Living Low Carb (76 page)

Some of the best writing about the cholesterol myth can be found at
http://www.thehealthyskeptic.com

Coconut Oil and Other Oils

A great article on the health benefits of real coconut oil, titled “What is Virgin Coconut Oil?” by Dr. Mary Enig, author of
Know Your Fats:
http://www.coconut-info.com/mary_enig_cholesterol.htm
.

“The Oiling of America” is a classic paper about the vegetable oil industry. The piece is by Sally Fallon, of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and Dr. Mary Enig, an internationally respected lipid biochemist. You can find it on the Weston Price Foundation site:
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html
.

Evolutionary Diet, Vegetarianism

A great article outlining the premise that the modern, high-carbohydrate, highprocessed food diet is completely out of sync with our ancient genes:
http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/stone_age_diet.html
.

“The Myths of Vegetarianism” by Stephen Byrnes, PhD is another interesting essay to be found on the Weston Price Foundation site:
http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtvegetarianism.html
.

Sugar Addiction

Thought-provoking article by one of the country’s leading experts, Nancy Appleton, PhD:
http://www.whale.to/w/appleton3.html
.

Exercise

Let me be very clear: when it comes to personal training, the person I turn to for authoritative information is Charles Poliquin, found at
http://www.charlespoliquin.com
. There are few people in the country who know more about exercise than Poliquin. In addition to training countless Olympians, bodybuilders, and sports teams, Poliquin knows so much about nutrition that he frequently lectures at medical and naturopathic schools. If you’re really serious about getting in shape, you should visit his Web site.

Helpful Tools

Calculate your BMI (body mass index): BMI is the accepted way of calculating whether or not you are overweight or obese; 25–29.9 is considered overweight and over 30 is obese:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi
/.

Glycemic Index and Load:
The definitive site for glycemic values can be found here:
http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm
.

The good thing is that if you forget the address, this is the site that usually comes up first on Google when you put in the words “glycemic index” or “glycemic load.” Remember, in my opinion, the load is far more important than the index. For a nice, useful list of foods divided into categories of “high,” “medium,” and “low,” go to:
http://www.mendosa.com/common_foods.htm
.

Nutritional Data:
You can find the nutritional facts on just about any food you can think of at this site:
http://www.nutritiondata.com
/, which also features a great tool that lets you search the database for foods with the most amount of any particular vitamin, essential fat, or mineral.

Another way to look for nutrition facts is the good old USDA database:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search
/, where you can search for any food and get the most complete nutrient analysis available: carbs, calories, fat, protein, and fiber are just the beginning. It also tells you the amount of every vitamin, mineral, and fatty acid.

Meal Delivery Service

The Healthy Pantry fills the enormous need for food that is both healthy and convenient. Unlike “meal delivery” services that give you prepared meals that you have to heat up, or frozen dinners that are loaded with chemicals, Healthy Pantry delivers everything you need to make the meal yourself in less than 30 minutes (and in many cases a lot less). Everything you need is shipped to you; you simply put it together, add a perishable ingredient or two (like an egg), and prepare as directed. They have a special “Dr. Jonny” line that features the meals found in
The Healthiest Meals on Earth
, and by the time you read this, the Low-Carb line will be available as well. This is a unique company with a unique vision, and one of the most affordable options for people who want first-class, delicious, and healthful food that is almost as convenient as the drive-through! Go to
http://www.thehealthypantry.com
or find them through the link on my site,
http://www.jonnybowden.com
.

Health and General-Interest Sites of Value to Low-Carbers

The Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization, is a clearinghouse of information on healthful lifestyles, ecology, sound nutrition, alternative medicine, humane farming, and organic gardening:
http://www.westonaprice.org
.

Ravnskov and THINCS:
These are the sites of iconoclast researcher Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD, author of
The Cholesterol Myths
(see “Recommended Reading,” page TK). His sites are dedicated to disproving the idea that too much animal fat and high cholesterol are dangerous to your heart and vessels. While the establishment dismisses Ravnskov, he is very much worth a listen for low-carb dieters (and other interested people) who want another view of the cholesterol demon. His site is copiously researched and referenced. THINCS is the International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics:
http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm
and
http://www.thincs.org
.

Second Opinions:
Barry Groves, an Englishman with a PhD in nutritional science, runs this site, which was called, by the
London Sunday Times Magazine
(October 2002), one of only five reliable and informative Web sites for dietary information. Groves devotes his site to “exposing dietary and medical misinformation” about such things as low-calorie diets, fats, cholesterol, heart disease, and other “dietary and medical bits and bobs.” The (long) article titled “The Cholesterol Myth,” copiously referenced, is a highlight. Highly recommended:
http://www.secondopinions.co.uk
.

Vitamins and Supplements

I once worked in a doctor’s office that had the following sign posted:

The top three things not to bargain-shop for:

Parachutes

Scuba Equipment

Vitamins

All vitamins and supplements are not created equal. Two ingredients lists may look similar, but that does not mean they’re of the same quality: both Mercedeses and Hyundais have engines, but they are hardly the same animal. Fish oils may become rancid or may contain the same pollutants fish do unless they are scrupulously tested; minerals like magnesium and calcium come in a half dozen different chelates (magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, etc.), some cheap, some expensive. A supplement may officially contain carnitine, but it may be present in a meaningless amount. The vitamins I recommend are the ones that are marketed to health professionals only, and they are many cuts above what is found in the average store, even a health-food store. All the companies linked on my Web site are of this quality—I hope you will check them out at
http://www.jonnybowden.com
.

Recommended Reading

The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth
(Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS) is now in its seventh printing and has become something of a classic book on healthful foods, written from a low-sugar perspective. Contains essays on why the low-fat movement has it backward, why we don’t need to eat egg-white omelettes, why coconut oil is misunderstood, and why soy and grains are not always health foods!

Heart Sense for Women
(Stephen Sinatra, MD). Sinatra is a cardiologist with multiple board certifications who has written a must-have primer for all women who want to understand the prevention and treatment of heart disease from the point of view of a physician who understands that the conventional wisdom is woefully inadequate. While the diet he recommends is not technically low-carb, he has a lot of great things to say about heart health, mind-body connections, vitamins and supplements, and getting the focus off cholesterol and onto the right kinds of tests.

The Hungry Gene: The Science of Fat and the Future of Thin
(Ellen Ruppel Shell). Science journalism at its best. An account of obesity research through the years, it makes a case that obesity is not a matter of weak will or gluttony but of vulnerable genes preyed upon by a hostile environment. It also exposes the unholy alliance between schools and Coke, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s.

Nutrition Made Simple
(Robert Crayhon, M.S., C.N.). If you buy just one book from which to learn the basics of nutrition, this is the one to get. Crayhon is one of the best and most acclaimed teachers in America, writes in an extremely readable and friendly voice, is deadly accurate, and is quite humorous in the bargain. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypertension
(Mark Houston, MD, Barry Fox, PhD, and Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D.). Mark Houston is to hypertension what Muhammad Ali is to boxing. There is no one I know who is more knowledgeable about the subject. In addition to being a nationally known and respected cardiologist, he is one of the most expert nutritionists on the planet. Hypertension overlaps with heart disease, diabetes, and obesity in many ways, and this book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in a more modern and enlightened approach to its treatment.

Eat Fat, Grow Slim
(Barry Groves, PhD). This book is based on the principle that the diet on which it is most difficult to lose weight is a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

The Carnitine Miracle
(Robert Crayhon, M.S., C.N.). Don’t be put off by the unfortunate title, which I believe was the triumph of the marketing director over the author (just a theory). This is an utterly indispensable guide on how to eat, period. Crayhon, in addition to being universally recognized as one of the outstanding nutritionists in the country, was once a stand-up comic; he has the rare ability to write about science and make it seem like beach reading. His wit and user-friendly style shine through this terrific book. Includes top-ten lists such as “the top ten things wrong with the Food Pyramid” and “the top ten things to do to lose weight.” Do not miss.

The Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements
(Michael Murray, N.D.) This is exactly what it says it is—a complete encyclopedia of supplements that is thorough, well researched and documented—written by the premier naturopath in America.

The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book: A Definitive Guide to Designing Your Own Personal Supplement Program
(Shari Lieberman, PhD, C.N.S.). Lieberman literally wrote the book on vitamin and mineral supplementation. This remains the authoritative guide that everyone should have as a reference.

The Vita-Nutrient Solution
(Robert Atkins, MD). A virtual textbook on supplementation for a wide variety of health conditions. The book was actually written, with Atkins’s input of course, by Robert Crayhon, who took his name off the cover over a disagreement about the recommended amount of manganese. Other than that, the text is absolutely exemplary.

Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous to Your Health
(James Braly, MD, and Ron Hoggan, M.A.). An excellent and thought-provoking book about gluten sensitivity by a renowned food-allergy expert and a respected patient advocate. The book goes way beyond the “traditional” model that links gluten sensitivity only to celiac disease; the authors discuss the impact of grains on a range of conditions, including autoimmune disease, chronic pain, osteoporosis, digestive problems, and brain disorders.

The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health
(Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS). An absolutely indispensable book by one of the great nutritionists of our time, delineating how undetected sensitivity to grains can undermine our health.

Fatland: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World
(Greg Critser). While Critser is not exactly kind to the low-carb gurus like Atkins, the book is nevertheless a fascinating read and a scathing indictment of the sugar industry, the marketing of “supersizing,” and the health impact of high-fructose corn syrup.

Get the Sugar Out
(Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S.). One of America’s top nutritionists gives you 501 practical, easy ways to reduce or eliminate sugar from your diet.

Waistland: The (R)evolutionary Science behind our Weight and Fitness Crisis
(Deirdre Barrett, PhD). A Harvard psychologist takes a novel and fascinating look at exactly what makes us fat and what we can do about it.

Sugar Shock!
(Connie Bennett) is a terrific book on sugar addiction. Ms. Bennett, a first-class reporter who herself suffered from sugar addiction, interviewed the top health professionals in the country for this first-rate book on the true nature of sugar and its effects.

Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey from Flabby Fat to Sensationally Skinny
(Jimmy Moore). An inspiring story by a man who went from 410 pounds to 180 pounds on a low-carb program and became one of the country’s leading crusaders for the lowcarb point of view.

The Sugar Addict’s Total Recovery Book and Your Last Diet: The Sugar Addict’s Weight Loss Plan
(Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD). DesMaisons, also the author of
Potatoes Not Prozac
, has her PhD in addictive nutrition and takes a unique approach to making brain and body chemistry work for “sugar sensitives.” She also maintains
http://www.radiantrecovery.com
, a Web site for sugar addicts that contains a ton of terrific information.

Eat Fat, Lose Weight
(Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S.). One of America’s most popular nutritionists, the creator of the Fat Flush Plan (see page 169), and the former nutrition director of the Pritikin Longevity Center, Gittleman is a reformed low-fat advocate who explains in easy-to-understand terms not only why fat is necessary in the diet but how it can help you lose weight. An excellent introduction to the concept of “good fats” and “bad fats.”