Re: OT Loose 50lbs walking across the Rio-Grand

Philip Deitiker wrote:
> On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 11:07:03 -0500, "firstjois"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> did some sarious thank'n and
> scribbled:
>
>
> > "Joe Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > :
> > :
> > [snip]
> >
> > : Very interesting and cogent discussion.  For many years now I have
> > : been of the opinion that the correct diet for any individual was one
> > : that reflected the diet and primary food sources of that individuals
> > : ancestry going back at least the past 3k years.  While that is
> > : difficult for most of us to do, genetics may be helpful.
> > :
> > [snip]
> >
> > This is interesting, and there should be some genetic reflection of our
> > body type due to climate of ancestors as well as variations in metabolic
> > rates and  differences in timing of when metabolic rates change.  Teens
> > often can eat everything and run/walk/work it all off and it does seem the
> > less active teens are the heavier teens.  College athletes practically have
> > to eat bricks to maintain desirable weights and I can't imagine what the
> > 300 lb professional football players do for food. I do know that a nice
> > broken ankle or knee gives me an extra 20 lbs that I lose two seconds after
> > I can get back to my normal range of activities.
> >
> > I don't know if 3k ya is far enough back.
>
>
> http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health/story.jsp?story=468583
>
> "
> A typical diet would have included available game meat like
> deer with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and other
> beneficial compounds found at greater levels in muscle meats
> compared to modern grain-fed beef. There would have been
> plenty of uncooked fruit, vegetables and nuts rich in
> minerals, vitamins and soluble fibre. Calcium content is
> high in the diet, largely because of the high calcium
> density in vegetables.
>
> The researchers say that a Palaeolithic diet may prevent
> stroke because of its low salt content, and large amounts of
> vegetables and fruit, and because of its generous content of
> protein, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, potassium,
> magnesium and vitamin C. Total fat intake was low, and fibre
> intake was high.
>
> "Lean meat, fish, leafy and green vegetables and fruits are
> advisable as health-promoting because of our long
> pre-agricultural ancestral experience during which such
> foods fuelled human evolution." 
> "
>
> Reference:
> [From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (David Christainsen)
> Newsgroups: sci.archaeology
> Subject: SAD, but true: introducing the Stone Age Diet
> Date: 1 Dec 2003 07:46:46 -0800
> Organization: http://groups.google.com
> Lines: 15
> Message-ID:
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

The point that I was originally making was that individuals need to 
adapt their diet to the pre agricultural food sources found in the 
"region" from which they came.  I have looked at the "Paleo Diet" 
materials and they pretty much all paint with the same broad brush.

For someone from the the Northern latitude of Europe, finding lots 
of fruit and "green leafy" vegetable would have been a real problem, 
even during the short warm seasons.  Nuts are seasonal but can be 
saved, some tubers are available, not potatoes obviously, and fruit 
was probably restricted to apples, plums, cherries and some berries. 
 Honey would have been a source of simple sugars.

Contrast that to someone from the more Southern Latitudes where a 
longer growing season is available, at least at low altitudes.  More 
fruits, more vegetable stocks for longer periods, etc.

Jois, I think you are right on though. 3K yr. is probably not 
enough, maybe 5K?  Body type and metabolism needs to be assessed as 
the caloric requirements for more cold adapted human stocks would be 
higher.  You last point about walking is also part of the overall 
solution.  Humans certainly seem to be designed to walk a lot. Maybe 
that was how we got all those green veggies, cruising around the 
natures salad bar. :)

Philip, the question I was asking you somewhat indirectly, was how 
close is the science, and the cost to deliver, to being able to give 
people a better feel for their genetic heritage regarding probable 
best diet?  I suspect that it could be done at a fairly crude level 
for most people because the regional mix is still relatively simple, 
but over the next few generations it will become quite complex.

A walk through any shopping mall makes the problem evident.

joe