Hi all

I take a very different route, although I too recommend in ratios. In my
case, as it is far healthier for fat to be the major source of fuel as it
was in palaeolithic times and in more recent primitive cultures, I recommend
10-15% of calories from carbs, mainly from fresh green and yellow veges,
15-25% of calories from good quality animal proteins, and 60-70% of calories
from fats, again mainly from animal sources.

Although I don't rule out any foods completely, I do believe that grains are
not at all healthy, being responsible for a whole range of conditions from
coeliac disease to asthma to eczema. I would particularly avoid wholegrains
because of their phytate content. Many studies in Canada and elsewhere have
indicted wholegrains as causes of a wide range of deficiency diseases, see
below. For example, more iron was absorbed from white bread than from
wholemeal bread, even though the wholemeal bread contained 50% more. (Kelsay
1978 below)

Moynahan EJ. Nutritional hazards of high-fibre diet. Lancet. 1977; i:
654-5.;
Kelsay JL. A review of research on effect of fibre intake on man. Am J of
Clin Nutr. 1978; (31): 142.;
Turnlund JR et al. A Stable isotope study of zinc absorption in young men:
effects of phytate and alpha-cellulose. Am J Clin Nutr 1984; 40: 1071-77.;
Bindra GS, Gibson RS. Iron status of predominantly lacto-ovo vegetarian East
Indian immigrants to Canada: a model approach. Am J Clin Nutr 1986; 44:
643-52.
Southgate DAT. Minerals, trace elements and potential hazards. Am J Clin
Nutr 1987; 45: 1256-66.
Clements MR. The problem of rickets in UK Asians. J Hum Nutr & Dietet 1989;
2: 105-16.
Hallberg L, et al. Phytates and the inhibitory effect of bran on iron
absorption in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987; 45(5): 988.
Balasubraminian R, et al. Effect of wheat bran on bowel function and fecal
calcium in older adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 1987; 6(3): 199.
Hallfisch J, et al. Mineral balances of men and women consuming high fibre
diets with complex or simple carbohydrate. J Nutr. 1987; 117(2): 403.

to mention just a few.

Barry Groves, PhD
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk

----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Caldecott" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2003 8:46 PM
Subject: dietary ratios


> Hello folks,
>
>   i was reviewing Cordain's food pyramid:
>
> http://www.paleofood.de/ENGPaleo/ENGPyramids/engpyramids.html
>
> and contemplating the impact upon patient health and compliance, I
> thought that it would be interesting and helpful to get your feedback
> upon what y'all think of what proportions of different foods should
> comprise of the diet.  Because most folks don't pay all that much
> attention the specific caloric content of their diet, and nor do most
> actually weigh out the foods they eat, I usually recommend dietary
> components in basic proportions (i.e portions of the proverbial pie):
> it makes it easier for patients to actual visualize what to eat.
> According to Cordain's food pyramid, meats make up 56-64% of the total
> caloric intake, which obviously contains some admixture of fat and
> protein depending upon the protein source.  Compared to the
> (non-starchy) vegetable intake, which have an alkalizing effect on pH
> and supply a whole host of vitamins and antioxidant compounds but
> provides little in the way of actual calories, the meat proportion may
> be less in my diet as compared to Cordain, or it may be fairly close:
> there are obviously several variables to take into account here.  Also,
> because in temperate regions vegetation is available for a much longer
> portion of the year than actual fruits, this is reflected in the
> proportion of fruit to vegetable intake I describe below:
>
> 30% meats
> 40% (non-starchy) vegetables
> 15% fats (above that contained in meats, e.g. olive oil, butter,
> coconut oil etc)
> 15% carbohydrate, i.e. temperate fruits (in summer/fall) or starchy
> vegetables (in winter, not potatoes).
>
> I will also allow some whole grains (e.g. rice, oatmeal, barley, but
> not flour) for non-sensitive folks in the CHO portion simply because
> most people will not give them up entirely unless the condition
> requires it (e.g. CVD, diabetes, autoimmunity), and there may be some
> additional benefit as a source of fiber to maintain the GI ecology.
> Although most patients make a "best effort" to achieve the above, in
> some cases its pretty hard to determine what exactly they are eating
> day in and day out (without extensive reporting), so I often gage
> successful implementation upon a reduction in symptoms (e.g. GI
> distress, skin conditions, BP etc.)  I realize that most of you are not
> clinicians, and therefore may not have any experience in implementing
> dietary changes in others, but even still, I would be interested to
> hear how your thoughts or practices compare with the above.
>
> Of course it is impossible to eat completely in a paleolithic fashion,
> and given that most don't live in a paleolithic environment (i.e. most
> of us live in a semi-tropical indoor environment for much of our
> lives), I have modified the diet to reflect this as well, as well as my
> knowledge of dietary practices in traditional Chinese and Indian
> (Ayurvedic) medicine.
>
> Thanks for your thoughts...
>
> Todd Caldecott, Cl.H., AHG
> Clinical Herbalist
> Wild Rose Clinic