[hackaflocka]

So that's at least N=2, the number of people on the Shangri La diet who have died prematurely.

I think Seth Roberts was the very definition of a hacker. Not computer hacker. Hacker.

I started the diet about 5 weeks ago. The oil drinking helped to make my cravings tolerable. I quit after 2 weeks because I didn't seem to need the oil any more. My cravings have been under control since without the oil. (I've lost about 3 inches of waist. I've not measured my weight because I don't care about that. I'm feeling lighter and better than I have in about 4 years.)

I think there's value to his theory of set-points, and to the use of unflavored oil as something that breaks the brain's flavor-calorie connection. Nevertheless, I'd be severely concerned by this news if I were still on the diet, or if I were on the diet long-term.

[atom-morgan]

> So that's at least N=2, the number of people on the Shangri La diet who have died prematurely.

I won't say that diet can't lead to suicide but...it was suicide for Swartz, right?

[hackaflocka]

Correct. It was suicide.

I didn't mean to imply he died because of the diet (just like we shouldn't infer that Seth died because of the diet). Apologies if it seemed I implied that.

Nevertheless, it's possible that the diet messed with Aaron's brain.

Personally, I've benefited from the diet. So I'm firmly in Seth's camp. But his death does raise questions.

[atom-morgan]

I didn't think so. I just wanted some clarification.

[ElmerPaldritch]

Exactly. If readers of his blog have also been ingesting huge quantities of omega3 and consuming sticks of butter before going to bed, they deserve to know the details of Seth's "collapse." His grieving family is entitled to some privacy but Seth, after all, chose to make his (potentially dangerous) self-experiments public. He may have inadvertently caused great harm.

Did his diet mess with Swartz's brain? Possibly. I doubt it, though. Being harassed by the DOJ was more than enough to drive anyone to suicide.