Awhile back I had the great pleasure of meeting Dr. Richard Feinman. Feinman is someone about whom I never would have even known had it not been for Jimmy Moore promoting his work. Dr. Feinman made the point that if someone of considerable “Q score” (e.g., name recognition) adopted a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) then perhaps enough critical mass would follow of other notables and people in general (e.g., your brother Larry, etc.) that the science and healthy results behind a “normal carb” diet would actually get the proper forum it deserves.
So, I thought I’d come up with my Top 10 list of people that might make little dents in the lowfat ceiling if they adopted an evolutionary diet.
10. Dean Ornish
Can you imagine if Dean gave up grains or at least limited them? Dr. Andrew Weil is the only doctor with any former name recognition in the lowfat world that has come out to admit that the relationship between insulin and metabolic syndrome may have something to with carbohydrates, and fat may not be the culprit after all. Good for Dr. Weil. If Dean could stop pushing nutrient poor grains in favor of even a modest nudge toward a paleo diet, he would literally be welcomed with open arms.
9. Rush Limbaugh
Al Franken once called Rush Limbaugh a big, fat idiot. I’m not going to comment on the idiocy part, but I always kind of thought Franken’s “big” descriptor was a cheap shot that was only apropos because Limbaugh was…well, “fat.” “Rush Limbaugh is a Lean, Skinny Idiot” probably wouldn’t have been published and Al Franken might not have been elected to the Senate. Now, if that doesn’t sit well with you, at least consider that if Rush went paleo all of the ditto heads would follow and adopt a paleo diet. Unfortunately, when you’re living paleo you can’t be a ditto head and just parrot what other people say… that’s not how we roll in the paleo world. So either Rush would change a lot of his message or the ditto heads would become paleo heads. So, whether you’re politically left or right leaning, it would be a wash with Franken out of the senate and ditto heads going paleo. Not a bad deal.
8. Gwyneth Paltrow
My goodness. Her recent health problems are a direct result of her simply unhuman diet. She’s a smart lady and a memorable actress. If Gwyneth went paleo and basically said that the diet she used to follow was like an Emperor with no clothes, I mean we all see what it did to her and others, right!?, then I wonder how many other starlets would rethink starvation, marathons, and whole grain mainlining.
7. Christopher Hitchens
I mostly read Hitchens’ articles to see just how much I will disagree with him. However, when I am on the same page as he and even when I’m not, he’s a brilliant writer. He uses his pen as a very effective propagandist when that’s what he thinks is called for.
I remember once Hitch saying that he enjoyed while going through school and starting out in his career having the sense that he was just simply smarter than so many of his teachers and rivals. I don’t consider the fact that Hitchens smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish as a sign of stupidity. However, it’s been my experience on a paleo diet that it’s a bit difficult to drink heavily. And not to give smoking a clean bill of health either, but it would be fascinating to see a study of lung cancer among smokers eating the Standard American Diet (with or without junk food) and lowcarb dieting smokers.
What pains me, though he be a Trotskyite, is to see someone so intelligent, currently having health problems, throat cancer to be specific, that will be recommended to cut back to a healthy lowfat diet. I don’t know Hitchens’ opinion of Tim Russert, but it’s a good bet that he’s going down the same medical care path though they be afflicted with different ailments. If Hitchens meets the same fate, smoking and drinking will be blamed and his probable lowfat diet prescription will get off scot-free, because after all it was just too little too late. I hope that this isn’t going to be the sad stupid way to die for someone so smart. I’m calling you out Hitch, right here, right now. Give proof that on the subject of healing yourself that you’re as smart as you say you are.
And no, I’m not saying a paleo/lowcarb diet can cure cancer, but would it be more advisable than what’s going to be prescribed to Hitch? Absolutely.
6. Kirstie Alley
I remember having my doubts about Kirstie when she first took over for Diane during the era of the Cheers television program on Thursday nights. She won me over. Though her weight issues in a way have prolonged her time in the limelight, it’s a good bet that she’s had about enough of the spotlight’s pressure. Every pound gained or lost is guessed at in every new picture. I can’t help but see it on the magazine rack when I buy groceries. Someone like Kirstie going paleo, eating when hungry, working out 20 minutes per week (maximum), and speaking out that it’s not that hard to follow would put paleo and her in the tabloids. Maybe the soccer moms (and dads) that I see at the store would then purchase less of the lowfat yogurt for themselves and the juice boxes that they buy their kids. Come on, Kirstie, go paleo, go where everybody knows your name.
5. Fat Joe
Yes, Fat Joe makes the list! I like Fat Joe’s raps, and think that he plays a unique role in the hip hop community. I would imagine that he (like many of my Mexican friends and I) enjoys the high carbohydrate diet of corn, beans, flour tortillas and rice. Thank goodness for gluten free Mexican restaurant menus on the one hand, but on the other hand you put me in a Mexican joint and one margarita later I’m eating burritos like that Japanese hotdog eating champion. If Fat Joe went paleo he could change his name to Phat Joseph and set a great example that life as a latino can go on without heaping helpings of starches. By the way, I realize that Fat Joe aint Mexican.
4. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Can you imagine if the Terminator Gubernator ate like a barbarian of old? “Arnold, how did you get back into such great shape at your age of 70 for the latest Conan film showcasing the warrior king’s last battles?” “It was easy,” answered Arnold, “I went paleo, raised more bison then Ted Turner, burned down all of the grain fields that got in my way, and delighted in the lamentations of the dietary advisory board.”
3. Ricky Gervais
I love Gervais’ sense of humor (and sense of humour), in other words I really enjoy both the US and UK version of “The Office” TV show. Do yourself a favor and check out Ricky’s comedy routines, especially the one about Humpty Dumpty. Now, our Brit funnyman recently came out saying that he doesn’t understand why anyone can’t find the will to make themselves less fat (fat like he used to be that is). All you have to do is eat less and get off your duff. Ricky went on to explain that his weight loss is due to running his arse off, cutting back on fatty foods, blah, blah, blah.
I imagine Gervais’ diet consisting of lowfat yogurt, whole wheat toast, and skinless chicken breast, or probably some variant of a lowfat/high sugar diet. He’s lost some weight not because he’s eating less fat, but because he’s reduced his caloric intake of sugary foods, however his diet remains high in its % of carbohydrates. His chronic running is burning off a lot of his dietary sugar/carbohydrates, but the pounding of his joints and lack of fats and proteins are setting him up like an exhausted hamster on a treadmill. Not sustainable. When he stops spinning, that high sugar/lowfat diet is going to get old real quick. Ricky, I wish you all of the best, but if the wheels start coming off, go paleo. It would be rich in comedic material.
2. Alec Baldwin
I’ve already done posts on this: Part I, Part II, and Part III. There’s a lot of talk about Alec being more of a sex icon and a more successful comedic actor now with his heavier frame. Not a bad argument to just continue what he’s doing. Alec’s role on 30 Rock is iconic. However, being there for your family for another 30-40 years might be something you’d call a success, too. I wouldn’t want him to end up like his Jack Donagy heart attack prone character, he doesn’t have to. And I think a healthier Alec would still continue to win Emmys.
1. Oprah
The ultimate conversion. There is no doubt. Here’s a review of some of what has already been written by the paleo community about Oprah Winfrey and how paleo would benefit her rather than her trying to implement this torture plan.
1. Oprah’s Weight Loss Yo-Yo Woes
2. Oprah’s Paleo Recipe for Success
3. Clueless, how Oprah could go Paleo
By going paleo, Oprah would do more for women (especially African American women) dealing with weight and self esteem issues than any conceivable person ever could. Heck, I’d even tell friends that I was on the Oprah diet instead of the paleo diet if she was on it. I’m still hoping that De Vany will be a guest on her show when he launches his book.
Besides the person residing in the #1 spot, the others are in order of when I thought of them. Given that this is a dream list, I didn’t want to over analyze it too much. What do you think of this list? Who did I leave off? 
Please understand that hunter-gatherer/paleo/evolutionary diets have a broad range of application and may not necessarily have the same low carbohydrate as the LCKD which researchers like Feinman, Volek and many others are studying. However, I think in either case the point is that these diets are closer to the default human diet than what is being advocated by the Standard American Diet. Therefore, my use of paleo in this post for the sake of argument is meant to be synonymous with lowcarb though for many paleo diet adherents your carb intake may vary upward to the point that lowcarb is not an accurate descriptor.
