Archaeology & History
Heart disease found in ancient mummies
By
T.K. RandallMarch 12, 2013 ·
10 comments
Image Credit: Urville Djasim
CT scans of ancient mummies have revealed that heart disease was widespread in the ancient world.
Heart disease is often thought to be a product of fast food, a lack of exercise and other lifestyle factors, things we tend to associate with the modern developed world. A new study involving detailed scans of 137 antique mummies dating back 5,000 years however has revealed that as many as a third of them showed signs of heart disease and hardened arteries. Contrary to popular belief, the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of our ancestors didn't prevent them from suffering from some of the same health problems we see today.
"We want to believe that we can prevent heart disease, that we don't have to get it if we do the right things and go back to nature," said senior study author Dr. Gregory Thomas. "I believed it too, until we scanned these people." Dr. Thomas was keen to emphasize however that the find does not invalidate healthy eating and exercise. "The message here is not that we can't do anything about heart disease," he added. "This is not a fait accompli."[!gad]Heart disease is often thought to be a product of fast food, a lack of exercise and other lifestyle factors, things we tend to associate with the modern developed world. A new study involving detailed scans of 137 antique mummies dating back 5,000 years however has revealed that as many as a third of them showed signs of heart disease and hardened arteries. Contrary to popular belief, the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of our ancestors didn't prevent them from suffering from some of the same health problems we see today.
"We want to believe that we can prevent heart disease, that we don't have to get it if we do the right things and go back to nature," said senior study author Dr. Gregory Thomas. "I believed it too, until we scanned these people." Dr. Thomas was keen to emphasize however that the find does not invalidate healthy eating and exercise. "The message here is not that we can't do anything about heart disease," he added. "This is not a fait accompli."
People tend to think of heart disease as a scourge of modern life, brought on by vices such as greasy fast food, smoking and the tendency to be a couch potato.
Source:
LA Times |
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