I'm lucky to have a hearty constitution and come from a long-lived family. Regarding the idea that people died young in the old days (and further back). I'm not sure how much of that was due to diet -- a lot was just injury and other inoperable (since they didn't know how) conditions.

A very good example is appendicitis. I actually had it when I was 24. I guess in the old days I would have just died -- fine one day and dead two days later.

So I don't think you can make claims on longevity one way or the other based on cavemen diet.

However, I do agree that immune system stuff does indicate you should stick to what your ancestors did. My daughter for instance has a wheat/gluten intolerance. My dad has a severe allergy to sesame seeds. These are just things our ancestors never encountered.

They're finding that many, many conditions may be immune related. The whole arterial plaque may be our own body responding to foreign bodies. Some heart disease is likely precipitated by viral infections. Many mental conditions, including schizophrenia are now being studied from the point of view that certain infections can cause/influence the conditions.

So definitely keep your immune system strong, and part of that is eating things compatible with your genes.

Paolo wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:08 pm There are very few fruits I will eat.

Cherries are allegedly a "lower carb" fruit, but not for me. I can only eat 1 baseball-size apple at once. Berries are pretty safe for not spiking my sugar levels.

Melons are a crapshoot. I tend to avoid them, and citrus, other than lemons.

Only rarely do I eat anything with flour involved.

I've laid off anything to do with grains since around Christmas, and I've only had one 'meltdown' since.

It's not easy getting it through to some people with blood sugar problems that they need to learn what carbs are and how to limit them in all forms, even 'good' ones.

Over the last hundred years especially and certainly since Paleolithic times, fruits and grains have been bred to increase carbohydrate contents.

Fruits in Elizabethan times were not, sweet, and that was only 500 years ago.

Nuts are often valuable because of their high fiber content.

Fiber is the left hand to the digestable carbohydrate - right hand. When clasped together the carbohydrate processes much slower. So it ain't all about the carb content.

Some of my tricks -

Emerald makes a dynamite cocoa roasted almond.

Also, there are lots of new carb counting ice cream products.

I don't like Klondike Bars but, their no sugar added crunch style are a preference as if they had sugar for myself and friends.

Von's/Pavilion/Safeway make the best countin' carbs vanilla ice cream and butter pecan fans tell me that one is good too. No one has a worthy chocolate. Dryers and Bryers low carb reduce fat content too, not as yummy.

Don't get hungry. Graze all day.

Pork rinds, cracklins, chicharonas.

Small packages of deli meats to pick at.

Water, water, water and so much water as to pee clear. That curbs hunger too. And for a treat, when well watered, try Diet Ocean Spray Cran Pomagranite juce. Not Light but Diet. Try it to make Diet Jello instead of water. It will produce a potent sugar free Jello treat.

etc.

Some of what I learned last year being on Atkins and maintaining my 25 pound wieght loss.

Carb budgeting.

Good Luck to all who do or need to

Moi

Those of us who no this had to overcome decades of government propaganda encouraging more, pasta.