Is it possible that the Inuit didn't live long enough to show signs of
the loss of mineral density from a supposedly completely alkaline
diet? What was the age of the remains studied?  If Cordain has
explained this I haven't seen it.  Is it possible that there are
several dietary ways the body finds to achieve the acid/alkaline
balance desired?  If so why do all the experts say that the Only way
to provide  the necessary alkaline is with fruits and vegetables?

Ken

Date:    Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:13:33 -0400
From:    Joseph Berne <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Great blog post about saturated fats

We have one piece of serious evidence refuting Cordain's position on
acid/alkaline issues on bone health - the existence of populations (most
notably the Inuit) who lived on what would have been, according to Cordain,
massively acid-promoting diets (meat and fat, no plants) yet whose remains
show no signs of loss of mineral density.  On the contrary, their remains
show very healthy bones and teeth, far superior to those of plant eating
populations.
How that is possible is another question.  Perhaps their increased vitamin
intake (D3 and K2M4) from the animal fat they ate protected their bones.
 They certainly didn't eat excessive amounts of calcium.  All the research
on acid/alkaline dietary components and bone density come from research on
people eating a mostly standard american diet, not comparing high plant
content paleo diets to low plant content paleo diets.