Guest guest Posted April 20, 2003 Report Share Posted April 20, 2003 The wonderful Dr. Mercola has posted a wonderful tribute to Dr. Atkins, who passed away 2 days ago from injuries received when he fell on ice from a totally freak April snowstorm in New York. He has truly blazed some important paths in his lifetime. I would NOT be in control of my blood sugars nor 85 pounds thinner today without the benefit of his utterly groundbreaking work, though I do not follow his program exactly, but that of Dr. Schwarzbein, but they are both based on common truth and knowledge. Linda Dr. Atkins, a True Giant of Modern Nutrition, Passes Away at Age 72 Dr. Robert C. Atkins, one of the true major pioneers of modern nutrition, passed away yesterday at the age of 72. To say he will be missed is an understatement. Since 1972, Dr. Atkins has been an immense force in confronting the dangerous health myth of the high-carbohydrate diet pushed by the conventional medical establishment and the U.S. government through their Food Pyramid. By now, almost everyone has heard of The Atkin's Diet, which stresses a low-carb approach to dieting and allows up to two-thirds of calories to come from animal fat. That many millions do instantly recognize his name and his approach is testament to the vision and tenacity of Dr. Atkins himself, who kept advocating his low-carb approach despite harsh criticism from the medical establishment who have been addicted to their drastically misinformed low-fat, low-calorie approach since the 1970s. Fortunately, the general public is now starting to steer away en masse from the medical establishment's low-fat, low-calorie, high-carb craze, as during the same period of this craze the rate of overweight and obesity has skyrocketed in the U.S. and other Western countries. Yes, the connection between the medical establishment's low-fat, high-carb "recommendations" and the overweight epidemic are becoming increasingly clear to the public--and it will be Dr. Atkins legacy for being the one who, despite the mammoth obstacles posed by conventional medical practitioners and others under the spell of mega-corporations and the government, lead the way to really opening everyone's eyes to this. It is no secret that I agree with the general principle that guided Dr. Atkins efforts: carbohydrates increase the rate of insulin in the body, which in turn encourages the body to put on and store fat. It is also no secret--I discuss it in my new book, and I've discussed it in this newsletter and in the media--that there are certain built-in weaknesses in Dr. Atkin's plan, chief among them being the major health risks associated with the potential overconsumption of animal proteins and unhealthy fats allowed under his plan... But no one understood better than Dr. Atkins that such well-intentioned criticism--insight offered to truly help people--is precisely what drives real progress in healthcare and medicine. Dr. Atkins himself built upon existing knowledge about the benefits of a low-carb diet, whose origins date at least as far back as the late 1800s. In fact, he first started following a controlled carb diet in 1963, after reading about the diet in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He built on that approach, and published his own first article on low-carb dieting in Vogue magazine in 1970. In 1972, he published his first book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," which of course stirred immense controversy with the medical establishment--the AMA called the diet "bizarre" and "naive" among other things--but went on to become one of the 50 bestselling books of all time. Dr. Atkins persisted--and persisted, and persisted--and the rest is history. My respect for Dr. Atkins is beyond immense. I will continue to professionally criticize the aspects of his program that fall short of helping people lose weight and prevent disease permanently, and I will continue to build on other areas that he strived so hard to put in the spotlight, because that is how true progress in healthcare goes. But I am certain the rest of the medical world--even the conventional practitioners--will come to witness with increasing wonder the mountains that this true giant of healthcare is most responsible for moving. As many of us prepare to celebrate Easter I would encourage prayers for Dr. Atkins and his family and also gratitude for blessing us with his profound insight, passion and perseverance. He has pioneered a path that will bring health to many. Free Diabetic Newsletters:Newhealth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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