Saturday, July 30, 2011

Atkins Friendly Pizza Crust and Toppings Courtesy of Valorie

Well, today, I am taking off from visiting the NH and running multiple errands. Instead, I'm going to catch up on things that I've promised for a while! This pizza recipe was contributed by Valorie a few days ago, and I've been remiss on getting it up here. But, now that it's here, it does sound like a pizza lover's dream. Again, as with Arlene's pizza, you can top as you like and make it your own!

Valorie's Pizza

These amounts make a huge pizza, you can divide it up to make smaller amounts but my son said it was just as good heated up the next day so it can be a quick lunch the next day.

3 servings flax seed (6 tbsp) (Valorie used the golden roasted milled flaxseed, but I imagine any kind would do- I do hear a lot of people saying they prefer the golden flax, though.)
3 servings coconut flour (6 tbsp)
1 1/2 servings baking powder (1 1/2 tsp)
3 large egg
3 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper out for baking sheet. Mix cheese, eggs, flax, coconut flour, and baking powder together until a sticky wet dough is formed.

Spread with a spatula to ¼ inch thickness on a baking sheet lined with one piece of parchment paper.

Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven. Halfway through the baking process, flip crust over by sliding it off the baking sheet with the parchment paper, placing the second piece on the sheet, and turning the crust over unto the new sheet and peeling the old paper off. Return to oven until done baking.

Remove from oven, slide off of parchment paper, and flip over again for cooling. Once crust is cooled, top with sauce, pre-cooked veggies or meats, and cheese. Set crust with toppings under the broiler on high for a minute or two until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice and serve.

Very Atkins Friendly Pizza Courtesy of Arlene

I can definitely tell our family of OFL's are pizza lovers! I have two to post today. This one is from Arlene, who is a very busy lady taking care of DH and sticking with the WOE. Yet, she found the time to share this with us! I like this pizza, because it is tailor made for busy people! And, it's versatile enough for anyone to add their own touch to it! It is written in conversational style, because there is really no measurement for ingredients- do what you like with it!

I made my "pizza" last night and DH loved it! I baked 1/2# ground beef in a round cake pan, added the sauce and pepperoni, green & red peppers, scallions, mushrooms, and lots of mozzarella and put it under the broiler. There's even leftovers for lunch today. One pound of ground beef makes 2 pizzas (or you could make 4 pizzas, depending on how much beef you want to eat).

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Peanut Butter Muffins Courtesy of Valorie

I just love it when one of our "lurker" OFL's chimes in, especially with a new recipe for us! Valorie has brought us Peanut Butter Muffins. This one sounds delicious and will also serve to up your fat intake for the day- something we all work on! The bonus is that it sounds really easy, too.

Peanut Butter Muffins

6 tbls 100% natural creamy peanut butter
6 tbls flax
6 tbls almond flour
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp splenda
3 tbls sugar free chocolate chips
1 tbls coconut oil
3 large egg
2 tbls butter

Melt the butter and peanut butter in a pan in the microwave, about 20 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Scrape down the batter from the sides of the container. I use one of those small silicone round cake pans. Microwave on HIGH 2 1/2 minutes or until just set.
The recipe makes 4 good size servings, you may even make 8 out of it for those of you with smaller appetites.

Eggplant (Aubergine) Casserole Courtesy of Gabby

If you are an OFL, you will know that I mentioned an eggplant casserole recipe I devised to make another use of the abundant harvest of eggplants my brother has right now. This recipe can be eaten without putting the final cheese on it and browning in the oven. Then it is a side dish. With the cheese and little bit of oven bake, it adds to your fat consumption and becomes a casserole. So, here it is- feel free to tweak with your own preferences of herbs and seasonings.

Eggplant Casserole

1 medium eggplant or 2 small, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (I avoid using very large eggplants because they tend to be bitter.)
Note: If you have purchased your eggplant in a grocery store and have no idea about shipping and storage time, it's best to peal and cube and soak in heavily salted water for about 1/2 hour before cooking.Then rinse and continue with the recipe. This helps to remove bitter taste.
1/2 medium white onion diced or cut into very thin slices
1 small green bell pepper diced
1 sweet banana pepper diced (another very small bell pepper or 1/2 of a larger one will do as well- I just have lots of banana peppers, courtesy of Marc's garden)
1 clove garlic minced
1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil- use plain olive oil, not virgin or extra virgin- you don't want the stronger olive flavor of virgin oils in this dish.
1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon of chicken base
1 15- 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes ( if using fresh, 2 - 3 medium diced tomatoes will do nicely- sadly, tomato season is over here.)
1 teaspoon each basil and parsley (dried)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried onion bits
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional and omit if on phase one- it does contain a wee bit of sugar)
Salt and pepper to taste (add this at the last of simmering)

Preheat saute' pan to medium heat and add all ingredients except tomatoes and chicken base. Saute' till onions begin to turn translucent, and add tomatoes. Add tomatoes and chicken base- simmer for at least 25 - 30 minutes on medium low temp or until all veggies are cooked through, but not mushy. Most of the tomato liquid should have cooked out at this point.

Now, it is your choice: serve this as a side dish or continue for a casserole. If doing the casserole, pour the eggplant mixture into a 9 x 9 baking dish or whatever holds it nicely, and cover with cheese of your choice. I used a 6 cheese Italian blend and then sprinkled dried parmesan over the top of that. Place under your oven broiler (not too close to the broiler- about the middle of the oven) and broil till cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Take out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes and serve. Enjoy!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Diabetes Dietary Guidelines and More from Jimmy Moore

If you aren't familiar with Jimmy Moore's "Livin' La Vida Low Carb" blog and pod casts, you are missing some of the best information around about low carbohydrate living and how to go about it. Today, I've been trying to catch up on some of my listening to Jimmy's pod casts, and I came across this one, which is of particular interest to the thousands of diabetics out there, as well as to the rest of us low carbers! On this pod cast Jimmy had Kim Eidson and Eric Smitz (Dana Carpender's husband.) They take apart the 2010 federal dietary guidelines and also some of the "newest" diabetic advise. I still find it hard to believe that people actually preach this stuff to diabetics who are so sensitive to sugars! One more giant encroachment by the pharmaceutical industry! The more carbs diabetics eat, the more medication they need! So, doing this first grade math, who profits when diabetics and the rest of us eat a lot of carbs??

Just listen to this, and it will open your eyes, as well as inspire you once more to stick with that low carb life!

http://www.lowcarbconversations.com/289/18-eric-schmitz-kim-eidson-share-recipes-dispel-dietary-strawman/

News About Effects on Blood Sugar of Atkins Nutritionals

If you are a fan of Jimmy Moore as I am, you may have already read a lot about his n=1 experiments on various touted low carb foods. He has tested Dreamfields pasta with not so good results and Julian Bakery Smart Carb Breads with also not so good results on his blood sugar. Now, he has moved on to testing the Atkins Nutritional products. So you won't have to hunt this article on his blog, I have copied and pasted it for you. It is well worth reading! Some of the things we have blindly assumed are really low carb- are not! Anyway, when you have a few minutes take time and give this information a read. You may even want to do some testing on your own!

Jimmy Moore’s n=1 Experiments: Atkins Nutritionals Protein Shakes

Little did I know when I started my n=1 experiments in May 2011 that they would so quickly capture the intense attention of my readers and the manufacturers of the products I am testing. It all started with Dreamfields pasta which unfortunately tracked virtually identical blood sugar response as white pasta despite their claim that one serving size has 5g “protected carbs” on blood sugar. When I asked Dreamfields President Mike Crowley to explain why this happened in an interview, all he could say is “we stand behind the nutritional claims of our low-carb pasta.” I was disappointed to say the least.
Then last month I moved on to Julian Bakery SmartCarb breads made into grilled cheese sandwiches using coconut oil and cheese (which is how many low-carbers who were purchasing this bread probably used it). The blood sugar testing results I shared started a firestorm of responses from a representative there named Heath Squier (who ironically showed very similar poor blood sugar control after eating the SmartCarb #1 bread which he described as “great results”) who claimed his 1-2g net carb breads produce “almost no increase in blood sugar” in anyone who consumes them alone. He went on and on about how the couple of grams of natural sugars contained in the cheese I consumed with his breads led to the huge spike in my blood sugar and that this made my test results invalid. This was totally bogus and I knew it was merely a smokescreen excuse.
Nevertheless, I gave Heath the benefit of the doubt and retested my blood sugar consuming just the SmartCarb breads alone. The result? My blood sugar results were even worse eating just the bread than they were with the coconut oil and cheese. A lot of hemming and hawing ensued after I published my second set of tests and I continually asked Heath for a logical explanation about what happened to my blood sugar when this bread is supposed to be “low-carb.” All I ever heard from him was that my “results are not typical” and that within two weeks there would be plenty of examples from the over 100,000 customers nationwide that would counter my results. It’s now six weeks later and there’s only been this one blood sugar test result from a Type 1 diabetic eating SmartCarb #1 bread published so far. I welcome more people who doubt my results to test for yourself. Again, that’s what this n=1 experiment is really all about.
After all, lest anyone following my n=1 experiments forgets, this is merely one man’s blood sugar response to a series of food products purporting to be “low-carb” and ANYONE can replicate them for themselves quite easily (if they don’t mind pricking themselves as many as 10-15 times each day for the glucometer readings). What I happen to see with my blood sugar levels doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing will happen to YOU! So, as my friend Jenny Ruhl says on her popular “Blood Sugar 101″ web site, you just gotta “Test test test!”
When I started testing my blood sugar levels and posting the results on my blog, some of my fellow non-diabetic friends and readers scoffed at the notion of testing blood sugar levels since we’re not diabetic. But anyone who has read my blog or listened to my podcast for any length of time already knows that keeping blood glucose levels under control is of the utmost importance (the amazing Dr. William Davis from “The Heart Scan Blog” refers to this kind of self-testing as “Glucomania”). Out of control blood sugar levels is arguably the worst thing metabolically for your body to endure. Consuming foods that keep blood sugars stabilized as opposed to an erratic up and down rollercoaster ride is ideal for optimal overall health.
That’s why so many of us with compromised metabolisms and hormones that are out of whack enjoy livin’ la vida low-carb so much. Keeping our carbohydrate intake limited primarily to green leafy and non-starchy vegetables while consuming ample amounts of healthy fats and proteins from quality sources of meats, eggs, cheeses, nuts, seeds, and more makes improved metabolic health and balanced hormone levels happen rather effortlessly. This is the very essence of low-carb living that helps keep so many of us happy, healthy and satisfied better than any other way of eating out there bar none! The miracle that is low-carb has kept me motivated to keep sharing about it for over six years and I plan on continuing to shout it from the mountaintops for many more years to come.
Because we all live busy lives, it can sometimes be a bit hairy trying to find access to good nourishment for our bodies that won’t compromise our low-carb lifestyle commitment. At the same time, so many companies out there claim to have good low-carb products for people who are on-the-go. Today I have the first set of product test results from what is arguably the biggest name in low-carb food manufacturing and distribution today: Atkins Nutritionals.
Bearing the famous name of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, this company has been putting out low-carb protein shakes, breakfast bars, candy and other such foods for people on carbohydrate-restricted diets for over two decades. People write to me all the time asking whether these Atkins products are good for people following a low-carb diet. My answer has always been the same: try them for yourself, test your blood sugar response, and respond accordingly. Since I’ve given out that suggestion so many times over the years, I wanted to do it for myself over this past week to see what my results would be as part of the next phase of my n=1 experiments. With such an enormous product line, I decided to start off my testing with the Atkins Daybreak Protein Shakes.
Keep in mind, I don’t normally drink protein shakes. I’d personally rather have some delicious local pastured farm eggs cooked in some coconut oil that takes me three minutes max to whip up in a pan. But I know some people get tired of eggs or can’t stand them, so they may be considering adding the Atkins shakes to their low-carb menus. If I were going on a trip somewhere and wanted to have a snack on hand for the plane or car ride, then perhaps I would turn to the Atkins shakes as an option. I wonder what would happen to my blood sugar after consuming this product that claims to have just 2g net carbs? That’s what I wanted to find out while comparing the Atkins shakes to their major competitor Kellogg’s Special K Protein Shakes as well as other typical breakfast beverages that people would consume, including orange juice (UGH!), 2% milk, and raw whole milk (sold legally in my home state of South Carolina).
Because it’s been kinda busy in the Moore household since finding out Christine is pregnant after 16 years of trying to have kids and my jam-packed podcast recording schedule this month, I was only able to test in 15-minute increments for two hours instead of the more preferred three hours. Even still, the results I received provided some truly incredible information that I think you will find both noteworthy and eyebrow-raising. Hopefully it inspires you to do some testing of your own.
Are you ready for the results? Check ‘em out:

Atkins Daybreak Wild Berry Protein Shake
SERVING SIZE: 11 fl oz
CALORIES: 140
TOTAL CARBS: 10g
DIETARY FIBER: 7g
SUGARS: 0g
NET CARBS: 2g
TOTAL FAT: 9g
PROTEIN: 10g
Blood sugar testing results–July 14, 2011 from 9:15AM-11:15AM

Fasting reading: 105
Peak reading: 108
Low reading: 93

Atkins Daybreak Creamy Chocolate Protein Shake
SERVING SIZE: 11 fl oz
CALORIES: 140
TOTAL CARBS: 10g
DIETARY FIBER: 7g
SUGARS: 0g
NET CARBS: 3g
TOTAL FAT: 9g
PROTEIN: 10g
Blood sugar testing results–July 15, 2011 from 8:15AM-10:15AM

Fasting reading: 98
Peak reading: 108
Low reading: 92

Kellogg’s Special K Strawberry Protein Shake
SERVING SIZE: 10 fl oz
CALORIES: 180
TOTAL CARBS: 29g
DIETARY FIBER: 5g
SUGARS: 18g
NET CARBS: 24g
TOTAL FAT: 5g
PROTEIN: 10g
Blood sugar testing results–July 16, 2011 from 7:00AM-9:00AM

Fasting reading: 105
Peak reading: 127
Low reading: 81

Simply Orange Original Pulp Free 100% Pure Orange Juice
SERVING SIZE: 13.5 fl oz
CALORIES: 190
TOTAL CARBS: 45g
DIETARY FIBER: 0g
SUGARS: 41g
NET CARBS: 45g
TOTAL FAT: 0g
PROTEIN: 3g
Blood sugar testing results–July 18, 2011 from 8:45AM-11:00AM

Fasting reading: 104
Peak reading: 142
Low reading: 104

Southern Home 2% Reduced Fat Pasteurized/Homogenized Milk
SERVING SIZE: 8 fl oz
CALORIES: 130
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
DIETARY FIBER: 0g
SUGARS: 12g
NET CARBS: 12g
TOTAL FAT: 5g
PROTEIN: 8g
Blood sugar testing results–July 19, 2011 from 9:00AM-11:00AM

Fasting reading: 108
Peak reading: 117
Low reading: 102

Milky Way Farm Raw Milk
SERVING SIZE: 8 fl oz
CALORIES: 160
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
DIETARY FIBER: 0g
SUGARS: 12g
NET CARBS: 12g
TOTAL FAT: 9g
PROTEIN: 9g
Blood sugar testing results–July 21, 2011 from 8:30AM-10:30AM

Fasting reading: 101
Peak reading: 106
Low reading: 99
Here’s a composite graph of all of the blood sugar readings from these experiments:

What did you think about these test results? Here are my quick observations:

  • The Atkins shakes seemed to have a minimal impact on my blood sugar

  • That Special K Protein Shake dropped my blood sugar nearly 40 points in 30 minutes

  • Predictably, orange juice produced a huge sustained blood sugar spike

  • There was severe hypoglycemia only with Special K (not even OJ)

  • 2% milk showed a slow rise in blood sugar and then not that much

  • Raw milk, despite having 12g carbs, saw a flatline glucose response

  • I felt most hungry after consuming the OJ and Special K protein shake It appears that the Atkins shakes aren’t such a bad option for me when I’m on the go or away from home and need a quick something. It’s also curious that raw milk performed the best among all the tests I conducted. Does this mean I should add it into my low-carb diet as another real food source of fat and protein as well as other healthy nutrients despite the extra carbohydrates? Perhaps I will. You just never know what you’re gonna find out when you test your blood sugars on various foods. One thing is for certain: I won’t be drinking orange juice or Special K Protein Shakes again anytime soon!
    We’re just getting started with the Atkins Nutritionals n=1 experiments though. Now that the Atkins shakes performed well for my blood sugars, how about those Atkins Advantage bars meant as a snack or meal replacement? We’ll see what if any impact they have on my blood glucose numbers in August and then I’ll tackle the Atkins Endulge candy bars in September. It’ll be interesting to see what happens and I’ll be sure to share all the results here at my blog when I start testing again in about a month. For now, my fingers need a rest from all the pricking. If you have conducted blood sugar tests on the Atkins shakes, then I’d love to have you share your results in the comments section below.

  • Sugar Free Relish Made from Dill Relish

    I frequently like to use sweet relish for various things and have not found a jarred sugar free relish that tastes right to me. So I do my own. I buy dill relish and convert it. For instance, when making deviled eggs or other salads, I place the amount of dill relish I want to use in a small bowl and sprinkle it with sweetener such as Splenda from the packet and stir it around. I let it sit for about twenty minutes, stir again and use just as if it were sweet relish- works very well!

    Once More on Boiling Eggs!

    As most of you know, I have been dealing with the failing health of my mother, while trying to shore up my 91 year old father, and it has become almost a full time job! So let me apologize for neglecting the blog so long!

    On to food! There has long been a battle raged among foodies about proper technique for boiled eggs. Being a former chef, of course I have my two cents worth and here it is. First of all, with a minimum of patience, it is possible to produce perfect boiled eggs- that is, not too hard and rubbery, not too soft and most certainly without that awful greenish ring around the yolk! Here's the foolproof method:


    Place eggs in a boiler/pot and cover with cold tap water. Allow enough room so that the eggs are not touching each other. Place on the burner with the temp turned to high. Add 1 teaspoon of any vinegar for every two to three eggs. Now, here's the patience part- gently stir the eggs around the pot till the water comes to a full rolling boil. Keep stirring and count to sixty. Take the pot off the burner if it is electric or turn off the heat if gas. Ignore the eggs in the cooking water till they are at least lukewarm or even cold. They will finish cooking to perfect consistency as the boiling water cools. They will peel easily, the yolks will be more centered from the stirring (nice if you're making deviled eggs,) and there will be no visually unappetizing greenish ring around the yolks. This is only two minutes of your time, but well worth it!


    The other piece of advice is NEVER use very fresh eggs. They are not suitable for boiling. If I know I have bought really fresh eggs, or gotten them from my brother's neighbor who has chickens, I always keep them at least a week to ten days in the fridge before using for boiling.

    Sunday, July 10, 2011

    More Inspiration from Jimmy Moore!

    Once again, I've been listening to Jimmie Moore's podcast, "Jimmie Moore and Friends," and once again, I'm inspired. Today, I NEED that inspiration, because I am having battle with the carb creep demon! Pm this podcast, Jimmie had Bill DeWitt, a long time vegetarian, who ballooned to over 400 pounds "eating right" and Anne Robertson from France, a kidney and liver transplant patient, who is also totally blind. Both of these people are truly inspiring to us low carbers! There are also cooking suggestions and a wonderful creamy chicken recipe from Anne- plus more. So, take the time and listen- it's worth it!

    http://www.lowcarbconversations.com/267/17-anne-robertson-bill-dewitt-talk-cooking-oil-bacon-more/

    Sharon's Cheesy Culiflower Rice

    Sharon, one of our most faithful OFL's has contributed yet another good recipe for us. I converted it from metric to ounces for those of us not used to using the metric system. This recipe calls for ricing the cauliflower. If you're not familiar with ricing, most of the time a ricer is used with potatoes, and makes heavenly (not gluey) mashed potatoes. Of course we will ignore that use of a ricer! The ricer is an instrument you push soft food through and it comes out very much like rice. If you don't own a ricer, I really think a box grater would do as well. I have made Doreen's recipe for cauliflower rice with a box grater and it turned out fine. So try this one- sounds delicious!

    Sharon's Cheesy Cauliflower Rice

    700 g or 1 1/2 pounds of steamed cauliflower
    2 Tbsp Hellmann's real mayonnaise
    100 g or 3.5 ounces shredded parmesan (well, the local equivalent)
    2 small tomatoes

    While the cauliflower is steaming, dice the tomatoes into tiny dice. When the cauliflower is done, drain it and rice it really quickly so it stays hot. Then mix in all the other ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve right away.

    The entire recipe is 804 calories, 48.4 fat grams, 27.84 net carbs, 53.32 protein grams. I had meant to eat a third of it and ended up eating half of it. And it was sooooo good!

    Monday, July 4, 2011

    Sharon's Coconut Oil Candy

    Recently in our neighborhood (Old Fat Ladies on Atkins,) there has been a lot of discussion about getting more of the right kind of fats in our diet to boost weight loss. Several people have found that they could not take the coconut oil just plain. So, recipes are trickling in. I have read several articles about coconut oil and its benefits and many people just saute' and fry with it. Sharon, a long-standing member of the OFL's has come up with a recipe for coconut oil candy. She says it tastes like a good dark chocolate. It's a very simple recipe and we like that! So many of us are too busy for complicated recipes. So, give this one a try!

    Coconut oil candy:

    100 ml coconut oil, in liquid state
    3 level Tbsp good-quality cocoa powder
    1 level Tbsp instant coffee
    Splenda to taste (I use about 1.5 level Tbsp of the kind you bake with)

    Mix well, pour into silicone molds, refrigerate. Makes about 18 pieces.

    When I get home again (I'm in Tel Aviv), I'm going to try stirring sesame seeds into the candy, for a nice crunch.

    Sunday, July 3, 2011

    Inspiring Podcast from Jimmie Moore

    If you want to be really inspired and feel good about your low carb lifestyle, take a listen to this recent podcast from Jimmie Moore. Listen to Lynne Ivey from Duke University and Lisa Osowski, a registered dietician from Illinois discuss low carb eating and all its benefits.

    http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/page/2

    Jimmie Moore on Statin Drugs

    Good afternoon dear old fat ladies and others who read this blog. Recently Jimmie Moore had a follower write him about statin drugs. If you are currently taking a statin for cholesterol or have been asked to take one, please read what I am copying and pasting from Jimmie. Also go back in our blog and read the story of Dr. Duane Graveline, an astronaut and Air Force flight surgeon (retired) There are links at the bottom of Jimmie's article that are very pertinent. The fact of the matter is that if you are a woman past menopause, statin drugs do no good whatsoever and can even cause documented harm! As others say, there are $29 billion reasons for the drug industry to push statins and lie about them!

    So, read and be educated:

    Reader Refuses Statin, Gets Heart Scan And Gives Her Doctor An Education On Low-Carb Health

    People often ask me, “What motivates you to keep blogging about low-carb? Don’t you ever get tired of writing about it or run out of things to share?” The answer to the second question is a resounding NO! My problem isn’t finding what to blog about but rather what NOT to blog about. There’s so much interesting and important information to share, trying to fit it all in is the issue I find most challenging. That’s one of the reasons I encourage people to seek out information not just from my blog but a variety of outstanding blogs and podcasts on the Internet to broaden your health knowledge even more. I recently added two fresh new listings of “The Best Blogs” and “My Favorite Health Podcasts” to the right for you to zero in on those people who are doing some truly extraordinary work in spreading the positive message of healthy low-carb living to the masses. One by one, we ARE making a difference in the lives of real people.
    And that takes me back to the first question regarding what motivates me to keep doing what I’m doing. Honestly, sometimes it can be challenging when you are criticized by others for doing or not doing what they think is right. I’ve done this long enough now that I expect a certain level of this kind of thing to happen–but it doesn’t make it any less painful to endure. But what really keeps me going is hearing from those precious people who felt there was no hope for them in their weight and health journey until they read something on my blog, heard a message just for them on my podcast, or watched my wife Christine and I share a point on one of our YouTube videos that made it all click for them for the first time. It’s these watershed moments where people are no longer victims to their obesity or disease and instead become stronger through the knowledge they acquired as a direct result of my work that help me wake up in the morning excited about another new day of changing the lives of real people.
    One such reader shared an extraordinary e-mail with me about an encounter she had with her family doctor after losing over 100 pounds eating low-carb. He was thrilled with her weight loss but was concerned about her elevated cholesterol numbers. Rather than settling for being a slave to a prescription drug for the next umpteen years, she instead started doing her own research and investigating what would be best for her. She learned some invaluable information from my blog, took the bull by the horns, and grabbed back control of her health at a time when most patients simply give in to the demands of their doctors who must know everything about health because they wear a white coat and endured years of medical education. But as this story from my reader shows, sometimes we as patients can provide our physicians a lesson or two through our example:
    Hi Jimmy,
    I hope you don’t mind me contacting you, but I want to share some things with you.
    My doctor is thrilled with my 103-pound weight loss (thanks to low carb). But I just had my blood work done a couple of weeks ago and he called me with my report. My cholesterol is even higher and he said since my mom had a heart attack way too early in life, he is concerned about me. He said I either need to start taking a statin drug NOW, or if I want to try on my own, through diet and exercise, he will give me another 6 to 8 weeks to check me again. If it’s the same or higher, he wants me to go on the prescription.
    I have to say that I have NOT been exercising, but yet have lost most of my weight in the last 1 1/2 years. I have been thinking I should start exercising, but just haven’t done so on a regular routine. But I have been dancing around the house while doing housework and making myself move more! My puppy dogs think I am trying to play with them and they get all excited. Hee hee! I have PCOS and diverticulosis which then leads to diverticulitis and some pretty bad attacks. Needless to say, I stay away from foods that bother me.
    The doctor said I needed to get more fiber, but, I can’t have beans or raw veggies on my low-carb lifestyle. I’ve been eating creamy peanut butter on a low carb tortilla or just by the spoonful. I am totally allergic to any and all cheeses, even sour cream and cream cheese. There are also a lot of foods that the smell bothers me and I just can’t eat them. So, my food choices are very slim to choose from, but, I certainly haven’t been starving while being on low-carb.
    My doctor recommended that I eat more chicken than red meat and that I should consume lots of fruits and veggies. All my life when I eat fruit I don’t feel good because of the sugar. I am not diabetic and get tested often, but they always say there are no signs of it. It’s because of the PCOS apparently and my body is insulin resistant and can’t properly process carbs and sugar. I had two small pieces of cantaloupe over the weekend and my tummy was not happy with me.
    After talking to my doctor, it scared me, naturally, and I started searching online and so did my hubby. He found an old blog post of yours from 2007 where you interviewed Dr. William Davis from “The Heart Scan Blog.” He’s a cardiologist who advises his patients to live a low-carb lifestyle and is in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area–SO AM I!
    I started reading other links and posts from your blog where you and others were saying their doctors were giving them high cholesterol reports and wanting to put them on statin medications. Some had heart scans done and all was fine meaning they didn’t have to take any prescriptions after all. So that got me to thinking and I called Dr. Davis’ office to find out the name of the imaging place close to me that does heart scans. I called and made an appointment and went and had a heart scan done to see for myself where I stood.
    The lady that did the scan showed me the images on the computer afterwards and showed me what to look for and she said she couldn’t see any plaque build-up. YAY! I got my written report in the mail a few days later and yep, sure enough I got a big fat 0 (yes a ZERO!) score on my heart scan! The normal reading for a 60-year old woman like me is at least 25%. They sent my doctor a copy of the report and I made an appointment with him to go over these test results.
    When my doctor walked into the room, he was all smiles and said my heart scan report was the best it could possibly be. He said for me being 60 years old, it is absolutely terrific to have a zero calcium deposit score. He said he didn’t feel I needed to take any cholesterol medicines after all and he was actually pleased that I took the initiative and got the heart scan done on my own. He asked me how I found out about Dr. Davis and the heart scan–so I told him all that I had learned from your blog and the links you provide.
    He asked me what made me want to have the heart scan done, so I told him I really wasn’t excited about taking any medicine if I really didn’t need it. That’s when I started looking online and found your blog post I mentioned above. He was pleased that I was taking such an active role in my own health situation. I felt empowered as a patient that day and it was good to make my doctor feel proud of me for taking control of my own health. I sure feel better and he does too.
    Who knows, maybe this has opened his eyes a little and maybe not everyone who has a high cholesterol report needs to take a statin drug. Maybe he will advise they have a heart scan done first before putting them on those medicine. He didn’t say that, but, I suppose it’s possible that he will be changing his course of action in the future when people are in this same situation that I was in. I feel so much better now that he isn’t wanting to give me cholesterol-lowering pill anymore. He says I am doing great and to keep up the good work. My HDL “good” cholesterol and triglycerides are better than they’ve ever been, so that’s in my favor. My LDL “bad” cholesterol is worse, but he said maybe in time it will even out.
    Thanks so much for all that you do for everyone. You and Christine and all of the others who work so hard in the low-carb community are so wonderful. I enjoy reading the posts, but I tend to not comment a lot or I’d be on the computer all day long and wouldn’t get anything else done! I’m seriously thinking about going on the Low-Carb Cruise next year, but I don’t know if I can make it or not. You sure have a lot of great guest speakers lined up and it sounds like it will be a wonderful time for everyone. I’ll do everything I can to be there so I can meet you and say thank you in person. Thank you for being you and for helping everyone and for being such a wonderful inspiration!
    WOW! What a perfect example of how an educated and empowered patient can change the course of their health. When you refuse to believe that medication is the ONLY option for changing your health, then you will do what this reader did to learn more about the alternative tests that need to be run and have them done whether your doctor ordered them or not. I often question my podcast guests why patients are so willing to put a risky medication in their bodies when they haven’t yet exhausted all of the natural remedies and changes in diet first. It must go back to our trust in physicians to “do no harm” and that they wouldn’t prescribe a drug if it wasn’t safe and effective. That paradigm, I believe, is beginning to change and more people like my reader are taking back control of their own health. WOO HOO!
    Do you have a story to share with me about changes that have happened in your weight and/or health because you refused to believe you would have to take a prescription drug for the rest of your life? Send it to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and I may feature it here in a future blog post on “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb.” I’m encouraged to hear how my blog is impacting people’s lives and changing the future direction of their health. Never stop learning and sharing with everyone you know (including your doctor!) about the amazing benefits of high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb living!
    RELATED BLOG POSTS:
    20-Year Low-Carb Dieter Finds Zero Plaque Buildup In Her Arteries
    Why Do Most Doctors Seem Clueless When It Comes To Understanding Cholesterol?
    LipoScience’s NMR LipoProfile Test: A Revolutionary, More Accurate Lipid Profile Particle Size Screening
    RELATED PODCASTS:
    Justin Smith Says There Are $29 Billion Reasons To Lie About Cholesterol (Episode 438)
    Dr. Duane Graveline: Statins Permanently Damage Mitochondria (Episode 308)
    Dr. Dwight Lundell Says Statins Are No Cure For Heart Disease! (Episode 280)
    Dr. William Davis: Best Of 2008 ‘Encore Week’ (Episode 214)
    Dr. William Davis Pt. 1 (Episode 185)
    Dr. William Davis Pt. 2 (Episode 186)