"…diet and nutrition can go a long way in reversing…maladies and restoring people to health.

In the January 2010 BLO newsletter I stated that because of a number of mysterious ailments, as well as some all too common modern maladies, I was starting a new diet. For simplicity we can call it the "No Grain" diet. I said that I would be reporting on the progress of the diet or the course of my health because my health problems are some of the most common and serious being experienced in America.

There may be something valuable to be learned about the role of diet in controlling modern degenerative diseases connected to weight gain or obesity, which now afflicts over half of America's adult population and is rapidly rising among juveniles. One thing I've noticed is that suddenly people around me are doing similar diets and I'll report on that later. Those people are part of my new Diet Tribe.

Recently I had concluded that my major problems centered around ineffective digestion. The basic aim of the diet was to control insulin spikes from carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and once stabilized, to stay on a "no grain", low carbohydrate diet emphasizing protein and healthy fats from animal sources plus green and non-starchy vegetables.

However, a second major aspect of the diet plan was elimination of cow's milk because of a recently revealed problem of A-1 milk cows producing a mutated protein known as A-1 beta casein. Due to the mutation, people lacking good digestive health are evidently prone to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other maladies that I either suffer or appear to be on the verge of having. I should mention that in 2003 I underwent heart bypass surgery.

Because I had been drinking raw, whole cow's milk, which I loved and to which I attributed some health improvements (including elimination of tooth decay), I hated to give up milk. Since butter, and apparently cream, are low in the A-1 beta casein protein, I would be able to continue those and have. I considered switching to goat's milk but discovered goat kefir, a yogurt-like dairy product that I found very tasty and thus ate/drank in quantity.

Most recently I ran out of the kefir and decided to give it up for awhile to see what that would do. After a few days (actually nights) I noticed a dramatic drop in night-time mucous production that has plagued me for years causing serious sleep disruption. This disruption effect reportedly contributes to heart disease and probably a shortened life span, not to speak of brain fog and grogginess through much of my daytime existence. Then there's the progressive memory loss thing which we mistakenly ascribe to getting old.

Again, the purpose here is not simply to bore or burden readers with my health complaints, but to shed possible light on maladies afflicting major segments of the American population. A further purpose is to hopefully demonstrate that diet and nutrition can go a long way in reversing those maladies and restoring people to health.

Many had suggested that dairy foods (particularly milk) were causing my mucous congestion problem. I didn't want to believe it, but maybe milk is my enemy and maybe I am among the "milk intolerant" or allergic, despite the type of milk.

Insulin spiking from carbohydrates is a major factor in the body's making and laying down excess fat, leading to possible obesity as well as Type II diabetes and fatty liver (which I've learned I have). Doctors tell me I'm border line on diabetes. I really don't want to cross that border.

A secondary objective of the "no-grain" diet is to end sugar cravings, which is what causes many people to go off their diets and start putting on weight. One of the main, painful things I had to do was give up my morning sourdough toast slathered in butter. Despite what you hear about the unhealthful effects of butter, it is utterly untrue. Grain is the villain.

I can say that after a month I have largely lost all sugar cravings and have almost no temptation to eat sweets. I have also been taking cod liver oil and fish oil.

Finally, while I'm not keeping records, I believe my weight is going down. While I am far from restored, I feel better overall and notice that I'm able to get through the work day better and with less fatigue, brain fog and headaches.

It's working.