[Sca-cooks] OT Atkins diet Someone harmed

[Barbara Benson]

> So are there any documented examples of actual harm from the Atkins plan
due
> to this? Again, I'd like to know. I'm not trying to be confrontational, I
> truly want to know.

Greetings,

This is not something I would normally share, and I in no way want to be
argumentative but you asked & I will share with you my experience.

I lost a great deal of weight using the Atkins diet, and yes it was the
Atkins diet. This was several years ago, before they republished his book &
it became all the rage. I have one of the original books from the 60's-70's
(whenever) I also now have the Atkins cookbooks, the new Atkins books yadda,
yadda, yadda. After awhile I reverted to my normal eating habits and gained
all of the weight back (not Atkin's fault, I have no will power).

My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for the last 2 years and
it is not happening. After an extensive battery of tests it was found that I
have a high fasting insulin level. (I believe others have mentioned this
rebound effect, where your body overproduces insulin to compensate for the
Atkins diet). This insulin level is preventing me from ovulating and
preventing pregnancy.

There is no history of insulin problens (Diabetes or otherwise) in my family
going back several generations. I am now on an insulin reducing medication
(which the dosage has already been doubled once) and if/when it works they
will give me a medicine to stimulate ovulation.

Also, when I first began losing so much weight several of the people at my
work wanted to try it too. One of the ladies lasted about a week and then
started having major menstrual spotting issues and severe nausea. When she
stopped Atkins it went away, she had never had these problems before or
since.

No, I have no intention of suing Dr. Atkins. It is my own fault, because
anything that seems too good to be true probably is. If I wanted to sue
could I prove it in a court of law? Probably not. But you asked for
knowledge & I thought I would share. I am not trying to discourage anyone
from using the Atkins diet - I would encourage people to think carefully
about it tho.

Glad Tidings,
Serena da Riva