Everything New Is Old Again

I know folks are waxing nostalgic for a bit of dietary advice, so here we go from the NY Times:

Warmed-Over Atkins? Don’t Tell the French

By ELAINE SCIOLINO

PARIS

PIERRE DUKAN has been called the French Dr. Atkins. Millions of Frenchmen are said to have tried his program, a method that promises — like dozens of diets before and since — no hunger, no calorie counting, instant weight loss and lifelong weight maintenance. The original Dukan diet book sold 3.5 million copies in French and has been translated into 14 languages. Three Dukan books were among the top five best sellers in France last year. Hundreds of online blogs and forums serve as the diet’s virtual support system, not unlike Weight Watchers’ weekly meetings.

Few Americans have even heard of the diet that made the 69-year-old Dr. Dukan famous, but that is about to change.

Next month, the diet will make its American debut when a division of Crown Publishing rolls out the North American edition of “The Dukan Diet,” its cover featuring a plate with two Eiffel Towers and the words, “The Real Reason the French Stay Thin.”

Since this is a variation of the Atkins high-proten, low carb diet,or the contemporary Paleo diets, we can be sure of two things - it will work, and the medical community will bash it.  On to the bashing!

For years, critics have dismissed the Dukan diet as a warmed-over version of early Atkins: a simple protein-centric method that divides foods into good and bad categories and relies on the claims of a medical doctor who is long on enthusiasm and short on scientific research.

...Even before its American introduction, the diet is under attack. “This is just another one of those diets invented by a charismatic individual who makes a lot of promises and has loads of testimonials but is not based on any scientific data whatsoever,” said Frank Sacks, professor in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University’s School of Public Health and chairman of the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee.

Dr. Sacks, call your Department Chairman!  Here is Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health:

"If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice and sugary snacks, we would wipe out almost all the problems we have with weight and diabetes and other metabolic diseases."

Since this diet eliminates those foods (I presume), one would expect results from a low-carb diet such as Dukan.  And this two year trial documented just that, as did this one year German trial (I could cherry-pick reports all day...).

 

 

 

Comments

[Army of Davids]

energy prices should "necessarily skyrocket"

Hopey, Changey

[Ignatz]

--I know folks are waxing nostalgic for a bit of dietary advice, so here we go from the NY Times:--

--energy prices should "necessarily skyrocket"

Hopey, Changey
Posted by: Army of Davids--

Shouldn't you have posted that in the Asperger's thread, AOD?

[MoodyBlu]

Meeting the wife for a piece of pizza at lunch and I will NOT read anything about diets!

[hit and run]

Or at least on a thread titled "Everything Old Is New Again" AoD could have gone with his "Welcome Back Kotter" refrain.

[jimmyk]

the claims of a medical doctor who is long on enthusiasm and short on scientific research.

As opposed to those other doctors who continue to enthusiastically advocate low-fat high-carb diets without any solid basis in research for their health benefits.

[Rick Ballard]

So - Is a loaf of Wonder Bread more dangerous than the Fukushima meltdowns or less dangerous? Has spaghetti already caused more deaths than radiation ever has (including Hiroshima and Nagasaki)?

[bunky]

Try my donut-only diet.

[hit and run]

"If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice

I deplore eliminationist rhetoric based on color.

[Thomas Collins]

I believe high protein, modified fast was a well known way to lose weight well before Atkins hit the public consciousness. I have no idea what supposed authorities consider the long term health impact of high protein modified fast to be. But for short term, quick weight loss, I believe it has few peers.

[glasater]

The WSJ must have taken note of TM's health kick. The below link was a fav:

Clues to Gluten Sensitivity

Now I'm eyeing that loaf of spelt bread Janet recommended with alarm!

[Extraneus]

Hey, great thread!

[Pinky T]

"who makes a lot of promises and has loads of testimonials but is not based on any scientific data whatsoever"

Sounds just like those Libs that pushed Obamacare.

[Janet]

Is that the Ezekiel bread, glasater? My friend was diabetic & very overweight & she had it on her diet. My husband & I started buying that as our only bread & cut back on other carbs. We both lost about 20lbs & then just maintained. We don't really watch what we eat too much & not at all if we go out to eat.
Might have little to do with that bread though....

[Frau Irländerin]

“In France we are very spoiled: we have great fish and meat,” said Clothilde Müller, 38, who works in a law firm and tried the diet along with her husband. “We have 20 different varieties of no-fat fromage blanc and yogurt in every supermarket. We French have a greater competency in cooking. And more Americans are vegetarians. Ah, no, this diet, it would never work for them.”

And they have nuclear power. No wonder I'm jealous.

[Danube of Thought]

Ten weeks, thirty-two pounds. South Beach diet. Occasional Martini, occasional glass of wine.

Ezekiel is one brand of sprouted grain bread. I haven't had any bread at all in these ten weeks, but when I get down to where I think I've lost enough--and want to resume sandwiches of various kinds--I plan to give it a try.

[Frau Irländerin]

"Among the media-labeled Dukannistes: Carole Middleton, Kate's mom."

Quick, where's my oat bran?

[Porchlight]

Congratulations, DoT, that's amazing.

[glasater]

It is Janet and I was just kidding--honest:)

[Buford Gooch]

It's probably been mentioned before, but the documentary "Fathead" is an excellent rebuttal to the knothead movie "Supersize Me". It's clever, amusing, factual, and helps people understand what controlling carbs (not necessarily eliminating them) does for you.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

I've lost about 20 lbs over the last few months in a way I've never lost weight before, which may or may not be helpful to others.

I'm a huge chocolaholic - I've always said that if I was dying I would buy a carton of cigarettes, a case of grey goose and every whoopie pie in the state.

A few months ago, I decided I was allergic to chocolate - simply because I could not imagine giving it up any other way. If I dieted in the past I still ate WW choc desserts or dark chocolate or whatever I could convince myself I could get away with.

SO I went cold turkey. For some reason eating lost its luster. Now I've never been a big portion person. So that wasn't a problem, but I still found myself eating even less and craving different (healthy) things. For a while I was struggling to eat 1200 calories a day. (I seem to have overcome that lately) I still have sugar cravings, but the chocolate ones have gone away. I pretty much eat whatever I want so I don't feel like I'm dieting. And I added a big does of exercise.

It's slow, but steady and relatively painless. I still worry about falling off the wagon.

Oh and another thing about the "allergic" thing. People know I love chocolate so they give it to me - and when I say I'm not eating it, they say "oh just have a little". My problem is, there is no "little" for me when it comes to chocolate. SO if I tell them I am allergic, they stop telling me to have some "just this once".

[(Another) Barbara]

I deplore eliminationist rhetoric based on color.

LOL. But don't be worried, Hit. There's no superiority based on color. Brown bread, brown rice and brown pasta will fatten us up just as effectively as the over-privileged white stuff. Probably worse on the innards of most of us too. (See Pa-Nu and/or The Heart Scan Blog)

[Janet]

It is Janet and I was just kidding--honest:)

It didn't matter at all glasater. I don't follow the diet stuff too much & I just wondered if that bread was any good as far as the low carb world was concerned.

[glasater]

I don't either Janet but the gluten article in the WSJ got my attention.

[MaryW]

Lost 20 pounds last year. The only change in diet was eating a salad every day for lunch or dinner. For the most part these were vegetarian but everything gets added to salad if it is in the fridge - steak, cheese, grilled vegetables, fish, pasta - just no poultry.

[bunky]

Two years ago I lost about 18 pounds in 4 months by eating breakfast, eating lunch, and eating one plate of whatever was served at dinner. Two keys: no added sugar to coffee or cereal and no snacking after dinner.

[bunky]

Oh, and no booze.

[Porchlight]

I've given up sweets for Lent - defined as candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, muffins, pastries etc. I do still have sugar in my coffee, about 2-3 teaspoons/day max. And occasional fruit. Just no sweet treats.

It's been a week and so far it hasn't been that difficult, but then again, I haven't given up my occasional wine and beer. Maybe next year.

[Porchlight]

Oh, I should add - I haven't lost any weight, but I feel great. Mood and energy far more stable than it was when I was snacking on sweet stuff. Not surprising, but noticeable.

[clarice]

The French have such preposterous notions about American food. On the other hand when I brought our steaks there and invited them over for dinner they swooned.

as for the myth that the French are slender..its ahem a myth..as they drive and are more sedentary they are spreading, too.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

When I start craving sweets, usually candy bars, it means 99 times out of 100, that I have been forgetting to take my daily Centrum Silver (Ultra Women's) vitamins.

[Rex]

I lost 30 pounds over a three month period simply by having surgery and taking pain meds for three months. Appetite went way down.

[Seixon]

I've been following a not-too-strict low carb diet in intervals since last summer. I've gone down 10 kg, which is around 25 lbs?

It's a logical, no-brainer diet; eat more natural stuff, less processed stuff.

It's easy to over-eat on pasta and high carb food, less so on high protein stuff. Meat fills you up, get more veggies going, its not hard to stick to it.

What's made me have to pause the diet is work and social things. Too much overtime means overtime food with colleagues. Social outings, same thing. Other than that: easy.

[clarice]

Hi, Seixon!!

[Jane]

Everything is easy once you get started. It is that initial push that is so hard.

[maryrose]

Not another diet thread. TM It's Lent so we are all eating less of everything. I gave up chocolate too Jane and red meat. It's easier than you think and exercise helps too. Being St Patrick's day I did have 3 beers but who's counting. Other than that I hope to lose my usual 7 lbs. before Easter.

[maryrose]

Porchlight"
I haven't had sugar in my coffee for years and don't miss it.

[Jane]

I always drank skim milk with my coffee. I gave it up recently and replaced it with cinnamon. I haven't missed the milk once. I gave up sugar about a decade ago, and never missed it once either.

[Extraneus]

Skim milk has more carbs than heavy cream.

link

[Extraneus]

Unsweetened almond milk has fewer carbs and less fat & calories than any of the milk-based products. And it tastes pretty good.

[Janet]

Skim milk has more carbs than heavy cream.

I'm trying to think up with some way to work in the high heel horse shoes & skim milk...um, maybe galloping to 7-11 to get heavy cream...no. Nothin' is comin' tonight.

[Jane]

I grew up on skim milk, and I've never liked anything that is cream based. Not that any of it matters since I have none of it now.

[PD]

I feel lonely on this thread. I'm not on a diet.

Is there a support group for that?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

PD: Me neither. I can get rubber room crazy if you try to take my cheese, sourdough or pumpernickel, and creamed soups away from me. I don't particularly like potatoes, I rarely eat pasta, however, I do like spicy sausages and will choose them over steak or roast beef. I like my pizza with triple cheese, a few anchovies, and almost no sauce.

I had gained about 20 lbs from being so sedentary because of my back problems, but yesterday at the doctor's, I had lost 11 lbs since the last time I was there. It's the pain meds I'm taking now that are allowing me to get up and move around and get out and about. The doc asked me if I was dieting, but it is just moving around, not even exercise that did it. I expect by the next appt in mid-April I'll have dropped the rest of the 20 and be back to wondering how to keep weight on. Just keep me happy with cheese, good bread, soups, and seafood.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Besides, in case you forgot, it is CADBURY EGG TIME. Who can diet during CADBURY EGG TIME? :)

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Janet: Have you seen this?

New Bible draws critics of gender-neutral language

I don't approve of changing wording to suit political correctness. It is false.

I'm kind of disappointed as I really liked the first NIV edition.

[PD]

Heh. Sara, thanks for the reminder. We're in chronic danger of forgetting that it's CADBURY EGG TIME!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

We're in chronic danger of forgetting that it's CADBURY EGG TIME!

Bite your tongue. :)

[PD]

Bite your tongue.

Or better yet, a CADBURY EGG!

[Porchlight]

maryrose,

I'm wondering if coffee will taste too sweet after several weeks of this - maybe I'll end up ditching the sugar permanently.

The hardest part of dieting for me (and most moms, I imagine) is having to feed the family something every night and wanting to share it with them. If I only had myself to feed, it'd be much easier to stick to a low-carb diet.