My experience with Aboriginal hunter gatherers in Australia is that all internal organs were consumed (except the large intestine, contents of the small intestine and gall bladder). Regards kerin O'Dea -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Liza May Sent: Tuesday, 18 May 2004 9:18 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Thyroid as an iodine source in hunter gatherers Original Recipients:To:[log in to unmask] Very interesting topic Ben. I would like to be kept informed of what you might discover on this, if you are able to learn something from sources other than this list. May I ask you to keep me posted? Thanks, Liza ~~~~~~~~~~ Liza May, M.S. Clinical Nutrition Phone: 301-261-0555 Fax: 410-451-6105 Email: [log in to unmask] 1153 Route 3 North #41 Gambrills, MD 21054 USA > -----Original Message----- > From: Paleolithic Diet Symposium List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Balzer, Ben > Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 4:30 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Thyroid as an iodine source in hunter gatherers > > Dear All > I enquire whether members of the list might have any information as to > whether any hunter gatherers have been documented to consume > the thyroid > gland of prey. > > Iodine has the most profound effect of any single factor on IQ- iodine > deficiency reduces IQ an average of 13.5 or 15 points > depending on which > authority one reads. This is sufficient to triple the number > of children > with mild developmental delay and increase 7 fold those with severe > developmental delay (by simple consideration of leftward > displacement of the > IQ curve by 15 points). http://www.who.int/nut/idd.htm > > Iodine deficiency affects over 740 million people worldwide > and it is a > major priority of the WHO http://www.who.int/nut/idd.htm > > Unfortunately, none of the studies on IQ and omega 3 have > been controlled > for iodine (Simopoulos, A. Personal communication). > > Accordingly, identification of dietary sources of evolution > during evolution > is important. Iodine has been singled out as a factor that > supports the > aquatic ape hypothesis that our evolution occurred on the > seashore, see > http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~mvaneech/Cunnane.html (A > SHORE-BASED DIET RICH IN > ENERGY AND 'BRAIN-SPECIFIC' NUTRIENTS MADE HUMAN BRAIN > EVOLUTION POSSIBLE). > > An alternative source of iodine available to carnivores is > the thyroid gland > of prey. Indeed under-trained butchers sometimes give > exogenous transient > thyrotoxicosis to their customers by including thyroid in > their hamburger > mince ("hamburger thyrotoxicosis). > http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/180_10_170504/letters_1705 > 04_fm-4.html > > Other sources come to mind- Weston Price documented the woman > from African > highlands who travelled to the Nile to get plants and burn > them in order to > keep the ashes and bring them home for her children to eat to > prevent goitre > (she had a very large one). I can't find any data on brain's > content of > iodine but wouldn't be surprised if this had some too). The > coastal treks of > pacific islanders could have provided iodine as well as long > chain omega 3 > fatty acids. > > Ben Balzer > Dr Ben Balzer [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > 109 Morgan St > Beverly Hills 2209 > NSW Australia > Tel (02) 95023355 Fax (02) 95024243 Int'l prefix(+612) >