BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Low Carb 800 Calories a Day - Safe?

CNN has a report about "extreme diets" - eating less than 800 calories a day -

CNN Report

They emphasize many times that people really need to be under the guidance of a doctor to try this, because it's very dangerous. Even with that warning, how many people do you think will just "give it a try" to see if it works? Because it's too much bother or expense to talk with a doctor regularly?

Well, there will probably be some people who do this without a doctor's visit, but this may not be any more dangerous than attempting to take the latest "fad pill" that's available over the counter.

We all certainly need good nutrition, but overeating is a health hazard as well.

Stay healthy,

Nancy Welker
BellaOnline Yoga Editor

Not enough calories, but it would depend what foods the calories derived from, and the level of activity, weather (very cold, extremely hot), and size of the person. It would make a difference if a person were to take supplements, vitamins, minerals, Ubiquinol, Tripe Omega 3-6-9, and maybe Pycnogenol (pine bark extract). I have done it safely.

That's very true, Nancy, there are many ways out there to be unhealthy! Pretty much every change in diet comes with a warning of "talk with your doctor" but I think most people don't want to. Which is a shame!

i think most people think, well what would a doctor actually DO to help me.

I mean, they take your BP, blood, listen to your breathe, and weigh you.

i am NOT saying people shouldn't go to their drs! Becuase it is important that we do! But I am saying I think people would think it won't be much of a help.

Well let's say you want to try a diet that involves eating a lot of protein. A doctor could do bloodwork to make sure your body is OK with that.

If you didn't know your body was having problems metabolizing protein, you could end up with a serious problem fairly quickly, and then you'd have to go to a doctor for much more expensive fixes. So it's pretty much always cheaper to go first. Like having car insurance, I suppose!