diet

[Guest guest]

I have continued to think about diet and health since the last posting.

The research literature is fairly unequivocal that a low carb, high

protein diet promotes factors conducive to decreased morbidity and

increased longevity moreso than a high carb, low protein (such as

macrobiotics). One of the keys being decreased insulin sensitivity.

since this seems to fly in the face of traditional chinese dietetics, I

have been asking myself why? We have already established that protein

foods tend to be good for yin nourishing and wholesome protein foods

like free range beef, chicken and fish provide a better range of

essential fatty acids than carbs, also conducive to good health and yin

nourishing (if one considers the EFA content of many yin tonic foods).

However, epidemiological studies seem to suggest that a diet centered on

grains and beans in many traditional cultures is associated with a much

lower incidence of many chronic diseases than the american diet centered

on meat and potatoes. Well, first, the american diet of meat also

usually contains a high starch and low vegetable content, thus all the

downside of high carbs, lo fiber and low antioxidants is combined with a

consumption of largely fatty, processed, hormone laden, preserved meat

products. so the comparison is not fair. we can admit that the

traditional grain and bean diet is better than this without necessarily

stubbornly clinging to the idea that is the best. also one can eat a

high protein, low carb diet that is mostly vegetarian or lacto-ovo-fish

and veggie, thus sidestepping the issue of wasting land for cattle and

pigs and sheep. But keep in mind, the argument that worldwide food

shortages are due to poor land management is specious. there is more

than enough food produced to feed everyone if distribution were

adequate. But admittedly, livestock production has many negative

consequences for the environment.

 

there is abundant evidence that the diet humans ate for most of our

evolutionary history was veggies and proteins and that grains and beans

have only become widespread in the past five thousand years for most

people. The chinese invented agriculture and have been eating grain

centered diets longer than any other culture on the planet. Many of our

european ancestors were still gatherer hunters at the time of the roman

empire. The han chinese are pretty homogenous genetically and have a

notoriously low incidence of adult onset diabetes the worst consequence

of of high insulin resistance. It is well documented the tendency to

adult onset DM is genetic and brought on by diet. Is it possible that

it is a high carb diet that has led to this epidemic in those of

european descent? consider also the high incidence of adult onset DM in

native americans, a group that split off from modern asians prior to the

development of agriculture. they also were very healthy living a

gatherer hunter lifestyle up until very recently. Perhaps the han

chinese and some other ancient peoples have evolved genetically to do OK

on a high carb diet, but it might be incorrect to extrapolate their

experience to those of euro descent. and perhaps the chinese would also

do better on high protein, low carb, given the choice. As pointed out

in an earlier post, the emphasis on grains in large ancient cultures was

probably economic and political, not for health reasons, per se. It is

also interesting that far more patients have problems with low grade

food allergies to proteins in common carbs (like wheat) than to meat

based proteins like fish, pork and beef. I have always found carbs to

far more phlegm producing and stagnating than lean meats in myself and

many patients. Diet and genetics may be quite bound up. Since many

protein foods also are understood in TCM to promote spleen function, it

would seem that we could argue from a TCM perspective that such a diet

promotes spleen and kidneys without producing phlegm and blood stasis

when consumed with adequate veggies.

 

I think to call this dietary faddism does ignore that most of humans

throughout evolution ate like this. Perhaps it is the agricultural

revolution that is truly the aberration.

 

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Chinese Herbs

 

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