The Science and Wisdom of Traditional Diets

Implications for health policy & community health

Daphne Miller, MD

Associate Clinical Professor

Department of Family and Community Medicine, UCSF

NUTRITION TRANSITION

World Health Statistics, 2007

New Cases of Diabetes Among US Adults

BIOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

Sweet preference

Thirst and satiety uncoupled

Fatty preference

Energy efficiency

MISMATCH

What have we lost?

What can we regain?

1. Lost medicine

“Those who walk well”

Schulz, Diabetes Care, 2006

Billberry hunting, Iceland

Horta hunting, Crete

Nature’s ibuprofen Morocco

photos by Jim Richardson

2. Lost recipes

“Three sisters”

27

3. Lost preparation techniques

high tech processing

savings account

Simopoulos, 2001

Fermentation

EluboIruEkoEbaUjiAmasiMahewuGariOgiFufu Ben-saalga

Florence Burkina Faso

www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1005963107 De Filippo et al.

Microbiome

http://www.waojournal.org/content/6/1/3

inter-biome communication

http://www.waojournal.org/content/6/1/3

biodiversity and allergic diseases

4. Lost eating traditions

5. Lost eating traditions

Garulet, International Journal of Obesity 2013

Breakfast and weight loss

n=420

dinner for ?

Hara Hachi Bu

modified fasts: 180 days

5. Lost farming methods

photo by Milagro Salazar via IPSNews

HOLISTIC FARMING

Rockin’ H Ranch, Norwood, MO

Reganold, PLoS ONE, 2010

FRUIT QUALITY ORGANIC >> CONVENTIONAL P value

antioxidant activity

 

8.5% 0.019

phenolics

10.5% 0.0003

ascorbic acid

9.7% 0.009

Reganold, PLoS ONE, 2010

people

farm method

LOST

medicine

recipes

food preparation techniques

eating traditions

farming traditions

How to regain?

medicine

recipes

food preparation techniques

eating traditions

farming traditions

*New England Health Care Institute

88% of US

health care expensitures*

Farm-to-Hospital

Local recipes and traditions

Ecological Literacy

Local Food Economy

Slow Food Chapter, Springfield MO

Local seed reservoir

(Local Medicine)

Local Food Advocacy

Comments due by November 15 sustainableagriculture.net

@drdaphnemiller