# Atkins Diet



## Tracey Heynes (Nov 5, 2001)

Can anyone summarize this for me?I'd be really grateful.Have heard it can help with C. and bloating but I think you have to not eat carbohydrates which sounds rather unhealthy.Anyone able to enlighten me?


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## muskratp (May 18, 2003)

I started the Atkins Nutritional Approach about 2 months ago and after reading found out that it can ease the symptoms of IBS. It is a low carb diet, not no carb. As you progress through the diet you add additional healthy carbs, eliminating refined sugar and most white flour foods (which is good anyway because I once read somewhere that white flour causes the build up of mucous in the intestine). Anyway, in the past 2 months I have only had 3-4 attacks, most of which were when I fell off the diet, the other when I ate cauliflower. Tailor the Atkins approach to what you know what you can and cannot eat. They have a website with free registration at www.atkinscenter.com. Good luck!


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## nowfree62 (Mar 17, 2003)

Carbohydrates convert to glucose in order to be used by the body.Eliminating most of them eliminates a lot of sugar.You can get nutrients and bulk in your diet from healthier options.


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## Jan LEAP RD (May 19, 2002)

Part of the reason so many IBSers benefit from Atkins or other low carb diets is due to the elimination of gluten containing grains, however there is great danger if you just get 'better' but don't truly eliminate the source of the potential problem.In one study it was shown that up to 35% of people with IBS actually have celiac disease. The treatment for celiac disease: no wheat, barley, oats or rye. (NONE whatsoever!)The problem is, if you have celiac disease, and don't know it, and "cheat" on a gluten free diet, you can still end up with serious complications of CD years down the line (such as osteoporosis, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, etc.)However, you MUST be eating 4 servings of wheat products a day prior to testing for CD, or you may get false negatives. (There are other reasons for false negatives as well.)Thus, I wouldn't recommend Atkins for anybody unless they first were properly tested for CD AND tested negative.For more info about testing protocols, and symptoms of CD, check outgluten.net or Celiac Disease Foundation www.celiac.org Celiac Disease http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/celiac/index.htm Celiac Disease (Information and links) http://www.familydoctor.org/handouts/236.html A great link.


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## Tracey Heynes (Nov 5, 2001)

Thanks for all that!However,I'm getting the impression this diet is mostly beneficial to people with IBS where D. is involved (Muskrapt mentions "attacks").I'm a person with very long intestine and very slow transit.I'm also very thin so don't want to lose weight.I've looked at an Atkins site but saw that you need to spend two weeks carb. free till you start to lose weight.I don't want to do this.It also talks about finding the carbs. you can tolerate but doesn't explain how you find this out (and it took me ages just to find that much info from the site - all these sites seem to be mostly aimed at selling me stuff)Anybody able to give me a rough guide to how I can use the approach to help MY circumstances ?(constipation,bloating and slow digestion all through the system)


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## Tracey Heynes (Nov 5, 2001)

Just checked - the Atkins site I went to was indeed the one Muskrapt gave.I really don't want to order the book (I've spent a ton of money over the years chasing the elusive remedy and can't/won't waste money any more.Each time I've bought a book,it's been a waste of time,effort and money.)Your personal guidance,based on your experience,is possibly more helpful.I'd appreciate your help.


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## bodycreator (May 22, 2003)

Try researching Glutamine. This is an amino acid found in meat. It helps to repair and rebuild muscles ( of which the colon is one) I believe that is why people with IBS find a high protein diet better. Also the B-vitamins found in meat are great for this condition. You don't need to eat 3 steaks a day. You can supplement with a B complex with an extra B-12. Calcium/Magnesium to sooth the nervous system ( helps when you feel down too) A teaspoon of Glutamine twice a day with juice or water on an empty stomach. Lots of water soluble fibre, low fat and no caffeine or chocolate. There is research out there, go find it.


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## gizzyluver (May 24, 2003)

A few months ago I found out on my own that carbo's seemed to be a trigger for me, so I started what I call an "personalized atkins diet", I still have coffee with cream and sugar, but do not eats breads, rice, or other high carb foods, to avoid the carb craving when eating meals I will have a tablespoon of potatoes or veges or even a forkful of pasta. An added bonus to this is that in the first 2 months of eating this way I lost almost 20 lbs. My cholestrol has only gone up 1 point.


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## WD40 (Jun 7, 1999)

Carbs really affect me, too, so I started a sort of modified Atkins. No more than 2 carb servings a day, never mixed with proteins and fats. I've lost a little weight on it as well. My girlfriend is doing the diet with me and she's lost 23 lbs already! I've only lost 10 lbs. but the bouts are fewer and farther between.


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## Tracey Heynes (Nov 5, 2001)

WD40How much is "2 servings" ? That's a bit vague for me and doesn't help me figure out what to eat.I'd be grateful for more detail.(incidentally,I really DON'T want to lose weight !)


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## WD40 (Jun 7, 1999)

Sorry, I mis-typed. I meant to convey 2 "meals". I am supposed to eat 6 meals a day, 2 of them carb meals, about 200-250 calories per meal. [Sometimes that's like one bagel with fat free cream cheese and jam, "one serving" to me]. If you don't want to lose weight you increase the calories per meal until you get to whatever your caloric intake needs are for each day. Sorry, I should have made that more clear.


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## essex (Apr 8, 2003)

I tried a self-modified atkins diet to see if it helped with my bloating. It actually made me worse, as soon as I swallowed anything I felt my stomach expanding. Additionally I was constantly hungry, I was eating about 6 small meals a day, as recommended by everyone everywhere, but still the bloating remained.IBS is soooooo bizarre, what works for one does not for another, despite identical symptoms. Any other 'get-rid-of-bloating' ideas?????


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## Stillnaked (Jan 19, 2003)

Hi, What I think would work for you, and it might not, is if you tried the induction diet for three days. That would mean eating nothing but meat, eggs, cheese, and cream, with a salad for dinner. This would keep you under 20 carbs. Usually the induction is 2 weeks, but that's to lose weight. After those three days I would add salad veggies to your diet to add up to 50 or 60 carbs a day. This with all the fats in the diet shouuld be enough to maintain your weight, if you lose add more of the good veggies. There are low carb bread products, muffins, etc, that you could add aslo, if wheat isn't a problem. I make a hot cereal out of Flax meal, with hot water and peanut butter for flavor, I add a little Splenda for sweetener. This has a lot of fiber, and the flax really helps things to move normally. If you need a list of the veggies that are acceptable you can check the Atkins site, under Starting Induction, or Safe Veggies. If I can help feel free to email me, or post here. The Atkins diet has REALLY helped my constipation, and bloating. I feel totally better on it, and when I go off, if it's just one meal a week I still don't bloat. If I cheat more than that I bloat. I'd love to help you, Laurie


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