[Sandi D]

Over 100 years before Dr. Robert Atkins penned his hugely successful New Diet Revolution, an Englishman by the name of William Banting described the almost effortless weight loss he experienced after adopting a low carbohydrate regimen. Banting, who was so "corpulent" he had to walk down stairs backwards, had consulted numerous practitioners in a desperate attempt to halt his ever-growing waistline. None of them helped in the slightest.
Lady Luck was smiling on Banting when he eventually met Dr. William Harvey, an ear specialist who placed Banting on a meat-rich, low carbohydrate diet. What followed surpassed Banting's wildest expectations - after unsuccessfully trying everything from rowing to "Turkish baths", Harvey's low carbohydrate regimen helped Banting shed fifty pounds! The newly-trim Englishman was so overjoyed he wrote Letter On Corpulence and distributed the initial printing for free.

You can likewise enjoy this classic tome free-of-charge by clicking on the links below!


http://www.theomnivore.com/Preface.html

Letter on Corpulence
by William Banting
OF all the parasites that affect humanity I do not know of, nor can I imagine, any more distressing than that of obesity, and, having emerged from a very long probation in this affliction, I am desirous of circulating my humble knowledge and experience for the benefit of other sufferers, with an earnest hope that it may lead to the same comfort and happiness I now feel under the extraordinary change,-which might almost be termed miraculous had it not been accomplished by the most simple common-sense means.

Obesity seems to me to have been very little understood or properly appreciated by the faculty and the public generally, or the former would long ere this have hit upon the cause for so lamentable a disease, and applied effective remedies, whilst the latter would have spared their injudicious indulgence, in remarks and sneers, frequently painful in society, and which, even on the strongest mind, have an unhappy effect; but I sincerely trust this final humble effort at exposition may lead to a still more perfect ventilation of the subject and a better feeling for the afflicted



http://www.theomnivore.com/LetterOnC...e_theBook.html

[nasus40]

I will have to take it longer to read through (just scanned it) but very interesting.

[Leenie]

neet !!

[BerkshireGrl]

Thanks for posting this! It's really interesting how the rhythm of English back in 1869 was different too... much more structured, more commas, longer sentences, so formal. My my, how times have changed!

I loved this part:
In my humble judgment, the dietary is the principal point in the treatment of Corpulence, and it appears to me, moreover, that if properly regulated it becomes in a certain sense a medicine. The system seems to me to attack only the superfluous deposit of fat, and, as my medical friend informs me, purges the blood, rendering it more pure and healthy, strengthens the muscles and bodily viscera, and, I feel quite convinced, sweetens life, if it does not prolong it.

A modern translation might be: it is muscle-sparing, it balances the blood sugar, makes muscle-building easier, and gives more energy to the body