Protein Power:

The Ultimate Diet for Human Beings

Real Protection Against
Obesity, Heart Disease, and Diabetes

Web Page Compiled by Joshua Fields 

This web page was created in June, 2001.

Introduction

            In the present dark age of obesity and heart disease in epidemic proportions, cholesterol mania, diabetes, and ugly eating disorders, a spark of hope for the health of humanity was kindled 30 years ago by Dr. Robert Atkins and the introduction of his revolutionary low carbohydrate diet.  Since the birth of the Atkins diet in the 1970s, several low carbohydrate diets have emerged, and are to this day spreading among doctors and patients alike, ascending in integrity and intensity as part of a growing low carbohydrate revolution.  This web page serves to provide the general public with information about low carbohydrate diets.  The majority of the site is dedicated to discussing the Protein Power diet, arguably the model low carbohydrate diet, and to exploring the immense health benefits that it has to offer.

            Like the Atkins diet, the Protein Power diet is a high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diet.  The diet, conceived in the 1980s and practiced since, was proposed by Drs. Michael and Mary Eades in their 1996 New York Times Bestseller book Protein Power.  The Protein Power book is the major source of material for this web page, and is referenced in this site by page number.  Anybody who wishes to try the Protein Power diet should obtain a copy of the Protein Power book.  In addition to concise explanations of low-carb physiology in terms that are easy for anyone to understand, the book comes packed with delicious recipes.  The book is authored by Michael R. Eades, M.D., who is author of Thin So Fast, and by Mary Dan Eades, who is author of The Doctor’s Complete Guide to Vitamins and Minerals.  Michael Eades has a strong interest in paleontology and biochemistry, and Mary Eades is interested in anthropology and has studied and written a book on eating disorders and metabolic hormonal derangements.  The author couple live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where they practice bariatric (weight loss) and general family medicine.  They are founders of MediStat Medical Clinics (430).

 Thank you Drs. Michael and Mary Eades for helping

to change my life and the lives of so many other people.

History of the Protein Power Diet

            As doctors and nutritionists, the Eades were naturally aware that carbohydrate consumption leads to increased blood glucose and insulin levels.  Based upon medical literature published by researchers worldwide, during the 1980s, the Eades hypothesized that high insulin levels appeared to correlate with the common diseases of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and adult-onset diabetes.  The Eades decided to test their hypothesis: they tested a new diet on themselves in which they reduced their intake of carbohydrate and increased their intake of protein and fat.  Having been pleased by the results of their research, they recommended their new diet to their patients (xv).  The initial results were “rapid, dramatic, and pretty much uniform” (xv).  For over a decade, the Eades treated thousands of overweight patients, meanwhile accumulating patient data and improving and evolving their new dietary concept (122).  By the 1990s, the Eades had amassed a body of patient data that was overwhelmingly positive.  Their findings were concurrent with medical, paleontological, and anthropological research.  Consequently, in 1996, the Eades published the book Protein Power, an important contribution to the growing revolution in low-carb nutritional thought (xv).

The Protein Power Food Pyramid

(Technically tomatoes, olives, peppers, and eggplants are not vegetables.

However, because they are very nutritious and low carb, I have decided to include them

in the Vegetable Group.)

Protein Power Diet Guidelines

-         To be Eaten Until Satiated (i.e., unrestricted):

o       Vegetables (except for starchy vegetables)

o       Fat (e.g., butter, cheeses, etc.)

o       Protein -- at minimum, between 60 and 200 grams of protein should be consumed per day to maintain lean body mass. (The exact minimum depends upon the weight of existing lean body mass, see Protein Power)

§         foods include red and white meats, fish, eggs, and more -- IMPT: Do not be concerned about cholesterol any longer!

§         (Note to vegetarians: tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, and eggplant, to name a few, can substitute for meats as a source of protein)

o       IMPT: For any of these foods, make sure to take note of the carbohydrate content by reading the nutrition facts.

-         Restricted: Carbohydrate Consumption

o       For “Phase I” individuals -- people who are obese, (have 20% or more of body weight as fat), who have high blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol) -- (don’t forget to view the section “Please Read: Who Should Be On the Protein Power Diet?”).

§         27 grams of carbohydrate per day (until weight is stable)

o       For “Phase II” individuals (everyone else -- chubby, fit, and thin people who are essentially in good health)

§         55 -- 65 grams of carbohydrate per day

Carbohydrates include all forms of sugar containing foods: bread and other complex carbohydrates, potatoes and other starches, fruit, and most conceivable desserts.

            For reference, on average a single slice of bread has 15 carbs, a small bowl of fruit (eg. berry, citrus, or melon) may have 10 or more carbs (but one banana, apple, or carrot have over 25 carbs), and many desserts are between 20 and 50 carbs.  If one happens to splurge and eat more than 65 grams of carbohydrate for one or more days (it happens), there are rules of redemption that can be followed (see “Protein Power is a Life-Long Diet”).  Potatoes, pastas, and rices are generally out of range and are not recommended.

-         Not all carbohydrates are alike.  Calorie for calorie, the consumption of complex carohydrates, such as the starches in potatoes, and the grains used to make bread, promote fatty weight gain, (and over time, promote heart disease and diabetes), to a greater degree than simple carbohydrates, which are found in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes (see “The Glycemic Index: Not All Carbohydrates Are Alike”).

-         The amount of carbohydrate contained in most foods can be found by reading nutrition facts labels.  The Protein Power book, which contains food charts detailing the carbohydrate content in many foods, can be used as an additional reference.

-         One neat tip regarding carbohydrate: if a food has both fiber and carbohydrate, grams of fiber can be subtracted from the grams of carbohydrate to give the effective carbohydrate content of the food.  The effective carbohydrate can then be used in carbohydrate calculations.

-         No foods are totally eliminated from this diet -- it is very well rounded.  Controling the number of grams of carbohydrate is the major restricting aspect of the Protein Power diet.  Type of carbohydrate consumed is not of major importance.

-         As for any diet, vitamin (e.g., multivitamins) and mineral supplements (containing a minimum of 90 mg potassium) are recommended.  Of note, the Protein Power diet is excellently well-rounded, so the need for dietary supplements is probably less than for other diets (170).

-     For a plethora of recipes and more details on foods, refer to the Protein Power book.

Benefits of the Protein Power Diet (to name a few)

-         Dramatic and permanent loss of fatty weight, with fit weight maintained over time

-         Healthy levels of cholesterol, with a balanced LDL/HDL ratio

-         Protection from the Deadly Diseases of Civilization (heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and NIDDM diabetes, to name a few)

-         Healthy and strong muscles, teeth, and bones

-         Boosted energy levels and (arguably, a better sex life)

-         Good habits for a lifetime that take the worry out of eating -- no more eating disorders

            Insulin is a hormone produced and secreted into the bloodstream by the pancreas, a glandular organ located behind the stomach, deep in the abdominal cavity.  Glucagon, a hormone also produced by the pancreas, acts as an antagonist to insulin, meaning that its effects are physiologically opposite to insulin.  Insulin and glucagon are the primary hormones involved in the storage and release of energy within the body (32).  Insulin promotes cellular uptake and storage of food energy for later use, preventing blood sugar from getting too high.  Without insulin, blood sugar would “skyrocket,” leading to metabolic disturbances, dehydration, coma, and eventually death (33).  Glucagon prevents blood sugar from dropping too low (32).  Without glucagon, blood sugar would fall rapidly, leading to brain dysfunction, somnolence, coma, and death, because the brain needs blood sugar to operate properly (33).

            The insulin-glucagon balance is controlled by the level of blood sugar, which in turn is controlled by diet.  Right after eating a meal, blood sugar acts on the pancreas, directly controlling the amount of insulin secreted.  After several hours, much of the blood sugar has been stored or utilized by the body.  When the level of blood sugar drops below a critical value, the pancreas responds by producing glucagon, which mobilizes cellular energy stores and restores blood sugar levels to normal.  In balance, insulin and glucagon keep metabolism in check, promoting fitness and health.  Unfortunately, the modern diet (cerca 10,000 years ago at the time of the agricultural revolution, see “Case Study”) is laden with carbohydrate, tipping this balance in the direction of excess insulin production.  Insulin can be considered a master controller of metabolism, and it performs thousands of tasks.  In addition to promoting the storage of energy (e.g., storage of fat in fat cells), insulin plays a role in the conversion of protein and sugar into fat and in the elevation of intracellular cholesterol levels.  Insulin is also partly responsible for raising blood pressure by encouraging the retention of fluid within the body and by promoting the growth of smooth muscle cells in the linings of arterial walls, which causes arteries to thicken and become less elastic (24, 35).  Excesses of insulin aggravate the normal physiological effects of insulin beyond healthy parameters, promoting fatty weight gain and heart disease.  Furthermore, over long periods of excess insulin production, the pancreas suffers wear and tear and cells develop resistance to insulin, promoting NIDDM “adult-onset” diabetes in individuals who are more insulin-sensitive (43).  Therefore, as one can deduce from the facts, excess insulin has some seriously negative consequences (see “The Deadly Diseases of Civilization” for more details).  The only way to counteract excess insulin, and to protect against the deadly diseases that are associated with it, is to be on a diet that is low in carbohydrate -- essentially, the Protein Power diet.  Drugs and high-carbohydrate diets will never work in the long term.

            The effects of insulin have been known since the 1920s, when it was discovered.  During the past 30 years, the negative effects of insulin have been uncovered (24).  The Eades attest that nothing about their dietary concept is theoretical, and that it has been proven by biochemistry found in any standard medical text, as well as by historical, epidemiological, and direct experimental fact. So why hasn’t anyone else (besides Atkins, principally) said anything about human carbohydrate consumption and the negative effects of excess insulin? The answer, according to the Eades, is that the evidence existed, but nobody before had successfully “put it together” in the way they had (27). 

High-Carb Diets: The Endless Metabolic Roller Coaster Ride

            Children and teenagers eat a lot of carbohydrate.  As an extreme case, the diet of a youth in a single day may include “spaghetti, pizza, Cap’n Crunch cereal, and toast,” sugar-laden soft drinks, and “candy bars, cookies, cupcakes, and ice cream.”  Such foods can amount to a total of 500 grams of carbohydrate (2 cups of pure sugar) or greater.  On average, studies done in the United States and in England indicate that many children from the ages of about five up to adolescence consume approximately 200 grams (1 cup) of sugar per day (41).  Nevertheless, their blood pressures and cholesterol levels appear to be unscathed.  Although numbers of youths do suffer from weight problems, a majority do not.  The reason is that the cells of younger people are extremely sensitive to insulin, and so small amounts of insulin are able to metabolize a lot of carbohydrate (42).

            Sadly, after thirty or forty years of a high carbohydrate diet, the cells of the body develop resistance to the reception of insulin (a condition called insulin resistance).  Consequently, over time, the pancreas is forced to produce increasingly larger volumes of insulin to metabolize the same blood sugar level.  Excesses of insulin then begin to foster the negative physiological effects previously mentioned: fatty weight gain, high blood pressure, a heart-disease promoting cholesterol profile, and, in prone individuals, NIDDM “adult-onset” diabetes (42).

            To counteract the excesses of fatty weight that develop in adult life, many individuals choose to “diet,” which essentially amounts to an often poor and unhealthy attempt to control out-of-control metabolism.  The “dieting” method often involves various expensive programs and much experimentation with foods and food portions.  Most diets have one key element in common: high levels of carbohydrate.  For any diet that promotes high levels of carbohydrate consumption (albeit often inadvertently), the only way to loose weight (and reduce insulin levels) is by eating less.  Often these diets promote eating less by means of calorie counting.

            Being on a diet that promotes eating less food while consuming a sizable (> 65 grams) amount of carbohydrate is like being trapped on a dizzying roller-coaster that moves over the same high peaks and low troughs in endless cycles, never to glide smoothly and steadily along a straight track.  By cutting down on all foods and resorting to greedy calorie counting, one may starve their lean body mass and suffer from malnutrition like an anorexic.  By deciding to budget portions modestly and to eat all foods “normally”, within the context of a meal, given the prevalence of carbohydrate in the foods of modern society, it is more than likely that even the most disciplined will gain fatty weight to unhealthy levels over time.  When chubbiness is attained, some people become depressed, developing a different kind of eating disorder that promotes eating everything in sight without restraint -- lots of carbs, fats, and proteins.  These unhappy individuals become massively obese and have a significantly increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and  a whole host of diseases and their complications.

            On a high-carb diet, the only way to overcome excess insulin is to increase glucagon significantly through VIGOROUS exercise e.g., not a walk around the block, but a marathon workout.  Unfortunately, most people do not have the time or energy, and in the case of fat people who have a hard time moving around, do not have the ability, to exercise as vigorously as is required to overcome the effects of the excesses of insulin generated regularly by most high-carb diets.  To make matters worse, for those who fast and then feast on a high carbohydrate, low fat diet, bodily metabolism becomes increasingly adept at conserving stored and incoming food energy as fat, making fatty weight gain easier and easier (139).  Therefore, most people who are on high-carb diets, unless they are young or are Olympic athletes, are hopelessly trapped in a miserable, unhealthy, never-ending cycle of feeding and fasting, or are trapped on an upward spiral of eating to the point of busting.

            Clearly, the way to stay fit and healthy is not by starving and indulging in cycles on a high-carb diet.  The way to stay fit and healthy, keeping insulin and glucagon in balance effortlessly, is by sticking steadfastly to the Protein Power diet, which is low in carbohydrates and promotes eating other food groups freely to satisfy bodily demands.

The Deadly Diseases of Civilization

Below is a list of the deadly diseases of civilization, all of which result, primarily, from the excess of a single metabolic hormone -- insulin -- due to high carbohydrate diets.  The list is by no means comprehensive, and it does not cover disease-related complications, which could fill lists upon lists of their own.

Obesity -- Excess insulin tips metabolism in the direction of the storage of food energy as fat (32)

High Blood Pressure -- Excess insulin encourages the growth of smooth muscle cells in the linings of arterial walls, causing arteries to thicken and become less elastic.  Consequently, the heart has to develop greater pressure to force blood thorough the narrow, thickened arteries throughout the rest of the body, and elevated blood pressure results (35).

Elevated Levels of LDL “Bad” Cholesterol -- Cholesterol is a “pearly white, soapy, waxy alcohol” required by every cell in the body to maintain the structural integrity of cell membranes (392).  Excess insulin invokes cellular cholesterol-manufacturing pathways, raising intracellular cholesterol levels.  High intracellular cholesterol renders extracellular cholesterol obsolete for cells, causing cholesterol-carrying low density lipoproteins (LDL) to accumulate in the blood (393).  Over time, the unused LDL that has accumulated in the blood undergoes oxidation, causing plaque deposits to form on artery walls.  LDL deposition on artery walls, in combination with narrowing arteries as a result of endothelial cell growth, contribute to the development of coronary heart disease (319).

Heart Disease -- Coronary arteries are arteries which wrap around the heart, supplying its cells with large quantities of oxygen-rich blood.  Excess insulin causes the coronary arteries to become less elastic, smaller, and prone to develop plaque and arterial spasm.  When one of the coronary arteries -- as a result of blood clot, spasm, or plaque growth -- fails to supply a portion of the heart with enough blood to meet its demands, that portion of the heart may eventually die.  The death of regions of the heart muscle is indicative of heart disease.  If the effects of heart disease are not reversed by a proper diet, in time one or several heart attacks will result in a serious malfunction of the heart that will result in death (319).

Stressed Kidneys -- The kidneys filter the blood that runs through them, removing waste products and regulating the concentration of the electrolytes.  If the blood contains too much sodium, the kidneys pull it out, deposit it in the urine, and send it to the bladder to be removed.  If the blood contains too little sodium, the kidneys conserve the sodium and return it to the blood.  Excess insulin forces the kidneys to retain more sodium than needed, and, due to osmosis, forces the body to retain more water than needed.  The retention of excess fluid puts stress on the kidneys, which can raise blood pressure to dangerous levels and cause kidney failure unless treated.  Ordinarily, diuretic drugs are administered that force the kidneys to get rid of the excess sodium and fluid.  Eating a diet that will lower the production of insulin to normal levels (e.g., the Protein Power diet) produces the same effect in a way that is less expensive, natural, and free of side effects (317).

Diabetes II (“Adult-Onset” Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, NIDDM) --  As for most people, the cells of individuals who are genetically prone to type II diabetes develop resistance to insulin over time. Thus, over a lifetime, larger and larger amounts of insulin are required to metabolize blood sugar.  Unfortunately, unlike for most people, in middle age (most often), genetically predisposed type II diabetics become so resistant to insulin that even large amounts of insulin cannot move sugar out of the blood and into cells.  During the early stages of NIDDM, which can last for many years, constantly elevated insulin levels give rise to high blood pressure, heart disease, elevated cholesterol, and obesity.  During the later stages of NIDDM, elevated blood sugar damages the kidneys, eyes, blood vessels, nerves, and other organs and tissues.  Furthermore, beta cells in the pancreas die from the stress of excessive demands for insulin, and the patient becomes dependent upon insulin injections.

By eating a diet that keeps levels of insulin production at healthy levels, the pancreas and cell receptors are saved from wear and tear, warding off NIDDM diabetes in genetically prone individuals.  Not only is the Protein Power diet prophylactic for diabetes, but it has been found to REVERSE the effects of EARLY NIDDM.  The Protein Power diet should be the nutritional regimen of most type II diabetics, because it lowers abnormally elevated blood sugar levels, and in early type II diabetics, corrects for underlying insulin resistance, and promotes the restoration of pancreatic tissues to normal (311).

IMPORTANT CAVEAT: Type I (“Juvenile” Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, IDDM) diabetics are not advised to be on the Protein Power diet.  Type I IDDM diabetics do not make insulin, and thus require insulin shots.  They would be at risk of becoming hypoglycemic without a higher intake of carbohydrate than is generally recommended by the Protein Power diet.  Type II diabetics should discuss being on the Protein Power diet with a physician before trying it.  Please see the section, “Please Read: Who Should Be On the Protein Power Diet?”.

A Short List of Additional Carb-Related Diseases

Poor Dental Health -- Diets high in carbohydrates (sugars) facilitate gum disease and can lead to cavities without proper oral hygiene (397).

Complications in Aging -- Excess insulin promotes an imbalance of eiconsanoids (see “Introduction to Eicosanoids”), which over time, plays a role in promoting arthritis, dry and wrinkled skin, brittle nails, lack of endurance, and sleep disorders, among others (332).

The Glycemic Index: Not All Carbohydrates Are Alike

            The article, “The Glycemic Index: Physiological Mechanisms Relating to Obesity, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease,” written by Dr. David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD and published in JAMA (Vol. 287, Pgs. 2414-2422), demonstrates that the physiological effects of complex carbohydrates differ significantly from the effects of simple carbohydrates.  The article, which presents research from over 90 sources, provides specific support for the key arguments made in this web page: that elevated insulin plays a role in the development of obesity and eating disorders, heart disease, and insulin resistance and diabetes.

To download the article, click here: The Glycemic Index (870 kb, PDF format).

Introduction to Eicosanoids: Important Microhormone Messengers

            The term eicosanoid stems from the greek word eikos, meaning twenty, and refers to a collective group of compounds that have twenty carbon atoms (334).  Research into eicosanoids as a group is fairly recent.  The nobel prize for the identification of 100 eicosanoids was awarded in 1982.  Eicosanoids are a very import group of compounds.  They include the prostoglandins (discovered about 60 years ago), prostacyclins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes (332).  Eicosanoids have strong physiological potency, and regulate such diverse functions as blood pressure, blood clotting, inflammatory responses, uterine contractions during birth, sexual potency in men, the pain and fever response, the sleep/wake cycle, the release of gastric acid, the constriction and dilation of airways in the lungs and blood vessels in the tissues, and many others (333).

            Eicosanoids have antagonistic roles just like hormones -- some act as vasodilators, others act as vasoconstrictors, some decrease inflammation, others increase inflammation, etc (337). Dr. Barry Sears, author of The Zone, is a prominent researcher in the area of eicosanoids and diet.  He describes the maintenance of the dynamic balance between the various eicosanoids as the definition of optimal health (332).  Eicosanoid imbalances result in many illnesses.  Such illnesses include headache, menstrual cramps, abdominal discomfort from ulcers, gastritis, reflux, and/or indigestion, allergic reactions, swelling or inflammation, rash, and others.  As a result of their strong effects, numerous drugs work by increasing or decreasing the body’s synthesis or response to eicosanoids.  Asprin, for example, inhibits the synthesis of certain eicosanoids responsible for pain, fever, increased blood clotting and constriction of arteries, as well as increased cell growth and intestinal secretions.  The downside of asprin, however, is that it inhibits more than just the offending eicosanoids, causing negative side effects, such as the formation of gastric ulcers from increased stomach acid, and allergic reactions (335).  Fortunately, balancing insulin and glucagon levels with a low carbohydrate diet plays a more potent and effective role than any drug in solving eicosanoid imbalances and their associated symptoms, since excess insulin is the culprit that creates eicosanoid imbalances in the first place (336).

-         Foods containing trans fatty acids or containing Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) lead to eicosanoid imbalances and promote heart disease.  If a food claims that it is partially hydrogenated (not to be confused with hydrogenated, which is fine), such as margarine, it contains trans fatty acids and should not be consumed.  Foods containing ALA, which include canola oil (believe it or not), flaxseed oil, and walnut oil, should also not be consumed (343).

-         Note to individuals who are sensitive to arachadonic acid (AA) -- this includes few people

o       In some individuals, AA leads to eicosanoid imbalances.  AA is found in red meats and eggs.  If symptoms such as chronic fatigue, poor sleep, constipation, dry, flaking skin, and minor rashes result, cut back on eating red meat and eggs.  When eating red meat, cut off the fat, which has the highest AA concentrations (349).

Now that the reason for low carbohydrate consumption is clear -- because it leads to the production of excess insulin which promotes enormous metabolic chaos -- what are the benefits to eating a diet that is high in fat and protein?

Fat Is An Important Energy Source

            When food is consumed, it is either broken down and burned for energy, or it is stored away, either as fat in fat cells or as glycogen in muscle cells.  Although both storage and utilization occur simultaneously, one option usually predominates.  The choice of which option predominates is largely dependent upon levels of insulin and glucagon.  The flow of fat in the body is composed of the fat consumed, the fat stored and released from fat cells, and the fat made from excess protein and carbohydrate (302).  Insulin stimulates an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, located on capillary endothelial walls, which permits the entry of fat from the blood into fat cells.  Insulin also has the effect of inhibiting what is known as the cellular fat-carnitine shuttle system, which permits fatty acids to be utilized by e.g., muscle cells, as fuel.   Thus, insulin promotes the storage of fat and hence fatty weight gain.  Glucagon has the opposite effect.  It stimulates hormone sensitive lipase which releases fat from fat cells, and promotes the fat-carnitine shuttle system so that cells, e.g., muscle cells, can utilize fatty acids as fuel.  So, overall glucagon encourages the burning of fat (303).

Table 1 shows that fat does not stimulate insulin, protein stimulates a small amount of insulin and an equal amount of glucagon, and carbohydrate stimulates a giant amount of insulin but does not stimulate any glucagon.  Since insulin is responsible for promoting the storage of food energy as fat in fat cells,  and high carbohydrate consumption stimulates high insulin levels, it is carbohydrate in the presence of fat -- not fat itself -- that promotes fatty weight gain (37).

            Fat provides nine times more energy per gram than does carbohydrate.  Fat itself does not stimulate insulin, and cannot promote obesity and other negative symptoms.  Besides providing energy, fat is an ESSENTIAL component of the diet.  Without fatty acids, eicosanoids could not be formed.  An essential fat is fat that cannot be made by the body’s own biochemistry and consequently must be obtained from the diet.  There is only one essential fat, linoleic acid; all other fats can be synthesized from other substances or from linoelic acid.  As long as a diet is not TOTALLY fat-free, the body will obtain a sufficient amount of linoleic acid to produce eicosanoids (336).  Clearly, fat is far superior to carbohydrate as a source of energy in a number of ways.  Its consumption is unrestricted on the Protein Power diet. (When eating fatty foods, however, be mindful of associated carbs).

Protein Is Essential

            Lean body mass (LBM) consists of metabolically active body organs and tissues, e.g., muscles, the heart, the digestive tract, etc.  The LBM, which does the majority of the work that keeps one alive, undergoes daily wear and tear (93).  According to the Eades, LBM is the reason why people eat in the first place.  In order to maintain lean body mass, a minimum amount of protein must be consumed daily.  The book Protein Power provides ways of calculating the minimum daily protein requirement based upon existing lean body mass.  Typically, minimum protein consumption ranges between 60 -- 200 grams (93).  Good sources of protein are red and white meat, fish, tofu, tempeh, eggplant, and mushrooms, among others.  In addition to providing vital nourishment, proteins play a vital role in balancing eicosanoids (339).

Cholesterol In Balance

            Cholesterol is a very essential molecule.  It provides a structural framework for all cells (35).  It is the building block of hormones, the main component of bile acids that aid in food digestion, a necessary agent for the normal growth and development of the nervous system (since it coats nerves and makes transmission possible), it gives skin the ability to shed water, it is a precursor of vitamin D in skin, it is important to normal growth and repair of tissues since every cell membrane is made of it, and it plays major role in transportation of triglycerides (fat-storing molecules) in the blood (363).  Cholesterol is essential for good health.  Without it, one would lose strength and stability of cells, become less resistant to infection and malignancy, or even die.  Dropping levels of cholesterol are associated with cancer development and arthritis (363).

            High levels of cholesterol are known to promote the development of arterial plaque, which leads to high blood pressure and heart disease.  Fat is the raw material from which the body makes cholesterol.  Excess insulin, induced by high carbohydrate consumption, is responsible for the production of excess cholesterol in the presence of fat (362).  Therefore, as fat is added to the diet, unhealthy cholesterol levels will be reached only if a lot of carbohydrate is consumed at the same time that fat is added (39).  According to surveys, 89% of the American diet consists of fat + carbohydrate (40).

REMEMBER THIS FORMULA:        

FAT + LOTS OF CARBOHYDRATE = EXCESS CHOLESTEROL

So how does cholesterol work its mischief in causing heart disease?  What is the role that excess insulin plays in this process?  What is a normal cholesterol value and how can it be attained?

            A lipoprotein is an envelope that encloses cholesterol and fat-storing triglyceride molecules, making them soluble in blood so that they can be transported to tissues.  Two main kinds of lipoproteins are LDL, low-density lipoportein, stereotyped as “bad” cholesterol, and HDL, high-density lipoportein, stereotyped as “good” cholesterol (367).  LDL has three possible fates: 1) LDL can be removed from the circulation with the help of HDL, which is responsible for scavenging cholesterol from the tissues and arteries and returning cholesterol to the liver (375), 2) cells that are hungry for cholesterol can internalize LDL via LDL receptors on their surfaces or 3) LDL can be deposited in the arteries (368).  Excess insulin encourages fate number three.  Insulin stimulates the critical enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, responsible for creating cholesterol inside cells. When cells have a sufficient supply of internal cholesterol, they do not need the cholesterol that is stored in LDL in the blood, and they remove LDL receptors from their surfaces.  As unwanted LDL molecules accumulate in the blood, they become out of balance with the HDL that is sending cholesterol to the liver.  Over time, circulating LDL molecules oxidize and settle in arterial walls, forming plaques.  Glucagon does exactly the opposite of insulin.  It inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, keeping intracellular cholesterol at bay, encouraging cells to send LDL receptors to their surfaces to utilize cholesterol that is stored in LDL in the blood.  In the Protein Power diet, a healthy balance of insulin and glucagon manage cellular cholesterol levels, thus fostering a healthy balance of LDL and HDL in the blood and protecting against arterial plaque formation and heart disease (373).

            Intriguingly, the Protein Power diet does not restrict the consumption of foods that contain cholesterol.  One reason is that, on a low-carb diet, cells do not make as much intracellular cholesterol as on a high-carb diet.  The cellular demand for dietary cholesterol is therefore much greater, and cells express greater numbers of LDL receptors on their surfaces, utilizing extracellular cholesterol stores with improved efficiency.  Furthermore, on a low-carb diet, eating foods that contain cholesterol improves blood HDL levels.  Once cells have uptaken sufficient cholesterol from blood lipoproteins, they will recruit or manufacture appropriate numbers of HDL lipoproteins to carry excess cholesterol to the liver to be stored.

According to doctors, to have “normal” blood cholesterol levels, two criteria should be met (376):

1)      Total cholesterol divided by HDL should be below 4.

2)      LDL divided by HDL should be below 3.

            When comparing your cholesterol values with the recommended values, remember that the recommended values are based upon statistics involving individuals who have lived their lives on high-carb diets.  If your values are within the ballpark (e.g., ±1), don’t sweat.  According to the Eades, the most significant indicator of cholesterol balance is the ratio of LDL to HDL, rather than total cholesterol.  Many doctors, your personal physician for example, will send out warnings if your LDL is e.g., 220 mg/dl instead of the “perfect” 180-200 mg/dl.  He or she is probably forgetting that your HDL is 65 mg/dl, giving you an LDL/HDL ratio of 3.38.  Your cholesterol values are actually quite reasonable.  Nevertheless, your personal physician may think that you are on the road to worsening cholesterol.  To remedy your “problem,” unfortunately, he or she will almost certainly put you on a high-carb, low fat diet that might or might not be able to lower your LDL, but that will, for sure, lower your HDL.  That may ruin your LDL/HDL ratio, putting you at a certain risk of heart disease.  Trust in the sound physiology of the Protein Power diet -- your body will always be better off with insulin and glucagon in balance than out of it.  On the Protein Power diet, your cholesterol values should remain within close proximity of the healthy 180-to-200 mg/dl range, with your LDL/HDL ratio near 3, regardless of the fat and the cholesterol that you consume (393).

A Word About Vitamins, Minerals, & Potassium

            Although the Protein Power diet in general will either meet or exceed the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), the Eades recommend that their diet be supplemented with multiple vitamins, minerals, and potassium to avoid potential micronutrient inadequacies that can arise from the narrowed eating preferences of most people (170).  Moreover, supplements should also be taken because some vitamins and minerals serve as antioxidants, which fight the free oxygen radicals that promote aging, cataracts, DNA damage and cancer, and which transform cholesterol in artery walls into plaque (173).  The Protein Power book goes into detail about the nature and benefits of many important vitamins and minerals (169).

            Potassium is an important mineral that plays a role in blood pressure, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions.  It is found in cantaloupe, avocado, broccoli, liver, dairy products, and citrus.  A sufficient lack of potassium can lead to fatigue and muscle cramps.  Although the Protein Power diet is well-rounded and potassium deficiency should not be a problem, the Eades strongly recommend that their diet be supplemented with about 90 milligrams of potassium per day to avoid the possibility of potassium deficiency (182).

Exercise & Growth Hormone

            Dedication to regular physical exercise promotes improved cardiovascular fitness and mental alertness, and overall, it promotes a long and healthy life (204).  Furthermore, exercise stimulates the release of growth hormone.  Growth hormone is stored in abundance in the brains of adults as well as of youths.  It has the positive effects of encouraging growth and repair of body tissues, building lean body mass, and mobilizing fat stores to be burned, which translates into greater muscle strength, endurance, fatty weight loss, and lowered blood pressure.  The release of growth hormone is facilitated by the balance of eicosanoids and by deep sleep, and is inhibited by excess insulin.  Therefore, unlike high-carb diets, on the low-carb Protein Power diet, in which insulin and glucagon are balanced, the release of growth hormone and its beneficial effects are unstifled (204).

Drink Till You Float (103)

The Eades recommend that people on their diet “drink till they float.”  There are two particularly important reasons for drinking a lot of fluids:

-         Fats, which are partially burned in the absence of carbohydrates, form ketone bodies that store up in the blood.  For individuals who are burning a lot of excess fatty weight on the Protein Power, drinking a lot of fluids will help to pass more of ketones out in the urine, which will have the additional benefit of assisting the process of fatty weight loss.

-         Because in the hormonally balanced state of the Protein Power diet one will not retain excess fluid, the increased water loss in exercise can leave one dehydrated.  To compensate, water intake with exercise may increase by as much as 50%.

           Water is a choice drink on the Protein Power diet.  Other acceptable drinks are mineral waters, diet sodas, coffee, tea, or herbal tea.  When sweeteners are required, they should be artificial.  Half-and-half, high in fat, is a good creamer for coffee.  One should drink at least 2 quarts of non-caloric fluid daily.

For individuals who wish to drink alcoholic beverages, a single glass of dry, not sweet, white or red wine can accompany one meal.  A little wine can actually help to increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin and lower insulin levels.

Drinking juice or milk is NOT recommended,  because the drinks can have as much as 40 carbs per cup.

            The Protein Power diet is NOT a dieting diet.  It is not full of metabolic glitches, and it does not promote switching between itself and other diets.  The Protein Power diet is an “ultimate” diet that should be maintained for life, because it promotes not only fitness, but overall metabolic stability and good health.

            When starting the Protein Power diet, a person may feel pangs for excess carbohydrate (e.g., greater than 65 grams), but over a period of a few weeks of discipline, the pangs ease and then disappear.  Fatty weight loss occurs within the first few weeks of starting the diet, with metabolic stability and fitness or near-fitness being reached within the months that follow.

            On this diet, one should never allow oneself to get hungry.  Eating three to five times a day is normal.  Some advice for combating hunger pangs are to never skip breakfast and to keep a quantity of allowable snacks handy (since most commercial snacks have too much carbohydrate) (209).

            Naturally, everyone will cheat on occasion, such as during vacations or at parties (although it doesn’t have to happen).  That is expected, and so to counteract little splurges, use the following recovery guidelines (137):

1)      Eat at a Phase I (27 grams carb / day) level for three days or until any weight gained during the high-carb period (most of which will be from fluid retention) is lost

2)      Return to Phase II (55 -- 65 grams carb / day) if your regular Protein Power phase is Phase II, and keep on living in metabolic equilibrium

One highly positive aspect about the Protein Power diet is that people who follow it generally love it.  They enjoy the state of their own fitness and the quality of their food so much that most of the time “cheating” feels unnecessary, or even unpleasant.

            The Atkins diet is a low-carb diet, founded by Dr. Robert Atkins in the early 1970s prior to the birth of the Eades' Protein Power diet. Dr. Atkins has his own web page at http://www.atkinscenter.com. Recently, in February of 2000, Dr. Atkins gave a speech, along with other leading dieticians, as part of the "Millennium Lecture Series on The Great Nutrition Debate," an event sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In his speech, Dr. Atkins addressed in detail the nature of the metabolism of fat, protein, and sugar, and the benefits of a diet low in carbohydrate, high in fat, and high in protein. He also pointed up numerous historical studies and clinical trials that support a low carbohydrate diet.

            Other dieticians who participated in the "Millennium Lecture Series on The Great Nutrition Debate" included Dr. Berry Sears, author of The Zone (modestly high-carb dietary approach), Dr. Morrison Bethea, author of Sugar Busters! (selective-carbohydrate dietary approach), and Dr. Dean Ornish, author of Eat More, Weigh Less (VERY high-carb dietary approach).

            A transcript of the "Great Nutrition Debate" is a highly informative source regarding current diets, and one should be encouraged to read it as a supplement to this web page. The transcript to the debate can be accessed by clicking the following link: Millennium Lecture Series on The Great Nutrition Debate (Text Format).