Original article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35819203/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Atkins New Book

The new Atkins diet book, an updated version of the popular high-fat eating plan, promises that kind of quick result. “The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great” promotes a program called the “optimal protein diet” that certainly appeals to our cheeseburger cravings (minus the bun, of course). The revised diet book is already a best-seller, but is pumping up protein and cutting carbs really the best way to slim down safely and stay that way? Losing weight that fast could be harmful .

While this latest Atkins incarnation includes far more vegetables, it still shuns, especially in the beginning, healthful whole grains, fruits and legumes. Even when it does allow for some of the vilified carbohydrate-rich foods in later phases, the amount of total carbs suggested continues to fall very short of Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations, as well as the government’s current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In fact, a recent two-year study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that reduced-calorie diets led to weight loss in overweight adults regardless of which macronutrients — protein, fat, or carbohydrate — were emphasized.
And a just published follow-up study in the Annals of Internal Medicine noted that obese people who followed either a low-carbohydrate or a low-fat diet for one year maintained a modest weight loss — 5 pounds and 9.5 pounds, respectively — at three years. While those who followed a low-carb diet lost more weight initially, they tended to regain more weight by the end of three years.
“These results highlight the difficulty in sticking to a low-carbohydrate diet, as carbohydrate intake did not differ between the low-carbohydrate or low-fat dieters by three years,” according to Dr. Marion Vetter, R.D., one of the study authors. “For some people, low-fat diets may be easier to sustain over time.”
Despite efforts to blame carbs for our stubborn pudge, a study published in the November 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition detected no differences in weight-loss maintenance after one year between those who followed a high-protein diet and those who followed a high-carb diet after three months of weight loss.

Before you order that steak
That said, protein does appear to satiate more than carbs or other fats, triggering hormones and other chemicals to send “feel full” messages to the brain. Some research has shown that boosting protein in your diet increases fullness and reduces how many calories you consume.  Consuming dietary protein also increases thermogenesis, meaning more calories are used to digest, absorb, and metabolize protein than for either carbohydrate or fat. It also helps you hold on to lean muscle mass that often shrinks while dieting.

Consuming more protein (while reducing carbohydrate and/or fat intake) has also been shown in studies to improve insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, blood lipids (including cholesterol), and other cardiovascular risk factors. A high-protein diet has also been shown to control blood pressure, especially when the protein comes from plant sources. In older people, adequate protein intake also protects against age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass.

But before you order your next big steak or turkey club sandwich, be mindful that not all proteins are created equal.

Animal sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt are considered sources of complete proteins since the proteins they contain are made of all the essential amino acids. These foods also boast vitamin B12, folate, biotin, and iron.

The downside is fatty meats (especially processed ones like hot dogs, salami and bacon), poultry (like fried and/or skinned varieties), and full-fat (and even reduced-fat) versions of dairy products deliver lots of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Too many of these foods (especially in large portions) can mean too many calories — and elevated blood cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.

Choose animal-derived proteins in their lowest fat form, such as sirloin, flank steak or round cuts; fish; and low-fat or nonfat dairy foods. Keep portions small to maximize nutritional benefits while minimizing health risks.

Of the plant proteins such as nuts and seeds, grains, legumes — dried beans, peas, lentils and soybeans — vegetables, and to a lesser extent fruits, only soy is considered a complete protein. All others are incomplete proteins, which means they lack one or more essential amino acids. Plant proteins pack in fiber, folate, potassium, calcium and magnesium, but have little, if any, saturated fat and no cholesterol. Choose some of these foods each day to get enough essential amino acids, especially if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Watch portions since legumes, nuts, and seeds pack in lots of calories in relatively small amounts.

If you have kidney problems or any other disease or condition that warrants a lower protein diet, be sure to consult with a doctor and registered dietitian.

Although the protein and weight-loss connection appears promising, it’s not a secret weapon for getting skinny. No matter which diet claims to help you shed pounds quickly, it’s not advisable to lose more than one to two each week. Anything more than that and your metabolism may slow down and actually make your body a less efficient fat-burner. Shedding pounds too fast increases your risk of gallstones, nutritional deficiencies and other serious health problems.

Elisa Zied, R.D., is a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. She is author of “Nutrition at your Fingertips” and co-author of “Feed Your Family Right!”

“Cleansing is basic for elimination of every kind of disease.” ~ Stanley Burroughs

“Since the days of Jesus Christ, who fasted for 40 days, men and women have abstained from food for many reasons; for health, for political ends and for spiritual enlightenment.” ~ Herman Schneider

According to Stanley Burroughs, an alternative health practitioner who wrote “The Master Cleanse” book, due to consuming huge quantities of unhealthy food, food waste is stored in our bodies—“Disease, old age, and death are the result of accumulated poisons and congestion throughout the entire body. These toxins become crystallized and hardened, settling around the joints, in the muscles, and throughout the billions of cells all over the body.”

Thus, our bodies naturally start cleansing in order to stop the poison damage. As a result, we experience discomfort and sickness, and many try to “fix” the problem with antibiotics or other drugs, which only suppress the natural process. Such discomfort often appears after holiday feasting as “even the very best of foods in excess can create problems.”

In 1940, Burroughs created the master cleanse diet, which had been proven to be a successful way to lose weight and cure a variety of diseases.

For the cleansing program, he chose lemons, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, laxative tea and sea salt. Each one of the ingredients has a specific purpose and is vital for the successful completion of the diet.

Lemons and limes are “the richest source of minerals and vitamins of any food or foods known to man,” he says.
Even though the lemon is an acid fruit, it becomes alkaline as it is digested and assimilated, and is in fact, the best aid toward proper alkaline balance.

Maple syrup is chosen due to its large variety of minerals and vitamins (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Copper, Chlorine and Silicon; Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C; and Nicotinic Acid and Pantothenic Acid) and cannot be substituted with any other sugary product such as honey for example. The maple syrup can be Grade A (fewer minerals), Grade B (more minerals and more maple taste), and Grade C (more minerals than Grade B). All of them can be used, but the syrup must be organic.

The laxative herb tea needs to be organic if possible, one that is mild to the stomach. Organic senna laxative tea is a good choice.

The cayenne pepper breaks up the mucus and adds more B and C vitamins.

The sea salt is used to wash out the entire digestive tract. Burroughs says enemas and colonics should not be used for this purpose because they are harmful for the system and won’t cleanse the colon as good as the sea salt water bathing. The regular iodized salt won’t work.

Here’s what Burroughs says about the lemons and maple syrup working together:

“The lemon is a loosening and cleansing agent with many important building factors. The ability of the elements in the lemon and the maple syrup working together creates these desired results. Its 49% potassium strengthens and energizes the heart, stimulates and builds the kidneys and adrenal glands.

*Its oxygen builds vitality.
*Its carbon acts as a motor stimulant.
*Its hydrogen activates the sensory nervous system.
*Its calcium strengthens and builds the lungs.
*Its phosphorus knits the bones, stimulates and builds the brain for clearer thinking.
*Its sodium encourages tissue building.
*Its magnesium acts as a blood alkalizer.
*Its iron builds the red corpuscles to rapidly correct the most common forms of anemia.
*Its chlorine cleanses the blood plasma.
*Its silicon aids the thyroid for deeper breathing.

It truly is a perfect combination for cleansing, eliminating, healing, and building.”

In addition, everyone with addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, coffee, cola drinks, etc. will lose the cravings and will “be free from slavery to these many habit-forming and devitalizing elements of modern living.”

“The chemical changes and the cleansing have a way of removing the craving and the many probably deficiencies. Thus, the desire for the unnatural types of stimulants and depressants disappears.”

So, here’s how it’s done:

2 tablespoons lemon or limejuice (about ½ lemon)
2 tablespoons organic maple syrup (not maple flavored sugar syrup)
1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
8 oz water

Combine the juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper in a 10 oz glass and fill with water. Stir and drink. Always use fresh, preferably organic, lemons or limes, and never canned or frozen ones. Six to twelve glasses of the lemonade per day are usually enough. However, if you get hungry, just drink another glass of the lemonade. You must not eat any food during the diet! Don’t use vitamin pills/supplements either. During the cleansing, some people will feel weakness, dizziness, vomiting (rarely), or pain in the joints of the body. It is the result of poisons circulating through the blood stream rather than a lack of food or vitamins, explains Burroughs. The lemonade contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body to stay without food for up to 40 days. Yes, you can do the diet for up to 40 days as the minimum is 10.
If you feel weak, just take it easy and rest more, although most people feel perfectly fine and are able to even work out.

If you are overweight, use less maple syrup for the lemonade. For those who are underweight, add more syrup. You are allowed to drink as much water as you want in addition to the diet.
Drink laxative tea at night before you go to bed. If you have never drank laxative tea before, you will feel discomfort and pain in the stomach during the first two or three days because the tea will be cleansing huge amounts of stored food waste in your system. In a couple of days the stomach will get used to it and the pain will go away.

How to make the salt water wash:

In a full quart of warm water add two teaspoons of sea salt. Drink the whole quart first thing in the morning. The salt and water will then quickly wash the entire track in an hour, so it’s a good idea to stay home for an hour after you drink the salt water.
“The salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood, hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt.” If the salt water wash doesn’t work the first time, try adding a little more salt and drinking more water. In short, the laxative tea at night loosens up the stored waste, and the salt water washes it out easily in the morning.

How to break the diet:

Breaking the diet is the most important part. It may have serious consequences if done improperly.

First and second day after the diet:

Drink several glasses of freshly squeezed oranges during the day. According to Burroughs, “The orange juice prepares the digestive system to properly digest and assimilate regular food.” Drink as much water as you need.

Third day:

Orange juice in the morning; raw fruit for lunch; fruit or raw vegetable salad at night, and that’s all. You are now ready to get back to regular eating.

After the successful completion of the cleansing, however, many people prefer to continue with a healthy diet. They also start eating less than what they were eating prior to the cleansing. You are to gain back some of the lost weight which is inevitable, but overall it’s up to you to keep the results for longer through choosing carefully what to eat.

Burroughs and The Nutrition Outside the Lemonade diet will follow.

• Avoid as much as possible fatty food, including fat from vegetables.

• Reduce salt quantities.

• Drink a lot, like 2 liters/day (slightly more than 1/2 gallon). Water is your best partner here, if possible drink diuretic waters like Evian or Vittel (sold at Wholefoods). Avoid sparkling water due to the sodium (salt).

Thoughts…

As soon as he started practicing, Dr. Dukan realized that all the Cartesian theories and principles around nutrition and diets, were based on the fooled assumption that one could remove the temptation within overweight people for eating and convert them into calory-counting bureaucrats!!!

According to Dr. Dukan, most obese people are not obese by chance; there’s a psychological side that has to be considered and understood and which goes down to the profound explanation of eating habits and self-commitment.

His conclusions were that overweight persons who are trying to loose weight need a fast return with, quickly, tangible results to build up their self-confidence and motivation. They also need precise objectives to be set with pre-defined and predictable phases in order to enable them to appreciate their efforts, comparing the results against the initial objectives.

“This method is dedicated to those who tried everything, who lost weight, often – too often – and who are looking, beyond everything else, for the certainty that in return of a committed and flawless effort, but limited in time, they will, first of all, lose weight and, even more, will enjoy the result of their effort and will live with the comfort and the body that they are reclaiming.” Dr. Pierre Dukan.

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Pierre Dukan, M.D.

The renowned nutritionist Pierre Dukan, M.D, in an exclusive interview for the Bulgarian National Television: There is no one hurt by the protein diet.

•    Teenagers should not follow any diet programs. Prevention is paramount for them.
•    The attack phase should last 7 days maximum.

This recommends the author of the best seller “Je Ne Sais Pas Maigrir” Pierre Dukan, M. D. in an exclusive interview for the Bulgarian National Television.

Pierre Dukan’s book released in Bulgaria with logo “Colibri”, caused a revolution among the female population. This success had the counter effect – Bulgarian nutritionists declared that the diet in question is very dangerous for the kidneys and lever and it can cause permanent damage to the population that follows its course.

Pierre Dukan as a specialist in healthy eating and nutrition offers an addition to its book called “My diet in 350 recipes” which has been recently translated and released to the Bulgarian market. There the doctor shares his personal experience accumulated during the years of study, research and testimonials.

- Dr. Dukan, you diet has become quite popular here in Bulgaria. However, there are critics, which brand your diet to be extreme. What can you answer to them?

- I am confident that the people saying that are not read or understood fully my diet. They accuse my diet of being only protein, which is wrong. The diet composed on four phases. Only the first phase – “attack” is based on protein consumption. However, this first phase last only 2 days for people trying to reduce their weight by 5 or 6 kilograms, and 5 or 6 days for people which are seriously overweight.
What are the proteins? There are not drugs but just a daily portion of what the primitive homo-sapiens daily intake – meat, fish, eggs, and milk. There are not poison. Eating only proteins for 5 days is not dangerous but has a rejuvenating effect. Following the “attack” phase is the so-called “weight loss” phase, which last until the target weight is reached. During that phase the average weekly weight loss is 1 kilogram. This means that if you want to lose 10 kilograms you should maintain this phase for 9 weeks. It does not include only proteins but all vegetables, which means that you can consume at least 100 different types of food. 72 are animal products, 28 – plants. The great thing to say here is that the person can eat these 100 types as much as they want. This fact gives the diet its strength.
Everyone knows that they cannot eat every food that they want to but that can consume as much as they want from these 100 allowed foods.
Fact is the vegetables and meat are hard coded into our bodies from thousand years.

- Should pay attention to something, in order to keep our health during our diet.

- No. I am putting this diet on practice for 30 years now and I do not a single patient that had even a slightest complaint or got ill. Of course, vegetarians or patients with kidney problems cannot use this program. However, such cases are rare and such people are in all case not overweight. There is not a single case that someone got ill by following my program.

- What about people with high cholesterol or predisposed to it?

- I treated 25000 people with high cholesterol. In all cases their cholesterol level was decreased due to the fact that in the diet program fat meats, butter, cheese and all fat food are avoided. If you follow the program strictly your blood pressure and cholesterol levels will improve and also the overall body condition. The diet should not be mixed up with Atkins diet, which allows all fats. My plan decreases the fat intake dramatically.

- There is something curious in your diet plan, though. You allow the intake of light Coca-Cola. By comparison all other diet programs forbid aerated beverages.

- In all countries Coca-Cola light is approved by all organizations. It contains aspartame, which is harmless. Our government allows even pregnant women to consume it. The obesity is treat, which cannot be compared with the treat of aspartame. So it does not harm if we drink a few cups of Coca-cola light. I don’t want to promote Cola-Cola since I even do not like this company. Let’s say that every aerated beverage or milk with sweeteners can be consumed.

- Do you recommend your diet for teenagers?

- No, absolutely not. I do not recommend my diet for children or teenagers. By principal they do not get fat. Nowadays, it happens as a result from too much time in front of the TV or computers. I am not supporting dieting in such early stage. It is best to try and prevent future obesity. Teenagers can drink aerated beverages because they do it all the time. However, it is best they drink such without sugar. Normally, young people are very radical and they are prone to hold the “attack” phase for too long. No, no – I do not recommend the diet for them.

- I much time should the “attack” phase continue?

If you target is to lose up to 10 kilograms, I recommend 1 or 2 days. Then 1 day with vegetables and again 1 day with vegetables. If anyone wants to lose 10-20 kilograms, the “attack” phase should last between 1 and 5 days. For people weighing over 100 kilograms can keep up the phase up to a week’s time. However, after 1 week the phase loses its effect.

- Please, say a few words for the people who are practicing your diet program.

Speaking as nutritionist with more than 30 years of experience, after researching in details all present programs and in my role a chairman of the International Nutritionist Organization, I truly believe that my diet program is the best.

Important recommendations:

•    You should drink a lot of water – 1,5 to 2 liters a day. The water has many advantages in all diet programs and in this one particularly.  The water cleanses the organism and improves the diet program results. The combination – water and clean proteins has a great effect on skin cellulite. Drink water during your meals. It fills your stomach and dampens the hunger.

•    It is good to eat oath meals – better done in the morning. The goals are two: relaxing the intestinal functions and increase of calories intake. Two possible ways for this are eating the oath meals with water or low fat milk. The only setback is that oath meals are difficult to find on the market. There can be substituted with wheat meals but you can experience stomach swell.

•    There are no limits in quantity that you consume from all foods allowed during the diet program. This is the place to say one of the most important rules: “In order to lose weight, one must eat”. Do not miss a meal, ever. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are mandatory. The best thing to do is to eat every 4 hours.

The path to success:

•    Be patient. The program works slowly in small steps. There period during which you lose weight, and ones when you keep you current one.
•    Measure your body. The program will help you decrease your measurement faster then your weight. Measurements are more important than kilograms.
•    Listen to your body. Different things work for different people. Often removal of milk products from the daily diet increases the weight loss. The last to exclude is the yogurt.
•    Be mindful of your daily salt intake. It leads to holding water in your body and slows the weight loss process.
•    Read food labels. Many meat products often contain ingredients like salt and other that will slow down your progress.

Translated from Bulgarian by Ivan Georgiev.

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MY WEIGHT BOOK FIRST “PERSONAL BOOK” FORMAT, CONCEIVED BY FRENCH MD WITH 32 EXPERTS, OFFERS INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS OF WEIGHT CONTROL ISSUES AND PERSONAL SOLUTIONS FOR LOSS AND LIFELONG MAINTENANCE

“You have gained weight in a personal way. You will lose weight well, quickly and long-lastingly in a manner just as personal,” says Dr. Pierre Dukan, MD, in MY WEIGHT BOOK, the first “personal” book in existence. Dr. Dukan was joined by 32 specialists in areas of study such as weight and–Stress, Nutritional Therapy, Physical Activity, Tobacco Weaning, Menopause, Early Childhood, Pregnancy, Anti-ageing, and other aspects of personal experience. These experts joined Dr. Dukan in an effort to fight obesity on a world wide scale.

Pierre Dukan evolved his method and total plan over thirty years of practice in France. Many patients came to him with weight control problems that affected their health. But no matter what diet methods they employed, after the initial loss, they regained their weight and more. Working with each patient individually, he came to understand weight gain is as individual as a person’s life experience, heredity, food preferences, and emotional circumstances. Ongoing stresses—from family, a job, or the general angst of a modern life with few natural releases—often led to the immediate satisfaction of eating.

As his patients came to understand their own motivations and behavior, he was able to work with them so they could lose their weight without deprivation and, most importantly, keep it off. As requests for his work grew, he decided to come up with a book and a format that would offer an individual approach to as many people who wanted it. The figure is 1 million readers in France and, millions more in Italy, Korea, Russia, and Portugal. It was noted in France, that Dr. Dukan’s book was good in relation to other plans in loss of weight, but significantly more effective in keeping it off.

The breakthrough in his personal approach is mirrored in the “Personal” book, a format now available for women in the U.S. A reader goes on-line at www.myweightbook.com and decides they want MY WEIGHT BOOK, pays and receives a password and the essential questionnaire. She answers 154 questions, which detail the personal factors that led to her weight gain and the strengths that will help her regain control. These questions are the basis for the book that is put together for her specific weight control plan. Her copy is printed individually and reaches her in ten days. And because Dr. Dukan feels support is essential, he includes personal instructions to encourage dieters. They soon find there is no deprivation and fight against a starving body with this diet, less of a struggle. Weight control is an obtainable goal.

Dr. Dukan’s MY WEIGHT BOOK has four basic phases; attack, cruising, stabilization, counterattack. The attack phase is extremely short, it can go from two to seven days for the obese. It also can vary according to age, sex, weight to be lost, history of overweight, facility to lose, heredity etc. The reader chooses from 72 foods rich in proteins, seven meats, twenty-four fish. These foods are like a full refrigerator from which the user eats as much as she wants, at any hour and in any combination. In this period confidence sets in as weight is lost. It’s also important because the loss combines elimination of grease and water. This phase encourages and strongly reinforces motivation.

The cruising phase, improves the attack mode with 28 green vegetables. These are added in alternation to the food proteins and according to a rate which varies with the parameters of the individual’s needs. It lasts until the Right Weight is obtained, the weight ideal for the person calculated according to many parameters.

Consolidation of the weight lasts ten days for each two pounds lost. That’s 50 days for ten pounds. In this phase, fruits are added, as well as cheese, and starches. If all consolidates well, weight is maintained in the period of definitive stabilization. This establishes practices to be included for life, such as a protein only Thursday, to act as a safeguard for the other six days.

Dr. Dukan’s unique format, the personal book, means for the first time his readers are holding a book intended only for them. No two copies of MY WEIGHT BOOK are the same, just as no two readers are the same. Yet all readers can use it to obtain not just weight loss, but weight control for life.

Read more:

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• Pierre Dukan, M.D. – Exclusive Interview