Hello,

I finally received my copy of Loren Cordain's book "The Paleo Diet"
today.

I'm quite disappointed in it.

What I had heard when it was originally announced, was that it was going
to be a book that presented the scientific facts about why the eating of
the Foods of Civilization was causing the Diseases of Civilization.

In other words, a rigorous but relatively readable book for medical
professionals, as well as media reporters in the medical field.
Something that might sway medical opinion in those cases where open
minds exist.

Instead, it is a full-on diet book, with recipes and meal plans.
Neanderthin has more scientific and intellectual content, surprisingly
enough (NOT because Ray is a lightweight in that area - he is not - but
because Cordain is a heavyweight in that area).

Of course, the more  "diet book" style Paleo books are released, the
LESS credibility the concept will receive in the world of open-minded
medical researchers.

Secondly, while the book is supposedly attacking many myths of the
modern diet, it actually accepts many of them.   This is surprising,
since the book has a quote from the Eades on both covers, and the Eades
quote Cordain extensively in their most recent book (in fact, it has
more specifics on Cordain research than Cordain's own book!), but their
books don't buy into the same myths that Cordain's does, which are:

- "Saturated Fats are Bad"  This myth is debunked in the book "The
Cholesterol Myths : Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and
Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease by Uffe Ravnskov" or at his web site
(http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm).  Drs. Enig and Fallon also
have debunked this myth.

- "You can't eat too many good carbohydrates" This ignores any of the
recent scientific research on hormones by Dr. Sears (cf "The Age Free
Zone") or the clinical research of Drs. Eades or Atkins.

- "The current glut of low-carb fad diets"  An amazing statement that
immediately brings up the thought "People in glass houses...."
considering the recipes and meal plans found in the book.

- "Low carbo doesn't mean low cholesterol" The book then cites a study
of NINE subjects, and then says that this means that high saturated fats
means high cholesterol.   Drs. Eades and Atkins have measured the
cholesterol levels of nine hundred subjects, maybe nine thousand.

What it seems to me is that Dr. Cordain sold the rights to the words
"The Paleo Diet" and his name to some ghost writer who wrote the book.

PS  What I am actually now looking forward to, is the mass market
paperback release in January of the REAL "Paleo Diet" book, namely
"Protein Power Lifeplan" by Drs. Eades....


--
Cheers,

Ken
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