Alright, yes, I was wrong about the carbs/sugars thing, but I was also trying to separate stuff like spaghetti from stuff like a lollipop. I gotta admit being a little leery of the all popcorn diet, but the general idea is a lot better than the Atkins diet. I'd recommend some veggies as snacks too, things like carrots, celery, etc.
Anyway, about cavemen again. Yes, cavemen were healthier than the average cubicle worker, for many of the reasons you mentioned, Leti, less overeating, more exercise, and more strength. However, they didn't overeat, because in much of the world, they were quite close to starvation. Under-nourishment was much more of a problem on a regular basis, I'd say. Another thing, of course, is they lived in a very different environment, and they were stronger, because they had to be, otherwise they'd end up dead. I don't think there's any way to have accurate specifics on deaths and such, but the number of cavemen that died young, as in preteen, would probably be quite high, especially as babies. So only the strongest ones would even survive long enough to do much of anything, much less breed. Brute strength and constitution were required to survive childhood. The VAST majority of the people alive today would have died back then. Childhood diseases, broken limbs, or just lack of nourishment.
Another, sorta-related thing, is comparing cavemen and modern humans is sorta like comparing dogs and wolves. Or any domesticated animal and their wild counterparts. Domesticated animals tend to become physically weaker a bit, and have more refined bone structure and stuff, and this applies to humans too. Basically, we domesticated ourselves, when we invented civilization. Which gives an entirely separate set of pressures that work on survival, as opposed to the ones cavemen faced. Unfortunately, the pressures we face change a good bit faster than evolution can keep up with, especially these days, so we've still got lots of caveman bits running about, in our bodies and brains.
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timeasmymeasure
More on Cavemen Diets
Date: 2004-05-26 05:26 pm (UTC)Anyway, about cavemen again. Yes, cavemen were healthier than the average cubicle worker, for many of the reasons you mentioned, Leti, less overeating, more exercise, and more strength. However, they didn't overeat, because in much of the world, they were quite close to starvation. Under-nourishment was much more of a problem on a regular basis, I'd say.
Another thing, of course, is they lived in a very different environment, and they were stronger, because they had to be, otherwise they'd end up dead. I don't think there's any way to have accurate specifics on deaths and such, but the number of cavemen that died young, as in preteen, would probably be quite high, especially as babies. So only the strongest ones would even survive long enough to do much of anything, much less breed. Brute strength and constitution were required to survive childhood. The VAST majority of the people alive today would have died back then. Childhood diseases, broken limbs, or just lack of nourishment.
Another, sorta-related thing, is comparing cavemen and modern humans is sorta like comparing dogs and wolves. Or any domesticated animal and their wild counterparts. Domesticated animals tend to become physically weaker a bit, and have more refined bone structure and stuff, and this applies to humans too. Basically, we domesticated ourselves, when we invented civilization. Which gives an entirely separate set of pressures that work on survival, as opposed to the ones cavemen faced. Unfortunately, the pressures we face change a good bit faster than evolution can keep up with, especially these days, so we've still got lots of caveman bits running about, in our bodies and brains.