Category: Low-Carbohydrate

Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

Low-carbohydrate diet shown to have considerable potential to protect against type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition characterised by generally elevated levels of blood sugar (glucose), usually as a result of ‘insulin resistance’ (insulin not doing its blood sugar-lowering job very well). Between a state of health and type 2 diabetes, the medical profession has defined a state known as ‘impaired glucose tolerance’ (IGT). Here, insulin […]

July 4, 2014· 4 min read

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Food and Medical Politics

Update on my complaint about the NHS Choices article on carbohydrate: more questions than answers

In February, I wrote a blog post which aimed to draw attention to, in my view, the bias and lack of balance in an article on the NHS Choices website entitled ‘The Truth About Carbs’. I complained about this article, and had filled out the requisite form here. You’ll see that any complaint can be […]

May 22, 2014· 18 min read

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Food and Medical Politics

I complain to NHS Choices website about its stance on carbs. 2 months later and still no response…

Back in December, I wrote a blog post about this article on the NHS Choices website. In short, I felt the ‘article’ put a very biased, unbalanced and potentially misleading case for carbohydrate in the diet. The day after writing the blog post, I decided I would make a formal complaint about the article to […]

February 20, 2014· 5 min read

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Healthy Eating

Can we trust the NHS and dieticians to tell us the truth about diet?

On twitter, someone recently drew my attention to this article on the UK’s NHS (National Health Service) Choices website regarding dietary carbohydrate. Entitled ‘The Truth About Carbs’ it starts: “Carbs” has become a dirty word in recent times, especially in the weight loss world, due in no small part to the popularity of low-carb diets […]

December 20, 2013· 6 min read

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Brain and Behaviour

Study suggests that cutting back on sugar and starch may preserve mental functioning as we age

I suspect many individuals dread the idea of losing their mental faculties as they age. I think nutrition probably plays a very important role in how well the brain ages and how well its functioning is preserved. This week saw the on-line publication of a study that suggests that a key factor here may be […]

October 25, 2013· 4 min read

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Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

Why does adding ‘calorific’ nuts to the diet not usually cause weight gain?

Much of our thinking about weight control has been dictated by the calorie principle – the idea that our body weight is determined by the balance of calories taken into and burned by our bodies. Within this overarching concept, calorific foods tend not to be favoured. One food that falls foul here is nuts. Just […]

October 11, 2013· 5 min read

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Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

New study suggests specific phasing of food can help women with PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition characterised by multiple cysts in the ovaries which can impair ovulation and therefore fertility. One common feature of the condition is raised levels of the ‘male’ hormone testosterone, which can lead to ‘masculinising’ side effects such as ‘hirsutism’ (abnormal, excessive hair growth), scalp hair loss, and acne. Another […]

August 15, 2013· 4 min read

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Healthy Eating

Low-carb diets can help maintain the metabolism after weight loss

With rates of overweight and obesity generally on the up, it’s perhaps no surprise that many of us will seek to lose weight at one time or another. My experience is that the great majority of people who want to lose weight will be able to, but the issue can be the sustainability of that […]

May 15, 2013· 8 min read

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Brain and Behaviour

Do low-carb diets really make people sleepy?

I came across this story today. Published yesterday in the Daily Mail, it reports research in which, apparently, high-fat meals were found to induce sleepiness in individuals, compared to high-carb ones. I have looked for this study on-line and can find no trace of it (only references to it). What this sometimes means is that […]

May 9, 2013· 5 min read

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Low-Carbohydrate

BBC journalist appears disinterested in the science on low-carbohydrate eating

Recently, I had a request from a BBC journalist to contribute to a piece on low-carbohydrate diets. Here’s her request: Essentially, I am really after the evidence as to whether the Atkins (and other low-carb diets) work (as a diet, and also are they good for our health?) – are you able to summarise the […]

April 19, 2013· 8 min read

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