AR-News: (US-ca)The Atkins Diary - Ketosis psychosis and other dark secrets of the low-carb diet craze

[Animalconcerns]

[opinion from North Bay Bohemian]

Editors note: Last month, North Bay Bohemian news editor R. V. Scheide
began following the dietary principles outlined in Dr. Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, the bestselling book that sparked the low-carbohydrate diet
craze more than a decade ago. While millions of people claim to have lost
weight following low-carb regimens, such diets continue to have
detractors, many of whom consider the practice unhealthy, even dangerous.
In the name of strictest science, we asked R. V. to keep a diary of his
first month on the Atkins diet. The following excerpts are neither an
endorsement nor a refutation of such diets, but rather the field notes of
one person's anecdotal experience, submitted here for the public, satiric
and scientific record.
...
Wednesday, Jan. 14. The militant vegan at work discovered this morning
that I am on the Atkins diet and wigged out. She's always trying to get
everyone to quit eating meat. "Didn't you get that e-mail I sent you with
all the information about how bad Atkins is?" she asked, exasperated. I'd
deleted it, but I didn't tell her that.

My body feels like it's eating itself from the inside out. My buddy hasn't
noticed the effect yet, but I can literally feel the fat melting away. My
mood has stabilized along with my metabolism, in much the same way I
imagine lithium soothes the manic depressive. It is not an unpleasant
feeling, a sort of mild, foggy euphoria. I call it "ketosis psychosis." 
...
We're both now deeply in the throes of ketosis psychosis. It takes me
forever to get out of the house in the morning. I keep forgetting things.
I go back to the bedroom for the keys, but when I get there, I forget what
I came back for. I repeat this two or three times for each item I forget:
keys, wallet, underwear, etc. I call this having an "Atkins moment."
...
Tuesday, Feb. 10. It's all over the news. The Wall Street Journal broke a
story today claiming that Dr. Atkins was obese at the time of his death
and died of congestive heart failure. Atkins' critics suggest his diet was
the true cause of death. His family claims the weight gain was due to
fluid that built up during the 12 days the doctor spent in a coma. His
wife complains that the Journal has violated their privacy by revealing
confidential medical information.

It's a sad story, and it's hard not to think there is something a little
screwy about the Atkins diet. I've lost 15 pounds in four weeks--no diet
I've ever tried has produced such dramatic results. I've gained a new
appreciation for controlling the amount of carbohydrates I eat--which
makes sense for any balanced diet. But I think I've had enough of the
induction phase. Too spacy. It's time to start adding some carbs to my regime.

A tangelo seems like a good enough place to start. 

full story:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/02.19.04/dining-0408.html

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