What do you think of Dr. Berg’s teachings on keto?

(Robert C) #216

Thanks for the re-titling! :grinning:

(Running from stupidity) #217

You need to read here more widely, then - we have a heap of people leading in the space who aren’t MDs.

But they’re not calling themselves doctors, either.

Him not being an MD (I KNOW he isn’t one) is irrelevant when his videos led me to other MDs

Ah, yes it is. OTHER has a meaning.

+1

I’m betting this is not actually news to you :slight_smile:

So even if he does good things for people all that is erased because he gives money to Scientology? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

It’s ONE of the things. He’s an anti-vaxxer. He says stupid things that are easily disprovable. He sells ridiculously-expensive crap.

If he was the ONLY source, then maybe. But there are any number of good sources out there making videos who aren’t anti-vaxxers, who aren’t funnelling money (that people provide by watching his videos) to an extremely dangerous organisation, who aren’t selling snake oil.

I support them instead.

Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I don’t think it is, on the basis of the above.

Scientology is just like all other religions. That’s an excellent point :roll_eyes:

#218

Okay word police lols

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #219

Sorry. Talk about throwing the Man Baby out with the baptismal bath water.

(Running from stupidity) #220

This won’t work on me, you know what I think of kids in any form :slight_smile:

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #221

:rofl::rofl::rofl: You’re a monster. A MONSTER, I say!

(Running from stupidity) #222

It’s OK, I own it.

:smiley:

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #223

It may be time to chill again, folks. Dr. Berg seems to inspire only strong feelings. I haven’t seen any “meh” posts in any of the threads involving him. Given the level of emotion about the guy, no one’s going to convince anyone to change their mind, so let’s just relax and be respectful of one another.

That said, here’s what I think of the guy: I have personal feelings about some of the things Eric Berg espouses, things that do not predispose me to like him. But I could get past them, if only I trusted his understanding of human nutrition. Unfortunately, some of the things he says in his videos contradict the science as I understand it, and he presents no data to back up his assertions. For me, that calls everything he says into question. Compare one of his videos with one of Dr. Phinney’s presentations, which are laden with references to randomized, controlled trials, and you’ll see what I mean.

#224

I tried to follow the 7-10 cups of green veggies a day and ended up with a histamine overload…thanks, Dr. Berg.

His advice is extreme, I found out the hard way. :unamused:

(Robert C) #225

7-10 cups of spinach (to make creamed spinach) or arugula sautéed go down to a cup or two and work much better in the body.

(Alex ) #226

I was firstly advised on another forum that this guy was essentially a complete charlatan and scammer - and just out there to make money from unsuspecting individuals.

The fact he comes up so often on You Tube for anything related to keto living makes me a bit nervous, and I’ve watched a few of his videos where he literally seems to be talking utter drivel, like incoherent sentences, and general waffle.

He’s not for me, but like ANYTHING online, if you approach with an open mind, then you probably wont get burned! - and everything is open to interpretation, you have to find your own answers.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #227

What really doesn’t make sense to me is that the seven cups seems to be recommended across the board - seven to ten cups for a petite woman and the same amount for a 300 pound man? Really?

(Doug) #228

His clinic has pushed some rather “extreme” stuff: :smile:

(Robert C) #229

This is a legitimate “show me the science” type criticism of an actual teaching of Dr. Berg’s (rare between the regular Berg bashings).

And a helpful post - it is something that should make us all think. Myself, I am a medium male so probably 7 to 10 cups is about right (which I sauté down to 1 or 2 - I hate big salads). But the petite woman or very large man should think about lower or higher numbers (which this post reminds us of - thanks).

(Empress of the Unexpected) #230

I read somewhere years ago (how vague is that) that the drug companies test out their recommended doses on males. That’s a scarier thought than getting too much, too little lettuce. Here is one article on the subject. Of course, I have no idea of the accuracy behind this, but if true, very disturbing.

(Robert C) #231

That is a good article - I had no idea it was preferred to keep women out of trials due to the variances they would create due to their cycles.

I think there are (at least) two factors:

  1. If a drug affects hormones - it definitely should be tested extensively on both men and women.
  2. If a drug does not affect hormones - it is more “buyer beware”. A 100 pound man should be just as weary as a 100 pound woman (both should do dosing research). I think this is natural - I think sub-5-foot, sub-100 pound women generally ignore just about all numbers (2,000 per day common calorie suggestion, portion sizes at restaurants etc.).
(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #232

. . . because he should be doing his fair share of the housework!!

Sorry, I know what you mean, but this kind of autospell error always tickles my sense of humor. :grin:

(Dan Dan) #233

The truth is out there :thinking::open_mouth::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::wink:

The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat anywhere from 5 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables per day depending on age, gender, physical activity, and overall health.

What is a serving of vegetables?

1 cup of raw vegetables
1/2 cup of cooked (roasted, steamed, etc) vegetables
1 cup of pure vegetable juice (no added fruits)
2 cups of leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, etc)
2 medium sized whole vegetables (2 medium carrots, 2 stalks of celery)
1 large whole vegetable (1 large red bell pepper)

So If we use the minimum of 5 servings = 5 cups of raw veggies or 10 cups of salad greens or half veggies and half salad greens 7.5 cups :thinking:

7.5 Cups Veggie and Greens Salad

5 oz of Spinach Greens (5 cups)
2 medium carrots
1/2 large bell pepper
1 cup broccoli

*Disclaimer: I hate salads! My ideal non-salad is a bed of mushrooms 1 cup cheese and 1 cup ranch dressing topped with olives and pineapple :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::wink:

Dr. Berg on salad (hint not what you think based on whats posted here)
(1 oz spring mix = 1 cup) :sunglasses:

(Karim Wassef) #234

Dr Berg was the first resource in my understanding of keto and ketones. I like him because the majority of his vids do line up with other sources well and he makes an effort at simplifying things so anyone can get to a path of understanding and learning.

Science is never an open and shut case. It is usually a precedent to more and better science… the question is whether it’s useful or harmful. I find his vids useful.

Does he make money off supplements? Yes. That’s how he earns a living. Does he doctor up the science to sell it- I have no evidence of that.

On forums, we share n=1 experiences … maybe including friends and relatives… but a video is intended to digest the science “as it is” and share it in the simplest way with the majority of people who need it. I listen to others who get equally aggressive feedback because their vids may be more contextual vs general… or just change based on the latest scientific papers…

Thomas DeLauer has this really funny frustrated vid where he just says it. Paraphrasing…“It depends on where you are and what you’re trying to do” and “the science is evolving”.

Dr Sten Ekberg is another resource who simplifies things very elegantly in my view.

Mike Mutzel does a good job connecting to the latest science too.

They’re at different levels of teaching… some need a high school teacher to make it digestible … others need there nuance of the kreb cycle, mToR and AMPK and how MCT is really absorbed…

These guys are each trying to help a fledgling community in their own way and they have products and sponsors to make a living. If you don’t like the ads, ignore it… but I think there is great benefit to the growing community with each educator who picks up that mantle.

On the water … keto is different from the SAD in its demand for electrolytes and water. There is a genuine concern in drinking too much water and not balancing electrolytes properly. This is why there are vids about “keto ended
me in the ER… I almost died”. This is probably the most legitimate danger both to the individuals and to the adoption of keto as a healthy lifestyle in my opinion. Using the “guidelines” on how much water to drink while getting into keto is a threat and Dr Berg was calling the “guideline” out.

My view is that these guys are genuinely trying to help and feed their kids. Are they perfect? No. Is the science completely understood? Never. Are they useful? Yes.

If you can help them get better with constructive feedback, then do it. :smiley:

(Doug) #235

A big issue with Berg is that he’s a Scientologist, has given several hundred thousand Dollars (at the least) to what can only be rationally called a horrible, abusive organization, has/had a high-pressure-sales approach to his clinic and for his “supplements” that are often of dubious or demonstrably no value, and pushed ridiculous, nonsense quackery like “The “Body Restoration Technique,” (“BRT”), a procedure whereby vials of distilled water containing homeopathic imprints are held over certain designated organs or body parts while the practitioner applies tactile pressure by tapping or rubbing accupressure points, allegedly to assist in restoring hormone balance and to address other symptoms," as above.

If one is not paying for largely-useless stuff or treatments (you should see the comments from patients of his clinic and the staff that used to work there) then I’d say it’s not a big deal. One can get the same or better information from other sources, however, and it’s a shame to be supporting some of the things Berg does, even if by giving his videos views.