Ripped on Raw

I don't think I could ever be raw vegan. Eating nothing but vegetables would be boring. I enjoy pizza and burgers too much to go vegan.

Wouldn't shipping all these exotic fruits to everywhere in the world end up being not so fresh, being bad for the environment (flying them in or boats), and expensive?

If a plant had the choice between you killing it and eating its flesh or you eating the seeds it drops off, I'm fairly certain the plant would prefer you to eat the seeds.

If high fat intake is so detrimental, how do you explain the generally unblemished health of traditional Inuit who subsist primarily on seal blubber?

B: The notion that CVD is lower among native inuit is not uncontested.

Item 1: Low incidence of cardiovascular disease among the Inuit—what is the evidence?

Background: The notion that the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is low among the Inuit subsisting on a traditional marine diet has attained axiomatic status. The scientific evidence for this is weak and rests on early clinical evidence and uncertain mortality statistics.

Methods: We reviewed the literature and performed new analyses of the mortality statistics from Greenland, Canada, and Alaska.

Findings: The evidence for a low mortality from IHD among the Inuit is fragile and rests on unreliable mortality statistics. Mortality from stroke, however, is higher among the Inuit than among other western populations. Based on the examination of 15 candidate gene polymorphisms, the Inuit genetic architecture does not obviously explain putative differences in cardiovascular disease prevalence.

Interpretation: The mortality from all cardiovascular diseases combined is not lower among the Inuit than in white comparison populations. If the mortality from IHD is low, it seems not to be associated with a low prevalence of general atherosclerosis. A decreasing trend in mortality from IHD in Inuit populations undergoing rapid westernization supports the need for a critical rethinking of cardiovascular epidemiology among the Inuit and the role of a marine diet in this population."

(Note that IHD (heart attack) death has been decreasing since inuit have been introducing more processed foods into their diet.)

Item 2: Cardiovascular disease prevalence and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos

Although Eskimos were thought to be protected from cardiovascular disease (CVD), state health data show a large proportion of deaths from CVD, despite traditional lifestyles and high omega-3 fatty acid intake … These data show high CHD and stroke prevalence in Alaska Eskimos, despite low average LDL-C and high HDL-C. Hypertension and high LDL-C were independent correlates; identifying these risk factors early and treating to target is recommended.

Item 3: Mortality from ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease in Greenland

… Mortality 1968-83 from Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) and Cerebrovascular Disease (CD) was studied in native Greenlanders. Mortality from IHD was lower in Greenland than in Denmark for both males and females and especially low in Greenlandic settlements. IHD mortality decreased during the period. Mortality from CD was higher in Greenland than in Denmark with no certain time trend. Living conditions, of which a high intake of seafood may be a key factor, and/or a genetic predisposition seem to protect Greenlanders from IHD and to predispose them to CD.

(Again, higher risk of stroke amongst Alaskan and Greenland inuit, in spite of diet rich in omega 3 fats from marine animals.)

Speaking of Greenland inuit, here's an interesting tidbit on cancer incidence:

Item 4: Epidemiological studies in the Upernavik district, Greenland. Incidence of some chronic diseases 1950-1974.

An epidemiological survey of several chronic diseases in the Upernavik district, Northwest Greenland, is reported. The study population (approx. 1800 inhabitants) is one of the remaining whaling and sealing populations in Greenland… The disease pattern of the Greenlanders differs from that of West-European populations, having a higher frequency of apoplexy and epilepsy but a lower frequency or absence of acute myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, bronchial asthma, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. The distribution of cancer types differs from that of the Danish population, but the total incidence of cancer is of the same magnitude.

(Note that Denmark has the highest incidence of cancer in the world)

This next study brings up the important point that heart disease (athersclerosis) may be present in an individual yet not show any signs or symptoms:

Item 5: Prevalence and Correlates of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Alaska Eskimos

Background and Purpose: The recent increase in clinical cardiovascular disease in Alaska Eskimos suggests that changes in traditional lifestyle may have adverse public health consequences. This study examines the prevalence of subclinical vascular disease and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos

Results: In multivariate analyses, intimal-medial thickness and presence and extent of atherosclerosis were all associated with traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors but not dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Rates of carotid atherosclerosis were higher than those reported in 2 large population-based US studies.

Conclusions: Alaska Eskimos have similar traditional risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis as other ethnic and racial populations but have higher prevalences of atherosclerosis, possibly attributable to higher rates of smoking.

Wowzers, they have HIGHER rates of atherosclerosis as those on SAD. Also interesting to note that the New Guinea highlanders who eat a plant-based diet smoke like chimney stacks yet have minimal incidence of CVD (url incorrect to be updated).

Article on Inuit by Dr. Michael Greger:

Item 6: Eaters of Raw Flesh

… Despite having some of the highest calcium intakes in the world, the Inuit also have some of the worst rates of osteoporosis.307 Although calcium intakes vary widely, people in some villages get over 2500mg per day, almost 5 times what most Americans get, due to their eating many of their fish whole, bones and all.308 For example, their recipe for "Ice Cream" calls for "2 cups moose grease," not in and of itself high in calcium, but with the addition of "1 dressed pike," this Atkins-friendly dessert offers up a respectable 130mg of calcium per serving.309 The "unusually rapid bone loss" found in every study ever published on Inuit bone health is blamed on the "acidic effect of a meat diet."310-314

Not only does the near-Atkins level of animal protein in their diet seem to be dissolving their bones, the near-Atkins level of animal fat leaves the Inuit women’s breast milk with some of the highest levels of PCBs in the world. Their blood is swimming with mercury and other toxic heavy metals. "They're at the top of the food chain," says Dr. Russel Shearer, an environmental physical scientist with the Canadian Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and therefore "accumulate the highest levels of these contaminants."315

References

Item 7: More on Inuit health

This is from a National Geographic article examining the preserved remains of two 500 year old inuit women [note that this would be before Europeans would introduce white sugar/white flour into inuit diets], and the status of their health:

"The woman had been reasonably healthy, although both suffered from anthracosis… - the black lung that afflicts coal miners today - obviously caused by breathing smoke and oil-lamp fumes in close quarters during the long winters. They also suffered from atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries caused by deposits of cholesterol and fat, probably the result of a heavy diet of whale and seal blubber.

[…]

Both women had suffered periods of poor nutrition and illness, as indicated by lines of growth arrest in the long bones of their arms and legs. In addition they showed signs of severe osteoporosis, bone-mass deterioration.

The older woman had not had an easy life. She had recovered from pneumonia and may suffered from trichinosis, a painful infection of the muscles, perhaps contracted from eating raw polar bear meat. Finally, the older woman had suffered considerable tooth wear, obviously from a lifetime of chewing skins and biting sinew thread.

Hair samples from the two women showed they had slightly elevated levels of lead and iron in their bodies, but relatively low levels of mercury and zinc. Samples taken from Inuit mummies, found som years ago in Greenland and dating from the same period as the bodies at Utqiagvik, contained lower levels of lead and mercury, potentially harmful substances."

Bone loss, zoonosis, atherosclerosis, bioaccumulation of heavy metals and organochlorine compounds, and increased cancer risk.. all health benefits of an animal based diet. :)

The intake of fatty acids from nuts has been well-documented to be conducive to improved health. You say the more the fat the worse, that seems a bit harsh I mean good fats don't do any harm

Of course, ingesting protein of any kind will shift the body towards acidity. This is easily circumvented by consuming a healthy amount of vegetables and passing your drinking water through an activated carbon filter.

You do realize that many raw vegetables and especially grains contains "anti-nuitrients" (one example being phtic acid) that not only inhibit the absorption of minerals but wreak havoc on digestion when taken in large amounts.

Cooking may destroy nutrients, but so does the length of time a raw piece of veggie is sitting and degrading and dying while it is shipped to wherever the grocer resides.

What about all the herbicides sprayed on imported produce?

Pasteurization may decrease the nutrient content of almonds, but it makes them more digestible and therefore increasing nutrient uptake.

Calorie for calorie, lean red meat (game) has the highest level of overall nutriment of any common food. (common being a food that a person could reasonably go and acquire, technological advances notwithstanding).

Cultivated produce is less toxic than wild produce (the implication I guess being that we couldn't subsist off of fruits and vegetables in the wild). Domestic broccoli is edible and wild broccoli isn't.

Washing vegetables is hypothesized as one reason why vegans in the USA are more nutrient deficient than vegans in the third world.

Would be interested to see a chart of nutrient losses due to lack of bioavailability of raw foods.

Savagery is something I embrace because if there is one thing that led to our evolution aside from our desire to create strong drink, it was our lust for blood.

Toxins formed as a result of cooking are highly dependent on what is being cooked and in what method. In any case, it has been shown that that commonly used herbs and spices actually reduce the formation of the HCA and AGEs Furthermore, cooking eliminates the much more severe risk of food** borne illness. And don't try to tell me that veggies don't get that 'cause we all know those illegal migrant workers are relieving themselves in the fields. Just putting this out there: humans have been cooking their food for, what, probably since about 700,000 years ago. And we've managed to get this far.

National Cancer Institute states that cooking meat below 212 °F creates negligible amounts of HCAs. (I'd like to interject here: who in the world just eats boiled beef and steamed turkey and no other meat?)

Heterocyclic Amines in Cooked Meats. National Cancer Institute" Cancer.gov. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/f…ocyclic** amines

since when is meat cooked below boiling point unless you want to pack it under you saddles the way the tartars did so it would rot nice and soft.

A 2005 study has shown that a raw vegetarian diet is associated with a lower bone density. One study of raw vegan diets shows amenorrhea and underweightness in women. Another one indicates an increased risk of dental erosion with a raw vegan diet. One study showed elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol" as well as vitamin B12 deficiency

Fontana, L; Shew, JL; Holloszy, JO; Villareal, DT (2005). "Low bone mass in subjects on a long term raw vegetarian diet". Archives of internal medicine

Koebnick, C; Strassner, C; Hoffmann, I; Leitzmann, C (1999). "Consequences of a long term raw vegan diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey.". Annals of nutrition & metabolism

Ganss, C; Schlechtriemen, M; Klimek, J (1999). "Dental erosions in subjects living on a raw food diet."

Koebnick, Corinna; Garcia, Ada L; Dagnelie, Pieter C; Strassner, Carola; Lindemans, Jan; Katz, Norbert; Leitzmann, Claus; Hoffmann, Ingrid (2005). Long Term Consumption of a Raw Food Diet Is Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides but Also with Elevated Plasma Homocysteine and Low Serum HDL Cholesterol in Humans

ok we should look these up and respond.

what's that supposed to mean?