Posted on 07/08/2008 6:58:14 PM PDT by GraniteStateConservative
Our inability to produce a chemical present in every other primate may be linked to a series of chronic diseases. Roger Highfield explains more
What does it mean to be human? For most people, it all comes down to that extraordinary object between our ears, and how it blesses us with language, laughter and logic. But not for Ajit Varki, a doctor-cum-scientist who works in California.
Not so rare: a molecule absorbed by eating red meat has been linked to inflammation and auto-immune illnesses Not so rare: a molecule absorbed by eating red meat has been linked to inflammation and auto-immune illnesses
For him, being human is also about a single chemical that separates us from our closest relatives, and which could be linked to many of our most debilitating illnesses.
...
By studying the mutations in the enzyme that makes this molecular difference between apes and humans, Prof Varki, along with Prof Naoyuki Takahata of the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Kanagawa, Japan, estimates that the genetic change first appeared up to three million years ago, which coincides with the emergence of Homo erectus, the first of our ancestors to venture out of Africa.
At the time, life was nasty, brutish and short: any subtle but chronic effects of this foreign sugar would not be felt until old age, and Homo erectus did not survive that long.
If the mutation that kept us producing Neu5Ac rather than Neu5Gc helped shrug off a particular disease, it would have spread rapidly through the population. It is ironic that what may have protected our ancestors then could be responsible for much of the pain of their long-lived descendants.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Thanks. The other articles were written far better.
There’s really not much that gets past the gut (that is of a big enough size to trigger an immune response). Wonder if it gets absorbed through the linings of the mouth.
Almost sounds like some type of low grade allergic response.
This is a pretty remarkable finding. There is very, very little difference in biology between humans and the great apes. We both share the little Vitamin C thingy, for instance.
But to find this difference at such a basic level of our biology...
FYI...
I have been tested for just about everything and they still do not know the cause. I am on 4 different daily meds and has it some what under control (about 70%) but I still have outbreaks that break through with the meds I am now on. If I stop the meds the severe hives and angioedema comes back in full force.
I was on Prednisone daily and it kept the hives and angioedema under control 95% of the time. But the doctor wanted me off the Prednisone due to the damage it can cause with long term use.
I eat a lot of Pork and Red Beef. I may just experiment myself by cutting out the pork and beef from my diet to see if my symptoms let up.
Actually there are no such thing as beneficial mutations. Plus the first sentance said that eating red meat by homo sapiens produced a molecule that led to us having aids. I strongly disagree with that and I misread nothing. This guy is blaming red meat for something that is caused by certain life styles, and is covertly saying red meat bad, veggies good.
This article makes a big deal of red meat. Does this mean chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish are still fine?
This guy is FOS. If he'd ever actually *had* a food intolerance, he'd know what that felt like. There is NO mistake when you eat something bad for you.
see post 19
Actually there is a group that takes care of cats and dogs belonging to deceased elderly. They find homes for the pets. Don’t know their name but you could google it.
Alternatively, leave instructions to whoever finds you to post here on Free Republic. We will come and take care of the cats.
p.s. You could leave a small mention in your will for those of us who come to do this.
Couple things that are very powerful in their anti-inflammatory effects.
Vitamin E
The Omega 3’s
Zinc and magnesium can also help calm your system down.
And lately, I’ve been reading alot about Curcurmin, the active ingredient in Tumeric. Might want to try mixing up a topical out of olive oil and tumeric, and just try it on a couple square inches to see if it does any good.
Good luck!
Ooops, one more. Cayenne pepper, even though they can be hotter than Hades, also has strong anti immflammatory and blood purifying effects. Might want to try that like I described tumeric above
FYI...
This may be of interest to you.
Also see Post 19 (Foods high in Neu5Gc) and link in post 19
Also Google...
Neu5Gc Angioedema
Neu5Gc Hives
You may also want to Google
Sialic Acid Angioedema
My Aunt eats beans and broccoli; washed down with pineapple juice. She likes Hawaiian music.
Sorry, that's a creationist falsehood.
The important thing to remember is that any mutation is judged to be beneficial in relation to its environment.
The mutation in early Europeans that allowed light colored skin, for example, allowed the population that carried that mutation to live at high latitudes because they could produce more vitamin D from sunlight on the skin.
Darker skin, such as originated in Africa, prevented much of the ultraviolet from reaching the lower skin layers. This was for protection from the harmful effects, but with much less intense sunlight at higher latitudes light skin was a beneficial mutation. The same mutation in sub-Saharan Africa would not have been beneficial.
Switch over to eating more chicken and fish. Try to keep your intake of red meat down to twice a week.
I can’t eat much in the way of carbs either, and forget sugar!
/johnny
you are massively deficient in vitamin d.
thanks, bfl
My wife suffered similarly a number of years ago. It was stress related. She nor myself realized that we were both under tremendous stress.
She reacted as you describe your own malady, and mine was different. We both worked together managing at the same company which was under assault by the community the business was located for political purpose. Long story, but finally we went on to other less stressful employment. Soon we were both much better off.
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