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Old Tue, Feb-10-04, 23:51
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NCLC NCLC is offline
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Posts: 61
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 236/213.4/150 Male 5' 7"
BF:
Progress: 26%
Location: North Carolina
Default Dr. Dean Edell, "Lo Carb Truths, If You're Ready"

http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean...type=DeanTopics

I generally listen to Dr. Dean if I come across his show in my car, but this is just silly. He prefaces the article with "... As far as I can tell, this is the best information out there based on objective science. I wish more people were interested in the truth about this subject."

I also wish more people were interested in the truth about the subject. This article was nothing more than spin, and beating down irrelevant straw men.

First of all, there should be a huge distinction drawn between low carbohydrate dieting/WOE and the marketing ploys of big business. The article uses advertisements of KFC and beer companies, who are looking to cash in on the 'low carb craze', to attack low carb dieting by suggesting the diets themselves promote these foods. Whether or not these foods are appropriate, the dietician's support for her argument is "common sense". Objective science?

The article continues setting up irrelevant straw men and knocking them down and attempts to attribute them to low carb. It really does not sound like she is familiar with any of the literature. In some sections she talks about excercise, avoiding trans-fats, and tips for healthy living as though Atkin's and other low carb diets discourage them.

Some of my favorites:

So, why do low-carb diets cause weight loss? [SNIP: explanation of water weight loss] [ why bother explaining how the rest of it works...]

Fitzgerald also notes that eating the same kind of high-protein foods for days becomes boring, so dieters eat less overall. [eatting the same kind of high-carb food for days becomes boring too, right? Eat something different...]

As sources of complex carbohydrates, these foods take longer to be digested than simple carbohydrates like sugars, leaving you feeling full longer. [ Hmm fat and CCK seem to work pretty well]

Research is also now underway to examine whether the total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol that low-carb dieters ingest at excessive levels can lead to potentially-deadly diseases like heart disease and an array of cancers. [Well the Duke Study came back...]

“After all, you didn’t gain the weight overnight, why should you expect to lose it overnight?” she says. [who said we did?]

I was in the middle of writing a long e-mail to Dr. Dean for supporting this crap and calling it objective science. But then I realized how long it was taking me to rebut the entire article with cited references. The article just wasn't worth it and the disclaimer on his webpage saying how he won't respond. Oh well...at least I can vent here.

thanks for listening =)
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