Grass-Fed Fauna Foods Together With Diseases Of Civilization: Cardiovascular Affliction Inwards Ancient Civilizations

Vilhjalmur Stefansson was an Artic explorer known for his observations on the traditional living Inuit-Eskimo, which he lived together with inwards the wintertime of 1906-1907 inwards the Mackenzie Delta of Canada. Stefansson asserted that during this fourth dimension he subsisted on traditional Inuit fare, based almost solely on flesh. In share based on less than extensive observations of the wellness of the Inuit, Stefansson hypothesized that a release of chronic in addition to degenerative diseases, including cancer are diseases of civilization which tin lavatory move prevented yesteryear adherence to a pre-modern diet in addition to lifestyle. However, Stefansson did non propose that only flesh based dietary patterns, such every bit that consumed yesteryear the traditional living Inuit, but besides primarily vegetarian diets, such every bit that consumed yesteryear the Hunza may protect against such diseases.1 

The term diseases of civilization, which Stefansson has contributed to the popularization of is often referred to yesteryear proponents of Low-Carb, Paleo, Primal in addition to Weston A. Price Foundation type diets. Many of these proponents receive got extrapolated express suggestive evidence that obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart in addition to soul disease, for sure cancers, in addition to a release of other chronic in addition to degenerative diseases were uncommon during the Paleolithic menses to suggesting that foods derived from naturally raised, grass-fed animals, every bit was consumed yesteryear Paleolithic humans must hence somehow provide protection against these so-called diseases of civilization. Many of these proponents receive got besides claimed that a vast release of scientific studies that receive got been used every bit evidence to conclude that creature foods growth the adventure of such diseases receive got been complicated yesteryear confounding of other unhealthy foods in addition to lifestyle factors, or yesteryear the utilisation of unnaturally raised creature foods. This serial of posts volition examine the evidence to deal arrive at upwards one's take away heed whether these claimed confounding variables tin lavatory genuinely explicate the evidence linking creature foods with for sure chronic in addition to degenerative diseases, often referred to every bit diseases of civilization, but besides every bit western diseases, lifestyle diseases in addition to diseases of affluence.

In 1928, Stefansson in addition to his colleague Karsten Anderson participated inwards a monitored experiment partly funded yesteryear the meat manufacture inwards which they consumed a flesh exclusive diet for the menses of i year. Although the researchers concluded that these 2 men were inwards skilful wellness throughout the experiment, Anderson experienced a severe elevation inwards blood cholesterol, with measurements every bit high every bit 800 mg/dl on i occasion, which returned to pre-experiment levels after resuming a higher saccharide diet.1 6 This should brand these populations suitable to study the hypothesis that naturally raised creature foods protect against cardiovascular disease.

Contrary to claims of the traditional living Inuit beingness immune from cardiovascular disease, evidence of severe atherosclerosis has been identified inwards several frozen mummies of Alaskan Inuit dating dorsum to 400 CE in addition to 1520 CE, both instances predating European contact.7 8 Atherosclerosis has besides previously been identified inwards several artificially prepared mummies of Aleut-Unangan hunter gatherers who lived inwards the 18th century inwards the Aleutian Islands inwards Alaska.9 10 Recently the HORUS study, which examined an additional 5 recovered mummies of Unangan hunter gatherers who lived inwards the mid in addition to belatedly 19th century industrial plant life definite evidence of atherosclerosis inwards several major arteries inwards all 3 who were over the historic menses of 25.11

When considering the findings from all of these Alaskan Inuit in addition to Aleut mummies it becomes evident that these Alaskan natives probable experienced a greater incidence of atherosclerosis, especially given the immature hateful historic menses compared to the 3 other ancient populations studied inwards the HORUS study. Unlike the Alaskan natives, these other 3 populations, which were the ancient Egyptians, ancient Peruvians in addition to Ancestral Puebloans practiced agriculture in addition to consumed grains. 

In improver to evidence of atherosclerosis from native Alaskan mummies, reports from medical officers provide farther evidence of unfavorable rates of cardiovascular affliction alongside the Inuit earlier the rapid transition to the western diet. In 1940, based on decades of clinical do in addition to reviewing reports of medical officers dating all the means dorsum 175 years ago, Bertelsen, who is considered the begetter of Greenland epidemiology stated inwards regards to the mortality patterns alongside the Greenland Inuit that: 

...arteriosclerosis in addition to degeneration of the myocardium are quite mutual weather condition alongside the Inuit, inwards item considering the depression hateful historic menses of the population.12

Bjerregaard in addition to colleagues performed a literature review for studies addressing the incidence of atherosclerosis in addition to cardiovascular affliction alongside the Inuit of Alaska, Canada in addition to Greenland spanning from the 1930s to to a greater extent than recent decades. The researchers industrial plant life that the incidence of atherosclerosis was to a greater extent than often than non similar to that of other western populations that suffered from high rates of cardiovascular disease. Mortality from stroke was industrial plant life to move fifty-fifty higher, in addition to mortality from all cardiovascular diseases combined was industrial plant life to move similar or fifty-fifty higher alongside the Inuit. The researchers besides industrial plant life that mortality from coronary heart in addition to soul affliction alongside the Inuit was non significantly different after adjusting for ill-defined causes of cardiovascular death, suggesting that the substantial proportion of cardiovascular deaths beingness classified every bit ‘garbage codes’, peculiarly inwards Greenland may receive got hidden a pregnant share of deaths from coronary heart in addition to soul disease. The researchers concluded: 

The mortality from all cardiovascular diseases combined is non lower alongside the Inuit than inwards white comparing populations. If the mortality from IHD [ischemic heart in addition to soul disease] is low, it seems non to move associated with a depression prevalence of full general atherosclerosis. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 decreasing tendency inwards mortality from IHD inwards Inuit populations undergoing rapid westernization supports the demand for a critical rethinking of cardiovascular epidemiology alongside the Inuit in addition to the move of a marine diet inwards this population.12

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 similar phenomenon to the misclassification of deaths from coronary heart in addition to soul affliction alongside the Inuit populations has besides been observed inwards France, which may largely explicate the so-called French Paradox. Data from the World Health Organization MONICA Project suggests that the official mortality statistics for French Republic significantly underreport deaths from cardiovascular affliction compared to other countries, with deaths from coronary heart in addition to soul affliction beingness underestimated yesteryear 75%. Other reports propose that this is probable explained yesteryear a much higher charge per unit of measurement of French doctors classifying deaths every bit due to ‘other causes’ than inwards other countries.Papua New Guinean highlanders have a smoking prevalence of greater than 70% for males in addition to 20% for females patch besides beingness exposed to smoke for upwards to twelve hours a twenty-four hours due to the utilisation of centrally placed opened upwards woods fires inwards their houses which lack both ventilation in addition to chimneys. Despite such a high exposure to hazardous smoke it has been observed that the Papua New Guinean highlanders receive got alongside the lowest age-adjusted incidence of atherosclerosis of whatever studied population. However, dissimilar the Inuit, the Papua New Guinean highlanders traditionally consumed a industrial plant life based diet with saccharide supplying to a greater extent than than 90% of full unloosen energy intake, predominantly derived from sweetness potatoes.26 27

Another population that receive got historically been documented to subsist almost solely on a diet derived from grass-fed, free-ranging animals are the largely nomadic Mongolians. John of Plano Carpini who visited the Mongols inwards the mid-13th century noted:

[The Mongols] receive got neither staff of life nor herbs nor vegetables nor anything else, zip but meat… They gulp mare’s milk inwards real keen quantities if they receive got it; they besides gulp the milk of ewes, cows, goats in addition to fifty-fifty camels.28

Smith reviewed the literature regarding the wellness of the Mongols from the 13th century in addition to noted that a release of unfavorable cardiovascular adventure factors, including obesity in addition to gout were both mutual disorders. Smith went on to state:

Cardio-vascular problems, although non in addition to so bailiwick to diagnosis, may move suspected every bit well.29

In 1925, Kuczynski reported on the nomadic pastoralists of the Kirghiz in addition to Dzungarian Steppes inwards Central Asia in addition to northern Communist People's Republic of China that were of Mongolian descent. Similar to the observations of the diet of the nomadic Mongols of the 13th century, Kuczynski observed that these nomadic pastoralists subsisted almost solely on enormous quantities of meat in addition to milk from grass-fed, free-ranging animals. Other authors receive got besides come upwards to the same conclusions regarding the composition of the diet of the nomadic pastoralists of the Central Asian Steppes. For example, Tayzhanov asserted:

…the people [of the steppe] lived solely on meat, fatty in addition to sour milk. Bread was added only afterwards in addition to fifty-fifty in addition to so some households did non adopt or eat this food.30

Similarly, Barfield asserted:

In skilful legendary style, the pure Central Asian nomads eat only meat, marrow, in addition to milk products {preferably ferments}. They despise farmers, farming, in addition to grain…31

These findings propose that the diet of these nomadic pastoralists of the Central Asian Steppes was almost solely creature based, virtually devoid of grains, legumes in addition to refined carbohydrates. This should brand these populations besides suitable to study the hypothesis that naturally raised creature foods protect against cardiovascular disease. However, non only did Kuczynski discovery that these nomadic pastoralists suffered from high rates of obesity in addition to gout similar to the Mongols of the 13th century, Kuczynski's observations farther extended to the diagnosis of cardiovascular affliction in addition to other dietary related disorders. Kuczynski asserted:

They larn arteriosclerosis inwards an intense bird in addition to often at an early on historic menses every bit shown yesteryear cardiac symptoms, nervous disordes, typical changes of the peripheral vessels, nephrosclerosis and, finally, apoplectic attacks. Even inwards men thirty-two years onetime I often observed arcus senilis.32

It was besides observed that inwards the 1960s the prevalence of coronary heart in addition to soul affliction alongside the nomadic pastoralists inwards Xinjiang inwards northern Communist People's Republic of China who consumed large quantities of creature fatty from grass-fed, free-ranging animals was to a greater extent than than 7 times higher than that of other populations both inside Xinjiang in addition to throughout Communist People's Republic of China which consumed significantly less creature fat.33 These observations back upwards the proposition that cardiovascular affliction was mutual alongside the Mongols of the 13th century who subsisted almost solely on a diet based on grass-fed, free-ranging animals.

Dispelling Grass-Fed Fairy Tales

These findings from populations living earlier the 20th century propose that similar to the findings from people studied inwards to a greater extent than modern times, a greater intake of minimally refined industrial plant life foods strongly predicts a lower prevalence of atherosclerosis in addition to cardiovascular disease. These findings cast uncertainty on the hypothesis that foods from organic, naturally raised animals protect against cardiovascular affliction compared to staple industrial plant life foods. Furthermore, these findings propose that the traditional living populations that relied predominantly on naturally raised creature based foods suffered from complications related to cardiovascular affliction at a relatively immature historic menses in addition to are pitiable move models for health.

Future posts inwards this serial volition farther address how naturally raised creature foods influence cardiovascular disease, every bit good every bit other so-called diseases of civilization.


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