Over the years, I have heard about Dr. Weston Price and his
book from many people*, but somehow managed to avoid reading
it until recently. The 80-year-old work (mine was the 8th
edition and 23rd printing) seems to have grown in popularity
with age. There is even an online version, as I discovered
later, all the 528 pages of it. It was surprising, however,
that none of the libraries I frequent carries the title.
Hearing from others, I thought I got the story and felt no
urge for the book. The doctor saw dental health an
indicator of a person's overall health, and visiting people
all over the world, wrote down what the modern diet,
consisting of mainly refined white flour and sugar, did to
the teeth of indigenous peoples. I had known the curse of
the white stuff. What was more to gain from risking a thick
and possibly dull (After all, it was about tooth decay.) book?
I couldn't be more wrong. Like an onion, truth has many
layers and understanding at one level or worse, an mere
abstract level, is dangerous. Finishing the chapter
"Isolated and Modernized Swiss," the story of the first
people the doctor told, I was convinced that I needed to
grok everything he had to say. And I had to act, i.e., to
try the Swiss's diary-rich diet.
After some searching, I visited the Milk Pail, a local gem,
and for the price of two cups of "grande" coffee, bought a
bottle (two pints) of Claravale farm raw milk. I had always
been a bit lactose-intolerent and the symptoms include
gas-passing, aka farting, and a rumbling stomach and this
time was no exception. I didn't have a great sleep after
downing a glass with supper. Undaunted and with an empty
stomach, I had another glassful (and nothing else) at noon
the next day, and it felt perfectly fine. Indeed, for the
past two weeks, I had one pint of raw milk for lunch every
workday and never had a problem. It was only when I mixed
in other food did the milk revolt.
Back to the book. The second scene was set in north Scotland
Gaelic-speaking fishing islands (where my professor Mike's
family could have come from). With great interest, I learnt
about the lives of the villagers and how switching from fish
and oat to white bread and sugar destroyed the teeth of
school kids. This chapter taught me several new words and
among them, heath, heather and peet made a good impression.
My friend doctor T's daughter is named Heather which I had
thought of Hebrew origin and I will be reminded of "peet"
next time I visit that rival of Starbucks.
What impressed me the most in the third group of people, the
Eskimos (no offense), was that an average male could walk
with ease a long distance carrying 100lbs on each hand and
another 100lbs with his teeth. Suddenly, the kettlebell
"Sinister" goal seemed not that remote. Their teeth and
health decay started the time they traded the native foods,
e.g., dried salmon dipped in seal oil (the richest vitamin A
source the doctor found), for "store grub" aka whiteman's
foods.
It has been most rewarding to make new connections. I'd
probably never knew about the raw-milk movement in
California, let alone trying some, had I not read about the
rye-and-diary diet of the Swiss. I felt I knew my friends
better for the reading of Gaelic lives. I was inspired by
the "average Eskimo man" to lift heavier weights.
So here are the traditional diet of the first few groups of
people Dr. Price visited.
Swiss - rye bread, milk, cheese, and meat once a week.
Gaelics - fish and oats.
Eskimos - salmon and seal.
* Michael Pollan, Steve Maxwell, Chris Kresser(through Joe Rogan), etc.
