The Atkins Diet – A Heart Attack In Waiting?
Researchers at the University of Athens in Greece have found that people, and specifically women, who eat high amounts of protein but very few carbohydrates have a higher risk of heart attack. The type of diet, like a typical Atkins diet plan, restricts the amounts of items like potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta, in favor of higher amounts of eggs, bacon, chicken, fish, and broccoli.
The study of 10,000 adults, followed by people on the Atkins diet versus those on a normal diet, showed an increased chance of having a stroke or heart attack. While the rise is not high, it is worth avoiding any potential risks involving problems with the heart and circulation, because they are inevitably serious and in many cases result in death.
Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study highlights the need for us to balance our diets. Don’t feel like you have to choose between carbohydrates or protein. Eating a mix of all the food groups, rather than reducing anything altogether will help keep you healthy inside and out. Try to include lean protein and low-fat dairy, high-fiber, whole-grain carbohydrates, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables and small amounts of healthy fats. Enjoy them in a balanced It’s much better for your heart and waistline than trying to follow a strict diet.”
Health authorities around the world are in broad agreement on the recommended daily intake of dietary nutrients to maintain a healthy body. These recommendations include calories, protein, fiber, fats and oils, carbohydrates, salt, vitamins and minerals. Dieting requires a reduction in the amount of calorie intake, it can be achieved quite easily by changing the types of products; Pork and cod have similar protein levels for the same weight, but cod has only about a quarter of the calories. Similarly, boiled potatoes have only a quarter of the calories of oil-rich fries and stir-fries.
Reductions in calorie intake can be easily made without having to behave like a monk and still take in the nutrients needed to promote good health. If you’re considering a diet, just check what you’ve eaten in the last week, including snacks, and see how you can limit calories. Some examples, take a smaller size, a 12-inch pizza has twice the calories of an 8-inch pizza, and in the example of the basic large pizza from an international pizza chain it has more than the recommended calories for one day twice as many as desired. fat level and fifty percent above the salt limit, all in one dish! Consider healthy items like a salad, which is low in calories, but when you add an oil-based dressing it skyrockets up the calorie scale—a tablespoon of olive oil has 109 calories. just think before you eat
On a side note, sadly, the creator of the Atkins diet, American cardiologist Robert Atkins, died in 2002 at the relatively young age of 72. He had a heart attack!