But I’ll Look Great In My Coffin!
March 2, 2009 by JD
Filed under Health News, News
The Atkins Diet has led to “life-threatening complications” for a New York woman who was following the plan.
The Atkins Diet has been popular in the U.S. for years now. The program dictates a diet consisting solely of protein sources such as meat, butter, and other dairy products.
Carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, and potatoes, are a no-no. Vegetable intake is severely restricted, and fruits, due to sugar content, are limited.
The theory is that a carbohydrate starved body will eventually enter a phase called ketosis where stored fat cells are burned to keep the energy starved systems of the body functioning.
Wonderful theory, and it does work.
What the propaganda doesn’t tell you is what the other effects of ketosis can be.
A diet low in carbohydrates essentially forces the body to ravage itself to manufacture the energy needed to maintain basic body functions. No carbs = no insulin. No insulin = no energy. This is the ketosis process.
What they don’t tell you is that ketosis can lead to a condition known as ketoacidosis, where dangerous levels of ketone acids accumulate in the liver as a result of insulin depletion.
Ketoacidosis, which can be common in diabetics and starvation victims, can lead to coma and death. Symptoms of the condition include nausea, shortness of breath, gastric pain, and vomiting.
Fortunately the lady in New York, who was diagnosed with a severe case of ketoacidosis, sought treatment and responded well to rehydration and glucose supplementation measures.
Another case of a fad diet gone bad.
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Wow, you don’t know anything at all about the Atkins diet. It is in no way a “diet consisting solely of protein sources”. Most people who follow this way of eating consume more vegetables than most vegetarians I know. You should also know that ketosis and ketoacidosis are two different things, and one does not lead to the other. I am disappointed that you would post such egregious misinformation. I suggest you do a little research before posting next time. A library might be a good place to begin.
I will be removing this site from my RSS feed now.
Disappointed -
I am sorry to lose you as a reader. But I do want to point out a couple of things.
1) When I said the Atkins Diet is made up “solely” of protein sources, I probably should have substituted “primarily” for “solely”. And remember, the vegetables that the diet encourages are the low carb vegies. No corn, tomatoes, or any other high sugar vegies.
2) I must disagree on your other point. Ketosis, in severe calorie restricted diets, can lead to ketoacidosis. And while I could dig up references to cases, I’ll just suggest you take a look at this article (http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100175308) and others like it.
Again - hope you stick around.
J.D.