The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Modern Western societies seem to suffer from a veritable epidemic of serious diseases, two of the most serious of which are cardiovascular disease and cancer. In contrast, hunter and gatherer groups have a very low incidence of such diseases. Despite the diversity of hunter and gather diets, they all share the same characteristic: the absence of a Western diet. This suggests that there is something uniquely inflammatory about a Western diet, which is high in both fats and carbohydrates. Departures from a Western diet appear to result in better health. Experimental studies have shown that heart disease can be reversed by adopting a very low-fat, high-carbohydrate, plant-based diet. The results for cancer are less clear. A low-fat, plant-based diet seems to offer promising results, but so does a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet. Perhaps forcing the metabolism into burning either fatty acids alone or glucose alone is beneficial, so long as one does not mix fat and carbohydrates.
Recommended Citation
Wircberg, C. (2016). A Dietary Approach to Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: Does a Plant Based Diet Help Prevent and Reverse Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer?. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 9(2). Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol9/iss2/3
