Yesterday I bought a fitness magazine because the cover said "Low-Carb Diets: Are they safe?". The article had the opinions of 5 doctors. They all brought up the normal arguments: it's not safe, the brain prefers carbohydrates, it's a low-calorie diet, it's impossible to stick to, they reduce our ability to exercise, it increases our risk for heart disease and cancer...etc. No one had a positive view.
Then in the Q&A section someone asked about ketosis being healthy. The answer was very assuring that ketosis is "a normal physiological state in healthy people who restrict their intake of calories". The answer also said "if your goal is to get rid of bodyfat, you're right on the mark if you are ketotic" and "it's been shown that the heart and brain run 25% better on ketones than glucose".
No wonder people are confused about what to eat. Even the magazines that we turn to for advice are writing contradicting articles. I just thought it was interesting that in one magazine there were such opposing opinions.

Misty.... I'd like to suggest that you write to the editors of that magazine and discuss your observations! Hey, maybe you'll even make the "letters to the editor" page!

Dear Misty,
This is probably a magazine that also has a page describing a new diet, with an ad for chocolate cake on the opposite page.
I don't think we can turn to magazines for advice, much--they are too subject to advertising and editorial concerns. I think, at best, they spark ideas or provide new avenues of inquiry that may lead to more reliable sources of similar information.

I believe I read the same article or one very similar to it in Muscle Media Magazine. The so called experts they asked were all nutritionists or medical doctors specializing in nutrition. As usual they all subscribed to the low fat dogma promoting carbs a essential to good heath and fitness. I general like the information in Muscle Media Magazine but this article was total BS.

Yep, it was Muscle Media magazine. The October 2002 issue. I didn't know if I should mention it by name or not. I know a lot of people here follow BFL and I didn't want to offend anyone. I use some of the BFL training tips, but not the diet.

TeriDoodle-That's great advice. I think I will write a letter to the editors. I'm just waiting for someone to be a BFL winner and say that they've been following low-carb, like so many people here are. I wonder if that would disqualify them???