|
PureBytes Links
Trading Reference Links
|
Off topic but appropriate for those of us who sit on our ass all
day...
>"Oncologists have observed that 80% of colon cancers occur in the
>caecum and the sigmoid colon, the two areas that are not fully
>evacuated in the sitting posture. This causes fecal stagnation and
>probably explains why colon cancer is the second leading cause
>of cancer deaths in the United States. In traditional Asian and
>African cultures where squatting is the norm, colon cancer is
>virtually unknown!
The problem with these studies is that they focus on one thing
without regard to other causes. Like the study that says people in
wine-drinking cultures (Italy and France) live longer, it totally
ignored the fact that those cultures also consume a lot more garlic,
which has been shown to affect longevity in animals.
Squatting vs sitting may be a factor in colon cancer, but there is
also a strong correlation between the incidence of colon cancer
and the amount of red meat in a culture's diet. Asian and African
cultures have a higher proportion of vegetable matter in their diet,
which leads to less meat consumed, and more vegetable fiber leads to
better evacuation of what does get consumed. Vegetarian cultures
have almost no incidence of colon cancer.
Although correlation doesn't imply cause, digesting meat does
produce toxins in the gut. Carnivores have short digestive tracts
to evacuate the toxins quickly. Humans don't; we do have carnivore
traits but our digestive tract is that of a herbivore. It's
reasonable to suppose that the longer human digestive tract results
in longer exposre to the toxins, which get more concentrated by the
time they get to the colon, leading to colon cancer.
No, I'm not a vegetarian (although I tried it for 6 months many
years ago and noticed some interesting health benefits, such as
being able to wear the same shirt more days between washings, and
not stinking up the bathroom when I had to evacuate what I ate). I
found the diet difficult to maintain in our culture, however, so I
gave up.
Furthermore, when in Japan I **NEVER** saw a squat toilet. I saw
them frequently in southeast asia, Algeria, all over eastern Europe,
and southern France. Unfortunately, my ankles don't bend well so
I can't squat without falling over backward. I have to hang onto
something. Seat-toilets work much better for me.
-Alex
|