Comments on: Dr. Lynn Allan Smaha R.I.P.

By: Heather Smaha

Heather Smaha — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:37:21 +0000

My dad ran four miles a day, along with pushups and situps every morning. Yes, heart disease was hereditary (his mother had heart problems as well as his father). And yes, he did grow up on an Iowa farm, which anyone who met him would have known. And yes, it is extremely ironic that a cardiologist died of a heart attack.

I know that we all like to say “If only he had done this, if only that…” But the reality is, he didn’t. And nothing we argue now is going to reverse time and situation. I see your point entirely, and I’m sure there are many plausible solutions that may work for others and help them live longer. But he believed so hard in what he did, and he believed so hard in helping people that to say “Well, maybe he was just wrong” is a little superfluous.

In actuality, while a change in his diet so on and so forth may have helped him live longer (how many months?), he had already had a minor heart attack roughly six months earlier, we discovered that day. No one knew. His arteries were the size of pinholes because of it, and it was a miracle that he had lived as happy and healthy as he did until then.

I offer my most heartfelt condolences for your family’s loss.

Best–

MRE

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 10:00:32 +0000

Regarding mrfreddy’s comment, I believe Dr. Smaha’s father was an Iowa farmer. So much for self-serving speculation (“probably…not much exercise”)!

By: Victoria

Victoria — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 19:40:10 +0000

I know someone who started low carb because a vacation was coming up and she needed fast weight loss to get into her clothes. Her doctor gave her permission to only do it for a month. Well, that month goes by and she’s lost some weight and when her cholesterol is checked (it was always high), it had come down some. Since her cholesterol was better and she liked the diet, the doctor let her stay on it a bit longer. Each blood test only got better, she lost 70 pounds and is having no trouble maintaining, and she’s been able to get off every drug she was on except the high dose niacin. When she tried to go off that her cholesterol went up again. Her doctor now wants her on low carb for life and has become a believer because of his patient’s results.

So yeah, family history has some to do with it, but a low carb diet has helped get her cholesterol down when a low fat diet did nothing to help.

By: Audley

Audley — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 10:20:35 +0000

I agree with Adam, when the doctor speaks, the patient listens. My dad will continue to stay on cholesterol meds and eat a low fat diet because his doctor and dietitian say so. Both of my dad?s parents died of cerebral hemorrhage, his dad at 62, his mom at 70. We can speculate that high carbs may have been the culprit, years ago no one checked cholesterol and triclyceride levels. My dad is nearing 70, so far his two older sisters have outlived their parents, but both have had heart issues, one having bypass surgery. The statins may have helped in all of their cases, but what is interesting the youngest of my dad?s siblings (there are 4 children including my dad) is now 62, an avid bicycle rider and basketball player, he has lifted weights, takes no meds and his cholesterol and triclyerides are fine. I did inherit the cholesterol issues, as well as diabetes from my mom?s side. I have controlled all through the high protein diet and lifting weights, no meds, and I plan to keep it that way. Will my family listen to me? No, I am not a doctor.

By: mrfreddy

mrfreddy — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 11:48:20 +0000

is there any information on Dr. Smaha’s father’s lifestyle? probably excess carbs and not much exercise… If so, it could be possible that a low carb diet could have helped.

By: Michael R. Eades, M.D.

Michael R. Eades, M.D. — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 11:05:52 +0000

I agree that diet, exercise and medicine can only go so far to compensate for bad genes, but I believe the right diet, exercise and medicine can go a lot further. I have always liked the idea that says that genes load the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 04:23:55 +0000

>I wonder if Dr. Smaha’s outcome would have been different had he followed a low-carb diet?

Probably not. It’s my understanding that Dr. Samha’s father died from an MI while in his early 50’s. We sometimes forget that diet, exercise and medicine can only go so far to compensate for bad genes.

By: Adam Wilk

Adam Wilk — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 19:24:12 +0000

Dr. Eades,
Your post on Dr. Smaha was touching and hearfelt, in my opinion–and you also touched on a point I feel strongly about, too.
One of the great questions I’ve always struggled with goes like this: All physicians are scientists, no? I’m assuming you were all trained to interpret evidence presented in journals for what it is–pure fact. (Not to worry, by the way, I’m a huge fan of yours, so don’t panic) My question is this–how can so many doctors not see what doctors like you, your wife, Dr. Robert Atkins, Dr. Diane Schwarzbein, etc. see so clearly? Why is the wrong information continually peddled? (Here is where my beef is, by the way): When doctors talk, people listen; when a doctor is in a position of power as the late Dr. Smaha was, it carries huge weight–people listen closely and it affects supply and demand–I’m griping only because I feel that it’s slowly becoming harder and harder to follow a low carbohydrate diet that is full of choices–for instance, I’m noticing my HOOD low carb chocolate milk is gone from the supermarket shelves along with my HOOD orange drink–something I enjoyed many a morning along with my bacon and eggs.

Your article is excellent because it brings to light the power of people’s opinions and how they follow what comes from “enlightened” sources–I just wish the evidence would be more widely understood and out there–it sure would alleviate the difficulty of trying to live low carb.

Thanks for listening to my rant.
Adam Wilk