The arguments regarding Inuits doing well on low carb sway me about as much as the arguments that Japanese people do well on a diet of rice and noodles sway the dedicated low-carber. Different strokes, and (given the right person and other lifestyle choices) it is clearly possible to live pretty well on any kind of fuel.
Whilst I appreciate how useful low carb diets can be to reduce spikes / reduce insulin requirements etc. I do tend to worry a little about a Western person with a Western lifestyle who is going to eat Western-style fats and proteins doing low-carb for life. The Westerner's fats and proteins are not likely to come from whales, fish and seals (yes, I know I'm generalising there but you get my drift).
I realise that the body will lay down excess carbohydrate as fat, but fat layed down due to excess carbs has not had to travel through the digestive tract.
Is there any evidence to show what effect a diet that is very high in fat vs carbs has on the digestive tract? I have no references to quote here, but go by generally held truths (which may be old wives tales, you tell me...) regarding gallstones being caused by a high fat diet and that bowel cancer rates are increased by eating a diet high in fat. I can see why some folks low-carb but doesn't it worry you that by treating diabetes in an effective manner you may be causing harm to other aspects of your system? I know that SOMETHING has to kill you in the end, but the idea is to minimise risk in as many areas as possible. Is low-carbing a case of reducing risk with diabetes but increasing risk elsewhere? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
It just seems to me that doing everything in moderation and nothing to excess is no bad thing. I agree completely that the Western diet contains too many carbs, but it also contains too much of everything else as well
I am, of course, speaking from the fortunate position of being able to have a highly varied diet that I enjoy whilst for the most part keeping my numbers fairly civilised. My position regarding low-carb and me may change if my body no longer tollerated the variety as well as it currently does.
Gary
