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DietandDiseasesof ModernCivilization
H
eart disease and cancer of the
colon, rare in centurics past,
a re now common kiUers. Divcr–
ticuli tis and chronic constipation
affect miUions. Up to 25% of
dea ths are caused by diabetes or
related condit ions.
One common factor in the
above diseases is that they are rare
in rural cornmunities which adhere
to a traditional way of life in–
volving whole-food diets. This is
not to say that these communitics
don' t suffer from other dietary
deficiencies such as protein malnu–
trition, etc., but they do obtain the
nutrients which seem to prevent
the modern degenerative diseases.
Interestingly, when these com–
munit ies are exposed to the West–
ern-style diet for any length of
time, Westero disease patterns be–
gin to emerge.
. lntricate medical detective work
has been done on the Western diet
by Drs. Burkitt, Wa lker, Painter,
Cleave; Heaton, and Trowcll in
Britain, and Dr. Ancel Keys and
others in the United States. Their
research points out at least three
major flaws in the modern diet.
Many of these men note major
dietary and degenerative disease
changes began about the time of
the Industrial Revolution when
new practices of refini ng ftour and
processing food and staggeri ng in–
creases in sugar consumption be–
carne widespread.
New methods ofmillingwith steel
stant and inadequate exercise and
quacks. "
The shocking fact is that around
70% of the over $115 billion annual
American health bill goes for drugs,
doctors, and hospitals, but
only a
meas/y 3% goes for the prevention
otdisease.
Dr. Lawrence W. Green, who
heads the health-education section
of
Johns Hopkins University School
of Hygiene and Public Health, em–
phasizes: " Patient education is a
lar better way
to
spend your health–
care dollars than spending them on
The
PLAIN TRUTH January 1977
rollers in the 1840s enabled the
refining of grain to take place in–
expensively. Now the masses cou ld
sha re in the luxury of soft, fiberless
white bread which had previously
been available only to the wealthy.
Unfortunately this was before the
discovery of vitamins.
T he milling process strips the
flou r of something like 30 vital
minerals and vi tamins, the best
part of the protein, and vital fiber
which gives roughage. Today, food
technology puts back two minerals
and two vitamins and labels the
product "enriched."
A major fiaw, according to Bur–
kitt, is the lack of proper bulk in
the diet. He reports that between
1880 and 1960 there was a fall of
about
90%
in the fiber content of
the average Western diet.
At the same time flour milling
advances were made, improved
sugar-refining
methods
were
found. Cheap sugar bccame avail–
able to a ll. In Colonial America
the average person ate about
JO
pounds of sugar a year. Today
in
both Britain and America, the fig–
ure is about 120 pounds per person
per year. And sugar gives us
noth–
ing
but calories. Sugar not only
develops the vicious sweet-tooth
syndrome and encourages tooth
decay, but
is
a lso a major factor
in
obesity, and many researchers
point out its role in the rise of
diabetes and heart disease.
Refmed sugar is hard to avoid.
more
hospitals. This gets at the up–
stream source of the problem. The
large amount of monies we are
spending
now
on Medicaid and
Medicare deal with health problems
that in many cases could have been
prevented."
The desperate need for more pre–
ventive care has also been scored
by various leaders
ot
the American
Medica! Association in recent re–
ports. Unfortunately the message
gets sparse emphasis
trom
the
medica! profession as a whole in its
daily practice.
It is in everything from broth prep–
arations to French mustard. In an
analysis of 78 breakfast cereals,
only 3 1 were less than 25% sugar.
Sorne modern children's cereals
are over 50% sugar.
The refined-sugar, refined-ftour,
lack-of-fiber diet results
in
slug–
gish bowels and constipation.
These diets take six to eight times
longer to pass through the human
body than the residues of whole–
food diets. One result is a fortune
to the laxative industries.
What Should You Do?
For many people it would be a big
start on the road to better health to
get back to a more natural, bal–
anced diet. Whole-grain breads
and cereals and fresh fruits and
vegetables, rather than the bland,
processed variety, are part of a
good dietary founda tion for the
average person. Raw fr uit is an ex–
cellent source of fiber. Nuts, seeds,
raw vegetablcs, and fruit a re much
better between-meal snacks than
candy bars.
Eating properly will probably
involve changing your eating
habits, perhaps a transition too
great for many, despite the high
stakes. What you eat is one of the
mos t important decisions you
make every day. Research has dis–
covered sorne of the major flaws of
modern diets. Don't take these
facts lightly.
- Dr. Gordon Muir
The great majority of doctors are
trained to apply medica! solutions
to most health problems, however
trivial, and patients themselves have
been educated to expect them. In
many cases patients are incensed if
they don 't get a prescription to
"quick fix" their ailment.
"Give me a pill to solve my prob–
lem, doc! " or " Fix me up; don' t ask
me to change my lite!" are far too
common altitudes.
Doctors often refer toa " 20-year–
abuse syndrome, " meaning that
many persons can abuse their natu-
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