Continued … The 40/30/30 diet was primarily to improve athletic performance in endurance athletes and the movement largely stemmed from there [Daoust was a former bodybuilder]. Dr. Mark A. Jenkins says that insulin signals a "fed state" and instructs the body to store fuels for use later and promotes uptake and storage of glucose in muscle and fat cells. The body has a series of checks and balances and there are counter-regulatory hormones (glucagon, catecholamines, and cortisol) which give the opposite signal to insulin as well.

When there is insufficient biological action of insulin then diabetes mellitus occurs. There are two types of diabetes: insulin dependent (IDDM) and non-insulin dependent (NIDDM). The mechanisms are complex, but research shows that the insulin receptor's insensitivity to insulin is the crucial first step in the process. The clustering of obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperinsulinemia in certain individuals has been termed "Syndrome X", or "the deadly quartet". Genetic predisposition and lifestyle are important in the development of Syndrome X and other examples of insulin resistance.

It is not hyperinsulinemia that is the problem, it is the receptor. It has been repeatedly shown in the medical literature that increasing the sensitivity of peripheral insulin receptors reduces hyperinsulinemia and hypertension. This process is termed insulin sensitization and is accomplished by aerobic exercise, low-fat / high-carbohydrate diet, and reduction of excessive body fat. Conversely, obesity and high fat diets have been shown to induce insulin resistance. It is important that the high carbohydrate diet have predominantly complex carbohydrates and also have a high fiber content.

For example in a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology (Am J Cardiol 1992;69:440-444), diabetic patients (NIDDM), insulin resistant patients, and normal controls were started a 3 week program of diet ( 75 - 80% carbohydrate, 10-15% protein, and <10%>

Now this appears to fly in the face of both the Atkins and Zone diets. So what can we believe? Well, now we come to the Higham diet. James Higham believes that it is not only the percentage balance which is vital but mainly the ingredients in the diet – that is, not all carbos are good, although most proteins are. There’s also fat and fat. It seems to Higham that common sense is the dictate here.

Everyone knows that fruit is good, grains are great, green veggies such as broccoli have certain properties, carrot and tomato contain nutrients and so on and so on. Everyone knows you need some oil, e.g. fish oil and olive oil. Everyone knows that simple carbos, alcohol, salt and sugar need to be reduced.

Deep down, everyone knows that when the total calorie intake exceeds the burning, then obesity results and then all sorts of problems. So daily exercise is absolutely necessary – partly aerobic and partly anaerobic. Higham also feels that if you have a failing e.g. if you love chocolate or a smoke after nooky, then you should continue that because the psychological factor is the X factor.

Then come the social and spiritual aspects – family, children, friends, an active life, feeling of security and so on. They impinge on health enormously.

Don’t forget the role of ‘enough sleep’ as well and rest breaks during the day.

In other words, a widely varied diet, taken in small portions four or five times a day, exercise, rest and all the things we enjoy in life, taken together, will produce the result we want. Then you don’t need any faddy diets and don’t run risks nearly so much.