It is completely true that a statistical average of peoples during the Palaeolithic era may have been approximately 30, but this does not mean it was normal to die at that age. ‘Cave men’ who survived past puberty had a great chance of being fit and healthy until they were 60-70 years old.
Based on evidence from existing hunter-gatherer populations and anthropological findings, child mortality is estimated to have been as high as 40%. As a hunter there was a high chance of injury and with little shelter from the elements, exposure and starvation is likely to have been common. See the example of a possible 10 person scenario to illustrate the point.
Evidence suggests that our hunter – gatherer ancestors were in fact much healthier than we are now. It seems that pre – agriculture 10, 000 years ago there was little evidence of the diseases such as
obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, acne, myopia, macular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, diverticulosis, gastric reflux and gout.
Our current high average lifespan is greatly influenced by the benefits of modern medicine. The current passing generation are reaching a record high average age, these robust individuals are from an era of ‘meat and two veg’. During the life of this generation, ‘whole’ foods where generally eaten, these foods came from nutrient rich soils and were grown locally, meat and milk was from grazed animals, food was rarely processed and sugar was an occasional treat. These people on the whole had far more active lifestyles than we do today which kept their bodies lean and muscular.
I think it is wrong to assume that modern medicine can fix all the wrongs that a poor diet and lifestyle can create. With our modern diets full of refined ‘junk’, sugar and cheap meat is it likely that the next generation will live to such an old age?
Just imagine what could be possible if we listened to the lessons of our ancestors’ good diet and life habits and reaped the benefits of modern medicine as well!
Caroline x
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