I understand your worries. There has been a great media effort to refute the health benefits of low carbohydrate eating, especially after decades of health "experts" telling us that lowFAT, highCARB is the way to live. Yet we are getting fatter, and diabetes and heart disease on the rise, not the opposite as they predicted. High blood sugar, surges and dips in insulin levels, and high blood pressure are more likely to have negative impact on the liver and kidneys, and lowcarb diets have been shown to CORRECT all of these problems.
But I will repeat emphatically, there is NO scientific, clinical evidence that following a lowcarb program will cause or worsen kidney or liver problems. The folks who claim there is a risk do not provide references or data, and there is often a conflict of interest. For example, many popular health magazines and websites are financially sponsored by Wheat and Cereal marketing boards, processed food manufacturers and pharmaceutical industries, who all stand to lose a great deal if people use real whole foods like meats and vegetables to improve health, rather than their highly-refined, expensive products.
There may be some risk to liver health from chemicals and food additives. I'm thinking of nitrates in smoked and processed meats, and also of artificial sweeteners, in particular aspartame/Nutrasweet/Equal, which contains phenylalinine. This has nothing to do with lowcarb diet, but you may wish to consider avoiding these ...
.. Milk Thistle herb (silymarin) has shown impressive results in clinical studies both in the US and Europe for improving liver health and actually repairing previously damaged liver cells.
Kidney stones are prevented by ensuring adequate fluid intake to keep the kidneys flushed out. Here is an article from CBS Healthwatch, August 2000, explaining this -
Quote:
Painful Kidney Stones Preventable
Q: What causes kidney stones? What are the symptoms and how is the condition treated?
A: Kidney stones are collections of mineral compounds that pool and harden in the kidney. Some people have a hereditary tendency to make stones. Not drinking enough fluids, especially in the hot weather, is also considered a risk factor for forming kidney stones.
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The treatment for a kidney stone attack, also known as "renal colic," consists of strong medications for pain and fluids by mouth or intravenously if necessary. Usually stones pass on their own after a day or two. If a stone gets caught in the ureter, a urologist may need to extract it during a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. Remember to drink plenty of fluids every day. That's the best defense against kidney stones!
© 2000 by Medscape Inc. All rights reserved.
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Click here if you wish to read the whole article.
I'm glad you've experienced no adverse effects from lowcarbing. What program are you following, if you don't mind my asking?? As I stated earlier, there are lowcarb plans that do not result in ketosis, if this is still a concern for you. I'm certain that the weight loss from lowcarbing will result in improved health for both you and your husband. Weight loss alone has been proven to lower blood pressure. Next to diabetes, high blood pressure is one of the greatest risk factors for kidney disease.
Take care, and happy lowcarbing.
Doreen