The Maasai & Inuit Tribes
Last week in my article, The China Study Debunked, I discussed a tribe in China called the Tuoli that was studied by Dr. T Colin Campbell, author of the vegan-advocating novel, and his team. The Tuoli astounded the researchers because their diet consisted almost entirely of animal products—they consumed vegetables six times a year at most! However, despite Campbell’s claims that animal products were the root of all diseases (notably including cancer and heart disease), the Tuoli were outstandingly healthy and had lower rates of disease than most almost-entirely plant based nations that Campbell referenced. When questioned about this discrepancy, Campbell described them as an extreme outlier that should not be used to model health. However, the truth is that the Tuoli are not alone in their meat-and-milk-concentrated diet or their resulting health benefits.
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People of the Maasai
Photo from www.maasai-association.org/maasai |
The Maasai Tribe of the Great Rift Valley lives in the very southern portions of Kenya and the northern regions of Tanzania. There are still many questions about how these people have become some of the healthiest in the world, but the most obvious variable is their diet: almost everything the Maasai consume comes from animals! Meat and milk are the main components of their meals, but they treat their sick and injured with animal blood because it’s high in protein and boosts their immune system. Although they have engaged in trade with crop farmers surrounding their territory, they personally avoid tilling their land at all costs because they believe it’s a crime against nature as it renders the earth un-grazable for livestock. This means that the majority of their calories comes from fat, which is highly discouraged among western dietary recommendations. However, studies have revealed that less than 3% of Maasai over the age of 18 have cholesterol numbers that could be considered above normal, and even those who were overweight rarely displayed risks for diabetes. This is made all the more impressive when one considers that African genetics have a statistically higher risk for high blood pressure. Some researchers believe that the biggest prevention of disease in Maasai culture is their active lifestyle: they spend their days walking outside while tending to their livestock, although intense exercise is rare—they hardly ever run.
Another tribe examined, the Inuit, had a very similar diet, the main difference being that most of the animals they ate came from the ocean, including seafood, seals, and whales, but rarely any fruits or vegetables. Malignant diseases, including cancerous tumors, were believed to be almost non-existent in the Inuit during the early 1900s. Also like the Maasai, they have a moderately active lifestyle, and catching food underwater has developed their impressive swimming skills and muscle strength. When they do hunt on land, it was traditionally with spears and other primal weapons that required them to travel long distances. Today, however, they have become very inclusive of western ideals, and utilize firearms and angling technology to capture their food. They have also allowed elements of western diet to impact their own—they currently eat more carb-rich foods. This sway in customs has been accompanied by a rise in diseases, including cancer.
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The Inuit Live in a Land Full of Ice
Photo from www.indiancountrymedianetwork.com/ |
With all that said, by no means am I encouraging my beloved readers to ditch the salad and eat only meat. There is no evidence that humans are herbivores (or frugivores or whatever weird, beat-around-the-bush nickname vegan activists are trying to label us as today… yes, you can expect a blog post about this in the future!), but we’re not carnivores either! I stand solid in my position that the best diet is one of balance and variety. To be healthy, every meal you eat should incorporate every food group. Furthermore, each of these tribes prove that health is influenced just as much by activity level as it is by diet. Bottom line: developed countries, especially America need to make some radical changes in public health, but there is simply no evidence that a vegan diet is our best option.
What’s left for this Nutrition Series:
Sources:
Bonefeld-Jorgensen, Eva C., Manhai Long, Rossana Bossi, Pierre Ayotte, Gert Asmund, Tanja Krüger, Mandana Ghisari, Gert
Mulvad, Peder Kern, Peter Nzulumiki, and Eric Dewailly. "Perfluorinated Compounds Are Related to Breast Cancer Risk in
Greenlandic Inuit: A Case Control Study." Environmental Health. BioMed Central, 06 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 May 2017.
"Cancer in Southern, Eastern, and Southeastern Asia." The Cancer Atlas. American Cancer Society, Inc, n.d. Web. 16 May 2017.
Dewailly, Eric, Carole Blanchet, Simone Lemieux, Louise Sauvé, Suzanne Gingras, Pierre Ayotte, and Bruce John Holub. "N3 Fatty
and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among the Inuit of Nunavik1." N3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Factors among the Inuit of Nunavik 1–3 (n.d.): n. pag. Natural Omega-3. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 21 Nov.
2006. Web. 16 May 2017.
Friborg, J. T., and M. Melbye. "Cancer Patterns in Inuit Populations." The Lancet. Oncology.U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept.
2008. Web. 16 May 2017.
"The Maasai People." Maasai People, Kenya. The Maasai Association, n.d. Web. 16 May 2017.
Peterson, Irene Berg. "The Maasai Keep Healthy despite a High-fat Diet."Sciencenordic.com. Science Nordic, 11 Sept. 2012. Web.
16 May 2017.
Schiller, Friedrich. "Nomadic People's Good Health Baffle Scientists." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 May 2010. Web. 16 May 2017.
What’s left for this Nutrition Series:
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Other Myths/Conclusion
Sources:
Bonefeld-Jorgensen, Eva C., Manhai Long, Rossana Bossi, Pierre Ayotte, Gert Asmund, Tanja Krüger, Mandana Ghisari, Gert
Mulvad, Peder Kern, Peter Nzulumiki, and Eric Dewailly. "Perfluorinated Compounds Are Related to Breast Cancer Risk in
Greenlandic Inuit: A Case Control Study." Environmental Health. BioMed Central, 06 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 May 2017.
"Cancer in Southern, Eastern, and Southeastern Asia." The Cancer Atlas. American Cancer Society, Inc, n.d. Web. 16 May 2017.
Dewailly, Eric, Carole Blanchet, Simone Lemieux, Louise Sauvé, Suzanne Gingras, Pierre Ayotte, and Bruce John Holub. "N3 Fatty
and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among the Inuit of Nunavik1." N3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Factors among the Inuit of Nunavik 1–3 (n.d.): n. pag. Natural Omega-3. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 21 Nov.
2006. Web. 16 May 2017.
Friborg, J. T., and M. Melbye. "Cancer Patterns in Inuit Populations." The Lancet. Oncology.U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept.
2008. Web. 16 May 2017.
"The Maasai People." Maasai People, Kenya. The Maasai Association, n.d. Web. 16 May 2017.
Peterson, Irene Berg. "The Maasai Keep Healthy despite a High-fat Diet."Sciencenordic.com. Science Nordic, 11 Sept. 2012. Web.
16 May 2017.
Schiller, Friedrich. "Nomadic People's Good Health Baffle Scientists." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 May 2010. Web. 16 May 2017.
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