vendredi 31 janvier 2014

Cereals and milk = Civilisation?

I was reading this article:

http://ift.tt/1kkxgeC



which I found interesting, but intuitively unlikely.



I don't have the knowledge either of science or of history to refute any of it's points, but it smells like woo and BS to me.



I was hoping someone here might have some knowledge on the subject and be willing to share.



I'll summarise the argument roughly.



The article states (I think):



1) Around 10,000 years ago various groups of people around the world started to abandon the hunter gatherer life style and to take up agriculture centred around cereal crops



2) While there are various theories proffered as to why this may be, none are generally accepted.



3) Agriculture and the diet and close living conditions it lead to resulted in a worse general diet and health than did the HG lifestyle.



4)In the 1970s drug-like (similar to opiates) 'Exorphins' were found in cereals and 'casomorphins' in dairy products.



5> There is a positive correlation between consumption of cereals and schizophrenia



6> Lots of stuff about dietary allergies and how we are unlikely to be adapted these 'drug-like' thingies as they are a relatively recent part of our diet. I lost the will to live and skimmed this as it seemed only semi-relevant.



7> Conclusion: Cereals and , to a lesser extent dairy, have effects similar to opiates, both in there effect on out behaviour and in there addictiveness. The addictive qualities caused humans to value and then farm them and ultimately to build what we now call civilisation around or upon that farming. Simultaneous with this the calming effects of these opioids made us able to tolerate the close proximity and and other unaccustomed hardships necessitated by civilisation.



There, it's only a thumb nail sketch but I think it get's the main points across and you can always read the original if you want more.



I think my intuitive problem with this is that it seems to me to stem from the old 'natural = good, anything else = bad' fallacy. Cerials and dairy are not 'natural' parts of our diet and thus must be bad. but maybe this is just guilt by association with similar woo.



any thoughts?





via JREF Forum http://ift.tt/1bdHfQh

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