Published April 3, 2004 in
the North Island Weekender
With all the hype these days
about low carbohydrate diets I thought it was time to address this issue. North
Americans crave structure and specific instructions on what to eat, when and
how. This is why a maze of diet books exist on the market and will continue to
do so.
Diets are not created equal and what works for one person will not work for
another. Dr. Roger Williams back in the 1970’s wrote a book called Biochemical
Individuality because he found tremendous variation in the physiology and
chemical composition of individual bodies. This is where the science of
medicine is heading according to Dr. Jeffrey Bland Ph.D. in what he terms
“Nutrigenomics”. This is the use of nutrition based the individuals genetic
makeup.
In this article I want to
clarify the strengths and pitfalls of low carbohydrate diets. I prefer to use
the term “healthy eating plan” rather than the word “diet”. Optimally you are
making a lifestyle change that is meant to be followed long term rather than a
short term “diet”. When a healthy eating plan is working for you, you will have
better energy, you will lose inches, you will not have cravings, your
cholesterol and blood sugar readings will be within optimal ranges, your
digestion will be balanced, your moods stable and you will look better! If any
of the above are not happening on your “healthy eating plan” then it is NOT
working for you.
Susie, age 21, came into to
see me after she had suddenly become depressed. She was in third year
university and living with a boyfriend. Everything in her personal life was
fine. The only new thing she was doing was following the Atkins diet with
success in losing the weight that she wanted. Her energy was good but she was
depressed and she couldn’t figure out why. I had just happened to read an article
by Dr. Jonathon Wright MD, about depression and the low carb diet. Dr. Wright
explained that there is deeper meaning to “fat and happy”. Carbohydrates allow
more of the amino acid L-tryptophan to penetrate the brain which triggers the
production of more serotonin, making you feel happier. For some on a low carb
diet they may not be getting enough L-tryptophan, leading to depression. I gave
Susie nutritional medicines to raise her serotonin levels and she was better in
a few days!
L-tryptophan was taken off the health food store market in the
late 1980’s due to a contamination scandal and was re-introduced to the market
as a prescription drug, tripling the price. It is found in turkey and the
precursor is 5HTP. However psychiatrists are using it more and more in
conjunction with anti-depressants as a treatment for depression and insomnia.
Other downsides of the low
carb diet are constipation and deficiencies of vitamins and minerals such as
folic acid and antioxidants, and problems with high dairy consumption. If your
low carb diet is high in non-starchy vegetables this will no doubt help with
constipation and the deficiencies of folic acid and anti-oxidants. Folic acid
is used to fortify most grains and is the most common source for most North
Americans so when they stop eating these grains they become deficient. For
instance women wanting children will be at an increase risk of bearing children
with birth defects unless they are consciously supplementing their diet. This
is a sad fact as the highest natural sources include chicken livers, Brewer’s
yeast, leafy green vegetables and legumes and folks just aren’t eating them!
I am always amazed at how
some vegetarians can be so unhealthy because they are not eating more
vegetables as the name of the diet implies, but just not eating meat! The same
could hold true for the Atkins Diet where folks are not eating enough
non-starchy vegetables.
In my practice I certainly
promote a higher protein diet with the research showing that consuming more
carbohydrates than proteins stimulates excessive insulin release by the
pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that carries sugars into our cells for use,
but is it also the fat storing hormone, leading to obesity and elevated
cholesterol and triglycerides, the body storing carbohydrates as fat! The low
carb diet has been shown to help with a wide range of conditions including
irritable bowel, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, eczema, migraines,
autoimmune diseases, psoriasis, poor immune function, reduced sexual function,
insulin resistance and diabetes. The majority of these benefits may be
attributed to eliminating wheat in the diet as it is the most common grain
consumed by North Americans.
Research also indicates that the mitochondria (the organelle of energy
production in each cell) is specifically designed to use fat for energy, and
many organs including the heart, prefer fat rather than sugar for energy.
Vitamin A and D are only found in animal foods and carnitine and CoQ10 are
predominantly found in animal foods.
My recommendations for those
trying the Atkins diet include the following: the protein sources should be
organic, free range or as wild as possible due to contamination of pesticides,
growth hormones and antibiotics that are rampant in our food supply. Lean meats
are still the best idea excluding pork and beef cuts high in saturated fat. Pay
attention to how you cook your meat as barbecuing and frying render the animal
fat carcinogenic. The fat in eggs will be beneficial to you if the chickens are
fed healthy! Try and stay away from dairy as much as possible. They may
increase your risk of colds, flus, sinusitis, hayfever, digestive problems
including constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Blood type A and O don’t
do well with it anyway.
We are all unique and as you
make healthier choices your body will let you know what is best for you.
Dr.
Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently
practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com