[Cincinatus' Wife]

When my sister went in for back surgery this summer, the staff was happy to serve her Atkins. They even came up to talk about the Atkins diet and one of the nurses gave her a great cheese cake recipe. Cincinatus and I tried Atkins when we heard about her improved health and we too are Atkins success stories.

[BlackVeil]

Well, it might be made illegal. Of course, with a whole lot of regulation to back that up.

[SamAdams76]

Down 70 pounds since April. Guess those doctors want to see me go back on a low-fat diet and gain it all back...for my health, don't you know.

[netmilsmom]

People are getting thin, improving BP, improving cholesteral and scaring the he!! out of the health industry. Atkins has changed the way we think and these guys are losing money.
I worked for a doctor, he is a saint. Most are. But as with teachers compared to the NEA, the establishment is scared Atkins works.

[Agnes Heep]

Something else to consider with a high-protein diet is the effect on immunity. Countries where protein is a luxury generally suffer more in the way of infectious diseases, particularly HIV, and I'm convinced that protein deprivation is a primary factor. We suffer less from this kind of thing in the West because we can afford to take basic materials like grains and process them through animals to obtain protein-rich foods. There's more to longevity than simply preventing heart disease.

[Timesink]

...fearing a link to kidney damage.

"Fearing," of course, is a code word meaning "We don't actually have any proof that it can cause this. We just hate change."

By the way, I will post my standard disclaimer about the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a LEFT WING POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, not a medical organization.

Only about 15% of their membership are even doctors. They are strongly aligned with animal-rights activist groups, and THAT is why they are against Atkins: Because Atkins is a heavily protein-based nutritional approach, and that means LOTS OF MEAT.

[Senator Pardek]

My head is gonna explode.

They don't get it - do they?

[07055]

I support any diet that encourages consumption of liberal portions of Taylor Ham and cheesecake.

[bygolly]

Where are the studies indicating kidney damage? I'd like to see the same concern about obesity and diabetes in our society.

On May 16th I was 6' tall, 227 pounds and considered obese. Since May 16th, I've lost 34 pounds following a low carbo/high protein diet, swimming a mile, 3 to 4 times a week, and now lifting weights twice a week. I've lost much of my fat, toned down considerably, and now am adding new lean muscle mass. I have lost my appetite for junk and other sugar laden foods and feel great. My cholesterol has dropped 30 points and...my kidneys are just fine!

I've got about 8 more pounds to drop (unless I can replace it with 8 pounds of lean muscle) and feel very close to my goal.

[templar]

I can't see the criticism of the Atkins diet. There is little that is more debilitating than extreme overweight (more than, say for a large man, 40 pounds or so), and whatever works to lose the weight should be encouraged. But a diet alone will not solve the problem. It's like quitting smoking or drinking. You got to develop a new lifestyle based on being trim and fit (or a non-smoker or a non-drinker) or you will go back to being whatever the lifestyle you live supports (overweight, smoking, drinking, or whatever).

[I still care]

I was on the Carbohydrate addiction diet for years. Not only did I lose 48 lbs., but for the first time in my life my Triglycerides and my cholesterol tumbled big time.

I couldn't believe it, especially since I was living on whipped cream and cheese, but it did.

[Timesink]

I'm sorry, I made an error. Doctors do not make up 15% of the PCRM's membership; they only make up FIVE percent. I posted the following in another Atkins thread a little over a month ago:

It's really not in your best interests, [name redacted], to post links to wildly left-wing political organizations as "proof" that Atkins doesn't work. Here's what consumerfreedom.org has to say about the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Who would guess that a fanatical animal rights group could pass itself off as a physicians’ organization concerned with health issues? Judging by its stated positions, PCRM’s goals are to abolish the use of animals as food (including milk, eggs, and other animal products) and to eliminate the use of animals in scientific experiments. The group furthers its mission by continuously misinforming the American public about animal research and providing potentially dangerous dietary recommendations. The American Medical Association has rightly labeled PCRM “an animal rights front organization.”

While PCRM claims to be primarily a network of doctors, the group’s own literature shows that physicians make up only 5% of its membership. Furthermore, the group’s member physicians represent less than 0.5% of America’s doctors. Far from being an unbiased source of health guidance, PCRM has asserted itself as a home for anti-meat, pro-vegan nutritionists who are committed to removing beef, dairy, poultry, and other animal products from our diets for good.

These people are not "nutritionists." They're animal rights activists. And UPI should be ashamed for running this story without bothering to research this organization first. No wonder today's UPI is but a tiny shell of the proud wire service it once was. (Billybob, do you know someone at UPI we can scream at about this pseudo-news pablum?)

When even the AMA - hardly a friend to conservatives - publicly attacks another organization as a bunch of ultra-left-wing lunatics, that's a pretty damning indictment.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

As the wheel turns! Charcole steaks? Or Not! Birth control pills or Not! Atkins or Not! Fat free or Not. Fat free for 20 years, fatter than ever! Atkins?

[Servant of the Nine]

Why would the Atkins Diet be any harder on your kidneys than a non diet of the same meats and fats with added carbs?

It is only harder on your kidneys than a theoretical balanced low calorie diet, not harder than what us fatties are already eating.

So9

[Eva]

This is probably the physicians group that is related to PETA, I'm not sure, but it sounds like it. PETA does have their own team that they pay to put out this type of statement.

[Eva]

Yep, that's the group PCRM is bought and paid for by PETA. CLICK HERE

[T Wayne]

For the encouragement of any who might need it.

I was born in Oct. of '48. I am 6'3" and as of Oct of '01 I weighted 315 lbs. At this point in my life, I really didn't care if I lived. It was too much effort. I wore 44" waist pants (but 46's felt so good I bought 48's), XXX shirts, etc.

In Jan of 2002, I started Atkins. I now weigh 190, walk 4 miles 4 or more days a week, am starting a weight lifting workout program, and haven't felt this good for 30 + years. I look forward to each and every new day now. I'm down to med. shirts and 36" waist pants.

My ultimate goal is to loose (or replace with muscle) 25 more lbs.

In keeping with the title of the late Dr. Atkins' book, I will be following "Atkins For Life"

This has been and continues to be a life changing experience.

Thank you Lord!!!!

[Kevin Curry]

I smell animal rights activists behind the scene here.

[B Knotts]

PCRM is an arm of PETA, the terrorist organization that funds ELF, which bombed car dealerships in California today.

[HamiltonJay]

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Why can't the press ever call this group what it really is, its just an animal rights front group, its not any sort of serious physicians group.

I am not a fan of Atkins, but portraying anything this group says as legitimate physicians taking a scientifically based stand is the height of ignorance.... Wake up press, this group is a liberal animal rights front, nothing more.

[The Shrew]

OK, I've been reading these Atkins diet threads for months and thought I'd finally pitch in my story. I weighed between 248 and 243 last November. I now weigh in about 205-207. I have been on Atkins since late March. I have 35 - 37 more pounds to lose then I will reevaluate to see if I'm going to go any lower.

I had ankle surgery on the right ankle in October and on the left in mid-March. So, with those repaired I was able to start exercising again. This morning I ran 4 miles in 26:00.

As a professional chef I'm quite capable of developing recipes for Atkins etc. Anyone with real money want to start a restaurant chain that caters to this diet program?

Regards,

TS