Adrienne Smith wrote:

>I stand corrected Todd.  Your absolutely right -- on page 83 he says:"A
>diet high in saturated fat promotes insulin resistance, and may increase
>the risk of heart disease."  But then he contradicts himself by allowing it
>after the first 3 weeks of the plan.
>
>

That's right, although I believe he says that even then red meats should
be indulged in only a few time a week, and those with type 2 diabetes
should continue to avoid them.

I have tried eating the way he prescribes, and I found it very
difficult.  A lowcarb diet can be difficult enough, but to be limited to
almost nothing but fish and chicken, with olive oil and the occasional
handful of nuts is just too hard.

>He actually seems more concerned about "excess" protein which he claims
>causes "toxic" byproducts of ammonia and urea that he claims can overburden
>your kidneys.  How much protein is too much appears to be another question
>of the hour.  Here's a link to an interesting study someone posted on Dr.
>Bernstein's website which discuss purportedly optimal dietary protein
>amounts necessary during ketogenic diets if one is also exercising -- the
>amounts are much higher than Rosedale suggests.
>
>

That's right.  Of course Rosedale is basing his claims on leptin, which
he regards as the key to health and longevity, rather than just insulin
control.  This is interesting because in his writings that I read prior
to reading his book, insulin control was always center stage.  Indeed,
it was Rosedale who was the first person (that I knew about) to claim
that the longevity results of CRON diets are explicable by reduction of
fasting insulin levels.  But somewhere along the line he got leptin
fever, and seems to think that it's possible to get decent insulin
control without optimal leptin control.  At least, that's how I read him.

The protein is indeed another "question of the hour"--but the hour has
lasted for years.  The Phinney study recommends 1.2g of protein per kg
of body weight, but of course this is in the context of pretty
high-level endurance exercise training.  I think it is reasonably
uncontroversial, if anything about protein consumption can be, that
activity levels have something to do with protein requirements.  Cordain
argues from ethnographic studies that HG consumption of protein is on
the high side, at 35% or so of energy.  But that's an average, with most
HG diets not being ketogenic.  Phinney and others suggest keeping
protein down to the 15-25% range.

I try to keep an open mind about these things.  And I take into
consideration that Rosedale does not think that "paleo" is necessarily
conducive to longevity.  But if he's going to argue that leptin is the
key to longevity, I'd like to see a body of data on diet composition and
leptin levels.

Todd Moody
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