Why do you think the myths about low carb eating persist in face of the evidence?
It takes time to build credibility, and there are struggles. There is very little monetary support for research, except from the Veronica Atkins Foundation. It's not nearly at the level required to get the word out. And there aren't many physicians in practice who are talking about using low carb diets with their patients - so the credibility isn't there yet.
Some people seem to benefit from the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association to eat more carbohydrate and less fat. That's mystified me, frankly - it makes no sense to me that eating sugar would help diabetes. Any ideas what causes this difference between people?
My guess is that it could depend on what they were eating before - it could be a carb cut for them. Also, just switching to healthier sources of carbohydrate can help. My experience was that in the long run, low fat/high carb diets didn't help people.
One of my goals is to help people to catch the process of diabetes way before the diagnosis of diabetes. How can we help alert people that this is an issue for them?
Controlling blood sugar is so important. By the time it is so out of control that you're diabetic, you're in a bad situation. Other markers of metabolic syndrome are very important to watch. One of the biggest is waist circumference. Men: Your belly shouldn't be ahead of your belt. Women: If you're buying bigger clothes sizes or losing your waist, watch out.
What do you say to people who insist that we "need" carbohydrate in our diet?
If someone doesn't eat, they don't die from lack of carbohydrate. Even if a person ate no carbohydrate at all, the body would make what little it really needs from protein. [Added by Laura: this doesn't mean we can't benefit from carbohydrate-containing foods such as low carb vegetables and fruit - it just means that we don't need the carbohydrate itself.]
I get a lot of questions about ketosis - getting into it, staying in it, etc. Sometimes I think the whole business isn't worth it.
If it helps you follow the diet to check ketones, OK, but really...just follow the diet!
What do you say to people who can't seem to get down to the weight they want to be at? (Confession: I was asking this question partly for myself!)
You don't have to follow the fashion magazines. Get used to your own body, and help it to be as healthy as you can. Blood glucose, blood pressure, and other health markers are much more important than weight.
Some people have trouble finding supportive physicians to help them with their low carb diets. Do you have suggestions for them?
In the United States, if they can get themselves to a physician one time for an evaluation, a lot of the follow-up can be done by email and phone if the physician is willing. I do this quite often. That one-time investment can be worth it.
Tips from Dr. Vernon
- If you're feeling shaky or dizzy in the first few days of the diet, it could be because your body is letting go of a lot of salt. Drink a cup of bouillon every four hours for 2-3 days. If this doesn't help, check with your doctor.
- Eat at least a snack every three hours. At meals, just eat until you're comfortable, not stuffed.
- If you are taking blood pressure or diabetes medicine, be sure to check with your doctor before cutting carbs, as there is an excellent chance that you won't need as much and may run into trouble if you're getting too much medication. The body tends to respond very quickly. Don't try to do this yourself. More About Medications and Low-Carb Diets
More From Dr. Mary Vernon:
Interview with Mary Vernon on the Livin' La Vida Low Carb Podcast with Jimmy Moore
