latest evidence vindicates Protein Power & Atkins
349011
Tough luck for Dean Ornish and all of the vegetarian diet advocates.  The high carb low fat is less effective than low carb diets.  Sugar substitutes just don't get it [the weight] off.  This just in from JAMA:

from Heartwire -- a professional news service of WebMD

March 7, 2007 -- Dieters and their clinicians can be reassured that a low-carbohydrate diet is a safe and effective option for losing weight, on the basis of randomized trial results comparing 4 popular diets ranging from low-carbohydrate to low-fat. Results from the Atkins-Traditional-Ornish-Zone (A TO Z) trial found that premenopausal women randomized to the Atkins diet lost statistically more weight than women on the Zone diet, and numerically more than the other 2 diets.

"This isn't the end of the obesity epidemic; this isn't a huge effect," lead author Christopher Gardner, PhD, emphasized to heartwire. "This is a modest weight loss in all four groups and it's a little bigger in the Atkins group, but none of the groups were following their diets well at 12 months.... We had people who lost more than 30 pounds on all four diets, and twice as many did that on Atkins than on the other diets, so it does suggest that you don't necessarily need to follow the low-fat/high-carb diet that we've depended on for 20 years."

In fact, says Dr. Gardner, all of the diets studied worked "about the same."

"Maybe that says we should give people a little more flexibility in how they try to lower their calories, because it's possible that a high-fiber diet helps some people, and a high-protein diet helps another person, and a high-fat diet helps another."

The study by Gardner and colleagues appears in the March 6 issue of the JAMA.
1051761
In her book, "Outsmarting Cancer" Ms. Pierce mentions quite a few "cures" that not only have not been proven to be effective, but can be harmful if taken according to the manufactuers directions. One of these is Protocel - previously marketed as CanCell, then Entelev, and now Protocel-names that change as the FDA closes in on the mnufacturers

Protocell peddlers claim that it uses a mysterious force to treat AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, "extreme cases of emphysema and diabetes," and cancer. However, in 1989, the FDA reported that the "mysterious force" in Cancel was really just a combination of not so mysterious chemicals - inositol, nitric acid, sodium sulfite, potassium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, and catechol.

More importantly, laboratory tests conducted between 1978 and 1991 by the National Cancer Institute found no evidence that even the latest formulation of CanCell was effective against cancer or any other disease. As a result, the FDA has obtained an injunction forbidding its distribution to patients.

Please take great care whenever taking or recommending any so-called cancer cure published in mass marketed books. Regardless of noble intent, the authors and publishers have no way of knowing or tracking the number of people made better or worse by using any of their recommendations.

The only valid way to prove that any "cure" actually works is by subjecting it to "Rules of Evidence" clinical trials, Peer Reviews, or through a valid "Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) translational observation trial. At the very least the peddler of any cure should be able to present valid formal medical records generated by board certified oncologists that can conclusively prove that the efficacy of the treatment has been observed and documented by cancer professionals.

The authors who promote any such treaments have a moral responsibility to fully research their recommendations in order that they adhere to first part of the medical oath, "First, do no harm."
4708323
Six years ago I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (an inflammatory bowel disease).  I've always been a healthy eater and believe in natural healing whenever possible, especially through diet and (sigh!) stress reduction.  After my diagnosis, I cut out all sugar, wheat and ate even more vegetables and grains.  Although I hadn't consumed red meat in 20 years, I did still consume other animal protein.  While I was able to successfully control my crohn's disease this way, it was not until reading The China Study that I completely eliminated chicken, turkey, eggs, and cow's dairy.  I still eat a small amount of goat yogurt and goat cheese and some fish, and I've never felt better!

It was not The China Study alone that influenced my decision to drastically reduce my animal protein consumption.  While Dr. Campbell's results are compelling, worrying about contracting some disease in the future is not always enough to persuade most of us to stop eating hamburgers, chicken, eggs or ice cream.  The American diet revolves around these foods and it takes a concerted effort to find satisfying alternatives.

What cinched my decision to further reduce my animal protein consumption was the information I read in other books about the effect of factory farming on our health, environment, and our collective sense of humanity.

Together with The China Study, these books make for impressive reading:

* Animal Liberation by Peter Singer

* The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and the World by John Robbins

* Plant Roots: Reasons Why the Human Diet is Rooted Exclusively in Plants by Rex Bowlby

When you consider that it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef vs. approximately 24 gallons to produce one pound of wheat, something's wrong.  In addition, my consciousness was raised when I realized how animals in factory farms (where most animals we eat are raised) are treated and killed.  I was beyond horrified.  All I know is that once my awareness was raised there was no going back.

Whether you choose to cut out animal protein completely or simply be more conscious in your decisions about what and when you eat it, The China Study along with these other books all give you food for thought.  I can't encourage people enough to read them and come to your own conclusions.
2980634
In response to J. Mike Knox's review, quoting 'no carbs'...please tell me WHERE in the book does it say 'no carbs'?  This is totally false.  Nowhere in Dr. Atkins books does he state 'no carbs' (at least not in these latest editions).  On the Induction phase, there is a maximum of 20 net carbs per day.  Net carbs is actual carb grams less fiber grams.  It is this type of totally false information that gives Atkins a bad name-- and it is NOT TRUE!  Everyone needs a minimum amount of carbs per day.  It is not NO CARBS.
I have successfully done Atkins going on 7 months and have lost 48.5 pounds.  I have gone from a size 22 to a size 12.  I am healthy, I feel great, and I eat very well.
3195369
Once again, Gary Taubes sets the science world on its ear by challenging it to look at actual evidence, rather than religiously held beliefs, for the hypothesis that weight is dependent on the simple equation of calories-in/calories-out. He explains the hypothesis, then debunks it skillfully and quickly, and points us to the real causes of obesity (not to mention heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer), which have nothing to do with dietary fat or sedentary lifestyles and everything to do with dietary carbohydrate intake and insulin response. If you read no other book this year, read this one, and share it with your friends and family.
3704828
Atkin's tell us the truth about health and weight loss!  For years I've believed that I should have sugars and bread, but when I eat them and keep my fat intake to a minimum, I get very ill.  I read this book and FINALLY I realized that I'd been duped all along.
Now I follow the Atkins method for weight loss, exercise and Vita-Nutrients and my chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia is GONE!  This is a "life-style" that is easy to adopt and maintain!
You do not need medications to counter-act the symptoms of disease, you need Atkins' diet and Vita-Nutrient solutions to rid yourself of them once and for all.
Just by my reading his books, Dr. Atkins has saved my life and reinfused my zest for living.  I've since recommended his diet to others and they have been successful, as well.
Thank you Dr. Atkins, from all of us!
874675
The New Sugar Busters! is more than an expansion of the original book.  The authors take what was, five years ago, a radical approcach to weight loss, and back it up with more thorough explanations of how and why a low glycemic diet is best for weight loss.  The new book does nothing to change the basic approach to a low-sugar, correct carbohydrate lifestyle, but it does offer additional information based on the scientific evidence that now supports the basic premise of Sugar Busters!
I have been following Sugar Busters for 2 1/2 years and have lost over 50 lbs.  I believe that the new edition makes a convincing argument for why Sugar Busters is not a low-carb diet and should not be lumped in with Atkins, Protein Power, and other low-carb diets.  If you are looking for a nutritional plan to help bring in a healthier and leaner new year, then the New Sugar Busters may be just what you need!
1058969
The most important thing to realize is that in all of the publications available to the public about nutritional recommendations there is a wealth of misinformation. However, the medical literature is far from being perfect as well.

Rarely has there been a medical article published that is not followed by various types of criticisms, often times well-deserved. My mentors recommended that we pay more attention to research from respected institutions, but they have their flaws as well. Beware of publications that do not cite full articles in the references (abstracts only) for they have attempted to take shortcuts and have not done their homework (example. The Bulletproof Diet).

In addition, it's difficult to do large studies without economical support. I cannot think of a situation where pharmaceutical or commercial food companies are going to sponsor scientific research that could create competition or diminish potential profits from their products. While this does not block research, it slows it down tremendously in these areas.

So when I see that someone is disgusted because there is some misinformation, especially someone who's come up in the medical community, and labels it as insignificant, I think that is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

The truth is that there is some good information found in all of these contemporary publications, you just have to wade through it (caveat emptor). The take-home message is that don't accept everything in writing as the Gospel. Do your homework and own research.

To the critics, like it or not, people are deriving benefit from these publications, more than they are receiving in your offices. So while it is somewhat tedious gathering pieces of the puzzle from multiple sources, it is worth the effort. I believe the best thing that your physician can do is become familiar with these publications in order to offer guidance through the maze because prevention is the best medicine.  What is emerging as consistency in the message is: healthy fats are not bad in moderation (fats are your friend), moderate amount of protein works in most depending on demand, processed foods are harmful, toxins in foods are harmful, focusing on cholesterol levels only is narrow sighted and may prove to be erroneous in the recommendations over the past few decades (I was taking a statin medication for hereditary hyperlipidemia and after 13 years developed cognitive/memory problems as well as a climbing hemoglobin A-1 C that normalized after the medication was discontinued), certainly avoidance of gluten (celiac's disease or gluten sensitivity (I have this which was found with an elimination diet) for some individuals is essential (while there may be compelling evidence (as with GMO origin food in general) whether or not modern GMO gluten should be eliminated as a general recommendation is not known at present), minimal exposure to carbohydrates works with our design, excessive sodium intake appears to be harmful over time (especially in individuals with hypertension and congestive heart failure), meaningful regular exercise has powerful consequences, stress management is equally important and at the top of the list along with mental stability and balance (mind-body balance).

Sound familiar? Eat healthy (Hippocrates: food is medicine), take regular exercise and be as free from stress as possible. The difference is defining what is healthy food in modern times and I think Dr David Perlmutter has made a good attempt at trying to do that, offering some pieces of the puzzle.

In conclusion, don't shoot the messenger, fight the bias from consistency and commitment tenancy and accept that like in all individuals, there is good in these contemporary messages with the purposes of enabling people to make necessary changes to help them have full, productive lives in the pursuit of happiness.
2176673
Stephen Byrnes' book  is an excellent report on how gullible the modern American public has allowed itself to become when it comes to nutrition. This book has been on my shelf for over a decade and its citations from many highly credible sources that have been swept under the rug by industry are a valuable reminder to question authority as well as the sheeple who follow industry dogma.

It is a shame that Dr. Byrnes' death due to AIDS treatment has become the butt of jokes for committed vegans and other advocates of other conventionally minded diets. The truth is that even with AIDS, he was one of the healthiest people I had known. I spoke to him a few months before his death about his daily boogie board routine, busy practice and the recent death of his mom, which affected him very deeply. In fact, I would not be surprised if it was his deep sense of loss of his mother that was the real culprit of his demise.

The value that he brought to the table is sorely missed. Thank goodness he left us a few books to contemplate.
1862589
Many years ago I attempted the Atkins "Diet" and did very well for 6 months. That was until I was scared off it by my doctor. I regret having stopped it as it was the only "diet" I had ever found that worked. I still believe Atkins was correct. This book gives a new and updated view on those same principles so I'm looking forward to reading the Live it, not diet book.
4894384
Really seems to take what Dr. Atkins spent years researching and pretend it's new information.  Dr. Atkins not only put out low carb diet books, but also very informative books on natural treatment of a variety of conditions, including autoimmune disease.  It's sad to see so many people using information he championed and barely mentioning him just because 'dissing him seems to be politically correct.
439702
Taubes' meticulous research reveals a systemic problem in the dietary branch of medical research.  While refined carbohydrates were linked to obesity and a host of other maladies as far back as the early 1800's a handful of researchers and policy advocates managed to steer the suspicion to fat until it became dogma in the 1970's.  Ironically this was about the same time Atkins wrote his original book.  Taubes also covers the differences between epidemiology and controlled studies.

If you have ever thought that this whole low-carb thing *must* be incorrect because, after all, how could so many government agencies be so wrong?.........well, this book is mandatory reading for you.
2537134
Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories is not a diet book.  Instead, the author systematically reviews more than a century of scientific research on the relationship between food, obesity, and disease.  His insights are startling--and life changing.

I first learned of Good Calories, Bad Calories when I heard a radio interview of the author in September 2007.  The information presented was provocative, and I borrowed a copy of the new book from my local public library.  (I had to wait in line for a month to borrow the book.)

Though an avid reader, I needed the entire three weeks allowed by my library to work my way through this substantial book.  Good Calories, Bad Calories is rich with scientific detail, well written for a non-scientific readership.  Still, it is full of science, however well explained.  I am no scientist, and unaccustomed to reading scientific material (it's decades since I had any science classes), so this was not an easy read for me.  It was well worth the effort.

I admit I expected diet recommendations.  Gary Taubes does not deliver these.  Instead, he provides a solid scientific foundation as to the causes of obesity and the so-called diseases of civilization.  The blame is laid squarely--and convincingly--on the proliferation of highly refined carbohydrates in the modern diet.

Other reviewers describe Gary Taubes' masterful debunking of the "bad science" common in obesity research.  While this is certainly critical to the book's credibility, readers can learn this for themselves.  What I would rather offer is my personal testimonial.

I had always dismissed the "Atkins revolution" low carb phenomenon as merely a fad diet.  Proselytizing friends sang its praises to me, and I ignored them as if they were crazed cult members.  But after reading Taubes' book, for the first time I was convinced.  For the first time, I had a sound, scientifically supported explanation for the causes of weight gain--and weight loss.

Once convinced, I found it easy to act on my convictions.  I read and re-read the studies Taubes cited on weight gain--showing that weight gain results directly from spikes in insulin levels, which in turn result from the spikes in blood sugar due to the intake of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates.  Just as carefully, I studied the research on weight loss--showing that weight loss results not from the so-called "negative energy balance" of expending more calories than one consumes--a popular myth supported by questionable science--but rather that weight loss occurs reliably when carbohydrates are avoided, regardless of the amount of calories consumed.  I also found the research demonstrating the relationship between carbohydrate intake and the "diseases of civilization" (diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, etc.) intriguing. Relying on the principles elucidated in the research, I formulated my own food plan.

Before reading Good Calories, Bad Calories, I was 60 pounds overweight after a 14-year unvarying rising curve of weight gain.  One month after returning the book to the library, I dared to step on the scale.  Down five pounds.  Now, after another three months, down twenty pounds.  I see no reason this trend will not continue until I reach a healthy weight.  Last month I ordered my own copy of Good Calories, Bad Calories from Amazon.com.

I suppose Gary Taubes did not intend his book to be used as a diet plan.  He certainly makes no diet recommendations for his readers.  Rather, his book is presented as a cry for more research--and especially more scrupulous research.  Nevertheless, I thank Gary Taubes for having the courage to go public, to challenge the media and the medical community, to show them--and all of us--where science went wrong and betrayed us.  And to point us back on the right track, to scrupulous, unbiased scientific research--to trade bad science for good science.
840022
I'd been a long-time vegetarian, but in recent years due to some health issues with inflammation had to try first a Paleo and then a low-carb diet. That has worked like magic for my chronic back problems, though I did miss being a vegetarian for ethical and aesthetic reasons. Recently, I've come to a ketogenic diet, which has worked like magic for my chronic fatigue and moods, but I've had a very difficult time keeping my protein intake low enough. Thus, I turned back to Low-Carb Vegetarian, to incorporate more vegetables in my diet and fewer animal products. Interestingly, I've come back, at least in part, to my vegetarian roots.

I have the older edition of this book, which I consider a treasure. Back in the day, Celia Brooks Brown did something that many considered impossible--write a truly low-carbohydrate cookbook. (The other book in this category is Rose Elliot's The Vegetarian Low Carb Diet, also a valuable resource for people needing and wanting to eat this way).

For years this book was rare and costly, f you could find it used. When I saw it was re-issued and updated, I immediately purchased a copy. With all the information learned about diet in the intervening years, I was sure this updated book would be amazing.

Unfortuanately, this "updated" book is almost virtually the same text as published ten years ago in 2004. This is quite suprising, considering the dynamical changes that have occurred in recent years in the field of nutrition, metabolism research and weight loss. Since my first purchase of the 2004 book, we've also had some interesting revolutions in the area of low-carb ingredients for cooking and baking, and I am sorry this wasn't really reflected in the new edition. For example, the text asserts that keeping fat consumption low with a low carb diet is good for weight loss--a mistake that this generation's ketogenic dieters know to be an absolute falsehood. In fact, it is essential to eat a good quantity of high-quality fats when on a low-carb diet, otherwise you will sabotage your weight loss efforts. And why no inclusion of coconut flour? Surely coconut flour is more versatile than the soy flour the author used back in 2004.

As some other reviewers have noted, many of the recipes have a "frou-frou" feel.  How about Cheese "involtini"? Or Goat's cheese "timbales"?  Or "tian," whatever that is? I can understand how these words--many of which may be Continental terms that someone in the UK would be more familiar with than someone living elsewhere--might be off putting, but I wouldn't let that stop me from trying these recipes anyway. The recipes here aren't hard, and gratin is just a fancy way of saying something with melted cheese.

In conclusion, although this was a valuable book for its time, and the recipes are still innovative and useful for those eating this way, I wish this were a truly updated version of the 2004 book. That would indeed have been a "new" treasure. The author and publishers really missed an opportunity to do a lot of good in the world.
3646065
Many of us know about the devastation wheat and other glutens createbut how many knew it could cause dementia?

The author, a holistic MD (neurologist) and fellow of the American college of Nutritioneducates us on the gluten-brain connection and gives us a multitude of reasons to give up our daily bread. Hes healed patients with all sorts of neurological disorders, including MS, ADHD, migraines, Tourettes syndrome, epilepsy, and more, by simply getting them to go gluten-free. (My favorite is a 75-year-old man who no longer needs Viagra!)

Gluten (which is the Latin word for glue) breaks down to polypeptides that bind to the brains morphine receptor and produce an addictive high. Manufacturers know this and put it in everything. Fortunately, the author provides a list of glutenous grains as well as the gluten-free ones, and a list of other foods and ingredients that contain gluten. Even many personal care products often contain this sinister ingredient! (The book contains a web site where we can get gluten-free ones.)

The author goes into detail as to why low carb is best, discussing insulin, leptin, depression from sugar, etc. I was amazed to learn that a piece of bread has a higher GI (glycemic index) than a Snickers bar, a banana, and a tablespoon of white sugar!

The book also goes into detail about the cholesterol scam to increase sales of the statin drug, and cites studies that low cholesterol is harmful, causing depression that can lead to suicide. In fact, eating cholesterol has little effect on our blood cholesterol. But we nonetheless need the dietary stuff to get our needs met. People with high cholesterol levels live longerthough not in the case of excess sugar in the diet, which damages the LDL cholesterol. (Perhaps this is why cholesterol gets a bad rapwhen its really the carbs to be blamed!)

Though I have read dozens of books on the topic of low carb and grain-free (even wrote one myself), I learned a few surprising facts. One is that exercising the body protects your brain more than exercising the brain! Exercise increases BDNF (brain derived neurotropic factor) which enhances the brain. In fact the book even describes a theory that exercise increased our brain size from that of other mammals.

The book goes into detail on numerous topics such as ketones, a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and much more. One page is full of blood tests he recommends. A sample menu for one week is provided.  It has some very good recipes at the end in which the author simply substitutes Paleo-friendly foods for the less healthful post-agricultural ones.

I have recommended this book to many friends and family members. The scientific studies cited are enough to convince everyone. I wish more doctors were like Dr. Perlmutter.

Susan Schenck, award-winning author of  Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn't Work
1356784
Ketone lifestyle is better. Check out Jason Fung for great information. Atkins is only part of the '' diet'' issue.
840126
What a fascinating and highly readable book--when was the last time you raced through a non-fiction treatise?

Dr. Waldman and Ms. Lamb have written a winner, and I'm sorry to see it buried in the Amazon stacks without notice or acclaim.  I don't even remember how I stumbled on this title but I'm glad I did.  In the process of explaining how a hamburger may permanently alter your brain--for the worse--the authors take the reader through the history of cognition and aging as found in scientific textbooks, philosophy, and literature to prove that losing your marbles through the years is a new phenomenon.

Then they move on to cannibalism, horrific neurodegenerative diseases, the germ theory of disease, the biology of prions, the evolving nature of the human diet, the complex relationship of humans to cattle, the meat-packing industry, and international food standards.

Consider the elegance of their explanation of misfolded proteins (the biological basis of neurodegenerative diseases) as seen in the common egg white:

"Imagine a large bowl of raw egg whites.  These whites are made of a protein called albumin, which is folded in a unique way..  Because of its shape, this protein is a translucent liquid and can be dissolved in water,  Now place a tiny amount of the egg whites in boiling water, where it cooks immediately.  The protein is still albumin, but now it is a solid instead of a liquid...there is no way that the cooked egg whites can be made to revert to their uncooked state. All these changes happen because the protein is now folded in a different manner."

Want to better understand how you might possibly cook your brains with a misguided modern diet and the inattention of those to whom we entrust our food supply?  Order one of these bargain copies of "Dying for a Hamburger"--this book is great food for thought.