Atkins, Colds, and Rice

[highlandcaddis]

I just finished my induction 2 days ago. I lost 10 pounds and am halfway to my goal of losing 20 pounds. I'm now eating 20-25 grams of carbs a day. Unfortunately, I got a bad cold a few days ago and while I usually bounce back quickly I still feel bad. I attribute some of this to the low carb diet and lack of some nutrition via vitamins from fruits and carb energy. I also read that losing weight quickly is hard on the immune system and can lower your resistance to viruses. What do you OWL's do for cold treatments? On a completely different note I was thinking about white rice. The asian food diet is based on it yet they are some of the slimmest people in the world not just a large percentage but like 99% of them. How is it then that they eat sooooo much rice which has a lot of carbs yet they are not seeing obesity in their society?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

>>What do you OWL's do for cold treatments?>>

Well, I hardly ever get a cold anymore ... I think Atkins works at keeping germs away!

However ... there's sugar free cough syrup, there's cold meds that are in capsule/tablets ...

>>How is it then that they eat sooooo much rice which has a lot of carbs yet they are not seeing obesity in their society?>>

Well ... it's really the Western "diet" that causes the obesity, I fear.

And ... obesity is coming to those countries ... it takes about 20-25 years after the introduction of Western food ... so obesity is now on the rise in China, for example.

[Whatsername]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

I stick to Atkins friendly soup (and also based on what rung I am on). But as J. said, I have to admit I haven't been really sick since I have been on Atkins.

[Shrew2u]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

I've had one cold so far (to be expected with little kids in the house). Felt like crap for a couple of days then bounced back quick. This time of year usually kills me, too - cold after cold after cold. Not this year, though - not yet at least!

[EDIT: just re-read your post] Since you're done with Induction, have you moved on to OWL 1 or are you still in Extended Induction? (Might want to change your phase to avoid confusion). My hubby is sick right now - I made him the chicken veggie soup from Linda's Low Carb recipes.

[Elizellen]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

Soups are good as you can include your veggies as well as meat, cream and butter to make them more nutritious.

[RosieC]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

I had a cold recently and I drank a LOT of water - around 140 oz per day, compared with my usual 80-100 oz. I bounced back very fast from that cold and it didn't get to my chest at all.

Regarding rice, as J says, the western diet that combines high carbs with high fat is the problem. A person can lose weight on a low fat, high carb diet like the traditional Asian diet, but it's harder because you don't have the advantage of feeling full and have to watch your calories all the time. I don't think anybody would say that Atkins is the *only* way to lose weight - just that it's the best way

[chinadoll]

Re: Atkins, Colds, and Rice

I actually find I bounce back faster while sick now than before doing Atkins, but I am not just past Induction level either and Induction does shake up the system. As far as the Chinese diet goes, they eat rice--they don't eat a lot of rice. They eat rice at most meals, but portion sizes are quite small for the average Chinese person and they eat almost no sweets in their diet. Fruit is even something of a treat. There are a lot of steamed dishes and the diet is mostly vegetables (as is Atkins). So it isnt the rice that makes them thin. While they probably eat 2-3 cups of rice per day, they also walk everywhere, and many still do heavy manual labor. The same system worked for our ancestors when they ate a carb heavy diet and worked the farms by hand, etc.

With the advent of McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and other Western foods, and more sugary foods available in the diet, I have seen a huge change in the obesity levels in Hong Kong (schools are actively trying to combat it)and China is following along right behind. As more Chinese get motorized bicycles, motorcycles, and cars, the physical fitness level is dropping rapidly. You can actually see it from year to year.