Thread: CT Scans Find Vascular Disease in Ancient Mummies

CT Scans Find Vascular Disease in Ancient Mummies

Atherosclerosis — the buildup of fats and cholesterol on the artery walls that can lead to stroke and heart disease — is generally considered a problem of modern times, a result of fatty diets and inactive lifestyles. But a new examination of mummies from ancient cultures suggests that the disease appeared long before the arrival of junk food and flat-screen televisions.

Researchers performed CT scans on 137 mummies, including Egyptians, Peruvians, Aleutian Islanders and ancestors of the Pueblo people of the American Southwest.

The scans were read by seven imaging experts who judged atherosclerosis by the presence of calcification in the walls of clearly discernible arteries or along the expected route of an artery no longer visible.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/sc...t-mummies.html

The last line of that article is the best.

“Patients with vascular disease feel guilty for having it, but you shouldn’t feel guilty,” Dr. Thomas said. “It’s part of the aging process. If people had it 4,000 years ago and in four different cultures, why wouldn’t we get it now?”

Forget the fruit breakfasts, I'm eating bacon and eggs from now on. Cheese on the toast, too.

Originally Posted by misskit

I'm eating bacon and eggs from now on

it's actually good for your diet according to Atkins,

I'm sure this makes modern mankind feel better about themselves.

Kind of a justification for our existence.

OK Bacon and eggs in the morning....and a double dose of bp medicine

Health Correlator: The man who ate 25 eggs per day: What does this case really tell us?