Day two and I've already encountered a "non-believer."

[djay]

Re: Day two and I've already encountered a "non-believer."

I'm with you on ketosis but, just to be clear, the diet below is the ketogenic diet, which is different from Atkins, right?

The ketogenic diet is much higer in fat and lower in protein than Atkins. It is used to treat epilepsy, when other treatments fail. I'm guessing it is also more of a health risk, as a result of the protein restriction - but that's probably a risk often worth it when dealing with difficult-to-treat epilepsy.

About people misunderstanding ketosis: about 5 years ago, a cousin of mine went on a doctor-supervised low-carb diet. My uncle (her dad) is a surgeon (and a long-practicing one who has devised and published new treatment methods, at that), and was also concerned about ketosis being unhealthy. He was thinking of it as related to ketoacidosis, but admitting that he didn't know very much about it (while knowing about ketoacidosis, and that is it very dangerous.) He was open-minded enough to be corrected, but he's a lot older and more experienced than your sister is (assuming that if she's in school, she's probably relatively young). Hopefully in time she'll learn to be more open minded, to the benefit of her patients. No one knows it all... experience often helps teach people this.

If your sis is telling you those are the same......hmm I am sorry to say that I would be scared for her to be my nurse.

Here is more info:
The diet prescribes foods high in fat, and heavily restricts carbohydrate intake. As fats become the body's primary source of metabolic energy, ketones accumulate in the brain, which can alleviate epileptic symptoms. The diet is often perceived as more effective in children than adults, particularly when anticonvulsant drug therapy is ineffective (20%-30% of patients) or contraindicated, however, data from the 1920s and 1930s, as well as recently, shows similar results. However, the ketogenic diet is more restrictive for adults.

Foods used in the diet include high-triglyceride dairy products (e.g., butter, cream), mayonnaise and peanut butter. Carbohydrates, found in breads and starches, are eliminated in the diet, and liquid and calorie intake are often restricted as well in order to aid ketone accumulation. Though superficially similar, this is not the same as the Atkins diet. This has been used as well for some patients with epilepsy, as well as a low-glycemic index diet. [1] Possible long-term side effects of the diet include:

• kidney stones
• abnormal liver function
• high cholesterol
• weight loss
• dehydration
• bone thinning

The diet is typically supplemented with calcium, vitamin D, iron, and folic acid.

[cHeRBeRR]

Re: Day two and I've already encountered a "non-believer."

So many people just hear the word "Atkins" and automatically think, "oh, that's so bad for you!"

Last week my hair dresser & I were talking about how we both recently started a weight loss program- again. She's seeing a nutrionist and I told her I'm on Atkins. Her response was: (see above)

I immediately defended myself and the program. She went on to tell me that she is cutting her carbs to about 20 a day, eating lots of meats, eggs, and veggies. And that she's borderline diabetic so no flour, sugar, potatoes, rice, bread, etc.
UM...HELLO... I said "that's exactly what I'm doing!" It was pretty much: "oh."

I gotta keep her as my hair dresser cuz she's darn good, and I'll see her in three more weeks. I wished her success as well as myself.