Heather .. thanx for the response. Yesterday, my cardiologist came back into town, and as I'd left a message with him, he returned my call last night.

I was under the impression that he was vacationing in Las Vegas, (that's where he usually goes)...however, he told me he had just spent the last last 5-days in Chicago ... at the AMA Cardiologist yearly meetings, or the Cardiac some kind of meeting..and the Atkins diet was the main thrust of the conversation.

Though Dr. Atkins did sponsor (and pay for) the newest research study on the Diet ... neither my doctor (who is a Fellow in the American Academy of Cardiologists), is board certified as a cardiac surgeon also ... basically someone who's got all the right credentials ... he said the overwhelming opinion of these cardiologist was that there was nothing "contra-indicative"..I love doctor's use of the language, there was nothing "contra-indicative" in the Atkins results. It's possible his group is going to do an "about-face" on high carbs/low fat ... he likes the Atkins diet..but he said, "Steve, I'm still old-school enough to advise you that I personally would not eat red meat and bacon every single day...break it up with chicken and fish...but go ahead with Atkins".

He wants to see me next Monday to do some blood-work, I would assume finding a baseline for HDL, LDL and blood sugar levels (I'm also non-insuline depentdent diabetic)...but he's on board... Grenn light, go with it.

As far as my PA is concerned, though she's a PA-C (board certified in internal medicine), and was an RN before she became a PA ... I agree with you ... though I love the woman, she a fabulous diagnostician and has the very best people skills I have ever seen in a health-care pro ... she didn't give me the answer I wanted. AND, now that Cardio as well as another doctor I see (actually a pulmonologist, who usually isn't questioned about this sort of this), both agree to do it.

And I'm doing it...and I love the diet ... this morning I was at the airport and had a cheese omlette with bacon, and for lunch I went to a good Indian restaurant, had the grilled chicken, left over the saffarin rice, didn't eat the great oven bread that they serve ... didn't tough the salad or the yoghurt-based dips...just chicken ... and I feel GREAT!! (My blood sugar which was in the high 190's-low 200's a week ago is stablizing in the 130's).. And the only thing different that I'm doing is staying away from carbs.

Good Thanksgiving - even without the stuffing

Steve