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alt.support.diet.low-carb

USENET's low-carbohydrate diet newsgroup

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List
Updated 9/10/2002.

To help make things easier for those who are working on the FAQ, new material and/or changes appear at the beginning of the page. If you'd like to work on something in the FAQ please post to the newsgroup what area you're interested in so that no two people are working on the same item. Note that "???" stands for this area needs more info or work. DO NOT SEND EMAIL TO ME.
THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE ASDLC NEWSGROUP WHO WILL FORWARD CHANGES TO ME.

Please post any questions or comments regarding this page to alt.support.diet.low-carb

11/10/2003

2/21/2002

  • Aspartame links updated

Oct 2001

  • Search old newsgroup messages changed from DejaNews to Google Groups

  • Removed chat room and guestbook due to LiveUniverse going out of business.

6/14/2000

  • Link scrubbing... Linda Jackson helped get rid of all the nasty 404 errors to dead pages.

5/24/2000

4/23/2000

  • Updates to Zone Diet section

3/5/2000:

1/26/2000:

12/13/1999:

11/14/99:  


Due to recent difficulties with the webserver, there will now 
always be a backup of this site on the following address:
http://home.attbi.com/~agross/asdlc/
"He who laughs last... just did a backup."

Tired of checking this site for updates?  Overwhelmed by
the volume of messages in the newsgroup?  Subscribe to 
the FAQ update list and receive brief notices when there 
have been changes.

Obligatory disclaimers: The information contained in this posting is in no way guaranteed. This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list is based largely on the personal experiences of the members of alt.support.diet.low-carb.

The members of this newsgroup take no responsibility for the use of this information and highly advise anyone changing their diet or physical efforts to consult with their doctor.

Use this posting as an overview of low-carb eating, but the members of this newsgroup advise that you read the publications/books and websites listed herein to fully inform yourself on which plan may be right for you. There are many excellent places on the Internet to find information on low-carb eating. This FAQ is a way to offer you a brief overview of topics, point you to places to obtain more information, and give information that has often been discussed on the a.s.d.l-c newsgroup. However, all posters are asked to bear in mind that people take up low-carb lifestyles for a variety of reasons and goals.

This is not a moderated group, but be warned, the members of alt.support.diet.low-carb DO NOT WANT ANY ADVERTISEMENTS POSTED to their newsgroup and will take action with the any spam poster's ISP. However you may post an URL (address) of your personal Web site within a signature file on a post that is related to this newsgroup.

The material on this website is informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.  Do not use the information as a substitute for medical care or treatment by a licensed health care professional. This web site is not intended to provide or confirm a diagnosis nor is any claim made as to therapeutic efficacy. No claims here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  Anyone on medications is STRONGLY cautioned to consult their physician, especially regarding possible interactions of their medicines with supplements, vitamins or anything else mentioned on this site.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. GENERAL QUESTIONS

1a. What is the purpose of alt.support.diet.low-carb?
1b. Are advertisements allowed on a.s.d.l-c?
1c: HTML posting 

2. PLANS AND DIET BOOKS

2a. What is Dr. Atkins' diet?
2b. What is the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet? (needs rewrite)
2c. What is Protein Power
2d. What is the Zone diet?
2e. What is Neanderthin?
2f. What is Body Opus, Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) or TKD?
2g. Montignac 
2h. Somersizing 
2i. Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution 

3. KETOSIS

3a. What is ketosis and why do you want to obtain it???
3b. Ketostix sticks.
3c. Side effects of ketosis.
3d. How long will it take me to reach ketosis?

4. TROUBLESHOOTING AND STUMBLING BLOCKS

4a. Plateaus 
4b. Water 
4c. Citric acid
4d. Caffeine 
4e. Dairy
4f. Nitrites
4g.Artificial sweeteners
4h. Alcohol 
4i. Supplements (???)
4j. Cholesterol
4k. Menstrual Cycle
4l. Calories
4m. Labeling 
4n. Glycerine 
4o. ECA "Stack" (ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin) 
4p. Protein 
4q. "Hidden Carbs"
4r.
4s. Exercise

5. INTERNET RESOURCES

5a. Newsgroups
5b. Mailing lists
5c. World Wide Web sites 
5d. Other low-carb FAQs 
5e. IRC - Chat areas 

6. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS

7. NEWSGROUP POSTING ABBREVIATIONS AND SLANG

8. SUCCESS STORIES

8a. Weight loss(I thought this would be a good idea.) Come one guys, don't be shy....
8b. Other benefits from low-carb eating.

9. MANY THANKS TO

10. QUICK RESPONSES TO LOW CARB RUMORS AND DISINFORMATION

11. LOW CARB IN THE NEWS LINKS

Looking for http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc/faq.htm#lightbulb for the "how many lightbulbs joke? It's actually here.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1a. What is the purpose of alt.support.diet.low-carb?

To provide practical advice, emotional support, and encouragement to those who wish to improve their health, appearance, and/or mood levels through a low carbohydrate program. The name of the group, alt.support.diet.low-carb (here after referred to as a.s.d.l-c) is somewhat unfortunate because the word "diet" is often interpreted as "a temporary regimen that's somehow expected to lead to permanent weight loss," rather than its original meaning of "how one eats."

The membership of a.s.d.l-c encourages open discussions, we encourage people to participate but request that a tone of civility be maintained at all times. Disagreements are fine, but attacks, flame wars, or arguments that are between individuals are better saved for the more appropriate venue of email.

1b. Are advertisements allowed on a.s.d.l-c ?

NO, NO, and NO.

1c. HTML posting. 

In order to make post readable to all members on the newsgroup, you are requested to post text only messages. Please DO NOT post messages in HTML. Consult your software on how to post text only messages.

[table of contents]

2. PLANS AND DIET BOOKS

(It would be helpful to the FAQ if we could get a CAD diet rewrite, and brief overviews of the following plans: Montignac, Somersizing, and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution -- any takers? If you would like to work on any of these please contact rrvrr@ix.netcom.com)

2a. What is Dr. Atkins' diet?

The Atkins diet is a carbohydrate intake restricted diet, or a ketogenic diet, but it is not a non-carbohydrate diet. The diet focuses on limited consumption of carbohydrates less than 20g a day for the first 2 weeks of the diet, referred to as Induction, after which you are encouraged to gradually increase the daily intake of carbohydrate grams until reaching a level that allows you to still lose weight. Once at goal weight you increase your carbohydrate grams until finding the level which you can maintain your desired weight. One of goals of the Induction phase is to begin dietary ketosis-- read more about this in 3a. Ketosis, a condition in which the body without available dietary carbohydrates will turn to stored fat for fuel.

The diet was formed by Robert C. Atkins, M.D., was popular in the 1970's, and has become popular again with an updated book which is used now.

Official website: http://www.atkinscenter.com/

Order the book: Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
by Robert C. Atkins, M.D.
Published by M. Evans & Co., Inc.
Copyright 1992, Trade Paperback Edition 1995
ISBN: 087131763X

2b. What is the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet?

The premise of this diet is that there are people who, for biological reasons, develop unmanageable cravings for carbohydrates which can lead to weight gain. The authors believe that this results from an overproduction of insulin, impairing glucose metabolism, and an insufficient rise of brain serotonin, responsible for the feeling of satiety. The objective of the diet is to control insulin release by minimizing the carbohydrate consumption which triggers it.

The basic daily diet consists of two carbohydrate-restricted meals, and one "reward" meal which must be consumed within 60 minutes, but at which you may eat absolutely anything. At the restricted meals, you eat standard portions of such foods as eggs, fish, meat, cheese, salads and most non-starchy vegetables. The general rule of thumb for restricted meals is that an allowable food contains no more than 4 grams of carbohydrate per standard serving. Some surprises among the foods not allowed at these meals include fruits, broccoli, milk and yogurt. No snacks are permitted. Depending on the foods you select, the diet can be compatible with the standard recommendations for healthy eating (low-fat, high-fiber, etc.). The authors recommend a weight loss of no more than two pounds per week. Guidelines suggest variants on the diet based on how much weight you have lost in the past week, and what your goals are for the following week. A short paper and pencil test helps you determine if you are a carbohydrate addict. There are currently three books in the Carbohydrate Addict series, all by Rachael and Richard Heller: The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, The Carbohydrate Addict's Gram Counter, and The Carbohydrate Addict's Program for Success. The first (and most useful) contains the theory, the diet, lists of foods permitted and not permitted for the restricted meals, recipes, and a host of success stories. The second is a small handbook with an itemized list of foods, identifying those believed to trigger addictive behaviors in carbohydrate addicts, which expands somewhat on the original material. The third book is a workbook with more success stories and general dieting tips, but no obvious new news.

Official Website: http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/index.html

Order the book: The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet : The Lifelong Solution to Yo-Yo Dieting
by Rachael F. Heller, Richard Ferdinand Heller (Contributor)
Mass Market Paperback Reprint edition (March 1993)

2c. What is Protein Power

Protein Power is the low carb eating plan devised by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades. They feel that obesity in most people is a result of insulin sensitivity rather than simply overeating, and a diet which restricts the body's production of insulin is the optimal plan for reducing weight as well as controlling ailments such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

A low carbohydrate diet is the one that fits the bill here. However the Eades also feel that most Americans suffer from inadequate protein in their diet and this needs addressing also. They have a procedure to help you determine your lean body mass and your fitness level, and from this you determine your minimum daily protein need, and this is the minimum amount you need to take in on a daily basis, although you may have more if you choose. Thus the Eades stress that their diet is not a *high* protein diet but rather an *adequate* protein diet.

The Eades also stress getting enough fiber in your diet, and allow you to subtract the metabolically inert fiber grams from the total carb grams to get what the call the ECC or Effective Carbohydrate Count. They feel this will lead you naturally towards the high-fiber leafy greens veggies as you strive to maximize your fiber and minimize your carbs.

The weight loss part of their diet has two phases. Phase I, for initial weight loss, has a carb allowance of 30g a day. Phase II, for ongoing weight loss, has a carb allowance of 55g a day. The Eades feel the carbs should be evenly spread out throughout the day as "hoarding" your carbs for a single carb blow-out may send enough carbs into your body at any one time to produce a severe insulin spike. For example on phase I they expect you to strive for 10g carbs per meal if you eat 3 meals a day, and if you include a morning and afternoon snack you should aim for 7g carbs at each meal and 5g at each snack.

The Eades stress the importance of drinking plenty of water, and getting the proper exercise. They feel if you only do one physical activity it should be weight-training as this produces increased muscle mass, and muscle burns calories more efficiently than fat.

Further resources:

Official Website: http://www.proteinpower.com/

Order the book: Protein Power: The Metabolic Breakthrough
by Michael R., Md. Eades , Mary Dan, Md. Eades
Reprint Edition
Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages
Published by Bantam Books
Publication date:
December 1997
ISBN: 0553574752

2d. What is the Zone diet?

The Zone diet was created by Barry Sears, Ph.D. who realized that eicosanoids regulated many, if not most of the body's functions. Sears claims that the eicosanoid balancing effect of the Zone Diet will help prevent chronic disease, and can also help current patients of chronic diseases, especially heart disease and cancer. A side effect of balancing eicosanoid hormones is loss of excessive weight. His "Zone Diet" recommends balancing one's intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat so that, along with every 7 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fat are eaten. Carbs contribute about 40% of total calories on the diet, while fats and proteins each contribute about 30% of the calories. The Zone diet first sets consumption of protein to the amount required for the individual (which depends on the individual's lean body mass and activity level) which is identical to the amount recommended by the Eades in Protein Power (see section 2c above). The amount of carbs is then set to one-third more in weight than the protein, and also uses the fiber subtraction scheme used in Protein Power. The fat amount is set to a third of the amount in weight of carbs. The Zone Diet books contain various schemes (such as "Food Blocks") designed to make daily use of the diet less complicated and more practical. Other aspects of Sears' diet recommendations include eating primarily monounsaturated fats, such as nuts and olive oil, in preference to other fats, eating "low glycemic" carbs that don't raise your blood sugar levels quickly, such as vegetables and fruits, and getting regular exercise, even if it is just walking. The maintenance plans of the Zone Diet and Protein Power are quite similar, in fact the only major difference is that in the Zone Diet, you keep carbs at one-third more than protein, and then increase fat until your weight stabilizes, while in Protein Power, you increase carbs until your weight stabilizes.

Order the books: 

A Week in the Zone
Barry Sears, Ph.D. 
 Regan Books
ISBN: 0-06-103083-X

"It is a very concise and to-the-point summary of all previous Zone books, and is an excellent introduction to either the Zone Diet or low-carbing, and so should be substituted for the Zone book currently listed in the FAQ (which was originally targeted at health professionals)."

The Zone : A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently : Reset Your Genetic Code : Prevent Disease : Achieve Maximum Physical Performance
 Barry Sears, Ph.D. with Bill Lawren
Published by Harper Collins in 1995
ISBN 0-06-039150-2

Official Websites: 

2e. What is Neanderthin?

Neanderthin author Ray Audette did not devise his diet originally as a way to lose weight, but as a way to combat the severe rheumatoid arthritis he developed as a young man. As his symptoms worsened he did more research and concluded that both his disease and many other autoimmune disorders including obesity were the result of "alien proteins" introduced into the human diet at the beginning of the Neolithic Era, when agriculture was born.

The premise of the diet is that for optimum health you must return to the foods available to hunter/gatherer societies of the Paleolithic Era. The food must be edible in its raw state, although you may choose to cook it if you prefer!

As a result grains are excluded from the diet as they require extensive processing to be edible. Likewise beans, legumes and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and turnips.

No sugar is allowed on the diet although tiny amounts of honey may be included it you choose. No artificial sweeteners of any sort are allowed. No alcoholic beverages are allowed. Dairy is forbidden as hunter/gatherer societies did not keep milking herds and thus drank no milk once they were weaned.

However you are allowed unlimited quantities of all meats, all veggies which can be eaten raw, all nuts (except for cashews and peanuts), all fruit. Olive oil and coconut oil are allowable oils.

Because of the lack of restrictions on fruits and nuts Neanderthin could just as easily be a high-carb diet as a low-carb one. However the book states that if you hope to lose weight following the Neanderthin eating plan you should keep your carbs low. Probably no more than one serving of nuts and one serving of a high-fiber fruit should be eaten daily, and less would be preferable.

Official Website: http://www.sofdesign.com/neander/

Further resources:

NeanderThin: A Caveman's Guide to Nutrition
by Raymond V. Audette
Paperback
Published by Paleolithic Pr
Publication date: March 1995
ISBN: 0964634511

2f. What is a Body Opus, Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) or TKD?

CKD refers to a general dietary approach which alternates periods of standard ketogenic eating (generally 5-6 days) with short periods of high carbohydrate intake (12-48 hours). The most well known CKD's are "BodyOpus" created by Dan Duchaine and "The Anabolic Diet. The CKD is primarily directed towards athletes and bodybuilders' who due to their intensive physical needs will need to refill muscle glycogen stores for the next week's training. TKD refers to a variation of the CKD where muscle glycogen refill occurs immediately before or after exercise with a limited amount of carbs (usually dextrose) is ingested. The amount of post-workout grams is determined by the individual through experimenting to see at what level they would be kicked out of ketosis. A very good place to get an overview of these plans is at: http://www.solid.net/lowcarb/lylemcd/

2g. Montignac (If you have used this plan, and are interested in writing a brief overview of the plan, please contact: rrvrr@ix.netcom.com)

Montignac is a weight loss program developed by a French chef and nutritionist 12 years ago. Meals are divided into high carb and low carb. You can have low-carb meals, or high-carb/low-fat meals, but not at the same time and you have to let a certain number of hours go by in-between one type of meal and another. Fruit is eaten separately. The low carb meals strongly resemble Atkins. No measuring or calorie counting. Since Montignac grew up in the southwest part of France, his suggested menus are especially appealing to those who like the cuisine of Provence. The maintenance phase includes wine, nuts and chocolate.

Supposedly Montignac's plan is one of the places Suzanne Sommers got her ideas from for Somersizing. 

2h. Somersizing (If you have used this plan, and are interested in writing a brief overview of the plan, please contact: rrvrr@ix.netcom.com)

The following is not very positive low-carb review, but it will offer you an idea of what is in her plan. http://homearts.com/gh/health/67dietb2.htm 

2i. Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution  

Dr. Richard K. Bernstein is a doctor specializing in the treatment of diabetes. His regimen is very low-carb, with the goal of keeping a patient's blood sugar in the normal range for non-diabetics. Many of the complications believed to be inevitable for people with diabetes can be prevented/reversed if blood sugars are kept in this normal range. He is a Type 1 diabetic himself, a former engineer who went to medical school at the age of 45, and has reversed a lot of complications he used to suffer.

The real beauty of the book is the wealth of information on diabetes in general, including alternative methods of injecting insulin less painfully. He also has a website at http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com 

2j. Dr. Stillman

This is a severe form of ketogenic diet. It is not easily sustainable for the longterm. It may be useful in breaking plateaus and in those too impatient to allow their bodies to take the fat off gradually at its own pace.

www.lowcarb.org/stillman.html 

[table of contents]

3 KETOSIS

3a. What is ketosis and why do you want to obtain it?

Ketosis: a condition in which the body will turn to fat for fuel and is producing ketones as a byproduct. This change in metabolism occurs when the body no longer has incoming carbs to produce glycogen and after the liver has been depleted of stored glycogen. When either stored body fat or incoming dietary fat is used as fuel it breaks down into ketones.

Ketones can be used as fuel for your body or discarded via your breath or urination. It is the rise in ketone production that means you are in ketosis. Take note that although you are in ketosis this does not mean that you are *only* burning bodyfat. The released ketones may be from either bodyfat or dietary fat.

Why: We want to be in a metabolic state where, without incoming carbs, and without consuming too many grams of dietary fat or protein, our bodies will be burning stored bodyfat as fuel. Positive side effects of being in ketosis are that it can be protein sparing (allowing us to retain lean body mass) and that it can lead to a decrease in appetite for some people.

NOTE:  Ketosis is NOT ketoacidosis.  There are two types of ketoacidosis: diabetic ketoacidosis (which is due to simultaneous rise in blood glucose and blood acidity) and alcoholic ketoacidosis (which is due to heavy alcohol consumption without food intake). If you do not fall into either of these groups your body should have the feedback loops that will keep ketone production in check. Ketones are produced daily by most people to some degree and are a part of the body's system of survival.

See http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/ketosis.html for more on this subject.

3b. Ketostix sticks.

Ketostix measure the presence of ketones in the urine. It is important to remember that the sticks only tell you the level of ketones you are excreting through your urine. Readings can vary widely due to many factors: how many ketones are used for energy needs, how well hydrated you are (the more water taken in the more diluted the excretion), how much dietary fat is being burned, and the sensitivity of the ketostix themselves (they do not register low levels of ketone and they are very sensitive to contamination and age). The strips show the amount of ketones being release by the change of color on the testing area: light pink=trace and dark purple=heavy. 

It has been recommend by some on the list that you test your ketone level 4 different times daily until you discover which time of the day is deepest for you. Ketostix sticks can be purchased a pharmacies, but they are often behind the counter and therefore you have to ask for them. Cost saving tip: cut the strips in half to double your supply, but be careful the strips are easily contaminated. Many on the NG have noticed that just after consuming a large amount of carbs, they still register a high level of of ketones. This many be due to the body's "dumping" of all the present ketones to use the incoming carbs as fuel.

Many on the list have been success in their low-carb WOE and have not used Ketostix or do not show traces on the strips. They are a tool to help you work with the plans.

3c. Side effects of ketosis

1) Bad breath - which is due to ketones being released through your breath, drinking more water will lessen this effect. Some people also report that they get a metal taste in their mouth.

2) Strong urine odor - due to the presence of ketones.

3) Light headedness or "foggy" thinking. This does not occur in everyone and many who do feel this often are helped by making sure they are getting enough to eat, enough water and taking potassium supplements.

3d. How long will it take me to reach ketosis?

It is dependent upon a few factors. Since you start the production ketones after the liver has been depleted of stored glycogen, the amount of stored glycogen is the primary factor. How much glycogen your liver has stored depends on your very recent calorie intake and activity. If you have already been on a low calorie plan you may have a small amount stored. Depleting the amount of glycogen you do have is dependent upon how fast you body uses up that storage. Therefore you can hasten the depletion of you glycogen storage by being more active. The other factor in developing ketosis is the how much free fatty acids are available to burn.

[table of contents]

4. TROUBLESHOOTING

4a. Plateaus.

Like any dieters, low-carb dieters can experience the frustration of hitting a plateau whereby although you believe you are doing everything correctly, you are not seeing any signs of change. It has been the experience of many people on low-carb plans to lose quickly the first 1-2 weeks and then go through a period of time where nothing will happen or loss will become very slow. Collective experience seems to show that if you stay with the plan there will be steady, albeit slow results. For an extensive list of plateau advice go to http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/plateaus.html . In brief read the following common suggestions made on a.s.d.l-c for why you may have difficulty with your low-carb plan.  The generally held NG threshold for being truly plateaued is no change of scale weight, loss of bodyfat, or a loss of inches for a month. The following common suggestions are made on a.s.d.l-c for why a plateaus might occur. The members of a.s.d.l-c are often very willing to aid those who post a request for help with plateaus. However, we will need to know the following in order to make any insightful suggestions: 

  • your current weight
  • a sample of your daily menu
  • your activity level
  • any medications you might be taking

4b. Water.

Water is essential to weight loss for those who eat low-carb. The minimum consumed in a day should be 64 oz plus 8 oz for every 25 pounds overweight.  High levels of ketones in the blood stream can lead to a reduction in ketone production, therefore being well hydrated could aid in keeping the levels low and ketone production ongoing.

Consuming enough water can have many other positive side effects: aid your kidneys with the processing of protein, reduce the retention of water, help with preventing constipation, and reduce the levels of ketones release by your breath, which in-turn will reduce breath odor.

4c. Citric acid.

Citric acid, a common ingredient in diet soda, can stall weight loss for some lowcarbers. If you are sensitive to this ingredient it can slow you down.

4d. Caffeine.

Many lowcarbers drink caffeine and still lose weight. You may want to wean yourself off of caffeine to see if it helps. In Atkins' book, The New Diet Revolution, it says that you aren't allowed caffeine because it triggers an insulin response, but that information has since been found to be incorrect. The insulin response that Atkins saw in his patients was more likely due to citric acid (in a lot of diet soda), which some people are sensitive to.

One asdlc participant writes:

I am also a caffiene-aholic. Let me share with you the way to detox yourself with minimal pain. I learned this when I was pregnant and I had to go off Pepsi because it was causing me to retain water terribly. What you do is prescribe yourself 3 cups of caffiene beverage a day for 3 days. Then you lower it to 2 cups of caffiene beverage for 3 days. Then 1 cup a day for 3 days. You might have small headaches, but you would be surprised how weaning yourself this way is better than going off cold-turkey.

Do keep in mind that one cup of coffee can have roughly .6g of carbs, so make sure to add those into your daily carb allowance.

4e. Dairy

Dairy can be a problem for some people. If you experience slow or stalled weight loss try reducing or eliminating dairy, especially cheese. Some have found better results by cutting all dairy. Although cheese is allowed on lowcarb plans does seem to effect weight loss if consumed in high quantities..

4f. Nitrites

Nitrites - found in processed meats like hot dogs and bacon can causes problems for some, you may want to monitor their effect.

4g. Artificial sweeteners

Many packets of these products contain .90 g of carb based fillers so each packet should be counted as 1g. (although Equal tablets have .10 g or carbs per tablet). Additionally many products that use artificial sweeteners can under report the amount of carb grams. For example it has been suggested on the newsgroup that 8 oz. of Crystal Lite should be counted as at least 1g of carbs. It can be surprising how many carbs these sweeteners can add to your daily total.

The use and affect of sweeteners is often discussed on the newsgroup. Some have found that they have adverse reactions and/or allergies to them which can cause problems such as: headaches and dizziness. To read more about the different available sweeteners check out the following sites:

- Aspartame

- Stevia

  • http://www.mcs.net/~joyce/stevia.html

- Sucralose/Splenda

  • http://www.sucralose.com/qa.html#advantages
  • http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/

4h. Alcohol

This is an area that seems to very a great deal between individuals.  While it is true that many alcohol products contain few carbs, alcohol itself is a fuel source. The body will choose to burn alcohol before any other source of fuel (carbs, protein, or fat). This translates to your body not using fat as a fuel while there is a alcohol available within your system. However, many members have reported that they are able to consume moderate amounts of alcohol while on low-carb without having any problems. Be warned: many members on the NG have noted an increase sensitivity to alcohol while on low-carb, aka. the cheap date syndrome. As most people are already aware, alcohol has a depressant effect which lowers inhibitions, including those that could you from overeating and making poor food choices.

4i. Supplements

The following is base on personal recommendations from Atkins, Protein Power and newsgroup members. THIS AREA IS IN NEED OF A LOT OF WORK AND IS NOT A COMPLETE LISTING.

- A good "broad" multiple vitamin. Protein Power and many on the newsgroup suggest Twinlabs TW405 Dualtabs.

- Potassium. If you don't have enough potassium you can experience any or all of the following: headaches, muscle cramps and feeling groggy. "The Eades of PP say you should take a minimum of 4 tablets (which can only be found in 99mg and lower) a day especially in the early stages of the diet when the strong diuretic effect is more likely to flush potassium from your system." Another way you can increase your intake is with Morton Lite salt substitute which has 340mg potassium & 290 mg sodium per 1/4 teaspoon. Additionally check Lynne's list of 14 lowcarb potassium foods at: http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/potash.html

WARNING:  Some medications, most notably many blood pressure medicines, and medical conditions should NOT be combined with increased potassium intake.  Please consult your physician before adding any potassium to your diet.

- Sodium. Many on the newsgroup have noted they need to increase their sodium intake due to sodium loss during exercise or since many are no longer eating processed foods and therefore not ingesting the recommended (American Heart Association) about 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt. A simple trick if you're feeling light headed and believe you're sodium deficient: Take a glass of cold water. Add 1/2 teaspoon Morton lite salt (half potassium/half sodium) add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

- Make sure you get enough Vitamin B, C, E, Zinc and calcium magnesium.

- For sugar cravings: L-Glutamine (500-1000 mg) before meals. This supplement interferes with ketosis in some individuals.

- For help in reducing cholesterol: Lecithin granules (???), Pantethine (300 mg)

4j. Cholesterol.

The experience of many who have tried low-carb diets is their serum cholesterol level has gone through the FLOOR, not the roof! The best way to reduce your concern about your levels and low-carb eating is to get your levels checked before you start and periodically thereafter. Many on the newsgroup have noted that in the first three months their levels elevated, but dropped after that time period.

Cholesterol is MADE by the liver, for the very good reason that it's vitally necessary in building and maintaining cells - every cell in your body needs it. Cholesterol becomes a problem only when it forms into globs in the blood too large to pass through the arterial walls and transported to the cells where it is needed. That's when it cakes onto the artery walls and causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

The mechanism the body normally uses to keep the cholesterol broken up into small particles is to keep the bloodstream supplied with an adequate quantity of the emulsifying agent lecithin.

The body manufactures lecithin in the liver, provided that the liver is healthy and all the needed ingredients are present. Some of those ingredients come from essential fatty acids. Rather ironically, egg yolks are one of the better sources of the nutrients needed to keep your liver making plenty of lecithin, including a substantial amount of lecithin itself. Since the low-carb diet encourages you to eat both vegetable oils (and other fats) and eggs, it tends to keep you well supplied with the right nutrients, and to help you keep your cholesterol level low.

Various supplements are known in the nutrition and "complementary medicine" communities to facilitate lecithin production and control of serum cholesterol. A very knowledgeable discussion of nutrition and cholesterol is provided in Adelle Davis's book "Let's Get Well", Chapter 5, entitled "Those 'Cholesterol' Problems" [2]. This book states that merely adding 4 to 6 Tbsp. of granulated lecithin per day to the diet will, in most cases, bring one's cholesterol level under control, even in people who have not responded to the standard cholesterol-lowering drugs! Another good list of these supplements is contained in "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" [1], on pp. 182-184.

[1] Robert C. Atkins, M.D., "Dr. Atkins' NEW Diet Revolution", New
York, NY: Avon Books, 1992. ISBN 0-380-72729-3.

[2] Adelle Davis, "Let's Get Well", New York, NY: SIGNET/Penguin
Books, 1965. ISBN 0-451-15463-0.

4k. Menstrual Cycle

Many women find that their progress is affected by their menstrual cycle. After a few months, you will have a decent idea of how your cycle affects weight loss, and you will be able to take it into account in measuring your losses. Keeping in mind that like the substances which regulate the menstrual cycle, insulin is a hormone, so it is not surprising that there is an interaction between this WOE and your cycle.

Members have noted the following interactions between low carb eating and the menstrual cycle in women include:

  • heightened carb cravings in the second half of the cycle
  • ketosis levels dropping or disappearing altogether
  • differences in the amount and severity of cramps (some people's get worse and other people's get better; if yours get worse, make sure you are getting enough potassium, and try taking a calcium/magnesium supplement; if you need potassium, the effects will be pretty quick, but the calium/magnesium can take a couple months to work)
  • changes in the heaviness and timing of the cycle

Additionally it has been noted that a low-carb WOE is very helpful to women with PCOS. Here a couple of sites that are informative:

  • http://www.pcosupport.org/online/links.html
  • http://www.enter.net/~pamptyza/pcotoc.htm

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4l. Calories

Some people are able to have success on low-carb plans by only being watchful of the number of carbohydrate grams they consume in a day. However it has be the experience of many long-time low-carbers that calories and the ratio of nutrients can be important in breaking stalls. There are two sides to this issue:

TOO MANY CALORIES: Atkins (The New Diet Revolution) and Eades (Protein Power) concede that calories do count. Atkins says that "you should eat adequately, not in excess."

TOO FEW CALORIES: One should be careful not to eat too few calories. A large calorie deficit will cause what some call "starvation mode". In this mode the body's metabolism has been lowered thereby your actual calorie needs are lowered and you will not see progress even though you are in taking less calories. This can happen on any eating plan and its a bad habit that many "dieters" have formed. Its also very easy to under eat on low-carb plans because many experience a lack of hunger.  But this is just a rough starting reference point. Depending on your LBM and activity level this range could need adjustments. If you've tried 10-12 x current bodyweight for a period of time (many weeks) and have not seen any progress, you might want to try SLOWLY adjust the your calories either up or down over a period of weeks. But be very careful. Cutting your calories too far can result in losing LBM and slowing down your metabolism -- which of course counterproductive to your goals.

WHAT RATIOS SHOULD I BE AIMING FOR - PROTEIN, CARBS, FAT?

Use following is an outline to help you determine the ratios and the amount of calories you can aim for while working within your chosen plan. Each low-carb plan and each individual is different, but in general it is a good idea to have some quantifiable knowledge about what you're consuming. This information can be helpful when attempting to find the cause of a plateau -- or better yet avoiding one.

FIRST: Determine you protein needs. To accurately know your protein needs you need to know your lean body mass (LBM). In the Protein Power book they use a method of inch measurements and a chart to get you Body Fat percentage (BF%). Other methods are are impedance devices that will give you a reading on BF% (although they are often criticized), or if at all possible, try to get your BF% tested using calipers with someone who is experienced.

If you are unable/unwilling to find your LBM you could start on your plan by calculating your protein needs to via your current bodyweight (see below). 

SECOND: Determine how many grams of protein you need. Protein Power has a range of percentages for protein needs determined by activity level (from .5 to .9) x LBM. Many on the newsgroup go by .9 x current bodyweight (this figure may not work for those who are extremely overweight). If your calculations are under 150 grams you should take in 150 grams a day "for the first three weeks of the diet to prevent nitrogen losses," as suggested by Lyle McDonald. After your initial adaptation period you might need to adjust your protein intake downward. (See 4p. Protein for more information). Once you have decided on what your protein gram needs will be according to plan you're following (or for your initial adaptation stage), calculate the following:

____ LBM x (.5 - .9) = # of protein grams

-or-

____ current bodyweight x (.9) = # of protein grams

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4m. Labeling

Watch for misleading labeling:

All you really need to know is how to calculate the number of calories based on the label claims. Rounded off to make it easier fat has 9 calories per gram, protein and carbohydrates have 4 per gram. If a product says it has 10g carbos, 7g protein, and 3g fat, it should say approx. 95 calories (10x4)(7x4)+(3x9)=95. There will be some variation because of rounding numbers, but it should be close. The most common"deception" is to separate the sugar and fiber count from the total carbohydrates. So if something looks too good to be true, or if it claims "low carb" add the calories to make sure!

Cases where NG members have found labeling discrepencies/errors are: La Tortilla Factory [LTF] tortillas, El Galindo tortillas, and Wasa Fiber-Rye Crispbread (some new labels show the correct amount 7gm total carbohydrate/3gm dietary fiber per serving). Another case were labeling can be misleading is on the low-carb protein bars found in many health food or vitamin stores. Please see the topic glycerine below.

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4n. Glycerine

One of the recurring issues of stalls and labeling discrepancies regards many of the low-carb protein bars currently on the market. While the "true" carb count of the bars is low, most of these bars contain glycerine. Although glycerine is not a carb, it can be metabolized like a carb by some individuals. Additionally, it can cause muscle cells to hold water, hence its use by some athletes. Some members of the NG have found the glycerine amount in these bars to be the main cause of their stalls. And again, some members are able to consume them daily without problems. You must do your own experimenting to find what effect glycerine has on your body.

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4o. ECA Stack      

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

ECA Stack is a combination of ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin given in a specific ratio to increase fat loss. It works by increasing calories wasted in the form of excess body heat (thermogenesis). The ECA Stack may cause side effects and should never be taken by someone with high blood pressure.  http://www.undergroundsports.com/ephedrine.htm quotes an MSNBC report: 

Florida banned all ephedrine supplements last spring when a 20-year-old college student died after taking Ultimate Xphoria, a competitor to Herbal Ecstacy that recently was pulled off the market. - Sixteen other states now require a prescription for ephedrine supplements, and Texas is poised to do the same. - The FDA isn't saying what action it will take regarding traditional herbal supplements that contain ephedrine, instead looking to advice its scientific consultants were expected to issue Wednesday. - But doctors say not just heart patients or young people seeking a high are at risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week detailed people with no known health risks who died or were injured after taking routine amounts of ephedrine.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

Dosages

  • 200 mg Caffeine

  • 20-25 mg Ephedrine hydrochloride (not pseudoephedrine)

  • 81 mg Aspirin (or substitute 1/2 adult aspirin).

Ephedrine can commonly be found in Bronk-Aid and Primatene tablets.

Taken once or twice a day to start (3-5 days), 3 times a day thereafter, the Stach seems to be most effective when taken 30 minutes before working out or 30-45 minutes before meals. You may  opt not to increase frequency to three times a day if two doses or less give desired results. Under no circumstances should one increase dosing to more than 3 times a day. Some folks elect to Stack for 5 days and cycle off two days while others Stack for 2 days and cycle off one day.

Vitamins
The addition of B vitamins may help with any feelings of short- temperedness that occur as a result of Stacking. Vitamin C can also be used to help with the bruising that can occur while dieting and Stacking.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

WARNING
Not everyone should Stack with ECA. Read and heed the labels on the bottles of the above medications. If you experience *excessive* nervousness or anxiety while Stacking discontinue use immediately.

Stacking supplements can be purchased in a pre-made form at any health food or vitamin store. Look at the ingredient list of any diet aid claiming to be "thermogenic" or "fat burning". If it includes all of the following MaHuang (or ephedra), willow bark, gotu kola and/or guarana it is an herbal Stack. Don't pay more than $30 US per month for any prepared Stack as it is cheap and easy to assemble from ingredients available at your local pharmacy or via the Internet.

More information:

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

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4p. PROTEIN

Although getting adequate protein is of vital importance on a low-carb plan, taking in too much protein can also be a problem. You will need enough dietary protein to avoid any muscle loss and to produce some necessary glucose. Protein is converted to glucose at a rate of roughly 58%. Therefore, too much protein can produce too much glucose. If you are having problems with staying in ketosis (or getting into ketosis), you may need to track your intake of protein and then make adjustments. It is highly recommended that you not restrict your intake of protein in the initial adaptation stage of starting a low-carb plan. See 4l. calories for more information regarding setting protein and calories.

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4q.  HIDDEN CARBS

Technically, if a food has less than a gram per serving, the label can report 0 carbs.  Thus, having 4 servings of a .75 gram carb item that says 0 carbs on the label is actually 3 carbs.

The following foods are known to have "hidden carbs".

  • Cream -- 0.6 grams per ounce
  • Cheddar Cheese -- 0.5 grams per ounce
  • Swiss Cheese -- 0.9 grams per ounce
  • Eggs -- 0.6 grams each (large egg)
  • Sugar-Free Jello (mix) -- 1 gram per 1/2 cup serving (maltodextrin)
  • Sugar-Free Tang -- 1 gram per cup (maltodextrin)
  • Metamucil -- 2 grams per serving; not counting fiber (maltodextrin)
  • Sugar-Free Fudge -- Up to 20 grams per ounce (sugar alcohols)
  • Sugar-Free Pancake Syrup -- 8 grams per 1/4 cup (sugar alcohols)
  • Artificial Sweeteners -- 1 gram per packet (dextrose or maltodextrin)
  • Some Sugar-Free Gum or Mints -- 1 gram per stick or mint (sugar alcohols)

An excellent page about hidden carbs is on 
http://wilstar.com/lowcarb/hiddencarbs.htm 

4r. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Many who follow low-carb plans find that taking in extra Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) can helpful on many fronts. It will bring up your daily calorie intake (which some find they need), some belive it can be helpful in lowering cholesterol, and there are many other reasons and rationals. You can read about fat and EFAs at the following sites:

You can get EFA's from many different sorces: ground flaxseeds, incapsuled oils, and the different oils in their pure form. You can chose whatever form suits your taste. You will often see posting on the newsgroup concerning sipping oil. If the oil is fresh (which not only means that is was produced recently but in many cases that it has been kept refrigerated) the tasted is not altogether unpleasant. You should be able to tell by the smell of oil if it has become rancide. For example fresh flax oil has a slightly nutty smell and taste. 

For those who have read or follow the Protein Power plan, note that the Eades have changed their postion on this matter. Read 

4s. EXERCISE

There have been many on the NG who have reported their scale numbers drop on low-carb without adding any form of exercise to their plan. However no one would argue against the benefits of getting regular exercise. In fact many of the authors of low-carb plans suggest adding exercise to their eating plans to get better results. Additionally, there are benefits to regular exercise that are not directly related to its effect on the scale's reading.

Exercise can be helpful in many ways. It can help deplete your liver's glycogen storage and hasten ketosis, likewise it can help you get back into ketosis after taking in excessive carbs. It can help you keep lean body mass (LBM) and some have reported an increase in LBM while following low-carb and strenght training. It can help strengthen your bones. It can help increase your bodies metabolism (mostly by increasing your LBM). It can help your cardiovascular system. It can help burn off your body fat. And last but not least, it can be helpful in reducing stress and improving your overall mood. 

But there are some things to consider when exercising on a low-carb plan. If you are a very vigorous exerciser you can get a wealth of information from the Low Carb Exercise list's FAQ:  http://www.solid.net/~homerc/ 

A few general warnings and suggestions:

  • If you have been a regular high intensity exerciser (for example running and biking) you will probably experience a period of adjustment.
  • If you are a high intensity endurance exerciser you will probably want to investigate how to incorporate some level of carbs prior to or during your exercise.
  • If you strength train on low-carb you might consider looking into CKD or TKD plans (See the review under 2f. What is Body Opus, CKD, or TKD?)

In general, if you have not been a regular exerciser you might want to start an exercise plan *after* you have adjusted to being low-carb due to the side effects many experience when they first start. Due to low-carb being somewhat dehydrating, be sure to take in enough fluids and pay careful attention to your electrolytes. Start slowly or moderately doing whatever exercise(s) you pick and then take pride in our ongoing improvements in endurance, strenght and skill.

As with all suggestions given within this FAQ, if would be both safe and wise to consult your doctor before starting any exercise plan.

5. INFORMATION AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET FOR LOW-CARB DIETING

5a. Newsgroups

alt.diet.support - covers all diets and weight loss topics
misc.fitness.misc - physical fitness, exercise, body-building, etc.
misc.health.diabetes - diabetes and hypoglycemia

5b. Mailing lists

To subscribe to the REAL Atkins diet mailing list go to:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/ATKINS-NEW.html for information on subscribing and/or to read their archives. Lee Rodgers LISTOWNER Atkins-New mailing list. Our goal is to generate no more than 24 posts in 24 hours. Great for busy working people and for freeing up more time to spend with the family. NEW improved recipes with a vast easy to search archive full of recipes and dieting wisdom of all kinds. Join the real Atkins-new mailing list today. We don't have to tell you how friendly we are, we show you.

LOWCARB: Dean Esmay (esmay@syndicomm.com) Emphasis is on diets like those of Michael & Mary Eades and Robert C. Atkins, with a lesser emphasis on related diets such as the Stillman diet, the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, and even The Zone. The goal is not to provide support but rather to encourage discussion among those already familiar with low carbohydrate dieting. To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to listserv@manual.com and put the command "subscribe lowcarb Firstname Lastname" (without the quotes) on a line by itself in the body of the message, where "Firstname Lastname" is replaced with your name.

CADERS: Carbohydrate Addict's Encouragement, Resource and Support list. The list is endorsed by the Hellers. To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to majordomo@md.esosoft.com, and put the command "subscribe caders" (without the quotes) on a line by itself in the body of the message.

ZONE DIET: To subscribe the Zone diet mailing list, send an e-mail message to majordomo@fish.com, and put the command "subscribe zone" (without the quotes) on a line by itself in the body of the message.

LOWCARB AND EXERCISE: This list contains a lot of information for those who use CKD to aid them in bodybuilding. To subscribe to the mailing list, send mail to: Majordomo@solid.net and in the BODY of the letter, put subscribe LOWCARB-L To unsubscribe from the mailing list, send mail to: Majordomo@solid.net and in the BODY of the letter, put unsubscribe LOWCARB-L . Their archives can be found via http://solid.net/lowcarb/

The LowcarbOz (Australian low carb) list is at
http://www.onelist.com/community/LowcarbOz 

A large collection of low-carb mailing lists can be found at:
http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/grant1.html 

Low Carb Canada
http://www.lowcarb.ca

5c. World Wide Web sites

--General Low-Carb information sites--

--Low-Carb Recipes--

-- Miscellaneous --

--"Before and After" A Few Low-Carb Inspiration Pages--

5d. Other low-carb FAQs.:

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5e. IRC - Chat and Forum Areas

There are low carb chats held at http://www.jaxworld.com/lowcarb/irc.html channel #lowcarb 

  • Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 9:00PM Eastern Time 
  • Sunday evenings at 9:30 PM Eastern.

Low-Carb Canada
http://forum.lowcarber.org 

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6. SUGGESTIONS

  • Start on a weekend. Some people experience the following during the first few days of eating low-carb: headaches, dizziness, muscle aches (possibly due to lack of potassium),
  • Remove as many high-carb foods from your residence as possible.
  • Know your actual weight before you start. Example weigh yourself every day for a week to get an idea how much your weight can vary from day to day.
  • Know your bodyfat percentage before you start.
  • Know your measurements. "Please, O Please, buy a tape measure....it seems like I stay the same weight *forever*, but lose inches... don't let your life be controlled by that scale."
  • Have a non-stretch article of clothing that can be a reference for you. You'll often see joyful posting on the NG regarding the ever popular reference jeans (jeans that were once unwearable due to their small size).
  • Pick up some low-carb breath mints -- ketone breath can be hard on your social life. Many on the NG suggest trying Smints.
  • The best way to find out what will work or not work for you on this diet is to take the time and effort to track and experiment logically with allowable foods.
  • Realize that low-carb eating is for long-term diet changes and not a diet to go on for short periods of time.
  • Chocolate cravings? Go to http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/index.html for Lynne's chocolate or try Debbie's super-fast chocolate treat: whip up 1/4 cup heavy cream until peaks form, add in 1 rounded tsp. sugar-free instant chocolate pudding powder, 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, a pinch of sweetener. Blend all in an eat. For real decadence ate 2 tbsp. sugar-free peanut butter.
  • If the label says 0 carbs, it would be safe to assume that it could have at least .5 carbs.
  • We are in the process of collecting more general food tips and will post it in the future.
  • Low Carb Cookbooks:
    Dr. Atkins' New Diet Cookbook - ISBN 0-87131-794-X
    Dr. Atkins' Quick & Easy New Diet Cookbook - ISBN 0-684-83701-3
    Fran McCullough's Low Carb Cookbook - ISBN 0-78686-273-4
  • Handy booklet to have is the Carbohydrate Addict's Gram Counter - Drs.Heller Nice little purse/pocket sized carb counter.
  • Don't let people make you feel bad about your WOE
  • Maintain a variety in your diet. Keep a watch out for new low carb foods and recipes.

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7. NEWSGROUP POSTING ABBREVIATIONS AND SLANG

  • The numbers that are often at the bottom of a persons post (180/150/130) stand for: starting weight / current weight / goal weight; some people will also note the date they started on a plan or an abbreviation of the diet plan they are using.
  • LBM lean body mass, everything that's not stored fat.
  • "Whoosh" Many people will not see a difference on the scales for a period of time and then "whoosh" they suddenly have lost several pounds overnight. So why "whoosh" and why do we experience a loss in size but not on the scales? We'd all like to know these secrets and often theorize about them on the NG.
  • "Whoosh Fairy" - The mythological character that brings on a "Whoosh".  The Whoosh Fairy has mythological friends known as "Kvetch", "The Fat Dragon" among others. 
  • YMMV is "your mileage may vary", in other words, "this works for me but might not work for you and I make no promises"; this should be your default assumption when reading the newsgroup.
  • "Stacking" refers to the ECA Stack, a combination of ephedrin, caffeine and aspirin.  See section 4o.
  • Diet shorthands: PP = Protein Power, CAD =Carbohydrate Addicts' Diet, Atkins or NDR = Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
    - asd = alt support diet
    - DH = Dear Husband
    - DW = Dear Wife
    - LC = Low Carb
    - LOL = Laughing out loud
    - TOM = time of month (i.e. menstruation)
    - NG = newsgroup
    - ROFLOL = Rolling on the floor, laughing out loud
    - ROFLMAO = Rolling on the floor, laughing my ass off
    - WOE = way of eating
    - WOL = way of life
    - <g> = for a grin
  • TYPING IN ALL CAPS, EITHER IN THE BODY OF A MESSAGE OR IN THE SUBJECT IS PERCEIVED AS SHOUTING!!! See Netiquette

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8. SUCCESS STORIES

8a. Weight loss (I thought this would be a good idea.) Come one guys, don't be shy....

8b. Other benefits from low-carb eating.

The following are improvements that newsgroup posters have noticed in their lives since changing to a low-carb diet:

  • "higher energy"
  • "more *consistent* energy"
  • "lower blood pressure"
  • "lower bad cholesterol/good ratios"
  • "cholesterol has dropped 10%"
  • "Idiopathic lymphedema"
  • "seborrheic dermatitis improved"
  • "healthier nails"
  • "severe lactose intolerance ("unless I eat wheat")
  • "acid reflux gone"
  • "diminished symptoms related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome"
  • "respiratory allergy symptoms lessened"
  • "dramatic improvement in allergy-and-exercise induced asthma"
  • "assorted arthritic joint and back pains almost completely gone"
  • "headaches (near daily) mostly gone"
  • "an amazing lack of buildup on your teeth"
  • and for some. . . "more interest in sex!"

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9. MANY THANKS TO:

A great deal of this FAQ has been copied from the FAQ's of alt.support.diet and we would like to think that group and its FAQ maintenance person rrvrr (aka Rudy -- compiler/keeper of the asdlc FAQ, carnivore extrordinaire), Debbie Cusick, Shailagh Collins, Lynne Axiak, Marcy Thompson, Aaron D. Gross (asdlc FAQmaster and member of the Starbucks Frequent Flyer Club), Caroline, Ptbill1, Harriet, Craig, John Sangster, Leonardo, Steve Gallagher, Jamie, Ken Stuart, Marla Nielsen, Pam Patterson, jamie, Lyle McDonald, Bill Burton, Salomeh, cakelady, Diva, Lee Rodgers, Jeanbill, Linda Jackson

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10. QUICK RESPONSES TO LOW CARB RUMORS AND DISINFORMATION

Announcement:  We we looking to develop easy and incontrovertable responses to the frequent rumors, falsehoods and disinformation spread regarding low carb dieting. Please post a message to the newsgroup with the subject "LOW CARB  RUMOR / RESPONSE" and these will be aggregated here, in section 10, to assist others.

  1. RUMOR:  You will kill your kidneys.
    RESPONSE:  There are no documented cases of kidney damage for low-carb dieters without pre-existing kidney problems.  If one drinks the prescribed quantities of water, takes fiber & supplements, there should be no danger of developing problems.
  2. RUMOR:  All the cholesterol you are eating will kill you.
    RESPONSE:  The evidence of successful LOWERING of cholesterol levels on a low-carb diet is overwhelming.  It is almost as if carbohydrate-laden food acts as a paste to retain cholesterol.  Moreover, low cholesterol is not healthy either, as it is medically documented that low cholesterol increases susceptability to stroke.  The key is to find balance, take your supplements, water, and fiber, and measure your results with your doctor.
  3. RUMOR:  It is all water weight.
    RESPONSE:  There is NO WAY that losses exceeding 40 lbs are all water weight.
  4. RUMOR:  All the weight loss comes back.
    RESPONSE:  Low carb dieting is not a quick-fix. It is a "way of eating" that will need to be a committment.  If you have come to low-carb dieting, it is probably after failing on the food pyramid, low-fat products or other plans.  Clearly those haven't helped you.  If low-carb dieting works for you, then clearly you are metabolically suited for it.  Low-carb is not for all.  Neither is low-fa