Noakes diet puts strain on body

I GREATLY respect individuals who engage in extended hours of competitive physical activity such as Ironman, especially albeit that my belief is that the body should not be challenged to such an extent. It is increasingly being suggested that ultimately the heart muscle and the cardiovascular system could succumb to such pressure and the quality of life during old age may not be all that good.

With reference to "Noakes predicts diet will go global" (May 29), I have seen the vastly improved physique of a client/associate who is looking all the better on the Tim Noakes diet with matching and greatly improved slender physique and ability. With respect and reservation, as a naturopathic health adviser, I believe the Noakes diet very seriously challenges the body to do what it was not designed to do metabolically, and the greatly increased consumption of meat and fatty meat greatly challenges the natural functioning of the pancreas which produces much of the enzymes to digest the overlarge amount of animal protein which the human pancreas has not been designed to do.

In the same way that a muscle becomes inflamed due to extended working of it, so the pancreas can become inflamed. With continuous challenging of the pancreas in this manner, the pancreas will no longer be able to produce the required amount of insulin to control blood sugar levels naturally.

Also, the vast amounts of hormones involved in animal "farming" to speed up growth of "produce", together with huge amounts of antibiotics, Voltarin and more means that ingestion of these toxic chemicals will negatively affect the health of the consumer of these vast amounts of animal "produce". This can result in infertility, ulcers, lowered immunity and risking the onslaught of superbugs, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) in individuals who depend solely on antibiotics to "fight" disease.

The prime risk on the Noakes diet is the development of insulin-dependant diabetes, with the person now also having to contend with the side effects of insulin which risks pancreatic cancer. The wheel goes round in circles!

At the end of the day for folks on the Noakes diet, sooner or later I foresee an ex-athlete, head in his or her hands, wishing he or she had never dared to challenge the body so unnaturally. Oh what a price we'd have to pay, for loving...the Noakes diet.

Rashid Abass, naturopathic health adviser, Port Elizabeth