Dr. Atkins originally wrote his book, New Diet Revolution, in 1972 when he realized what an epidemic diabetes had become in America. His claims were that granulated sugar and over eating of carbohydrates were to blame. His book was immediately met with criticism from the general medical community. It was completely contradictory t

Second, if the dieters are going to have a high intake of fats, than they should be sure to eat the ones that are best for them. The best protein a person can eat is high in Omega 3 acids and monounsaturated fats. Salmon and other fatty fish are considered optimal examples of healthy high protein eating. Also someone on the Atkins diet could enjoy a handful of almonds for a snack to get the same effect.

In a study published earlier in 2003 for “Annals of Internal Medicine,” research showed high protein diets could have devastating long term effects on the kidney. In some cases people who already had kidney problems of some sort could end up with a total loss of kidney function. This is a serious finding considering that 1 in 3 Americans do in fact already have renal medical issues.

Back to speaking of the Atkins in scientific terms; we try to understand why it actually causes people to lose weight when they are still eating fatty foods and the answer lies in Glycemic Index. (Aka; the level that food boosts Glucose in blood fat) In theory foods with higher GI increase insulin and blood sugar levels which cause fat storage and inevitable weight gain.

When I interviewed a friend of my mother, who is on the Atkins diet, I asked her what the hardest part about the diet was. Sherry (the woman’s name) instantaneously answered that not be able to eat deserts such as baked goods was very hard at times. All of that aside, she assured me that she does not go hungry as people tend to do on other diets. The meats and other sources of high protein she is allowed to eat are filling and she is happy with the results thus far. Though she’s only been on the diet for a few months she’s already lost close to 30 lbs.

On the other hand there are many in the field of medicine that speak out against this diet which encourages people to consume meals of 50 to 60 % fat compared to the 30% recommended by most physicians. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has launched an all out advertisement campaign to counter-act the growing popularity and acceptance of the Atkins diet. They claim that the information provided by pro-Atkins enthusiasts is nothing short of “misinformation.” PCRM recommends a “fad-free” and long term diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and rice.

Not all of her results have been desirable ones though. Her whole life Sherry has always had thin hair but in an unexpected side affect of the Atkins diet, she’s noticed an increase in hair loss. I had not read about this effect elsewhere but she was quite positive that this was a direct result of the Atkins eating habits. In another horror story she told me of a woman she had known who had problems with yeast infections because of the diet. These unfortunate situations appear to be the reality of side effects that drastic eating changes can have on the body.

Today the Atkins diet is more popular than ever with millions of Americans abiding by and growing numbers of popularity worldwide. But why, with so many other diet plans has this one particularly attracted so many people? I think the answer is relatively simple. The majority of diets that people go on these days clearly not working and the statistics prove it as the number of overweight people climbs by the day.

For those who depend on the results of this research to determine whether or not the Atkins diet is right for them, there are a few misgivings. The truth is there just hasn’t been enough time invested in to many of these scientific observations. For instance, the research conducted by Dr. Foster at U of Penn. is only the beginning of a five year program to study long term effects of people who stick to th

Some topics in this essay:
Robert Atkins, Diet Revolution, Foster Penn, Index Aka, Food Standards, Internal Medicine”, People Atkins, Dr Atkins, Responsible Medicine, Atkins Sounds, atkins diet, millions americans, diet plans, diet atkins, eating habits, people diet, lose weight, conventional diet plans, atkins plan, dr atkins, americans diagnosed, 1 3 americans,