Egypt: Ancient Egyptians, Junk Food and Heart Disease

The modern Western world is no stranger to heart disease. Experts have long believed that atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries which causes heart attacks and strokes, is a largely modern ailment caused by our sedentary lifestyle coupled with abominable eating habits. But a new study reported in November 2009 in Journal of the American Medical Association is calling these beliefs into question. It turns out that 3,500 years ago, ancient Egyptians were walking around with the same heart problems that plague modern Westerners. Researchers made this surprising discovery when, on a whim, they performed CT scans on 22 mummies housed at the Egyptian National Museum of Antiquities in Cairo to see if they suffered from atherosclerosis. Of the 16 mummies who still had identifiable cardiovascular tissue, nine probably suffered from atherosclerosis. This calcification of the arteries was more prevalent in those who died at an older age, 7 of 8 among those who died when 45 years or older compared with 2 of 8 who died when younger than 45 years. It cannot be said that atherosclerosis was the cause of death, but the simple fact that they had it was a great surprise. It was earlier thought that it was a disease of McDonald's and so this vision of people 3,000 and 4,000 years ago being more pure, free-living and not subject to the evils of modern civilization has been going on for a long time. While ancient Egyptians did not have access to modern junk food, they did eat meat which was often heavily salted. This was especially true of the upper class, the only ones with enough money to afford the expensive mummification process. While the study provides evidence that heart disease is not a modern complaint and that humans in ancient times had the genetic predisposition and environment to promote the development of atherosclerosis, doctors were quick to point out that this should only make us more careful. While genetics may play a large role, diet is also a clear factor and many modern Westerners consume foods far worse for their hearts than the salted meat the Egyptians loved.

Source: Healthcare Digital, 19^th November 2009