I read this after my grassfed burger post.  Great stuff Ron.


Jim Swayze
www.fireholecanyon.com

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: Cordain Bashing why???  RE: Newbie Question - Organ Meats
> From: Ron Hoggan <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Fri, August 01, 2008 5:21 pm
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Hi All, 
> A cacophony of conflicting thoughts reverberate through my mind with each
> unfolding debate in this thread. While I can't offer any resolution to these
> debates (nor would I want to) I would like to add some fuel to the fire of
> some of these hotly contested issues. I am especially interested in
> exploring Cordain's perspective on fats; H-G taste (or lack of it) for fats;
> the healthfullness of fats; rabbit starvation, and; how to apply paleo
> principles to my dietary choices today. 
> I offended Dr. Cordain in a private email when I criticized his perspective
> on fats. He, quite correctly, pointed out that he has published fat
> recommendations that are far in excess of current conventional wisdom. He
> has pressed the envelope a long way and for that he deserves a lot of
> credit. Still, while I believe he is on the right track, I think he has
> stopped short of optimal levels of fat in the most healthful diet, as I
> believe that the evidence from HG eating habits suggests a much higher ratio
> of fats than Dr. Cordain advocates. 
> For instance, V. Stefansson's description (in several of his books about his
> observations during the 11 years spent living on the north coast of Canada
> in the early part of the 20th Century) of the Inuit diet clearly includes a
> very large fat component and, given the climate in which they lived, the
> carb content of their diet was necessarily minimal or non-existent.
> Stefansson repeatedly notes the robust health of these people, along with
> pointing to the complete absence of cancers and other diseases of
> civilization among them. 
> Similarly, indigenous peoples of the North American plains showed a
> preference for fats. Many buffalo jumps still show signs of pits that the
> natives dug out then lined with hides and filled with water. Hot rocks from
> nearby fires were then used to heat the water and render the fats from the
> marrow of buffalo bones that were broken for that purpose. Thus, along with
> tongue and organ meats, marrow fat comprised a large portion of their diet. 
> Anyone who has spent weeks working outside in bitterly cold weather quickly
> learns that eating fat-lots of fat- is much better for keeping warm. In fact
> such working conditions caused me to crave fats during such periods. 
> Gary Taubes, in _Good Calories Bad Calories_, articulates a better case for
> the health benefits of fat consumption than I can offer. Taubes clearly
> establishes that the anti-fat paradigm among health care providers and
> researchers is deeply flawed and should be given little weight until the
> issue is investigated in a more even-handed manner.     
> Even without Taubes' insightful instruction on this issue, the success of
> the ketogenic diet (70% fats 30% protein) in treating drug resistant
> epilepsy and apparently hopeless cancer cases is compelling evidence that
> current anti-fat dietary advice is deeply flawed. Further, the ketogenic
> diet can also help those with insulin resistance recover from the brink of
> type 2 diabetes and eventually resume a fairly "normal" diet. (Whether or
> not that is the best choice is another question.) The ketogenic diet can
> also improve breathing for those who have lung disease. Burning fats causes
> less CO2 production, which reduces the amount that needs to be exchanged for
> oxygen across the mucosal barrier of the lungs. Although the study I read
> indicated that the diet confers about a 10% increase in lung function, I
> have tried this diet myself and I can attest that the improvement in
> function I experienced is closer to 25%. The published study was conducted
> on university students, not 61 year old individuals such as myself with
> compromised lung function due to COPD.   
> The related discussion of rabbit starvation has also been interesting. It
> seems highly unlikely that following Cordain's dietary recommendations would
> result in rabbit starvation. His recommendations, although not as liberal as
> I would endorse, are still much higher than current conventional wisdom.
> Hence, there would be sufficient fats consumed to avoid rabbit starvation,
> which is a condition that results from excessive consumption of protein
> combined with little or no carbohydrate or fat consumption. The weakness and
> dulled thinking that one person attributed to their experience is more
> suggestive of a shift into ketosis or a cycling in and out of ketosis. Those
> symptoms, as I understood them, are entirely consistent with that
> possibility. 
> For myself, I try to eat a diet that includes little refined carbohydrate,
> but is dominated by fresh meats, vegetables, and fruits. However, my diet is
> not strict (except regarding gluten and all dairy products except butter).
> If I made my diet very exacting (as I do with gluten and dairy proteins)
> life would become just too inconvenient. I'm afraid I might experience
> periods of discouragement and give it all up, which would put me in a far
> worse situation. I try to apply principles of paleo nutrition to a
> sufficient degree that I am satisfied with my efforts. I have been chided
> for such a "lax" approach, but my improving health is all the affirmation I
> need.    
> Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far. I have
> thoroughly enjoyed the various perspectives offered. 
> Best Wishes, 
> Ron
> Ron Hoggan, Ed. D.
> co-author Dangerous Grains ISBN: 978158333-129-3 www.dangerousgrains.com 
> author: Get the Iron Edge: a complete guide for meeting your iron needs
> ISBN: 978-0-9736284-4-9 www.ironedge.info
> author Smarten Up! ISBN: 978-0-9736284-3-2 www.smartenup.info           
> editor: Scott-Free Newsletter www.celiac.com
> "Objectivity is the prerogative of objects."