Page 77 - Spring2009

All Thumbs Book Reviews

system by way of the vagus nerve. Both research Another curiosity is the inclusion of some Carbohydrates
and anecdotal evidence support the gut-brain very processed items in a diet that otherwise are the only
connection. eschews such foods. Saccharin gets equal bill-
While half of Breaking the Vicious Cycle ing with raw honey, diet sodas with aspartame macronutrient

leads us through the science behind the Specific are limited to once per week (because they may without which
Carbohydrate Diet, the other half translates that contain lactose) and those with saccharin can be humans can
science into a highly detailed picture of what can consumed two to three times weekly. Inflamma-
and cannot be eaten, how to time the reintroduc- tory corn and soybean oils are permitted, yogurt still thrive, so
tion of formerly excluded foods, and many, many can be made with all forms of milk, including it is therefore
recipes to ease the diet transition. This section powdered, and although saturated fat supports no surprise that
is indispensable to the implementation of the gut health, the author allows the substitution of
plan, but it’s also where I begin to have a few low-fat foods. when they
quarrels. But these, as I said, are smaller quarrels comprise the
While explaining that the heart of her ap- with an otherwise very valuable addition to the
proach is to deprive intestinal pathogens of their understanding of gut health. Carbohydrates are largest part of
energy source—fermented bacteria—Gottschall the only macronutrient without which humans any diet,

mentions nothing about the support of beneficial can still thrive, so it is therefore no surprise that trouble will
bacteria. Apart from yogurt, no information on when they comprise the largest part of any diet, certainly
fermented foods is forthcoming, and one is left trouble will certainly follow.
to wonder how much more rapid the results might Review by Jill Ebbott follow.
be if the diet incorporated both approaches. In the
same vein, when discussing fats there is nothing Jill Ebbott is a holistic health counselor in
about coconut oil, and this seems like another Brookline, MA specializing in helping her clients
lost opportunity. Coconut oil is anti-bacterial, achieve vibrant health through the wise use of
anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, and it nour- nutrient-dense foods.
ishes the growth of good bacteria. In short, it’s
everything you want to ease a dysbiotic gut.

CEREAL KILLER
By Alan L. Watson
Diet Heart Publishing, 2008

Cereal Killer takes us on a quick review of how the lipid theory of heart disease began and introduces us to the politi-
cally incorrect notables who dared to question it. Among those mentioned are Weston Price himself and his book Nutrition
and Physical Degeneration, Gary Taubes (Good Calories, Bad Calories), Kaayla Daniel, PhD (The Whole Soy Story), Dr. Mary
Enig (Know Your Fats), Sally Fallon (Nourishing Traditions), Dr. Robert Atkins and Dr. Ron Schmid (The Untold Story of Milk).
He even puts in a plug for the Weston A. Price Foundation and realmilk.com. Can’t complain about that.
While Watson addresses the dangers of breakfast cereals that come from an extruder, that specific topic doesn’t cover
as many pages in the book as you might expect from the title. He does cite the 1960 University of Michigan study showing
that rats survived longer eating cardboard than eating cornflakes. He also points out oddities like Yogurt Burst Cheerios
meriting awards from the American Heart Association even though the breakfast cereal is thirty percent sugar.
Cereal Killer does a reasonable job of painting the big picture of the current dietary mess in the U.S. and our irrational
fear of saturated fat. However none of this material will be new to an educated member of the Foundation.
Review by Tim Boyd
SPRING 2009 Wise Traditions 75