On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 13:21 Paul Sand wrote:

>recently I read The Schwarzbein
>Principle (yes I know it's just another low
>carb  book) and she claims that
>for many people low carb dieting induces
>too low insulin levels. She doesn't
>define how low is too low but she claims
>that too low insulin levels are
>even more dangerous than too high. She
>claims that our body should run on a
>mixture of carbs and fat so very low carb
>diets are unhealthy.
>

From what you say, she's another one of those people (like Sears) who call
for a 'balanced' diet.  Run a mile when you come across advocates of a
balanced diet.  <Balance> is code for 'just what fits
in with my
prejudices and ignorance'.  What sort of balance would humans have been
able to practice in the Pleistocene?  Plentiful, tasty fruit on odd days
in autumn, meat in abundance after a big kill.  Days without anything in
harder times, even days without water.  Gorging, missing a meal, walking
long distances, engaging in intense sprints after small game or
young/disabled birds, stretching out in the sun.

Rob Faigin's Natural Hormonal Enhancement diet simulates these peaks and
troughs - the only book I know to advocate dynamic imbalance and to do it
for exercise and food intake combined.  Basing his diet on Paleo
principles (though not Paleo foods, sadly), he advocates very high carbs
for two meals a week to stimulate the insulin for all its many advantages
and low carbs, moderate protein and moderate/high fat for the rest of the
time.

And Faigin gives you the principles, gen
eral guidance and leaves you to
create your own combination.  More Paleo than Eades, Atkins or even
Cordain; matched only by Audette.

Ori Hoffmeckler's Warrior Diet (which I do not endorse) has as a key
principle one big meal in the evening, high in protein and moderate in
carbs and containing around 1500-3000 kcal.

Keith