BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Make the Metabolic Shift by Dr. Don Colbert The husband and wife sitting across the room from me were in their late 40s. They were not obese by definition, but the gradual slide in that direction was evident. Unless they did something different, it was only a matter of time. They didn’t know that most people slowly build up a sensitivity to carbohydrates and become insulin resistant as they age, with the tipping point usually around age 50. If a man has a 40-inch waistline, he is carbohydrate sensitive and insulin resistant (35 inches for women). The carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance translate directly into belly fat. They also did not know about the 70-year-old woman I had recently helped to lose 20 pounds, who had exclaimed, “I have greater mental clarity, high energy and I lost weight…this is the easiest weight-loss program ever!” Or, that I have helped hundreds of people, from children to great-grandparents, lose weight, get healthy and live the lives they have always wanted. But I like to hear what patients have to say first. “We have tried all sorts of diets,” the woman in my office explained, “but nothing seems to work long term.” He spoke up, “Maybe it’s a carb thing, I don’t know, but we are supposed to eat a lot of carbs. I read that online.” He was right about one thing: It was online. The 2010 report of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which is the official policy of the U.S. government for healthy eating, said that 45 to 65 percent of the calories in our diet need to come from carbohydrates. With an 1800-calorie daily intake, that is between 200-300 grams of carbs. He was wrong, however, about everything else. Those who get 45 to 65 percent of their caloric intake from carbohydrates are only going to get fatter and fatter, especially as they age and become more carbohydrate sensitive and insulin resistant. Interestingly, doctors, dieticians, mainstream media and the government are quick to tell you that if you try to lower the carbohydrate percentage, it “may pose health risks and it is therefore not recommended for weight loss or maintenance.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, the recommended daily allowances are making us fat, keeping us fat, and causing and fueling countless diseases. Add in carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance as we age, and we have the makings of an obesity epidemic, which is precisely what is happening today. I am ready for a change. How about you? Charting a Better Course I have been recommending a low-carbohydrate diet for years for patients with cancer (even advanced cancers), age-associated memory impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease, as well as for patients with obesity, metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and more. It is more than a low-carbohydrate diet. It is a ketogenic diet, and I have found this ketogenic diet to be the fastest and healthiest way to burn fat (especially belly fat) of all the other dietary programs I have used over the past 30 years of practicing medicine. Remember the “may pose health risks” kickback? We have been told so many times that carbohydrates are good and fats are bad, that we believe it. And because we have swallowed this high-carbohydrate intake hogwash, we suffer from the chronic diseases that come as a direct result. Yes, some fats are bad, but not all are. ***** article continues on next page ***** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * about Don Colbert: Dr. Colbert is board certified in family practice and anti-aging medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. A popular speaker and author, his best-selling books include "Living in Divine Health," "Deadly Emotions" and "What Would Jesus Eat?" For more information on the ketogenic diet, go to DrColbert.com. 20 : BVOV

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