On Thu, 28 Feb 2002, Madeline Mason wrote:

> >I didn't have many of these problems to begin with, although I
> think I did get some reduction of hay fever symptoms at the end
> of April each year.  On the other hand, I also experienced
> palpitations and anxiety attacks after about three months on
> Neanderthin, which appears to have been the result of chronically
> elevated cortisol from continuous ketosis.
>
> Todd, with all due respect, how do you know that your palpitations and
> anxiety were a result of elevated cortisol and/or ketosis?

I don't know it for sure.

> Ketosis alone has
> a diuretic effect, possibly leading to the depletion of minerals such as
> potassium and magnesium, which can then cause anxiety and disruptions in
> heart rhythm.

It's possible, although I would think that I would have
experienced this depletion sooner, rather than later, on the
ketogenic diet.  Also, later experiments with ketosis did not
have quite the same effect, although ketosis generally does seem
to make me "edgy" after a week or so, a feeling something like
"coffee nerves."

> I would think the Anchell plan would allow you to lose weight without putting
> you into ketosis. Although not strictly Paleo, perhaps there is some wisdom
> to his plan. Did you find you could lose weight on that plan without the pal
> pitations/anxiety you experienced on a ketogenic Paleo plan? Calories,
> calories! In the end, they DO count.

Yes, I lost weight very readily on his plan, for reasons that I
don't understand (and Dr. Anchell doesn't either).  It is
possible to do a paleo version of his diet, by skipping potatoes
and rice, but it does get tedious.

Todd Moody
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