[The Cloud]

I'm also doing a diet that eliminates most carbohydrates not derived from fruits and vegetables. I find that a great way to fill up quick is with peanut butter. If you're worried about gaining weight, it might not be the best option, but nothing will fill you up faster than a spoon full of peanut butter. Plus, while it is high in fat, much of it is unsaturated (just try to avoid ones with the word "hydrogenated" in the ingredients list) and helps balance out the saturated fats from meat. Also, it is high in protein, which your body can convert into most of the glucose that your body needs (the brain and the kidneys are pretty much the only organs in your body that NEED glucose for energy).

I agree with you, a diet high in grains and starches is not particularly natural, and it over-stresses the body's insulin response. At least this is my opinion, and I've done a bit of research on it (my major in college is strongly oriented toward biology, so I'm not uninformed). Like you said, this diet is much more consistent, because instead of getting a big spike in blood glucose followed by a strong insulin response due to the toxicity of having a high blood sugar content, there is a more slow and steady conversion of fats into energy (in addition to gluconeogenesis from protein). This seems to me to result in a much more stable level of energy, where instead of your body having to react to what you eat to avoid negative consequences, it is reacting positively to use what it needs when it needs it.

Additionally, several recent studies have linked insulin to aging. So it is possible that by reducing the body's use of insulin you're extending your lifespan. I don't remember exactly where to find the papers I read, but if you go onto pubmed.com and cross-reference insulin and aging you'll probably find some interesting stuff.