The difference in food says it all

February 26 2015 by in Conferences, Real food, The food revolution, Weight loss

The difference in food says it all.

In recent years I have attended dozens of conferences on how to treat obesity and other lifestyle-related health problems. But the food at the LCHF conference in Cape Town last week excels.

Here are pictures – and horrible examples from other conferences:

Food at the LCHF Conference in South Africa

The above are all examples from the first day. The other three days were at least as good – and on top of it all there was a constant variety. I’ve never seen anything this good at any similar conference.

Here’s the frightening contrast:

The World’s Biggest Obesity Conference

This isn’t a joke. Here’s lunch at the world’s biggest obesity conference, International Conference on Obesity, in Stockholm the other year.

Here’s the entire lunch package:

At the world’s biggest obesity conference they serve junk food that makes people fat.

They don’t understand. The organizers don’t understand. The participants don’t understand – or don’t care.

The World’s Biggest Diabetes Conference

This is lunch at the world’s biggest conference on diabetes research, EASD, in Vienna the fall of 2014.

What was inside the bags? This:

At the world’s biggest conference about diabetes research they serve junk food that causes diabetes.

They don’t understand. The organizers don’t understand. The participants don’t understand – or don’t care.

The Food Revolution

The epidemics of obesity and diabetes are spreading all over the world. The experts who should fight against the causes don’t understand them. Instead, they’re making the problem worse and desperately seeking new pills and surgeries that may alleviate symptoms.

Symptom relief will never solve the problem.

It will take a food revolution – a complete change in our approach to food and health – to reverse the epidemics. Fortunately the revolution is underway. The LCHF conference in South Africa, coming soon to London and Washington, is the best example in a long time. It’s happening now.

What do you think about the differences?

Presentations From the LCHF Conference

A Worldwide Nutrition Revolution – Prof. Tim Noakes

The Food Revolution – Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt

Weight Control – A Question of Calories or Insulin? – Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt

The 2 big lies of type 2 diabetes – Dr. Jason Fung

Paleopathology and the origins of low carb – Dr. Michael Eades

LCHF for Obesity and Diabetes – Dr. Jay Wortman

How to Do an LCHF Diet – Dr. Eric Westman

Lunch at the Diabetes Conference

LCHF for Beginners

How to Lose Weight

Diabetes – How to Normalize Your Blood Sugar

Previously On the LCHF Conference

The Greatest Gathering of Low-Carb Experts Ever?

The Launch of the Amazing LCHF Conference

Video From the LCHF Conference in Cape Town

The LCHF Conference Could Come to London and Washington D.C.

An Amazing LCHF Conference

The End of the LCHF Conference – Brief Video

29 comments

Top comments

Christoph
February 26 2015 14
I was at a medical speech about fatty live and Diabetes II yesterday evening here in our small town in Austria. I couldn't believe my eyes when the doctor said that we should eat BUTTER and LARD instead of bread to CURE these diseases! Then she told us about her favorite way of eating: LCHF!
We are on the right way. It just takes a bit of time. She said even the doctors at the big AKH in Vienna ("Vienna General Hospital", if I'm not mistaken the second largest hospital in the world) start to rethink their way of eating.
We're on the right way! Paradigm shift IS coming in some years! :)

Reply: #15

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jj
February 26 2015 9
gee, quite 'frightening', thanks for sharing.

since learning the lchf way I do not trust any 'certified' dietitian or main stream doctor in advising me how to be healthy, 43 years of 'their way' nearly killed me, I am now 'reborn' the lchf way, am only 45 so the second half of my life will be the real life for me ;)

ps I am a 'health professional' myself, struggling to teach some of my own colleagues who are still blind folded by the low fat road :(

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All comments

1
jj
February 26 2015 9
gee, quite 'frightening', thanks for sharing.

since learning the lchf way I do not trust any 'certified' dietitian or main stream doctor in advising me how to be healthy, 43 years of 'their way' nearly killed me, I am now 'reborn' the lchf way, am only 45 so the second half of my life will be the real life for me ;)

ps I am a 'health professional' myself, struggling to teach some of my own colleagues who are still blind folded by the low fat road :(
2
Jane Roweth
February 26 2015 7
I think you are all doing amazing work. I began prescribing LCHF to my clients 2 years ago after trying to understand why traditional nutritional advice was failing so many people so badly. Reading Zoe Harcombe's book on obesity changed my entire view, this lead me to Gary Taubes which I loved as I'd long felt calories were really not a valid measurement, from there it was to John Briffa, Robert Lustig, Steve Phinney, your website and more. My husband and I went to see Dr Malhotra speak last year and attended Zoe's own conference where we met her, John Briffa and Sam Feltham. Following so many of these fantastic ambassadors for real eating in one place last week was absolutely inspirational. Thank you so much.
In a small part of the UK are helping people change their lives with your incredible knowledge, we are getting batches of the Real Meal Revolution sent to the UK for our friends and clients, we are hosting "Come Diet With Me" supper nights, we premiered the "Run on Fat" movie and we are continually talking to local GPs and health professionals in the hope that they will change their thinking. Change is coming but given that one of our doctor friends has pointed out they can't offer different advice until NICE guidelines change I imagine food provided at obesity and diet conferences will remain much like you have pictured for some time.
Thank you again for all your work, I am frequently sending my clients to your site to back up the information I give them.
3
Mark
February 26 2015 1
Except for the Pumpkin with pumpkin seeds which sounds like what my Mum tried to shove down our throats, the food looks great!!

Thanks for reporting it Andreas!!
4
Scooze
February 26 2015 1
I wish all conferences would offer such healthy meals!
5
Honeywell
February 26 2015 5
Well that speaks volumes doesn't it? I thought when you posted those pictures previously after each conference they were insightful but posted all together like this it's painfully obvious what the major problem is with the western diet.

Reply: #8
6
Wanda
February 26 2015 5
If the people who supposedly know so much can't (or don't) walk-the-walk, how can they expect their patients to? It seems we get so much behavior in practice that conflicts with the theory that's being touted. Good for the South Africa conference.
7
Christoph
February 26 2015 14
I was at a medical speech about fatty live and Diabetes II yesterday evening here in our small town in Austria. I couldn't believe my eyes when the doctor said that we should eat BUTTER and LARD instead of bread to CURE these diseases! Then she told us about her favorite way of eating: LCHF!
We are on the right way. It just takes a bit of time. She said even the doctors at the big AKH in Vienna ("Vienna General Hospital", if I'm not mistaken the second largest hospital in the world) start to rethink their way of eating.
We're on the right way! Paradigm shift IS coming in some years! :)

Reply: #15
8
Reply to comment #5 by Honeywell
Zepp
February 26 2015 1
On top of that.. its worse then you think!

Becuse there have been clinical trials of high fat, low fat, vegetarian diets, mediterian diet and high animal diets.. almoste everyone get a good result.. but LCHF seems to get the best.

Its becuse on those trials they get real food, the control group eats junk.. i.e. they eat there normal diet.. thats almoste useless junk!

And then.. look at the diabetes conferens lunch.. its junk.. and thats kind of normal!
9
Erasmus Louw
February 26 2015 4
I'm glad you enjoyed what us South Africans had to offer. The surprising thing is that this seems to be the norm here,especially in Cape Town. I honestly can't remember the last conference I attended where junk food was served. Yes, the sweet stuff still makes their appearance, but overall the food is of good quality.

Glad you enjoyed your time here.
10
Donna
February 26 2015 4
I think this is a bit of an indicator as to why obesity and type 2 diabetes is skyrocketing globally.
11
Jan
February 27 2015 2
Yes definitely "The difference in food says it all." ........ and doesn't it !

Still smiling at all the good things that have come (and are still coming) from the Cape Town LCHF Conference.

Well done everybody

All the best Jan
12
Andrew
February 27 2015 2
No olive oil :(
13
Apicius
February 27 2015 7
I am sick and tired listening to people mutter underhanded comments regarding my choice to eat LCHF. Especially those who have MD or RD or some sort of nutritionist accreditation. They feel superior enough to let me know how "misguided" my choices are. They say this despite the incredibly healthy food I eat (similar to the pics in the LCHF conference) while the "experts" feed on CRAP!!!!! Go figure.
14
Wenchypoo
February 27 2015 3
As one who volunteered to help pack those types of lunches in the past (not these here in particular), I can tell you that what goes INTO those bags is what gets donated from Big Food and/or local businesses (much like what gets donated to Food Pantries). Even though the event may be named Low Carb Conference or Diabetic Forum, or whatever, you still end up with the same crap when you go calling for donations--they're gonna give you what they want to get rid of most, taking tax write-offs for it all the while. Whatever's selling slowest (or not at all) is usually what you're gonna end up with, regardless of the theme of the conference.

What's worse: the people packing those lunches aren't told ANYTHING about who or why about the lunches--they're just told "We need 500 bags made up by X date", and then told what is to go inside each bag. Only later does anybody learn where the lunches were going, whom they were intended for, and then start regretting what they packed (or that they ever volunteered for such a mission).

It's nice to see that even the volunteers at the SA conference knew what it was about, obviously cared about what they were serving the attendees, and that the entire world got a chance to see their efforts (now that they are photographed here). Here is a population that GETS IT!
15
Reply to comment #7 by Christoph
Annie
February 27 2015 2
Christoph, that is great to hear! I am from Scandinavia but living in Vienna since a few years. I'm healthy so no need for doctors for now, but as I'm hoping to have children at some point soon, more doctors visits will for sure be happening.

I find that Austrians generally appreciate the traditional foods, which is great and already goes long way to stay healthy. Beuschel, Blunzen, gerostete Leber, schmalz etc. And the Heurigen in the summer serving fresh (fatty)meat and veggies, amazing!
16
Dave
March 1 2015 1
It always astound me that they don't serve real food at those conferences. Being from a Mennonite family with strong Ukrainian roots, we ate a lot of potatoes, bread, milk and sausages with lard and butter. Not difficult to whip up. Some might say we are too high-carb or too high-fat, but I have never seen anyone get fat off of traditional food regardless of origin.

But then they serve all these junk food? Cakes, cookies? Chocolate bars? Potato chips? Seriously?

I used to be a LCHF loyalist, until I started calculating macro-nutrients for sport-training and now I have a better understanding how LCHF work, why other lifestyle eating habits also work (eg. Mediterranean Diet, Japanese Diet, the Soviet Diet) as well; and why the industrialized food system continue to fail us again and again.

I would still recommend LCHF to anyone who lead a sedentary lifestyle as it doesn't really require the extensive note-taking sports-training demand.

I am still mostly a butter-burner though judging from my aerobic functions. For anaerobic functions, well there's about 2 000 calories of glycogen stored in the liver and muscle-tissues, then the body switches to free protein and ketones. Can always replenish the stored glycogen with a good evening meal for the next day's run. And even then, I am still mostly eating protein and fats throughout the day; just that dinner is when I "carb-load".
17
mezzo
March 1 2015 3
Those pics from the diabetes conference - that's not really food. It's obesity waiting to happen.
18
Sandra
March 2 2015 1
It would have been so fun & relaxing to attend especially because I wouldn't have been stressing over the food! It would be interesting to note how much was consumed. I would like to think that the ones who might claim it would be too expensive to serve LCHF foods would be wrong because there would be less food consumed due to no cravings.
19
Suzanne
March 3 2015 3
I wish I could read all the tags. I'd like to know what all the dishes are.
20
msjodi777
March 4 2015
At the end of December, 2014, I had open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve with a double by-pass on outside blood vessels. I am a diabetic who is working on controlling my blood glucose thru my diet. At home, I eat, fresh vegetables (sometimes frozen when fresh are out of season), fresh meat and never eat out of a box - no preprocessed food in our house. While in the hospital, I was horrified to see what they were feeding me. Just out of surgery, I got a cup of regular jello, a bouillon cube dissolved in warm water, and a sprite zero. Excuse me, look at the sugar in that meal! I wouldn't eat the jello. One day I was given a regular (full sugar) caffeine free Pepsi - didn't drink that either. But what really upset me was that for nearly every day that I was in the hospital I was given either a Glucerna or a bottle of Ensure. When I looked at the labels on those the first ingredient was water, then the next 3 ingredients were some form of sugar.

Needless to say, my bg readings ran about 40-60 points higher than they were running at home. What makes matters worse, is that it took me nearly a month to stabilize my bg readings back at what they were before going into the hospital (80-100).

Oh, and I had a nutrition counselor tell me that I should only eat 2,400mg of sodium - I normally eat less than 1,800 - per day. She then started quoting research that I know was at least 15 maybe 20 years out of date. I tuned her out, and just nodded. What are the doctors doing to allow this sort of thing to happen? No wonder we have a diabetes and obesity epidemic! Like your conferences, they don't know, don't understand, or most likely just don't care. <

Reply: #29
21
Marilyn
March 4 2015
I'd sure like to see a menu and some recipes. Looks wonderful!
22
Catherine Young
March 6 2015
More recipes please,especially lunches when we used to have a salad sandwich
Becoming bored with bacon and eggs with salad and no toast
We believe in LCHF but still crave fresh bread.When busy it is easier to prepare.
Many thanks CY (Australia)
23
Reality
March 9 2015
Diet "doctor" that doesn't read research??? But goes after alarmism and cherry picked data. What a crock of bullshit this post is. Caloric management is the problem, not the carbs.

Reply: #24
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Reply to comment #23 by Reality
Zepp
March 9 2015 1
Is it.. even for diabetics.. fantastic.. I want to have you as a guest in my house when you is here for your Nobel prise in medecine!
25
Mary M
June 2 2015
one day Doctors will realise that these barbaric gastro bypass operations are not necessary and a few sessions with Zoe Harcombe would be so beneficial.
What a saving on the Health System.
26
Fabienne
January 29 2016
These people organizing the conferences on obesity or diabetes seem to lack something that is totally cultural in my country but unfortunately slowly fading : the love for GOOD food...they don't eat, they fill their body....poor people !
27
Rusty
November 21 2016
Or no money to serve real foods?
28
Scott Campbell
January 11 2017
Doesn't the suffering of the animals you are consuming have place in the calculus you using to arrive at good health?
29
Reply to comment #20 by msjodi777
Tamarah
September 5 2017
its just ridiculous what they feed the Heart Patients recovering from surgery in the Hospitals. and If your T2D,, they recommend 60Grams Carbs at every meal 3X a day !!!