of a woman, was trying to get inside of her car and her stomach was so big she was pushing up against the car horn. This wouldn't be so funny if it didn't have at least an ounce of truth to it:
Yes, that makes for a good laugh scene in Hollywood, but for some people this is no laughing matter. I can remember vividly weighing over 400 pounds with the seat as far back as it could go and my stomach would STILL touch the steering wheel. I always joked with my wife Christine that I could drive with no hands and it was quite embarrassing. And let's not even talk about how I got in and out of the car (bad memories, bad memories!).
When I was morbidly obese at 400+ pounds (my BMI was around 52 at my highest weight), I absolutely HATED with a passion having to wear a seat belt. It really got to the point that I refused to wear one because it rubbed up against me in ways I couldn't tolerate and the stupid thing never seemed to fit right no matter what I did. Well duh, it's not made for a gargantuan man with a 62-inch waist wearing 5XL shirts and with a stomach looking like I was carrying quintuplets!
Then, an event happened in August 2003 that was likely the thing that set the wheels in motion for me to start livin' la vida low-carb--although that was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. This really shook me into reality about my increasing weight problem in the Fall 2003 and in hindsight I'm thankful it happened.
My wife's grandfather had died suddenly and we traveled to Virginia to be with the family for the burial. It was about an hour until the funeral when Christine remembered she left a picture she drew to place inside the casket with her grandpa at her parent's house about a mile away from her grandmother's home. The limousine was scheduled to pick us up within a few minutes, so I told Christine I'd hop in the car and go get the picture for her.
So I drove to my in-law's house, grabbed the picture, and started heading back when suddenly it happened--SCCCCCRRREEEEEECH...CRASH!!! A man driving an SUV with his wife and kids ran a stop sign and I swerved off the road to avoid hitting them. My Ford Escort then made a beeline for a tree hitting it head-on at about 35 mph. I'll never forget three memories from that day when the car came to a stop.
1. I couldn't breathe at all and was in severe pain across my chest. 2. The horn was stuck and blared loudly throughout the neighborhood. 3. I knew I would miss saying goodbye to Christine's grandpa.
As the white dust from the air bag filled the car, I immediately opened the door so I could try to get some air. I recall taking the seat belt loose (thankfully, I was wearing one that day!), putting my feet outside the door, and standing up dizzily looking for help. The man who ran the stop sign called for an ambulance and he asked me if I wanted to borrow his cell phone to call someone. I was so disoriented from the crash that I couldn't remember grandma's phone number. I leaned up against my car and finally the number came to me. I reached Christine's dad.
A neighbor who heard all the commotion came over to turn off my very annoying horn which was making my headache ten thousand times worse and my father-in-law was there in mere moments. He's a police officer, so he is familiar with coming on scenes like this quite often in his line of duty. I can remember him asking me if I needed him to stay with me, but I knew going to his father-in-law's funeral was important to him. I wasn't bleeding anywhere, but a couple of my fingers were twisted and my entire chest and stomach was one big contusion. When the ambulance arrived to pick me up, I rode to the hospital alone and told him to get to the funeral. I'm glad he did.
Within a couple of hours, I was in and out of the emergency room with some minor injuries considering the accident. But even with the seat belt on, I sustained a lasting impression on the front of my body that took several months to heal. Looking down at my big blob of blubber with my man boobs and oversized keg of a stomach every morning that literally turned every shade of black, blue, purple and green was enough to make me wanna get rid of that ugly sight forever. It would only be a matter of months before I decided to go on the Atkins diet that would change my life forever.
With around 3 million injuries and a total of 42,000 deaths that happen annually as a result of car crashes in the U.S., this new research shines a bright light on an issue that should capture the attention of anyone who is obese--currently estimated at close to 60 million Americans. Seat belts have been shown to reduce the rate of injury and/or death by as much as 50 percent, so this is a rather alarming trend that should be a major motivating factor for anyone carrying around extra pounds around their waistline to do something about it. If you can't wear the seat belt in your car, then something bad is wrong that needs addressing! And it's not your seat belt!
Many car companies make seat belt extenders that are very low-cost for their customers to use, so take advantage of that while you can. By all mean, don't let your pride get in the way of your personal safety in your automobible. More than anything, though, you really need to find a weight loss plan that will work for you and then DO IT! Whether it is low-fat, low-carb, vegan, or whatever, just choose one and GO FOR IT! Pick a plan, follow it precisely, and never give up on it. That's what will melt the pounds away and get you on the right path for your weight and health.
Even Dr. Schlundt admits there is no direct correlation found between having a higher body weight and seat belt use, but from a practical standpoint as a former 400-pounder who has been there--it's undeniable! And even WITH a seat belt, you can still get injured pretty badly just like I did. I took gobs of pain pills (and I NEVER like taking medicine of ANY kind) and couldn't get up out of a chair by myself for about two months...and that was WHILE WEARING A SEAT BELT! Losing weight wasn't just an option for me after this accident, but rather a real necessity. I wonder if I would have been as gung ho about livin' la vida low-carb had it not been for this accident. Who knows? But I'm glad it happened--er, sorta. :)
Dr. Atkins And His Low-Carb Diet Still Command Respect Years After His Passing
You know someone's life has made a lasting impact on the world when their contributions to society are still being talked about many years after that person is gone. That's precisely what has happened to the founder of the world's most popular low-carb nutritional approach.
The late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins of Atkins diet fame was prematurely taken from us on April 17, 2003 after a tragic slip and fall accident on some ice in New York City which resulted in a massive head injury that he was unable to recover from at the age of 72. It was a sad day for the millions of people who were positively touched by this remarkable man and you should read this touching tribute from Lora Ruffner and her readers at Low-Carb Luxury.
Although I had not yet chosen to begin livin' la vida low-carb at the time of his death and never had the chance to actually meet Dr. Atkins in person, I have since grown to love and appreciate all that this incredible man has done for me even after his untimely demise. My life will forever be changed for the better because of the lessons I learned from the Atkins diet and nobody will ever convince me otherwise.
Even still, there are some out there who are so threatened by this man who has been gone for four years and four months that they feel compelled to continue spreading lies, innuendo, and propaganda about how Dr. Atkins died claiming he was obese, had a heart attack, and that it was all because of his "unhealthy" diet. The best example of these kind of repugnant statements comes from Mr. Low-Fat Diet himself, Dr. Dean Ornish. Will he ever learn to give it a rest?
When you hear these kinds of personal attacks against someone like Dr. Atkins long after their passing, it's got to make you wonder what all the fearmongering and fuss is REALLY about and why they don't just move on with their own agenda and message. Could it be they realize that people's lives are STILL IMPROVING TO THIS DAY on that there Atkins diet, so they have to grasp at straws to try to discredit it in any way?
I can almost hear Dr. Atkins saying from the grave, "Go ahead, make my day!"
In my recent interview with Veronica Atkins in May 2007, the faithful and loving wife of Dr. Atkins for much of his career, she expressed how much all these rumors surrounding her husband's tragic death hurt her personally and that these distortions of the truth are obviously being spread by "fanatics" who are "unwilling and uninterested in seeking the truth."
"They certainly showed their true colors when they illegally obtained copies of Dr. Atkins' medical records following his death and then leaked false information to the press claiming he was obese," Mrs. Atkins told me in the interview. "When my husband was admitted to the hospital following his accident, he weighed 195 pounds--a healthy weight for a 6’ 2” tall man. The extra weight he gained during his hospital stay was due to an accumulation of body fluids related to his treatment and linked to organ failure."
But, despite this...
"This group chose to distort the facts to suit their agenda, which is very disturbing indeed," she added.
It's on secret that Dr. Atkins suffered from a heart condition called cardiomyopathy stemming from a viral infection and most realize it had nothing at all to do with his healthy low-carb diet. In fact, if you go back through statements he made throughout his 30+ years in the diet industry, then you will hear him speak quite candidly about this personal condition he suffered from and the many hours of research he personally undertook to study it to help others with it. You won't hear this anywhere else.
Nevertheless, the neverending drumbeat of personal vilification of Dr. Atkins goes on in 2007 and I'll sometimes get an e-mail like the following one inquiring about the circumstances surrounding his death and whether it had anything to do with his diet.
I'm always happy to respond to these questions because it's an opportunity to share the truth. Here's what an Ohio man wrote to me this week:
Hello,
I really enjoy your blog! Congratulations on the fine success you continue to enjoy.
I just started up Induction after a three-year lapse...recent blood profile was getting pretty bad and first thing out of the doc's mouth was Lipitor. I said no thanks, would rather try diet changes. So here I am, 7 pounds down in less than a week, walking 2 fast miles a day, and feeling fine!
My questions for you: Is there any truth to the stories circulating a few years ago that Dr. Atkins had arteriosclerosis and other circulatory conditions? I know the family addressed his post-coma weight gain, but can't find where they addressed these reports. Any info? If this is already answered on your blog I overlooked it, I'm sorry. Thanks for your time.
Actually, I had addressed this previously at my blog, so I replied:
Hey,
It's so GREAT to hear from you and I'm happy that you have chosen to start livin' la vida low-carb. GO BOY! :D
Your question is indeed one I have addressed previously at my blog in the following post:
There are some pretty radical low-fat loving, anti-meat individuals groups who will continue to rail against this way of eating because it threatens them and their chosen way of life. It's great that they have chosen be a vegetarian or a vegan. But that doesn't work for all of us as you well know.
EXCELLENT QUESTION and I appreciate hearing from you. Contact me anytime! :)
This precipitated a follow-up response and question from my reader:
Hey Jimmy,
Thanks for the quick reply. Okay, I did not see that article you wrote previously so thanks for pointing it out.
Can you tell me, if you know, what the nature of the infection Dr. Atkins had that led to these conditions? Did his family or Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. representatives ever say?
Unless that issue is buried once and for all, there will be no end to the ammunition his enemies will have to claim that the diet could lead to long-term damage to the cardiovascular system, even if it takes 30 years to do it.
And I'll confess, it's given me a bit of cautious doubt myself, despite the benefits I've seen so far in my own weight and energy (the next blood test is several weeks away yet). I'm one of those "examine all sides first, then decide" people! Thanks again.
Man, if I had a dollar for everyone that asks me this question... ;)
Here was my reply:
Yes, Dr. Atkins had issues that were present in his own health LONG before he even started his research on low-carb diets. Read this statment from Veronica Atkins for more detailed information.
To me, it's as simple as this--looking at Dr. Atkins and his health is not going to prove or disprove what livin' la vida low-carb has done for me (although there is a long-term study that found low-carb diets are not unhealthy for heart health with lots more research to come over the next few years). The fact is it IS working for me and I've never been healthier in my entire life. It sounds like the same thing has happened for you, too. CONGRATULATIONS!
Ultimately, the decision about continuing on with this way of eating is yours. But ask yourself one question--How else am I going to eat healthy if I don't eat low-carb?
Something to think about, my friend. THANKS again for your e-mail.
The bottom line that I try to tell people is don't let anyone try to talk you out of your low-carb lifestyle when you know it is what's right for you. This is YOUR life and health, so anyone who disparages your decision to eat a healthy low-carb diet can just go suck on an egg (which is very low-carb, by the way!). :D
You could tell it was like a light bulb went off in my reader's head when he wrote his final e-mail to me:
Thank you! I never saw that statement from Veronica Atkins before and it is entirely satisfactory to me. Thanks for pointing me to it!!!
As for the occasional anti-meat fanatics you get dropping by, just remember, "You will never reason a man out of something he wasn't reasoned into in the first place."
I personally wouldn't waste time on them. They won't dispute Atkins on any medical, scientific or otherwise objective basis because they can't. But in their minds they don't really NEED to, either.
As you know, they view eating anything with a face as morally wrong. That (in their minds) ends all need for rational, mature discussion. No success you have will make one bit of difference to them, except to make them angrier; you are still WRONG and EVIL for eating meat, period.
Hence the losers who threaten you with the heart attack bogeyman. That you tolerate them as well as you do is impressive...I have no patience for such fools.
Continued success to you!
Ah, another satisfied low-carb convert...welcome to the fray, my friend! He really needs to read what Dr. Barry Groves had to say about the sacrosanct meat-hating minions in my exclusive interview with him earlier this week. Classic Barry and 100% right on!
I couldn't resist sharing why I engage these anti-meat activists:
Awww, but it's so much fun to yank their chain every once in a while...they're threatened by people like me and you. :D YOU GOTTA LOVE IT! THANKS again!
So, you see, even though it has been years since Dr. Robert C. Atkins has departed from us, we're still talking about him. And they'll still be talking about him in 2008, 2009, 2020, and beyond! His legacy will live on for a very long time because you and I both know he was right after all! :)
I welcome anyone to e-mail me with your questions about the low-carb lifestyle anytime by writing to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. It's my pleasure to hear from my readers and I make it a priority to answer every single request for information about livin' la vida low-carb! THANKS for reading and I'm always thrilled to correspond with you.
Steve Dyar Was A Big Man With A Bigger Heart For God
I will be the first to admit that I don't always understand why God allows bad things to happen to good people, although I know that He promises to "work all things together for the good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I honestly believe that in my heart to be true even when it hits hard personally.
Such is the case with my friend and former minister of music Rev. Steve Dyar. I previoulsy told you about this big man with the bigger heart for God when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in December 2006. Steve and his beautiful wife Susan had felt the calling to go into full-time music evangelism and were in the process of touring around to various churches.
Then it happened--CANCER!
When the cancer hit, everything was put on hold as they went through the emotional rollercoaster ride that experience brings. The radiation treatments lasted for several months up until a few weeks ago and yet Steve was still having trouble breathing and swallowing. This really tall guy was melting away to nothing when he surprised our church choir at Easter to sing a song in our musical program. It was a real miracle!
Little did we know, though, that would be the last time we would ever see Steve sing.
On Friday afternoon, my friend Steve Dyar went home to be with that God of wonders he sang so beautifully about for most of his life. It was described as a peaceful passing and he was not in any pain when it happened. I couldn't help but think of a song that Steve used to sing with our choir when he was the music pastor at our church when I heard he was gone.
It's that song "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. With that booming baritone voice, I can hear him singing it now:
I can only imagine What it will be like When I walk By your side
I can only imagine What my eyes will see When your face Is before me I can only imagine
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine
I can only imagine When that day comes And I find myself Standing in the Son
I can only imagine When all I will do Is forever Forever worship You I can only imagine
I can only imagine When all I will do Is forever, forever worship you
Today Steve is at the beginning of forever worshipping that Jesus he loved and adored in his time here on Earth. He has a new body that is free of the pain of cancer he has endured these past few months and now is "standing in the Son." I rejoice in knowing that he is now home and will live eternally with Jesus walking those streets of gold in heaven.
I am so privileged to have been able to cross paths with this incredible man of God with a faith unlike anyone else I have ever known. This was a man after God's own heart and I am a better person today because of the example he was to me as a man. I will NEVER EVER forget what I gleaned from this big man with the bigger heart for God because he taught me more about servant leadership and Christ-like love than anyone else I've ever known.
To his wife Susan and their two handsome grown sons Stephen and Sterling, I want to express my heartfelt sympathy and love for you. That man you called husband and dad made a real difference in both my life and well as in the life of my wife Christine. We give God the glory and the honor for allowing us to know you and share a few years of our lives together.
Be sure to save a seat in heaven for us, Steve! We know we're gonna see you again someday and what a day that will be! We love you and will miss you greatly. Praise God from whom all blessings flow--and YOU were a blessing to me!
One of Steve's favorite praise songs was "Blessed Be The Name" by Matt Redman:
Blessed Be Your Name In the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name When I'm found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name When the sun's shining down on me When the world's 'all as it should be' Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away You give and take away My heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name
This song defined the life of an amazing man who chose to bless God to the very end. Even "when the darkness closed in" on him in 2007, still he boldly cried out "Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord!" I only hope to have that same kind of faith if I ever face a trial as great as Steve did.
With this, I say goodbye for now, Steve Dyar! I hope to become even half the man that you were in your life and I commit to live the rest of my life in such a way that brings praise, honor, and glory to the Lord God Almighty. Rest in peace for all of eternity, my friend. I'll see you one day when the good Lord decides it is time for me to come home, too.
Dr. Pierce says fruits and veggies may not prevent breast cancer deaths
Dean Ornish, Joel Fuhrman, and other low-fatties, eat your heart out!
That's because your cherished high-carb, low-fat fruits and vegetables diet took a major blow this week in the largest study of its kind that found women who showed early signs of breast cancer who ate this way did NOT have a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence compared to women who followed a diet consisting of five servings a day of fruits and vegetables as reported in this Yahoo News story.
Well, well, well, what do we have here? It seems the many layers of the low-fat lie onion just keep getting peeled away one-by-one as new research builds the case that this dietary approach is the fraud we know it to be. Ever since this historic 8-year study was released in February 2006 showing a high-carb, low-fat diet does NOT improve the risk of cancer or heart disease as had been claimed previously, it's all been downhill from there.
Lead researcher Dr. John P. Pierce, professor at the University of California San Diego Cancer Center in the Family & Preventive Medicine Cancer Prevention & Control Program, and his fellow researchers observed 3,088 American women (between the ages of 18-70) who were previously diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer and split them into two groups:
INTERVENTION GROUP--1537 of the study participants were randomly assigned to receive a telephone counseling program supplemented with cooking classes and newsletters that promoted daily targets of 5 vegetable servings plus 16 oz of vegetable juice; 3 fruit servings; 30 g of fiber; and 15% to 20% of energy intake from fat.
OR
COMPARISON GROUP--1551 of the study participants followed a written form of the "5-A-Day" dietary guidelines.
The INTERVENTION GROUP ate TWICE as many fruits and vegetables as the COMPARISON GROUP over the course of the study that took place in seven different cities. Each of the women were observed from 6-11 years.
What did the researchers find?
The INTERVENTION GROUP increased their servings of vegetables by 65 percent, fruits by 25 percent, fiber by 30 percent, while LOWERING their fat intake by 13 percent. These changes were confirmed by blood tests among those in that group.
There were a total of 518 recurrences of breast cancer over the average 7.3 years of follow-up among both groups. But the difference between the two groups was insignificant:
INTERVENTION GROUP--256 women (16.7 percent) COMPARISON GROUP--262 women (16.9 percent)
Similarly, there were 315 deaths with eight out of ten of them due directly to the breast cancer, but there was little statistical difference between the two groups:
INTERVENTION GROUP--155 women (10.1 percent) COMPARISON GROUP--160 women (10.3 percent)
The researchers admit that there is plenty of room for discussion about what nutritional approach is best to ward off various types of cancer rather than simply accepting the "all-you-can-eat fruits and veggies" diet that has become the tried and true advice given out by doctors and medical professionals.
Dr. Marcia Stefanick, one of the researchers on this study from Stanford University, told Reuters that she was "surprised and disappointed" by the results of this study.
"I think we believed that by eating real food and nutrient-dense food, we were going to come up with a different outcome, but we didn't," she explained.
Perhaps rather than being upset, Dr. Stefanick, why not learn from the empirical knowledge you have gleaned from this experience to realize perhaps the old adage of eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables was just plain bad advice. It's okay to admit that even if it goes against everything you ever believed about a healthy diet.
Dr. Pierce was a bit more pragmatic in his response to the results explaining there is a "threshold effect" when it comes to your intake of fruits and veggies.
"I look at it the other way," he stated. "We're telling women they don't have to go overboard here. They can have a good quality of life without worrying about their dietary pattern all the time."
Well hallelujah! A voice of reason in the scientific community at last! This obsession with having people eats unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables as if it is the great cure-all has been annoying at best. I've always contended that kind of dietary advice is a copout, mainly because what people consider their veggie intake is mostly potatoes and more specifically, FRIED potatoes.
The researchers said the recommended vegetables are the nutrient-dense, non-starchy dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes and carrots and NOT the popular nutritionally bankrupt ones like iceberg lettuce and the extremely high-carb white potatoes.
One area of study that may be pursued further is whether consuming a low-diet high fruits and vegetables as a young person results in lower breast cancer risk.
I'm welcoming the scorn of vegans again, but this story cannot be ignored. I may even have one threaten to sue me for challenging their diet. But this is whacked!
Did you see this Associated Press story about the vegan couple who was sent to prison for literally starving their newborn baby to death? Oh my goodness, this is so heartbreaking and further exemplifies why veganism is downright dangerous as a dietary approach.
Confirming the study that found vegans are brainless, Lamont Thomas and Jade Sanders were given mandatory life prison sentences for failing to provide ample nutrition to their precious little one named Crown Shakur.
After being fed a high-carb, low-fat diet with no animal products--mostly soy milk and apple juice--in the six short weeks of his life, Crown passed away due to starvation after shrinking down to 3 1/2 pounds prior to death.
This happened three years ago, but a judge found the couple guilty of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children earlier this month. Although their attorney said the vegan parents had no idea their extreme lifestyle choice was killing their baby until just before he died, the jury was convinced they were guilty of nutritional neglect.
Prosecuting attorney Chuck Boring said the parents made bad choices.
"The child died because he was not fed. Period," he said.
Despite the ruling, Sanders remained in denial to the end.
"I loved my son—and I did not starve him," she said.
Vegans are an interesting breed of human being that claim to be eating the "perfect" diet that is most sensitive to the welfare of animals. But what are they doing to the people--and BABIES--who are eating this way?
While vegans want to be convinced the Atkins diet is healthy, I think it's high time we turn that question around. It's hard to believe vegans are envious of low-carb and they'll never admit it in public, but they are. They KNOW we are eating healthy and they are not.
These people are evil to the core as I shared in this recent podcast which instigated a hateful reaction to have my head on a platter wanting to have my show discontinued. It didn't happen because these people are a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
It gives me no pleasure to see life being destroyed because of veganism, but we need to look at the obvious. This diet killed Crown and robbed him of the opportunity to enjoy a long and healthy life. Remember that the next time a vegan starts spouting off how his diet is saving the planet while keeping him healthy. You'll know the truth!
Antonia Trichopoulou found that higher protein leads to increased death
Oh no! I guess all of us low-carbers need to make sure our will is written because it looks like we're all headed for a one-way ticket to the cemetary. Well, that's what some are claiming after reading this European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study about mortality rates of people on a high-protein, low-carb diet.
Lead researcher Antonia Trichopoulou from the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the School of Medicine at the University of Athens in Athens, Greece wanted to see what the mortality rates of people who stay on a high-protein, low-carb diet over the long-term.
Using the Greek population to comprise her pool of study participants, Trichopoulou observed the diet of 22,944 healthy adults and assessed their diet by way of a questionnaire. The researchers paid especially close attention to the protein and carbohydrate levels of the people in the study and more specifically their relationship to the rate of death among specific categories of people.
What she found was that 455 deaths happened over the 10-year period which Trichopoulou contributed to "high values of the additive low carbohydrate-high protein" diet. She also added that the study participants who ate such a diet saw more cardiovascular and cancer deaths than those who ate a high-carb diet.
Trichopoulou's grim conclusion? She said, "Prolonged consumption of diets low in carbohydrates and high in protein is associated with an increase in total mortality."
Aw man! I was just getting used to eating this way and now this researcher has to come along and ruin my day like this! Actually, while it is certainly an interesting study to look at, I'm not buying it. Whenever you leave the study data in the hands of the participants as they did in this study, you are opening yourself up for suspicious results.
But, despite my doubts about the veracity of the study results, you and I were challenged by a board certified dietitian named Dr. Steven Acocella to refute it under the assumption that it is a legitimate study. Before I share with you his challenge, I think you need to know a little more about this gentleman first.
As you can see from this DiseaseProof.com article featuring Dr. Acocella, he's no fan of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins and his low-carb, high-protein diet. As a fellow colleague of low-fat vegetarian diet advocate Dr. Joel Furhman, we can presume he too believes meat should not be a major part of a healthy diet. Thus, a study like this one from Greece seems to further his position.
So, here's his challenge to people who are livin' la vida low-carb:
Dear Jimmy and blog members -
I know that the low-carb approach focuses caloric intake on high-fat but we all agree by default this diet style is also low-carb and high in protein, as fatty foods are often derived from high-protein foods. I know I'm in the lion's den here but Jimmy often posts opposing view and allows hearty debate. My post will hopefully inspire such discourse.
I will not editorialize on the study, but simply listen to you and your reader’s comments. I will say that there's no reason that we need to dispute the efficacy of the study itself. Let's go from the position that the study is not flawed. Let's discuss the science and findings.
The conclusions of the authors are reproducible and consistent. What do you all think? If you do post this study I applaud your willingness to explore the science and not ignore nor dismiss it.
I am keen on hearing the comments.
Dr. Steven Acocella Board Certified Dietitian Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine Master of Science Human Nutrition Fellow - American College of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate - American Clinical Board of Nutrition
THANK YOU for the challenge, Dr. Acocella! I'm more than happy to let my intelligent audience of readers share with you their collective wisdom about carbohydrate restriction. Debate of ideas is what I'm all about and I appreciate your willingness to listen.
Okay, if you are on a high-protein, low-carb diet and STILL living, please let us know by leaving a comment. LOL! Just kidding, but I think it makes a point.
The idea that you are killing yourself eating this way is absolutely absurd, study or no study. I don't need a study to tell me this because I'm living it, Dr. Acocella. And so are millions more to the betterment of their health and weight.
Also, you can e-mail Antonia Trichopoulou about her study at antonia@nut.uoa.gr.
Dr. Yin-Xiong Li warns your cholesterol can get too LOW
With every other commercial on your television screen these days pushing another prescription drug that is supposed to help you medicate your high-cholesterol problem to allegedly improve your health, I couldn't help but share this TheHeart.org article about an eye-opening new study showing just how dangerous it is to have cholesterol levels that are too low. Yep, you heard me right--TOO LOW!
Lead researcher Dr. Yin-Xiong Li, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Cell Biology at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, conducted a basic-science study on zebra fish embryos and cholesterol supplementation to prevent fetal alcohol defects that was published in the January 22, 2007 issue of Laboratory Investigation.
Dr. Li was able to extrapolate some important information that raises questions about cholesterol levels that may prove important in light of the current cholesterol-lowering madness that we are going through in 2007.
His question: Is there such a thing as too LOW cholesterol?
Just asking that question has no doubt gotten Dr. Li hate mail from every pill-pushing pharmaceutical company with a cholesterol drug on the market today. Whether it is Liptor, Crestor, Zetia, or any of the other medicines designed to artificially drop cholesterol levels, you can't avoid seeing or hearing about this suddenly trumped up issue of cholesterol. They have sounded the alarm on the supposed dangers of having high-cholesterol for so long that people are actually buying into it.
But Dr. Li says the presence of the right amount and kinds of cholesterol in the body is too important for people to unnecessarily reduce to an arbitrary number like the current recommendation to get it below 200. That's not necessarily a good idea for everyone because there are health risks for lowering cholesterol too much, Dr. Li added.
Interestingly, Dr. Li is very concerned about the overuse of statins by doctors these days. He admitted that they are indeed helping to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But the fact is these drugs put people at a higher risk of death if they are taking one of these drugs and have a heart attack or stroke with low levels of cholesterol. EEEEK!
"If you cut the cholesterol too low, the risk is that when you have an [heart attack] or stroke, the event may be much worse and the death rate could be higher, because adult stem cells do not function well under extremely low levels of cholesterol," Dr. Li explained.
That explains why traditional cholesterol tests that measure LDL and total cholesterol alone as the indicators of heart health risks for people on a low-carb diet are virtually irrelevant. As we saw just last week in this study, HDL and triglycerides are a better marker for heart disease risk than the way we've been doing it our entire lives.
And Dr. Li knows this, but it's not just about heart health. There are other costs to our health associated with lowering cholesterol levels too much.
The existence of cholesterol helps the body produce stem cells to repair tissues and organs that have been damaged.
"If you cut the cholesterol too low, instead of stem cells you will get fibrous cells repairing organs, which in turn are replaced by scar tissue," Dr. Li stated.
According to Dr. Li, this is why death will occur more often in people with who have too low cholesterol because their blood vessels are much stiffer and will very likely break.
"If your cholesterol is too low, you are likely to be extremely unhappy, with a higher likelihood of suicidal behavior," Dr. Li contended. "We also know that drugs against depression increase cholesterol."
His conclusion is that we need to have a balance between what is considered high-cholesterol and low-cholesterol to protect people from suffering a cardiovascular even, have proper levels of stem cells, and ward off depression.
But what is that number? Doctors put the overall cholesterol maximum at 200, but is this the right level for everyone across the board. Nothing irks me more than to see people who have total cholesterol of 210 being put on a statin drug just to push their number below the magic line that has been drawn by doctors.
One expert in the column said if LDL cholesterol goes below 50 mmol/L, then he would decide to "pull back a bit" on the level of statin drugs used. Another expert said he would let it get below 40 mmol/L before he would let it stop.
Are you kidding me? Why would you allow LDL to get down to that LOW a level when clearly there are health benefits to be gained from high LDL levels, especially for the elderly among us? If you are interested in learning more about cholesterol, including why higher levels of HDL and total cholesterol aren't the massive crisis they have been made out to be, then you really should read Anthony Colpo's bombshell book The Great Cholesterol Con. It will open your eyes to some amazing facts and research behind the current cholesterol-lowering phenomena!
If we really want to do something about cholesterol, then more doctors need to start putting their patients on a low-carb diet and exercise program to lower total cholesterol and even raise HDL cholesterol levels without the use of any drugs. We need to get out of the Stone Age of medicine and start showing people how they can take better care of their own health naturally and effectively. Livin' la vida low-carb can help us get there sooner rather than later.
You can contact Dr. Yin-Xiong Li about his research by e-mailing him at yinxiong.li@duke.edu.
2-5-07 UPDATE: Dr. Yin-Xiong Li sent me an e-mail today regarding my focus on his cholesterol research and confirmed many of my suspicions about how he is being villified by the mainstream medical research establishment.
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you for writing to introduce our work. I am currently in the craziness of applying for an NIH grant. This grant is the fourth time it has been submitted to them. As you see from the study you highlighted at your blog, our research has been conducted without government grant support for three years and it was fully supported by my own starting package from Duke.
Anyway, since the paper was published last month, I received lots of attention worldwide from intersted individuals and basic research scientists. While most of them agree with me and appreciate what I am doing by telling the truth, some doctors and drug makers are marking me and my work as ridiculous. You know from what you are doing at your blog the kind pressure that I am facing now.
I am working on my grant at this moment to help further our research. The published work I wrote about is specifically about how important cholesterol is in supporting stem cell growth in embryo development. What I said about heart disease is a reasonable speculation that needs more investigation to test.
Yin-Xiong Li, MD., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine Pediatrics and Cell Biology Duke University Medical Center
THANK YOU for sharing your comments with me and my readers, Dr. Li! When you present work that goes against what many have established as irrefutable truths, then you truly are a marked man. But a real scientist (LIKE YOU!) realizes that nothing is absolutely certain without the research to back it up. Keep doing what you are doing, Dr. Li, and make us proud.
