Low-Carb Diets Good For Metabolic Syndrome

Didn't take too long for finding a new "problem" with what ails us. Metabolic Syndrome.

Don't misunderstand me - I believe there is a correlation between various metabolic problems and obesity.

My concern is that although we are targeting carbohydrates as a potential cause, we refuse to acknowledge, or at least say, "it's refined carbs stupid!"

When I read the original Atkins diet, it is clear he is advocating reducing refined carbs.

We all instinctively know that a Twinky(R) is not as good as a slice of wheat toast. Just as well, a wheat toast not as good, as a whole grain bread.

Not surprisingly, refined carbohydrates also tend to have high glycemic indecies, which in turn create insuline issues.

Yes, try low carb diets, but instead of going all-out carnivore, try dropping that white toast, refined sugars, and such. Reduce your pasta, noodles and similar intake. Replace it with raw, or minimally processed vegetables.

Your end result will be that you CAN stick to a low-carb diet.

I don't know about metabolic syndrome but I do know as someone with hypoglycemia, low carb really is the only way to go. I don't look at it as a diet, I look at it as a disease and this is the way I have to eat. I DO NOT follow Atkins though. I eat whole foods, fruits, veggies, and lean meats. I try to avoid white things, white rice, white bread, and most processed foods. I do eat brown rice and whole wheat pasta sparingly. I will eat potatoes again, sparingly. I don't view it as a hard ship at all. I view it as the way I have to eat if I want to feel good. I think a lot of it is in your attitude. If you were deathly allergic to peanuts you wouldn't have some once in a while. That's kind of how I view refined carbs, I'm deathly allergic to them since they make me feel like cr*p.

I have trouble with glucose metabolism and tried the low carb diet. However, I am also very active (run 5+ miles at least 6 times a week) and found maintenance of the diet impossible. I suffered so much muscle soreness that I felt I was on the verge of sweating lactic acid. Has anyone had success following a low carb diet and continuing an intense exercise regimen?

Hi, Jill! About success following a low carb diet and continuing an intense exercise regimen - as i see with my friend - it's really work, she's on low carb diet, but intense exercise regimen 3 days a weed - 1 day - exercise - 1 day for the rest. That's all

I definitely do not have metabolic syndrome. I've tried higher carb diets and found I do reasonably well on them. However, I get far better athletic performance and general sense of well-being from minimizing my carbohydrates. I eat enough carbohydrates to support my exercise. Jill, you do have to carb-load, just don't eat much more than what you need to replenish your glycogen. It takes some experimentation to get it right. All of the starch I eat happens right after workouts, just to replenish what I lost.

I personally find a higher fat approach to low-carbing to be better. I use steak, eggs, sausage, cheese, cream, and so on. I avoid leaner stuff like tuna and chicken breast.

I honestly think that as research continues we're going to find that different people thrive on a different balance of protein, fat and carbs. I know people who've done amazing on a reduced carb diet and others who do really great on a high carb diet just eliminating refined carbs. Personally, I feel best when I focus on getting my minimum amount of protein and getting plenty of fruits and veggies but not worrying in the least about carbs and fat. Different strokes for different folks.

The magic word that keeps repeating. REFINED.

REFINED FOODS SUCK. The suck the energy out of you, they suck the insulin out of your system, they do, however add fat.

I did great on South Beach, even after re-introducing the carbs. It's just learning a new way to eat. You divided you plate in 6 parts. One or two parts lean meats, 3 parts veggies and 1 part "carb" brown rice, patato, kamut noodles.

It's also portion control. I dare anyone to eat 8 slices of whole grain bread. Yeah, you can do it with white but not with all that fiber. I can eat a loaf of white bread and still feel unfulfilled.

Don't chew out Carbs, chew out the REFINED and the portion controls.

I'm living proof that this posting is accurate. I followed my doctor-recommended low fat/high carb diet for a year and lost a total of 0 pounds. But now that I've switched to a low carb/high protien/low fat diet, I'm feeling better, I'm seeing some movement on the scale and many of the outward symptoms of my metobolic syndrome are being reduced. I follow a calorie intake balance of 40-40-20 (40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fats) with a concentration of the carbs coming from fruits and veggies and whole grain foods (no white stuff!).

Once you understand the science behind it, it makes perfect sense. If you have problems with blood sugar, why would you eat the types of food (carbs) that are most quickly converted to sugar in the body?

~Pam

Pam said:
Once you understand the science behind it, it makes perfect sense.[...]

There's no science I know of that suggests 40:40:20 works for metabolic syndrome or other endocrine disorders. Can you point me in the direction toward some data on this ratio your doctor recommended?

Regina, if I am reading Pam's comment correctly, her doctor gave her a diet which didn't help her lose weight(Bad Bad Doctor) and she found a diet plan that has since helped her, which she describes as 40-40-20.

Dr.J said:
she found a diet plan that has since helped her, which she describes as 40-40-20.[...]

You're right, she made it up for herself....OK...no data for such a ratio, but if it works for her, I'm OK with that (gotta read replies slower too!).

I see nothing wrong with Pam's 40-40-20. She figured out what was best for her and that's great! Just as an aside, I wonder, not just for Pam, but for any of us who describe the percentages of our diet, how accurate are we really?? I definitely find the high/low way of describing it easier!

Dr. J: I've totally just kicked out the idea of ratios in my eating. I've figured out what I need. Also, there are more important things than macronutrient ratios. Dark meat in chicken and steak have about the same ratios, but I cannot sustain my training progress with chicken. It doesn't have the same mineral content. Chicken breast and tuna don't give me the same intensity as steak and eggs. I eat those whenever I'm hungry, and when I happen to be low on glycogen, I eat carbs. That simple.

It is also worth noting that vegetarian diets arn't the best diet in the world. Most people need animal protein, though few will thrive on vegetarian foods. Red meat gives you iron, fish gives you omega 3 fatty acids, while pultery (such as chicken and turkey) is a good protein source. Soy protein...forget about it. It's unhealthy. We have also learned that lean meats do lower cholesterol better than soy products, and they don't wreck estrogen levels on woman. Saturated fats are vitamin D absorbers, so have some butter in moderation. It's just that TOO MUCH of anything arn't good for you.

And it's OK to have a treat once in a while, as long as it doesn't contain artificial fats (Hydrogenated trans fats and interestrified fats). Instead of using that Crisco junk, use coconut oil. Instead of canola oil, use olive oil. Instead of hydrogenated margarines, use butter or smart balance.

People who gain weight after a low-carb diet don't have a healthy eating life. They just go back to whatever made them fat in the first place.
This is my second time with the Atkins diet and I think it's wonderful if you know what you do.

South Beach! no processed , low glycemic index, good fats, fresh veggies , lean meats, ..........I am doing really well on this plan and have lost my constant cravings for "something more".........Personally I think the high fructose corn syrup added to practically all processed foods is a killer............

I have Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X). All my doctors including a very well regarded liver specialist have recommend cutting carbs.

Once again, Jim, you are EXACTLY right with your post about low-carb diets improving metabolic syndrome. Drs. Richard Feinman and Jeff Volek already connected the dots on this a couple of years ago, but the resistance to the low-carb treatment option is still there.

Despite the fact that people like myself have lost nearly 200 pounds and kept the weight off long-term while greatly improving my overall health, there are doubters who refuse to give credit where credit is due. Livin' la vida low-carb works and works very well, thank you very much! :)

Jimmy Moore, author of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb"
LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com
livinlowcarbman@charter.net

Jimmy Moore said:
but the resistance to the low-carb treatment option is still there[...]

Actually, I was talking to my father recently, an M.D., about low-carbing. Despite usually following what the health authorities say, he has no objection to using low-carb diets for people with certain genetics/dispositions, especially for diabetics. After telling him that the authorities still say diabetics should be on starch-heavy, food pyramid diets, his response was "Well, that's just stupid."

Regina W said:
There's no science I know of that suggests 40:40:20 works for metabolic syndrome or other endocrine disorders. Can you point me in the direction toward some data on this ratio your doctor recommended?
[...]

Regina:
Notice that the comment about "understanding the science" is a completely different paragraph then the part about 40.40.20. This a new thought. The first sentence in the second paragraph goes with the rest of the sentences in that paragraph.... about how carbs effect blood sugar. And yes, there's plenty of scientific research available about how your body converts different foods you eat into different types of energy.

Pam

Regina W said:
You're right, she made it up for herself....OK...no data for such a ratio, but if it works for her, I'm OK with that (gotta read replies slower too!).
[...]

Actually, I didn't make it up myself. I didn't want to bore you with the details of how I came to the 40.40.20 diet plan. But in essence, I research my own medical conditions (which my doctor never took into consideration when perscribing a diet plan for me) and found out how my body reacted to the foods I put into it. I consulted with a nutritionist who specialized in metobolic conditions (as well as cardiac rehab, but that's neither here nor there) and read several medical studies, ebooks and publications specific to my condition. The 40.40.20 was not random. It was a result of 5 months of intensive study on my own with many experts contributing to the decision. Because my doctor failed me, I needed to do my own research.
~Pam

Dr.J said:
I see nothing wrong with Pam's 40-40-20. She figured out what was best for her and that's great! Just as an aside, I wonder, not just for Pam, but for any of us who describe the percentages of our diet, how accurate are we really?? I definitely find the high/low way of describing it easier![...]

I track all my food intake at www.fitday.com so I'm able to record my daily percentages pretty easily. 40.40.20 might sound really easy on paper, but oh boy is it difficult to achieve in real life. It'd definitely a balancing act. ~Pam

Pam said:
The first sentence in the second paragraph goes with the rest of the sentences in that paragraph.... about how carbs effect blood sugar. And yes, there's plenty of scientific research available about how your body converts different foods you eat into different types of energy. [...]

You might want to read my blog - I have no arguement that excessive carbohydrate in the diet is a big problem; if fact I often rail about some of the insane advice people are given when they have glucose metabolism disorders (MetS, diabetes, PCO).

I'm familiar with much of the literature on the subject of macronutrient modifications and still am sitting here, scratching my head, where 40:40:20 is found as a ratio supported by clinical evidence?

You do need unsweetened cranberry juice or hot cranberry tea or even lemon in water,but more cranberry to neuterize the protein acidity as not to harm the kidneys,etc.
best to avoid the process meats and limit cheese.
drink pure water that isn't in plastic bottles that leeche the plastic in the water.
you can get the unsweetened concentrated cranberry juice at health food stores and the bottles too.

Okay people, its really very simple. When you're not exercising you're burning mostly fat, and as long as you eat fairly regularly (3-4 times a day and no snacks), you should be fine on a low carb diet. When involved in REGULAR exercise for 30+ minutes your body relies on mainly glucose for energy because it really is the easiest and most efficient form of energy supply. If you are a regular exerciser you need to eat carbohydrates at least on the days you are exercising. Eating carbohydrates will increase and improve your energy levels during exercise. Also, exercise promotes the binding of glucose to insulin! So, exercise is the best treatment for someone with a metabolic condition. Reducing one's carb intake should really be #2 on the list when considering a metabolic problem.

Also, your brain can only get energy from glucose breakdown. So if you're not eating many carbs, I don't imagine you're thinking too clearly.

Allison said:
When involved in REGULAR exercise for 30+ minutes your body relies on mainly glucose for energy because it really is the easiest and most efficient form of energy supply. If you are a regular exerciser you need to eat carbohydrates at least on the days you are exercising. Eating carbohydrates will increase and improve your energy levels during exercise. [...]

Ketogenic Diets and Physical Performance

It is very interesting seeing that low-carb dieting is actually turning out to have good health affects to it. I remember when people were saying nothing good would come from it.

My mother in law has metabolic syndrome and she's technically supposed to be following a low carb diet, but she doesn't really follow it that closely. She doesn't eat sugar, but she does eat white grains and other foods that are high in refined carbs. I agree with Allison...exercise should be the first step in treating metabolic syndrome because it helps your body use insulin more efficiently and can dramatically reduce the effects of diabetes, high blood pressure, and it'll help you lose weight. I don't think it's necessary to go crazy with the low carb thing...I eat a fairly low carb diet and I'm very active, but I do eat pretty much only unrefined foods...whole grains, oats, fruits, veggies, etc. I get pretty much all the fuel I need for running from those foods and I never get sore.

The Brain.
It is not true that the brain can only use glucose. It can funcion at a 75/25 ration ketone to glucose. It can get enough glucose from the break down of triglycerides.
I have never been able to find any SAD scientist explaining how the eskimos survived so long on fat fat fat.
Low carbers arent very good at explaining the entire asian continent either however.

Maybe wes all gots different bodies??? hmmmm

Humans have adapted to a multitude of enviornments in order to populate the planet. This ability is why our species has been so succesful in this area.

I am 5'3 and weigh 327 pounds, have struggled with weight all of my life, being Italian doesn't help either. I have high blood pressure and diabetes in my family although I don't have it yet. I am looking for some help, I think I have Metabolic Syndrome. I can eat a meal and pass out sleeping within 15 minutes. I have found that if I eat egg whites and sauage or bacon or ham for breakfast in the morning I can go until lunch and sometimes dinner without falling asleep or being hungry. I have a desk job but am somewhat active but could do more, I am so exhausted after sitting all day I just want to sleep by 3 P.M. My Dermatologist also has told me that I am insulin resistant. I have thought about high protein lifestyle but don't know much about it and have been told some scary things. Things can't be much worse than they are now. I am 42 and feel like I am dying from the inside out. HELP, does anyone have advice!!!!!!

I am 29 years old and I fit the mold for Metablic Syndrome. Between the high blood pressure, high blood sugar, PCO, and high cholesterol, I am on 10 different prescriptions. I do not want to be on these pills for the rest of my life. I'm glad I got the chance to read everyone's views on this forum and I was wondering if anyone had some good sources of literature that I could look at to better understand this condition.