Doctors just love to come up with new disease names for behaviors or
patterns of symptoms. Once you give it a label, it seems, it's suddenly
a "real" affliction (like Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, which
was really just normal childhood behavior until they gave it the ADHD
name and started doping kids with Ritalin). The latest? If you eat
nothing but low-carb foods, this doctor claims you're suffering from --
get this -- Low Carb Tunnel Syndrome, or LCTS for short.
It's yet
another round in the ongoing battle to undermine the success of the
Atkins diet. In particular, the doctor who came up with this name (Dr.
Howard Peiper), says that eating undigestible sweeteners like sorbitol,
sucralose and maltitol will cause nutritional deficiencies in your body.
In principle, I agree with the doctor. Many low-carb diets are
shockingly unhealthy (read my free online book Low-Carb Diet Warning for
full details), but it isn't just the artificial chemical sweeteners;
it's the sodium nitrite, hydrogenated oils and monosodium glutamate,
too.
Even if I agree with Dr. Peiper on the potential health risks
of consuming low-carb processed foods with chemical ingredients, that
doesn't mean I think we need another silly disease label slapped on it.
Eating low-carb foods isn't a "syndrome," it's a behavior, just like
obesity isn't a "disease" either. Obesity is the result of poor
nutritional choices and a lack of physical exercise. It's simple cause
and effect. There are probably fewer than fifty people on the planet who
have a true-to-life genetic mutation that makes it impossible for them
to stop eating. For everyone else, it's just poor choice in regards to
foods and fitness.
Let's face it: eating nothing but processed
low-carb foods isn't a disease, it's just an attempted shortcut by many
people who want a new excuse to eat all the food they want. If it says
"low carb" on the package, they think they can consume unlimited
quantities. It's exactly like the low-fat craze in the 1980's where
people consumed loads of fat-free cookies (loaded with refined white
sugar, of course) and told themselves they were following a healthy
diet.
In reality, processed foods are never healthy foods,
regardless of their labels. If you want to eat healthy, you've got to
consume fresh, wholesome ingredients: vegetables, fruits, whole grains
and "super" foods like quinoa, chlorella, spirulina and chia seeds.
Failure to do so doesn't mean you have a "syndrome," it just means you
need to find a way to make better choices. I'm tired of doctors taking
power away from people by slapping disease labels on free will actions.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher, author and award-winning journalist with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he has authored and published several downloadable personal preparedness courses including a downloadable course focused on safety and self defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2010, Adams created TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, martial arts and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
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