Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, Revised Edition [Hardcover]

One of the most compelling parts of the book is the section on heart health/cholesterol--one of the topics for which he has consistently taken the most heat. He shows dramatically how much of the mainstream theory is being disproven by more and more studies: fat is not the enemy; sugar and high carbs (especially refined carbs) are more dangerous by far.

The other major gripe I have with the reception of this book is the assumption that the extreme low-carb approach is what Dr. Atkins advocates for everybody. Read more carefully, folks: that's the WEIGHT LOSS program. Once your weight is where you want it, you begin to eat more whole grain complex carbs and fruit (brown rice, millet, and the like, as opposed to refined carbs such as pastas and breads, and concentrated sugars such as fruit juices, honey, etc.) to halt the weight loss process. The book explains this very clearly.

One of the other consistent things I hear is the danger of consuming so much animal products given the horrible amounts of toxic chemicals pumped into commercially raised livestock (growth hormones, antibiotics, etc.) Again, read more carefully: at least 15 years ago, Dr. Atkins was among the first voices in this country to advocate ORGANIC meat and poultry--back when such a thing was largely unheard of. Yes, it's a bit more expensive, and in some areas harder to find; but isn't your health worth it?

Will Dr. Atkins ever advise you to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's once a week? Not likely. But the powers that be have put on their blinders, and cite only the parts of Atkins' philosophy that suit their own intransigent purposes. Meanwhile a week doesn't go by when several clients come through my door and tell me, unsolicited, how since they've come off the high-carb/low-fat approach and incorporated more protein into their diets, they're feeling like human beings again for the first time in years.... more energy, greater mental clarity, better emotional stability/less depression, and long-term aches and pains beginning to disappear. Think for yourselves; experiment, and listen to your own bodies!

Read this book with an open heart and learn.

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I lost a staggering 147 pounds on it, with ease I might add, while improving my lipid profiles dramatically. All that in about 18 months time, without exercise, all the while eating luxuriously. Without hunger, without cravings, without my nose falling off.

Being a scientist myself, I can wholeheartedly back this diet from my very own personal experience with it, as well as from the readily available, copious amounts of peer-reviewed, scientific research and literature. There is nothing strange, dangerous, "fad" or even boring about this diet if you follow a few supersimple guidelines:

1. Read (really READ) the book cover to cover at least twice. Let it sink in.
2. Ignore the noisy negativist critics, but stick with the facts, as outlined in his copiously footnoted and referenced book
3. Have a full checkup before starting the diet. This will make it easier to check and validate the astounding improvements in your lipid profile.
4. Keep a diary and keep track of your progress.
5. Eat all you want of the allowed foods but do not gorge.
6. Drink LOTS of water. At least 3 liters a day as a rule of thumb.

You will see vast improvements in the first week. After the second week of Induction (only the first phase of this brilliant regimen) you will see and feel dramatic improvements. If you have lots to lose, like I did, you can opt to stay in ketosis (a absolutely natural and fully safe metabolical state) and keep losing fast. Otherwise you can add more veggies and other healthy carbs to your diet and slow down weight loss a bit. Just follow the book, it is clear enough.

This diet isn't all meats, as some uninformed and biased negativists keep yelling. To the contrary. Knowing the scientific truth myself, as outlined in detail in Atkins' book, I still can't believe all the nonsense one hears about this diet. All critizisms I have read so far, also on this website, without exception are based on either false reasoning, misinformation or half-truths. There is no shred of evidence of all the nonsense that is printed and touted over the mainstream media over this diet.

On the other hand there are literally mountains of hard, established scientific facts and research showing that dr. Atkins approach (it is not a diet, it's a regimen) is the right way for many, if not all, obese patients and diabetics.

I'll give you some other established facts to think of. If this diet is so bad, why did the Olympic swimming team WIN on it? Why do professional cyclists show 80% more stamina as traditionally carb-loading cyclists on this diet? Why is this diet often exclusively used for severe epilepsy patients with wonderful results? Why is this diet so good for patients with Crohn disease? Why are diabetics often able to get completely off medication on this diet? IN OTHER WORDS: WHY DOES YOUR HEALTH IMPROVE DRAMATICALLY ON IT?

I could go on and on. There is so much scientific research AND clinical evidence in the medical literature that this diet is simply the most excellent and healthy regimen for obese persons, or, to be more precise, for most people that are health conscious.

Some food for thought... In all my scientific career I have never read ANY explanation for the above facts...why? Because the critics have no real arguments, that's why. They have no facts, no literature, nothing to back it up except a lot of humbug and false reasoning plus a nice overdose of (sadly, often Government sponsored) misinformation.

If I may give you some advice, buy the book. READ IT. It IS indeed a revolution, a revolution that is fully backed by decades of hard, factual nutritional science.

Don't take my word for it...try it yourself. Your body (and your doctor!) will be grateful. Oh, BTW, no doubt you heard that the critics now yell that dr. Atkins recently had a heartattack. He did not... even cardiac specialists agree that his illness was totally unrelated to his diet. It was merely a cardiomypathy, a muscle infection. Nothing to do with the diet.

Another point of interest, hot from the needle: the New York times just published a major piece about the Atkins diet, outling the same scientific facts as I stated above. Indeed, this article, written by writer Gary Taubes for the prestigeous journal "Science" flat out states that Atkins most likely has been completely right for over 30 years and that mainstream science is now almost forced to agree with him. Mainstream researchers from Duke, Harvard and other worldfamous centers of nutritional research now agree with Atkins. Very interesting to read, and it also makes very much clear that the scientific truth, for political and commercial reasons, has been a total taboo for over 30 years.

So even the title of Atkins' book is perfect...a revolution indeed.

Make your choices wisely, make informed choices... Good health to you all.

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