I have been on the Atkins diet for almost 1 month now, I have lost about 8 lbs. I recently heard from two different friends that Dr Atkins suffered a heart attack himself. Is this true and is there reason for alarm?

Hi Splatt!

Dr. Atkins suffered a cardiac arrest which is different from a heart attack. A heart attack is when the arteries of the heart get clogged and damage the muscle of the heart because it's not getting enough oxygen, but the heart itself is still beating. A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating and can be caused by a variety of things. In Dr. Atkins case, it was caused by an infection that he has had for a few years that is in no way related to his diet. As a matter of fact, tests have shown that the arteries of his heart are completely clear. How may 71 year olds can claim that? Your friends are repeating misinformation and don't have all the facts. HTH

Here's a link to the article from the Atkins Site in response to this:

http://atkinscenter.com/Archive/2002/4/25-466719.html

So there is NO cause for alarm. If you have never caught an infection in your heart muscle, you are safe. (It is from tropical areas.)

The LC way of eating reduces the material in your arteries that can cause heart attacks. So you are now safer than you were before.