The potato diet

[C.R.MacDonald]

i there, Jeff! I've been a fan of yours for years, and adhere to the way of eating you prescribe with great results. I feel really fortunate to have discovered you and the other specialists and advocates of this lifestyle. I'm 32 years old, and hope I have a jump start on preventing the onset of many of the diet-related ailments that plague people, especially in their later years.

One topic that has interested me is the "potato diet", which was highlighted in the movie, 'The Martian' with Matt Damon, and the gentleman in social media with the moniker Spud Fit, who is experiencing excellent results just halfway into his 1-year potato diet (he takes a B12 supplement, also).

While food variety is likely recommended for long-term adherence, I am wondering if a person theoretically could continue this way of eating long-term (longer than a year) with sustained excellent health. I'm aware the Okinawa diet in the 1950s saw populations eat sweet potatoes for the majority of their calories (with small amounts of fish, nuts/seeds, etc.). But is it possible to one can thrive on "just" potatoes long-term (with B12 supplementation)? Would a person be deficient in any vital nutrients? And is there a concern of eating "too many" potatoes resulting in too much potassium/ hyerkalemia?

Thanks for taking time to address my hypothetical questions, and for being a nutritional inspiration of mine. Keep up the great work!

C.R.MacDonald

[JeffN]

Hi there, Jeff! I've been a fan of yours for years, and adhere to the way of eating you prescribe with great results. I feel really fortunate to have discovered you and the other specialists and advocates of this lifestyle. I'm 32 years old, and hope I have a jump start on preventing the onset of many of the diet-related ailments that plague people, especially in their later years.

Thank you.

One topic that has interested me is the "potato diet", which was highlighted in the movie, 'The Martian' with Matt Damon, and the gentleman in social media with the moniker Spud Fit, who is experiencing excellent results just halfway into his 1-year potato diet (he takes a B12 supplement, also).

First, these questions come up from time to time, like how little protein can we survive on, how long can one fast, how long can one live on just "x", etc etc and while I appreciate the art of waxing philosophical, I don't engage in these discussions on this board for two main reasons.

1) we have a nation where over 70% are overweight and obese, less than 5% of the population follows the basic criteria of a healthy lifestyle and less then 1% meet the basic criteria of a healthy diet. That is where I like to spend my time, efforts and energy.

2) I recommend a simple, sound & commonsense approach to diet, health and exercise of which, variety is one of the 5 key principles. I don't recommend extreme forms of exercise nor do I recommend extreme forms of diet, which I would consider most of the above mentioned topics I listed.

Second, we are actually talking about two different things here. In The Martian, he actually didn't live on potatoes alone. He used potatoes as his main source of calories and also took a multivitamin every day.

We have documented cases of people living extended periods of time on very limited diets but I am not sure of the value of this to you and me outside of the fact they did it. The human body is truly amazing and has the ability to survive many different forms of extreme situations. But we already know that.

So, while I find these attempts at extended mono food (i.e. potato) diets somewhat interesting, I don't see them as valuable to addressing the real problems at hand. If anything, more of a distraction.

What we really need are heroes who have decades of simple, sound and sensible living. Not extremes of exercise or eating.

I would be more interested in someone posting every day for a year how they are following the basics of this lifestyle and the MWL program and doing it very simply, easily, inexpensively, without any expensive or complicated gadgets, products, foods, super foods, fancy exercise equipment, exercise clothing, or even recipes, etc, etc while living an everyday ordinary simple life.

While food variety is likely recommended for long-term adherence, I am wondering if a person theoretically could continue this way of eating long-term (longer than a year) with sustained excellent health. I'm aware the Okinawa diet in the 1950s saw populations eat sweet potatoes for the majority of their calories (with small amounts of fish, nuts/seeds, etc.). But is it possible to one can thrive on "just" potatoes long-term (with B12 supplementation)? Would a person be deficient in any vital nutrients? And can you eat "too many" potatoes resulting in hyerkalemia?

I would not consider the Okinawa diet limited in variety of either foods or types of foods.

Thanks for taking time to address my hypothetical questions, and for being a nutritional inspiration of mine. Keep up the great work!

Thanks!

In Health
Jeff

[C.R.MacDonald]

Makes sense I'm not personally looking to adopt such diet. I just asked the question out of general interest and curiosity. The Spud Fit gentleman came up with the idea in defence of the potato, to show that potatoes are healthy and shouldn't be villified. In the process, his blood work/ health markers and weight improved dramatically. However, he says that he will be adopting the diet recommended by Dr. McDougall once the year is up.

Thanks for addressing my questions!

C.R.MacDonald

[JeffN]

I don't recommend extreme forms of exercise nor do I recommend extreme forms of diet, which I would consider most of the above mentioned topics I listed.

Silly me, I guess now they do!

Kale eating contest to gather professional eaters in Buffalo
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2016/07/05/ ... 467740743/

[JeffN]

What we really need are heroes who have decades of simple, sound and sensible living. Not extremes of exercise or eating.

I would be more interested in someone posting every day for a year how they are following the basics of this lifestyle and the MWL program and doing it very simply, easily, inexpensively, without any expensive or complicated gadgets, products, foods, super foods, fancy exercise equipment, exercise clothing, etc, etc while living an everyday ordinary simple life.

This article in the NY Times reminded me of the point I'm trying to convey here and about our "movement."

NYTimes:
The Class Politics of Decluttering

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/18/opini ... ering.html

In Health
Jeff

[JeffN]

I would be more interested in someone posting every day for a year how they are following the basics of this lifestyle and the MWL program and doing it very simply, easily, inexpensively, without any expensive or complicated gadgets, products, foods, super foods, fancy exercise equipment, exercise clothing, or even recipes, etc, etc while living an everyday ordinary simple life.

And without featuring or highlighting body images that are unrealistic and unnecessary for most of us, which I think often does more harm than good.

On one of the McDougall FB groups, a picture of a vegan cardiologist was posted who looks very fit, with a cut body.

I posted this...

Remember, she says she has always been an athlete. Not just an active person, but a "competitive" athlete. She looked like that long before she went vegan. She works out 6 days/week, 2x a day. I have seen over 25K patients since 1985. I would say maybe a dozen look like that or wanted to. For them, more power to them. For the rest of the 99%, it is important to know that it is not the goal, is not required, and of no additional benefit. None of the centenarians or Blue Zones look like that. Also, all the extra training and working out required, raises your risk of injury, which she has had to endure over the years. As the article of mine that was recently posted explained, a brisk walk 30-60 minutes, 5-6x a week, and not being sedentary all day, is "more then enough" for excellent health.

PS, if you are watching the Olympics, you will see 100's of humans who look like that and eat CRAP, so looking like that is not an endorsement (or proof) of health (which is our goal).

In Health
Jeff