Good morning,

I have been a successful ‘Atkineer’ for many years. This morning, doing an internet search as suddenly I have (slightly) low Neutrophils, and I wondered if this my be a ‘normal’ response to long term Atkins dieting, and I came across a couple of postings on this forum. So I decided to join. And lo and behold, it turns out that somebody else had my user name - but actually, it is me.

Two things were nice about that, first, I have lost another 12 pounds or so since I first tried to join, second, I looked out more carefully for the welcome email to complete my registration, and sure enough, it was in my ‘Junk Box’ so now I’m here!

I first followed Dr Atkins Diet back in the 80s. It was stunningly successful, I lost all my excess weight, loved the food, but honestly believed that the diet was inherently unhealthy in the long term, so went back to a ‘normal’ diet, put all the weight back on, plus interest, and became slowly less and less healthy.

By the time I decided to follow Atkins again, as the only diet that had ever been successful for me, I had the foresight to go out and buy ‘New Atkins for a New You’ and there for me to read was all the actual science that I needed to feel confident in following the diet for ever, so here I am now, an Atkins ‘lifer’ - still a few pounds away from my target weight, but that’s only a number.

So, as well as losing 55lbs or so, I have eliminated all my medication, for Blood Pressure, the dreaded PPIs for gastric reflux, and my troublesome IBS is a thing of the distant past. And of course my ‘pre-diabetic’ HbA1c levels are history!

I don’t weigh food, I don’t measure and work out macros, I just eat real food, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, healthy fat, above ground vegetables and salad, and some nuts. Oh, and I enjoy a glass or two of red wine or a gin with frozen berries and fizzy water. I avoid all processed foods and particularly artificial sweeteners.

I have read all the ‘important books’ relating to LCHF, I follow Prof Tim Noakes who has been heroic in recent years in promoting the Low Carb life, at great personal cost, Zoe Harcombe, Richard Bernstein, Dr David Unwin, David Perlmutter etc etc etc.

I am a little perplexed about this Neutrophils thing, but it is only slightly low. My doctor (who is lovely but doesn’t understand LCHF) wants to refer me to a haematologist.