Can Low-Carb Diets Be Healthy?

Q. I have a lifelong friend who believes that the Atkins diet is the only way to lose weight and "lead a healthy lifestyle." He drinks; eats hamburgers, bacon, steaks, roast beef, and shrimp; sleeps 12 to 15 hours a day; and then sits and watches TV all day. Can you help me save a friend? -- Russ, Keswick, Ontario

A. That's not the current Atkins diet, nor is that a healthy lifestyle. That's the heart attack diet, and your friend is what we'd call preop -- a future cardiac patient. Apparently, your friend hasn't gotten the memo: The latest version of the Atkins diet has come a long way since it boosted sales of pork rinds a decade ago. Today, Atkins followers are encouraged to choose fish and vegetable protein and to get carbs from vegetables.

Is it the best diet for weight loss? There are many avenues to dropping pounds. In general, low-carb diets have been shown in studies to be effective in helping people lose weight, in part because a diet rich in protein and low in sugars and starches kills your appetite faster than a slasher flick. But your friend can find a smarter way to slimming success by eating lean non-red meats or by going on an "eco-Atkins" diet that replaces meat with vegetable proteins such as beans, nuts, and tofu and minimizes starchy foods that raise blood sugar. The best reason to change his ways: saturated fat. It turns on genes that cause inflammation in his arteries and affect his immune system, making heart attacks and cancer more likely. So tell your friend that his lifestyle isn't just ruining his doc's day, it's cutting short his own life. Be a pal: Tell him the YOU Docs said so.

Q. I took the RealAge Test, and it says I'm 78.6 years old -- but I'm only 58! I'm 5'1", 200 pounds, and eating is my only pleasure. I have bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia, diabetes, and high blood pressure. I am so unhappy with me. What can I do? -- Carmen, via e-mail

A. What struck us first about your letter was the phrase "eating is my only pleasure," so we're going to help you tackle that first. Some people will tell you that you can't squash your problems with chocolate or a bag of chips, but your brain chemistry would beg to differ. The only problem food really solves is hunger, but it does bring us pleasure. Eating sugary foods or carbohydrates helps us score the feel-good brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine. They boost your mood and make you forget for a moment that you're stressed, bored, angry, sad, or in pain. But of course, the second you're finished, the pain returns, and you need sugar again . . . causing a long-term problem from a very short-term gain.

But there are other more healthful foods that can turn on that "natural Prozac" faucet in your brain. Eating a couple of slices of low-fat turkey can ramp up serotonin levels because it contains the raw material -- tryptophan -- that your body uses to make it; it's also a protein that contains the amino acids your body uses to keep your dopamine levels healthy. But we're willing to bet that you actually get very little pleasure from food because you don't take the time to savor it. If you must have a candy bar, choose healthier dark chocolate, and make eating it last a good 10 minutes, during which you pay attention to the flavor and the pleasure you feel. Today, sit down and write a list of other things that make you feel good, from talking to friends to flying a kite, and whip it out whenever you have the urge to eat your way out of your problems. Time to learn that pleasure comes in many forms. That may solve one of your problems for a longer term.