If you look at what happens to people who are newly “civilized” and recently exposed to the modern Western diet, you can get an idea of the problems caused by eating a refined, processed diet. Jonathan Wright, MD, presents two examples of the deterioration in general health caused by the Western diet in Healing with Nutrition. The groups examined are Eskimos in North Central Canada and Pacific Islanders.
Consider Eskimos in Northern Canada, who, prior to the 1940s, had no exposure to Western civilization. Prior to 1940, these people were much healthier than they were after eating the type of diet we take for granted. Some women developed breast cancer, which was unheard of before 1940. Teenagers began to have acne, another condition that didn’t exist before they began eating a more “civilized” diet. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and gross obesity all became more common.
Pacific Islanders have been studied. People living on Pukapukaeat a traditional diet. Their diet averages about 1800 calories per day, which includes about 70 grams of fat and 9 grams of sugar. People living on Rarotonga eat a combination of Western and traditional diet. Their diet averages about 2100 calories per day, which includes abut 63 grams of fat and 35 grams of sugar. The Maori of New Zealand eat a completely modern diet. They average 2500 calories with125 grams of fat per day and 71 grams of sugar per day (the average American eats 150 grams of sugar per day).
In Raratonga, gross obesity is 5.2 times more common than it is on Pukapuka. The New Zealand Maori have 13 times more gross obesity than the people on Pukapuka. Diabetes is 3.1 times more prevalent on Raratongathan on Pukapuka. There is almost six times more diabetes in New Zealand than on Pukapuka. Heart disease is twice as common on Raratonga and 2 1/2 times more common in New Zealand than it is on Pukapuka. High blood pressure is seen in 10 times more people on Raratonga and in 8 1/2 more times more people in New Zealandthan on Pukapuka.
As diet contains more refined and processed foods, disease increases, we begin to see more obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even cancer. Eating a nutrient deficient diet causes other problems like fatigue, allergies, depression, chronic pain, skin problems and many other problems that affect the quality of our lives.
