Low-Carb Diets

by Stephen Byrnes Ph.D., RNCP

Richard Allen knew something was very wrong. In the late 1980s, at the age of only 35, the graphic designer and father of two suffered a heart attack. Thankful that he survived, Richard followed his doctor’s instructions to the letter to avoid another heart attack and to avoid making a widow of his wife.

“I did everything they told me. I took my medication religiously. I exercised more. And I followed a low-fat, low- cholesterol diet. I stopped eating eggs (too much cholesterol). I cut back on meat and trimmed all the fat off what little meat I did allow myself. I started eating more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and avoided butter. It was not exactly the tastiest diet, but I figured I was helping to preserve my health, so it was worth it.”

In 1995, however, something unexpected happened:

“I went in for a routine check-up and some blood was drawn for some tests. I was stunned to find out that my blood sugar levels were extremely high and I was subsequently diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes. I was dumbfounded. I had done everything they told me. I thought I was living and eating healthy and here I was a diabetic who now needed to take a new set of medication for a new disease.”

Full article: positivehealth.com