The Fat Paradox

David Mendosa Living With It Medical Journalist Living with Diabetes and Author of Fitness and Photography for Fun, www.mendosa.com/fitnessblog After earning a B.A. with honors from the University of California,... Send Message Subscribe: David Mendosa

Thursday, December 06, 2007
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Almost everything that we thought we knew about fat is wrong. The “really bad fats,” according to Barry Sears of The Zone fame, are saturated fats, trans fats, and arachidonic acid. He says that the polyunsaturated fat known as arachidonic acid “may be the most dangerous fat known w...

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More and more evidence all the time
Christopher Wheeler
Friday, December 07, 2007 at 04:52 AM

David,

Again, thank you for this.

I will start off by saying this: my last biochemistry course was 5 years ago, and since I haven't really needed it since then, I've forgotten most of it.

But from that course, I REALLY came to be convinced, in theory, that the low-carb, high-fat diet was the answer. Like I mentioned before, following it in real life has been harder. I guess unlike Dr. Volek, I am a "hypocrite" in that manner.

I just can't wait until people really start to take notice of this. It's beyond ridiculous how much misinformation there is out there (from healthcare professionals) despite mounting evidence indicating that they've been wrong.

Sorry I am rambling, it's 4am and normally I am asleep but my son woke up crying with leg pain. I can't get back to sleep, but I can't much think straight either.

re: More and more evidence all the time
David Mendosa
Friday, December 07, 2007 at 12:12 PM

Dear Christopher,

I appreciate your support! And I think that you will find that you can stay on a low-carb diet now. We have many more great food choices at the natural foods stores now. The other key is to weigh everything. That's why I am using a kitchen scale and beginning to research other scales for a forthcoming article about scales.

It is not what we are eating...
HeartDoc
Friday, December 07, 2007 at 08:07 PM

... it is how much we are overeating that is killing us.

My apologies to those who are offended by this fact.

It remains my choice to stick with the truth.

The Fat Paradox
BeardedOne
Friday, December 07, 2007 at 09:35 PM
In just one year of being diagnosed as Type 2, I began (slowly) to follow a low carb diet. The last 2 months have been strict Bernsteins 30 carb/day diet. Lab results prove to me at least that this is the way to go. A1c from 6.2 at diagnosis to 5.2 this month. Triglycerides, HDL, LdL ect., were well in the normal range or below. Obviously, the low fat, high carb diets proclaimed by the ADA is a joke.

re: The Fat Paradox
Christopher Wheeler
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 08:10 AM

Jeff,

Congratuations on your results, that is incredible. I guess you meet the ADA recommendation of "well controlled"

I really need to get on the Bernstein plan. After reading the book twice, I guess now it is time?

re: re: The Fat Paradox
BeardedOne
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 08:41 AM

Christopher, I waited almost 6 months before trying it.
Read Dr. B's book & finally took the jump. Wasn't hard either, cuz u can eat all the meat, cheese & eggs u want. Of course I was quite worried about what it would do to my HDL,LDL,Cholesterol, A1c etc. Well, after being on a 30 carb/day diet for 3 months, here's the results:

Lab results:
Chol - 151
TriG - 96
HDL - 38
VLDL - 19
LDL-CHOL Calc - 94
A1c - 5.2
Chol/HDL Ratio - 4.0%
Made a believer out of me.

Regards, Jeff

re: re: re: The Fat Paradox
Christopher Wheeler
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 08:52 AM
What does your doctor think about it?

re: re: re: re: The Fat Paradox
BeardedOne
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 09:09 AM

My VA doc said "I may not understand much about your diet, but whatever u r doing, keep it up, cuz these r excellent results.

re: re: re: re: re: The Fat Paradox
Christopher Wheeler
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 12:48 PM

I'm assuming as a physician he's taken a biochemistry course? I have and I'm not in medical school.

re: re: re: re: re: re: The Fat Paradox
BeardedOne
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 03:24 PM

What courses one takes for his degree, especially as a GP, changes according to the dictates of the Federal Govt & Big Pharma.

Jus look who funds most of the ADA these days. Or why do physicians basically know little about low-carb versus low-fat? Because they obey the ones who are filling their pockets. Nuff said.

Best to ya, Jeff

Any way to ban andrew?
nonegiven
Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 07:03 PM
http://cassandraforsythe.blogspot.com/ is doing a study on how the sources of fat in a low carb diet affect cholesterol and other measurements. She is comparing saturated fat to an 'ideal mix' of omega 9 and omega 3 FAs. She is attempting to keep her subjects' weight stable. It should be interesting.

re: Any way to ban andrew?
David Mendosa
Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 07:40 PM
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