What kind of arthritis are you talking about?  Osteoarthritis (which seems
to be the catch-all for doctors these days)?  What is seen on bones all
depends on the preservation of the as it is usually the ends of bones that
don't preserve well and what method of examine/recording is used.  Bone
remodelling or porosity by itself would not qualify on bones as
osteoarthritis.  Eburnation (glossing of the surface of the bones) is
sometimes used as the only means of diagnosing osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is typically found more regarding activity (so wrists and
ankles, shoulders, hips, knees, etc).  Plus, there is no way of determining
a specific diet other than hunter-gatherer and agrarian (based on other
archaeological data in addition to stable isotope analysis).  There is no
way of determining inflammation as we might experience it from the bones -
just like you can't infer a level of 'pain' from possible arthritis
indicators.

Also, osteoarthritis ISN'T an autoimmune disorder - Rheumatoid arthritis,
Reiter's Syndrome, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, and DISH are
autoimmune.  Osteoarthritis is the NON-inflammatory disorder of moveable
joints.

I eat paleo and still have osteoarthritis with the same level of discomfort
as if I ate grains - so, no, based on my own personal experiences,
osteoarthritis is NOT linked with diet (as the article infers) - dental
diseases, yup, that is related to diet from the bacteria in our mouth.

Sarah

Sarah Krans
student, MSc in Paleopathology
Durham University
St. Chad's College

-----Original Message-----
From: Paleolithic Eating Support List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of June Kamerling
Sent: 24 February 2013 20:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Ancient Tooth Plaque Reveals Dietary Decline

HI Sarah,
I've always heard that arthritis was only detected in human bones after the
age of agriculture.
Is this not true? It would make sense that it IS true since so much
"arthritis type pain" vanishes when a strict paleo protocol is followed. As
an autoimmune disorder it would also make sense that arthritis is caused by
an inflamed gut/ie: an inflammatory diet such as one with grains.
Your thoughts, based on what you know in your field???
Thanks, June