Low Carb High Fat Diet

Low-Carb High-Fat Diet Myths and Headlines

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I was just sitting here reading the headlines and drinking a cup of my invincible coconut chai tea and thinking about how fortunate I am to have discovered a lifestyle choice that helps me feel so satisfied and pampered, while still supporting my overall health and well-being.

But it’s remarkable, when reading the news, just how many people try to go beyond the basic realities of low-carb high-fat dieting and either vilify or glorify it. I’m certainly not in any position to judge whether the scientists promoting one approach or another are telling the truth, but so much of what they’re saying falls well outside the scope of my own personal needs, it amounts to little more than noisee.

For example, a recent study reported that low-carb high-fat diets were effective in reducing the severity of seizures in epilepsy patients. I’m not surprised that a diet I’ve personally found so beneficial without severe medical conditions is also beneficial to people who are struggling with epilepsy. Not being an epilepsy patient myself, I can’t say that I know much about the topic, or that this news has any effect on my own life. But it does make for bright, splashy headlines.

Like most Americans I do know people at risk for diabetes, or struggling with the disease, and I’ve personally seen low-carb high-fat dieting have a positive impact on their lives, but I’m not a doctor or a scientist. It’s almost impossible to live in this society without being exposed to the dangers of high-carbohydrate eating. I’m very happy I’ve found something that seems to work for me and the people I know and love.

But I also don’t take it to the extremes that many of my fellow dieters do. For example, I don’t use organic grass-fed beef and butter for all of my fat and protein needs, or supplement my diet with fancy “MCT oils” over plain old coconut oil. I’ve tried them, and I haven’t noticed that the impact has been worth the added expense and inconvenience of researching and sourcing them. Some people may find that these products either intrinsically or psychologically boost their sense of feeling good on a low-carb high-fat diet. I’m not one of them, and I don’t mind admitting it.

The chai tea with coconut oil that I’m enjoying instead of a full breakfast as I write this is a nod to the buttered coffee recommended as part of the Bulletproof Executive Diet. But just because I’ve lifted and modified that good idea in a way that I know works for me, it doesn’t mean I’m also going to benefit from a serving of rice or sweet potatoes every day, or that I need to avoid sucralose as if it were poison, the way the rest of that program would recommend.

It’s great that people are discovering the health benefits of cutting carbs and adding fats to their diets. If you feel that you need a guru to tell you precisely what and how you should eat every time you lift your fork, there are plenty out there ready to guide you. I’m not convinced that everyone on the planet will benefit from the exact same diet, and I encourage you to take the concepts and pay attention to how they affect you personally.

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