On Mon, 8 May 2006 10:01:10 -0600, Don Hogan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>susan barry wrote:
>> Hi.
>> I just started eating paleo about a month ago (aside from a few lapses 
>> into
>> grains, which, predictably enough, started an addictive spiral of 
>> sugar and
>> grain eating until I had to cut myself off again....).
>>
>> Whenever I try to explain to people what I am doing, they either 
>> dismiss it
>> as "dangerous nonsense," or say that there is absolutely no research 
>> to back
>> it up. They also point out that primitive man had a life expectancy of 
>> 30,
>> blah, blah, blah, but I have this one covered by mentioning the living in
>> cold and damp caves, being gored by mammoths, etc...
>>
>> My question is this: Are there any good, reputable, but basic scientific
>> articles that support the paleo principles? I know of some that support
>> high-fat-low-carb eating, but not of any that are specifically
>> paleo-oriented.
>>
>> Does anyone?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> susan
>>
>>
>Friends and strangers are frequently commenting how healthy I am 
>looking. I find that most people are OK when I state that my secret is 
>my diet of all the meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and fruit I want, 
>just no GBP or D. They nod knowingly when I tell them I try to get a 
>good balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. However when I tell them that 
>I also eat lots of saturated fat from items like bacon and coconut 
>etc.,  it stops them in their tracks. Then they walk away with that look 
>that says that can't be true! I bet he takes growth hormones.....
>Don

You have intelligent friends, who understand the principle that one data point
proves nothing.

I have a close friend, who always looks healthy and slender.  She eats anything
she wants, including sugary desserts and the usual grains, dairy, etc.   She
also runs and bikes miles every day, and participates in triathalons.

I'm reminded of the 1980's low-fat diet, where a study "proved" its efficacy -
virtually everyone who went on the plan improved their health.   The actual
problem was that the people in the study were also told to stop smoking and
drinking, and start a comprehensive exercise plan, as well cutting their intake
of processed foods, and eat more fruits and vegetables - thereby making it
impossible to really tell which aspect of their lifestyle was providing the
benefit.

In contrast to that, I'm reminded of the McDonald's-bashing movie, where the guy
ate at McDonald's for all his meals for (IIRC) a month and then gained a lot of
weight.    After the movie came out, another person duplicated those meals at
McDonald's for the same month - except that he substituted Diet Drinks for
sweetened drinks - and he actually lost weight over the month, instead of
gaining weight.

In both cases, still only one data point, but at least the second guy only
changed one factor, so it is a data point that has some minor validity.

--
Cheers,

Ken