Tuesday, June 10, 2008
I
especially liked his slide showing why many of us who have diabetes but
no kidney problems may want to increase our protein intake:
Slide courtesy of Dr. Osama Hamdy
After listening with rapt attention to Dr. Hamdy in the packed conference room, I was lucky enough to run into him three times. The first time he posed for this photo:
Dr. Osama Hamdy, Protein and Obesity Expert at the Joslin Clinic
The second time we met I asked his one of the biggest questions in my mind.
"But what about the quality of protein?"
"I was just waiting for someone to ask me that," he replied. He went on
to tell me that two amino acids, lycine and valine, are problematic as they cause dilation of renal vessels and cause the pressure inside the kidney to increase. Non-dairy animal protein has more of these animo acids than vegetable protein does, which is why vegetable protein is better for us. We don't need to supplement them, but we do need to supplement vegetable protein with other essential amino acids to make them healthier.
Separately,
Dr. Hamdy is the lead investigator of a Joslin study presented at this
year's ADA that showed people with diabetes lost an average of 24.6
pounds -- 10.3 percent of their body weight -- in a 12-week program.
This "Weight Achievement and Intensive Treatment (Why WAIT)"
program showed that 55 percent of the people in the study continued to
lose even more weight for a year afterwards when they were on their
own.
A high-protein diet was a big part of the success. Participants in the study ate fewer that 40 percent of their calories from carbohydrates and 30 percent from protein.
I'm hardly surprised. A low-carb high-protein diet works for me to lose weight too.
With high points like listening to and meeting Dr. Hamdy this convention of the ADA completely fulfilled my expectations. And now I somewhat reluctantly depart this exciting meeting and city. Meanwhile, San Francisco is bracing for some other organization to hold its annual convention at theMoscone Center.
A high-protein diet was a big part of the success. Participants in the study ate fewer that 40 percent of their calories from carbohydrates and 30 percent from protein.
I'm hardly surprised. A low-carb high-protein diet works for me to lose weight too.
With high points like listening to and meeting Dr. Hamdy this convention of the ADA completely fulfilled my expectations. And now I somewhat reluctantly depart this exciting meeting and city. Meanwhile, San Francisco is bracing for some other organization to hold its annual convention at theMoscone Center.
