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If everyone had the identical body type and body chemistry, it would be very simple to have a one size fits all approach to dieting and losing weight. Unfortunately weight loss is more complex than that and not every diet is healthful or effective for every person. Existing health problems, food allergies, and other conditions all help predetermine what diets will be effective and what diets should be avoided. This is true for the low carb diet as well. There are many variations of low carb dieting but they all have one common component: reducing carbohydrates intake.

How do you determine if a low carb approach is safe for you? Consulting your doctor would be the first step, preferably a family doctor that is familiar with your medical history. With a thorough health assessment and examination fo your family health history, your doctor should be able to give you better direction about your low carb dieting goals.

There are several important factors to take into consideration when assessing whether a low carb diet is safe for you. You will want to take note of your LDL and HDL cholesterol, as well as your total cholesterol level, your triglycerides and your blood pressure. These are all very important considerations when assessing your suitability for a low carb plan. Primarily because individuals metabolize carbohydrates differently and some carbs are beneficial while others can be harmful.

To amass the necessary information to make an informed decision, collect your family medical history. Concentrate on your immediate family such as your brothers, your sisters, parents and children. Every surgery and disease, both chronic and otherwise should be noted. Pay particular attention to incidence of diabetes in your family. If you are one of 15 million Americans affected by diabetes, it could be very dangerous for you to partake in a low carb diet. Once you have collected this information from your immediate family, you can move on to include your extended family such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents. The more information that you share with your family doctor the better he or she can predict if low carb dieting will be safe for you.