Tag Archives: alcohol

Unexpected Caveman Foods

Offal includes tongue, heart, liver, kidney, intestine, pancreas, trotters, and ?

Offal includes tongue, heart, liver, kidney, intestine, pancreas, trotters, and ?

Tom Schuler’s blog has a guest post by archeologist John Williams, Ph.D. entitled “How to eat like a cavemen (the real kind).” Dr. Williams reviews some evidence that our Paleolithic ancestors ate:

  • chyme
  • human flesh
  • blood (e.g., Plains Indians drinking warm buffalo blood)
  • yogurt (e.g., from the stomachs of suckling buffalo calves)
  • milk
  • bone and organ grease
  • alcohol (from fermented fruit)

Read the rest. It’s a funny and quick read.

Japanese Man Lived to 116

The world’s oldest man died recently at the age of 116. National Geographic has an article mentioning him, including an interview with Blue Zones author Dan Buettner:

Who is the most memorable Blue Zoner you’ve met?

Without question it’s Stamatis Moraitis, who lives in Ikaria. I believe he’s 102. He’s famous for partying. He makes 400 liters [100 gallons] of wine from his vineyards each year, which he drinks with his friends. His house is the social hot spot of the island. (See “Longevity Genes Found; Predict Chances of Reaching 100.”)

He’s also the Ikarian who emigrated to the United States, was diagnosed with lung cancer in his 60s, given less then a year to live, and who returned to Ikaria to die. Instead, he recovered.

Yes, he never went through chemotherapy or treatment. He just moved back to Ikaria.

Did anyone figure out how he survived?

Nope. He told me he returned to the U.S. ten years after he left to see if the American doctors could explain it. I asked him what happened. “My doctors were all dead,” he said.

Read the rest.

Wine and other alcoholic beverages aren’t typically considered “paleo,” but you might consider drinking in moderation anyway.

 

Alcohol May Impair Vision In Diabetics

MedPage Today reported that long-term consumption of alcohol may impair vision in diabetics.  Drinkers performed less well on vision chart tests than non-drinkers. This is not a diabetic retinopathy issue.

Beer and distilled spirits were riskier than wine.

The paleo community is divided on whether alcohol should be part of the program.  Undoubtedly, we drink much more alcohol than did our prehistoric ancestors.  Remember, however, that rotting fruits can provide alcohol.  I remember a news report about an elk in northern Europe who got drunk on rotting (fermenting) fruit and stranded himself in a tree.

The MedPage Today article didn’t comment on the potential health benefits of alcohol consumption. You can bet I’ll keep an eye on this.  (Did you get the pun?)

Steve Parker, M.D.