Rajen and Atkins Diet - A Rebuttal

Datuk Dr Rajen's article on the Atkins diet appeared in the NST Today Coming to terms with carbo control

I'm no big fan of high animal protein diets. So I sent the following email to him (unedited):

Hi Datuk Rajen,

I'm interested in your 5-day diet plan. Please send me the details.

Also, your Atkins article was very interesting. Just some comments:

1) I've tried the Atkins diet. Yes, I had good energy levels and lost some weight and body fat. But during that time I was very aggresive and short-tempered.
Today, I don't consume any meat except fish and replaced simple sugars and starches with whole grains and plant based low GI foods. I'm calmer and more composed.
I have a healthy BMI. In fact, my friend who adopted vegetarianism has lost more weight and body fat than when she was on Atkins.

2) Wouldn't our kidneys be overworked under such a high-protein diet? What about the risk of gout? What about constipation?

3) I was quite surprised with your recommending a greater consumption of meat. The commercial meat we have available is loaded with toxins e.g. antibiotics, and whatever nonsense livestock is being fed nowadays.
Not to mention mercury in our fish. Also, we cook our meat which also increases carcinogen intake e.g. acrymalide. I remember my skin was terrible on Atkins: I had new pimples appearing everday.

4) How does the Atkins diet compare to the Mediterranean diet? I believe the latter is better balanced and has a greater consumption of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables with a healthy intake of fish.

5) Does genetics not play a big role? I'm chinese and my great-grandparents didn't have the luxury of eating meat. The bulk of their daily calories were from white rice and yet they
were thin, energetic and lived long. Contrast this to my grandfather who, once he could afford it, enjoyed a lot of meat. He died from a heart attack at 58.

6) You reference the Eskimos. Surely we must note the Eskimos lead a different lifestyle in a different climate. They still hunt for their food while we sit sedentary at our desks.
They enjoy a rather stress-free lifestyle whilst we are under chronic stress. Their air and water are pristine whilst ours are polluted.
With so many factors, I don't think attributing diet alone is justified.

Thanks for your informative articles. I do enjoy reading them and look forward to your reply.


Hopefully he replies.