To the NIH - Please acknowledge existing science !

1:55 pm PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Georgia

4:03 am PST, Nov 19, Cristina Kaisseriam, Australia
I am a type 2 diabetic...I was TOLD to inject insulin 4 times a day...now Im on a low carb diet and use NO insulin....I had to find this out for myself...insulin retards weight loss....where is the sense?

9:50 pm PST, Nov 17, Name not displayed, Australia

4:53 am PST, Nov 17, Name not displayed, Australia

7:27 am PST, Nov 16, Catherine Walker, United Kingdom

7:37 am PST, Nov 11, Simon Gray, United Kingdom

1:19 pm PST, Nov 6, Nikki Hobbs, Australia
As A sufferer of fructose malabsorption and unlcerative colitis, I too have found a low carb diet is fantastic,after being told to eat fibre its the worst thing for me. Its true we are being pumped with toxic medicines that are unnecessary and hurting our health, something needs to be done, our specialist and nutritionists are all getting it wrong, WHY?

8:46 am PST, Nov 3, David Shackelford, Oregon

8:56 am PST, Nov 2, Tiffany Rangel, Texas

4:52 pm PDT, Oct 31, Andrew Paton, United Kingdom

5:14 am PDT, Oct 30, Rick Dusek, Texas

7:36 pm PDT, Oct 28, Nancy Rodriguez, Texas
Nancy A Rodriguez

10:22 am PDT, Oct 22, Darcy Kashmark, Minnesota

1:08 pm PDT, Oct 19, Joe S., Nevada
Low Carb worked for me. Wonderfully. From an A1c upon diagnosis of 10.4 and a FBS of 299 to an A1c of 5.2 and FBS of 95 in less than a year - and this is while shedding medication (insulin) along the way. Lost 36% of my body weight (90 lbs) while low carbing with exercise. Lost 13 inches from waist. A completely new person. Very happy.

8:51 am PDT, Oct 19, Thomas Tannahill, Texas

8:33 am PDT, Oct 19, Barrie Platt, South Carolina

11:27 am PDT, Oct 17, Zerain Martinez, Colorado
Greetings. Before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I ate a lot of high carb and starchy foods. After my diagnosis, I was put on Metformin and told to watch my diet and to exercise. I was on Metformin for exactly four (4) days. My drastic change in lifestyle which included a very low carb diet and regular exercise reduced my blood glucose levels enough that I no longer required any medication for my diabetes. I am still managing my diabetes through diet and exercise only. For me, the results speak for themselves. Five (5) weeks after my initial blood test that resulted in my diabetes diagnosis, my A1c dropped from 9.6 to 6.4. My current daily average blood glucose readings are in the 70's or 80's and spike into the 90's after meals. My fasting blood glucose is in the 70's. This is an improvement from the 150's I used to get prior to my low carb diet and exercise. While the Metformin did drop my blood glucose it also caused very intense side effects that I was not pleased with. I prefer to stick with my low carb diet and regular exercise than to go back to taking Metformin. It seems strange that the FDA and ADA would not recognize the benefits of a low carb diet and regular exercise as a means to help manage diabetes when there is proof of it working for so many. At my initial diagnosis, I was also morbidly obese but have been steadily losing weight and have increased my overall well being with a low carb diet and exercise. My cholesterol is back to normal, I no longer have high blood pressure, and I feel better than I have in years.

9:46 am PDT, Oct 17, Name not displayed, California
There is ample scientific evidence that the high-starch diet recommended by bodies such as the ADA and the FDA is keeping people ill and overweight. You have the power to change this and I urge you to do so.

9:09 am PDT, Oct 17, Name not displayed, California
I urge you to adopt the recommendations of this petition regarding research into the efficacy of controlling blood sugars through diet and exercise. I am a 57 yr old male. At diagnosis (as the result of fasting blood glucose tests taken as part of a routine physical), in February 2008, I was overweight, but not obese (6 ft. tall, 220 pounds--BMI 29.8). I am officially "pre-diabetic"--but, based on my A1c at diagnosis (6.5, which the ADA now recommends as the level at which someone be diagnosed as diabetic), and on my fasting blood sugars (FBGs) at that time (127--sufficient for a diagnosis of diabetes, had it been repeated--and 123, on the retest), I consider myself functionally a Type 2. I am not on meds. I began walking at lunch. I started eating a low-fat, no-refined carb diet (e.g., I ate whole-grain breads and Ezekiel bread), but wasn't seriously counting carbs so much as simply not overdoing it. I was testing a couple of times a day. My monthly average BGs during that initial three-month period were 110-112, and from a third to a half of my readings exceeded 110. By the three-month mark, my A1c was down to 6.0. Going through Passover in late April--when Jews eat no leavened bread, and generally avoid foods that have any grain in them--and testing a few more times a day, I became more aware of the effect that carbs had on my BGs, and started reducing them. (I currently limit my carbs to 30-50 grams per day, primarily from green vegetables, nuts, and a limited number of fruits.) That was a little more than half-way through May.* My average BG for June, 2008 went down to 101; my average FBG was 94, and only 15% of my readings exceeded 110. By November of last year, my A1c was 5.5; this past March, it was 5.3. Most recently, in September, it was 5.4. Over the past 90 days, my highest reading has been 135, and fewer than 10% of my readings have exceeded 110. I now weigh approximately 163 (BMI 22.4). I have seen enough stories similar to my own, in online discussion forums, to think that similar results are possible for a substantial number of people, and that further research is warranted. ___________ * I continued to exercise, as well: currently, I ride a stationary bike for half an hour 4-5 days a week, regularly maintaining a heartrate of 150 or so without distress, and use the treadmill at the YMCA on one of the other days. I do work with barbells two-three times a week. I take walks to the mall with my son (> 3 mi. round-trip).

8:29 am PDT, Oct 17, Josselyn Winter, Massachusetts

6:35 am PDT, Oct 17, Jeremy Lawrence, Virginia

10:11 am PDT, Oct 16, Tytti Laiho, Finland
I'm a mother of a 10 years old son, who has type1 diabetes. We have found carb restriction very helpful to keep his blood glucose level to normal with minimal variance. I wish that there were a lot more research in this field. I'm a doctor myself.

6:02 pm PDT, Oct 14, Karen Norris, Nevada
Please give people both sides of the story. There are those of us whose body wont tolerate Carbs. there is not a one-size-fits-all diet. Thank you

1:56 pm PDT, Oct 14, Name not displayed, Australia
Every drug taken dramatically increases quite often serious side effects to the body. By eating the way we were meant to, drugs can be totally abolished.

7:03 pm PDT, Oct 12, Matthew Lorig, California
Please recognize the ground-breaking work of Metabolic Society. It has saved both of my parents from type II diabetes.

1:01 pm PDT, Oct 4, Dorothy Ferguson, New York
Please retract so we can teach diabetics to be healthier with lowered carb lifestyles

9:29 am PDT, Oct 3, Name not displayed, Illinois

7:09 pm PDT, Sep 30, Name not displayed, Australia

4:53 pm PDT, Sep 30, Jeff Thiboutot, Arizona

10:08 pm PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, New York

8:12 am PDT, Sep 25, Janice Sturdy, United Kingdom

8:53 pm PDT, Sep 24, David Fulton, Texas
Both Cynthia and I each lost 100 lbs. by eliminating starch and sugar from our diet. Starch = Sugar and sugar requires the hormone insulin to become either energy or fat. Her HgA1c went from a 14 to a 6.5 as a severe insulin dependent diabetic. Her daily insulin use dropped from over 50 units a day to less than 20 units. My blood pressure dropped from an unhealthy 160/100 on blood pressure medicine to 120/70 off blood pressure medicine. Stomach problems gone. Acne gone. I'm 48 and she's 55 and we've never felt better in our lives since we stopped poisoning our bodies with starch and sugar. You can read our story and see our video at www.yestocookies.com. Our sincerest thanks to Dr. Sebring, M.D. of Wimberley, Texas, Dr. Loren Cordain, Phd and Dr. Richard Berstein, M.D. and Scientific Journalist, Gary Taubes for their unflinching, pioneering work to raise awareness of the unhealthy effects that starch and sugar are having on everyone worldwide. You do NOT need to be a victim. You CAN change your life, lose weight, reverse diabetes and have a joyful and active life by simply taking responsibility for your own health. It's not rocket science. It's simple Starch = Sugar and Sugar + Starch + Excessive insulin (injected or forced by medication or secreted by a pancreas) is a prescription for poor health, arterial inflammation, endocrine overload, obesity and much more. The alternative is to eat genetically and enjoy energy, vitality and wellness that is the quality of life we all deserve. Children should NOT be having the auto-immune diseases that are becoming frighteningly prevalent. Read on Wikipedia or any source and you'll see that carbohydrates are molecules that immediately become sugar once the enzymes in our bodies digest them. Stop the madness! The woman dancing in commercials raving about weight loss while eating multiple bowls of cereal (otherwise known as sugar) is ludicrous. We have brains. Life is a participation sport and we need to participate. Stop blindly listening and start to question. We can help each other heal and be healthy by having the courage to ask for truth in medicine. We all want healthcare reform but it truly starts with every one of us demanding the truth and living with the truth that all forms of starch and sugar (wheat, corn, potato, rice, soy, tapioca, etc.) are extremely hard on the human body and totally unnecessary for human nutrition. Protein and low starch vegetables are our natural food sources and our bodies are designed to use these foods most effectively. It's time to demand change not only in healthcare and political rhetoric but in the hospitality industries and food manufacturing, labeling practices as well. Stop cleverly hiding starch and sugar in my groceries and the meals I'm served in restaurants. Stop perpetuating the addiction! We can, together, demand and realize drastic and necessary changes in public nutrition guidelines. Isn't it time to enjoy good health? Isn't it time to see people around us and those we most dearly love, enjoy happier, healthier lives free of chemical dependence on starch and sugar? You and all of us together CAN make a difference NOW!

5:36 am PDT, Sep 20, Deanna Figueroa, Texas

12:48 pm PDT, Sep 18, SAM TROLINDER, Washington
I am absolutely dismayed and confused as to why we have so many educated people with their fancy degrees that do not believe a low carb diet works well to fight diabetes and other ailments. My sister in law was always 70 lbs overweight since I married her sister 10 years ago. I had her honestly try a low carb diet for six months.No cheating except an occasional weekend piece of german chocolate cake on weekends. She worked a program for 10 months and lost 70 lbs and is now off all the diabetes and high blood pressure drugs she was taking. Sometimes all those abbreviations behind someones name means absolutely nothing with proven results such as these. In closing I would also like to say my wife has lost 42 lbs in the past 18 months while on Weightwatchers program. I do allllll the cooking, and she also is off high blood pressure meds. Both ladies are wearing smaller clothes now than they wore in high school or college. Good luck all, and to remember to accept anything the pros have to say with a grain of salt as they say.We have proven results........

12:14 pm PDT, Sep 18, Name not displayed, Alaska

1:21 am PDT, Sep 18, Name not displayed, Australia

4:08 am PDT, Sep 17, Mark Hunter, Australia
Hey Guys, A low carb diet works for diabetic and non diabetic alike, Period... and I'm sorry but it can't be patented, with education and practicing a low carb and more traditional diet modern diseases will occur less and so will the need for a few pharmaceutical drugs.

4:07 am PDT, Sep 17, Jim Crawford, United Kingdom
A careful reading of both nutritional history and the current advice for chronic disease in general is confounded by conflicting hypotheses. The diet heart hypothesis that high serum levels of total cholesterol exacerbates the trend towards heart disease, first proposed by Ancel Keys in the 1950's has been disproved by the available evidence. It has since been amended and promoted by political bodies and vested interests. Likewise the simplistic obesity equation or caloric balance. Energy In - Energy Out = Fat Storage. Again this leads to the poor assumptions of how our human physiology works. Finally a better understanding of fat deposition and the function of insulin and leptin and their reaction to carbohydratye, in particular refined carbohydrates such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup and white flour lead to a different conclusion. Until the science is accepted how can the ordinary person make sense of a fear of heart disease with the idea that eating a high fat diet is healthy for the vast majority of people.

10:04 am PDT, Sep 16, Adam G. Sanford, California
Since I have started a low-carb diet, my blood sugars have dropped into the "normal" range. Why does the NIH and the ADA continue to promote a high-carbohydrate (which is essentially a high-sugar/high-glucose) diet to people with impaired ability to deal with glucose? Continuing to promote high-carb, low-fat diets borders on criminal malpractice and is probably what killed my father. For Pete's sake, EDUCATE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!

3:22 pm PDT, Sep 14, Name not displayed, Arizona
Mainstream medicine's refusal to acknowledge the validity of a low-carb, moderate fat and protein diet for the public health in general and diabetic treatment specifically has brought about the current obesity and diabetic epidemics which will continue to escalate until they get their collective head out of the sand.

8:45 am PDT, Sep 14, Name not displayed, Connecticut
We are spending too much in the wrong areas, cut our costs with proper education and guidance. Help us help ourselves.