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Date: | Mon, 27 Nov 2000 13:10:59 -0500 |
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Hi all--
I just wanted to add my 2 cents to the discussion of Inuit diet patterns.
Some years ago, before I was paleo, I read a couple of books by the Canadian
author, Farley Mowat. These included "People of the Deer" and "The Snow
Walker". Both are based on the author's time spent with the Inuit people
when he was a young boy. I remember being amazed that the Inuit ate nothing
but meat. Farley spends a lot of time discussing the way the Inuit were
sickened and weakened after their contact with white traders. They were
convinced to abandon their hunting-for-meat way of life to hunting for furs
to trade for flour, sugar, salt and coffee. Soon diabetes and other
diseases made themselves present and there were many starving winters and
resulting decimation of the population. The succeeding generations forgot
their old ways and became more dependent on the trading posts. When the
demand for furs decreased, the people were left sick and dependent, no
longer strong and self-sufficient (the sad old story that has happened too
often).
I'm sure these books can be borrowed from the library--although more
anecdotal than scientific, they are very interesting to read. Cindy
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