Low Carb Doctors Supporting the Ketogenic Diet
The rise in Type 2 diabetes occurred simultaneously at the introduction of the dietary guidelines. This has led to a number of medical practitioners world wide who have become outspoken in their knowledge, encouraging people to break their fear of fat that’s been gripping society for over 40 years. In their experience, when fat is limited and restricted such as on a low fat diet, numerous health issues emerge including Type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, pcos and numerous other concerns of the modern era.
When Doubt Creeps In
It can be daunting when you go to your local GP and discuss weight or health issues and low carb in the same sentence. In Australia, unless you go in with research articles printed out to help support your decision to go low carb, it can feel daunting and overwhelming so doubt creeps in. You may have lost weight healthily by eating real food, cutting out sugary
foods, pasta and bread, but you may still be told you’re not doing it right. Even though the results speak for themselves. Despite having excellent cholesterol readings, your triglycerides are perfect and you have high HDL and low LDL, you could still be questioned by your doctor.
Although doctors in Australia provide medical advice on nutrition, this is not their area of expertise and are more likely to prescribe medication to manage high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes rather than address the food as medicine philosophy. Type 2 Diabetes has increasingly been shown to respond well to a low carb diet.
When you don’t feel supported by your GP, doubt can creep in and take over and try to stop you doing what you’re doing. I have experienced this as have many others I have talked with who follow a low carb way of eating. Knowing there are low carb doctors out there can help allay any doubts and help you regain your confidence for your low carb lifestyle.
To help you build your confidence and feel that you are on the right track I’ve pulled together some information on well known Low Carb Doctors who promote the low carb way of eating.
Renowned Doctors of Various Specialties Who Promote Increasing Fats into the Diet and Reducing Carbs:
Many doctors through their medical experiences have learnt the impact that high carbohydrate diets have had on society. While treating patients individually has given them exposure to this impact first hand, many turn their passion to a global scale to change current health trends.
Each one with a shared goal – to reeducate people by improving health through low carb eating.
Some of those who are spreading the word about reducing carbs in everyday life to improve health include:
William Davis MD
A Cardiologist, Dr William Davis, is an advocate for low carb eating. In particular he discusses the impact of wheat consumption, blood sugars spike even more than sugar, including wholegrain and organic wheat! For Wheat Belly and Undoctored
Link to his site https://www.wheatbelly.com/
Swedish Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt
A Medical Doctor, Andreas Eenfeldt, has established the largest health blog in Sweden known as the Diet Doctor. He is passionate about empowering people’s health through education of living healthy low carb lifestyle. Advocating cutting out sugar and eating real low carb foods. Dr Andreas Eenfeldt has also authored a book called Low Carb, High Fat Revolution: Advice and Recipes to Improve Your Health and Reduce Your Weight.
UK’s Dr. Aseem Malhorta
An influential British Cardiologist and Author of the Pioppi Diet
Dr Aseem Malhorta also is outspoken about the dangers of prescribing medications to manage cholesterol among other conditions when they can be managed through clean healthy eating.
South Africa’s Tim Noakes
Professor Tim Noakes has been under scrutiny and reported to South African Health Authorities known as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). He recommended a low carb high fat diet to a parent on Twitter a number of years ago. He advised her when her baby is ready, to wean her child onto a LCHF real food diet. This comment led him being reported for unprofessional conduct. He has presented evidence for his advice as being consistent with the National Guidelines which was also scientifically correct. Since then, he has been found that he has not acted in an unprofessional manner in his advice given on Twitter and therefore has been cleared. You can find information shared by Noakes on his website The Noakes Foundation. If anything, this case has provided significant support through scientific based evidence demonstrating the benefits of a low carb high fat diet – woohoo!
Scottish GP Malcolm Kendrick
Author of the Great Cholesterol Con
Australian Dr. Gary Fettke
Dr Gary Fettke promotes low carb and high fat. He promotes eating real food not processed foods, and also discourages sugar consumption. He’s an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Tasmania when a dietitian made a complaint to the country’s medical regulatory body for health practitioners, called AHPRA, and was reprimanded for giving advice to his patients to stop eating sugar and processed foods. He had seen numerous diabetics lose their limbs due to their diet which included sugar. His recommendation came from a place of knowledge and concern for his patients in an effort to prevent limb amputation. Since being silenced by AHPRA, he has since been found not guilty of malpractice but has restrictions on his conduct not to recommend nutritional advice.
A site managed by his wife, Belinda Fettke, known as I support Gary, highlights the challenges doctors face in Australia in particular in relation to the governing body AHPRA who have become a law unto themselves.
Dr Fung
Dr Fung shares his observations from a scientific perspective on various aspects of weight loss. In particular, he encourages and supports Intermittent Fasting in combination with low carb eating. He refutes the role that calories play in contributing to weight gain. According to Dr Fung, if this was the case, then over the last 50 years, people’s restriction of calories would have helped with weight loss, but it hasn’t. He also argues that exercise isn’t a major contributor to weight loss. It can help with health but not weight loss. Instead, obesity is a hormonal issue involving insulin resistance which when activated by carbohydrates continues the cycle of insulin release. Over time, this leads to weight gain. Interrupting this cycle through fasting for periods of 12, 16, 20, 24 hours will lower insulin production. To find out more click on the links below.
Dr David Perlmutter
The author of Grain Brain outlines the negative effects of sugar, grains and carbohydrates on the body and brain. Here’s also written the books, Brain Maker, The Grain Brain Cookbook, and The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan. In his books and through public speaking, he shared the value of cutting out carbs and sugar. he also shows how people have better mental health, lower anxiety and depression along with reduced or eliminated chronic conditions and weight loss.
https://www.drperlmutter.com/grain-brain-revised-edition/
Find your Local Low Carb Doctors for Support
United States
For a list of Doctors located in the US who you can trust to support you in your ketogenic journey with a comprehensive understanding of nutrition and the effects of carbs on our health, go to this site where you can find a ketogenic doctor.
Australia
Lists a number of contact details of General Practitioners, Dietitians, Registered Practitioners in each state who practice low carbohydrate living. This site also includes events discussing the low carb way of life.
lowcarbunderresources.com.au/resources/
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is unique in its shift in recognizing and promoting a low carb diet for managing Diabetes. This is valuable recognition the role carbohydrates play in the development of Type 2 diabetes, obesity and other health conditions. Such change is contributing to better acceptance and a major shift in people’s knowledge around health and making healthy choices. To find out more about this, go to the diabetes website. There’s a lot of information regarding research by Dr Unwin and others https://www.diabetes.co.uk/ . There’s even info on the keto diet.
Canada
In Canada, a team of clinicians have opened a low carb clinic. Owned and operated by Erin Pitkethly, a pharmacist who specializes in management of medical conditions and weight loss using a low carb approach. Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition – www.ccfortna.ca
Hungary
A low carb hospital which opened in 2012 supports low carb eating – www.paleomedicina.com
Share your Experiences
This is just a few that I have come across thus far. As I discover more I will add them to this post.
What has your experience of discussing a low carb diet been with your doctor? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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