Looking for the signs and symptoms of insulin resistance is only the beginning of the journey - there is a bigger issue. A major problem lies in the attitude and standards of practice for health care professionals. Valerie Berkowitz continues to look at her history with insulin resistance to help guide you to learn how to feed yourself with what your body really needs.

Dana Carpender summarizes her trip to the Ancestral Health Symposium 2012 at Harvard. Lessons & inspiration for the low carb & paleo communities.

Dana Carpender has done the HCG Protocol & Atkins Fat Fast at separate times. Now she shares her experience doing HCG & Atkins Fat Fast at the same time. "I had, in the past, tried the much-written-about HCG protocol. I had been willing to try it because it was clear that Dr. Simeons, who developed it, had a deep distrust of carbohydrates. I figured that made him my kind of guy." Indeed, his basic instructions for maintenance are "No starch or sugar for the first several weeks, and be cautious with them for the rest of your life."

Our panel of speakers this year started with Tom Naughton, a comedian. A comedian? You bet. Tom is both seriously funny and seriously smart, and his documentary Fathead is now the number one documentary at Hulu. Tom's presentation was called Science for Smart People, and was aimed at helping everyone understand the scientific double talk that too often lets biased researchers bamboozle people.

More Cooking TLC: Truly Low Carb Cooking Vol 2

Trish Z. from Buffalo, New York, is 5' 1" tall. "That is, on a good day," Trish laughed. Trish began her low carb journey following the Atkins plan, but for the last twelve months has primarily been following the Stillman program. "I bounce back to Atkins for a weekend here and there for my sanity," she explained with a smile.

Christine from Ohio is 5' 2" tall and 36 years old. Christine has been following the Atkins program since May of 2001. She began her plan weighing 163 pounds, and is currently at her goal weight of 120 pounds. As far as her starting size, Christine said, "Sorry, I can't help you in this area. I was too scared to get a tape measure out! I do know I was in a size 14 jeans and now I'm in size 3/5. Whooohoo!!"

Kim from Wisconsin is 27 years old. She began following Sugar Busters in April of 2001, and has dropped from a starting weight of 315 to 270 pounds. When Kim began Sugar Busters she wore a size 28W or 4X, and she is currently wearing a size 22W or a 2X! Kim's goal weight is 160 pounds, and she would like to be able to wear a size 12.

Vonnie from Australia is 34 years old and has gone from 245 pounds to 154 pounds, just 9 pounds short of her goal weight of 145. She has dropped from a size 22 to a size 10 on her way to her goal size of 8.

Connie from Ohio is 31. She started the Atkins Plan in May of 1998, but told me, "It's since been tweaked so much it's more like a hybrid plan of my own." Connie has gone from 244 pounds to 169 pounds, and from a size 24 to a 12!

Last week I spent several hours on the phone with Dana Carpender, the author of How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet And Lost Forty Pounds. I have a word of warning for you. Do not talk to Dana if you're depressed and want to stay that way. Do not talk to Dana if you're bored and want to stay that way. Dana is upbeat, informative, funny, and fascinating. It would be impossible to be in a grand blue funk when you called her and still be in one when you hung up the phone. Impossible.