Diets through the ages

The last edition mentioned taking a look at the Paleolithic Era.  I said it would be fun but you will be the judge of that.  Our stone-age brothers were nearly the same genetically as we are but did not suffer from obesity; starvation was more like it.  The Stone Age period lasted about two million years.  During the Paleolithic era (two million BC to 10,000 BC) hominids or two-legged primates used bone, stone, and flint tools for gathering, hunting, and fishing. 

The study of their bones indicates that ninety percent of the Neanderthal diet was composed of high-protein meat according to Paul B. Pettitt of Oxford University, England.  The American diet in contrast contains about thirty percent fat. 

Modern man, according to archaeologist Albert Goodyear, of the University of South Carolina, appeared in North America some 50,000 years ago as the Neanderthal was beginning to fade from the globe over the next 28,000 years.  Modern man and the Neanderthal shared the planet during an overlap of about 20,000 years.  Modern man’s foray into a much more varied diet than that of the Neanderthal may have had something to do with Neanderthals demise; however no one knows for sure.  Many factors played a role in our evolution including the ability to harness fire and the option to cook meat and other foods.  Cooked foods are easier to digest, allowing for a shorter intestinal tract, resulting in lower energy needs to process food.  It is believed by some experts that the energy saved from this shortened digestive process was diverted and used for brain development, placing us intellectually at the top of the food chain.  I think they are right.  As of this time, I know of no other animals preparing cooked meals. 

Early forms of humans ate an omnivorous diet consisting of any sort of edible vegetable, fruit, or animal meat, often eaten indiscriminately based on availability.  The Paleolithic Era was followed by the Neolithic or agricultural era, which has only been in existence for the past 10,000 years, representing about one half of percent of our existence on earth.  The rate we are going, our era will be referred to as the Clown Era and is likely to be the shortest on record. 

The study of fossil remains and recent research about the lives of Eskimos and African Bushmen give scientists a rounded picture of the hunter-gathering life style for the first 99.5% of our time on Mother Earth.  It is estimated that hunter-gatherers worked less than three hours per day to find and prepare food, provide for shelter and of course make clothing.  They must have had plenty of time for golf.  They paid no taxes but still had to defend themselves (the main function of government).  They were very fit and about 10% of them lived into the 60’s or beyond.  Many died from trauma (read cheating), accidents (more cheating), infections (even more cheating), childbirth (serious cheating here was possible), or trespassing (cheating again), which gets us back to the trauma category.  Survivors likely kept to themselves (didn’t cheat) and did not likely suffer from osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity,vascular diseases, cancers, or STD’s. 

Next we will touch upon other medical problems that were less likely in the Paleolithic Era along with a few more interesting facts.  The cheating issue will not be broached again. 

Dr. Philip