When Atkins, and other low-carb diets, first came on the scene, critics said that they were fad diets. Fads--the very definition is that they come and go in an instant. Anyone remeber the fashion fads of the '80's? What a nightmare! (But they are coming back!) Those were fads...trends that didn't stick around for longer than a season...

But the low-carb diets have been around longer than a fad typically lasts--for at least 30-40 years. (Those are the well known diets...the highly publicized diets, anyway.) There are actually evidence of low carb diets being used back in the 1800's, which were very successful in helping the participants lose weight faster than any other diet that was available during that time period. In the resources section, you will find the articles talking more about that.

However, there is even more evidence that a low-carb diet, complete with little to no grains goes back to the Paleolithic age in our earth's history--the "cavemen". Of course, if you do not believe in the evolutionary theory, you can still read this as the "hunter-gatherer" way of life. This was common for many cultures throughout history--even today, there are still a few tribes of people who live by hunting and gathering their food supplies the traditional ways. I will get to that in a later section.

This way of eating has been around since our species started life. As our ancestors began eating more fats and meats, their brains significantly developed, as well as their height. This is telling...even today, babies and young children are not to be on a low fat diet, so that their brains can develop properly. Current dietary advice is to not give anything less than whole milk to kids under 2 years old. (Of course, not to babies under 1 year old...) Why? The fats in the milk help the brain to develop properly...as well as the rest of their little bodies.

If whole milk is desirable for brain development for toddlers, then why is it not desirable for adults? I will answer this question later, but for now, let's just say that the government has been wrong about many things, and this is one of them.

A "caveman", low carb diet is not new or a fad by any means. In fact, it may be the oldest "fad" diet out there!

First of all, obesity is not the cause of diseases. But obesity and other diseases have a common cause--too much carbohydrates in the diet. By carbohydrates, I mean the grains and starches that was never meant to be in our diet, and yet, they permeate our lives in the forms of junk food, and "wholesome" food.

Second, diets low in protein is a nutritional nightmare, due to the fact that the body needs protein to burn off the sugar (carbohydrates) we take in. If we are not eating enough protein to burn off the carbs we eat, then our bodies turn the excess carbs into fat. Protein and fats do not make us fat, nor do they contribute to heart disease. (More on that in a second.)

Lastly, low calorie diets and low fat diets do not work, and in fact, will make you look flabby, old, and tired. These diets also increase the chances of depression, apathy, and intellectual numbness. Is it any wonder there are so many products designed now to help keep you awake and alert? And is it any wonder that there are so many sleep related auto accidents?

Now, to the science of the above claims. Cholesterol...that's a touchy subject among scientists, nutritionists, and doctors. (Among many other professionals...and lay people.) The widely accepted claim is that saturated fats will create cholesterol in your body, which then collects in your arteries, and then you will have a heart attack, or have heart disease. But scientific studies have shown that this is just not true.

Carbohydrates are converted to sugars in the body, and if the sugars are not used by the body, it then converts into body fat. It is also converted into cholesterol, which is the body's way of obtaining oxygen in a poor diet. (Lacking enough protein and fats...the standard American diet, or SAD.) When a diet creates this in the body, cholesterol levels go up, creating the undesired effects.

In low fat or low calorie diets, the body's ageing is accelerated. This is due to the blood vessels increaing their lipid production. The body needs fats to look young, retain soft skin, and keep brain function at its peak. And when low-fat or low calorie diets are used to attempt weight reduction, the skin loses elasticity and smoothness. Case in point: my daughter has had skin problems for several years--very rough, and every so often, certain places on her body would erupt into a sort of eczema rash--very painful for her. When I discovered how the fats in a diet can help the skin become smoother, I told her about it.

She tried it, and soon after beginning eating more fats, her skin started clearing right up! This is very encouraging--how would this work for people worried about looking old? Try it!

I will not go into much more science here, but you are encouraged to visit the resource links throughout this hub for more science information. Also, in one month (February 29th), I am rolling out a new site that will give you much more information on low-carb diets--the kind that we are meant to eat...the kind that we "grew up" on, so to speak. Paleo Diet Society is a place where you can come in, take off your shoes, get comfy and learn the secrets that the government is trying to keep from you--secrets that can take you off medications forever! The URL is listed in the resources section.

So, you've read this far--got through the resources, weighed the alternatives, and now you are ready to begin turning your health around and lose some weight! That is what this section is for. Not only will you learn what to eat and what to avoid, you will also learn some practical applications for making this eating plan super easy and deliciously yummy. When you like what you are eating, you will be more apt to stick to the plan.

The basics of the plan is simple: avoid grains, potatoes, beans (including peanuts as they are part of the legume family), refined sugars, rice, and, some people say, dairy products. Of course, if you can tolerate dairy well, and you love dairy products, I see no reason to continue eating dairy, as long as it comes from grass fed cows, or from cows not treated with antibiotics and growth hormones.

What can you eat? There are still many wonderful options: meat, fish, eggs, fruit, berries, vegetables and nuts. Molasses, honey, and agave nectar are excellant sources for sweetening foods, should you need them. Coconut oil, butter, and olive oil are encouraged fats to use on this plan. Do not use polyunsaturated fats, as these cause heart problems more than saturated fats do. (Again, for the science behind this, visit the appropriate resources.)

Now, I have always loved baking cookies, cakes, etc. But that is a problem, considering those products use grains and refined sugars. However, I found a way around this. I use nut flours and nut meal, along with arrowroot powder, to make my loved baked goods. This does not have the higher calorie, low nutrition that traditional baked goods have, nor do they contribute to putting extra carbohydrates/sugar into your body, creating extra body fat and cholesterol. N ow if you are allergic to nuts, this will not work for you, and you may need to avoid baked goods altogether. But, if you are not, then you may want to try the following recipe.

Here is one of my best recipes:

Pecan Bread

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp. honey

4 eggs

2 cups pecan meal

1/2 cup arrowroot powder

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour batter onto a greased cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

You can use this bread for sandwiches, toast, or any other uses that you use bread for.

At the Paleo Diet Society, you will find more recipes like this...

You will need to rethink many of your meals. For example, if you like asian dishes, which use rice at nearly every meal, you will want to cut out the rice, and just eat the meat and vegetables. If you want a little more than that, you can use the bread recipe above as a side. All it takes is a little attitude adjustment, and creative thinking.

Mentally adjusting yourself to a way of eating without grains will be the hardest part of this way of eating. Remember that you didn't start out eating this way, and you have been eating grains all your life. It's part of the SAD, right? It started out when you were a baby, and your parents gave you rice cereal. Then, as you grew, you had bread, cereal, and pasta. It then got worse as you discovered fast food...

Just remember--if you have grains now and then as you are adjusting, that doesn't make you a bad person. It just means that you had some grains. It also just means that you are getting used to a new way of eating, and it will take some time to adjust fully. But keep at it, and you will succeed--not only in overcoming grains, but also in better health, improved energy, and overall fitness. Exercise will not be as hard when you stop eating grains, and start eating the caveman way. It will become a natural thing to exercise.

Give yourself space to make mistakes, keeping your goal in front of you--health, weight loss, and improved vitality.