Grow Your Own Magazine

I stumbled across this article written by a family physician about human's evolved diet: http://www.earth360.com/diet_paleodiet_balzer.html. He claims that potatoes and grains are not natural to our diet and can be harmful. What is everyone's opinion on this? Are we still inherently cavemen?

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"I got a business card, 'cause I want to win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, potential lunch winner."
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Interesting.

I would definitely agree that an excess of refined sugars, high salt intake etc isn't ideal but I think my biggest gripe against the theory is that few of us have a 'Paleolithic' lifestyle! If you're extremely active and living on your wits, the Paleolithic Diet may be ideal. Perhaps less so if the majority of your life is spent sitting on your b*m! Human diet involved because of need and practicality (at least until extremely recently, in evolutionary terms).

Claire

Interestingly he says not all the toxins are removed by cooking - but doesn't say which ones - cultures all around the world have managed to turn toxic plants into edible ones by processing in some way. Did anyone see that Ray Mears programme recently about how our diet evolved? It was fascinating. He visited aborigines in Australia who were still using the same processing techniques as their ancestors had done thousands of years ago - the mind-boggling bit is how on earth they worked out the process of taking something poisonous and making it edible. My point is that I don't think this is anything new, we've been cooking our food for thousands of years!

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Dwell simply ~ love richly

Started reading it, made my head hurt. I'll try again later!

The Ray Mears prog was excellent, really very interesting. Don't see enough of him on the box IMHO

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Potatoes are related to deadly nightshade

So what does he suggest we eat? Dinosaurs? As I understand it man was originally a hunter/gatherer and ate whatever was available, including wild plants and roots as well as meat. At some later stage we discovered that we could manage crops by planting the good (edible) ones in controlled space (fields, gardens etc)

Point one the title should really have had a question mark at the end rather than being presented as a statement.

Point two, yes green potatoes are poisonous, I am unsure how many you would need to eat to be affected.

Point three, potatoes have formed part of the south american diet for centuries and part of the western european diet since Elizabeth the first was on the throne.

Point four, heard of people with "a bee in their bonnet"?

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Humans are omnivores - that means we do best eating a bit of everything. So if we give up eating potatoes does that mean we will live to be 110. And would we want to ? Lets not be daft. I say eat in a sensible manner that sits right with you.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Pre Elizabethan times...imagine the Sunday roast without spuds...

Mellonmelllow, I've just read all that stuff in the link, and I've 3 words to say - RUBBISH, RUBBISH, RUBBISH !

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Ah......But the Sunday roast would be Venison if you came from the right side of town and Rabbit if not!
With a few parsnips and neeps, carrots,peas, mangels,worzels I think I could have forgone the spuds!

Would miss the earlies mind with butter and mint!

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What a load of rubbish. The site is odd also.

LOL, I agree. Our diet evolves with our civilization.

__________________
"I got a business card, 'cause I want to win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, potential lunch winner."
Gift ideas... fruit baskets or gardening kit?

He IS a family physician... I thought that could lead to some legitimacy.

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"I got a business card, 'cause I want to win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, potential lunch winner."
Gift ideas... fruit baskets or gardening kit?

Here, I found someone who is applying this paleolithic diet: http://cavemanpower.com/food/caveman_power_diet.html

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"I got a business card, 'cause I want to win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, potential lunch winner."
Gift ideas... fruit baskets or gardening kit?

I have heard of this diet before and I think it is to do with Chiles, Potatoes Toms etc. being related to the nightshade family. Don't know why that should include sweet potato too but nevermind. I like the word 'piffle' when my 4 yo son is spouting nonsense. probably useful here?

There are many dietary theories out there and some are downright dangerous. But really: 'moderation in all things' and eating fresh home grown fruit & veg. (rather than something drenched in salt, sugar and preservatives wrapped in polysomthing and nuked in the devil's tumbledryer) is probably going to be good for you...and tastes good too. What else do you need to know about diet?...oh, and the excersise plan is taken care of with the allotment too!

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Paul

Yeyy - hold on a minute .
I'll just get me loincloth and club and we'll all go hunting .
Anyone for T-Rex stake and onion pie tonight.
No -what about T-Rex kebab then ?

He might be a family physician and he may be educated but thats no guarantee of common sence these days.

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Et tū, quis es?

Er, just one point, dinosaurs and even the earliest humnoid are separated by a few million years, so T.Rex has never formed part of man's diet. Since we are primates, take a look at what apes eat. Pretty much the same as we do, except raw rather than cooked.

So the pies and kebabs are off the menu then?

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Et tū, quis es?

Kebabs are fine - just not T-rex ones!

As for the 'natural diet' If you starve yourself all day the only thing you are likely to do is faint from hunger while 'hunting' for food in the local supermarket!

Thank goodness he's not my family physician (and why can't he just say doctor?)

Vicars are meant to be pillars of the community and one has just been convicted for downloading kiddie porn..........


Never assume a title lends legitimacy and never assume that what someone posts on the internet is accurate.

Regards, Professor Sir Peter, KFC, Bart, DFC, MC, Dr of Philophosy, MSc, BSc and practicing lunatic.

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Always thank people who have helped you immediately, as they may not be around to thank later.
Visit my blog at http://podsplot.blogspot.com/
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He calls himself a physician becos he's 'posh' (a'la Alice's thread) - do you think he quarters his tomatoes though? And I must have been well poisoned by now since potatoes are my favourite, closely followed by bread and anything else heavily loaded with carbs. does that make me a carb junkie?! Definitely not a caveman - never did fancy being dragged around by my hair.