This week, we summarize the top five news articles and studies in the low-carb realm, plus some success stories.
- A new study, published in the American Journal of Physiology demonstrates that a strain of rats, bred to be prone to high blood pressure when fed salty rat chow, also appear to become hypertensive when fed high-fat rat chow. Although relatively unimpressive in terms of the relevance to humans, these rodent-study results generated some impressively misleading headlines like this one: "High-fat diets appear bad for blood pressure in younger males and females." Argh...
- Oh, Canada! A leading newspaper, the Toronto Star, runs a op-ed from an organization, Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition (CCTN), which boasts a membership of over 4,500 Canadian doctors who recommend low-carb eating. The piece was entitled "Are steak and cheese healthy? Doctors group says Canada's Food guide is wrong on diet." How's that for direct, eh? But wait... there's more from up north. The Vancouver Sun ran a myth-busting op-ed entitled, "Anne Mullens: Here's why I'm excited about the ketogenic diet and why some of you might want to try it."
- ABC News Australia reports on an unusual shortage of ketone strips (both blood and urine) due to increased demand for them as keto eaters buy them in unprecedented quantities. Although informative and motivational (and even fun) for ketogenic dieters, these strips can be crucial for patients with diabetes who are at risk of ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition. So if you are buying strips for motivation not safety where there are shortages - in Australia or the UK - please refrain from additional purchases until supply catches up with the new keto-inspired demand.
- The British National Health Service approves and endorses a low-carb app developed to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes. The app is part of Diabetes.co.uk's award-winning program that has helped hundreds of thousands of people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar control and eliminate medications with healthy, low-carb food and online information.
- Coca-Cola and its Big Food and Big Soda brethren are at it again, this time in China. The New York Times reports on a study that documents that food and beverage giants are working through (and funding) a group called the International Life Sciences Institute. This group influences Chinese public health messaging to emphasize exercise as the key to fighting obesity and chronic disease, while protecting processed food and sugary beverages, both widely recognized as obesity drivers, from scrutiny. Coke was caught doing similar things in the US a couple of years ago and the resulting public outcry put an end to it. Apparently it has taken its deception overseas.
Want more?
How did keto become a mainstream movement? Can we improve the health of people, animals and the planet just by changing the way we produce meat? Will New York City start requiring sugar warnings on restaurant menus? Is "too boring" or "lack of aroma" a reason to stop eating healthy food? Want to learn more about Diet Doctor's founder (and the company's beginnings)?
- Top Chef's Bruce Kalman and his business partner Tyler Anderson are eating keto and have lost meaningful weight. Kalman is down 52 pounds; Anderson down 40 pounds.
- A Houston chef loses 100 pounds in 6 months with a ketogenic diet. He is now able to take up running, and reports that everything is easier!
- Tessa goes low-carb but not necessarily keto - "a lot of protein and a lot of vegetables and healthy fats" - to jumpstart weight loss without exercise due to plantar fasciitis. Eventually she added exercise; total weight loss? 80 pounds!
- New Orlean's woman goes from 315 to 165 pounds with a keto diet. That's 150 pounds lost, folks. She advises: "Focus on the things [you] can indulge in... Eggs, bacon, steak, burgers, wings, ranch salads."
Tune in next week!
About
This news gathering is from our collaborator Jennifer Calihan, who also blogs at Eat the Butter. Feel free to check out the keto meal-idea-generator on her site.
