Lowcarbezine! 2 May 2001

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Hey, Gang --

I'm baaaaack!

And I'm sincerely hoping that every single one of you who is on the
mailing list is actually reading this.  We're now on a new mail server,
designed to carry a heavier load, which -- considering the length of
this missive every week, multiplied by the 9,573 of you who are
subscribed as of this moment -- was seriously overdue.  Too many of you
were writing to let us know that you weren't getting your Lowcarbezine!,
and worse, it seemed completely random as to who the server would skip
on any given week. We're hoping those troubles are now behind us.

So read on, and enjoy!

Dana

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All contents copyright 2001 by Hold the Toast Press.  All commercial
reproduction and/or use is expressly prohibited.  As always, feel free
to forward Lowcarbezine! to any family or friends you feel might enjoy
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Lowcarbezine! welcomes reader input!  If you have a question, a recipe,
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mailto:dana@holdthetoast.com   All submissions become the property of
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If you need a website designed or hosted, please check out the info on
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good, right?)

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Frequently Asked Question

I'd like to try eating low carb to lose weight, but I have high
cholesterol.  Won't eating meat and cheese and butter and eggs make it
worse?

This is perhaps the most common concern when people hear about low
carbohydrate diets.  We have had it pounded into our heads for so long
that high cholesterol is the cause of heart disease, and is caused by
eating saturated fats and cholesterol, that it's considered axiomatic by
now.  

Yet there are many holes in this axiomatic truth, so many it's hard to
know where to begin.  

* High blood cholesterol has only been shown to be a pretty good
predictor of heart disease in A) young-to-middle aged men and B) women
between about 55-65 -- after menopause, but before old age.  Even in
those groups, it is clear that cholesterol is not the only predictor of
heart disease, and probably isn't even the most important predictor. 
High triglycerides, low HDL, high homocysteine are all emerging as more
important risk factors than high total cholesterol.  And there is no
question at all that plenty of folks have heart attacks who never had
high cholesterol in their lives.

* It's interesting to know that the figure of 200 for the dividing line
between "okay cholesterol" and "high cholesterol" is completely
arbitrary.  There is no big jump in heart disease rate at, say, 210. 
Indeed, other countries have other standards for what constitutes "high
cholesterol."

* I hope by now you all know that total cholesterol needs to be broken
down into its various fractions -- HDL, LDL, and VLDL.  Of these three,
VLDL is the worst, LDL is apparently pretty bad, and HDL is downright
wonderful.  If your cholesterol is, say, 225, but you HDL is 98, you are
more than just fine where cholesterol is concerned, you're downright
brilliant.  The important point here is that by itself your total
cholesterol number means very little.

* Want to make sense of your bloodwork numbers?  Here are the three
important ratios you need to look at.  Get yourself a copy of your
bloodwork and a pocket calculator, and do this:  Divide your total
cholesterol number by your HDL number.  If the result is 4 or below,
you're doing okay.  Then divide your LDL number by your HDL number.  For
men, a result of 3.55 gives you average risk for heart disease; lower is
better.  For women, a result of 3.22 is average; again, lower is
better.  Now divide your triglycerides by your HDL number -- this is
beginning to look like the most important ratio, by the way.  A result
of 2 or below is good.  (Not to brag, but after almost 6 years of low
carbing, this number generally rides below 1 for me.)  If these ratios
look good, that tells you that you're in pretty good shape, regardless
of your total cholesterol number.

* Cholesterol is *not* some hideous poison that we need to remove from
our bodies.  Cholesterol is a substance that is absolutely *vital* for
every cell in your body.  Your cell walls are made from it.  Your brain
and nerves are full of it.  Many of your hormones are made from it. 
Cholesterol is your friend.

* It is all too possible to have cholesterol that is *too low*.  Total
cholesterol under about 170 is associated with an increased risk of
mortality in general, including a higher risk of death from cancer. 
Indeed, the lower your cholesterol goes, the higher your statistical
risk of cancer.  Low cholesterol is also associated with depression --
and in men over 60, it's associated with an increased risk of death from
suicide or violence!

* Because cholesterol is so vital, your body is quite capable of making
it in your liver, that amazing chemical factory.  If you eat less
cholesterol, your body compensates by making more.  It's becoming clear
that high blood cholesterol is a result of the body making too much,
rather than people eating too much.

* One of the things that can cause your body to create too much
cholesterol is our old nemesis, hyperinsulinemia (high blood insulin
levels.)  Why does this cause your body to crank out extra cholesterol? 
Here's a very simple explanation:  As I mentioned, every cell in your
body needs cholesterol, and so your body has what are called
"cholesterol receptors" in every cell.  When a cell needs cholesterol,
the cell sends one of these little receptors to the cell wall, to snag
some cholesterol out of the passing blood stream.  High insulin levels
disable the cholesterol receptors so they can't do this vital job. 

 Now, because cholesterol is essential *in* the cells, that is where
your body is monitoring cholesterol levels -- but it has *no* way to
know how much is in your blood!  So when the cholesterol receptors
aren't bringing cholesterol into your cells, and the level inside your
cells drops, your body thinks you don't have enough cholesterol!  The
liver starts up cholesterol production.  But your cells still can't get
at that cholesterol, because the cholesterol receptors are still not
working right!  So that cholesterol starts to pile up in your blood
stream.  And voila!  High blood cholesterol.

This is why, for a *large* group of people, cutting carbs and lowering
blood insulin levels is all it takes to get runaway cholesterol under
control. 

* It is important to know, though, that there seems to be more than one
cause of high blood cholesterol.  Carbohydrate intolerance is one, but
apparently there are some people who are also saturated fat intolerant. 
These folks are the ones who go on a low carb diet and have a drop in
triglycerides and a rise in HDL -- but also a skyrocketing LDL/Total
cholesterol.  These folks need to skew their low carb diets to more
chicken and fish, and the leanest cuts of red meats; to eat more olive
oil and less butter, and go easy on the cream, sour cream, and cheese
the rest of us enjoy.  To make up the rest of the fat calories they
need, they should be eating nuts and seeds and avocados and the like.

* Remember that hydrogenated vegetable oils, found in margarine, solid
vegetable shortening like Crisco, and in many, many processed foods, are
artificially saturated fat, and *far* worse for you than any naturally
saturated fat could ever be, even if you're one of the saturated fat
intolerant.  Do *not* swap butter for margarine.  

* And remember, too, that it is a minority that has this problem with
fats.  Most people see an improvement in their bloodwork on low carb
with no restriction in saturated fats at all.   Since the saturated fat
containing foods are tasty and nutritious, I don't see a need to
eliminate them unless you find out that you are in that saturated fat
sensitive group.

* There is some speculation that some folks are sensitive, instead, to a
fat called "arachidonic acid", or AA.  AA is found in some red meats,
and in egg yolks.  However, if you follow the instructions above, you'll
cut AA along with saturated fats.  

* Eggs have *never* been demonstrated to raise blood cholesterol in
clinical tests.  They are also among the most nutritious of all foods --
and most of their vitamin, mineral, and healthy fat content is in the
yolk.  I'd hang onto at least some eggs in your diet, even if you're
saturated fat intolerant.  Instead of buying egg substitutes (YUK!), I
suggest throwing away every second or third yolk -- or feeding them to
another family member.

* It's important to know that getting *enough* healthy fats is essential
to *raising* your HDL -- good cholesterol!  This was one of the *big*
problems with the low fat approach to heart disease prevention -- it
tended to lower HDL terribly.

* It's also important to note that high triglycerides -- at least as
important a risk factor as too much LDL and too little HDL -- come from
a high carbohydrate diet.  Indeed, of all the substances tested, the one
that jacks up triglycerides highest and fastest is *fructose* -- fruit
sugar.  Not only is fructose present in fruit and fruit juice, but high
fructose corn syrup is also the sweetener most widely used in soda pop
and other soft drinks, and in processed foods.  Bad news.  Avoid juice,
and stick to the low sugar fruits.  Of course, this means that for the
*vast majority*, triglycerides drop like a *rock* on a low carb diet!

* Good to know that the vitamin niacin (B3) will lower blood cholesterol
while raising HDL.  However, the doses that have a really dramatic
effect on seriously high cholesterol have to be considered a drug.  If
your cholesterol is okay, and you'd like to take, say, 100 mgs a day or
so to enhance your profile slightly, that's fine.  But if you have
really high cholesterol, and you want to use niacin to lower it, you'll
most likely need a gram or more a day, and at those levels you *must* be
under a physician's care.  Doses that high can cause liver inflammation
in some people.  Be aware that niacin causes a "flush" -- you get red
and itchy for about fifteen minutes, starting about 10 minutes after you
take it.  Harmless, but it can be scary if you're not expecting it, and
some people find it annoying. (Me, I kinda like it.)  There is another
form of the vitamin, niacinamide, which does not have this effect. 
Sadly, it also does not lower cholesterol!  

Niacin also can help make you calmer and more cheerful, by encouraging
your body to make more of the brain chemical serotonin.

>From all of this, I hope you have gathered that it's okay to go on a low
carb diet even if you have reason to be concerned about your heart
disease risk.  So long as you keep in mind that there is a minority that
reacts badly to saturated fats, and get tested on a fairly regular
basis, you'll be fine.  Indeed, it is very, very likely that you'll be
more than fine -- chances are excellent that you'll soon have the
healthiest bloodwork profile of your life!

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Beyond Eggs -- Or, What Else Can I Eat For Breakfast?!

I've addressed this issue before, but that was a good 6000-7000
subscribers ago, so I'm thinking it's time to address it again.  I
frequently get emails from folks saying, "I'm so sick of eggs for
breakfast I could scream!  What else can I have?"

All sorts of things, so never you fear.  Here are some ideas:

* Sausage, ham, or Canadian bacon (this is just plain "bacon" in the UK
and its former possessions -- much like ham.  American bacon doesn't
have enough protein to stand on its own as a breakfast.)  Remember that
all of these cured meats have at least a little bit of sugar added, so
check the carb counts and buy the lowest sugar varieties.  Also remember
that ham and Canadian bacon have nitrates added, which aren't so great
for you.  You can lessen their bad impact by taking a vitamin C tablet
with breakfast; this prevents the formation of carcinogenic
nitrosamines.

* Yogurt -- buy or make plain yogurt, and flavor it with a few drops of
your favorite flavoring extract (I like lemon best) and some artificial
sweetener or stevia.  For a few more carbs you can stir in some mashed
berries, or no-sugar-added preserves.  Plain yogurt says that it has 12
grams of carb on the label, but most of that carb -- it was lactose --
is converted to lactic acid by the yogurt bacteria.  Count 4 grams per
cup, and 8 grams of protein.

* Cottage cheese -- my sister has cottage cheese and sausage for
breakfast every morning.  Others like cottage cheese with a few berries
or some diced cantaloupe.  Either way, it's about 3-4 grams of carb per
half-cup, and you'll get the protein of two eggs -- about 14 grams.

* Low carb baked goods -- I once again will shamelessly plug my friend
Diana Lee's book _Baking Low Carb_.  If you have this book, you can have
muffins and sweet breads for breakfast.  I rather like the zucchini
bread, myself.  Of course, this means you'll have to (horrors!) *cook*.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967998808/lowcarbohysoluti

* For that matter, you could buy low carb bake mix and make pancakes or
waffles.  If you make a big batch of these on the weekend, you can
freeze them for weekdays and just pop them in the toaster.

* Protein shakes, either from one of the many mixes out there, or made
in your own blender with protein powder, a bit of milk or cream,
sweetener and flavoring.

* A couple of individually wrapped string cheeses are a breakfast you
can carry in your purse, attaché case, or book pack, and eat on the run.

* Don't forget that there is no law requiring you to eat breakfast foods
for breakfast.  Anything you'd eat at any other meal, you can have for
breakfast.  I find that a pork chop makes a nice change of pace from
time to time, and I've known people who had a small steak every day. A
hamburger patty makes a fine breakfast as well.  For that matter, you
can heat up leftovers in the microwave for a fast
breakfast.

* If you miss cold cereal terribly, there are a couple of low carb cold
cereals on the market -- Nutlettes, which is pretty similar to Grape
Nuts, and Keto Crisp, which is similar to Rice Krispies.  Both of these
are quite low carb and high protein.  However, this is because they are
both made from soy, and as I have explained several times, I can't
endorse frequent or high soy consumption.  I'd suggest that if you use
these two cereals at all, that it be as an occasional change of pace,
not as a daily breakfast.

One other quick note about breakfast:  I have pushed breakfast for
*years*, to the point of being a nag about it.  However, it has slowly
dawned on me that some people get tired right after breakfast if they
eat too much at one sitting.  I don't know why this should be -- I
speculate it's because all the blood heads off to their stomachs,
leaving the rest of them to deal with it -- but I hereby amend my "You
must always eat 14-21 grams of protein for breakfast" to "You may divide
those 14-21 grams of protein in to two or three servings, to be eaten
over the space of a couple of hours, if you feel better that way."  

How to fit this into your schedule?  Take half your protein shake with
you in a car cup.  Eat a small slice of low carb whatever from Diana's
baking book at home, and take another small slice along to eat with your
first cup of coffee at work.  Eat a quarter cup of cottage cheese at
home, and take another with you -- you can buy individually packaged,
peel-off-top containers of cottage cheese that contain about a quarter
cup, and carry well.  Eat a cup of sugarless yogurt at home, and take
another along with a plastic spoon.  You get the idea.

But you still have to eat a high protein breakfast.  Okay? 

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How about WAFFLES?  PANCAKES?  BISCUITS AND GRAVY?  Even make pot pies
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Reader Review of _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_

Get the whole scoop without reading ALL the books!
                    
I've been low carbing for about 8 months, and have read LOTS of the most
recommended books. I could have saved myself a great deal of time
learning the different approaches if I'd read Dana Carpender's book
FIRST! Now I know what to concentrate my reading on. Just ordered
another copy to give to my sister and her family, so that
they can learn more, too.

 amy in tucson 

Thanks, Amy!  One of the things that thrills me most is when someone
tells me they found my book so helpful that they bought a copy for a
friend or family member.  :-)

You can read this and 24 other reader reviews of _How I Gave Up My Low
Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_ at Amazon : 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966883101/lowcarbohysoluti --
and of course, you can also order the book!

If you'd like to read the first chapter of the book for FREE, plus find
a bunch of other useful low carb info, visit:
http://www.holdthetoast.com .  You can also see my smiling face and my
before-and-afters.

Or, for that matter, you can visit
http://www.webbalah.net/carbsmart.html , and order
_How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds_ from Carb Smart,
where it's at a discount.  Low Carb Grocery has it at a discount, too --
http://www.lowcarbgrocery.com .  Low Carb Pharmacy has it, too --
http://www.lowcarbpharmacy.com .

If you'd like to buy the book from a bookstore, you'll probably have to
special order it.  If you're in the USA, this shouldn't be a problem --
just tell them that you want to order _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and
Lost Forty Pounds!_ by Dana Carpender, and that the ISBN is
0-9668831-0-1.  You could also tell them that they can order it through
Baker and Taylor; one of the country's biggest book wholesalers.  We do
ship to Canadian bookstores.

If you're outside of the US, your best bet is to order from Amazon.com.
We can ship internationally from here at Hold the Toast, too, but we're
not set up for it big-time like Amazon is.  If you're a book wholesaler
outside the US and interested in carrying _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet
and Lost Forty Pounds!_, we'd love to hear from you!

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Reader Letter About Soy

I received this email after my article about the problems with soy a
couple of weeks back:

Hi Dana --

I just had to write after receiving the Lowcarbezine.  I've struggled
most of my life with weight, and was diagnosed 6 years ago as
hypothyroid.  I
always resisted the low carb programs until now.  I recently was put on
the Dr.
Dean Ornish program because of a heart problem.  The diet made me GAIN 
weight, it was so high in carbs!!  It was also VERY high in soy -- and 
suddenly I found myself having thyroid problems again.  My meds were
adjusted and I stopped the Ornish program.

Now, I learn from my Mother, that I was on  soy formula as an infant,
and later drank soy milk because of an intolerance to cow's milk.  I've
had so many health problems that I now
find can be connected to soy, including having to have a hysterectomy at
age 40 because of cysts caused by excess estrogen.  My son, who is now
16, was also  born with hypospadias, even though I was NOT a vegetarian
at the time of his birth.  The connections are just too strong to be a
coincidence.  

Two girlfriends finally sent me all sorts of info on low carb plans; my
doctor suggested I cut back on carbs -- and I took it upon myself to
give up soy !!!  Now I know I had the right idea.  

I can't thank you enough for this great e-zine......this was my first
issue 
and I'm VERY excited.  :)  

Jean

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http://www.lowcarbnutrition.com We have 1.29 chocolate bars, pizza kits
with 6 different crust flavors, soyfree bake mix, 12 different pasta
dinners!

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Product Review

Trying low carb chocolates -- it's a rough job, but somebody's got to do
it.

Yes, in the past few weeks I have sacrificed myself selflessly for you,
my beloved readers.  I have eaten dark chocolate and milk chocolate.  I
have eaten chocolate with mint, and chocolate with orange.  I have eaten
chocolate with crispies, and chocolate with almonds.  I have eaten
chocolate coffee "cups", and dark chocolate mocha truffles, and even
sugar free pecan turtles.

I am here to tell you that I haven't tried a bad piece of sugar-free
chocolate yet.

Of course, this may have something to do with my own, er, predeliction
for chocolate.  It's not my fault.  It's genetic.  I swear, when they
dug up the family castle back in the old country, chisled in stone over
the mantle they found the family crest with the words, "If it ain't
chocolate, it ain't worth it."  I am a girl who used to *steal* to
support her chocolate habit.  So while I can't quite say I come by this
taste honestly, I can say it's part of my basic make up.

But then, look who I'm talking to.

I've already reviewed the Darrell Lea chocolates coming out of
Australia, and given them a big thumbs-up.  I have now tried Pure
De-Lite (dark chocolate, milk chocolate almond, milk chocolate with
mint, milk chocolate with orange), Carbolite (dark chocolate, milk
chocolate almond, milk chocolate with crispies, pecan caramel cluster),
and the new Sinfully Low Carb brand (mocha truffle nut cup, dark
chocolate truffle, dark chocolate lollipop, dark chocolate turtle, dark
chocolate peanut butter cup, dark chocolate coffee cups.)  I can
honestly say that there is not a loser in the bunch.  Indeed, we have
reached the point where sugar free chocolate is virtually
indistinguishable from the sugar kind.

Here's a little more info:

The Carbolite is a little softer and "creamier" than the Pure De-Lite,
and slightly sweeter.  I found that the Pure De-Lite put me more in mind
of European chocolate, and the Carbolite struck me as more "American". 
Can't say that one is better than the other; both are excellent.  Which
you prefer will be an entirely individual matter.  I was very, very
pleased that they both make a dark chocolate bar; I *much* prefer dark
chocolate to milk chocolate.  On this one variety I give a slight
personal edge to the Pure De-Lite bar, but suspect that there are many
who would prefer the Carbolite bar.  The Carbolite bar, by the way,
contains some Splenda as well as the polyols always used in this sort of
product.

The Carbolite pecan caramel cluster is what I would call a turtle --
milk chocolate over caramel and pecans.  They're *big*; one takes
several bites to eat.  And once again, they're indistinguishable from
the "real thing" -- the caramel is chewy, the chocolate is chocolatey,
and there are plenty of nuts.  

The Sinfully Low Carb products are more like candy store products, and
they're excellent.  I especially liked the dense, very smooth and creamy
texture of the mocha truffles.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.  The
chocolate coffee cups are great for anyone who likes a mocha flavor;
they're evenly balanced between the coffee and chocolate flavors.  Great
texture, too.  The turtles are smaller than the Carbolite caramel pecan
clusters, bite-sized, really, and have more chocolate to less filling. 
On the other hand, they come in dark chocolate, which I prefer.  Which
you'd want would depend on whether you want more chocolate outside, or
more caramel and pecan inside.  The Sinfully Low Carb dark chocolate
peanut butter cup is quite good, although I'd like a little more peanut
butter -- but this is made up for by it's being a *dark* chocolate
peanut butter cup!

All told, this is about the most fun I've ever had doing research for
you guys!

Remember, though, that these chocolates are *not* free foods on your low
carb diet.  They are *treats*, and a treat is *not* something you eat
three times a day, no matter how the food advertisers try to convince
you it is.  Remember, too, that polyols are carbs -- they're just carbs
that we have trouble digesting and absorbing, so that they don't mess
our blood sugar up really badly.  I suspect how much you digest and
absorb of the polyols is an individual thing; pay attention to your own
body -- how you feel, whether you stay in ketosis (if you're in
ketosis!), whether you get hungry an hour after eating one of these
products.  You know the signs.

Also remember that polyols are the carb that *enforces* moderation --
eat too much and you *will* be sorry, as you embarrass yourself with
serious flatulence, or even a desperate run for the bathroom.  Go easy,
folks.

Still, there's no question that these products, for some of you, are
what will keep you on the straight and narrow path during holidays,
birthdays, special occasions, or any other time you're surrounded by
sugary chocolates.  And *that* is a very sweet thing indeed.

Low Carb Grocery sent me Carbolite and Sinfully Low Carb products:
http://www.lowcarbgrocery.com
The Pure De-Lite bars I got at a local store; look for them!

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BUY ONE/GET ONE FREE ZERO CARB CHOCOLATE BAR with your order of $25 or
more (while they last)!
 
Get your FREE CHOCOLATE BARS today. It's easy. Simply go to
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our delicious, new, low carb doughnuts only available at
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1-877-877-1558. 

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Progress Report on the Grand Experiment

I've had a number of you write me about my experiments with carb
blockers.  I'm afraid I have to tell you to cool your jets; I'm working
on it.  Just one trial wouldn't give anything like the information we
need -- heck, it's bad enough that I'm the only subject in this trial!
(My husband, adorable as he is, has drawn the line at being pierced
repeatedly, and I can't say as I blame him.)  I can't do trials every
day because each one requires me to stick holes in myself at least a
dozen times, and -- selfish thing that I am -- I insist on letting my
poor pinkie heal up between such episodes of abuse.  

So I beg your patience.  Should be ready to report in a week or two.

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Dana W. Carpender

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