For the Atkins naysayers.....
The Atkins diet will only contribute to renal problems if you have renal problems to start with. Your kidneys have to process the extra ketones - they can overload already-weakened kidneys, but if your kidneys are healthy you'll be fine.
Dr. Atkins did not have a heart attack - he had a cardiac arrest that was attributed to an infection. He's a cardiologist. If the diet gave you a heart attack, I doubt he'd be recommending it - Hippocratic Oath and all that.
The Atkins diet has several components that anyone who wants to lose weight and get fit should follow...
- No simple sugars (this includes white flour)
- Lots of water
- Regular exercise
Beyond that, whether you choose to follow a low-carb plan, eat only carbs with a low glycemic index, or follow a low-fat plan, you're bound to lose weight
if you stick with it.
I know several people who have managed to control type II diabetes by following the Atkins diet. And a close friend of mine, who was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and told that she was unlikely to ever carry a baby to term, recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl after she spent 2 years following the Atkins plan.
Now tell me the Atkins diet is unhealthy.