Banting's Keto Diet

[BloodThirsty]

For anyone who has not read William Banting's Letter on Corpulence here is the 1863 edition, self funded by the man himself as respected opinion of the time considered that he and his doctor were off their chumps.

Anyhow, this wealthy undertaker (by royal appointment no less) easily lost a shedload of weight and decided to share the good news in this pamphlet.

It's a good read that will really comfort those amongst us who are partial to a bottle or two of plonko rouge:

http://banting.proteinpower.com/

 

[Resurgam]

I love his way of writing, one phrase in particular - 'the judgement of able men seems paralyzed' seems to be an almost universal truth.

 

[Chook]

Thank you @BloodThirsty I've not read that before.

As @resistance say, it's a lovely way of writing.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

respected opinion of the time considered that he and his doctor were off their chumps.

Some trivia: He undertook his dietary changes at the suggestion of physician Dr. William Harvey, who in turn had learned of this type of diet, but in the context of diabetes management, from attending lectures in Paris by Claude Bernard.

His previously unsuccessful attempts had been on the advice of various medical experts. He then described the dietary change which finally had worked for him, following the advice of Dr Harvey. Banting says of Harvey "My kind and valued medical adviser is not a doctor for obesity, but stands on the pinnacle of fame in the treatment of another malady, which, as he well knows, is frequently induced by [corpulence]." Interesting that even in those days there was a relationship between diabetes and obesity.

Cause or symptom? That's another topic altogether.

 

[shelley262]

Thank you fascinating - keto in 1863!

 

[Krystyna23040]

L

 

[Krystyna23040]

I loved reading this. It is so nice to read how his health and eyesight improved once he ditched his mega high carb diet. Was sad that butter was lumped with the high carb stuff and he had to give it up.

 

[Ponchu]

1650 Richard Baxter gave similar advice for the overweight.

BC Solomon Warned that excessive honey would cause sickness.

I also enjoyed Banting’s writing style.

Thanks for posting

 

[Member496333]

Thank you fascinating - keto in 1863!

Some people hold the view that humans were doing banting/keto for two or three million years before the advent of intensive agriculture. Certainly seasonally and in the northern hemisphere

 

[Robbity]

Thank you fascinating - keto in 1863!

Keto/carnivore in the 1790s - have a Google of John Rollo, a Scottish military surgeon who was also an expert on diabetes, and used this as treatment for several patients but I believe it was rancid meat!

It's scary isn't it how in this so called modern age we appear to have gone backwards in our understanding of effective treatments.

Robbity