Dr. Atkins' Health Revolution: How Complementary Medicine Can Extend Your Life

I wasn't looking for a cure for my sleep disorder, monthly cramps, headaches and occasional UTIs when I picked up Dr. Atkins'Health Revolution three years back; I was just doing a little preliminary research on the Atkins Diet to see if this guy was some kind of quack, as his detractors often claimed. Lo and behold, a new world of health and physically based well-being opened to me as I began to understand just how my nutritional habits (and lack thereof) were undermining the quality of my life.A common myth about Dr. Atkins that could stand some clearing up is that he advocates a strict homeopathic system of medical care and an unbalanced meat-only diet. These misconceptions can be corrected by reading the first few chapters. Atkins actually gives well-reasoned explanations of his philosophy of Complementary medicine, an approach that stresses prevention via good dietary habits, vitamin supplements and exercise, then homeopathic and vitamin remedies when there is a problem, and finally traditional medicine when all else fails (Yeah, he's a quack all right!). Without going into the details and logistics here, I was impressed with how logical and simple to apply this system is.Where Atkins' detractors have hung up on most is the section on diet and how our last 150 years or so of history have affected it. From our pre-industrial food options though the Twentieth Century's sudden proliferation of processed flour and sugar, we can trace the steady rise of heart disease, obesity, tooth decay and Type 2 diabetes. Worse, the industries that stood to profit from the "deadly duo" (and other starchy carb-based foods that were taking the place of meats, eggs, butter and cheese as the bulk of our diets) greatly influenced the medical profession's research and findings. The resulting decline of our national health is a bitter legacy to take responsibility for, and that is just what too many of our processed food makers, doctors, pharmaceutical companies and health experts would have to do once they conceded that Atkins may indeed have been right. For that reason, such an admission may be decades in coming. Whether or not you find yourself agreeing with that area of Atkins' theory, the book presents sound arguments and encourages a lifestyle that has improved untold lives over the past 30 years. There are changes you can make that will lower your blood pressure, bad cholesterol and triglycerides, eliminate systemic yeast infections, reverse diabetes and re-energize you - all without the use of drugs. In fact, you will probably end up being able to ditch the drugs you are on now. I believe that someday Dr. Atkins vitamin and diet principles will be the standard recommendations from the health industry. It is hard to argue with the steadily growing segment of our population that simply gets lasting results by using them, and expands slowly via word of mouth. Meanwhile, those happy few of us will continue to benefit from the work done by this incredi

Finally!!! A diet where you don't have to eat like a bird! Great book. I lost well over 30 lbs and have kept it off for almost a year!! Thank you Dr. Atkins!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Atkins, My parents have read your book and have been on the diet for about 5 month They have really lost the weight they wanted. I live in Hawaii and they live in Maryland and I haven't seen my dad or mom in almost two years. When I saw him last he had put on allot of weight and When he came out to Hawaii I couldn't belive that he had lost all that weight. My mom wasn't a heavey person but she quiet smoking and put on some weight and she has gone on your diet and lost the weight she wanted. My husband and I are going on this diet soon. I am only 15 pounds over weight that I feel. My husband wants to loose about 25 pounds. I think this is a great way to loose weight. Thank your for your time. Diana Steinbach

The diet definitely works, my husband and I have been on it for over 4 weeks now, and couldn't believe we were on a diet, actually eating like king and queen. When you put your mind to it, you really can do without the bread, pasta, rice as you watch your weight drop and your waistline re-appear, and your pants start to fit better. We definitely enjoyed the re-newed energy, as I was just in a FOG all the time, and absolutley no energy. Now I'm out walking again, and gardening, and even doing my housework with a little more enthusiasm, though I still would prefer a maid, ha. Our libido has returned, which makes us both feel young again. My husband is even looking younger again, and I'm losing those jowls off of my face and beginning to look younger as well. The cholesterol factor concerned me at first, as I had been such a cholesterol watcher - due to a heart attack 3 years back. But I've been keeping tabs on my cholesterol and it hasn't gone up, and Dr. Atkins provides nutritional supplements that help people who are concerned with the high amount of cholesterol involved in the diet. I took the borage oil capsules and the lethicin granules and that helped, I'm sure as I never suffered any chest discomfort at all as well. I would recommend this diet, it's far superior to the Weight Watcher's program, which allows too many carbohydrates as far as I'm concerned. I have an aunt who has been going there for years and she's still as obese as when she started. She should have been cutting out the carbs and sugars as well. We allow ourselves just the odd alcohol drink, like vodka, or gin, or scotch, with a diet soda, as they only have trace carbs in them. But we feel better having just 1 or 2 a week, and no longer over-indulging in the beer-fests, or pina colada's. They all ADD up in the long run.I'd like to thank Dr. Atkins for introducing this diet plan, and even though it's been out for many years, I can't remember seeing it, or perhaps I didn't need it until now. I'm 4'11'' and had gotten myself up to 135 lb., which is about 27 lbs more than I used to be. I think with my last pregnancy I was 138 and so I can't believe I made it up to this weight. Well after 4 weeks, I am now 122, and my husband has dropped 15 lbs from his 204 he was up to, and we're still losing. I find that I'm more alert and ambitious now. Give it a try, and ignore any of the negative people out there, they obviously couldn't stick to the program, and were not motivated enough to hang in. Yes there is a problem with bad breath for a bit, but keep brushing those teeth, and you can have tic tacs (no carbs there), but you are forwarned about some of the side effects, ei. constipation, but I just took some sugar free fibre laxative like Konsyl which has the psyllium fibre in it, and even safe for diabetics. EXCELLENT DIET or better yet EXCELLENT WAY OF LIFE.

This is the best diet ever! My husband was 290lbs and going up., he's about 6' so it didn't look too bad, but he and I knew. Especially around the middle he had a very big stomach and was constantly out of breath, we would go out to eat and he would eat all the rolls on the table., He heard about the diet, and within about 6 mths, went to 200 lbs, but decided to gain a few back, so now 2 years later he holds steady at 220, he has never felt better, is very happy, and you don't have to stay off carbs forever, I also lost weight and sometimes we eat carbs, I think you learn to eat better, and when you do introduce carbs back into your diet, you are more aware of how many of them you are eating. We now have salad and vegtables every day,with our protein meal, fish, chicken, or meat and our weight has held even, Everyone I know has lost on it and improved their health and way of eating. Thanks Dr. Atkins!