[Villages PL]

Senior,

You mentioned you were going to ask a family member who has a degree in Anthropology. If you do, be sure you specify the Paleolithic era or any age before agriculture. To play it safe, I would suggest at least 15,000 years ago. If you go back to when people had goats, that wouldn't be far enough.

I'm not sure how true it is but I once read in a Zone book that when ancient Egyptian mummies were studied, they found lots of tooth decay. And they think it was because they ate lots of grain. So it seems that agriculture may have brought with it a host of health issues. I'm not sure about it but it's something to think about.

Perhaps it's okay to eat grain as long as you brush your teeth and get regular dental check ups.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Firstly, I would think they did NOT live to age 91 or even close.

I can't explain what you are referring to; I'm not an anthropologist, however, my daughter and her husband were anthropology /education majors in college......I'll check with them when I see them.

Here is what I just found.......for now:

Various ages of life expectancy throughout the times..........see below...

The median life expectancy has been estimated at ~35 years of age. This is about the life expectancy of the African Bushmen (Sans) of today. Due to their active lifestyle they suffered far more injuries that today's humans & wound infections would have killed many of them. Early mortality rates are also high among hunter gatherers as any genetic disease like diabetes was untreatable & fatal.

We don't know that there isn't a causal relationship between the gradually lengthening human lifespans since the dawn of agriculture and a grains-based diet, but we do know that all but tropical humans were forced to eat a high fat & high meat diet during winter months.

The Sans have had limited contact with the outside World & until very recently they lived as humans had in paleolithic times.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expect…
Humans by Era Average Lifespan at Birth
(years) Comment
Upper Paleolithic 33 At age 15: 39 (to age 54)
Neolithic 20
Bronze Age and Iron Age 35+
Classical Greece 28
Classical Rome 28
Pre-Columbian North America 25-30
Medieval Islamic Caliphate 35+
Medieval Britain 30
Early Modern Britain 40+
Early 20th Century 30-45
Current world average 67.2 2010 est

I think milk or nutrition aside
most of these average life expectancies would be many years higher if they had the improvement most of the current world enjoys with newborn survival rates.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

Senior,

You mentioned you were going to ask a family member who has a degree in Anthropology. If you do, be sure you specify the Paleolithic era or any age before agriculture. To play it safe, I would suggest at least 15,000 years ago. If you go back to when people had goats, that wouldn't be far enough.

I'm not sure how true it is but I once read in a Zone book that when ancient Egyptian mummies were studied, they found lots of tooth decay. And they think it was because they ate lots of grain. So it seems that agriculture may have brought with it a host of health issues. I'm not sure about it but it's something to think about.

Perhaps it's okay to eat grain as long as you brush your teeth and get regular dental check ups.

Longevity/Health in Ancient Paleolithic vs Neolithic Peoples
Longevity/Health in Ancient Paleolithic vs. Neolithic Peoples

Keep scrolling downward.........huge chart of life spans, etc.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Longevity/Health in Ancient Paleolithic vs Neolithic Peoples
Longevity/Health in Ancient Paleolithic vs. Neolithic Peoples

Keep scrolling downward.........huge chart of life spans, etc.

The information from your link is not of much value to me because when you go back to those time periods, people didn't live long enough to develop degenerative diseases to the extent that people die from today.

I have often said that eating meat was probably good for hunter/gatherers because they needed a concentrated form of energy to expend on their active lifestyle, and they didn't have to worry as much as we do about developing degenerative diseases.

The only reason I used the Paleolithic example was to prove that dairy is not needed to build strong bones.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

On the front page of section C (local) in The Daily Sun, there's a column with the following heading: "Increase your fruits, vegetables with MyPlate"

The column lists 5 food groups:

Fruit
Vegetables
Grains
Protein
Dairy

My question: Why is "dairy" listed as a separate group when it's clearly a protein?

By law, the dairy industry is not even allowed to say that dairy helps build strong bones. But the U.S.D.A gives it the status of a separate food group as though it's something special.

Why is dairy a food group?
A food group is a collection of foods that share similar nutritional properties or biological classifications. Nutrition guides typically divide foods into food groups and recommend daily servings of each group for a healthy diet.

(Yes I have milked many cows both Grade A and Grade B )

I would really like to have a reference to the law mentioned above so I can review it. Milk has long been recognized as a source of calcium and it's the calcuim and other nutrients that help develope bones etc. I don't think they say it it is the only source of calcium nor that you must consume milk and dairy products to live a healthy life. Some studies as with most everything want to disprove that theory. There is not really enough information that we can know for sure what the hunters and gatherers did or did not do as far milk nor any of the other people from 10,0000 years ago or alot longer especially since they depended on wild animals and plants for food and drew pictures to communicate. We do accept that they were replaced after the invention of agriculture with people who kept animals as a source for food. This is a lot of information we covered in 7th grade Social Studies while I worked as a teacher's asssistant after retiring.

The importance of calcium
Calcium is a mineral that helps build strong bones and teeth, regulates muscle contraction (including the heartbeat) and makes sure the blood is clotting normally. Milk and dairy products have long been held as an important source of calcium.
Other sources of calcium include:
• Fish (with the bones - for example canned salmon and sardines)
• Dried fruit
• Sesame seeds
• Almonds
• Soya
• Dark green leafy vegetables
Research suggests that in addition to calcium, Vitamin D is important because it helps the body absorb and retain calcium in the bones, making them strong. Similarly, sufficient exercise is now seen as another vital factor in maintaining healthy bone structure and density - concerns have been voiced that a lack of excercise in growing children will have a detrimental effect on their bones.
Calcium can continue strengthening your bones until the age of 20 to 25 when peak bone mass is reached. After this point, your bones can only maintain or lose their density and grow weaker as a natural part of the ageing process. Inadequate dietary calcium intake before this age can increase the risk of brittle bone disease and osteoporosis, as calcium is drawn from the bones as a reserve.


This is directly from the LA times;

The dairy debate: Does milk build stronger bones?

Some scientists are questioning dairy products' effectiveness in helping prevent osteoporosis.
March 07, 2005|Alice Lesch Kelly | Special to The Times
Email
Share

Bones need calcium. Doctors, dietitians and researchers agree on this point.

Here are a few other experts that agree on the need for calcium.

The Four Food Groups Results from Everyday Health

Dairy Food Group - Vital Health Zone

Food Pyramid | Food Groups | Healthy Eating| Dietary Guidelines › MyPlate

Until there are conclusive and proven studies to the contrary I will have to continue to accept that dairy products are an important part of nutrition. Even if it provided no calcium at all it would still be an almost perfect food compared to the rest:

Here’s a brief look at what milk contains:

Protein: Helps build and repair body tissues, including muscles and bones, and plays a role in the creation of antibodies which fight infection.
Vitamin A: Aids bone and tooth development. Also aids in the maintenance of night vision and healthy skin.
Vitamin B12: Aids in red blood cell formation.
Vitamin B6: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Riboflavin: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation.
Niacin: Aids in normal growth, and is a factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Thiamine: Releases energy from carbohydrate and aids normal growth.
Pantothenic acid: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Folate: Aids in red blood cell formation.
Vitamin D: Enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption, on which strong bones and teeth depend.
Calcium: Aids in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and healthy teeth.
Magnesium: Factor in bone and teeth health, conversion of food into energy and tissue formation.
Phosphorus: Factor in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and healthy teeth.
Potassium: Aids in the correct functioning of nerves and muscles.
Zinc: Factor in tissue formation, including bones, and conversion of food into energy.
Selenium: Factor in the correct functioning of the immune system, due to its antioxidant effect.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by KeepingItReal

Why is dairy a food group?
A food group is a collection of foods that share similar nutritional properties or biological classifications. Nutrition guides typically divide foods into food groups and recommend daily servings of each group for a healthy diet.

(Yes I have milked many cows both Grade A and Grade B )

I would really like to have a reference to the law mentioned above so I can review it. Milk has long been recognized as a source of calcium and it's the calcuim and other nutrients that help develope bones etc. I don't think they say it it is the only source of calcium nor that you must consume milk and dairy products to live a healthy life. Some studies as with most everything want to disprove that theory. There is not really enough information that we can know for sure what the hunters and gatherers did or did not do as far milk nor any of the other people from 10,0000 years ago or alot longer especially since they depended on wild animals and plants for food and drew pictures to communicate. We do accept that they were replaced after the invention of agriculture with people who kept animals as a source for food. This is a lot of information we covered in 7th grade Social Studies while I worked as a teacher's asssistant after retiring.

The importance of calcium
Calcium is a mineral that helps build strong bones and teeth, regulates muscle contraction (including the heartbeat) and makes sure the blood is clotting normally. Milk and dairy products have long been held as an important source of calcium.
Other sources of calcium include:
• Fish (with the bones - for example canned salmon and sardines)
• Dried fruit
• Sesame seeds
• Almonds
• Soya
• Dark green leafy vegetables
Research suggests that in addition to calcium, Vitamin D is important because it helps the body absorb and retain calcium in the bones, making them strong. Similarly, sufficient exercise is now seen as another vital factor in maintaining healthy bone structure and density - concerns have been voiced that a lack of excercise in growing children will have a detrimental effect on their bones.
Calcium can continue strengthening your bones until the age of 20 to 25 when peak bone mass is reached. After this point, your bones can only maintain or lose their density and grow weaker as a natural part of the ageing process. Inadequate dietary calcium intake before this age can increase the risk of brittle bone disease and osteoporosis, as calcium is drawn from the bones as a reserve.


This is directly from the LA times;

The dairy debate: Does milk build stronger bones?

Some scientists are questioning dairy products' effectiveness in helping prevent osteoporosis.
March 07, 2005|Alice Lesch Kelly | Special to The Times
Email
Share

Bones need calcium. Doctors, dietitians and researchers agree on this point.

Here are a few other experts that agree on the need for calcium.

The Four Food Groups Results from Everyday Health

Dairy Food Group - Vital Health Zone

Food Pyramid | Food Groups | Healthy Eating| Dietary Guidelines › MyPlate

Until there are conclusive and proven studies to the contrary I will have to continue to accept that dairy products are an important part of nutrition. Even if it provided no calcium at all it would still be an almost perfect food compared to the rest:

Here’s a brief look at what milk contains:

Protein: Helps build and repair body tissues, including muscles and bones, and plays a role in the creation of antibodies which fight infection.
Vitamin A: Aids bone and tooth development. Also aids in the maintenance of night vision and healthy skin.
Vitamin B12: Aids in red blood cell formation.
Vitamin B6: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Riboflavin: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation.
Niacin: Aids in normal growth, and is a factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Thiamine: Releases energy from carbohydrate and aids normal growth.
Pantothenic acid: Factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Folate: Aids in red blood cell formation.
Vitamin D: Enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption, on which strong bones and teeth depend.
Calcium: Aids in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and healthy teeth.
Magnesium: Factor in bone and teeth health, conversion of food into energy and tissue formation.
Phosphorus: Factor in the formation and maintenance of strong bones and healthy teeth.
Potassium: Aids in the correct functioning of nerves and muscles.
Zinc: Factor in tissue formation, including bones, and conversion of food into energy.
Selenium: Factor in the correct functioning of the immune system, due to its antioxidant effect.

I've never milked a cow, but we sure do have a lot of them in Vermont. They used to say that Vermont had more cows than people once upon a time...........anyway, "great minds think alike" as far as dairy........we are a dairy state after all.

Published in:

THE OLD FARMERS ALMANAC 2013 * Dublin New Hampshire

"Getting enough vitamins and minerals isn't hard. All you really need to do is eat a healthy diet. Build it around fruits and vegetables (eight to ten servings a day), wholegrain breads and cereals, beans, low fat poultry and meat, nonfried fish, milk, cheese and yoghurt."

Here is what vitamins do and where they hide in your food:

Vitamin A:

Good for your eyesight, helps you see in the dark; helps fight infections and helps BONE GROWTH.......it is found in MILK, CHEESE, EGGS, LIVER, FISH OIL, YELLOW FRUITS, DARK GREEN AND YELLOW VEGGIES.

B Vitamins:

Help to make red blood cells and help make energy and release it.

Found in whole grains (wheat and oats), fish and seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, DAIRY PRODUCTS, leafy green veggies, beans and peas, citrus fruits.

Vitamin C:

Keeps gums, muscles healthy; helps heal cuts; helps body resist infection.

Found in citrus fruits, juices; berries, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower, cantalupe.

Vitamin D:

Makes strong bones and teeth. FOUND IN MILK, EGG YOLKS, FISH.

Vitamin E:

Helps make red blood cells; keeps tissues in eyes, skin and liver healthy; protects lungs from pollution.

Found in whole grains (wheat and oats), wheat germ, leafy green veggies, sardines, nuts, egg yolks.

Vitamin K:

Enables blood to clot.

Found in green veggies, pork, liver, DAIRY PRODUCTS.