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Protein Power:The Ultimate Diet for Human BeingsReal Protection Against
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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).
(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).
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.
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). 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.
Healthy
individuals should be on this diet.
There are some individuals, however, who should not attempt
this diet without consulting a physician.
These individuals include:
-
type I diabetics
-
type II diabetics
(should consult physician anyway)
-
people with
kidney problems
-
pregnant
women or women who are trying to get pregnant
-
people who
are on medication to control cholesterol, blood pressure, fluid retention,
or blood sugar
-
people who
have an abnormal heart rhythm or who have had a heart attack within
the last six months
-
anyone who
feels that they have sufficiently important concerns or questions
after consulting this web page and the Protein Power book
Q. Will eating lots of protein harm my kidneys? A. No. In fact,
if your kidneys are healthy, the protein can actually improve kidney
function (according to a study done in Germany in 1995).
Q. Why might I become fatigued after starting the diet? A. It takes
time to build up stores of new enzymes to process the larger quantities
of protein and fat that are being consumed.
Fatigue should go away in several days.
If you feel muscle aches and/or fatigue do not dissipate, make
sure that you are consuming at least 90 mg. of potassium daily.
Q. If I cut back on just some of my carbohydrate intake,
will I see improvement? A. Not really.
You must following either Phase I or II of the diet strictly,
depending on which is right for you (see “Protein
Power Diet Guidelines”).
Q. Won’t this
diet put me into ketosis? Isn’t
ketosis dangerous? A. If you are
very much overweight, the diet will put you into a state of ketosis. There is nothing wrong with ketosis -- it
simply means that you are losing weight.
Your heart and other muscle tissues in fact prefer ketones
to other fuels. Whatever ketone
bodies are not used by tissues are released in the urine, stool, and
breath. Again, this simply means that you are losing
weight. (For more details,
see the Protein Power book).
Q. Why have I had trouble sleeping since starting the
diet? -- this applies particularly to Phase I people A. If you are
producing a lot of ketone bodies, you may have sleeplessness. If this is a persistent problem, try increasing
your carbohydrate to Phase II levels.
During
the period 2500 B.C. to A.D. 395, the Egyptions refined the art of
mummification and extended its practice to all social strata. The number of mummies of that period has been
estimated by some experts to equal the population of Egypt today (394).
Historical record and examination of mummies by medical researchers
have identified what ancient Egyptians ate and what state their bodies
were in. The Egyptian diet consisted primarily of bread, cereals, fresh fruit
and vegetables, some fish and poultry, almost no red meat, olive oil,
and goats milk cheese (396). Although
Egyptians painted idealized pictures showing their citizens as slender
in their form-fitted pleated linen garments, the reality was quite
different. Paleontologists have described huge folds of
excess skin of the type and distribution that indicates severe obesity. Furthermore, when paleontologists dissected
the arteries of Egyptian mummies, they found arteries chocked with
greasy, cholesterol-laden deposits that were often calcified, exhibiting
atherosclerotic disease, and subjects had arteries that were scarred
and thickened, indicating high blood pressure.
The evidence of heart, vascular disease, and stroke found in
the mummy and papyrus chronicles proves that cardiovascular disease
occurred extensively throughout ancient Egypt, just as it has in America
today (398). In
pre-historic times, from about 700,000 -- 10,000 years ago, humans
lived on a diet composed predominantly of meat. The change to the
agricultural diet cerca 10,000 years ago created many health problems
for early man. The fossil
record shows that in pre-agricultural times human health was excellent. People were tall and lean, and had well-developed, strong, dense
bones, and good teeth that showed little decay. Post-agricultural man, whose diet was high in carbohydrate, was
shorter, had more brittle bones, extensive tooth decay, and a high
incidence of malnutrition and chronic disease, similar to the Egyptians. This general health disparity can be seen in
the bones of people unearthed by archeologists in regions all over
the world (402).
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).
Joshua Fields is currently working on a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Southern California. For most of his life, Joshua had been overweight. Upon starting the Protein Power diet in June of 1999, Josh saw immediate results within a month. Over the summer Josh lost 25 pounds. Within six months, Josh had lost a total of 40 pounds, attaining fitness and an improved self-image. Since that time, Josh has maintained good health and a stable, fit weight that has fluctuated not more than ± 5 pounds. His father, a physician of internal medicine who works for Kaiser Permanente, has had similar success on the Protein Power diet, and he recommends the diet for many of his patients. Please feel free to send comments or suggestions to Joshua Fields at jfaddr@hotmail.com.
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