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Everything You Want To Know About The Atkins Diet

January 26th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The Atkins Diet began in the 1960s when Robert Atkins unearthed a new way to take care of his own problem with his weight. Finding it successful, he then began treating his overweight patients with the same diet that helped him. In 1972 Dr. Atkins wrote his first book Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution, which quickly became extraordinarily well-known diet. He later released an updated book with new data in late 1990’s. This renewed interest in the diet, and an whole new industry started, merchandising foods that helped people stay on the Atkins Diet.

The prevailing idea of the Atkins Diet is to ingest a diet that is made up of high protein foods with low carbohydrates. To achieve maximal weight drop, there are four distinct phases that the diet consists of. The four parts of the diet were created to begin the weight loss and to sustain the target weight throughout the dieter’s life.

The initial Atkins phase, called induction, is sometimes the most difficult to get used to for many dieters. Induction has the dieter eating very few carbs- limited to just 20 grams or less each day. At least 12 of the carbohydrate grams must come from vegetables. The amount of fat that the dieter eats is not tabulated- only the amount of carbs are counted. A multivitamin supplement is to be taken to ensure that no vitamins or minerals are deficient in the diet.

The second Atkins Diet phase, called ongoing weight loss, permits a higher number of carbs. Every seven days the number of carb grams is increased by two, as long as weight loss continues. Dieters persist within the ongoing weight loss phase of the Atkins Diet until they achieve close to the original goal weight. To make certain that weight is still being lost, many people on the Atkins Diet use ketosis sticks. These small pieces of paper are located in the urine stream and make a quick color change to tell the dieter whether weight is still dropping off.

The third step, pre-maintenance, grants the dieter another increase in carb grams. During this phase, people on the Atkins Diet eat an extra 10 grams of carbohydrates each week, unless doing so results in weight gain. The main goal of pre-maintenance is to detect the maximum number of carb grams that can be consumed without any weight being added. Once this level has been reached, the dieter is set to set out for the final phase to stay at that weight completely.

Lifetime maintenance is the phase in which the Atkins Dieter decides to keep the carbohydrate count at a steady level that keeps the dieter from gaining weight. The diet suggests eating natral, unprocessed foods during the final phase. If the dieter starts to gain weight, the other phases should be repeated until the weight is lost again.

The amount of carbs that are counted during each step of the Atkins Diet are the “net carbs”. This carb count is the total number of carbohydrates that have been eaten, with the number of fiber, glycerin and sugar alcohol grams taken out of the equation. Those items keep some of the carbs from affecting the body, with each gram canceling out one gram of carbs. Many of the Atkins Diet products, sold via Atkins Nutritionals, are items with higher numbers of carb grams, but that are formulated to benefit from sugar alcohol and fiber to make the net carb count lower.

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GOOD MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES & TREATMENTS FOR DIABETES

January 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

If your doctor says you have diabetes, this can be frightening and discouraging news. However, with modern technology, good management techniques and available treatments for diabetes, you can still live long and well.

A prediabetic diagnosis should be taken just as seriously. You can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by losing 10% of your weight, making healthier food choices and taking regular brisk walks.

Diabetes is a hereditary disease. Your genes can predispose you to this disease. However, lifestyle and diet are important contributing factors. There is much you can do on your own to manage the condition. It’s equally important to follow your doctor’s advice for the treatments for diabetes. Here’s a snapshot overview of some effective management techniques.

Your blood glucose levels are the benchmark by which a diagnosis is made. Daily monitoring, at intervals prescribed by your doctor, gives you a reading of your blood sugar at fasting, mealtime and post-meal levels. This helps you manage your diet effectively. Your doctor will also test your A1C levels regularly to measure your average glucose levels over a 1-3 month period. This test is the best measure of your overall condition, so don’t miss any of your appointments!

Treatments for diabetes include medications to even out your blood sugar levels throughout the day, with others to protect kidney and heart function. Diabetics typically develop heart or circulatory related problems. Your doctor will check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels at appointments, as serious complications can be warded off with medications or lifestyle treatments for diabetic related conditions.

Diabetes may affect the eyes, specifically damaging the retina and optic nerve. A yearly eye exam is necessary in the management and treatment of diabetes. Early diagnosis can reverse some damage.

Now for some good news: many of the effective treatments for diabetes are entirely in your control. Your diet and lifestyle are paramount. One major dietary culprit in the development of diabetes is found in soda and other beverages containing high levels of sugar. If you consume lots of soda, you can dramatically cut your blood sugar levels by absolutely cutting soda from your diet. This can be the single best change you can make to treat diabetes.

If you’re overweight, lose it! Make your goal sensible, perhaps 1-2 pounds per week. This helps keep your heart healthy and gives you more energy to stay active.

Exercise regularly! It needn’t be rigorous. Every little bit helps. Staying as active as possible helps you lose weight and improve heart function. Exercise is a treatment for diabetes that can well save your life! Proper management of this disease can lower your risk for diabetes complications and give you a long, full life.

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