All the latest and greatest early summer low-carb health headlines

Summertime is in full swing now and the wealth of information about carbohydrate restriction and healthy living hasn’t slowed down a lick. I’ve been letting it pile up for several weeks and now I’m loaded for bear today with a boatload of low-carb news and health headlines for June 2009. As always, feel free to send me any new and notable links to interesting low-carb diet and health stories anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Click here for news about a new study on pancreatic cancer, new commentary from Jackie Eberstein, a debate over ASP vs. insulin, a video by Dr. Robert Su about his book Carbohydrates Can Kill, the LDL cholesterol nonsense, a new report called “F As In Fat 2009,” the obesity rates skyrocketing in Indonesia, a “Test Your Carb IQ” quiz, a magazine feature story on fat, a government-sponsored study on Vitamin D and fish oil, casting for Season 9 of “The Biggest Loser,” a study on high-carb foods and their impact on heart health, a 165-pound weight loss on a “hunter-gatherer” diet, a brand new Gary Taubes lecture video with slides, and the new film on real food entitled Food Inc. in theaters now!

A new month has arrived in 2009 and the headlines about livin’ la vida low-carb and health continue to pour in like a rushing tide on the shores of the nutritional landscape. It’s important for those of us who have taken back control of our own health to stay on top of the very latest updates on information about healthy living. You can’t count on traditional media sources to highlight these stories for you, but I do my best to find the information that is most important for YOU!

CLICK HERE to get caught up on all the latest low-carb news and health headlines for May 2009!

He’s baaaaaaaack! Dr. Michael Miller gets his fat-hating study published

Another day, another so-called published “study” slamming the Atkins diet. Some things just never change. And yet some things seem to stay the same, too.

Details about the latest anti-low-carb research to come down the pipeline are documented in this new study published this week and my fellow low-carb blogging friend Laura Dolson from About.com’s Low-Carb Diets site writes an excellent recap of the study details. I even blogged about it when the study was first presented publicly in 2007.

Here are the basic details of the study:

Lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller from the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical Center received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to observe cholesterol and heart health risk factors when dieters reached their weight loss goals and decide to stay on their same diet. One would think this kind of an in-depth study would involve at least several hundred overweight participants on a variety of dietary plans to shed the pounds over at least a one-year period of time, right? Nope.

The study included 18 HEALTHY and NORMAL WEIGHT people who each went on one of three diet plans for four weeks at a time:

ATKINS–50% fat
SOUTH BEACH–30% fat
ORNISH–10% fat

The study participants engaged in all three diets with a four-week period between the diets from January to December 2006. Cholesterol levels were checked at the beginning of each new four-week period prior to starting on a new diet and the researcher evaluated other heart health risk factors as well. Additionally, since the study participants were on their own with the foods they ate, a 3-day food record journal was also looked at at the end of each four-week period. Blood vessel function was also checked by measuring the blood vessel dilation in the arm.

Dr. Miller stated that the higher the saturated fat is in the diet, the lower the blood vessel dilation is, which regulates the flow of blood in the body. Wagging his finger of blame at the worst culprit in his opinion, he scorned the diet that contained the most saturated fat.

“The diet that performed the worst was the Atkins diet,” Miller said.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Miller’s “study” and why his bias against the Atkins low-carb diet shines through loud and clear.

It’s hard to believe the first quarter of 2009 is already coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the low-carb news and health headlines are slowing down one iota. Here are some tasty and filling stories about livin’ la vida low-carb for you to munch on as April “springs” upon us: Click here to get caught up on all the latest that is happening in the world of low-carb living!

We are inundated with information galore about our health these days and it comes at you sometimes like a ton of bricks. What are you supposed to believe about it all? How is the news you read on the Internet and in newspapers and hear about on television and the radio supposed to impact your life? Those are some difficult questions to answer when you are going about living your life as healthy as you know how and depending on the wisdom of the health “experts” to always tell you the truth. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen–especially when low-carb diets are brought up.

Although I am not a trained nutritionist or doctor, I do try to stay informed about anything related to diet, nutrition, health, and fitness through the prism of livin’ la vida low-carb. Whenever I see a health headline or web site making a claim about what is “good” or “bad” for people, I immediately filter that information through the cumulative knowledge I have gained through my own research and from the real experts I have had the privilege of interviewing in the past. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the health and low-carb headlines from March 2009 that are worthy of your attention.

Click here to see what’s happening in the world of low-carb diet and health for March 2009.

Get the flavor of baked macaroni & cheese without all the carbs

It’s no secret one of my favorite foods in the world before I started livin’ la vida low-carb was macaroni & cheese. Christine used to make two boxes of this stuff for me to eat in one sitting back in my sinful high-carb days prior to 2004 when I gobbled up the nearly 200g carbs per box that “meal” gave me. These days I wouldn’t dare dream of eating that many carbohydrates in a day or consuming regular pasta every again. Your body just doesn’t need it.

That’s why I was glad to see a low-carb recipe from our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur for a macaroni & cheese substitute that looks like it could fill your desire for this favorite comfort food while keeping the carbs low on the totem pole. Using the low-carb House Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti Noodles, you’ll never miss enjoying this favorite dish again. ENJOY!

LOW-CARB SHIRATAKI-RONI & CHEESE-Y NOODLE BAKE
Two 8-oz packages of House Tofu Shirataki Noodles
1 large egg
½ cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce

TOPPING
1 Tbs butter, melted
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup seasoned dried low-carb bread crumbs

Click here to see the instructions for making this low-carb macaroni & cheese alternative.

The message of livin’ la vida low-carb is EXPLODING in Sweden

Imagine one day waking up to the following scenario in the United States of America…

After months of controversy over her use of a high-fat, low-carb diet with her obese and diabetic patients as a result of two dietitians who are members of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) complaining because she was causing irreparable harm with her treatment, Dr. Mary C. Vernon is vindicated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) when they declare that low-carb diets are “in accordance with science and well-tried experience for reducing obesity and Type 2 diabetes.” This lights a fire in other practicing physicians who had previously been too afraid to show their open support for carbohydrate-restriction to help their patients improve their weight and health. Now they prominently advertise their use of low-carb diets with patients to draw them in.

Could you imagine these being the bestselling books in America?

Nationwide interest in the healthy low-carb lifestyle begins to spread like wildfire and the online presence of low-carb web sites, including blogs, recipe sites, scientists, doctors, and more sees a nearly ten-fold increase in traffic virtually overnight. The #1 selling health books on Amazon.com tout high-fat, low-carb diets like Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, and Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb (hey, it’s my dream–it could happen!). Newspaper stories, radio talk shows, and television commentary all start questioning the low-fat diet advice that has dominated for over three decades while simultaneously talking up the positive benefits of livin’ la vida low-carb–all the while, the truth about low-carb living starts to sink into the hearts and minds of the average American watching all of this unfold right before their very eyes.

If high-fat, low-carb was deemed “healthy,” what happens to this symbol?

Furthermore, some of the biggest manufacturer supporters of the American Heart Association’s “heart-healthy” low-fat diet come under major scrutiny as sales of fake fats like margarine take a nosedive and the AHA succumbs to public pressure to end their lucrative sponsorship contract with the low-fat product companies using their heart healthy symbol on their packaging because of the limited scientific support that low-fat diets are healthy. Trying to save face, these companies band together what’s left of their marketing resources and try to organize a seminar for the media to educate them on why dietary fat is unhealthy and the outcry of disgust forced them to cancel the event just one day before it was scheduled to happen.

As if that wasn’t enough, a major advertising ethics committee pressures the margarine company to pull their ads immediately for being “exaggerated and untruthful.” Meanwhile, one of the top world champion athletes Michael Phelps comes out in support of eating a high-fat, low-carb diet to keep his body in tip-top condition for competition.

Wouldn’t this be great to see happening in our country which is being starved to death by the lack of truth about low-carb living? And yet doesn’t all of this sound just a bit too far-fetched for your imagination to believe could actually happen in the United States of America? Well, what if I told you every bit of that above scenario is already happening–in the country of Sweden? Would that get you excited about the future prospects of livin’ la vida low-carb?

Click here to find out why it’s time to get pumped up about low-carb all over again because that is EXACTLY what is happening in Sweden and I’m thrilled to share with you the stunning details.

The biggest weekend for football is upon us with nearly everyone gearing up for Sunday night to watch the game or the commercials…or both! But before you start tearing into that avocado dip, munching down on those pepperoni slices and mozzarella cheese, or enjoy a nice big, juicy cheeseburger patty while watching the Super Bowl with friends and family, how about sinking your teeth into some of the most intriguing, mouth-watering health headlines that have captured my attention this week. ENJOY!

Click here for the latest low-carb news and health headlines for January 2009.

Just when you think the never-ending saga of one Heidi Kimberly Diaz and her Kimkins diet scam couldn’t get any stranger–well, that’s out the window! Just a few weeks ago I told you about the Kimkins starvation diet being awarded the distinction of “Worst Diet Product” of 2008 and is now on the verge of being the subject of a major class action lawsuit against Diaz without the services of her attorney Bert Cottle. That was minor news compared to what is happening now.

Click here to learn about how Heidi Diaz filed for bankruptcy for the third time, the judge in the class action lawsuit certified the classification anyway, and learn about a brand new diet web site Diaz is hoping will take the place of her failed Kimkins scam.

It’s time for my favorite day of the week where we enjoy some non-diet related topics on my newly-instituted Fun-Filled Friday. Whether I feature a cute little girl singing a song about the blood of Jesus or my recent perfect 300 game in Wii bowling, this is a chance for me to let my hair down so to speak and just tell you about some other great stuff going on that I think you might like. Here are three things I’m sure you’ll find interesting:

So long, President George W. Bush, and THANK YOU

It’s the dawn of a new day here in America as we will inaugurate a brand new leader of our country on January 20, 2009 with the sun setting on one president and rising on another. With a farewell address from the current White House occupant on Thursday night, I thought it would be appropriate to say goodbye and farewell to him for serving America.

Regardless of what you think of the outgoing President of the United States, he was a man of integrity who loved this country and fought to protect it against evildoers who wanted to cause harm and destruction. And by the grace of God, we have not been attacked a second time on American soil thanks to the diligence of our military and the leadership making the decisions that have kept our country safe.

I remember when September 11, 2001 happened just months after George Walker Bush took the oath of office and was inaugurated as our 43rd president, Americans of all colors, creeds, political ideology, and every other faction that divides us came together in unity behind the idea of preserving the freedom our forefathers fought so hard for. I long for the day when we can stop the pettiness that has become the modern political system and just get back to those ideals that made the United States the greatest country in the history of the world again.

In my opinion, President Bush deserved more respect than he got while in office the past eight years and I hope to God incoming President Barack Hussein Obama will be given that same honor the office of the presidency affords him starting next Tuesday. Being President and the leader of the free world is probably the hardest job anyone could ever take on. Those who are given the opportunity to serve in that position deserve our praise and sincere gratitude for their service to our country.

In that light, I wish to say so long President George W. Bush, and THANK YOU for doing what you felt was right no matter what the political consequences would be. You have made so many Americans proud of you for your selflessness in always choosing to do the right thing even when it wasn’t popular. God bless you as you return to public life in Texas and I wish you well in the years you and Laura will enjoy together.

Next up, I’ve got quite an inspiring story for you about a 25-year old man named Nick Vujicic from Life Without Limbs. As you will see in the following videos, Nick was born with no arms or legs and has had to deal with the consequences of that throughout his life. But rather than mope and complain about the hand life dealt him, he has instead chosen to embrace his handicap and use it for God’s glory and honor. BE INSPIRED by this man who has every reason to complain…but doesn’t.

Finally, I’m so happy to reveal to you another BRAND NEW BLOG I have been working on creating since the beginning of the year. One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2009 was to start writing letters to those people who have helped influence, mold, and shape my life into the man I am today. The Jimmy Moore I have become is actually a composite of literally hundreds upon hundreds of people I’ve come into contact with over the course of my life and I felt it necessary to express back to each of them what they have meant to me.

To that end, I decided to create my first non-diet and health-related blog called “52 Letters” where I will feature an average of one new letter a week to someone I’ve crossed paths with–past or present, dead or alive, whether I’ve met them or not–telling them how much they have made a real difference in my life. I started out this letter-writing campaign with someone who is as much responsible for who I am now as anyone–my late brother Kevin.

I encourage you to think about writing some letters to the people in your life who have made you into the person you are today. It may sound difficult to come up with very many, but with a little introspective thought I’m sure you’ll have quite a list. And these letters will not appear in any sort of significance or order. Whoever I’m thinking about next will be the featured letter for that week, so I hope you will check out my new blog to learn a little more about me and the people behind the man I have become.

I’ll be gone next Friday on our 2nd Annual Low-Carb Cruise to Mexico, but we’ll get back to Fun-Filled Friday when I return the next week. If you have something fun, funny, or interesting to share with me and my readers for future “Fun-Filled Friday” segments, then just e-mail those to me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.