> Dear joe and list.
>
> Like what warnings....why is ketosis considered so "dangerous' isn't it just
> as dangerous or more so to be on a hi carb/sugar diet????(not a flame, just
> wondering why ketosis is called dangerous and sugar pops is considered a
> complete breakfast....)
>
>
Mary-- if you have a web browser and do a search on "ketosis and health
risks," you'll come up with a lot of reputable sites (board-certified MDs
and the like) that pooh-pooh the idea of sending one's body into ketosis.
The main thesis is that it alters the proper balance between potassium and
sodium, thereby creating a lot of short-term ill-effects (e.g., irregular
heartbeat) that have the potential for more serious consequences later on.
I think the basic ideas in The Paleolithic Solution and Neanderthin
ring true-- and are a good prescription for keeping one's weight down in a
healthy manner.  However, this solution for keeping trim has nothing to do
with ketosis.  Hunter-gatherer diets appeared to have been varied during
the course of a year (Jack Challem's article referenced on The Paleolithic
Diet home page gives a figure of 150 food types in a given year, 100 in a
given month), and with but a few exceptions were not low in carbohydrate.
However, the carbs were complex and/or came packaged with a lot of fiber.
I would be more than a little cautious in giving up a diet that did not
contain a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables.  Personally, I have given up
grains and dairy (the heart of the caveman diet), but I am quick to
remember that the Japanese have one of the most enviable set of statistics
on healthfulness and longevity in the world (e.g., Japanese women have a
life expectancy of 82.3 years) and rice served with vegetables and soy
products is at the heart of their diet.  Cheers!

Gregg C.
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