On Thu, 30 Sep 1999, Bruce Sherrod wrote:

>     Paleo literature tends to advocate paleo diets for cancer prevention.
>     How is skin cancer from sunlight explained?  I assume this kind
>     of cancer is not common among hunter-gatherers, despite the fact
>     that they spend so much time in the sun.

I think this is a question that we don't have clear answers for
yet.  It may well be that diet is not sufficient to deal with
this risk.  I'm thinking of the practice, seen in some equatorial
peoples, of covering the skin with ashes or something of the
sort.  This serves a ritual purpose but may serve to protect the
skin as well.

>     As a long time sufferer of chronic psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis,
>     I'm very interested in research -- or even anecdotal accounts --
>     of dietary intervention for treatment of psoriasis.

The basic Neanderthin approach did nothing for my psoriasis, but
eliminating oranges and tomatoes seemed to help.  My father has
completely cured his psoriasis by eating peanuts.  He recently
told me that a friend of his has also tried this and it worked in
just a few weeks.

It is a matter of debate whether peanuts belong in a paleodiet.

>     A question about fats: I think most sources agree (and recent
>     discussion here confirms) that a diet high in saturated fats is
>     not healthy (compared to, say, monounsaturated fats).  So, why does
>     the paleo diet encourage eating foods such as suet, schmaltz, lard,
>     and coconut oil?

Well, it remains disputed whether saturates are unhealthy.
Stearic acid appears to be harmless or even beneficial.  The
saturated fats that are under suspicion are palmitic, lauric, and
myristic acid.  They appear to raise LDL cholesterol in some
people at least.  But the significance of this is precisely what
is disputed.  What is perhaps more significant is the fact
that saturated fats in general contribute to insulin resistance.
IR is a problem in proportion to the amounts of carb and even
protein in the diet, so that's something to consider.

>     I don't know why cooked pork fat would be only 63% fat, but if
>     we believe the USDA information it's still high in saturated fat
>     compared to the rest of its fat content.  So, what am I missing here?
>     Why wouldn't it be better to eat olive oil instead of lard?

I think it *is* better.  On the other hand, I recently read an
article describing research that suggests that ample quantities
of dietary tocotrienols can prevent and possibly reverse
atherosclerosis.  Food sources of tocotrienols are rice bran and
palm oil.  Palm oil is still popular in the tropics but has
become unfashionable in the US because it is relatively high in
saturates.

>     More generally speaking, is it possible to eat a balanced, healthy
>     (paleo) diet without taking supplements?  It's discouraging to hear
>     the Troy Gilchrist say that he takes a dried liver supplement _and_
>     a DHA supplement.  I would like to get all my nutrition from whole
>     natural foods if possible.

This is also debated.  I think this depends on a number of
factors, including one's access to *fresh* foods and variety in
both plant and animal foods.  In my own case, I'm not convinced
that my diet is optimal in either respect, so I use supplements.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]