I am usually just a lurker, but I was reading in here about this high
carbohydrate type of diet and just had to write concerning things I have
been reading lately on diet types.

I think a high carb diet is definitely the wrong way to go.  I have been
reading books advocating a low carb / adequate protein type of diet.  Most
people think these are high protein diets, and of course that can cause
problems too.  But these are not advocating high protein, just adequate
protein.  The main emphasis is on eating less carbs.  These books are along
the lines of the Atkins diet, and I have that book too, but have not read it
yet.

There is a growing body of research which shows that carbohydrates, which
turn into sugar in the body, cause all sorts of problems for us.  For one,
they cause a constantly higher insulin level.  The body eventually becomes
insulin resistant, and releases even more insulin to counter the constant
barrage of sugar in the blood.  Diabetes often sets in as a result.  Obesity
is also a result, not of eating too much fat, but of eating too much
carbohydrates.

A high carb diet is suspected to cause problems with the immune system.  It
is not known what causes most cancers, but they do know what most cancers
feed on once started, and it is sugar.

Who knows what other problems the constant high sugar levels, and high
insulin levels could be causing?  The links just have not been found yet.
These factors are bound to have effects in the brain too.

Here are some books to check out:

1)Neanderthin, by Ray Audette
2)Protein Power, by Michael and Mary Dan Eades  (very explanatory on
diabetes, obesity, cholesterol)
3)How I Gave Up my Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds, by Dana Carpender
4)Life Without Bread- How a Low Carbohydrate Diet Can Save Your Life, by
Christian B. Allan, PHD

The first 3 are oriented towards weight loss, but touch on the problems
caused by high carbs and sugar metabolism.  The Life Without Bread book has
a whole chapter devoted to explaining the link between cancer and
carbohydrates.

Following is a quote from the Life Without Bread book:

"Our bodies evolved to require mainly fat and protein.  After all, we are
humans and not bacteria.  The message here is simple.  Fat and protein are
not the foods that cancer cells desire and need.  We strongly believe that
eating a low-carbohydrate diet reduces the risk of cancer because the most
important food for cancer cells is glucose.  The Eskimos who ate only fat
and protein never had any cancer in their population until a Western (high
carbohydrate) diet was introduced.  Why don't we ever hear of cancer of the
heart?  Probably because the heart uses almost all fat for energy, thus
cancer does not have a chance to develop in those cells."

My point is: we don't yet know what other problems the high carb - high
sugar - high insulin levels could be causing.  The books all point out that
our bodies require protein and fats.  We do not need carbohydrates at all in
the diet.  And a vegetarian diet is completely the wrong way to go.  It
starves the body into an unhealthy condition.

Thanks for listening.  FYI:  My mother has Parkinsons.  She won't do the low
carb thing.  She feels at this point and with what she is going through, she
should be able to enjoy eating anything she wants.  My father died of ALS.
I intend to have neither disease.