Thanks for all the responses. My mother doesn't have a problem with
cholesterol, just the HBP. The point I have trouble with is that some
low-carb authors don't seem to differentiate between refined carbs and
whole-food carbs like veggies and whole grains. (My mother is not ready to
do a completely grain-free diet, but at least is cutting out all gluten
grains). The difference in glycemic response is very different between a
refined flour product eaten on an empty stomach, and, say, brown rice eaten
with low-glycemic foods to bring down the net glycemic index.

So, is it really useful to count total carbs, lumping all carbs together?
When you say dumping all the carbs for 2 weeks, do you include veggies?

I'm also confused about foods like brown rice being, by itself, a high
glycemic food. I thought that whole grains contain minerals like chromium
that naturally help metabolize the sugars.

-Karen



----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Cales" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 11:14 AM
Subject: Re: hypertension advice


> I would start by dumping *all* the carbs for about 2 weeks as Dr. Atkins
> suggests.  I was amazed at how much better I felt after that 2 weeks
> (during the 2 weeks I thought I would die from sugar withdrawal).
>
> Since then I have played with carb amounts and I find that about 40 or
> 50 grams of carbohydrates per 24 hour period is great.  Keeps me about
> normal in the BP readings.
>
> I can go higher than that but then I start to feel very shaky and "wound
> up".  Using my juicer with sweet fruit will really get me going!
> Generally I try to stay with 80% animal products and 20% fruits and
> veggies.  More veggies if they are not sweet things i.e. spinach.   Not
> an exact thing to be sure... one has to experiment a bit.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jennifer Robins" <[log in to unmask]>
> > When you say carbs are vastly reduced, how many grams
> > are you talking about?