Maybe the tide is turning

(cqtcmg) #1

I’ve eaten low-carb for a little over two years now, and always in the past I have had people look at me like I must have a death wish to eat this way, that it’s bad for you, or it’s boring. Whenever I would go to someone’s house for a meal, I would stress out, worrying about what I was going to be able to eat. Or when I would order burgers without buns and no fries, people would sometimes look at me like I must be a weirdo. Many times I felt kind of alone, although my husband has supported me and eats low-carb, as well, for which I am grateful.

But two things have happened in the past couple of weeks to make me think that perhaps I don’t feel so alone anymore. I found out that a family physician in my hometown is encouraging people to eat low-carb (and not low-fat!) to lose weight. Secondly, I had coffee with some of my cousins recently and found out that most of them are following low-carb diets for various health reasons and are enjoying it! Some are even playing around with intermittent fasting!

It was a nice feeling to be able to converse about it and not have to defend my choices!

#2

It is nice when your dr supports you!

(cqtcmg) #3

Well, sadly, my doctor doesn’t support me. My diet is pretty much “against medical advice” in her opinion. She is definitely from the low-fat (and certainly no saturated fat) and higher carb crowd. A friend told me about her friend’s low-carb family physician in my hometown (which, unfortunately, is not the town I live in currently).

(Stickin' with mammoth) #4

Woo-HOO! Thanks for the encouraging news, I needed that today.

PS: I’m beginning to think “medical advice” is an oxymoron like “jumbo shrimp.”

(Crow T. Robot) #5

The good thing is that she works for you, not the other way around. You don’t need to be confrontational, but it helps to come forearmed with science. Usually, GPs back down because they realize that they don’t actually know much about nutrition and the effect on the body. Plus, deep down, many of them feel a little helpless in the face of the diabesity epidemic.

Remember that they have to push the official guidelines or they expose themselves to litigation if anything untoward happens. How many anecdotes have we heard about doctors and nurses saying, “Well, officially I have to tell you this, but…”

(cqtcmg) #6

Exactly. I think the doctors who speak against the official dietary guidelines are very brave individuals.

(Stickin' with mammoth) #7

Two words: Tim Noakes.

#8

Two more: Gary Fettke

(Michael Wallace Ellwood) #9

I’m sure you are right in the sense that people (in the wider world I mean, not doctors specifically) have actually heard of low-carb, and may know something about it (and even the word “ketogenic” sometimes).

Whereas ~9 years ago when I first tried low-carb, the nearest thing people had heard of was “The Atkins Diet”, and unfortunately, that name (unjustifiably) carried so much baggage that it was almost impossible in most cases to have a sensible conversation about it.

So I think things are better, kind of, but the battle is far from won, I’d say.

(Dustin Cade) #10

oooh Jumbo Shrimp…

My GP happened to just mention that if i wanted to lose weight I would need to be in Ketosis… of course this meant nothing to me. At the time we were eating low carb, something like 150 grams of carbs or less… we were just kinda riding blind… I took that in passing mention of Ketosis and looked it up… because of that i found these 2 keto dudes, and I’ve been in Ketosis for almost 6 months…

(Stickin' with mammoth) #11

I concur, that was my experience, too. Yet, I still favor Banting over Atkins.

#12

I have gotten the same reaction from a “nurse” friend of mine. Still on the low-fat and certainly no saturated fat crowd. Others, however, seem to be embracing and understanding the low carb idea which is encouraging.

(Michael Wallace Ellwood) #13

I never specifically followed Atkins. I just learned the basic principles (initially, and largely thanks to Gary Taubes (Good Calories, Bad Calories), and basically did my own thing, although I started to read, e.g. Jimmy Moore’s blog, Barry Groves blog and books, and a lot of other stuff online, and learned more as I went along.

However, just occasionally, when trying to explain what I was doing, the name Atkins Diet would come up and while it was useful shorthand sometimes, I realised later that it often put people off. One typical remark was: “Oh, that: that sounds like a heart attack on a plate…”.

(Because I never specifically followed Atkins, by the way, I was always mystified by the accusations / suggestions that Atkins encouraged polyunsaturated oils and high protein.
Well Gary Taubes in GCBC gave clear evidence as to why polyunsaturated oils were a bad thing, and Barry Groves wrote extensively about the same thing. And it was also, always crystal clear to me that a proper low-carb diet was meant to be high in fat and moderate (never high) protein.)

(Crow T. Robot) #14

Follow the money. There was a concerted effort by industry to demonize it in the 2000’s per Dr. Jay Wortman.

(Arlene) #15

It is surprising how many people forget this fact. We, the patient are in control of our lives, our treatment choices, our dietary choices, etc. We should consult doctors, but the final decision about our lives is our own, period. Even many doctors forget this fact.

(eat more) #16

i had someone say today…
“that protein ONLY diet…what’sitcalled…uhm…atkins…yeah…that guy died super young of a heart attack”
i laughed and said “no not protein only and he slipped on ice and cracked his melon”
he didn’t believe me so i made him google lol

he also said that protein and vegetables is the same thing as protein only lol

(Jim) #17

My wife and I began our keto lifestyle about a year ago. Since then we’ve had several family members follow us with the low carb/high fat/moderate protein approach. All have reported that they feel better and lost weight as a bonus. What tells me that keto is becoming more mainstream has been their physician’s response. Blood work for everyone has been excellent and the physician’s have all said keep going. They can’t yet prescribe the diet because of the current standards of care but they certainly can and do encourage. Great to see!

(Jen Garrison) #18

I have been low carb due to allergies for a long time… always hated buns and fries as a kid, now I know why.

I totally understand the feeling where no one understands your way of eating, it’s to the point friends and family will have big dinners and not even invite me because they “didn’t know what to do” with me.

Recently, they are all a little more into the low carb or Whole30 plan, and boy does it make it a lot easier to hang out with people again!!