Zeta-Jones: Atkins Diet Claims Are Lies

The Smoking Gun ^ | 11/07/2003 | The Smoking Gun

[Yeti]

NOVEMBER 10--Fresh from a $24,000 victory over the British tab that published her wedding photos, Catherine Zeta-Jones is fixing for her next legal fight--this time, if you can believe it, over published reports that the Academy Award winner shed pounds via the Atkins diet.

In a warning letter sent last week to media outlets (see below), lawyers for Zeta-Jones assert that "her likeness and persona have been improperly linked" to the popular diet in press accounts, adding that the weight loss program "has been derided by nutritionists and other health care officials for decades." By incorrectly reporting that Zeta-Jones "uses and/or endorses the Atkins diet," the letter states, publications are "falsely representing to the average reader, including many young women who look up to my client and admire her beautiful appearance, that Ms. Zeta-Jones would recommend this diet to any person looking to lose weight."

Claiming that an association with Atkins could hurt Zeta-Jones's ability to land endorsement deals for "health-related products, attorney John H. Lavely noted, "In essence, my client is being made to look as if she's more concerned about her outward appearance than she is with serious health concerns."

While publications like the New York Post and London's Sunday Telegraph have claimed Zeta-Jones to be an Atkins devotee, an October 20 People magazine story reported that, "a source close to the famously curvy star" knocked down the diet stories, noting that the actress "eats what she wants" and exercises regularly.

Richard Rothstein, spokesman for the Atkins Nutritional Institution, told TSG that the company has not been contacted by Zeta-Jones's lawyers. "It's never been our policy to seek celebrity endorsements," Rothstein said. "Where tabloids get their info is a complete mystery to us." (2 pages)

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Click to the source to see the actual letter, which is interesting. First paragraph of the second page: they seem to think this false association was orchestrated.

[BibChr]

No no, I made it up, and you figured it out! That's it!

[Ladysmith]

A gal I work with started Atkins last May and recently had blood work done as part of her physical. The analyst sent her a letter stating her high and low cholestoral counts were excellent and to keep doing whatever it is she's doing. I keep asking her if she's sent a return letter yet to tell them it's all due to Atkins because it would just make some heads spin! :o)

[savedbygrace]

What do I win? ;-)

[Ladysmith]

...grrr!...Bad Girl!, Bad!!

cholesterol

[webstersII]

I think Michelob has a new light beer that is low-carb. It's only like 2.6 grams per bottle or something.

Probably doesn't compare to your favorite ale, though.

[BibChr]

You get to make up your own word!

[savedbygrace]

Who do you think I am, the president?

[freedumb2003]

For decades Dr. Atkins had promoted a diet that defied common sense. Nevertheless, millions of people believed in his bizarre diet practice, and he was referred to as a diet guru. Ironically his death could now provide proof of just how dangerous that diet really is in promoting heart disease.

Dr. Atkins was operated on by surgeons to remove a blood clot to relieve pressure in his brain, on April 9, 2003, after slipping on an icy sidewalk outside his New York office, however it is interesting to note that blood clots from injuries and operations are common with people who have excessively high cholesterol. It is one of the reasons that doctors check their patients blood before an operation. Determining a safe level of cholesterol prior to an operation is critical in preventing potential blood clots and evaluating the possible success of an operation. The fact that Dr. Atkins developed a blood clot from his injury is evidence that he could have been suffering from extremely high cholesterol.

There was more even evidence to show he had unusually high cholesterol. As recently as April 2002, Dr. Atkins was hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest. He still refused to believe that this heart problem had anything to do with his diet when he stated, "...in no way related to diet."


source http://www.healthyguy.com/atkins/

(this should PO you Atkinsbots)

[jennyp]

There was more even evidence to show he had unusually high cholesterol. As recently as April 2002, Dr. Atkins was hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest. He still refused to believe that this heart problem had anything to do with his diet when he stated, "...in no way related to diet."

He probably refused to believe it had anything to do with his diet because that's what his own doctor said.

[jennyp]

The fact that Dr. Atkins developed a blood clot from his injury is evidence that he could have been suffering from extremely high cholesterol.

How how high is too high? And how come I'm still alive & healthy 4 years, 1 month into my low-carb diet?

JennyP's numbers since going on a low-carb diet

Date	Mos. into diet	Weight	BMI	Total	HDL	LDL	Total/HDL	Triglycerides
10/20/99	0	163	24.8	unknown - wish I had tested beforehand
4/21/00	6	147	22.3	244	76	158	3.2	48
3/20/01	17	156	23.7	241	74	149	3.3	90
5/15/02	31	154	23.4	219	78	128	2.8	66
6/09/03	44	141	21.4	233	77	143	3.0	66
11/12/03 (today)	49	139	21.1

After losing 1 lb per week, I plateaued at 16 lbs below starting weight. Then I drifted upwards over the next year to around 8 lbs below starting weight & stayed there for a year. Then I cut out peanuts & ice cream (we couldn't resist giving ourselves bigger & bigger portions of both!) & my weight drifted back down again. (Currently at 139 lbs, 24 lbs below starting weight).

Maybe I should take bets on when I'll have my heart attack. Gotta be Real Soon Now... :-)

[Swordmaker]

You cannot be serious.

Your post is hilarious. Did you even read this "Healthy Guy's" claims? He certainly is an "authoritative" source on whom to base your health decisions... NOT!

The following is a verbatim quotation from the second paragraph of his autobiography webpage... from "Who is Healthy Guy?" on his web site:

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Healthy Guy claims to have the healthiest diet and fitness plan in the world, and hence the name Healthy Guy. So what is it that differentiates Healthy Guy's diet and fitness outlook from all others? It is very simple. It is a diet that prevents all of the common diseases known to man. It is free of arthritis, colitis, cancer, strokes, heart attacks, seborrhea, dandruff, and even baldness. Can you imagine a diet that does not allow your hair to thin as you age? Healthy Guy's discovery of the diet connection to genetic male-pattern baldness has as much potential as Bill Gate's Microsoft.

This guy has a cure EVERYTHING! Even dandruff!!!

He even claims to have cured Canine Parvovirus and Feline Lukemia...

[jennyp]

Bill Gate's Microsoft

Ah yes - Microsoft. The company founded by Bill Gate.