(Diarmid Logan) wrote in message . com...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3416637.stm

Uncovering the Atkins diet secret

There is no secret. There is clear and compelling scientific evidence
that the reason why a low-carbohydrate/low-glycemic diet leads to
weight loss is due to the reasons that Barry Sears suggests (read his
books for lists of studies), and it is related to insulin release in
response to high blood sugar (which signals fat storage) and the
body's preference for using sugar first over protein or fat for energy
when there is sugar in the bloodstream. Most nutritionists and
doctors have never even been familiarized with the literature
surrounding this and continue to recycle the same old belief that
calories are calories, regardless of the source.

The body's preference for using sugar first when protein and fat are
also present leads to problems with fat, protein, sugar and
cholesterol being left behind in the bloodstream. As an example, a
high carbohydrate diet has been proven to be the cause of abnormally
high levels of tryptophan in the blood. Also, vast histories of
experiments show that insulin drips into veins of lab animals causes
build-up of cholesterol in blood vessels and symptoms of heart
disease. This is not disputable. Sugar is being drawn into cells
leaving other things behind.

There is also pro-establishment propaganda going on which explains
much of this. It is not by accident that the guidelines in the food
pyramid developed by the department of agriculture help to maximize
profit for the food industry . People who pay attention to the news
will be aware of the numerous articles noting loss of profit for
processed food manufacturers recently due to the Atkins diet
popularity. Following a Zone, Atkins, or similar diet means touring
the periphery of the store and not going down the aisles unless it's
for atkins products. What does this mean for Betty Crocker, Nabisco,
Kellogg, OreIda, Coca-Cola?

While many of the people on the Atkin's diet are consuming less
calories than before, many people are actually consuming more and
still losing weight. The answer lies in understanding the mechanisms
of insulin signalling and sugar metabolism, and much of what has been
learned about all of this has been learned in the last decade.
Recently, aging itself has been linked to these issues, and
experiments in animals have shown that careful control of blood sugar
and insulin release can lead to slower aging and leaner animals.
There are also conditions like Syndrome X which more or less prove the
applicability to humans.