Attention Low-Carbers: USDA Now Taking Nominations For 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

There are some very exciting things happening behind-the-scenes in Washington, DC right now as it relates to the next USDA-recommended Food Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines set to be released in 2010. As I blogged about in December 2007, President George W. Bush named Cornell University psychologist Dr. Brian Wansink (author of the bestselling 2007 book Mindless Eating) to head up the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion. I was greatly encouraged by this appointment of Dr. Wansink because he has been very open to the low-carb message being heard for people like me out there who need to "lose a lot of weight on a serious diet."

In that blog post I wrote about his new leadership position over the 2010 nutritional recommendations, I was very hopeful and expectant that Dr. Wansink would continue to have those open lines of communication with the experts in the low-carb community to give their input about what should be included in the next updated Food Pyramid.

"It should be thrilling to know that there will now be someone within the USDA who isn't antagonistic against livin' la vida low-carb," I wrote in that December 2007 post. "Hopefully this open line of communication between Dr. Wansink and the low-carb message will remain that way while discussing the 2010 dietary guidelines."

So, imagine my delight when I saw this notice from the USDA (Note: this links to a PDF file download) requesting nominations for the new Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Yes, that's right! They're taking nominations for who we think should be on that committee. This is open to any citizen of the United States to submit their choice(s) for who would be best qualified to serve in this capacity.

Dr. Wansink's appointment is through January 20, 2009, so there is little time to waste. That's why the nominations will only be considered through May 24, 2008. In other words, time is of the essence here. If you care about seeing the low-carb nutritional approach represented on this dietary recommendations panel (and you undoubtedly do if you read my blog!), then the time for action on this is RIGHT NOW! And we need to spread the word to everyone we know to do the same.

These new dietary guidelines are reviewed every five years and are supposed to reflect the latest research studies regarding diet and health to better inform the public about how to eat for managing their weight and health. The previous Food Pyramid in 2005 was an improvement upon the past ones, but was still sorely lacking any concept about the negative role of carbohydrate and the increasingly passive role of dietary fat, including saturated fat, in the American diet.

We NEED people who understand this connection to be seated on this committee for the sake of the future health of the American people. The low-fat lie has dominated the official government dietary guidelines since its inception in 1980 and we need to make some crucial changes in this policy if we're gonna get serious about this issue before it is too late. Haven't we suffered with the high-carb, low-fat message long enough? Will we continue to put up with such blatant disregard for the overwhelming evidence and real-life changes that are happening thanks to the healthy low-carb lifestyle? I'M NOT!

What is this committee actually gonna be doing? They will first look at the 2005 dietary guidelines and determine if any changes are necessary based on "a thorough evaluation of the most current scientific literature." If sufficient evidence is found to make changes, then new guidelines will begin being discussed by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in the Fall of 2008 through a series of two- or three-day meetings over a period of time. These meetings are open to the public as required by federal law.

The Secretaries of Agriculture (Ed Shafer) and Health and Human Services (Mike Leavitt) will oversee the reports from this advisory committee which will be led by Dr. Wansink. So, naturally, he will want to surround himself with the best possible candidates for this vital public health policy position. But who qualifies?

They are looking for people who are "knowledgeable of current scientific research in human nutrition and be respected and published experts in their fields." Additionally, according to the notice from the USDA, candidates for the advisory committee also need to be "familiar with the purpose, communication, and application of the Dietary Guidelines and have demonstrated interest in the public's health and well-being through their research and/or educational endeavors."

Here are the specific areas of expertise they want to be represented on the panel:

- Chronic Diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer
- Energy Balance issues involving exercise
- Epidemiology
- Food Safety and Technology
- General Medicine
- Gerontology
- Nutrient Bioavailability
- Nutrition Biochemistry and Physiology
- Nutrition Education
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Evidence Review Methodology

I can think of quite a few qualified people who meet and surpass this criteria required by the USDA to appear on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. I'm officially offering the following five names up for consideration to be nominated for this all-important position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion:

1. Eric C. Westman, M.D., M.H.S from Duke University
2. Mary C. Vernon, M.D. from The University of Kansas
3. Richard D. Feinman, Ph.D. from SUNY Downstate
4. Stephen Phinney, M.D. from The University of California-Davis
5. Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D. from The University of Connecticut

There are many more who fit the description of what the USDA is wanting for this distinguished panel, but any or all of these five individuals are more than qualified to offer all the evidence the committee wants about the low-carbohydrate nutritional approach and its impact on health. At the very least, we need a minimum of one of these low-carb experts to be placed on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

Here's what you need to do to nominate someone:

- Write a letter of nomination stating the name and affiliation of the nominee, why that person deserves to be nominated for this position, and a statement that the nominee would indeed be willing to serve (I have spoken with each of these five individuals I am nominating and they are all willing to serve if selected)

- Provide your name, address, and daytime telephone number along with the name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the nominee (much of this information can be found at the links provided above--if you provide their name and the school they are located at, then that should be enough information for them to contact the nominee)

- Share a copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae or resume (again, this information can be found at the links I provided above for each nominee)

When you gather all of this information, simply e-mail it to DG2010Nominations@cnpp.usda.gov no later than Saturday, May 24, 2008. You can also submit nominations via snail mail to Carole Davis, Nutrition Promotion Staff Director, Co-Executive Secretary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302. Or you can also fax your nomination to (703) 305-3300.

If you have any questions about this process, simply call (703) 305-7600. If you need any additional information about these candidates after you nominate them, then please don't hesitate to e-mail me and I'll be happy to get what you need. We all need to do this for the sake of our nation's future health policy. Don't put it off thinking there will be others nominating--MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR! We NEED to get a low-carb expert on this panel, so our unified voice behind these nominees will go a long way!

By the way, I am attempting to arrange a podcast interview with Dr. Brian Wansink and he has been in contact with me about this. Hopefully I will be able to conduct this interview soon and put a bug in his ear about having a low-carb researcher/practitioner serve on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. You just don't know how HUGE it would be to have a Westman, Vernon, Feinman, Phinney, or Volek on this committee--these are the people in the low-carb research world who are making the rest of the scientific community stand up and pay attention to the high-fat, low-carb diet again. Won't you do your part to nominate them TODAY? THANK YOU!!!

New 2008 ADA Recommendations Partially Acknowledge Low-Carb Diets

Has the American Diabetes Association endorsed the Atkins diet?

We've heard a growing undercurrent of rumblings over the past month or so that the all-powerful American Diabetes Association (ADA) is FINALLY beginning to consider giving credence to low-carb diets as a means for diabetics to control their health. Much anticipation has been steadily building among supporters of livin' la vida low-carb that perhaps maybe, just maybe, a major breakthrough could be happening within one of the most influential health institutions in the United States upon the release of their new dietary recommendations scheduled for Friday, December 28, 2007.

Well, the answer is a sorta yes and a little bit of no, too, as we learn in this Atlanta Journal-Constitution column. As Veronica Atkins, widow of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, told me in my interview with her this year, the ADA still "has their head in the sand" about low-carb living!

First to the good news. After years of failing to even acknowledge that low-carb diets like Atkins were an option for people with diabetes to consider, the ADA released their 2008 Clinical Practice Recommendations used by diabetes health providers in helping their patients adequately treat their disease and stated that low-carb diets are now indeed a strategic method for producing weight loss. This comes after years of pushing a monopolistic high-carb, low-fat diet as the ONLY nutritional approach for diabetics to follow in order to control their weight and health despite the fact that carbohydrates have been known to raise blood sugar levels and spike insulin production--two things you try to avoid when treating diabetes.

Now, as I suggested earlier this year, low-carb diets will be promoted alongside low-fat ones to give people a choice about which one will work best for them. The one-size-fits-all mode of thinking within the ADA is now history and now diabetics who have not yet been exposed to the joy of the low-carb lifestyle could very well find this way of eating suits them perfectly.

This is pretty huge news not just for diabetics, but for anyone who needed to know that low-carb is not the dangerous "fad" diet that it has been made out to be! While the preponderance of the evidence from the research community has continued to pour in over the past few years in support of controlled-carbohydrate diets (we'll examine some of it in just a moment), it's a major announcement that a group like the ADA would step outside the conventional wisdom of the day and make these kinds of changes within the language of their recommendations--much to the chagrin of the other self-appointed dietary gods telling us how to eat for our health.

Don't you know the powers that be over at the American Medical Association (AMA), American Heart Association (AHA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have got to be beside themselves today because the ADA has basically chopped off the legs on their crumbling low-fat diet scheme that has lasted untouched for the past three decades? If a health organization like the ADA gives ANY credence to livin' la vida low-carb, then it forces the hand of those other groups to follow suit in like manner.

If the AMA, AHA, FDA, and USDA do not fall into line with these same recommendations themselves, then the American people will begin to question exactly who is lying to them. As long as they were all on the same page touting the same old low-fat mantra, then everything was hunky dory and the bamboozle could continue. But obesity has gotten worse, Type 2 diabetes is way out of control, and preventable disease is all around us despite the heavy promotion of the great and mighty low-fat diet.

I want to publicly applaud the ADA for being the first to break ranks with the establishment and realizing that the health of diabetics is much more important than preserving a failing dietary philosophy that has been a decisive abomination for the vast majority of people who have tried it. The time is ripe as we enter a new year for another alternative to be given an opportunity and low-carb fits the bill perfectly.

But...

As much as I'd like to be overjoyed by the ADA's decision to add low-carb diets to their recommendations for diabetics, I cannot. Why? Because rather than looking at all the studies that have come out, especially in the past year or so, showing the vast improvements in insulin control, A1c levels, blood sugar stabilization, lipid profile, and other key health indicators with a low-carb diet, the ADA has made this change based solely on weight loss over the short term.

They have taken the very small handful of studies showing low-carb is as effective as low-fat for shedding pounds over a one-year span like this one published in JAMA out of Stanford University in March 2007. And because some people can stick with a low-carb diet better than they can a low-fat one (AMEN!), the ADA says diabetics should pick the one that suits them best to bring about the same weight loss result. Sounds logical, right? Not exactly because they still don't acknowledge an important part of livin' la vida low-carb--the health improvements that happen exclusive of weight loss.

Wanna see some of these studies for yourself? Check them out:

- Atkins produces weight loss and improves glucose tolerance
- Low-carb controls Type 2 diabetes without weight loss or insulin
- Ketogenic diet produced significant improvements in HgbA1c levels
- Low-carb stabilizes blood sugars and reduces medications
- Lower insulin levels from low-carb reduces acne

This doesn't even count all the research that shows how unhealthy eating the traditional high-carb, low-fat diet can be for your health. Here are just a few examples of this:

- High-carb, low-fat diet ineffective against high insulin levels
- High-carb diet raises insulin levels, blood pressure
- High-carb diet leads to age-related macular degeneration
- High-carb diet lowers HDL, increases triglycerides
- High-carb diet leads to the development of Type 2 diabetes
- High-carb, low-fat diet produces negligible weight loss

There's plenty more research I could present in favor of low-carb diets for improving health as well as how high-carb, low-fat diets can be detrimental to your health. But it's out there for anyone willing to open their eyes and see it. Livin' la vida low-carb is about so much more than just weight loss. It is indeed the healthiest way to eat which is my primary reason for supporting it today.

Yes, I lost 180 pounds on the Atkins diet and it has done a wonderful job of helping me maintain that triple-digit weight loss for the past four years. But more than that, my health did a complete turnaround and I shudder to think what it would look like today had I not started on the low-carb lifestyle. Heart attack, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, or even death was probably in the cards for me and low-carb REVERSED that trend completely. I'm healthy and that's all that matters!

And for people who already have diabetes, livin' la vida low-carb gives them a chance to not only shed a few pounds but to find a diet that would allow them to control their blood sugars and insulin levels naturally with little to no use of diabetes drugs or insulin. Why would you want to continue taking drugs and insulin when you could quite possibly eliminate them from your life by eating a low-carb diet? Why indeed!


Albright supports low-carb for weight loss, not health

Dr. Ann Albright, president of Health Care & Education at the ADA and a Type 1 diabetic herself, said they now realize that people need "realistic ways to lose weight" and livin' la vida low-carb is certainly part of that equation.

"The evidence is clear that both low-carbohydrate and low-fat calorie restricted diets result in similar weight loss at one year. We’re not endorsing either of these weight-loss plans over any other method of losing weight," she said in a statement. "What we want health care providers to know is that it’s important for patients to choose a plan that works for them, and that the health care team support their patients’ weight loss efforts and provide appropriate monitoring of patients’ health."

All I can say is WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME! This is precisely the message I've been sharing with people for nearly three years since I've been blogging and I'm glad the ADA understands that individualization of a diet program that works is what low-carb supporters want. We're not trying to eradicate the low-fat diet if that way of eating is helping someone bring their weight and health under control. On the contrary, we've been supportive of people finding what works for them and then doing it.

If that means a low-carb diet, then so be it. There shouldn't be any judgment placed on those of us who choose to eat this way. Irresponsible comments about low-carb describing it as a "dangerous" diet that can "kill you" needs to stop because that is simply hyperbolized conjecture in a civilized discussion of proper nutrition. This open dialog begun by the ADA today needs to trickle down not just to the health care providers, but also to government officials in charge of health policy, journalists who wield influence through the use of their public platform, and all the so-called health "experts" who have been railing against livin' la vida low-carb for years.

Of course, Dr. Albright continues the scaremongering hyperbole that has run rampant about low-carb living by warning any diabetics who use a low-carb diet about their cholesterol going up. Um, hello, I'd be willing to bet that people who follow an organized low-carb plan like the Atkins diet will see their triglycerides fall below 100 and their HDL "good" cholesterol rise to above 50. It's the tell-tale sign that someone is on a low-carb diet and studies have shown these are better markers for cardiovascular health than LDL and total cholesterol.

She also adds that since "high protein diets may also worsen kidney problems," anyone with kidney disease should talk to their doctor about watching their protein intake. Again, what's this all about? How many people actually have a kidney issue, Dr. Albright, hmmmm? Obviously anyone making ANY dietary changes should talk to their doctor first to make sure there are underlying problems they need to be aware of.

And that includes going on a low-fat diet. Are we worried about people who produce high levels of insulin going on a high-carb, low-fat diet in the same manner that we show concern over people with kidney issues going on a low-carb diet? Not hardly. And yet I would argue there's more concern over the former than there is the latter, so let's keep our priorities straight, shall we?

Additionally, a low-carb diet need not be high in protein as is often claimed by those who oppose this way of eating. In fact, my own diet is very heavy in fat, even saturated fat, with nearly 65-70 percent of my calorie consumption coming from this macronutrient. Protein has been around 20-25 percent up until the past few weeks when I began resistance training and upped it to around 30-35 percent. Carbs are kept to a minimum around single digits.

Like clockwork, Dr. Albright also cautions about weight loss being sustainable by stating that "what is most important for health is keeping the weight off long-term." ABSOLUTELY, Dr. Albright, I couldn't agree with you more which is why I have chosen to continue with my low-carb diet for the past four years and counting to improve my health. It's the best thing I could have ever done for my weight and health and I'll never regret it!

Stuck in the sound bytes that seem to pervade most health leaders these days, Dr. Albright makes sure we don't forsake the need for getting proper exercise while eating a low-calorie diet.

"We also want to continue to emphasize the importance of regular physical activity, both to aid weight loss from calorie-restricted diets, and also for the positive health gains associated with exercise that are independent of weight loss," she exclaimed.

True enough, exercise is important, but there should be more specific instructions provided for what this means. What kind of physical activity, how vigorous should the workouts be, how often should you do it, how long does it need to be in order to produce results, and what ratio of cardio/resistance training is necessary? None of these are addressed by the ADA or most other health organizations when they put out these recommendations. They just assume people inherently KNOW what to do.

It's like the silly notion that we always hear from the "experts" to just eat a healthy diet and exercise. WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN?! People need to be educated with specifics about what constitutes a healthy diet and what kind of exercise is beneficial for various aspects of weight and health management. Obviously anything is better than nothing, but people need to be guided about what to do.

To see the ADA's 2008 Clinical Practice Recommendations for yourself, it will be published on the Diabetes.org web site in January 2008 (or you can pay to see them right now at Diabetes Care). You can also request a copy by e-mailing the ADA at AskADA@diabetes.org or by calling 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Regardless, let them hear from you about what you think of their new recommendations for diabetics. And feel free to share your reaction to their focus on weight loss rather than health with livin' la vida low-carb. Are they still missing the boat?

Leave it to low-carb diabetes expert Dr. Mary C. Vernon to put this news from the ADA in the proper perspective at her blog today for people who are advocates of low-carb.

"Carbohydrate restriction and the resulting control of insulin secretion is much more than weight loss," she wrote. "It’s not the weight-it’s the metabolic state your body is in, that generates disease or well-being. I suppose we'll have to wait another 5-10 years before the ADA catches up with the rest of the science."

Maybe not, Dr. Vernon, if enough of us voice our sincere concerns and opinions to the ADA, our representatives at both the state and federal level, our doctors, and in letters to the editor at our local newspapers. We have a unified voice with a message backed up by the data, but the question remains whether we will choose to use it or not. Our silence has long been interpreted that we accept what we've been told is true. Is that the message you want to be making?

'Mindless Eating' Author Appointed USDA's New Director Of Nutrition Policy And Promotion

Dr. Brian Wansink will set the new U.S. dietary guidelines for 2010

It's not too often I am able to share with you some GOOD NEWS as it relates to something happening behind-the-scenes in the world of diet and health. Most of the time, we must lament that yet again all those so-called "experts" continue to bamboozle the public with their same old low-fat mantra over and over again. But this bit of encouraging news should be welcomed and cheered today because it could very well be an awesome thing for those of us who are in favor of livin' la vida low-carb.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the government arm in charge of setting nationalized dietary recommendations through MyPyramid.gov among other things, has decided to name Cornell University psychology professor and Mindless Eating author Brian Wansink, PhD the new executive director of the Center For Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) through January 20, 2009 when the Bush administration is set to leave office. This is quite a prestigious nomination for Wansink with potentially long-term ramifications as it relates to the future of diet and health in America.

This is one of the most important public policy positions related to health in Washington, DC because it is responsible for creating, planning, developing and reviewing the upcoming new dietary guidelines to be promoted by the government in 2010. MyPyramid.gov was introduced in 2005 to replace the old Food Pyramid and it wasn't much better than its low-fat loving predecessor (and neither was the kid's version of MyPyramid either). So Wansink wields a lot of power over the next couple of years to speak with various voices within the realm of nutrition about what is best for sharing with the general public about a healthy diet.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Nancy Johner said the chance to bring Wansink on board at the USDA is a golden opportunity.

"We feel quite fortunate in having Dr. Wansink join our team here at the USDA, and look forward to working with him," she said. "Dr. Wansink is nationally recognized in his field of nutrition research which focuses on how to encourage consumers to eat more nutritiously and better control how much they eat."

So what should people who support a controlled-carbohydrate dietary approach think about Dr. Brian Wansink? Well, although I was initially critical of his research into the psychology of eating he studied during his tenure at Cornell University, I was impressed overall by his book and what all that research has led him to believe about why people overeat.

In my interview with Dr. Wansink last year, he seemed quite open to the low-carb lifestyle for people who need to "lose a lot of weight a serious diet" which he says can be "very useful for a disciplined person." It should be thrilling to know that there will now be someone within the USDA who isn't antagonistic against livin' la vida low-carb. Hopefully this open line of communication between Dr. Wansink and the low-carb message will remain that way while discussing the 2010 dietary guidelines.

As major government health-related news goes, this is BIG NEWS! Their purpose is to take the existing scientific research and apply it to the nutritional needs of the American people. Now that we have amazing studies like this one showing a genetic connection between diet and obesity where low-carb works for some and low-fat works for others, it's time to see that reflected in dietary recommendations by offering a variety of options for people to choose from. Or, as I have been pushing for, why not recommend them BOTH?

Can Dr. Wansink make that happen at the USDA? I don't know, but I'm optimistic. I'm very hopeful that he will do everything he can to stay updated on the latest information that will help him make the best decisions about what those 2010 dietary recommendations will look like. It would be incredible if he continued to communicate with people like me and others within the low-carb community to get our input about how to word those guidelines for people who would do well on a low-carb approach. Cross your fingers on that one!

Other areas that Dr. Wansink will have a watchful eye over include the Healthy Eating Index (on which the 2005 MyPyramid updates were based), the USDA Food Plans, the Nutrient Content of the U.S. Food Supply and the cost of raising a child. And he is excited to get started making a difference in this new and extremely important role at the USDA.

"The Center is involved in many crucial projects that have an immense potential to help the American public particularly in combating overweight and obesity," Dr. Wansink stated. "I look forward to leading these endeavors to the best of my abilities."

The thing I like best about Dr. Wansink is he's such a real person. I was privileged enough to speak with him by telephone about a year ago prior to my blog interview and he's as down to Earth as anyone you'd ever meet. His accessibility even after the enormous success of his bestselling Mindless Eating book (now available in paperback, by the way) has remained the same and I respect that in anyone who purports to be an expert at anything. I have every confidence this same trend will remain.

Dr. Wansink will continue to conduct his own research in the Food Psychology department at Cornell University while serving in this government capacity. You can e-mail Dr. Brian Wansink to congratulate and encourage him in this new position by writing to foodandbrandlab@cornell.edu.

Diabetes Health Leaders Finally Realizing Low-Carb Diet Has Merit

When I asked Dr. Richard D. Feinman, professor of biochemistry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and renowned low-carb researcher, about when he thought diabetes health leaders--including the American Diabetes Association (ADA)--would start realizing livin' la vida low-carb has merit during my interview with him in June 2006, his answer was hopeful.

"With diabetes, carbohydrate restriction has been a traditional treatment and because the underlying physiology is obvious and accepted. Since low carbohydrates stabilize glucose and insulin excursions, we can expect progress pretty soon. Even the ADA is probably trying to back into carbohydrate restriction with a minimum of losing face."

Well, it's about to happen and none too soon.

According to my friend and fellow low-carb blogger Laura Dolson from the About Low-Carb Diets web site, there are "potential changes in ADA recommendations" to be announced in January 2008. It seems they are FINALLY listened to those of us who advocate carbohydrate restriction and are are going to abandon their high-carb recommendations. So much for people like Hope Warshaw dictating what diabetes policy looks like in the United States and it's about time.

Coming in January 2008, the ADA is expected to publish new dietary guidelines for people suffering with diabetes where livin' la vida low-carb will be acknowledged and promoted as one way to improve the symptoms of this awful disease. A talking head from the ADA states "there is growing recognition that a variety of diets including low carbohydrate diets, can achieve weight loss [and] improve postprandial blood glucose." We'll definitely be looking forward to the new ADA dietary guidelines coming in the January 2008 issue of Diabetes Care and report to you any positive changes they are expected to make. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, the paradigm shift is also happening in the grassroots among those who are passionate about helping people with diabetes. Take Jackie Eberstein, co-author of Atkins Diabetes Revolution and who worked directly with the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins for three decades, for example. In celebration of National Diabetes Month in November, she wrote an outstanding positive message on carb control for diabetics.

Her overall message is one of prevention--knowing the warning signs BEFORE you are diagnosed with diabetes, changing your lifestyle to put yourself in a better position to avoid it, and take the subject of diabetes health as serious as your heart health. Essentially, diabetes has become a rampant disease of modern society because of our poor dietary habits and over 1 in 5 have no idea they have it (a dangerous place to be in considering carbohydrates--poison for diabetics--are the primary macronutrient in most American households).

Untreated diabetes leaves a haunting trail of obvious symptoms:

"Once the disease has progressed common symptoms such as extreme thirst, extreme hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, unusual fatigue, blurred vision and the slow healing of cuts and bruises makes the diagnosis easier," Eberstein explained. "But by the time these symptoms are apparent, blood sugar levels have been elevated for a long time causing silent damage to every cell in the body."

These are merely precursors to the even worse damage that can happen to your body, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease--something neurologist Dr. Larry McCleary describes in his book The Brain Trust Program as "Type 3 diabetes."

Eberstein expresses her concern that the ADA has traditionally recommended a low-fat, low-calorie diet that includes too many carbohydrates for a diabetic causing them to rely on upwards of 3-6 medications to keep their disease moderately controlled. She is deeply disturbed by the potential and known side effects of these drugs while the ADA has turned a blind eye to the negative impact extra sugars and refined flour have had on this. I know she will be anxious to see the new changes in the ADA recommendations come January.

Be sure to check out all the diabetes risk factors that Eberstein notes for people with Type 2 diabetes in her column. It very well could save your life or the life of your loved one.

Another exciting development regarding the embracing of the low-carb message for diabetics comes from the top diabetes blogger online today--Amy Tenderich from Diabetes Mine. Although I was less than impressed by her lack of even a single acknowledgment of livin' la vida low-carb for people with diabetes in her 2007 book release Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes, I was blown away to see Tenderich was willing to at least hear what actual low-carbers have to say about what they eat to control their diabetes with the low-carb lifestyle when she requested recipes from the members of my new "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Discussion" forum.

She was so moved by my readers that she reprinted the column "Low-Carb Favorites, from the Devotees" at MyDiabetesCentral.com. THANKS Amy and I'm happy to see your openness to new ideas that go against everything you've ever known to be true in the past. That takes courage and strength beyond the scope of modern journalism to do and I applaud you for it.

But Tenderich didn't stop there. Check out her recent guest post at Diet-Blog where she lists "10 Ways to Treat Diabetes With Diet." She particularly points out that diabetics need to watch their carbs to control their A1c levels, be aware of the carb content in the foods they eat, avoid "carb-heavy choices," watch out for corn syrup on nutritional labels, not equate sugar-free with carb-free, and the best one of them all--CURB THE CARBS (go straight to #7 for this one!). Sure, she still sticks with the low-fat mantra that has been what she's known for years, but at least Tenderich is moving in the right direction.

Her conclusion regarding past ADA recommendations is spot on:

"There’s a lot of controversy over the ADA's food pyramid for people with diabetes, because they recommend more breads, grains, and starches (carb-heavy foods) than anything else," Tenderich stated. "We have to side with the patients-in-the-know: keep the carbs low for better control of blood sugar."

And that, my low-carb friends, is what I call progress in this effort to bring legitimacy and practicality to the world of diabetes health. This is merely the beginning of a major change in health policy that could very well cascade into the general dietary recommendations at some point in the future. First things first, though. Let's get diabetics eating this way and vastly improving their health and then the turnaround will speak for itself.

High-Carb Ornish, Weight Watchers Diets Best For Heart Health? Better Think Again!

Dr. Yunsheng Ma contends high-carb diets best for cardiovascular health

With all the attention being placed on high-fat, low-carb diets again with the release of the new Gary Taubes book Good Calories, Bad Calories last week, you just HAD to know a study like this one was bound to mysteriously show up seemingly out of thin air so it would make headlines. Don't believe for a second this thing was not coordinated with the Taubes book release. It's just too conveniently timed if you ask me.

Lead researcher Dr. Yunsheng Ma, assistant professor of medicine at the University Of Massachusetts Medical School, and his colleagues wanted to pinpoint which of the most popular diet plans over the past five years is best for heart health by rating them in order for their ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Before I share the results of this study with you, let me just ask the obvious--how in the world can you accurately determine which diet plan is best for cardiovascular health when there isn't a consensus on what actually is at the root of heart disease to begin with? Traditional health promoters says it's the fat, but more modern and intelligent-thinking researchers are conducting studies that seem to point to carbohydrates as the culprit. So what good does a ranking of the diets do when the parameters for measuring it are in question, hmmmm?

Think about that as I share the results of this UMass study with you.

The researchers chose the most popular weight loss plans that have hit The New York Times bestseller list since 2002 for this study to analyze them using the creation from Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard University called the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) as the standard by which to measure whether these various diets are "heart healthy" or not. This is a bit different from the USDA-recommended Healthy Eating Index which was the basis for the 2005 update to the much-heralded United States Department of Agriculture's newly revamped Food Pyramid.

Dr. Willett felt the USDA was woefully inept in their attempt to help people understand how to make their diet the best it can possibly be, which is why he created the AHEI. Here's what those supposedly new and improved guidelines entail according to the Alternate Healthy Eating Index parameters for the Healthy Eating Pyramid outlined in Dr. Willett's book Eat, Drink, And Be Healthy (let's see if they're any better than what the USDA came up with):

- Whole Grain Foods (at most meals)

The body needs carbohydrates mainly for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. They deliver the outer (bran) and inner (germ) layers along with energy-rich starch. The body can't digest whole grains as quickly as it can highly processed carbohydrates such as white flour. This keeps blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly. Better control of blood sugar and insulin can keep hunger at bay and may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

Obviously, I disagree with the "body needs carbohydrates" assertion and have done just fine remaining energetic and alive without the need for the so-called "healthy whole grains" craze that has swept the nation in recent years. Sure, these may be better options than refined carbs, but they STILL turn into sugar in the body.

- Plant Oils

Surprised that the Healthy Eating Pyramid puts some fats near the base, indicating they are okay to eat? Although this recommendation seems to go against conventional wisdom, it's exactly in line with the evidence and with common eating habits. The average American gets one third or more of his or her daily calories from fats, so placing them near the foundation of the pyramid makes sense. Note, though, that it specifically mentions plant oils, not all types of fat. Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats include olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut, and other vegetable oils, as well as fatty fish such as salmon. These healthy fats not only improve cholesterol levels (when eaten in place of highly processed carbohydrates) but can also protect the heart from sudden and potentially deadly rhythm problems.

Fats are INDEED healthy and I mean ALL fat sources and not just from plants. Some oils/fats not listed here that should be include butter, coconut oil, lard, animal fat, and other saturated fats. When consumed as part of a low-carb diet, these fats are extremely beneficial to your health and will protect your heart. Believe it or not, eating fat is a major part of a healthy lifestyle.

Vegetables (in abundance) and Fruits (2 to 3 times)

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke; protect against a variety of cancers; lower blood pressure; help you avoid the painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis; guard against cataract and macular degeneration, the major cause of vision loss among people over age 65; and add variety to your diet and wake up your palate.

It's very easy for people to just nod their head in agreement with the fruits and vegetables recommendation, but my problem with this is WHICH ONES? There's never a distinction between the good fruits and veggies (non-starchy, green leafy, low-glycemic) and the bad fruits and veggies (starchy ones like potatoes and corn and sugary like bananas and oranges). To me it's just an irresponsible copout to say "eat your fruit and vegetables" and never explain the differences between the good and the bad.

Fish, Poultry, and Eggs (0 to 2 times)

These are important sources of protein. A wealth of research suggests that eating fish can reduce the risk of heart disease. Chicken and turkey are also good sources of protein and can be low in saturated fat. Eggs, which have long been demonized because they contain fairly high levels of cholesterol, aren't as bad as they're cracked up to be. In fact, an egg is a much better breakfast than a doughnut cooked in an oil rich in trans fats or a bagel made from refined flour.

Yes, protein is indeed power food for your body, especially from fish because of the healthy omegas they contain, but I wouldn't get too worked up over saturated fat. Chicken and turkey are good choices if you like them, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the saturated fat-heavy beef and pork either (we'll get to those in just a moment). I'm pleased to see eggs and their BENEFIT on satiety mentioned in a positive light because the dietary cholesterol contained in them does NOT raise your cholesterol as has been widely believed by most people.

Nuts and Legumes (1 to 3 times)

Nuts and legumes are excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Legumes include black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and other beans that are usually sold dried. Many kinds of nuts contain healthy fats, and packages of some varieties (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios) can now even carry a label saying they're good for your heart.

Almonds have been found to be as healthy as fruits and vegetables and you certainly can't go wrong with eating nuts as a healthy snack on your low-carb lifestyle. But beans are another story entirely. I don't eat beans and haven't in the four years since I began my low-carb journey. Their high-carb counts are not conducive for my weight management program.

Dairy or Calcium Supplement (1 to 2 times)

Building bone and keeping it strong takes calcium, vitamin D, exercise, and a whole lot more. Dairy products have traditionally been Americans' main source of calcium. But there are other healthy ways to get calcium than from milk and cheese, which can contain a lot of saturated fat. Three glasses of whole milk, for example, contains as much saturated fat as 13 strips of cooked bacon. If you enjoy dairy foods, try to stick with no-fat or low-fat products. If you don't like dairy products, calcium supplements offer an easy and inexpensive way to get your daily calcium.

Again, the saturated fat issue isn't something to worry about. Getting the higher fat sources of dairy is BETTER for you than the low-fat ones. Besides, fat-free cheese is disgusting and the fat-rich ones are not only delicious but nutritious, too! Skip the regular milk and opt for low-carb ones like Calorie Countdown or even heavy cream instead to reduce the carbs. Don't skimp on the fat when you're reducing the carbs because it is your body's fuel on a ketogenic diet.

Red Meat and Butter (Use Sparingly)

These sit at the top of the Healthy Eating Pyramid because they contain lots of saturated fat. If you eat red meat every day, switching to fish or chicken several times a week can improve cholesterol levels. So can switching from butter to olive oil.

I couldn't DISAGREE with Dr. Willett more about red meat and butter because the saturated fat is NOT an issue when carbohydrates are reduced. This is something Gary Taubes illustrates beautifully in his book despite cutesy attempts by health groups like the American Heart Association and their "Bad Fat Brothers" campaign which I saw a television commercial about the other day. PUH-LEEZ! Keep eating butter and red meat while limiting your carbs and something amazing will happen--your HDL "good" cholesterol will go WAY up (a VERY good thing!) and your triglycerides will plummet to below 100. And recent studies have shown that these are better markers for cardiovascular health than LDL and total cholesterol anyway.

White Rice, White Bread, Potatoes, White Pasta, Soda, and Sweets (Use Sparingly)

Why are these all-American staples at the top, rather than the bottom, of the Healthy Eating Pyramid? They can cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic disorders. Whole-grain carbohydrates cause slower, steadier increases in blood sugar that don't overwhelm the body's ability to handle this much needed but potentially dangerous nutrient.

FINALLY! Something Dr. Willett and I agree on regarding a healthy diet. But he says to "use sparingly." I would contend DON'T USE AT ALL if you want to do your health a big favor. You don't need these empty, garbage carbs anymore, so why even bother with them. They only lead to heartache and pain--both figuratively and LITERALLY!

Multiple Vitamin

A daily multivitamin, multimineral supplement offers a kind of nutritional backup. While it can't in any way replace healthy eating, or make up for unhealthy eating, it can fill in the nutrient holes that may sometimes affect even the most careful eaters. You don't need an expensive name-brand or designer vitamin. A standard, store-brand, RDA-level one is fine. Look for one that meets the requirements of the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia), an organization that sets standards for drugs and supplements.

Again, couldn't agree more about taking supplements, including fish oil. Couldn't and wouldn't live without them!

Alcohol (in moderation)

Scores of studies suggest that having an alcoholic drink a day lowers the risk of heart disease. Moderation is clearly important, since alcohol has risks as well as benefits. For men, a good balance point is 1 to 2 drinks a day; in general, however, the risks of drinking, even in moderation, exceed benefits until middle age. For women, it's at most one drink a day.

I'm personally not a drinker, but clearly alcohol is not a good choice for a healthy lifestyle. But the 1-2 drink a day recommendation by Dr. Willett must come with one disclaimer that people should know about before taking that drink--you WILL get kicked out of ketosis and fat-burning will cease until all the alcohol is used for fuel. Think of it as a super-charged carbohydrate that the body has to get rid of before stored fat will begin melting again.

Okay, now that you understand the criteria by which all of these diets were measured, each was given a score of 0-10 for each of the following seven conditions:

1. the ratio of white to red meat
2. ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat
3. quantities of fruit
4. quantities of vegetables
5. quantities of nuts and legumes
6. quantities of cereal fiber
7. quantities of trans fats.

As you can see, these are not a very low-carb friendly set of dietary stipulations from the get go, so the results should surprise no one. With 70 being the "perfect score," here's how the top ten diets did in a head-to-head face off using Dr. Willett's guidelines (and it shouldn't surprise anyone!):

Ornish (ultra low-fat diet)--64.6
Weight Watchers high carbohydrate--57.4
New Glucose Revolution--57.2
South Beach/Phase 2--50.7
Zone--49.8
2005 Food Guide Pyramid--48.7
Weight Watchers high protein--47.3
Atkins/100g carbohydrate--46
South Beach/Phase 3--45.6
Atkins/45g carbohydrate--42.3

The results of this "study" reminded me the Consumer Reports survey that came out about the various diets in June ranking them according to what is considered a "healthy" diet. Their criteria? Of course, it was the 2005 U.S. Food Pyramid! Obviously livin' la vida low-carb is NOT gonna do well and it didn't coming in DEAD LAST in that list just like it did this one.

The results of this "study" were published in the October 2007 issue of The Journal of the American Dietetic Association (not exactly friends of the low-carb lifestyle, mind you!).

All the ooohs and aaahs of the researchers about what they have done proclaiming to the world what they have "discovered" is nothing more than a meaningless attempt to denigrate and smear low-carb all over again. It would be like ranking Democrats and Republican candidates for president using the GOP platform as the standard. Obviously, the Democrats would not fare well in that list because the criteria is different for them.

And the same goes for livin' la vida low-carb. Actually, it quite a badge of honor that the Atkins and South Beach diets did so poorly because they DON'T adhere to the conventional wisdom regarding diet and health. Instead, they are an alternative way of eating that is helping people not just lose weight, but control their blood sugars, reduce their insulin production, and effectively manage their diabetes with reduced or completely eliminated medications.

Additionally, we've seen so many other areas of health improved from eating a low-carb diet which I have documented quite extensively here at my blog. Browse through my past articles and you will see some truly remarkable research into low-carb living that will make you wish you had been eating this way a long time ago!

Unfortunately for Dr. Ma, he wants nothing of the good news about low-carb diets to be seen or heard and is only interested in his narrow-minded view of heart health despite studies that clearly show the heart health risks of low-carb over the long-term are futile. But he turns a blind eye to this astounding research and instead acts surprised when the Food Pyramid doesn't do very well in his study.

"One of the unexpected findings is that the 2005 USDA Food Guide Pyramid, the current government recommendation, fared significantly worse than the New Glucose Revolution, Weight Watchers High Carbohydrate and Ornish plans," Dr. Ma noted. "The USDA dietary guidelines were originally devised to prevent nutrient deficiencies and it's clear that we need to modify or rebuild the pyramid to look into cardiovascular disease prevention, as it is the leading cause of death and disability for Americans. Americans deserve a better dietary guideline and recommendation."

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree that "Americans deserve better," Dr. Ma! But they also deserve to hear the truth regarding saturated fat and animal fat being a MAJOR part of a healthy lifestyle. The insistence of people like Dr. Willett to continually hammer the supposed harm that comes from saturated fat intake while all but ignoring the detrimental impact of all those carbohydrates he recommends is despicable. I know he's a highly-respected health "expert" in the United States, but that doesn't make him immune to being questioned.

Study co-author Dr. Sherry Pagoto, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at UMass as well as a clinical psychologist at the UMass Memorial Weight Center, said people should not only choose a diet plan for weight loss, but also for their health.

"Patients can lose weight with most dietary plans in the short term, but whether the plan they choose maximizes cardiovascular risk reduction over the long term should also be a consideration for patients and health care providers," he concluded.

I couldn't agree more, Dr. Pagoto! That's why I CHOOSE to be eating low-carb because my health has never been as good as it is today. Before I started on the Atkins diet in January 2004, I was on prescriptions medicines for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and breathing. I was 410 pounds on well on my way to diabetes, heart attack, and quite possibly even death.

But one year later, I had lost 180 pounds, cut 20 inches off my waistline, dropped FIVE sizes in my shirts, was more active than I had EVER been (and still am!), and, oh by the way, ditched all of those drugs and haven't taken a single one since! That's what that last-place ranking Atkins diet did for me, baby, and I'm proud of it, too.

Nobody--not Dr. Willett, not Dr. Ma, and DEFINITELY not Dr. Dean Ornish--will EVER be able to take this accomplishment away from me and so many others who have made low-carb their permanent and healthy lifestyle change. We did it despite those recommendations to eat a low-fat, low-calorie diet which had failed to keep the weight off of me over the years because I was constantly hungry and MISERABLE on those diets.

If people can hack the Ornish diet and they like it, then I tell them to GO FOR IT! But this study no more helps people decide which diet is best for them than it would for a city to put a stop light that stays red all the time at a busy intersection would. My advice? IGNORE THIS RIDICULOUS STUDY (and read a REAL comparison study instead) and keep on livin' la vida low-carb. You'll be so glad you did.

You can e-mail your comments and concerns about this study to Dr. Yunsheng Ma at Yunsheng.Ma@umassmed.edu. Let him hear how disappointed you are with him about this research that is nothing more than a not-so-veiled attack against low-carb.

10-3-07 UDDATE: The high-carb, low-fat apologists are delirious about this study as this WCAV-TV story with comments from a University of Virginia exercise physiology professor named Dr. Glenn Gaesser takes the findings and runs with it as gospel.

Check out these absurd statements he makes during the feature:

"I think there is a place for all types of food, it's a matter of balance and proportion."

Um, Dr. Gaesser, livin' la vida low-carb gives me all the "balance" I'll EVER need!

"Most studies indicate that people who consume a lot of carbohydrates generally are thinner than those who do not."

"Most studies" is a rather unilateral statement to make and I would challenge you to look at ALL the preponderance of the evidence concerning diets that are reduced in carbohydrates. While it is arguable those high-carb eaters are thinner, but I can say with confidence that the low-carb eaters are HEALTHIER! And that is more important!

If you want to keep the weight off Gaesser said try a low fat diet not low carb.

Nah, after losing a couple hundreds pounds, keeping it off for several years, and feeling healthier and better than ever before, I'm gonna keep on livin' la vida low-carb, Dr. Gaesser. No more suffering on a low-fat diet for me!

How about sharing with Dr. Gaesser how the low-carb lifestyle has changed your life by e-mailing him at gag2q@virginia.edu? I'm sure he'd be interested in hearing from people who have done very well eating this way. Tell him YOUR story!