| Critics of the Atkins diet have always questioned it's | | | | as easily. These changes reverted back to normal |
| health validity. When Dr Atkins was called before a | | | | two weeks after they went back to a normal |
| Senate committee headed by George McGovern, he | | | | diet.Jody Goran's experience was much worse. A 50 |
| was forced to admit that pregnant women following | | | | year old, he tried the Atkins diet and lost weight. He |
| his low carb diet would suffer fetal damage to their | | | | stayed on it for two years, but in October, 2003 he |
| unborn babies.Studies since have found that long | | | | started having chest pains. He went to the doctor |
| term, Atkins dieters do not lose weight more quickly, | | | | straight away, and they found that one of his main |
| or keep it off more, over a twelve month period as | | | | arteries was 99% blocked. He was not far away |
| compared to people following other diets. The initial | | | | from having a fatal heart attack, and had to have |
| weight loss is mostly fluid, not fat as is often | | | | surgery straight away.Yet, 6 months before he'd |
| claimed.And whilst the high levels of protein and fats, | | | | started the Atkins diet, his check up revealed a very |
| and extremely low level of carbohydrates, appeals to | | | | healthy heart. He had clean, unblocked arteries, and a |
| some people's tastes, for most, it's unappetizing and | | | | 96% chance that he would NOT have a heart attack |
| doesn't produce a feeling of well being. As such, it | | | | within the next 5 years. After following the Atkins |
| becomes difficult to follow for long periods. Yet it is | | | | diet for 2 years, not only was one of his main |
| sold as a 'way of life', rather than a diet.Most | | | | arteries blocked 99%, but his cholesterol had risen |
| seriously, questions raised by Atkins's death, and the | | | | from 146 to 215. Just after the angioplasty, his |
| state of his heart health as revealed in the medical | | | | cholesterol levels fell back to 209. But it wasn't until |
| report after his death, seemed to give credibility to | | | | he discontinued the diet completely that his |
| his critics.Officially, Atkins died as a result of slipping | | | | cholesterol levels returned to 146.According to a |
| on an icy pavement near his office. But his medical | | | | report in The Weekend Australian Magazine, Atkins |
| report revealed that he had a history of heart | | | | even acknowledged that in as many as 30% of |
| attacks, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. | | | | dieters, higher levels of the 'bad' cholesterol can |
| His wife explained the heart problems as a result of a | | | | cause potentially serious heart problems. The same |
| virus they both contracted in Turkey.Whether or not | | | | article does state that in others, the 'bad' cholesterol |
| this is true, other evidence has since emerged that | | | | levels will lower, but 30% is a significant number. And |
| indicates Atkins diet is not good for the heart after | | | | there are other, healthier ways to lower |
| all.One recent study at Oxford University followed 19 | | | | cholesterol.Overall, the questions and potentially |
| people over a two week period. When they followed | | | | serious side effects, quite apart from the bad breath |
| a diet high in fat and low in carbs, it was found that | | | | and constipation, make this a highly questionable long |
| the energy stored in their heart was reduced by an | | | | term approach to weight control.References: |
| average of 16%. In some people, this reduction was | | | | 1. Australian Healthy Food magazine, April, 2006 |
| as high as 30%. On top of this, whilst they were on | | | | 2. |
| this diet, these people's hearts were unable to relax | | | | |