Amadeus, Can you give some references for diabetes and insulin in regard to
diets of early civilizations?

Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "Amadeus Schmidt" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 7:34 AM
Subject: Re: amusing historical anecdote


> On Mon, 12 Nov 2001 22:41:59 -0500, Hilary McClure <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> >Amadeus, I just happened to read the chapter on ancient Egyptians in
> >Eades's first book, Protein Power. ..
> > The huge number of mummies
> >available for study show widespread obesity, calcified atherosclerosis,
> >and hypertension, as well as gum disease.
>
> Due to the large number of mummies we have (much more from richer than
from
> poorer people) we can see a lot of diseases in the conservated corpses.
> >From most other cultures we can see the bones only.
> Egyptians had a lot of diseases, as you tell. Cancer, infections,
parasites.
> But obesity? The mummies I personally have seen were not obese.
>
> >This seems to indicate that the health problems of whole-grain-based
> >diets are not just related to the antinutrients (lectins, phytates, and
> >protein-mimics) and the lack of many important nutrients (proper
> >proteins, taurine, b-12 and other vitamins), but also include the many
> >insulin-related problems.
>
> I would even say, that antinutient diseases are nearly absent.
> The people had proper processing. Few examples like the "lindow man"
> show a phytate problem (from "unleavened bread").
> The frequent diseases are IMO really related to poor nutrition in some
> vitamins. Particularly vitamin C and A and maybe b-12.
> Insulin? Compare grain bread andlentils to beef and fish at
> http://venus.nildram.co.uk/veganmc/isgs.gif
>
> There is no danger of a protein deficit or taurine or what the author
> of protein power of course comes to mind first.
> Egyptian people like all old grain/legume based civilasation are likely
> to have had more protein in the food as modern western dieters,
> even though today's add a day's amount of protein from meat.
> But grain/legume culture had no pure calorie items *without* protein.
> Like today is frequent with fat, sugar, white flour.
>
> We don't have to forget that the egyptian culture is one of the first
> attempts to sustain a whole civilisation with nearly one sole fuel (wheat)
> instead of a large mixed variety, as humans always had.
>
> This is the approach we western civilisation still have, with only the
> little exception that the wheat is fed to few species of farm animals.
>
> You inspired me to look into the archeological references again
> and particularly onto insulin topics.
> However "protein power" I don't count among interesting for archeology.
>
> regards,
> Amadeus
>
>