sanitize insanity

The first human meat eaters did not have the benefit of gas or electric ovens. For that matter, they didn't even have fire. (Fire was only discovered when young human children started playing with matches.) Seriously, the first humans were scavengers and ate raw road kill. I imagine many of them died, but those who survived had the benefit of developing an immunity to the bacteria in decaying flesh. That strain of humans, the meat eaters, went on to dominate the world because meat was the best source of protein (Read GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL by Dr. Jared Diamond for a fascinating explanation of how this process worked).

If you ever watch the TV show BIZARRE FOODS with Andrew Zimmern, you probably exercise your gag reflex as he devours bugs and x-rated animal parts with relish. Speaking from experience, in many parts of the world the chief source of protein comes from those bugs and animal parts routinely discarded in this country or used in hot dogs. I visited a Samburu tribe in Kenya that lived exclusively on blood and milk from their herd of cattle. There were flies everywhere and when I asked the chief how he could stand living this way, he answered, "What flies?" "You see," he told me, "an abundance of flies means we have plenty of food, so it is a sign of prosperity."

The point of all this is that we humans are capable of eating just about anything under the most unsanitary of conditions (besides dealing with flies, the Samburu live in huts made out of cattle dung). That ability comes from those first humans who ate road kill. They passed on our body's natural ability to process anything as food so long as it contains protein, carbohydrates or fat. They also passed on our body's natural ability to thrive in this world filled with germs, bacteria and cat fur.

But alas, we have figured out a way to negate the accomplishments of all our ancestors in one or two generations by sanitizing ourselves. We sanitize our food, our hands, the air we breathe, and worst of all, we take antibiotics. These wonder drugs clear cut their way through our body's natural defenses in the name of saving us from a specific germ. Ironically, that germ will eventually develop its own ability to resist the antibiotic trying to kill it just as we did when we started eating road kill.

Why do you think that in the span of a few generations, we have developed allergies to foods and conditions where allergies never before existed? Why do so many Americans go to foreign countries and routinely suffer from fluid lower tract ailments when the locals have no problem with them? It's all because we systematically reverse the accomplishments of thousands of generations by destroying the very gift our ancestors suffered and died for so that we may live long and prosper.

One of my pet peeves is traveling with people who take "preventative" antibiotics like Cipro to "protect" them against Montezuma's revenge and other lower tract problems. In the process of "protecting" us, these antibiotics are killing all bacteria in our system, good and bad. Of course, the body will fight back against this onslaught by developing an immunity to Cipro, so when you really need it, it won't work anymore .

I take the opposite approach. My answer to preventing those liquid diseases is the same tactic our military uses when it invades a country and then starts to lose it. I call this strategy "the surge."  I increase the amount of bacteria in my system instead of destroying it with antibiotics. How? By eating active culture yogurt, a cup a day for ten days, before leaving on a trip overseas. As it turns out, most countries I visit include yogurt as a mainstay of their diets (gee, I wonder why), so I can continue to eat it throughout my trip.

By the way, I always eat what the locals eat - you know, all those disgusting things that are great sources of protein. Just remember that your stomach only recognizes three things - protein, carbohydrates and fat. It's your mind that allows T-bone steaks past your taste buds, but forbids Mopani worms.