Schwarzbein Principle

 

Author Dr. Diana Schwarzbein is an endocrinologist (and founder of the Endocrinology Institute of Santa Barbara) whose work with Type 2 diabetes patients formed the basis for the book Schwarzbein Principle, an examination of the link between carbohydrate intake, insulin levels and weight. Though Schwarzbein's research was targeting the root of degenerative diseases like diabetes - looking to prove that they are more the product of lifestyle and environmental factors than genetics - it should be noted that The book Schwarzbein Principle was published in the late 1990s, the heyday of the low-carb for weight loss madness. Like other books published at that time ("Atkins Diet", "The Zone", etc.), The Schwarzbein Principle hypothesizes that excess carb intake causes insulin levels to spike, that high insulin levels lead to insulin resistance, and that insulin resistance ultimately causes weight gain. (More specifically: carbs metabolize into glucose, insulin regulates the conversion of glucose into energy, insulin resistance throws that process out of whack and the glucose doesn't become energy - it becomes fat.)

So what is The Principle? It's a two part plan - one part "healing" and the other part "maintenance." The healing part is a low carb eating plan that's high in protein and "good" fats (meats, eggs), saying goodbye to processed and refined foods, sugar, salt, alcohol and caffeine. By cutting back your carbs, Dr. Schwarzbein feels you can regulate your insulin level and be on your way to weight loss and improved overall health. Once your insulin is under control you're "healed" (there is no hard time frame for this), and you'll begin the lifelong maintenance phase, where you ease back into more balanced eating by slowly adding small amounts of carbs into your diet. Schwarzbein does not provide a hard guide or formula for upping the carbs in the maintenance phase, suggesting only that you'll learn how many you need or can handle by the way your body reacts to them.

Schwarzbein does emphasize the benefits and necessity of exercise for weight loss and improved overall health. She offers common sense advice about the negative impact of skipping meals (binging), the benefits of whole, "real" foods and the avoidance of chemicals and additives whenever possible.

Controversy has surrounded the low carb lifestyle and its advocates (Atkins, et al) for some time now. Most health experts agree that there is more downside to these dietary regimens than up - including increased risk for high cholesterol and kidney malfunction. And limiting or barring consumption of fruit, veggies and whole grains creates nutritional deficiencies when it comes to essentials like vitamins, fiber, minerals, etc. From a practical perspective many people who embark on these plans suffer constipation and other digestive issues, as well as fatigue and even mood disturbance. The larger issue is that scientific evidence has not shown the fundamental theory to hold water. In fact, most evidence shows that a mostly plant-based diet - carb heavy things like veggies, fruits and whole grains - are the key to protection from chronic disease.

Will you lose weight on The Schwarzbein Principle? If you follow the recommendations for exercise, yes. But remember that it is very hard to stick with a restricted carbs lifestyle for the long term - carbs are the body's primary source of energy and the body needs and craves them. And in fact, science has shown again and again that carbs are not the bad guy - calories are, and this is the ultimate criticism from the nutritional community at large. The undeniable bottom line is that you can eat whatever you want - and still lose weight - if you control your calories/create a caloric deficit with portion control and exercise.

Schwarzbein Principle II