I breed and show dogs.  As a breeder I have been amazed at how much is
genetic rather than environmentally caused.  I have come to believe that
living organisms are born with genetic parameters in place which can be
altered by the environment. 

My genes want me to be fat!  But paleo low carb eating and exercising like
Art DeVany has helped me to avoid that destiny so far  :)
-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of Gale

Exactly my thinking as well Paula.  
   
  I hope people don't take my postings to mean that I am critical of the
paleolithic diet concept or not convinced of the importance of diet as an
environmental factor in what are ostensibly genetic diseases.  
   
  Quite the opposite.  I have chosen to follow the paleolithic diet because
my reason tells me that this is the starting point for a healthy diet.  But
my reason also gives me allowance to question things.  And I do not approach
diet (or anything else for that matter) from the perspective of belief.  
   
  I am not a scientist but I have the great pleasure of working with
scientists and I am able to learn new things every day because of that.  The
more I learn the more I am given to understand the absolutely vital role of
genes in everything.
   
  I am not just struggling against my genes when it comes to metabolic
syndrome (thankfully, unlike many of you, I am not having to be concerned
with cancer).  I am also struggling against my genetic propensity for
certain behavioral issues as well.  I have come to believe that a lot of my
personality is genetically determined. But that does not disempower me - in
fact, it gives me a basis for understanding that many of those things which
I dislike about myself (speed to anger for one) can be overcome if I have
self-awareness.  Just like being self-aware about diet gives me the
possibility of overcoming my genetic susceptibility for things like Type II
Diabetes.
   
  Taubes has given me much of this hope.  By understanding the environmental
factors involved, we have the option of trying to control these factors.  My
previous point regarding genetic destiny is really about tempering our very
human tendency to make incredibly broad assumptions merely because we want
them to be so.  
   
  Diet may have an incredible statistical relevance to metabolic syndrome,
for example, while potentially not having the same relevance to a different
genetic susceptibility - pcos for example.  I don't know what the stastical
relevancy will turn out to be - nobody does.  But it seems to me that
assuming that for everything the relevance is high is simply wishful
thinking.
   
  gale