One of the primary purposes of a newsletter is education: I want to let you know about important information that has become available that can impact your health, especially when it comes to weight management. Recently, two studies supporting the low carb approach have been published in the prestigious journal, Annals of Internal Medicine. These studies give us new evidence that this is an approach that is not just a fad or a craze, but a solid nutritional option.

Dr. Linda Stern's results from the Philadelphia Veteran's Administration Hospital were impressive: the low carb group lost between 11 to 18 pounds and the low fat group lost between 7 to 18 pounds. However, low carb dieters lost almost all of their weight in the first six months then remained at a steady weight. When asked to comment on this, Dr. Stern said, "I'm impressed that they didn't gain it all back."

The study also revealed that there may be some lasting benefits to the low carb approach. The beneficial effects on both good and bad cholesterol, as well as triglycerides, lasted throughout the entire one-year study, and held up better than the changes in the low fat group.

In a second study from a group at Duke University, 120 dieters were divided into low fat and low carb approaches, and followed for six months. After six months, the individuals in the low-carb had lost an average of 26.4 pounds, while people in the low fat group had lost an average of 14.3 pounds. As seen in the first study, the low-carb group demonstrated greater improvements in most blood lipids.

In addition to having beneficial effects on lipids, low carb diets, such as the Walker Diet, may have beneficial effects on other parameters of heart disease. This would be the inclusion of fiber in the diet. As you may know from prior newsletters, one of the reasons we call the Walker Diet "The Healthy Low Carb Lifestyle" is because of the beneficial fiber in our products. Fiber is not only important to digestive health, but to cardiovascular health, as well. A study published in the May issue of the Journal of Nutrition indicated that fiber consumption caused a decrease in the amount of C-reactive protein, a marker for the development of cardiovascular disease.

You may read some negative press about low carb diets, and that's okay. It's necessary for you to examine both sides of the argument. But when you examine the preponderance of evidence available, it becomes clear that the low carb approach is an important, viable, and healthy option for many people. Don't forget, over the last 30 years, with the low fat/high carb craze promoted by mainstream medicine, dieticians and the U.S. Government, the incidence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease has skyrocketed in this country. We are now trying to undo that mess, and it won't be easy. However, I must remind you that not all low carb diets are created equal. Any plan that allows you to have unlimited saturated fat and low fiber is not good for you, even if you do lose weight. That is why I created the Healthy Low Carb Lifestyle, the Walker Diet.

I think it's helpful to remember how we got to this point. In the first half of the 20th Century, most food was made at home and from whole, unprocessed grains. Lots of fresh vegetables were eaten, and some fruits. Condiments loaded with sugar weren't abundant, soda was rarely consumed, and dessert was a treat. High simple carb and high sodium with low fiber fast food wasn't invented. As time, technology and "progress" marched on, less food was made or grown at home, foods became more processed, sugar was added, portions increased, soda replaced water as a beverage, and fast food became rampant. What this has led to is the introduction of two things that are bad for the human body: lots of processed food, especially simple carbs, and saturated fat.

What I am trying to do with the Walker Diet is to get back to a "healthy fat, lower simple carb, with high fiber" approach to your nutritional intake. If you really look at the diet (not in the weight loss sense, but in what makes up your daily intake of food), you will see that I have encouraged you to eat less saturated fats and more healthy fats, like organic extra virgin olive oil, as well as fewer processed/simple carbs, but with more fiber. I get irritated with all of the talking heads on TV and in the print media that say that all low carb diets are against whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Nothing could be further from the truth. I want you to eat all these things, in moderation, and for maintenance. Of course, there is a big difference between a French fry and broccoli -- the French fry has little to no fiber and protein, whereas the broccoli has 50% protein and a lot of fiber. Truth be told, if you started with the Maintenance Phase of the Walker Diet and just cut back on calories, you'd have a completely healthy diet and you would lose weight. However, the restriction of carbs in the first two phases of the diet allow for more rapid weight loss in the initial period. It really jumpstarts the program.

As I have worked on this diet over the last seven years, it struck me that not only does food have to taste good and be good for you, it needs to be convenient in today's fast-paced world. The use of shakes as a meal replacement is a key to the convenience. Our Walker Diet Shakes are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, the best proteins and great taste! They are a nutritious, delicious and convenient meal replacement. So are the Walker Diet bars. They are a perfect "One Minute Meal" for busy people on the go. And I do believe that food is there for our enjoyment, as well as for nourishment. That is why we are always looking to introduce delicious and nutritious products for you. These include the Walker Diet pretzels, instant potatoes, breading mixes, pasta and organic extra virgin olive oil. I am very careful to make sure that only the healthiest ingredients are used in the Walker Diet products. For example, the Walker Diet pasta is high in soy protein and fiber, but there is no carrageenan, unlike some other low carb pastas. One recent study indicated carrageenan may cause cancer.

If you are a regular customer to Vitacost.com, you will know that we strive to give you the best available products, the best prices AND the best information to make educated choices. We believe that informed consumers are most likely to make good choices, and because of the quality of our products, become loyal customers. The Walker Diet line follows in this tradition, and I will do my best to keep you informed with accurate, up-to-date information to help you in your weight management quest. Remember, if I have written about it or put my name on a product, I've researched it and tested it out on myself, family and friends.

As always, I wish you the best of health.