> You know, I probably should try this experiment.  I've mentioned
>   before that I have a running debate with a colleague about diet.
>   He has been on the McDougall diet for a couple of years now, and
>   seems to be doing very well on it.  He has lost quite a lot of
>   weight, and indeed in that respect he is the "winner" of the
>   debate, since he has become leaner than me.  And he started out
>   fatter.  The McDougall diet, as you probably know is a
>   starch-based diet that makes extensive use of tubers.  On the
>   other hand, I also know people who had no success at all with the
>   McDougall diet and were miserable the whole time they tried it.
>   I suspect I would fall into that category, but you're right that
>   I really should try the experiment.
>
>   Todd Moody
>   [log in to unmask]
>
Todd,

I caught this piece of your post while skimming and had to comment.
Forgive me if it's out of context with the original subject.  Your
friend will be the loser of the debate over the long haul.  If you try
your experiment, I hope you keep it brief (unlike this boring story),
'cause your a nice guy and I'd miss your posts here :-)

My husband and I were McDougallites for some 10 years, from age 27 to
36.  Neither of us was overweight to start, and we had already been
vegetarians for 3 years.  By 36, I ended up with dangerously low
cholesterol levels, fat deficiencies, immune deficiency, (iron
deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, Epstien Barr, low white counts)
hypoglycemia, Crohn's Disease, gluten allergies (IgE, IgG, not confirmed
with anti-gliadin antibodies or biposy) Adrenal Insufficiency and
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and big time hormone imbalances.  Probably
osteoporosis too, but I haven't had the tests yet.

This stuff showed up in hints throughout that ten years, but the
high-carbo charge and the TONS of food I ate masked those "little
problems" with loads of energy. ((I was MEAN if I didn't eat every few
hours.  At 120 lbs., I ate as much as my 175 lb. husband and didn't gain
an ounce.  The appendix thing happened during that time too.  [See the
appendix subject headings the past few days here].) But very quickly,
within about a year's time at the end there, my health plummeted.  I was
a bony 95 lbs. when I shuffled into the 1st gastroenterologist, who
treated me like dirt.  So, working mostly on my own, but with the help
of a very nice chiro-nutritionist who did a bunch of blood tests, I
began eating meat and was strong enough at 100 lbs. to tolerate the
abuse of a second gastro. I was 37 by then.  I told him that within a
short year's time, I could no longer hike any distance over rugged
terrain, lift much weight, bike, canoe, split and stack firewood, swing
a pick in my garden--all the stuff I did and loved to do all my life.  I
had always been athletic (but not to jock degree), competing with six
brothers--sprinting, long-distance running, swimming, soft ball.  Give
our Philip Thrift a female bod and that was me, pre-veg plus half-way
through the veg period.  Now, I'm Popeye's Olive Oil!  So I told this
second gastro, in addition to all the above, that I'd lost a fifth of my
body weight, all muscle, and couldn't gain any more back no matter how
much protein I ate.  The little portly fellow smiled and said, "I wish I
had your problem!"  The third bunch of doctors blew me off for over a
year until I went in on a hospital emergency, where they were able to
see at least 2 feet of diseased small bowel on a CT scan.  That was less
than a year ago.

Moral:  I stuck by my Mc Dougall diet for much longer than a body can
stand, and dang am I paying for it now.  It snuck up on me and I went
down real fast. I'm done at 41.  And, boy, did I eat my share, plus the
rest of civilzation's, TUBERS during that time!  (Sorry, Amadeus.  Just
had to sneak that one in.  I can see my frenzied antibodies now saying,
"Look fellas, more tuber molecules stuck in these nooks and crannies
here--let's get 'em!")

I know another McDougallite, male, who ended up, after only 3 years on
that diet, with an incurable autoimmune disease called Pemphigus (His
immune system attacks his skin--not pretty.)  He was only 95 lbs. when
he began the type O diet and began to miraculously reverse his
disease.   I haven't checked in on him in a while, but he was so
inspired by diet change, he began a non-profit blood-type organization.
See   http://www.er4yt.org/Foundation/Board.html

The jury's still out on my husband.  He's had bowel and allergy problems
from the start, eats SAD now, has nasty dark circles under his eyes,
gets agitated very easily and forgets things.  He broke a wrist rather
easily a couple years ago.  He used to be a laid-back clown and a darn
good shortstop.  Now he's getting a paunch and love handles, but at
least adding the meat back has put those handles back into use;-)

Your friend may poo-poo this story (pun intended), and he may be ahead
in the weight-loss battle, but your're way ahead of him on smarts.

Best of luck on your tuber-trial,
Lois