The South Beach Diet

by Athur Agatston MD

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The South Beach Diet - by Arthur Agatston - Audio Book CD

Brand New :  3 hours  2 CD

The South Beach Diet is relatively simple in principle. It replaces "bad carbs" and "bad fats" with "good carbs" and "good fats."

According to Agatston, hunger cycles are triggered not by carbohydrates in general, but by carbohydrate-rich foods that the body digests quickly, creating a spike in blood sugar. Such foods include the heavily refined sugars and grains that make up a large part of the typical Western diet. The South Beach Diet eliminates these carbohydrate sources in favor of relatively unprocessed foods such as vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

Given that South Beach Diet was designed by a cardiologist, it should be no surprise that it eliminates trans-fats and discourages saturated fats. Although foods rich in these "bad fats" do not contribute to the hunger cycle, they do contribute to LDL cholesterol and heart disease. The South Beach Diet replaces them with foods rich in unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acid which contribute to HDL cholesterol and provide other health benefits. Specifically, the diet excludes the fatty portions of red meat and poultry, replacing them with lean meats, nuts, and oily fish.

Agatston divides the South Beach Diet into three phases, each progressively becoming more liberal. "Phase 1" lasts for the first two weeks of the diet. It eliminates all sugars, processed carbohydrates, fruits, and some higher-glycemic vegetables as well. Its purpose is to eliminate the hunger cycle and is expected to result in significant weight loss. "Phase 2" continues as long as the dieter wishes to lose weight. It re-introduces most fruits and vegetables and some whole grains as well. "Phase 3" is the maintenance phase and lasts for life. There is no specific list of permitted and prohibited foods. Instead, the dieter is expected to understand the basic principles of the diet and live by the principles.

A 2004 study of the South Beach Diet by Agatston, et al., reviewed a 1998–1999 trial completed by 54 participants over the course of a year.A 2005 study of the South Beach Diet conducted by Kraft Foods was completed by 69 subjects over the course of just under three months.[4] Both studies showed favorable results for the groups using the South Beach Diet.

Many sources place the South Beach Diet on lists of "low carb" diets such as the Atkins Diet. While the diet does prohibit foods rich in simple carbohydrates such as white bread, white potatoes and white rice, it does not require dieters to forgo carbohydrates entirely or even measure their intake. Instead, it focuses on their source. Many vegetables are permitted even in phase 1. Complex, fiber-rich carbohydrate sources such as brown rice and 100% whole grain bread are permitted during phase 2. Agatston has tried to distance the South Beach Diet from "low carb" approaches: "It is my purpose to teach neither low-fat nor low-carb. I want you to learn to choose the right fats and the right carbs." In fact, there is a vegetarian variation of the South Beach Diet which is relatively high in carbohydrates .

About the Author Dr Arthur Agatston

Arthur Agatston (born 1947) is an American cardiologist best known as the developer of the South Beach Diet, but also the author of many published scholarly papers in the field of noninvasive cardiac diagnostics. His scientific research led to the Agatston Method and the Agatston Score for measuring blood calcium. Arthur Agatston earned an MD at New York University School of Medicine in 1973, studied internal medicine at Montefiore Medical Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his cardiology fellowship at NYU. Dr. Arthur Agatston started his medical career on staff at New York University Medical Center. Arthur Agatston, M.D., is a cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He has served on committees of the American Society of Echocardiography, the American College of Cardiology, and the Society of Atherosclerosis Imaging, where he is a founding member of the board of directors. He was recently elected to serve on the board of directors of The American Dietetic Association Foundation.

Dr. Arthur Agatston has authored over 100 articles and abstracts for scientific journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the American Journal of Cardiology, and the Annals of Internal Medicine. He has served as an expert consultant to the Clinical Trials Committee of the National Institutes of Health, and he has participated as a speaker, faculty member, and organizer of numerous academic cardiology meetings and symposia. Along with his renown as a researcher, lecturer, and pioneer in clinical and preventive cardiology, Dr. Agatston is best known publicly as the author of the best-selling The South Beach Diet.
Where It All Began

Raised on the north shore of Long Island, Dr. Agatston's father and grandfather were doctors, and Arthur Agatston knew from an early age that he also desired a career in medicine. After graduating from New York University School of Medicine and completing his cardiology fellowship at NYU, Dr. Agatston elected to combine academics with clinical practice. He accepted a position at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, which was associated with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.Over the years, Dr. Agatston's pioneering work in noninvasive cardiac imaging has resulted in computerized tomography scanning methods and measures that bear his name: the Agatston Score and the Agatston Method, which are used for screening coronary calcium — and are recognized worldwide.

As a practicing cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston did not set out to develop a weight-loss plan. His goal was to help his chronically overweight heart patiens get their diets under control, thereby preventing or reversing the myriad of heart and vascular problems associated with obesity. Knowing that his patients weren't faring well on the standard, low-fat American Heart Association diet, Dr. Agatstonbegan to investigate diets and the origins of insulin resistance on his own.

In 2004, Dr. Agatston founded The Agatston Research Foundation for the purpose of conducting and funding original research on diet, cardiac, and disease prevention. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the heart health and wellness of the nation through research, education, and prevention. His goal is to educate and empower both his patients and the public about healthy lifestyle choices and disease prevention, encouraging the practice of such prevention in America and throughout the world. In creating The Agatston Research Foundation, Dr. Agatston is fulfilling a personal dream as he continues to "change the way America eats."

Dr. Arthur Agatston lectures extensively on prevention both nationally and internationally and has served as a reviewer for major medical cardiology journals. In addition to his work with his wife, Sari, on the South Beach Diet and The Agatston Research Foundation, Dr. Agatston maintains a cardiology practice in Miami Beach, where they reside. The Agatstons have two sons.

The South Beach Diet - by Arthur Agatston - Audio Book CD