"fathead"

[ciavyn]

I just watched this on Netflix (I think it is available on HULU, as well). I'm curious others' thoughts on it. I have heard some of this before, when the Atkins diet first became the rage. But I don't know enough medically to have a strong opinion, more just curiosity. So any thoughts or responses are welcome. I have always struggled with weight loss, and though now I'm at a healthy weight and don't really need to lose weight, it is the constant issue of counting calories and being frustrated by the easy way I gain weight. And of course, low-fat, "healthy" foods are often unappealing. So what say y'all?

[Jestgar]

I haven't seen the movie but I do know that when I searched pubmed for research on low carb (high fat) vs low fat (high carb) diets, I only found two studies that compared them, and both showed that the long term health effects (weight loss, triglycerides, blood glucose, etc) were the same for both groups after about two years. During the two years, the low carb group had better numbers, everything sort of starts to even out after a while.

So if you don't like low fat foods, switch to a low carb diet. There is absolutely no published evidence that it is bad for you.

[catsmeow]

I watched the "fathead" trailer a few minutes ago, it's very interesting. I would like to see the whole thing. I personally am a fan of low carb versus lowfat. More later.....gotta get my child on the school bus....

[chasbari]

It does provide some compelling arguments. I have actually watched it a few times in the last week and pick up more and more each time. The whole commodities slant on US agriculture along with the whole grain high carb trend in the dietary shift in this country sure seems to mirror the upward trend in celiac... I think it comes down to finding a realistic balance sans any overly influenced selling. We are so far removed from being able to listen to what our bodies would naturally. Being oversold on a diet based on economic policy just messes it up even more. Whether the science is completely valid or not.. that is up to someone smarter than me to pontificate on but the outcome of his diet in the movie is certainly telling. Even the doc's reaction to it. Worth watching IMHO.

[ciavyn]

Agreed. I'm going to pick up a few of the books he recommends and read them. Certainly, for the gluten-free community, it's good news. We must still be vigilant, but good to know that going without grains isn't a bad thing.

[chasbari]

We really do go against the grain, don't we?

[Debbie B in MD]

Fathead is really great. You might want to visit marksdailyapple.com or checkout some primal/paleo diet sites. "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes is excellent. It is thick and deep, but really eye opening. "Primal Mind, Primal Body" is also excellent. Great explanation about insulin and its affects on fat storage. The Taubes book really explains cholesterol. There is much more to it than we hear about. If you are looking for studies to read yourself, checkout. Open Original Shared Link There really is a big difference between low carb and low-fat. I hope some of these recommendations help.

[chasbari]

I am currently reading the Taubes book.. worth the struggle to get through for certain. I had to laugh, I was just reading the Yahoo story on school lunches in Chicago in the context of the book and movie and just had to laugh my cynical ironic laugh as to how wrong they may be. Not even counting the whole free choice thing...

[Debbie B in MD]

I am currently reading the Taubes book.. worth the struggle to get through for certain. I had to laugh, I was just reading the Yahoo story on school lunches in Chicago in the context of the book and movie and just had to laugh my cynical ironic laugh as to how wrong they may be. Not even counting the whole free choice thing...

You just made me think of the commercial that 95%of Amercians don't get enough whole grains. Between government and commercials we are very lucky to have found out our true issue of celiac.

[chasbari]

You just made me think of the commercial that 95%of Amercians don't get enough whole grains. Between government and commercials we are very lucky to have found out our true issue of celiac.

I just keep rolling my eyes in disbelief at all the commercials now anyway. I just keeping checking off another med I will never need.. Oh, and the HFCS commercial where the one friend is educating the other one on how it's just as good as sugar... yeah, sure. I'll by the Brooklyn bridge AND that swampland in Florida..

[obaketenshi]

After watching this, I almost feel like the trend to eat more wheat has maybe caused our genes to rebel and thus cause an uptick in Celiac. I am glad to see that it is more of a diet that human bodies like to be low grains. I think that this sort of makes up my mind about it too, from years of coming to my own conclusions about what is supposedly "healthy" and what isn't.