>Since I haven't gotten my hands on a copy of
>NeanderThin yet, can someone tell me the story on
>carbs.  Why or why not they are included in some
>diets, what responses to eating carb foods should I be
>looking for, etc...

    There are really more facets to the issue than can be summarized in one
message. If you're interested, check out any of the diet books that have
come out in the last few years that promote a diet lower in carbs than the
"food pyramid" diet. e.g. The Zone, Protein Power, Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, Carbohydrate-Addicts Diet, etc. There are probably dozens of
others by now. NeanderThin promotes a diet that will generally be low in
carbs, but it only brushes up against the issue of the medical effects of
doing so. The real focus of the diet is eliminating neolithic food types,
which happen to be very high in carbs (mainly, grain).
    Just off the top of my head, some reasons to eat a low-carb diet:
1. Weight loss. Low-carbing produces quick weight loss as your body divests
itself of stored water. But some people also find that it is their best
route to long-term loss, and to being able to eat more of the high-fat foods
they like without rapid weight gain.
2. Cardiovascular health. Low carb diets have a general tendency to reduce
blood pressure and triglycerides, and to increase HDLs (thus improving
certain ratios which are thought to be important predictors of heart
disease). Low-carbing isn't really known for dramatically lowering LDLs,
however. In some cases, people have seen their LDL count skyrocket on low
carb diets.
3. Insulin control. Carbs are a major stimulant of insulin levels in the
blood. Some (e.g. Barry Sears) would assert that there are good reasons for
*always* avoiding big insulin surges (i.e. it would push you out of "the
Zone"). But there are other concerns that deal with chronically elevated
insulin levels, which frankly I can barely remember and never understood
that well in the first place. Some (again, e.g. Sears) would argue that
insulin control has a lot to do with issue #2.
4. Subjective well-being. Many people report that they just feel better,
have more energy, etc. on low carb. Some report the opposite.