Why Carb Wars, you ask? The title came from my first book, Carb Wars; Sugar is the New Fat. The name stuck, although Nourished, the name of my second book, might be a better fit. I hope you will find this to be a friendly and nurturing place where we don’t slavishly adhere to any dogma but try to keep an open mind and follow the evidence wherever it leads. My own views have evolved over the years and I expect them to continue to do so. There is no disgrace in changing your mind when the evidence changes, but refusing to alter your position when you know it is wrong is indefensible.
It’s been more than 30 years since our government first endorsed a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-salt, high-carbohydrate diet. The majority of us became fat trying to follow this advice, but now, for the first time, the obese outnumber the merely overweight and chronic diseases have reached epidemic proportions. We obviously have a big problem in America and the rest of the developed world has foolishly followed our lead with the same sad results. We need to discard everything we thought we knew about nutrition and start over.
In a world where the truth can so easily be manipulated, where confirmation bias taints every media report, and scientific studies can be spun to show whatever the sponsor wants them to show, how can we know what to believe or who to trust? We must take charge of our own health. We can no longer accept what we are told, especially when it comes from someone with an agenda, without examining and evaluating the evidence. Many of us are now doing just that and the times they are a-changing! There has been a paradigm shift in public opinion about what constitutes a healthful diet. Sales of butter and red meat are going up while bread, cereal, pasta, and sugary beverages are declining as people recognize the need to return to the traditional foods that have nourished the human race throughout history.
Our dietary choices play a major role in our modern plagues, in other words—IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD—but don’t worry, you will not find even a hint of deprivation or austerity here! Once you discover the secret, you will find that the very best food for weight management, longevity, the treatment and prevention of disease, and over-all health and happiness is also the most sumptuous, satisfying, and indulgent way of eating the world has to offer. You are invited to the feast. Enjoy.
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I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about ten years ago. In looking back, I realize that many traits that didn’t seem to be related were all part of one syndrome. When I was in high school, I would have to lie down to rest after walking home from school. I was the only one who went back to my room to brush my teeth after lunch in college, and yet I was the one who needed frequent dental work. Wool was intolerably scratchy, and the tags…
It’s official. Fibromyalgia is real. How do I know? Because I just saw an ad for a drug to treat it. Lyrica (pregabalin) is now allowed to claim that it may help patients with fibromyalgia (FMS). When The New York Times ran the story on January 14, 2008, the headline was: “Drug Approved. Is Disease Real?” In clinical trials Lyrica has been shown to reduce pain by about 2 points on a scale of 10, compared to 1 point for a placebo. It has significant…
Following is a link to an article by Patrick Totty, titled, “Carb Wars: Sugar Is The New Fat Provides Delicious Recipes For People Living With Diabetes,” that appeared on Diabetes Health on March 9th: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/03/09/5670.html
This is interesting. Several recent studies have linked artificial sweeteners with weight gain, which I find baffling and counter to my own experience. The rationale used to explain the phenomenon is that just the sensation of a sweet taste provokes an insulin surge in anticipation of sugar just as a ringing bell associated with feeding caused Pavlov’s dogs to salivate. The insulin then promotes fat storage. A new study from Purdue University seems to confirm that using artificial sweeteners makes it harder, not easier to…
I did a little research on gout for a friend who had been given the standard advice for treating this painful condition: eat a low-fat diet, cut out red meat, seafood, fish, beans, and other purine-rich foods, and take medication. Purines can be broken down into urate, which can crystallise out to cause pain in the joints, so a reduction in purine-containing foods is standard advice, in spite of the fact that most uric acid is made in the body and does not come from…
The American Diabetes Association has opened the floodgates by finally admitting that low-carbohydrate diets are “as effective for weight management as low-fat.” This dramatic turn-around was part of its 2008 clinical practice recommendations. The headline on Adam Campbell’s story about the ADA’s lukewarm endorsement was, “Apparently, Hell Just Froze Over.” Here’s the link for Adam’s article: http://thefitnessinsider.menshealth.com/2007/12/apparently-hell.html Now that people have officially been given permission to try a diet that naturally lowers blood glucose and insulin levels, there will be no going back. It will…
