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A Brief History of Heart
Disease
Heart disease is the leading killer of people throughout the
world. However, health problems involving the heart are not at
all new to the human species. Although the knowledge of the
causes and effects of heart disease began to appear in actual
medical practice in the 20th century, the history of heart
disease dates back to as far back as ancient Egypt.
Archaeological findings in ancient Egypt indicate that
Egyptians at that time thought of the heart as the seat of
human wisdom and personality. They imagined some kinds of
channels originating from the heart and carrying its products
(in which they included blood, semen, saliva, and other fluids
as well as air and nutrients) to the rest of the body.
Medieval History of Heart Disease
Research on the status of the health of the English in medieval
times indicates that people at that time suffered from few
cholesterol-related diseases (including heart disease). People
living in Briton in the Middle Ages had an infrequent history
of heart disease and deaths caused by it. The main reason
underlying the healthier heart condition of medieval English
people was the use of natural food that was not loaded with
carbohydrates; was not lacking in proteins; and was not rich in
harmful fatty compounds.
History of Heart Disease in Industrial Societies
Studies in the history of heart disease show that the
occurrence of deaths resulting from heart problems was rare in
pre-industrial societies. After the Industrial revolution of
the 19th century, the incidence of deaths from heart disease
went on a rise and more people became prone to dying from heart
attacks.
Health professionals hold the more relaxed and sedentary
lifestyle of the modern technological age responsible for this
change. Before the advent of sophisticated machines, most
people used to earn their living by some kind of manual work
which consumed the extra fatty deposits of the body. In
addition, manual labor was a vigorous physical activity that
kept the blood circulation high through the body.
Diet and the History of Heart Disease
Diet also has a significant role in the history of heart
disease. While the diet of an average person in pre-industrial
world consisted of a higher proportion of natural foods like
whole grains and unprocessed dairy products (milk, and curd
etc.), the invention of machines also started the trend of
making rich foods.
French fries, burgers, and processed dairy foods gained
popularity. Their consumption became more a matter of social
taste than individual choice. Also contributing to their
popularity was the economy of time in preparing them (hence the
term ‘fast food’). All these factors combined to make fast food
the primary choice of the general public. The result was an
increased incidence of heart disease.
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