[aruanan]

Please explain how the Eskimos were able to survive (before they adopted a Westernized diet).

A high protein diet provides amino acids that can be deaminated and used for the gluconeogenic pathway. And some so-called ketone bodies can be used by the brain. It's not an ideal situation. This, along with diease, is one reason why the lifespan of hunter/gatherers tended to be really short. Even in the more temperate California, there were some Indian groups with an average lifespan of 19.

[Katie_Colic]

I'm glad you answered like this, because I agree. I guess where we part ways is that the studies I've seen show that health improves when sugar intake is drastically lowered or temporarily eliminated. And of course nothing can convince someone more than their own personal anecdotal evidence. My experience with eliminating most sugar was that I lost and kept off 32 pounds, my insomnia went away, my depression and panic attacks went away, my chronic sore throat and earache went away, my allergies improved, my heartburn went away and my skin improved.

But I am interesting in soaking up information, so please tell me what was killing off the hunter/gatherers at such a young age besides disease, predators, childbirth and infant mortality. I already know it wasn't heart disease. What was it? What were the physiological ailments caused by periods of ketosis?