Hey, Atkins was a Cardiologist, but one with
tons of smarts.
The thing I have been the most amazed about on
this diet, aside from everything you have noted, is how the same holds true for
our horses that we are making junk food junkies out them, jst like the 60% of
Americans that are overweight and have no energy or desire to buck up. Hey a
pun! good one amber, didn't even realize it until it plopped out of my keyboard.
See, I have a sharper mind too now that I am off sugars! (save it
howard)
Not only do I not need to nap anymore, I only
require 5-6 hours of sleep per night. To me, this is
amazing.
And, it is a way of life for me as well as a
way of life for my horses taking all that carb crap out of their
diet.
finally in my old age, the light bulb went on
after I actually READ Atkins book and realized how hard our bodies have to work
to metabolize sugars, which are carbs.
Now if only the horse loving people would
realize this too, that FAT is what the horse needs for energy and reserve
energy, not a quick spike of carbs. Susan...........
Great letter and testimony. And I still treat
myself to a DQ small vanilla soft serve twice a month. Life is
good.
I am diabetic. I have done
the Atkins diet on and off for years. I believe our society has become
addicted to carbs...or at least the highly refined ones. (I also think
we are making our horses diabetic as well but that's another topic). I
have done the diet on and off mostly because yep, I am an addict big time and
my worst addiction is milk. I can drink a gallon of milk a day and
exclude all other liquids, even water. I had to give it up cold turkey
because I can't drink just one cup! I have cut down on the carbs I used
to eat and for a lot of folks simply cutting out pop is the key for them.
But I DO have more energy, my blood sugars are finally stabilizing
during the day within normal range and my fasting sugar is almost down to
normal. Yesterday I did have a hamburger WITH a bun....my blood sugar
went up briefly then came right back down to normal. This has not been
so for me in the past. Is it reasonable for me to try and do this the
rest of my life? Well, when I think of how good it feels to have energy
at 3 or 4 or 5 p.m. and not feel like I will HAVE to have a nap or pass out at
those times (because of HIGH sugars) and when I think of how I want to
continue riding and be healthy for MANY years, then it is my choice just as
smoking or drinking is for some....I don't want to give up this feeling and
those wonderful NORMAL numbers even if I don't lose another ounce (I've only
lost 6 # to date). My sister is on the verge of going off insulin and
only having to take a pill. How cool is THAT? I also bet our blood
pressure will improve soon as well. Another nice side effect! :)
Nelson has lost over 10 pounds by the way and we just started a couple
of weeks ago. I see what I believe are insulin resistant horses
frequently...when people follow my advice (most of it gleaned from my distance
riding books, Ridecamp and Susan G., DVM), their horses improve. Every
time. And when they don't, their horses start to have chronic laminitis,
abcesses all the time, etc. I have actually seen some of these horses
develop large lumps of FAT. Just like I did!!! :) Anyway,
think about this....if we learned the truth (that Pop Tarts are NOT a heart
healthy food because they might be low in FAT), then the cardiologists and
nutritionists and all those other health professionals who make their living
off of our UNHEALTHY eating habits and lifestyles would be out of business!!!
I am going to choke the next nutritionist (human not equine, Susan!) who
tries to tell me I should follow the "pyramid" eating guide...I did and it
made my diabetes WORSE. OK, off of my soapbox now. Sorry!!!
:) Miles of smiles, Maggie
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