Who Low Carb Diet Plans
Are Suitable For

Low carb diet plans aren't something that most people need to follow if they want to lose weight. However, there are certain groups of the population who are ideally suited to eating predominantly low carbohydrate foods, especially if they want to lose weight and keep it off.

In this article we will cover who the groups of people are who should use low carb diet plans, why they should use them and also provide you with access to a list of low carbohydrate foods. This list will provide you with carbohydrate-based foods that are considered to be 'good carbs'.

Here are the groups of people who should follow low carb diet plans:

Type 2 Diabetics

Women with Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

People over the age of 50

People on anti-depressants

Type 2 Diabetics
People who suffer from type 2 diabetes have a condition known as insulin resistance. This is where the insulin receptors on body cells are 'de-sensitised' to the action of insulin. Since insulin isn't able to bind to these receptors, glucose remains in the blood stream. High blood sugar levels may cause a whole range of health problems. Therefore, it is important to find ways to reduce the insulin resistance and normalise the blood sugar level again.

This may be achieved by exercising regularly, using glucose disposal agents (GDAs) and by following low carb diet plans.

Women with Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a condition whereby women have cysts on their ovaries that cause some of their hormones to be 'aromatised' (changed) into androgens (male hormones). It also causes insulin resistance, which means that these ladies should follow the same strategies used by type 2 diabetics, which are: exercise, using GDAs and eat more low carbohydrate foods.

It doesn't appear to be clear whether or not insulin resistance is a cause of PCOS or is simply a symptom of it. Either way, it is essential that women who have the condition use low carbohydrate foods.

People over the age of 50
As we age we tend to become insulin resistant so following the strategies mentioned earlier to help overcome the condition is definitely beneficial.

Also, a loss of muscle as we age (sarcopenia) means that our metabolism slows down and a slower metabolism means that our body burns up less fuel during the day. Therefore, low carb diet plans, which provide less fuel to the body, are ideally suited to people who have a slow metabolism.

Furthermore, many ladies tend to put on weight after menopause and a significant amount of that weight is stored around their stomach. This means their bodies start to resemble more of an 'apple shape' as opposed to the typical female 'pear' or 'hourglass' shapes. It is possible that the reduced production of their female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, has lead to the androgens in their body being a greater proportion of their overall hormone level.

It is also possible that this is another cause of the insulin resistance and should again be dealt with via the same mechanisms as the ladies with PCOS. This means following low carb diet plans in conjunction with the other strategies as well.

People on anti-depressants
Weight gain whilst using anti-depressants is actually quite common. However, the mechanism through which it occurs is not well understood. There are several theories with regards to the mechanism behind the process.

It appears that because they are serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, they may have a negative impact on 'sympathetic tone', whereby the targeted neurons throughout the body become 'de-sensitised' to the action of serotonin. This means a person's sympathetic tone decreases. This is discussed in more detail in the article about metabolism.

Obviously, people who have a slow metabolism burn up less calories and their bodies therefore require less fuel. Accordingly, eating more low carbohydrate foods may be suitable for that reason.

Also, it may be possible that someone who is feeling down or depressed may also be somewhat stressed. Stress increases the level of cortisol in the body and one of the effects of cortisol is to increase the liberation of glucose from the liver. This of course, increases the blood glucose level and may lead to insulin resistance.

For these reasons it is definitely beneficial for people using anti-depressants to eat more low carbohydrate foods.

If you fall into one (or several) of the categories mentioned here, you should definitely consider using low carb diet plans. You can use this list of low carbohydrate foods to prepare your own meals or you can use this low carb diet plan.

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