Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Weston A. Price, is an important book in the history of medical nutrition. Price, a dentist and researcher, investigated the diets and health of isolated populations around the world, including Native American and Latin American tribes, traditional Swiss villages, and Australian Aboriginal people. His findings showed that the diets of these populations were dramatically different from the western diet. Price found that these isolated populations had excellent health, with minimal tooth decay, strong bones and dense teeth, good digestion, healthy skin and hair, and no signs of degenerative diseases. However, when exposed to the modern western diet, the health of these populations quickly deteriorated.

In Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Price outlines the dietary principles of these isolated populations and offers insight into why their traditional diets were so beneficial to their health. He found that these diets contained high amounts of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are mostly lacking in modern diets. Specifically, Price discovered that the isolated populations ate diets rich in raw dairy products, bone broths, organ meats, seafood, and fermented foods, which he believed to be the key to their health and longevity.

In the book, Price explains that the diets of isolated populations contained high concentrations of vitamins, enzymes, and mineral activators, which helped them to get the most nutrition out of their foods. In addition, the traditional diets contained large amounts of minerals, vitamins, and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and D. He believed that these fat-soluble vitamins were especially beneficial for preventing physical degradation and chronic degenerative diseases.

Price also found that these isolated populations were exposed to less toxic substances, such as processed food and artificial food additives. As a result, their bodies were less burdened by toxic buildup. This, he found, was essential for proper nutrition, since the body cannot absorb and utilize nutrition unless the detoxification process is working correctly.

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration remains a groundbreaking and timeless book that has greatly influenced modern nutrition. It provides crucial insight into the dietary patterns of isolated populations, along with a better understanding of the negative effects of the modern western diet. It is an important read for anyone who is interested in learning more about how nutrition impacts physical health.