This is an e-mail I recieved from Aajonus after I wrote to Dr. Atkins. I
sent Aajonus a copy, also sent him and Dr. Atkins the Picower article on
AGE's that Judy posted a while back.

>> Dr Ellie,
> > Thank you so much for your research info. I love work that validates
>> RAF.

> > Wonderfully, Dr. Atkins contacted me immediately about appearing on
> his show. My publisher sent him two copies of the book for him to read
> > before booking me. He may decide that I am too raw of a potato for
> his show. We will see.

Best to you always,
Aajonus

Ellie Rotunno wrote:
> This is the gist of a letter I wrote to Robert Atkins. I'm into
> confronting people about their claims.

> "Dear Dr. Atkins,

> I am a retired neurophysiologist formerly with the Rockefeller University
> and NYU Medical School.

> I have been following your radio program with interest. I too follow a
> diet low in carbohydrates and high in animal food, except that I eat
> everything raw, and I have experienced similar health benefits to those
> you describe.

> Perhaps you are already familiar with the Picower Institute studies on
> AGE's, Advanced Glycation Endproducts. These substances, which are formed
> non-enzymatically from proteins and lipids that come in contact with
> glucose or other sugars in the body and in cooked foods, were thought to
> be harmless but have been shown to be toxic and may pose a new risk not
> only in complications in diabetics, but in aging. While your patients
> enjoy a lowering of blood sugar levels as a result of your diet and may
> not form many of these toxic substances endogenously, it is possible that
> AGE's could accumulate in their tissues as a result of diets high in
> cooked foods, especially cooked meats.

> The body of course adapts to toxicosis, and it may take years before
> serious disease develops. You have mentioned a number of times that some
> of  your patients develop hypothyroidism, yet I have not heard you
> correlate this with your diet. My friend Elaine Ullman once telephoned
> you, and according to her, you yourself have taken thyroid hormone. Is
> this true? As you know, the symptoms of most diseases represent
> detoxification events.

> The body always has more than one physiological mechanism  for doing
> things. When the body needs to detox, the sympathetic nervous system
> becomes hyperactive. Epinephrine increase cellular metabolic rate to such
> an extent that not as much thyroid hormone is needed to increase the
> metabolic rate. The thyroid can become sluggish when there is no
> pathology in the thyroid itself, and exogenous thyroid hormone would not
> be indicated. People generally go the doctor when they are sick, that is,
> when they are having detox symptoms, and may be diagnosed with
> asymptomatic hypothyroidism. Upon retesting when such a patient is not
> experiencing a detox crisis, the thyroid can be found to be quite
> normal. It is possible that your patients who develop idiopathic
> hypothyroidism are in a phase of detoxing AGE's or some other toxins.

> I realize the damage from AGE's or other toxins in cooked foods could
> take many years to
> surface, but I am concerned when I hear you use a term such as
> "life-long" in recommending your diet. Are you doing follow-up studies on
> your patients? If so, I would be interested in hearing your results.

> Do you think it might be a good idea to alert your patients to the
> potential risks? Perhaps you will look into the new findings with diets
> high in raw animal foods. Aajonus Vonderplanitz is getting some exciting
> results with a diet high in raw animal fat. People are naturally flocking
> to Sushi restaurants, perhaps for good reason.

> I look forward to hearing from you and to your continued efforts to help
> your patients enjoy better health."

> My best, Ellie