Sometimes people get the wrong idea about the Atkins diet, that it consists
of only meat, cheese, fat, and so forth. That would definitely not be
healthy, although I know some people who do well on that, and some who don't.
Atkins himself said that after the initial breaking in period with his diet,
that
he recommends fruits and vegetables (complex carbohydrates), and that people
have gotten the wrong idea about his diet. That would leave out only sugar
and refined carbohydrates, and there is much evidence to suggest that these
are the culprits in weight gain, as well as many degenerative diseases. The
complex carbohydrates are healthy, and the more raw, organic food we eat, the
better. One may choose to focus on those complex carbohydrates which have a
lower glycemic index, however.
Some people are unaware that the Atkins diet was not originally designed for
the purpose of loosing weight. Atkins was experimenting with a diet that
would treat serious illness, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.,
that
was recalcitrant to other treatments. His famous diet worked outstandingly
for these patients to return them to health. The weight loss effect was
noted later, as a side effect!!!!! Nowadays, people often think that is its
only purpose, and that benefits of loosing weight must be weighed against
(sorry
for the pun) the disadvantage of following this "unhealthy" diet.
Jill
