If you are thinking about going on a diet please read this first!!!

After reading, check out my other page for a great exercise to start your program! It is low impact and can actually help you loose weight and get healthy because it stimulates your entire body! http://hubpages.com/hub/CirculationHealth

WE WILL COVER IN THE SECTION BELOW:

Background infornation and how with exercise and a low carb diet you can reduce your risks of diabetes and heart disease plus increase your mobility and energy and even loose those unwanted pounds!

A LITTLE BIT OF INFO!

It is proven that living a low carb lifestyle WILL help with weight loss, improvement of the risk factors of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, inflammation, benefits in treating epilepsy and decreasing obesity in children and adolescents.

When you eat foods high in sugar and "bad carbs" your body overreacts. So much glucose pours into your bloodstream that your body goes into emergency mode and pumps out excessive insulin. When you are young you may not notice any symptoms of this overload. Later in life the symptoms pile on, often with the pounds. The majority of overweight people on a high-carb diet display an extensive range of symptoms, the byproducts of unstable blood-sugar levels. People who are both obese and pre-diabetic often have insulin levels some 20 times higher than normal. The massive amounts of insulin cause blood sugar to drop to an inappropriately low level. The adrenaline the body releases to correct the blood-sugar level when it has fallen too low also produces many of those symptoms. If you are able to change your eating habits before you become a full-blown diabetic then you may be able to head it off at the pass!

DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE.

The leading cause of heart disease is diabetes and about 75 percent of people who have diabetes will die of heart disease. If you have diabetes, you have almost the same chance of having a heart attack as someone who doesn't have diabetes but has already had a heart attack. The moment you become a diabetic you are automatically at risk for heart disease even if you have no history of heart problems.

People with diabetes almost always have low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides. This is practically the formula for a heart attack. High levels of carbs in the diet translate directly into high triglycerides in the blood. The combination of lowering triglycerides and raising HDL (in other words, following a controlled - carbohydrate healthy lifestyle) will improve your heart health and greatly decrease your risk of heart related problems.

PREVENT DIABETES?!!

A new study has added to the growing amount of research showing that with a high intake of vegetables, fruits, and vitamin C can actually protect against diabetes!

It makes sense considering diabetes is marked by oxidative damage done by molecules called free radicals. Antioxidants like vitamin C can help protect against those free radicals.

TIME TO GET HEALTHY!!

So... need an “anti-diabetic” diet strategy? Well the Atkins diet can help!

First lets get over the rumors and fiction. The Atkins diet is not an "all you can eat bacon, egg, and cheese diet" and its not a "NO CARBS DIET." Instead, the Atkins diet is rooted in the science of eating fewer refined carbohydrates and refined sugars - what is referred to as "bad carbs."

WHAT YOU NEED!

Protein

Protein provides a powerhouse of energy for the body, building and repairing your muscles and bones while boosting your metabolism.

You can get protein from various sources: poultry, fish, meats, whey, eggs, and milk protein score close to the top of the list of best choices. In some (but not all) scoring systems, soy does well also. Atkins products use a blend of proteins: whey, soy and caseinate (milk protein)

Good Carbs

Good carbohydrates provide the body with valuable components such as, fiber, vitamins minerals and antioxidants while not leading to a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods like fibrous vegetables and whole grains are encouraged by Atkins! Good carbs support weight loss, weight management and optimal health.

Good carb foods include vegetables, low glycemic fruits such as berries and apples, as well as legumes and unprocessed high fiber whole grains.

Fiber

Fiber offers huge benefits to your health, from controlling your appetite and regulating your blood sugar to helping your digestion.

Best sources of soluble fiber: Oats, especially oat bran, barley, dried beans, soybeans, apples, nuts, flax seeds and other fruits and vegetables. Best sources of insoluble fiber: Wheat bran and whole grain products.

Good Fats

Good fats are essential for human health. They keep us full, cushion and protect our organs, and serve as a boundless source of energy for the human body.

Fish such as salmon and sardines are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, as is flaxseed. Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts) all contain different mixes of good fats. Egg yolks contain a terrific mix of both saturated and unsaturated fat (as does beef). Coconut contains a particularly good form of fat known as MCT (medium chain triglycerides). And extra virgin olive oil is a rich source of healthy monounsaturated fat.

Low Sugar

Eating foods low in sugar will provide a steady energy level throughout the day and will help you avoid extreme swings in blood-sugar and insulin levels. In addition, high blood sugar/insulin levels are linked to obesity, hypertension, undesirable cholesterol and triglyceride levels and other risk factors for heart disease.

Simply avoid foods that are high in sugar – especially added sugar. And it's not just plain old garden variety table sugar that has this effect on the body. Some of the worst offenders when it comes to raising blood sugar are mashed potatoes, most processed bread, punch, pancakes, virtually all desserts, and even cornflakes. These foods convert quickly to sugar in the body.

Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals help your body run like a well-oiled machine, providing energy and protecting your body from free radicals.

Nothing beats a quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement on a daily basis!

Activity

Being active has numerous benefits from improving mood and mental focus to managing weight and preventing chronic health conditions.

NOTABLE RESEARCH

The following were found at http://www.atkins.com/Science/ScienceArticlesLibrary/NotableResearch.aspx

Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight premenopausal women: the A TO Z Weight Loss Study: a randomized trial.

Summary:
Study out of Stanford University Medical School compared four weight-loss diets representing a spectrum of low to high carbohydrate intake for effects on weight loss and related metabolic variables.

Findings:

Participants assigned to follow the Atkins diet, which had the lowest carbohydrate intake, lost more than twice the weight and experienced favorable overall metabolic effects at 12 months than those assigned to follow the Zone, Ornish, or LEARN diets.

Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity

Summary:

Study out of University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Washington University School of Medicine randomly assigned participants to either a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diet or a low-calorie, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.

Findings:

The low-carbohydrate diet produced a greater weight loss and was associated with a greater improvement in some risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Healthy Women on a Low Carbohydrate Diet or a Low Fat Diet

Summary:

Study out of the University of Cincinnati instructed obese women to follow either a low fat, calorie restricted diet or a low carbohydrate diet for six months.

Findings:

The women lost significantly more weight and body fat on the low carbohydrate diet than women instructed on the low fat diet at three and six months. Additionally, blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, and insulin improved.

The Role of Energy Expenditure in the Differential Weight Loss in Obese Women on Low Fat and Low Carbohydrate Diets

Summary:

Study out of the University of Cincinnati assigned obese, healthy women to follow either a low carbohydrate or low fat diet for four months. Both groups were given nutrition counseling and were instructed to record energy expenditure using a pedometer.

Findings:

The women on the low carbohydrate diet lost significantly more weight, even though there was no difference in calorie intake or energy expenditure. This supports the metabolic advantage phenomenon in controlled carbohydrate nutrition.

A Low-Carbohydrate as Compared with a Low-Fat Diet in Severe Obesity

Summary:

Study out of Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center randomly assigned obese subjects with a mean body-mass index of 43 and a high prevalence of diabetes or the metabolic syndrome to a low-carbohydrate or a low fat diet.

Findings:

Subjects lost more weight during the six months on the low-carbohydrate diet, with a relative improvement in insulin sensitivity and triglyceride levels, even after adjustment for the amount of weight lost.

Pilot 12-Week Weight-Loss Comparison: Low-Fat versus Low-Carbohydrate (Ketogenic) Diets

Summary:
Study out of Harvard University recruited twenty-one participants who were randomly assigned to separate diets for 12 weeks: a low fat diet and two different low carbohydrate diets, one allowing 300 more calories a day.

Findings:

Participants consuming the higher calories on the very low carbohydrate diet were able to lose more weight compared to the lower calorie, low fat diet. The low carbohydrate diet improved several risk factors for heart disease.

Effect of 6-Month Adherence to a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet Program

Summary:

Study out of Duke University Division of General Internal Medicine determined the effect of a six month very low carbohydrate diet program on body weight and other metabolic parameters.

Findings:

Participants included overweight or obese healthy participants, who lost up to 20 percent of their body weight on a very low carbohydrate diet, unrestricted in calories. There were also significant improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The results suggest that a short-term, low carbohydrate diet produces weight loss with improvements in the blood lipid profile.