I'm curious as to the definition of high-protein? Neither Atkins nor Protein Power advocate the consumption of excessive protein, rather they ensure that a person gets ADEQUATE protein to prevent muscle wasting and the loss of lean body mass, which plant-based calorie-restricted programs WILL cause.

It is well known and documented that kidney disease is a common complication of diabetes, and results from chronic high and inadequately controlled sugar, not protein. The fact that protein begins to spill into the urine is a result, not a cause of the problem. The high sugar concentration damages the glomerular filtration system, so that larger molecules and particles begin to escape. Dr. Richard Bernstein, himself a Type 1 diabetic, reversed his own kidney disease and that of his patients, with tight blood sugar control and low-carb diet. His book, Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution explains this is in detail, as well the chapter on protein and kidney disease is posted on his website. You can read it here ... it's about halfway down the page.

Regarding the studies that linked meat to stomach and esophageal cancers ... well, we've reviewed those in our Research/Media forum .. check them out here and the second one here. Basically the "studies" (actually telephone interviews, often with next of kin, regardind dietary choices from decades previous) suggested that, in populations already at high risk for the particular cancers .. consuming excessive salty processed meats, hotdogs etc, and insufficient fiber from vegetables and fruits led to increased risk. The one study showed that increased consumption of fatty fish was protective, but this was not emphasized. I wonder why not??

I don't see anything new or particularly earth-shaking in this commentary. It's not an official study, just an editorial opinion, but which will no doubt sway many readers just by virtue of the letters M.D. that accompany the author's name.

Doreen