Chapter 7: Primitive and Modernized Melanesians

Continuing my review of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price...

If the causative factors for the physical degeneration of mankind are practically the same everywhere, it should be possible to find a common cause operating, regardless of climate, race or environment. p.94

This quote from the first page of Chapter 7 struck me somehow. This chapter is not much different from the previous ones, in that Price finds a group of isolated people and finds them to be in exemplary health. And the closer to the white man he finds people, the more tooth decay and poor health in general he finds. But he is now starting to make a generalization and see the pattern in his own work.

Everywhere the white man's processed food of white flour and sugar go, disease and poor health follow in a proportionate measure.

In this chapter we have primitive diet = 0.42% tooth decay, modern diet = 30.1% tooth decay.

The change in nutrition included a marked reduction in the native foods and their displacement with white flour products, sugar and sweetened goods, canned foods and polished rice. In the succeeding generations after the parents had adopted the modern foods, there occurred distinct change in facial form and shape of the dental arches. p.104

Last night I ate a piece of carrot cake that was from a grocery store. I enjoyed supper and was thankful for the feeling in my stomach - I felt satisfied. But when I ate that cake I was almost sick. How can I learn to say "no thank you"? The host made an interesting comment to this effect: I don't know of any cake that's healthy. Well, I think I can come up with one, but it involves sourdough and no sugar. We've been enjoying applesauce cake lately that is made with pretty much only sourdough and applesauce. It's delicious and sweet and there's no sugar in it! It's not that difficult once you know what is needed and have a bit of a system going.

And if I haven't made the comment before, let me make it now: freshly ground flour is not healthy. Freshly ground flour is only good if it has been soaked and sourdough is the easiest way I know to do this.