Neal Barnard Strikes Again
Dr. Neal Barnard – head of the vegan-promoting, so-called “Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine” is at it again, this time with a CBS News slideshow with the over-the-top title “15 Food Myths That Can Kill You.”
Wow… sounds dire. Trouble is, if you click through it, you won’t actually find much that’s deadly. Let’s take a closer look…
1. “Myth: Kids Need to Drink Cow’s Milk. Parents often insist that their children drink milk, but why? Kids who don’t drink cow’s milk are just as healthy as those who do, studies show. In fact, research suggests that milk-free kids may be less likely to develop colic, ear infections, and asthma.”
No, kids don’t need to drink cow’s milk, but the association between milk intake and conditions like asthma are a lot shakier than Dr. B would like people to think. He also fails to make any distinction between “kids” and “kids diagnosed with cow’s milk allergy” – it’s the latter that appear to be at higher risk for recurrent otitis media and asthma, not your average milk-drinking tyke. This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics – as Dr. Barnard reveals – does not recommend cow’s milk for feeding infants: it’s to reduce the risk of developing allergies to milk proteins.
In addition, Dr. Barnard is deliberately blurring the distinction between “kids” with “infants.” “Kids” don’t get colic, lol.
FWIW, milk can be problematic for many… but I fail to see the connection to how this particular “myth” will kill me. I drank milk as a kid (my mother certainly believed milk was important), and still drink some now – as well as use dairy foods (cottage cheese; Greek yogurt) and supps (whey protein and casein hydrolysates). I’m past the half-century mark, and still going pretty damn strong. My kids – believe it or not – are still alive, too. 😉
2. “Myth: It’s Easy to Exercise Off Extra Calories. It’s a bigger challenge than many people realize. Next time you’re at the gym, hop on a treadmill and run for a mile, then check how many calories you’ve just burned. It turns out to be only about 100.”
Well, no argument here – but does anyone really believe this particular “myth?” I can’t think of too many folks – even habitual exercisers – who think exercise is an “easy” path to weight loss. In fact, I could’a sworn that the “contrarian” argument (i.e., exercise is useless) was the one that was currently in fashion.
But be that as it may… will belief in this myth kill anyone? Personally, I’m inclined to think that anyone believing this would be disabused of the notion long before morbid obesity kicked in. It’s a little thing known as “reality” – you can only deny it for so long. 😀
3. “Myth: To Lose Weight, You Must Avoid Carbs. Bread, pasta, beans, and other high-carbohydrate foods are lower in calories than fatty foods, like cheese or French fries. That’s one reason why people whose eat carbohydrate-based diets – people living in rural Asia and vegetarians, for example – tend to be thinner than people whose diets are based on fatty foods.
Oh… so much for the Inuit Paradox. Dr. Barnard sez diets based on fatty foods are bad, so that’s that.
And no, to lose weight you don’t have to avoid carbs… but carbs are certainly a variable you can – and often should – manipulate. And while I’m sure it gives Dr. B heartburn, low-carb diets can actually improve health. So – while I don’t believe in this myth, per se, I fail to see how it could kill me if I did.
4. “Myth: It’s Essential to Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day.”
Yeah, it’s a myth – one-size fits all prescriptions typically are. But, for the sake of argument, let’s say that I really do believe this one. Where’s the harm? I don’t believe anyone’s ever developed water intoxication or hyponatremia drinking 8 glasses of water a day. The worst thing that could happen is that you’ll have to make a few extra trips to the bathroom.
5. “Myth: Fish is Full of Good Fat. Up to 30 percent of the fat in fish is omega-3 (good) fat, which helps prevent blood clots and reduces inflammation. But the other 70 percent or more is a mixture of saturated fat that tends to raise cholesterol levels and various other fats that are little more than a source of concentrated calories.”
Oh, give me a &%$#@!! break. Show me ONE single study that suggests eating fish in the recommended ways/amounts raises cholesterol or makes anyone fat. It’s not the percentages that are important, it’s the total amounts – and even so-called “fatty” fish don’t contain massive amounts of fat or calories.
So how does this “myth” place me in harm’s way? Anyone?
6. “Myth: Exercise Lowers Cholesterol. Exercise does boost “good” (HDL) cholesterol–but only slightly. It has almost no effect on “bad” (LDL) cholesterol.”
FWIW, I’ve never heard this particular “myth,” but what the heck – I’ll give him this one. I know a lot of people who exercise hard, but eat tons of crap. I’d hate to see the blood tests of some of the powerlifters that frequent my gym.
7. “Myth: Meat is the Only “Complete” Protein.”
I’m sorry – methinks he made this one up. I’ve been around tons of protein-obsessed bodybuilders, and I can’t think of a single one that has ever held this belief. Yes, some bodybuilders believe that only animal proteins are complete – but this is a category that includes eggs, fish and dairy – not meat alone.
But once again, I gotta ask: this will kill me… how???
8. “Myth: Organic produce is no better than conventional produce. Organic and conventionally grown produce have about the same level of nutrients. But organic fruits and vegetables are less likely to have traces of pesticides and other chemicals. Parents take note, because recent studies show that certain pesticides can increase the risk for ADHD.”
Yes, if pesticide avoidance is desired, then organic produce is the way to go. But – when it comes to public health – I have a sneaking suspicion that the experts would rather have us eat conventional produce than no produce at all – even the conventional stuff is associated with reduced risk of various diseases. And while I don’t want to make light of ADHD – I thought the subject of this piece was about stuff that was gonna kill me! How will believing that organic produce is no better than conventional produce do that???
9. “Myth: Soy Products Cause Cancer. Though the connection between soy and breast cancer remains controversial, recent evidence suggests that soy products reduce the risk of breast cancer, provided they are consumed early in life.”
I’ll give him this one, too: the “soy nuts” are waaaaaay over the top about the health risks, although personally, I find zero compelling reasons to consume the stuff, either. IMHO, it’s neither devil nor angel.
And do I have to ask the question again??? Believing that soy products cause cancer may be kinda crazy, but how does it damage anyone’s health?
10. “Myth: Olive Oil is “Good” Fat.”
He’s being disingenuous again here, by focusing solely on the fat and cals, and not on the polyphenols present in less-refined versions (virgin and extra virgin oils). But once again, I gotta ask, how will believing in this “myth” kill me??? Inquiring minds want to know. It’s not like anyone’s gonna drink the stuff like Chianti.
11. “Myth: Cravings Are Your Body’s Way of Telling You What You Need.“
Oh, c’mon, doc – get real. The only time I’ve ever heard this one advanced was as a (weak) explanation for why pregnant women get cravings for weird foods. But no one craving junk food, chocolate, ice cream, etc. actually believes their bodies “need” that stuff. At least no one sane.
12. “Myth: To Get Enough Iron, You Need Plenty of Red Meat.”
LOL – perhaps this is a myth… but red meat can certainly be a useful – and highly bioavailable source – of this critical nutrient. As noted in current research, iron availability is low in vegetarian diets.
13. “Myth: A Glass of Wine Every Day Promotes Good Health. Alcohol is a double-edged sword. People who drink modestly live longer than teetotalers, studies show. But there is a danger: Women who drink daily – even one drink per day – have a higher risk of breast cancer, compared with women who avoid alcohol entirely.”
Funny how he doesn’t mention reduced risk of dementia and other benefits associated with moderate wine intake. BTW, the increase in breast cancer risk is relatively small. So it could fairly be argued that moderate wine drinking is, overall, a reasonably healthy habit.
Is this dude a killjoy or what?
14. “Myth: Margarine is Better Than Butter.”
Ummm, no. This line was pushed years ago (particularly by the industry), but has since been walked back – especially in the wake of the whole trans fats business. And even Dr. B admits this one is a bit of a red herring, since he concludes that both should be avoided.
15. “Myth: The More Protein You Eat the Better.”
Yes, I know a few misguided wannabe bodybuilders (aka “chunkheads”) who seem to believe this, but even those dudes don’t seem to be keeling over from either osteoporosis or kidney disease. He’s right that “more is not necessarily better,” and that people with pre-existing kidney disease are at risk… but honestly…The whole “higher protein diets are dangerous” myth has been debunked so many times, it’s really quite tiresome.
So here we are at the end of the list… and I’m still waiting to learn how believing in any of these “myths” will kill me. Ok, I’ll concede that it wouldn’t be so good if I believed in all of them at once… For example, if I spread margarine on my T-bone steak; serve it alongside a lettuce-and-sardine-salad dressed with olive oil and Raid vinaigrette, and toss it all down with a glass of milk and a flagon of wine before going for a run to get rid of the calories and lower my cholesterol – I’d probably get pretty damn sick. But otherwise, I have a hard time seeing a use for this overwrought article… it’s just another “stealth” attempt to promote Dr. B’s extreme version of vegetarianism. You’d think that CBS News would issue some sort of disclaimer before featuring this guy and/or the organization he represents.
August 29, 2010
Neal Barnard Strikes Again – http://blog.ultimatefatburner.com/2010/0…
August 30, 2010
You are right. Just a man trying to push his way of thinking by sensationalizing things. You have successfully debunked any idea that these things will “kill” you.
Hopefully not to many people are taking him seriously.
August 30, 2010
“Oh my God the DOCTOR says I’m going to DIE!”
Using the pedigree of an MD to exploit people’s fears over mortality to add readership is shameful and pretty pathetic.
January 1, 2011
Someone recently called your Website to my attention. I appreciate your mentioning my discussion of common myths. If any readers would like to take a look at our research on the effects of low-fat vegan diets for weight-loss, diabetes, and other conditions, as well as some other interesting scientific papers, I’ll include several key references at the end of this comment.
On the practical side of things, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine offers a free 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program that allows you to test out a vegan diet in the most enjoyable possible way, with daily videos, cooking segments, and support from doctors and celebrities. You’ll see it at http://www.pcrm.org.
Finally, if you have diabetes, let me suggest looking at Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, which you will find at your local library.
Berkow S, Barnard ND. Blood pressure regulation and vegetarian diets. Nutr Rev 2005;63:1-8.
Lanou A, Barnard ND, Berkow S. Calcium, dairy products, and bone health in children and young adults: A re-evaluation of the evidence. Pediatrics 2005;115:736-43.
Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Turner-McGrievy G, Lanou AJ, Glass J. The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. Am J Med 2005;118:991-997.
Berkow S, Barnard ND. Vegetarian diets and weight status. Nutr Rev 2006;64:175-188.
Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, Turner-McGrievy G, Gloede L, Jaster B, Seidl K, Green AA, Talpers S. A low-fat, vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2006;29:1777-1783.
Turner-McGrievy GM, Barnard ND, Scialli AR. A two-year randomized weight loss trial comparing a vegan diet to a more moderate low-fat diet. Obesity 2007;15:2276-81.
Barnard ND, Gloede L, Cohen J, Jenkins DJA, Turner-McGrievy G, Green AA, Ferdowsian H. A low-fat vegan diet elicits greater macronutrient changes, but is comparable in adherence and acceptability, compared with a more conventional diabetes diet among individuals with type 2 diabetes. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:263-72.
Barnard ND, Katcher HI, Jenkins DJA, Cohen J, Turner-McGrievy G. Vegetarian and vegan diets in type 2 diabetes management, Nutr Rev 2009;67:255-63.
Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, Turner-McGrievy G, Gloede L, Green A, Ferdowsian H. A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-week clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89(suppl):1588S-96S.
Barnett TD, Barnard ND, Radak TL. Development of symptomatic cardiovascular disease after self-reported adherence to the Atkins Diet. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1263-5.
Barnard ND. Trends in food availability, 1909-2007. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91(suppl):1530S-6S.
January 20, 2011
I have been an asthmatic since my first year of life. I was in and out of hospitals for the first 18 years. I have been tested, periodically, for every kind of possible allergy; all the tests came up negative. During a period when I did not have access to health care, and my condition was deteriorating, I went low-fat vegan (I was already vegetarian)out of desperation to avoid checking into a hospital. My symptoms were lessened by the next day. Within three days, they were almost completely gone. I wish that when I was a kid, someone had told my parents to take me off dairy. It would have saved them thousands of dollars, and all of us years of pain and anguish. Is there a connection between asthma and dairy consumption? Yeah, there is one. A big one.
January 21, 2011
Rob, I work in bodybuilding, and have for a good number of years. Thus, I know many people who use standard dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese), as well as people who make liberal use of dairy protein supplements (casein and whey)… myself included.
I know of exactly one person on the forums I mod who has asthma. I’m sure there are probably random others (I certainly don’t know every single person well enough to exclude this possibility), but most of ’em are healthy and thriving.
I’m glad that turning vegan helped to resolve your condition. For the record, I’m not against veganism – just against misleading and alarmist rhetoric (thus my “beef” with Dr. Barnard). But if the connection were indeed a big one, then it would certainly be evident in the community I work within… and it isn’t.
April 7, 2011
I do not know anything about Dr. BArnard and his works. Only searching over the internet and came across to this article. I don’t like things to be exaggerated but some of those myths are true in different cultures. For example, in my country (Turkiye) people believe that if one’s body craves for anything, I mean anything, then the body certainly needs something in it. If it is chocalate, then the body may need sugar.
On the other hand, I used to have terrible migrane attackes since the very first day I remember. Two years ago, I took very expensive test to see whether I am allergic to certain foods or not; and it turned out that diary foods are giving me those horrible attackes. If I cut them off a few months, there is almost no attack; but add them in my diet, the migrene is back again. Just wanted to share with you.
June 16, 2011
This dude’s ridiculous. When I first saw him, it piqued my interest. The more I find out, the more I realize he’s not e real doctor, yeah, MD and all, but he’s just trying to be the next Messiah and looking good in his nice TV suits and making money on his PBS shows and books.
Charlatan.
June 16, 2011
“Neal Barnard, MD on 01 Jan 2011 at 4:41 pm #
“Someone recently called your website to my attention.” Etc, etc.
You put down everyone, including pharmacists, in your recent article, as “regular” guys. So you’re anointed, eh? Every one of your cites lists YOU as an author. What, are you afraid to cite anything contrary to what your “research” suggests? Where’s your NEJM article?
Shut up, quack.
June 16, 2011
Nice suit, anyway.
July 17, 2011
If you really want to fairly and honestly consider what Neal Barnard is teaching, read THE CHINA STUDY by T. Colin Campbell. It has a multitude of credible scientific references and studies per chapter. Be sure to read the entire book and then decide for yourself if what Neal Barnard is teaching is really off base. Also, keep in mind that many of the lifestyle illnesses start in middle life, and the main way that most doctors treat them is with drugs and surgery.
July 17, 2011
To study such things honestly and fairly, it also pays to read critiques of popular works, to see if the counter-arguments hold any water. Here’s one to begin with: http://www.canibaisereis.com/download/protein-debate-cordain-campbell.pdf – also: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/cancer/the-china-study-vs-the-china-study/
Sorry, but you’re dead wrong about how “most doctors” treat lifestyle diseases. Sure, drugs and surgery may be necessary to treat immediate crises, but I don’t know a single doctor who does not recommend diet, exercise and other significant lifestyle changes to prevent/treat type 2 diabetes, cvd, etc.
October 23, 2011
Dr Barnard,
I’m following your diet and I must say that the results so far have been less than remarkable. I have a BMI of 22 and have very good BGL control. I have seen an increase of AV BG readings of about 30% since I started your diet – I was off insulin for about a month BEFORE I started your diet and I now need insulin again. I was hoping to reduce the amount of metformin (1000 mg x 2). I exercise regularly (AV 90 minutes per day). If indeed it was you who responded – then your response is very disheartening, as it appears to be, at least, intellectually dishonest.
The point being made by the blogger is that you have exaggerated your claims. I suggest he has a point and you need to respond properly and not by promoting your web site and furnishing a list of citations – some of which you have co-authored. Thus far I would say that the ball is firmly in your court.
I have read the The China Study and I don’t understand why vegan is the only option being touted as health benefits were seen with diets having up to 14% derived from animal proteins.
It would appear to me that this blogger has correctly identified that you have an agenda not motivated by the evidence alone.
October 24, 2011
@Elissa
I completely concur. (I remain uncertain, at this stage, that it is Dr Barnard who responded.)
I’m going to stick to his recommended diet for up to 180 days (as suggested in a number of blogs) of which I’m about 42 days in. It’s not killing me – but neither is it producing the results he claims. The other reason I started his diet was to reduce my cholesterol reading – last A1c was about 4.3 – higher than I want it to be.
The treatment of diabetes is complex – when I first started this journey I thought I understood what worked, but alas nay. He is correct in identifying the major syndrome of diabetes: BGL increase over time with conventional treatment. I’m willing to give his ideas a fair go so long as I see results.
October 24, 2011
FWIW Rosario, I was rather puzzled by Dr. Barnard’s non-response, too. If he was too busy to actually evaluate the post and respond to the critique, why did he bother at all?
November 18, 2011
In eating the way he suggests, my health improved from day one. I am learning more and more that no one wants to let go of their crappy way of eating. Period. I say you go ahead and eat the meat, the dairy, and don’t expect me to come to your funeral.
Dr. Barnard…you ROCK!!!!!
November 18, 2011
LOL! There’s a fairly large gap between what Dr. B advocates and “crappy.” But extremists like him are incapable of seeing that – it’s always “all or nothing.”
Sorry to disappoint you Sheila, but if my blood tests are anything to go by, I’d have to get smacked by a semi for you to have a chance to snub an invite to my funeral. 😉
May 5, 2013
I don’t see where Barnard is telling anyone what to eat, he is just appraising people of studies and certain results … it is what it is if it works, and so far at least for me I am happy with results. Younger people will dismiss a lot of these ideas because they do not experience the reality of these bad health trends until they get older. I used to eat all kinds of stuff with no problem … I cannot do that anymore, and now I know why, or at least have a model to follow that works and makes sense to me. Bottom line, I eat what I want, it is just a question of figuring out what I really want … like quitting smoking.
November 21, 2011
Sheila, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I’m coming up to my next A1c and I’ll report on the results. I wouldn’t hold my breath for anything startling as my own stats suggest I’ve gone backwards. I really wanted his diet to work for me.
January 28, 2012
For anyone looking for sources besides Neal Barnard, a good place to start (along with the China Study, mentioned in other posts) is to google McDougall – Dr. John McDougall, that is. He’s been treating patients with nutrition, and medicine when necessary, for around 40 years now. Another good one is Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who authored the book Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease. He makes the point that many western illnesses are in large part food-borne illnesses which may take 40 years to manifest themselves with outward symptoms. (An interesting read in this regard is the Bogalusa Study, a longitudinal study of a town in Louisiana in which every resident, no matter their age, who died over a period of decades was autopsied. The findings were scary, insofar as evidence of arterial streaking and plaque build-up was found in kids as young as five. Similar results were found in a study of soldiers killed during the Korean War -when our diet was less rich – and these outwardly healthy young men also had evidence of plaque build-up. Seems that the heart disease which manifests in middle age has been slowly building throughout the life span.)
Back on Caldwell Esselstyn, it’s also noteworthy that he, along with Dr. Dean Ornish, has been working with former president Bill Clinton who had bypass surgery in 2004, but then needed to have a stent put in several years later, and decided to try a vegan diet in 2010 and has reported positive results thus far.
Besides the important but also somewhat narrow focus on human health, animal-centered diets are also much harder on the environment and result in tremendous suffering for the animals involved. The overwhelming majority (well over 95%) of the nine billion animals killed for food each year in this country (not counting fish) spend at least some portion of their life on confined factory farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, which involve severe overcrowding, unnatural diets, a heavy dependence upon antibiotics and growth stimulants, and the unsanitary conditions of being trapped in urine- and feces-laden environments (conditions we would never tolerate for our pets, but which we manage to turn a blind eye toward when it comes to food that – ironically enough – isn’t even necessary for us to eat).
Beyond the animal welfare angle, animal centered eating is also much harder on the environment than plant-centered eating. Fewer people can be fed on diets higher up the food chain, meaning that animal centered diets typically require more land, water, and fossil fuels. Animal centered diets also cause extensive water pollution, be it from spills or runoff from feedlots/CAFO’s, or from general agricultural run-off (witness the huge “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the fertilizer-ridden Mississippi River). Additionally, animal agriculture contributes mightily to the volume of greenhouse gases added to our atmosphere (see the 2006 report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, put out by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations). Given a world population of 7 billion people where the finite nature of the planet’s resources are coming more to the fore each passing day, these are no small considerations.
Extensive info on these topics, can also be found in a number of John Robbins’ books (who, interestingly enough, is a son of the Baskin & Robbins ice-cream Robbins family), including Diet for a New America, and The Food Revolution. For those who would like to think that we can easily raise all the animals we want on ranchlands too marginal for productive farming, the book Welfare Ranching addresses this very issue, examining the extensive damage livestock ranching has wrought on western lands and wildlife populations. There are plenty of other books out there, as well, and most of the authors mentioned above also maintain useful websites with extensive footnotes and links.
Beyond the effect on individual health, the impact of one person’s habits may seem small, but if 300 million Americans and billions of others around the world brush these concerns aside, they will surely get worse; whereas if we take the trouble to become informed and then act accordingly – after all, we eat three times every day – there is every reason to believe we can live more healthy and harmonious lives than is currently the case.
March 27, 2012
Wow. Why is everyone so defensive? This website certainly is not unbiased and, if we all followed Dr. Barnard and Dr. McDougall’s advice, no one would be buying any of these “fat burners”, online or anywhere else. So, who is actually “over the top” and where is your scientific support? It’s easy to criticize and you actually are just voicing your own opinion.
April 21, 2012
Here is my scientific evidence – my own not an epidemiological survey of an unknown cohort. When I commenced Barnard’s recommended diet my AV BGL was 6.2 mmol/L, I was off insulin and lost weight – all this whilst following an ‘animal based diabetic diet’. FACT: AV BGL 6.5 mmol/L FACT: Cholesterol – 4.3 mmol/L unchanged (no change to HDL/LDL ratio either). FACT: Weight gain – 80.0 Kg an increase of 3.5 Kg. FACT: Increased insulin from 0 units to 14 units per day. FACT: I have now stopped his recommended diet as the promised benefits have not materialized (I wasn’t sneaking the odd animal product – I was completely religious about following his diet). FACT: CSIRO/Baker IDI diet. FACT: Insulin now 0 again. FACT: Weight 78.5 Kg (and still losing). I’ve held back from reporting back to this forum as I haven’t taken another HbA1c test for comparison – I expect an improvement (and loving consuming animal products – yum yum). When you read Barnard’s troubleshooting guide he suggests that if all else fails take more medication! He trained as a psychiatrist not epidemiologist – make what you will of that fact. Over and out (never to reappear).
June 26, 2012
I went on a vegan diet and became suicidedly depressed. Humans were meant to be omnivores. Why else would we have the teeth to consume BOTH plant and animal life?
July 29, 2012
My doctor actually recommended two of Dr. Barnards diet books to me as a way to lose weight and help with my Type II Diabetes. I must admit it is working for the weight loss, but that is probably because I am consuming less fat/calories than I was before and I am exercising, which I was not before. I do not believe all of what he says, but I will continue to use some of his recipes and information, but not all. My blood sugar levels have not seen any improvement because so many of his recipes call for high carb or high sugar foods. While overall carbs may not be bad, for me I need to cut them down to improve my blood sugar. As the person above posted, I believe we have evolved/been designed to be omniverous, so while I am giving his plan a try, I have no intention to remain vegan.
May 5, 2013
There is another side, but you are attacking the points that don’t really matter, the overall point of Barnard’s outlook is valid.
Another thing, anyone who writes something that they expect me to take seriously does not use the word “sez” ie. says.
Barnard has hit on something and the “simplifications” that he is using to popularize it are not significant weaknesses to contradict him.
October 12, 2013
For some years I’ve ignored the fact that my diabetes was getting worse. I decided it was time to take charge. I’ve read a lot of material out there, some confusing and not worth following. Some seemed to have some truth to threating my diabetes. And there are a lot of folks promising miracle cures with pills, etc. I’ve tried several “diabetic diets” that led me to believe I could get my diabetes under control without any progress and left me very discouraged. Yes, I’m vastly overweight and need to drop a significant amount of weight. I don’t want to take medications but it is necessary to get my diabetes stabilized. I came across Dr. Bernard’s book and found it worthwhile. My A1C was 8.9 (not good) and higher than I wanted. My weight was 302 and I was feeling discouraged about ever getting my diabetes and weight under control. What caught my attention was that by following the three guidelines I had a strong possibility of losing weight and dropping my A1C, Even better as long as I follow the three guidelines I can eat as much carbs (and I do love my carbs) as I wanted and as much as I wanted to eat. To me the last two points had me saying, “Sure, eat all you want, loss weight and drop my A1C … right … I wasn’t born yesterday”. So I thought what the heck, if all I have to do is change some of the things I eat to drop weight I’d be happy with that, and if my A1C dropped, then all the better. I guess I’m looking at the glass half full. Well, at 6 weeks, I dropped 22.5 pounds (and yes, I was going to the gym to run and do some light weight workout 3-4 times a week). I dropped my A1C from 8.9 to 7.2 in that 6 weeks. To me the proof is in the results. I like meat and have not problem with that. However, my diabetic progress prior to this was an increasing A1C, greater weight, additional medications added on. If eating a “vegan diet” helps me to drop weight, I’m in. The lighter weight has given me more energy. If eating a “vegan diet” will reduce my A1C and diabetes and possibly reduce or get rid of medications I taking, I’m ok with that. Do I want everyone around me doing what I am doing in eating a vegan diet … no. They have their right to do what they want with their bodies. Most of what Dr. Bernard says makes sense and gets results, I say, “bully”. This reminds me of the story in the Old Testament where the people were dying of a disease. The people were told if they looked at the staff they would be cured. The people had no other alternative, but many people refused to save themselves because of pride. Whether you believe in that story, the point is clear, if something will get the results, go for iit. I consider myself some who eats a “vegan diet”, not a vegan. I’m making a choice to do whatever I can to grow healthier as I age … which I think is a darn good goal.
October 13, 2013
Who is Elissa? What are your credentials? Your responses lack total merit.
October 13, 2013
There’s an “About Us” link down below in the footer. The reason its there, is so people can see exactly who I am, and what my credentials are.
October 13, 2013
I hope people do not refer to this website for sound health advice.
October 13, 2013
I hope they don’t either. I’m not in the business of providing health advice – just some analysis of claims made in advertisements and popular media. While it’s not hard to discern my own practices from the above post (and others), I don’t tell people what to do or how to live – unlike Dr. Barnard and his ilk, I don’t want that responsibility.