Health Alert 157
Many of you have seen media reports that Dr. Robert Atkins died a fat man. Let me assure you this is not the case. I met with Dr. Atkins in his office the week before he died. He was fit and healthy.
Later that week he suffered a tragic fall. I again visited him, this time in the hospital. It was clear to me that Dr. Atkins had gained significant water weight while he was in a coma.
Outside the hospital, a mob of vegan protestors from the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine chanted anti-Atkins slogans. To support their cause, Dr. Neal Bernard’s PETA-related anti-beef group pointed to Dr. Atkins’ medical records showing that he weighed over 250 pounds at his death.
In this letter, I will explain that Dr. Atkins program makes sense. I give him credit for steering health conscious people in the right direction. Dr. Atkins had the right solution for his generation. By following my modifications to the Atkins Diet, your health will benefit.
* Atkins’ Decades of Good Advice *
In his time, Dr. Robert Atkins was a pioneer. He practiced what he preached. His low carbohydrate and high protein diet lifestyle has helped millions of people improve their health.
For Dr. Bernard’s group to insinuate that Dr. Atkins died because of his professed lifestyle is dubious at best. In fact, Dr. Bernard’s group has publicly “accused parents of ‘child abuse’ if they feed their kids so much as a slice of bacon and calling the Atkins-diet logo, a red A, ‘the scarlet letter1.’”
Three decades ago, the Dr. Atkins proposed that burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates would result in healthy weight loss. His hypothesis was that each person has a critical carbohydrate level for losing weight. He made it clear that this level is different for every person.
The Atkins Diet not only allowed for but also recommended eating as much high fat food as you wanted. Steak, bacon, cheese and heavy cream were good. Breads, fruits and high carbohydrate vegetables were bad. Controlling carbohydrates would reduce the release of insulin and reduce weight and chronic health issues2.
* Dr. Sears’ Moves the Atkins Diet into the 21st Century *
I wrote as far back as Health Alert 21 that a healthy diet high in protein makes good sense. The key to a successful weight loss plan is to avoid excessive calorie intake. However, most people do not need to count calories. Forcing weight loss by excessively restricting calories will only offer a reason to give up on a change in eating patterns.
Dr. Atkins clearly had the right idea. However, his diet recommendations focus on many foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats are essential in modest amounts. But, the Atkins Diet is far too high in these trans-fats often found in margarine and vegetable oils. Reducing your omega-6 fats while increasing your omega-3 fats found in fish oils, nuts and seeds will improve your health3.
The most effective way to improve your diet is to over-consume proteins. While this may sound counter-intuitive, it makes perfect sense. If you can have some faith and try it, you will see how much easier it makes fat loss. Proteins will satisfy your hunger and fuel your body.
In addition to packing in the proteins, my diet recommends eating carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic scale. Foods that are low on the glycemic index take longer to digest. They allow your body to use the insulin released to break down the carbohydrates.
Foods that are low on the glycemic index include soybeans, yogurt and fresh whole fruit. I recommend these carbohydrates. I recommend that you avoid foods that are very high on the glycemic index. There are two rules here to simplify. Don’t eat anything made from grain regardless of whether it’s “whole grains.” Don’t eat anything made from potatoes. Also, stay away from candy and sports drinks.
AL Sears, MD
(1) Carmichael, Mary. “Atkins Under Attack.” Newsweek. February 23, 2004, p. 51.
(2) Atkins, Robert C. Dr. Akins’ New Diet Revolution (Revised Edition). New York: Avon, 2001.
(3) Goodman, Jonathon. The Omega Solution: Unleash the Amazing, Scientifically Based Healing Power of Omega-3 & -6 Fatty Acids. New York: Prima Lifestyles, 2001.