The Atkins Diet: Steak, bacon and eggs, cheese
omelets and anything else rich in protein, and don't hold the fat. That
is the basis of the Atkins diet that was the phenomenon of its age when
introduced back in 1972 by Robert C. Atkins M.D, under the title The Atkins Diet Revolution.
The
Atkins protein diet is based on the premise that limiting your
carbohydrate intake, and increasing your protein intake, would not only
improve your health but also enable you to rapidly lose weight. So does
it work or not?
The Answer: Yes, but. . . more on the 'but' later.
Stage 2: When you have no glucose left in your blood (excessive exercise or diet) your metabolism will then start to convert the fat in your fat cells to glucose.
Once that has been used up, your body will then convert the carbohydrate portion of your muscle protein to glucose.
What Dr. Atkins maintains that we accelerate this to stage 2 above by eliminating carbohydrates for the diet and eating protein instead, so that your metabolism jumps straight to the fat. And guess what? It actually works. However, there is a price to pay.
The Price of High Protein Diets
Halitosis and Ketosis
The first price is halitosis - your breath smells foul due to a process known as ketosis. When your blood glucose levels drop, so do your insulin levels drop. When fat stored in your fat cells (some cells are specifically used to store fat) is transferred to your blood to be converted to glucose.
This involves the generation of fatty acids, which are broken down in the liver to release acetoacetate and b-hydroxybutyrate into your blood.
The acetoacetate is partially metabolized to acetone (the ketone used as nail varnish remover.) This predominantly occurs in the lungs, and so you breathe out acetone which may smell OK in your nail varnish, but in the human breath it smells foul. This is known as ketosis.
Ketosis is not bad for you - only for the person you are talking to! It can also occur if the acetone is the result of insulin problems, in which case it can be an indication of diabetes. However, in respect of Atkins it is no more than an indication that your body is burning fat, which is a good thing.
Lack of Fiber
Fats and proteins are low in fiber, so your diet is liable to be low in fiber unless you include a calorie-free fiber (if you can find one.)
The price you pay, therefore, is constipation. Without roughage, the peristaltic motion of your intestinal tract has nothing to get any purchase and traction on, so your food tends to stagnate in your lower intestine and colon. The Atkins Diet is associate with laxatives by the tanker load!
Lack of Nutrition
The majority of your antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and many of your vitamins come from the fruits and vegetables in your diet.
By cutting these out, or even reducing them, you are leaving yourself subject to inflammatory conditions and free radical oxidation that can quickly age you.
Lack of nutrition can also cause cholesterol plaques to form in your arteries, progressively blocking them until you get a stroke or heart failure.
Dr Atkins himself recommended masses of supplements - some report up to 65 - to fill in the gaps in nutrition by following his plan. In fact, he marketed his own supplements, which must have been a good money-spinner for him.
However, the negatives are also valid ones, both theoretically and practically, and it is a pity that we cannot combine the Atkins protein diet with a fruit and vegetable diet to provide the nutrition that the Atkins lacks. Unfortunately, while vitamin and mineral supplements are fine to boost your normal natural intake, they are less effective if used as the sole source.
Those that start high protein diets and continue with them are usually delighted with the weight loss achieved, although perhaps not by the side-effects. Whether you choose to use the Atkins Diet or not is up to you. The science is sound, but it's not for everybody.
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| Atkins Diet |
The Answer: Yes, but. . . more on the 'but' later.
The Science Behind the Atkins Diet
Without trying to bore you, here is a brief explanation. Your body needs energy to keep you alive. Energy is not only used when you run and take exercise, but also:- When your heart beats to maintain the circulation of your blood.
- When your diaphragm muscle moves to create the vacuum that draws air into your lungs.
- To maintain the peristaltic pumping motion that passes your food from your mouth all the way to your anus.
- For the biosynthesis of the millions of chemical species within your body.
- For your brain to work properly.
Glucose, Fat, Protein and Energy
Stage 1: Carbohydrates are digested to ultimately produce glucose in your blood which, along with oxygen, is the main raw material for ATP energy production.Stage 2: When you have no glucose left in your blood (excessive exercise or diet) your metabolism will then start to convert the fat in your fat cells to glucose.
Once that has been used up, your body will then convert the carbohydrate portion of your muscle protein to glucose.
What Dr. Atkins maintains that we accelerate this to stage 2 above by eliminating carbohydrates for the diet and eating protein instead, so that your metabolism jumps straight to the fat. And guess what? It actually works. However, there is a price to pay.
The Price of High Protein Diets
Halitosis and KetosisThe first price is halitosis - your breath smells foul due to a process known as ketosis. When your blood glucose levels drop, so do your insulin levels drop. When fat stored in your fat cells (some cells are specifically used to store fat) is transferred to your blood to be converted to glucose.
This involves the generation of fatty acids, which are broken down in the liver to release acetoacetate and b-hydroxybutyrate into your blood.
The acetoacetate is partially metabolized to acetone (the ketone used as nail varnish remover.) This predominantly occurs in the lungs, and so you breathe out acetone which may smell OK in your nail varnish, but in the human breath it smells foul. This is known as ketosis.
Ketosis is not bad for you - only for the person you are talking to! It can also occur if the acetone is the result of insulin problems, in which case it can be an indication of diabetes. However, in respect of Atkins it is no more than an indication that your body is burning fat, which is a good thing.
Lack of Fiber
Fats and proteins are low in fiber, so your diet is liable to be low in fiber unless you include a calorie-free fiber (if you can find one.)
The price you pay, therefore, is constipation. Without roughage, the peristaltic motion of your intestinal tract has nothing to get any purchase and traction on, so your food tends to stagnate in your lower intestine and colon. The Atkins Diet is associate with laxatives by the tanker load!
Lack of Nutrition
The majority of your antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and many of your vitamins come from the fruits and vegetables in your diet.
By cutting these out, or even reducing them, you are leaving yourself subject to inflammatory conditions and free radical oxidation that can quickly age you.
Lack of nutrition can also cause cholesterol plaques to form in your arteries, progressively blocking them until you get a stroke or heart failure.
Dr Atkins himself recommended masses of supplements - some report up to 65 - to fill in the gaps in nutrition by following his plan. In fact, he marketed his own supplements, which must have been a good money-spinner for him.
Conclusion on The Atkins Diet
According to some reviews, there are many positives to be gained by using the Atkins protein diet, or The Atkins Diet Revolution, although there also appear to be a number of serious negatives. Reports are divided - just like any other diet. However, the science is valid and weight should be, and is, lost by following it. It is a dietary system that works.However, the negatives are also valid ones, both theoretically and practically, and it is a pity that we cannot combine the Atkins protein diet with a fruit and vegetable diet to provide the nutrition that the Atkins lacks. Unfortunately, while vitamin and mineral supplements are fine to boost your normal natural intake, they are less effective if used as the sole source.
Those that start high protein diets and continue with them are usually delighted with the weight loss achieved, although perhaps not by the side-effects. Whether you choose to use the Atkins Diet or not is up to you. The science is sound, but it's not for everybody.
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