Only one week after travelling to Washington DC to yell at....er...make a comment to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee, I travelled north to New London, Connecticut, the home of the annual Ketofest. 

Ketofest is a two and a half day party/barbeque/science conference occurring every July for the last 3 years. It's hosted by Carl Franklin, host of the 2 Keto Dudes Podcast. I attended the first Ketofest in 2017 and returned this year although only for Science Sunday. Ketofest is great for people at all levels of keto from those who are contemplating jumping to low carb to people who have been doing it for years.  They turn tho whole town of New London, ketogenic. Several of the restaurants were prepared for the ketonians with special menus catering to the diet needs who follow this form of diet diet biohacking. As with all low-carb luminaries are available to talk with. I found luminaries in the audience who did not even have a speaking role. 

That's me standing up and speaking in public which is, frankly, my least favorite thing to do in the whole world. Yet I defied my stubborn phobia because I had some thoughts I wanted to get off my chest, live and in person,  to the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee (DGAC). The USDA Dietery Guidelines (DGA) are a big, HUGE deal. It's the mother of all food guidelines. It was formerly known as the food pyramid then they changed its name to My Plate.

Unfortunately the DGA has not really worked out well in prevention. OK that is a major understatement. It has been a been a calamity for human human health. DGA and the obesity epidemic both came into being in 1980. Let me reiterate  that point.  The food rulebook that was supposed to prevent heart disease, diabetes and obesity has completely and utterly failed. 
Imagine that the DGAC was an engineering company and the buildings made from its blueprints kept collapsing, that company would be sued into bankruptcy and the owners of the company would be thrown in jail for criminal incompetence. 
Everyday, over and over, I see people struggling with their health problems such as weight, diabetes, hypertension and digestion who are try to "eat healthy" like the guidelines say: Low fat/ lean meat/ high fiber/ whole grain/ low calorie....and fail miserably.  Good intention are sabotaged by bad rules. I went to Washington to tell the people who have been been appointed to the 2020 guidelines committee that I am not impressed. MAny people are not impressed. Many people are laughing at them. This epidemic of chronic disease should not be a joke. Watch my friend Priyanka Wali MD tell some uncomfortable truths to the committee.
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The dietary guidelines now recommend 3 style of eating it calls dietary patterns:

1. American style (DASH)
2. Mediterranean
   
3. vegetarian
   

On the surface they look a little different but in actuality they all advise 50-50 of calories from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates which are not actually required by our bodies which do actually require proteins and fats.  We'd be better off if they completely turned the food pyramid upside down. That's what I'm hoping for. Cross your fingers but don't hold your breath.