Part 1 of this series investigates, from an anatomical and physiological point of view, what humans are adapted to eat.<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n <\/p>\n
<\/h3>\nVeganism<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThe main spheres of this belief system, the nutrition, moral and environmental arguments, often entangle when in deep conversation. Most vegans start off in one sphere, then strengthen their belief by adopting the others. Vegans adopt a plant-based diet, avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs, and honey; as well as products like leather and anything tested on animals.<\/span><\/p>\nThis is my attempt to disentangle the sphere that I feel most confident to engage in \u2013 the nutrition argument. I am wise enough to refrain from venturing, in any meaningful depth, into the moral argument. I have grown to understand that the presence or absence of evidence, to a large extent, does not affect peoples beliefs. Everyone is entitled to eat exactly what they wish. I respect peoples choices and do not begrudge them. By the same token, I expect, as a meat eater, to be respected for my choice.<\/span><\/p>\nI do not believe that one can be optimally healthy, long-term, on an exclusively plant-based diet. This stance is based not only on my extensive research but on my clinical experience too. All my vegan clients, bar none, exhibit nutrient deficiencies that my non-vegan clients do not. It has become increasingly difficult to ignore objective measurements. I do not believe that veganism is an optimal way of eating.<\/span><\/p>\nA good place to start is to try to determine, anatomically and physiologically, whether we – humans – are carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
FACT<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nModern-day humans have much bigger brains compared to early humans.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/h4>\nA Bigger Brain<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\nOver the past 4 million years, the hominid brain has undergone immense increases in size; from 400cc to 1,400cc. We know that all living things have a finite energy budget. We also know that the brain is a very expensive organ, in metabolic terms. How does a brain get bigger in the context of finite energy allocation? A large brain is a considerable metabolic investment. Where did the energy come from to fuel the growing brain? One could be forgiven for assuming that there was a correspondingly higher basal metabolism relative to increases in brain size, but no correlation has ever been observed.<\/span><\/p>\nHominid – any member <\/span>of the <\/span>group <\/span>consisting <\/span>of all <\/span>modern <\/span>and <\/span>extinct <\/span>humans <\/span>and <\/span>great <\/span>apes <\/span>(including <\/span>gorillas,<\/span> chimpanzees, <\/span>and <\/span>orangutans) <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>their <\/span>immediate <\/span>ancestors.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Expensive Tissue Hypothesis seeks to explain this apparent paradox. It is proposed that the increase in brain size in humans is balanced by an equivalent reduction in the size of the GI (gastro-intestinal) tract.\u00a0<\/span>The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis<\/a> <\/span>first proposed by Aiello and Wheeler in 1995, states that ”an increase in the size of a metabolically expensive tissue is offset by a decrease in the size of other metabolically expensive tissues”.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nIn other words, the increased energetic demands of a relatively large brain are balanced by the reduced energy demands of a relatively small GI tract. This relationship also seems to hold true in other primates. Early hominids were a large-bodied species. It would have been challenging to provide themselves with sufficient quality food to permit the necessary reduction of the gut. It is highly unlikely that veganism would have been adequate.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/insulean.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Hominid-Brain.jpg\")
Evolution of the Hominid Brain | INSULEAN<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n
It is estimated that the (mass-specific) metabolic rate of the brain is 9 times that of the entire human body. The brain cannot store a significant amount of energy. A large-brained mammal must be capable of continuously supplying the brain with the substantial amounts of substrate and oxygen required to fuel this energy expenditure.<\/span><\/p>\nAs well as the brain, the heart, kidneys and splanchnic organs (liver and GI tract) are the four other highly metabolically expensive organs. Together with the brain, these organs account for 60-70% of the total BMR (basal metabolic rate), despite only contributing to 7% of total body mass.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
A Smaller Gut<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
Veganism<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nThe main spheres of this belief system, the nutrition, moral and environmental arguments, often entangle when in deep conversation. Most vegans start off in one sphere, then strengthen their belief by adopting the others. Vegans adopt a plant-based diet, avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs, and honey; as well as products like leather and anything tested on animals.<\/span><\/p>\nThis is my attempt to disentangle the sphere that I feel most confident to engage in \u2013 the nutrition argument. I am wise enough to refrain from venturing, in any meaningful depth, into the moral argument. I have grown to understand that the presence or absence of evidence, to a large extent, does not affect peoples beliefs. Everyone is entitled to eat exactly what they wish. I respect peoples choices and do not begrudge them. By the same token, I expect, as a meat eater, to be respected for my choice.<\/span><\/p>\nI do not believe that one can be optimally healthy, long-term, on an exclusively plant-based diet. This stance is based not only on my extensive research but on my clinical experience too. All my vegan clients, bar none, exhibit nutrient deficiencies that my non-vegan clients do not. It has become increasingly difficult to ignore objective measurements. I do not believe that veganism is an optimal way of eating.<\/span><\/p>\nA good place to start is to try to determine, anatomically and physiologically, whether we – humans – are carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
FACT<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\nModern-day humans have much bigger brains compared to early humans.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/h4>\nA Bigger Brain<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\nOver the past 4 million years, the hominid brain has undergone immense increases in size; from 400cc to 1,400cc. We know that all living things have a finite energy budget. We also know that the brain is a very expensive organ, in metabolic terms. How does a brain get bigger in the context of finite energy allocation? A large brain is a considerable metabolic investment. Where did the energy come from to fuel the growing brain? One could be forgiven for assuming that there was a correspondingly higher basal metabolism relative to increases in brain size, but no correlation has ever been observed.<\/span><\/p>\nHominid – any member <\/span>of the <\/span>group <\/span>consisting <\/span>of all <\/span>modern <\/span>and <\/span>extinct <\/span>humans <\/span>and <\/span>great <\/span>apes <\/span>(including <\/span>gorillas,<\/span> chimpanzees, <\/span>and <\/span>orangutans) <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>their <\/span>immediate <\/span>ancestors.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Expensive Tissue Hypothesis seeks to explain this apparent paradox. It is proposed that the increase in brain size in humans is balanced by an equivalent reduction in the size of the GI (gastro-intestinal) tract.\u00a0<\/span>The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis<\/a> <\/span>first proposed by Aiello and Wheeler in 1995, states that ”an increase in the size of a metabolically expensive tissue is offset by a decrease in the size of other metabolically expensive tissues”.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nIn other words, the increased energetic demands of a relatively large brain are balanced by the reduced energy demands of a relatively small GI tract. This relationship also seems to hold true in other primates. Early hominids were a large-bodied species. It would have been challenging to provide themselves with sufficient quality food to permit the necessary reduction of the gut. It is highly unlikely that veganism would have been adequate.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Evolution of the Hominid Brain | INSULEAN<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n
It is estimated that the (mass-specific) metabolic rate of the brain is 9 times that of the entire human body. The brain cannot store a significant amount of energy. A large-brained mammal must be capable of continuously supplying the brain with the substantial amounts of substrate and oxygen required to fuel this energy expenditure.<\/span><\/p>\nAs well as the brain, the heart, kidneys and splanchnic organs (liver and GI tract) are the four other highly metabolically expensive organs. Together with the brain, these organs account for 60-70% of the total BMR (basal metabolic rate), despite only contributing to 7% of total body mass.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
A Smaller Gut<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
This is my attempt to disentangle the sphere that I feel most confident to engage in \u2013 the nutrition argument. I am wise enough to refrain from venturing, in any meaningful depth, into the moral argument. I have grown to understand that the presence or absence of evidence, to a large extent, does not affect peoples beliefs. Everyone is entitled to eat exactly what they wish. I respect peoples choices and do not begrudge them. By the same token, I expect, as a meat eater, to be respected for my choice.<\/span><\/p>\n I do not believe that one can be optimally healthy, long-term, on an exclusively plant-based diet. This stance is based not only on my extensive research but on my clinical experience too. All my vegan clients, bar none, exhibit nutrient deficiencies that my non-vegan clients do not. It has become increasingly difficult to ignore objective measurements. I do not believe that veganism is an optimal way of eating.<\/span><\/p>\n A good place to start is to try to determine, anatomically and physiologically, whether we – humans – are carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over the past 4 million years, the hominid brain has undergone immense increases in size; from 400cc to 1,400cc. We know that all living things have a finite energy budget. We also know that the brain is a very expensive organ, in metabolic terms. How does a brain get bigger in the context of finite energy allocation? A large brain is a considerable metabolic investment. Where did the energy come from to fuel the growing brain? One could be forgiven for assuming that there was a correspondingly higher basal metabolism relative to increases in brain size, but no correlation has ever been observed.<\/span><\/p>\n Hominid – any member <\/span>of the <\/span>group <\/span>consisting <\/span>of all <\/span>modern <\/span>and <\/span>extinct <\/span>humans <\/span>and <\/span>great <\/span>apes <\/span>(including <\/span>gorillas,<\/span> chimpanzees, <\/span>and <\/span>orangutans) <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>their <\/span>immediate <\/span>ancestors.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis seeks to explain this apparent paradox. It is proposed that the increase in brain size in humans is balanced by an equivalent reduction in the size of the GI (gastro-intestinal) tract.\u00a0<\/span>The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis<\/a> <\/span>first proposed by Aiello and Wheeler in 1995, states that ”an increase in the size of a metabolically expensive tissue is offset by a decrease in the size of other metabolically expensive tissues”.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In other words, the increased energetic demands of a relatively large brain are balanced by the reduced energy demands of a relatively small GI tract. This relationship also seems to hold true in other primates. Early hominids were a large-bodied species. It would have been challenging to provide themselves with sufficient quality food to permit the necessary reduction of the gut. It is highly unlikely that veganism would have been adequate.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Evolution of the Hominid Brain | INSULEAN<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n It is estimated that the (mass-specific) metabolic rate of the brain is 9 times that of the entire human body. The brain cannot store a significant amount of energy. A large-brained mammal must be capable of continuously supplying the brain with the substantial amounts of substrate and oxygen required to fuel this energy expenditure.<\/span><\/p>\n As well as the brain, the heart, kidneys and splanchnic organs (liver and GI tract) are the four other highly metabolically expensive organs. Together with the brain, these organs account for 60-70% of the total BMR (basal metabolic rate), despite only contributing to 7% of total body mass.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\nFACT<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Modern-day humans have much bigger brains compared to early humans.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
A Bigger Brain<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
A Smaller Gut<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/insulean.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cow.jpg\")