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May 21, 2004

Who Needs Mace?

Remember my recent grimmacings about the increase in workplace breath fumes? Well check out what I just spotted in the newspaper: "The malodorous phenomenon of Atkins-induced halitosis is plaguing low-carbers across the nation." AHAH! That made the pieces start to fall in place. :: starts ticking off list of known Atkinsers & related flinch quotients ::

And what causes it? "The body normally converts glucose for energy, but in a low-carb diet, it charges up by burning fats. In the process, it produces keto acids, which are released through urine and the breath. A telltale sign of ketone breath is a sickly sweet odor. But what really makes Atkins breath offensive is that 75 percent of Americans have gum disease....When [gum disease] is combined with atkins, the effect can be similar to rotten eggs....It's horrible." I see. Is there any hope? "Although improving oral hygiene can help a normal halitosis patient, Atkins breath is much harder to eliminate. With Atkins, 'even if you have good oral hygiene, the odor won't go away,'....'You can always tell people on Atkins,' said Nowak. 'Especially at the health club, when they're breathing heavy.' " ¹

So there you have it. That wet-gutter-hot-dog odor that's making your head twitch? That's the sweet smell of weight loss.

As if I have room to talk. "Do you think you could put a few hundred less onions on that salad, Perez?" :: chomp chomp ::

1. Source: Chicago Tribune, Julie Deardorff

Posted by Jeremy at May 21, 2004 6:36 PM