Low-Carb Rules

By Jon Benson

What do the following have in common?

• Renee Zellweger

• Epileptic children

• Yours truly

• Most bodybuilding and fitness competitors

They all recommend or follow a low-carb diet, popularized by the late Dr. Atkins.

Researchers have found that an Atkins-type nutrition plan reduces the number of seizures in epileptic children. And most people with lean physiques get that way with a low-carb, higher-protein diet.

A low-carb diet works for three reasons:

1. It works because of the way the body processes fuel. And for those of us fortunate enough to have grown up on whole grains and low-sugar meal plans, a moderate- to higher-carb nutrition plan may work just fine.

But most Americans grew up eating processed foods, fast foods, and downright junk. After years of such abuse, the body becomes resistant to carbohydrates, and the insulin this produces can cause all sorts of health issues, fat-burning problems, and more. When you eliminate carbs, the body has time to re-adjust. In some cases, you can go back to a moderate-carb plan with whole grains and fruits after a few months or years. In others, you are a "low-carber" for life.

2. It also works because you tend to eat less. Fat is very satiating, and most low-carb plans are fairly high in dietary fat.

3. Finally, a low-carb diet works because it is the easiest nutrition plan to follow when you're busy. Any plan that is not simple is one that very few people will stick to - and a low-carb, high-protein diet is not only easy, it will help you eat less and get lean.

[Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a lifecoach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of post-40 fitness and mental empowerment has helped countless thousands.]

It's Good to Know: About "Big Ben"

In case you're not already aware of the many accomplishments of Ben Franklin, ETR's "patron saint," here's a quick review: He invented the Franklin stove, bifocals, and the lightning rod... established the first (or almost the first) library, fire department, hospital, and insurance company... and helped negotiate the treaty with France that allowed America to win independence. He was the most famous American of the 18th century (after George Washington) and the closest we've ever had to a renaissance man.

Wow!
(Source: An Incomplete Education)

Word to the Wise: Congeries

"Congeries" (KON-juh-reez) - from the Latin for "heap" - is a collection or aggregation.

Example (as used by Peter F. Drucker in The Atlantic Monthly): "As the great French historian Fernand Braudel pointed out in his last major work, The Identity of France (1986), it was the railroad that made France into one nation and one culture. It had previously been a congeries of self-contained regions, held together only politically."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2159, 09-28-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.