What follows are notes that I took in real time during the NEWSTART® conference call today. I’m presenting my notes pretty much as I took them, except for making two observations: First, it is totally erroneous to describe low-carb approach as “low-carb, high-fat, high-protein.” Dr. Atkins may have been high-protein in the beginning, but a true LCHF (low-carb, high-fat) recommends moderate protein. The second thing is that Dr. Bivens lumps saturated fat and trans fat together—again, a serious error! LCHF are just as against trans fats and hydrogenated fats as NEWSTART®, but recommend butter (especially grass-fed) and coconut oil, as well as olive oil. NEWSTART® prohibits all processed oils, allowing only avocados, olives, and nuts.
Real-time NOTES:
This is the third conference call that NEWSTART® Insights has initiated. I don’t know if it would have happened if I had not urged Spencer and Tom and Ron to promote it more. Ron even gave me permission to create an event in the discussion group. It’s 5 o’clock and the call is beginning.
Dr. Bivens is talking about a “success story” from a current NEWSTART® program. A 64-year-old who has spent two and a half weeks in the program. Said if you get your cholesterol under 150, you are at 0 risk for heart attack. His blood glucose is 101.
Now he’s going to give a half-hour lecture on “Carb Fraud.” Starting with Dr. Robert Atkins, describing it as low-carb, high-fat, high-protein. Talking about paleo diet (2002), the “caveman” diet. Said Dr. Atkins died of a heart attack. Not true! He died from a fall on an icy street in New York.
No diet works. Diets are counter-productive. Must be a lifestyle. Relating a study that examined a low-carb diet vs. plant-based diet (does not call it “vegan”). Claims low-carb diet “will kill you.”
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are two separate diseases. Type 1 diabetics have a pancreas that does not product insulin.
Now he’s explaining how blood glucose gets into the cells. In Type 1, there is not enough insulin to assist the blood glucose in getting into the cells. Type 2 diabetics have high insulin. But the insulin does not work well to let blood glucose into the cell. Called insulin resistance. Claims that when fat, especially trans fat, is reduced, patients will become hypoglycemic if they are taking blood-lowering medications. Recommends 8-20 servings of fruit a day.
Emphasizing that a low-carb “diet” is a fraud and will kill you. T. Colin Campbell authored a book called The Low-Carb Fraud. Claims low-carb allows only 30% of calories as carbs. Not true. Very low-carb is 30 grams carbs/day, not 30%. Claims low-carb diet mandates too much protein. Again, not true! He says vegans do not need to worry about getting enough protein.
How much protein is needed? He said 26-45 grams/day. Says meat analogs are not much better than flesh foods. Says many contain trans fat.
Talking about trans fats and saturated fats as if they are the same thing. Talking about coconut oil being a saturated fat. Says saturated fats are made by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats. Does say that partially hydrogenated oils are trans fats. That part is true.
Goal is to get fat down to 20% to be low-fat. Dr. Bivens’ definition of low-fat diet is 10%. Recommends 70% of diet be what he calls “complex carbohydrates.”
Talking about their summit in June. One guest is Neal Barnard (another high-carb no-fat proponent).
Now it’s Q&A time:
Rachel: Could you talk about gall bladder disease and fat?
Dr. B: Strong genetic component. Gall bladder stores bile, 97% cholesterol. Bile used to digest mainly fats. Gall bladder disease caused by diet high in fat, stimulates liver to make more bile. Gall stones made of cholesterol. When gall bladder is taken out, you don’t have enough bile to digest fat. Thus must eat a low-fat diet.
Cherline: I’m on Dr. Esselstyn’s diet. I eat 1 T. of ground flaxseed a day. How much fat am I getting? Is it too much oil?
Dr. B: You are doing the right thing. That much flax should not be detrimental. Walnuts are cardiac-protective, most heart-healthy.
Brenda: What about celiac?
Dr. B: There truly is an actual gluten sensitivity. Gluten makes them really sick, but that’s a very small portion of the population. Farmers hit fields with Round-Up before harvesting. People who claim gluten sensitivity have been taken off gluten for 3 months then re-introduced to organic non-GMO wheat and have no problem. True celiacs will not respond this way.
Cherline: Would Ezekiel bread be safe? Is it organic?
Dr. B: I don’t know the answer, because we make all our bread ourselves. I don’t think Ezekiel bread is organic, but I don’t know.
Carla: What if you are deficient in everything—vitamin B-12, vitamin D, iron, magnesium, etc.?
Dr. B: John McDougall says he can’t identify any reason why anyone should take vitamin B/D? If you are eating organic whole foods, there’s not much reason to worry. Especially if eating right, getting enough sunshine, etc.
Ron: What about someone who is deficient in iron?
Dr. B: Uterine fibroids cause a lot of blood loss. Have uterus out! Also, girls start menses at age 13.2, whereas a century ago it was age 17. This all would not happen if children were vegans.
Unnamed: Said she took blackstrap molasses and was able to drop iron supplement.
Next month third Wednesday will be the next conference call.
