arkie6

Your are correct when you state that your health is in your hands. And you are also correct when you state that you need to cut way back on the carbohydrates. But the issue with fats is a little more complicated. Some fats are essential for health, others cause no harm, and others really need to be avoided. It is the quality of the fats you choose to eat that matters more than the quantity. Most people don't get enough Omega 3 essential fatty acids in their diet (found primarily in cold water fish and wild game and grass fed beef), most people get too much of the Omega 6 essential fatty acids (found in commercial vegetable oils from corn, cottonseeds, soy, etc.). And natural saturated fats from animal products (meats, eggs, dairy, cheese, butter ,etc.) and coconut and palm oils don't cause near the problems that they once were thought to cause and in many ways are quite beneficial. The fats that really should be avoided are the trans fatty acids found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are in margarine, shortening, and most processed foods. Monounsaturated fats like those found in extra virgin olive oil and avacados (even pork lard is over 50% monounsaturated fat) have been shown to be beneficial.

For breakfast I would recommend a good portion of eggs cooked in real butter or olive oil or bacon drippings and several ounces of your favorite meat. Bacon is okay on occasion, but due to the processing methods, I wouldn't recommend it every day. Strawberries and most other berries are a good low sugar fruit that you might consider on occassion.

My advice: Cut way back on your carbohydrates, especially those from highly processed foods, sugar, white flour, and starchy things like potatoes, and even most high sugar fruit. Cut back on the highly processed partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and highly polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Eat more whole natural foods including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and low sugar fruits.

Those macronutrient ratios sound like the Zone diet. While a definite step in the right direction from the government recommendations of 60% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 25% fat, you can do better by lowering your intake of non-essential carbohydrates.

Most doctors really get very little training in nutrition. Most just rely on the eating recommendations from government bureaucrats and quasi health authorities that recommend a diet high in carbohydrates, which is done more to appease the food manufacturers and farm lobby than for health reasons.

My advice is to cut way back on your carbohydrates, especially those from highly processed foods, sugar, white flour, breads, and starchy things like potatoes, and even most high sugar fruit. These are the things that significantly raise your bloodsugar levels. If you want to reduce the likelyhood that you will progress to Type II diabetes, this should be your first step. Cut back on the highly processed partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and highly polyunsaturated vegetable oils from corn, soy, etc. Eat more whole natural foods including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and low sugar fruits.

There is an excellent book on the subject that I recommend. It is called "Protein Power" by Dr. Eades. The book title doesn't really do the book justice, because it covers much more than protein with regard to health and nutrition. You can usually pick up the paperback version of the book for around $5.00 - $6.00.

A good book on diabetes and diet is "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution".

From a nutrition standpoint, both of these books advocate a diet low in carbohydrate and moderate in healthy proteins and fats. The recommended sources of carbohydrate (not for the sake of the carbohydrates, but for the vitamins and minerals) are from vegetables and the occassional low sugar fruit, not grains and taters.

Alan


[This message has been edited by arkie6 (edited 04-23-2002).]

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The tragedy of science is the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. T H Huxley