Is a low-carb diet safe?

No

1 of 8

by N. O. Tate

Write now Print Invite a writer™ Add to Favorites RSS Feed Contact this writer

The High Protein Diet has taken on many interpretations. In some versions it suggests eating all proteins and no grain products. In my early twenties I was one of the first to jump on board "The Atkins Diet," which prohibited the intake of carbohydrates. (Yes, this diet was first introduced in the 70's). In those days, the Food Pyramid grouped grains, fruits and vegetables and legumes together. They were called carbohydrates. I followed the diet to the letter. Sure I lost weight. But my skin became dry, my hair dull and I was experiencing flatulence. (A fancy word for lots of gas). The good part about trying this diet was that it signaled my desire to become healthier. Another good point? I was no longer "feasting" on sugary pastries a food that held far more attraction to me than a steak.

When it comes to diets, we make certain assumptions. First, that taking charge of the food we put into our mouth is a good thing. And, it is. Second, that all printed publications concerning diets have been thoroughly tested against the body's nutritional needs. This is NOT true. Any person with a good writing style can get a "self-help" book published. Sadly, they far too often are well-intentioned folk who have no experience in the field of nutrition.

I spent ten concentrated years studying the subject. After wading through the myriads of information out there, I realized that fad diets are not the answer, sound nutrition is. The principles I will outline here helped me maintain the same weight for nearly 30 years. I synopsize these guidelines on what worked and what didn't, in my own body. Truth is something that outlives fads. Those authors who had gained experience in the field and who had done extensive studies on nutrition, (not necessarily medicine), were the ones whose information was being consistently proven from my own experience. (I will list some of them at the bottom of this article).

When the final analysis is done, eating well is very simple. In order to make sense of any plan, you have to know a few basic facts. Here then, is what I learned:

Protein: Science discovers new proteins every day. Proteins are the alphabet of our bodies. The letters re-arrange themselves to form muscle, tissues and cells. Without proteins we would die. Food products that contain the entire alphabet of proteins are derived from animal sources. Meat, milk, dairy products and eggs. Grains, (seeds), and beans (legumes), contain complimentary proteins. When eaten together, (or even within a day or two of one another), the body can gain access to each "letter" (component), of protein. EVERY food contains some form of protein. Leafy greens contain not only protein, but the vitamins that help protein assimilate in our bodies. (Monkeys are one-third our size. They do not eat meat. Yet, their muscles are 10 times as strong for their weight, all from a vegetarian diet)! When looking for quality protein, we are trying to find a variety that keeps the entire alphabet available to our bodies. The biggest problem in today's society is not obtaining protein, it is assimilating it!.

When proteins are incompletely digested, they can putrefy in your intestines. When proteins are incompletely digested, they can no longer be used to create the compositional elements your body needs.

How do we help our body break down proteins? Current knowledge suggests that two main ways exist. By far the easiest way is to obtain lots of foods that contain the B-Vitamins.

The B-Vitamin Complex is almost as magical as proteins. There are 11 of these wonderful synergistic motivators; and they interact with the body to do all sorts of things, including the break-down of proteins. Their alphabet contains less letters, but the words they create are specific to task. In one combination they lubricate joints. In another, they bless your skin and hair, adding a healthy sheen to each. In yet another, they alleviate stress, forming just the right combination of triggers and regulators for serotonin. When your body has enough B-Vitamins, your thinking is clearer. The special chemical combinations found in within the complete complex of B's help the electrical connections in your brain fire. They are very special!

What does the word "synergistic" mean? It means, that once the chemical breakdown of Vitamin B begins, each component interacts with one or several of the remaining B's in order to perform a specific chore. In other words, they rely upon each other, like the RAM on your computer relies on data, which relies on the hard drive or on software, which relies onand onand on.

I am sure you have heard the warnings against using white flour, white rice, etc. Health advocates are returning to the understanding that de-natured grains are "clogging up the works." It's true, they are! Ever made white-flour paste? What IS your body supposed to do with that?

But perhaps more importantly, without the presence of the entire complex of B-Vitamins, the body can become deplete in them. Why? Because, when we eat bleached flours and grains, the body must rely upon the liver to produce the missing components. The liver is an extremely important organ. It aids in the digestion of fats. It stores, then releases glucose for energy. It metabolizes proteins. It detoxifies. It purifies the blood stream. It takes incompletely digested food, pulls out the rest of the nutrients, making fats available to our bodies in a form vitamins can attach to for delivery to organs, skin, eyes, and hormones. After performing all of these tasks, it pushes the unusable matter into the bile duct for disposal. The B-Vitamins within the liver are specific to these tasks. But far too often in today's diet, the chemical exchanges that are supposed to take place in the stomach and upper intestine are taking place in the liver. (Add to this scenario an over-generous portion, and the liver has to push the un-processed food out of the way far too quickly).

It is important to note that just as complete proteins are only found in animal sources, there is only one source of complete B-Vitamins, and that is whole grains. (Actually, brewer's yeast has a full gamut of B-Vitamins, but it is not considered an actual "food.") When the entire range of B-Vitamins is provided along with a protein meal, all the letters of the PROTEIN ALPHABET become available to our bodies. Our muscles, (including our heart) are stronger. Our tissues are firmer. Our cells are strong, (including our blood cells).

Incomplete B-Vitamins are found in dark leafy greens, poultry and meats, seafood, eggs, dairy products, beans and peas, and citrus fruits. The B-Vitamins separated into these foods are used for specific tasks, and are not co-dependant upon the assimilation of proteins.

The second way we assimilate proteins is through digestive enzymes. Enzymatic digestion is assisted by fruits and vegetables. Nature did NOT leave us in a void. If grains were out of season, we could grab some fruit to eat with our meat. But, we must be aware of one other fact. Fruit enzymes and vegetable enzymes are very different from one another. Eating both during the same meal can cause digestive upset. Each presents many attractive vitamins and antioxidants in addition to their enzymatic role in protein assimilation. But be aware that, if overcooked, some of the live enzymes are lost. (Eating them fresh or stir-frying them, creating a softened, but not mushy texture, retains the most enzymes).

The real danger when omitting carbohydrates is, that incompletely digested proteins laying dormant in the intestines and bowels, can ferment, or putrefy, (depending upon the other substances we put in our bodies). Without whole grains or fruits and vegetables, COMPLETE protein digestion cannot take place. Additionally, without grains and/or fruits and vegetables, there is no fiber to clear this rotting matter from intestines and colon. Left rotting in the colon, their presence can lead to polyps

I will simplify this formula in bullet form at the bottom of this article. Prior to doing so, I want to give one word of warning. If you, like my younger self, have subsisted on fast food, coffee, cola's, white flours and grains, sugary pastries and candies, your body will rebel at a quick transition. Over the years, rather than digesting foods with a healthy supply of digestive juices, your body has had to rely upon other methods. Fermentation, (when sugars and grains combine). Putrification, (when bacteria must form to dissolve food matter enough that it can push through to the lower intestine, liver, gall bladder, etc).

When menopause hit me while living in a very HOT climate, my body shut down. I gained weight for the first time in my adult life. I could not move about readily to get any exercise. I was living with other people who cooked in the manner I had known as a child. Lots of pastas, (white), heavy gravies with white flour, heavily cooked vegetables. No fruit. It took a toll. When trying to alleviate the situation, (after moving from that environment), my body was quick to complain. The foods I was re-introducing were not digesting well. I told my body to STOP digesting by ingesting sugar, in some form. Sugar production, especially in the stomach, is a signal to the body that digestion is finished. ALL FOODS, are finally and ultimately converted into sugar, after all the nutrients are extracted.

I "played this game" with my body over several months. But the "meals" I continued to partake in were healthy. With the addition of yogurt, to introduce healthy bacteria back into my stomach, and by using apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in my salad dressing, (closest in composition to our stomach acidwhite vinegar is NOT), I was soon able to resume my healthy way of eating without having to stop the digestion process due to discomfort. Similarly, my physical activity had to be gently reintroduced. Walking too long a distance only released toxins into an already-stressed-out system, causing joint pain, nausea and light-headedness.

It takes time to change our way of eating. The beauty is, that a body awakened to nutritional foods begins to crave them, to appreciate them, to invite exploration into new foods and methods of preparation. The first time I got healthy, it took several years. I had not realized that my aversion to fresh fruits and vegetables was due to the fact that my body was not yet able to use them during digestion. The second time I modified my eating habits, it only a few months before I was comfortable with the same foods. The health benefits from eating right are too numerous to mention in a short article. A bright smile, healthy skin, glowing hair and a clear mind sound like good motivation?

Here then, are the simple outlines to good nutrition.

AVOID white flours, white rice, sugar and, more importantly, high fructose corn syrup. (Use sugar ONLY to stop the digestion process).
Proteins are the building blocks of all body tissues.
Proteins require either the COMPLTE regime of B-Vitamins or digestive enzymes for our body to fully assimilate them.
Digestive enzymes can be found in any not-overcooked fruit and vegetable. Fruits and vegetables use different enzymes for digestion and should not be eaten at the same meal.
The complete regime of B-Vitamins are found only in whole grains. (Other foods have them, but they are not complete, and meant for purposes other than protein assimilation).
Whole grains contain essential oils within the germ. Essential oils are necessary for delivering vitamins A, D, E and K throughout the body.
Other sources of essential oils are avocados and raw nuts and seeds.
Vitamins A, E, and K can be derived from fruits, vegetables, seeds, and are more easily obtained from fresh, uncooked foods. Vitamins A and E are essential to healthy skin, eyes and sexual organs.
Calcium is most-easily absorbed in the form of raw celery.
Vitamin D is absorbed in the skin. People who do not get sunlight may need a supplement.

Sources: Henry Bieler, Food is your Best Medicine. Adelle Davis, Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit. N. Walker, Raw Vegetable Juices. Jethro Kloss, Back to Eden.

Learn more about this author, N. O. Tate.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.