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."