The election is over, the weather is cooler, Christmas is coming, along with a brand new year. But there’s still PLENTY happening in the world of livin’ la vida low-carb right now that you need to know about. Here are some of the headlines I wanted to bring your attention to in November 2008:
NEW ALTERNATIVE SWEETENERS ON THE HORIZON
After telling you about a new zero-calorie, zero-carb stevia/erythritol-based sweetener from Cargill Foods called Truvia a few months back (it’s on store shelves now!), there are two other alternative sweeteners coming soon to a market near you. They are Purevia from the Whole Earth Sweetener Company and Nuva from DWS Incorporated. All three of these are the first nationally-marketed products introducing the naturally-grown taste of stevia to the consumer as a sweetener as companies are realizing the skepticism that discerning health-conscious consumers have about artificial sweeteners and their safety. Apparently the FDA has given these companies the green light to allowing stevia to be called a “sweetener” now which is GREAT news for low-carbers and sugar-shunning customers. Truvia will appear in a new diet soda from The Coca-Cola Company in 2009, so it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that PepsiCo will be using Purevia in a new zero-calorie soft drink to compete. I say the more options people have the merrier, so this is welcomed news on the sweetener front.
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS SWEET
Speaking of sweeteners, my friend Methuselah from the “Pay Now, Live Later” blog (which I highlighted here in September) has put together an outstanding resource for anyone looking to expand their knowledge about anything and everything to do with sweet-tasting stuff! It’s called “Sugar, Sugars and Sweeteners – The Definitive Guide” and is precisely that. From definitions of key terms to explanations about what that ingredient is in the food you are eating, this post has got you covered by arming you with important information you need to make an informed decision about what to purchase. THANK YOU Methuselah for compiling this for our benefit.
“FAT LOSS COACH” CHARLIE REMINGTON DOGGING ON LOW-CARB
Gee, what a surprise to see a self-proclaimed fitness guru railing against livin’ la vida low-carb. It has become all-too-easy for these people to act all braggadocios about what they think they know about the healthy low-carb lifestyle, but they only end up looking like fools for being completely ignorant in the end. That’s precisely what “The Fat Loss Coach” Charlie Remington has done by penning his column entitled “7 Reasons Low-Carb Diets Are Wrong.” It’s the usual suspects in Remington’s column–causes gout (studies show this is dead WRONG!) leads to kidney stones (I’ve NEVER once had a kidney stone in the five years I’ve been on low-carb), constipation (if you’re drinking enough water this is NOT an issue), cholesterol goes up (where is the evidence this is unhealthy?), leads to osteoporosis (actually, research shows it is low-calorie diets, not low-carb ones, that lead to bone deterioration), reduces muscle mass (again, look at the research, it shows just the opposite), and poor exercise performance (something easily refuted by the metabolic facts). Why do these people insist on looking so foolish?
AN ABSOLUTE MUST-READ FROM DR. MIKE EADES
There’s a reason why Dr. Mike Eades has been in my annual “movers & shakers” list for four years running–the man is absolutely brilliant when it comes to explaining some of the most complex issues and problems in terms that the average person can comprehend and absorb. That’s exactly what he did with a recent blog post called “The fraud of intention-to-treat analysis”. This instant classic post exposes a dirty little secret that you never hear about in regards to research studies. Using a method called the intention-to-treat analysis (ITT), researchers can in a way “fudge” the results they got in a number of ways that Dr. Mike shares as only he can. Read it from start to finish and then read it again three more times to fully take in everything that’s in this post. It will give you so much more perspective the next time you read about a study showing low-fat diets are better than low-carb ones. Maybe, maybe not.
AMERICANS ARE “REGRESSING” FROM MEAT TO GRAINS
A recent research and analysis of the food industry found that interest in beef is waning while high-carb grain products are on the rise. The headline of that column says it best–”Regressing! Americans Trade Meat For Grain.” And it truly is a regression and an ominous sign for the future of health in the United States if the trend continues. Part of it is blamed on the economy where people are “trading down” to cheaper foods like pasta and rice. I didn’t like the pot shot at the Atkins diet in this piece (“No time for this Atkins nonsense”), but overall it hit the nail on the head regarding the long-term ramifications of a move away from meat in favor of grains: “we should expect bulging waistlines, and perhaps drab, grain-based food.” You can say that again!
MCDONALD’S REMOVING THE “BEEF” FROM THEIR VALUE MENU
In a related story to the one I just shared, #1 fast food restaurant chain McDonald’s recently announced they may remove the beef items from their value menu in 2009 to offset the 19 percent increase in the price of beef since August 2007. It’s a reality that is hitting the popular burger joint and other food establishments dealing with the reality that meat is getting more and more expensive. The same thing is happening at Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. and other fast food restaurants which rely on value menus to attract consumers. I know I enjoy when I’m traveling ordering from the value menu at Wendy’s and Hardee’s mostly because you can get a good piece of meat for about a $1. Those days seem to be going away sooner rather than later. Too bad.
MY ABOUT LOW-CARB DIETS INTERVIEW WITH LAURA DOLSON
Just as Atkins Nutritionals posted their interview with me on their site last week, I had another opportunity to share my thoughts about low-carb and the direction it is headed in this week on Laura Dolson’s fabulous About Low-Carb Diets web site. Laura asked some excellent questions that I was happy to address, including how I have endured through my low-carb journey, who my favorite interviews have been, what lessons I have learned the most over the past few years, and what the future holds for low-carb in the coming years. I always enjoy being my normal candid self in interviews like this, so go check it out when you get a chance. Special THANKS to Laura Dolson for her willingness to do the interview. I’ll be returning the favor by having her appear on my podcast show in early 2009.
OVERTRAINING AND UNDEREATING–DON’T DO IT!
One of the temptations that anyone who is attempting to be healthy can fall prey to is taking their diet and fitness routine to the extreme. This subject was addressed directly in an article I found called “Overtraining Issues – Exercising Too Much & Not Eating Enough Food.” Some people erroneously believe that if one hour of exercise is good, then two hours must be better. Additionally, this mindset also bleeds over into your diet when you rationalize that eating 2000 calories is good, so consuming 1500, 1000, 800, or even 500 calories must be better and better, right? Let me just say it right now–this is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Each person needs to pay attention to what their body is telling them and responding accordingly. For me, that means if I need to take a day off from exercise to recuperate because my body says it is tired from the previous workout, then I do. The same goes for my diet where I attempt to get in adequate calories for my body, but I also eat if I am hungry regardless. Being constantly aware of your own specific individual needs will prevent you from being trapped into overtraining and undereating.
DIETITIANS ON WEBMD SHARE THEIR DIET MYTH “TRUTHS”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years of writing at this blog, it’s this–you can’t always trust a so-called “expert” that has a bunch of letters after their name. And that especially goes for those who have “R.D.” for registered dietitian. No offense to ALL dietitians, but most of them are stuck on stupid and enjoy spewing their nonsense to unwitting consumers like this WebMd column about diet myths. The two dietitians sharing “the truth” are way off base on a few of their myth-busting attempts–high-fructose corn syrup doesn’t contribute to obesity, caffeine is perfectly harmless, there’s nothing wrong with eating refined grains, sugar is no big deal for kids, and athletes don’t need that much protein in the bodies. Do I really need to go through all of these to explain what’s wrong with the thinking in these dietitians? And yet how many people read a site like WebMD to get reliable health information and buy this garbage hook, line, and sinker?!
CONNIE BENNETT INTERVIEWED ABOUT THOSE HFCS ADS
Remember those recent television ads promoting high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that claim it is completely harmless for people to consume? Well, besides the fact that is one of the most ridiculous statements that could ever be uttered in the history of health, it didn’t sit well with a stringent opponent of the man-made substance. Connie Bennett, author of the sugar-shunning book entitled SUGAR SHOCK!, was interviewed by AdAge.com to offer a counterpoint that consuming HFCS in “moderation” is completely fine. This video of Connie shows you how impassioned she is about this subject and she did a yeoman’s job of articulating what we believe. GREAT JOB, Connie!
GUESS WHAT THE #2 ALL-TIME USA TODAY BESTSELLING BOOK IS?
There’s been a lot of books written over the years, but USA Today has been keeping track of the bestselling ones ever since 1993. When you think of top sellers, names like Stephen King, John Grisham, James Patterson, and J.K. Rowling immediately come to mind, but you’ll be surprised whose book catapulted ahead of all of these authors except for Rowling’s 1998 release Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone–would you believe it’s from the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins?! Yep, that’s right, Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution is the #2 bestselling book over the past decade and a half according to the records kept by USA Today. AMAZING! It just goes to show you that Dr. Atkins has made a much bigger influence on the diet culture than most want to give him credit for. His legacy still lives on to this day and I’m thankful to be one of the owners of that fabulous book which quite literally changed my life forever! Kudos Dr. Atkins and may your name continue to live strong in infamy!
SURPRISING CHILDHOOD PNEUMONIA CURE: COCONUT OIL!
We are always finding some delightfully surprising studies coming out and this one is no different. Researchers in the Philippines have found that supplementing antibiotic treatment with virgin coconut oil can relieve the symptoms of pneumonia in kids faster than antibiotic therapy alone. The children in the study consumed the coconut oil on a daily basis and it dramatically improved their symptoms. The researchers speculate that it is the lauric acid in the coconut oil. Of course, the “experts” are saying the results of this study are inconclusive and warn about kids choking on the coconut oil if they don’t want it. HUH?! Leave it to someone in the health industry to come up with something as cockamamie as that!
Got a news story you want me to check out? Send it to me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I try to keep my eyes open for anything that might be interesting to people who are livin’ la vida low-carb, so don’t hesitate to pass along what you find, too! THANK YOU for reading!
