Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet: A Powerful New Dietary Defense Against Aging

Rating:
Summary: A "10 Star" Book !
Review: "Dr. Atkins' Age-Defeying Diet" will empower you to "add years to your life...and life to your years".

Dr. Atkins has hit another "grand slam" of a life-enhancing best-seller with his "Age-Defying Diet". By combining the best of both sensible eating (the right combination of health-promoting proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and supplying your body with the best "anti-aging" nutrients through diet & nutritional supplements, you can enjoy life to the fullest.

Only through providing your body with the proper (essential) nutrients, and by avoiding "anti-nutrient substances" ("fake" sugar, white flour & man-made fats) can you live a life free of disease and physical / emotional pain & suffering.

I have recommended "Age-Defying Diet" to several people. Those that have read it & given me their feedback are all happy they read it.

"Waste of Money" reviewer doesn't know what he / she is talking about!

"Age Defying Diet" will empower you & your loved ones to take control of your health, and live a longer, healthier, happier & more productive life.

Rating:
Summary: You need this book!
Review: Dr Atkins has synthesized all off the latest research on nutrition and aging and has put together a up-to-date plan to help extend your life and improve the quality too. This is the best book on the subject since the bestselling classic, Life Extension, by Dirk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, from the late '70's. The difference with Atkins book though, is that he cites a lot of credible research that will become accepted at some point by the medical community. He is ahead of his time as usual. The gist of the book is to tell readers what steps they need to take to promote heart and brain health, mostly through diet and readily available nutritional supplements. He contends that many of the most common diseases can be delayed or avoided by following his regimen. This is an important book, a gift from Dr. Atkins to people interested in their own healthful longevity.

Rating:
Summary: Offers valuable information on how to eat properly
Review: For someone who was brought up believing that the way to dietary health and happiness was to avoid red meat, eggs, butter and saturated fats, and to load up on complex carbohydrates and use margarine, Dr. Atkins' ideas are indeed a revolution. In an incisive and extremely confident style, Dr. Atkins sets out what he believes are the components of a healthy diet for those of us past, say, fifty. First, "eat foods low in carbohydrates and high in antioxidants" (p. 277). These would be especially vegetables like kale, carrots, spinach, broccoli, etc. Second, eat natural fats and oils from butter, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and olive oil, and avoid all "trans fats" or highly processed fats in general. In fact, avoid highly processed foods of all kinds. Third, supplement your diet with what he calls "vitanutrients," i.e., vitamins like A, B, C, E etc. and minerals like zinc, calcium, etc., hormones like DHEA and melatonin, etc., and food supplements like ginseng, ginkgo biloba, etc.

Atkins himself is a medical doctor who practices alternative and complementary medicine. He is an enterprise himself with his many best-selling books and his Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine. When I first heard about him and his all protein and vegetable diet some years ago, I figured he was the charlatan author of yet another fad diet, and I ignored his books. This one is the first I've actually read, and I must say immediately that he is certainly not a charlatan. He is obviously a man who knows as much about diet as anyone could hope to know. Whether he is entirely correct in his ideas is not something I am incapable of assessing; but I am willing to bet he is mostly right. He has had an enormous experience treating patients, and it is encouraging to note that as a medical doctor he tends to write relatively few prescriptions. He even warns of the harm that can come from the use of commonly prescribed medicines and their side effects.

The most important claim he makes about ageing is that it is primarily caused by free radicals and that a diet high in antioxidants can reduce the number of free radicals in our bodies.

His central idea about diet is that it is not fats that are the enemy of health for people in the industrialized world (as we have so long been taught) but carbohydrates, especially highly processed ones. This is indeed a revolutionary idea, or at least it was when it was first expressed some years ago. Fat people are not fat because they eat too much fat. They are fat because they eat too many carbohydrates. When you think about it, especially from the point of view of evolutionary biology it suddenly makes enormous sense. What was it in the prehistory that we humans never had enough of to overindulge on? Not meat, and for many cultures, not fat, but carbohydrates. There were no fields of amber grain waiting to be harvested and made into flour and bread. There were no rice patties or acres of potatoes. Humans could fell a mammoth or an elephant seal once in a while and load up on meat and fat until they were sick of it, but there is no way they could have eaten enough wild wheat or barley to get sick of it. The sheer caloric expense of harvesting low-yield natural grains by hand prohibited any overdosing. It wasn't until the rise of agriculture about ten thousand years ago that we ever had enough of a carbohydrate to call it a staple of diet. Consequently, we are to some extent carbohydrate intolerant. This is an idea absent from popular books on nutrition twenty years ago, but a staple of the wisdom today.

I like the way Atkins explains how we came to this delusive state of dietary affairs in the first place, and how that delusion is maintained. The culprits are the mainstream medical establishment and the U.S. government working hand in hand to further the interests of vast agribusiness corporations who want to maintain a high public consumption of trans fats and highly refined carbohydrates. When you think about this, it also makes sense.

I also like how specific Atkins is. He names the foods and the vitanutrients and gives the amounts. He tells you how to work with your doctor (who, alas, may not be up on all the latest information) to put together a program for your specific needs. If nothing else, by reading this book you'll know how to ask some tough questions about diet and health that your doctor will have to respond to.

Agreeable too is the sardonic tone he takes with the medical establishment. For example on page 194 we find, "...Vitamin E enhances immunity. This has been a well-known fact among complementary practitioners for years, but perhaps now the information will trickle down to mainstream medicine, where this sort of knowledge is badly needed."

However, although the text is as readable as one would expect a popular book to be, especially with all the unavoidable abbreviations and acronym-filled detail, there is more than a little repetition. Additionally, Atkins and his assisting writer, Sheila Buff, have an annoying (to me) habit of beginning a chapter by telling the reader what they're going to say, saying it, and then telling the reader what they've said. On the other hand, that might be good; and anyway, who am I to second guess someone who has reached as many people with his books as has Dr. Atkins?

Rating:
Summary: The TRUTH about Dr. Atkins death
Review: It is astonishing to read the slam pieces here about Dr. Atkins so-called obesity and overweight condition at the time of his death. Here are the facts:
* He previously had a heart condition called cardiomyopathy -- a serious disease of the heart muscle which is unrelated to diet.
* He died of a head injury because of an accident falling on slippery ice and not of being overweight.
* His actual weight was 200 pounds when he was admitted to the hospital at the time of his accident. The erroneous reports of him weight 258 lbs was based on his weight at the time of his death. The extra weight was not fat, but an accumulation of body fluids linked to organ failure during his coma.
* His previous reported heart attack was due to a viral infection and not diet related. He spoke openly of his condition on various national news programs.
* The report that was released about him being overweight was leaked to the press by a group named "Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine", which is an ardent opponent of the Atkins diet. In short, they distorted his weight by reporting the weight at the time of death - 258 lbs, and not at the time of his admittance - 200 lbs...an obvious attempt to discredit and distort the facts surrounding Dr. Atkins death.
* A formal complaint has been filed by the Medical Examiner of New York regarding the suspicious leak of this information to the public by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine."
* The disinformation surrounding Dr.Atkins untimely death is politically driven by the AMA and other detractors of the diet.

Dr. Atkins book, New Diet Revolution has turned the AMA and other nutritional views upside down and has created a furor over the standard edicts of the medical profession. What is not said among the detractors of the Diet is that it is safe and it works. The information contained in this book will not only help you lose weight, it could save your life. The food industry, especially the bread and pasta industry have lost hundreds of millions of dollars because of the low carb revolution. Is it any wonder that this diet is under so much fire? Keep an open mind and read the book.

As a side note, ignor the mumbo-jumbo rantings and ravings of the "Elixir Diet" system. The hatred and mis-information spread by the reviewer is evidence enough that the Elixir system is phony as a three cent penny. Nuff said. The guy hasn't even read the Atkins book! Sheesh.

Rating:
Summary: Diet: Where we are
Review: The Diet Debate: Where We Are

Recent studies indicate that Dr. Atkins may well be right that the protein diet is better than the carbohydrate diet for a long, disease free life. If this turns out to be true we will all owe him a tremendous debt, and he will legitimately come to be regarded as a heroic pioneer who took on the system and won.
But, this book sadly does little to support his potential greatness in human medical history. His findings seem to arise chiefly from observing patients in his own medical practice. He asks you take his word, from decades of experience, that proteins are better than carbohydrates. This though would be a lot easier if he would present his observations in a scientific way; he does not do this at all. Instead, he merely asks us to accept the results he has observed, even as we know they are not the results observed by most doctors. Sensing the weakness of his pedagogic approach he often ventures beyond his medical practice to interpret, often in a very self serving way, scientific studies done by others. And, then to make matters worse he uses general observation from outside his practice and from outside scientific research to make conclusions that are certainly not always rational.
For example, perhaps the main argument in the book is that in the year 1900, lard, tallow, and butter were the main fats consumed, and there were virtually no heart attacks in America then. Now that the health police have virtually banned these foods from our diet, heart disease in the number one killer; therefore, he would have us believe, lard, tallow and butter prevent heart disease. Of course this sadly ignores that in 1900 virtually all Americans worked long days doing physical labor and only lived to 52 years of age as opposed to 76 years today, and perhaps 1000 other variables that have changed in 100 years. It is truly an apples and oranges comparison of the very worst sort.
Then, to add science to his conclusion about the heart benefits of butter, lard, and fat he sites the famed Framingham Heart Study by quoting the study director, Dr. Castelli, as saying that people with the lowest cholesterol (good for the heart in everyone's book) took in the most fat, cholesterol, and calories. A quick look on Dr.Castelli's web site reveals that a strictly vegetarian diet is literally his prescription for heart disease. He wants no meat at all while Atkins famously implores you to have "unlimited"(page 290) amounts? Dr. Castelli not only compiled the results from the Framingham study but also works closely with heart attack victims who he says benefit dramatically and immediately from a no meat vegetarian diet.
Sometimes Dr. Atkins seems to be pure snake oil salesman even when he's not selling the snake oil himself at his clinics. For example, he wants us to believe that merely taking Vitamin C will sharply reduce our risk of cancer. One would have to be a huge conspiracy theorist to believe such a simple preventative had been kept from us save for Dr. Atkin's sage counsel. At another point he says Vitamin E is as effective as selegiline against Alzheimer's disease. This may be true but it is saying next to nothing since selegiline and even its successor drug, Aricept, have only a barely noticeable effect on 5% of patients for 6 months and no effect at all on the overall course of the disease for anybody.

Anyway, no lay person is going to figure out the truth even if the study data were presented directly, but still we can thank Dr. Atkins. for fighting hard enough and long enough and succeeding enough to, prayerfully, provoke a lot more research that may eventually lead to some definitive answers.
In the mean time I'm going to occasionally enjoy meat and eggs(high in protein), and take advantage of what Atkins and most others seem agree on: a multi-vitamin/herb/mineral supplement and a few key vegetables and fruits, i.e., garlic, blueberries, blackberries, kale, and spinach. Fish oil seems extreme but you keep reading about it over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Revolutionary !!!
Review: The informative content of this book is unlike any other I have read. For more than 20 years I have read books and magazines about diet and nutrition, looking for ways to improve my health and keet off excess weight. Dr. Atkins writes about the body's metabolic, chemical, hormonal and aging processes in laymen's terms without insulting my intelligence. The information revolutionized my way of thinking about what I eat and the nutritional supplements I take. This book is truly a gift to share with others. Just like my new beverage of choice that replaced my morning brew. Its called s oyfee and taste so wonderful with no caffeine or acids. Organic and made from soya! Bye bye acid stomach and hello healthy tummy! Google it under "acid free coffee"


Rating:
Summary: Amazing Book
Review: This book has really opened my eyes about eating well. We've all heard about the harmful effects of free radicals and the need for anti-oxidants, but many of us don't know exactly why. Atkins explains the science in clear terms. Understanding how and why free radicals damage us and anti-oxidants protect us really motivates people to eat well (at least it does for me).

Of course, no Atkins book would be complete if it didn't advocate a strict reduction of processed carbs. This book is no different in that respect. What is different, however, is that in this book Atkins makes the strongest case yet outlining exactly how and why sugar and refined carbs harm us, not only by making us gain weight, but also by making us age. He explains clearly and his arguments are all well supported (which is typical for him).

Lastly, this book talks extensively about supplements.

The rumors that Atkins is all about bacon and steak is nonsense. You owe it to yourself to read this book and educate yourself about what Atkins really does advocate. Then you can make an informed decision about how you want to eat (and age). Good luck to you all.

Rating:
Summary: Stick With It, It's Worth The Read!
Review: This book starts out highly technical and hard to understand but as it progresses everything seems to tie together and is very much worth the read. See you at age 100!

Rating:
Summary: Atkins vs. AHA, AMA, FDA, etc. -- (and Atkins won.)
Review: Unfortunately, the editorial reviewer for Amazon.com who ridicules Atkins stance against the "experts" does not keep up with the latest medical journals, which have put Atkins claims to the test. Here's one of the latest from the New England Journal of Medicine:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/21/2082

The study lasted a year and tested the Atkins diet -- not against the regular, normal eating habits of Americans -- but against a low calorie "conventional" diet. The study showed that not only did those on the Atkins diet lose more weight than those on the low calorie diet but that they also experienced "a greater improvement in some risk factors for coronary heart disease."
And most significantly, as the article states:
"After three months, no significant differences were found between the groups in total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. The increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and the decrease in triglyceride concentrations were greater among subjects on the low-carbohydrate diet than among those on the conventional diet throughout most of the study. Both diets significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure and the insulin response to an oral glucose load."

This shouldn't come as a surprise as every similar test of low-carb diets has shown the same thing. The low carb diet not only causes more weight loss than low calorie diets; it matches the diet in terms of lower blood pressure and actually is significantly bettern in lowering triglycerides and in increasing HDLC
The reviewer must find these results incredible as he cannot seem to be able to imagine how all the scientists of the AMA, AHA, ADA, AAP, NIH, ACS, FDA, etc. could be wrong --and Atkins right. As the reviewer states:

"Dump the food pyramid that the American Dietetics Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Cancer Society all implore you to follow for the sake of your health....If you believe that Dr. Atkins somehow knows better than all those experts and organizations, here's his latest--a plan to defy aging through eating a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, taking lots of supplements, optimizing your hormones, detoxifying your body through chelation therapy, exercising, and taking brain-boosters like ginkgo biloba. Free radicals, insulin resistance, sugar--these are the reasons we age, get sick, and get fat, insists Atkins, not dietary fat. Eggs are good for you. The cholesterol you eat does not affect the cholesterol in your blood, he says. He scoffs at "the unholy alliance among the American Heart Association, American Medical Association, American Diabetes Association, and U.S. government in its many manifestations (FDA, Department of Agriculture, NIH, et al.)." One wonders why Atkins thinks all these medical organizations would band together to promote an unhealthy diet and not herald Atkins as a genius if, indeed, he had the answer."

As anyone familiar with the history of science or the Kuhnian nature of scientific revolutions understands, mainstream scientists often defend mainstream theories to a rabid and irrational degree -- while trying to suppress dissident views. Evidence against their theories are usually ignored, dismissed or overcome with a series of post hoc rationalizations. Waterston, the father of the kinetic theory of gases, could not get published. Wegener, the father of continental drift, was ridiculed by mainstream geologists. Boltzmann, the father of statistical mechanics, elicited tremendous controversy and fierce debate. Galileo couldn't even entice the professors of Padua to look through his telescope proving the existence of the moons of Jupiter. (One imagines the reviewer above would have listed all the geological organizations against Wegener as he reviewed, "The Origin of Continents and Oceans.")
As is always the case, scientist do band together and try their best to put down dissident theories.
And as shown by the latest studies from the New England Journal of Medicine, another dissident has just proved correct.

Rating:
Summary: Atkins Dead at 72 -- Not Very 'Age-Defying'
Review: Why model yourself after failure? Dr. Atkins is dead. At only 72. And he looked much older than his age.

He also suffered clinical death from cardiac arrest a year before he died. Autopsy showed he had suffered a heart attack, congestive heart failure and hypertension. As if this wasn't bad enough, Dr. Atkins was morbidly obese at his death! 258 pounds!! Where's the full disclosure?!

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Read Elixxir's book The ImmorTalist Manifesto! It gives you the new anti-aging programming needed to really stay young. It's an incredible read.

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