>On Eskimos:

>>and the Australian Aborigine.

>>        You know, I have trouble relating to these discussions.  I look at
>>these
>>people and I figure that I, and everyone I know, has so little genetically
>>in common with these ethnic groups....

Hi Muriel,

With all respect, I think talking about these two hunter/gatherer groups
helps get to the crux of the matter. ie.

1. We are all hunter/gatherers who are essentially genetically similar  and
therefore have essentially similar dietary needs. This fits the Paleo diet
and is the premise upon which it is based. These groups and others like them
provide us with the only living examples of hunter/gatherers as a reference
point.

OR

2. As you imply, we have undergone some adaption. From this it may follow
that  there is enough genetic variety to consider different diets for
different people and then the idea of "foreign proteins" and the Paleo diet
becomes complicated.  All the guff about genotypes and diabetic incidence
are attempts to show this.


Eskimos and Australian Aborigines have relatively extreme and limited diets
and thus we can eliminate many variables by using them as a model. Watching
how they adapt to and from their natural environment , can possibly lead to
observations and generalizations about the population at large. On the other
hand it may just complicate things :)


Gary