Our Ancestors Died at 35: The Great Hoax

This deception is the key lie in convincing people to avoid eating the world's healthiest foods

It's a popular narrative: our ancestors lived short, brutish lives, barely making it past the age of 35. Therefore, their diet—rich in red meat, eggs, and dairy—must not be healthy for us. This narrative isn't just flawed; it's one of the most substantial deceptions in history, underpinning a modern food system that's diametrically opposed to our biological needs.

The Disinformation Trap

This 35-year myth is the linchpin of disinformation that scares people away from a species-appropriate diet, the diet we evolved eating. The assumption is that if our ancestors died young, their diet must have been the culprit. This is the "logic" employed to usher in a parade of processed foods, refined grains, and industrial oils.

Debunking the "Average Age"

How did we get here? How did this pervasive myth about our ancestors only living to 35 take root? The simple answer is the misuse of statistics. That age is an average, and averages can be wildly misleading. This average age was significantly skewed by high infant mortality rates. Many children never made it past birth or the perilous first five years of life. If they did, they were likely to live a much longer life.

This number also does not account for deaths from external factors such as accidents, injuries, and predators. Those premature deaths had nothing to do with diet or natural aging. And let's not forget infections, pathogens, and parasites—more factors that have nothing to do with the quality of the ancestral diet.

A Healthier Pre-Agricultural Life

Before agriculture revolutionized our food supply, we were better off in nearly every health marker. We were taller, our bones were robust, disease signatures in skeletal remains were scarce, and dental cavities were almost non-existent. This is well-established in the scientific literature and further confirmed by scientists I’ve interviewed such as Dr. Bill Schindler.

Our Declining Health Markers

Fast forward to now, and it's the opposite story: our air quality has worsened, our water is tainted, exercise is a scheduled activity rather than a way of life, and most notably, our diets have deteriorated. Despite this decline in overall living conditions, the average life expectancy has skyrocketed to 77-82, with some reaching the age of 120. This begs the question: just how long could we live if we adopted a diet more in tune with our evolutionary history?

The Logic of Longevity

If people today can live to 120 with suboptimal diets and living conditions, it's logical to conclude that we should have been capable of similar lifespans in the past, especially when our diets were more closely aligned with our biological needs.

Dr. Michael Rose is a famous aging researcher who I interviewed on Peak Human and is also in the Food Lies docuseries. He believes humans have the capability to live to 200. He thinks if we live and eat the way we used to, plus have the advantages of modern life-saving medicines such as penicillin, we can live much longer than people think is possible.

The Lion Analogy

Imagine a lion in a zoo living to an equivalent of 80 human years. Would you then assume that a lion in the wild, with its optimal diet and lifestyle, would keel over at the equivalent of 35 human years? That's nonsensical. Animals don’t just die for no reason.

The idea that animals simply die after their reproductive years is not just a simplification but a misunderstanding of biological and evolutionary principles. One concept that challenges this notion is the "Grandmother Hypothesis," initially formulated to explain human longevity but applicable to other social animals. This theory suggests that older individuals—grandmothers, in this case—provide essential support to younger generations, enhancing their chances of survival and, consequently, the propagation of shared genes. In other words, life doesn't cease to have purpose or function once an animal can no longer reproduce.

In animal communities, senior members often have vital roles, such as the matriarchal elephants who use their extensive memory to lead herds to essential resources like water and food. These older animals contribute far more than just offspring; they contribute knowledge and social stability, which can be crucial for the survival of the group.

Furthermore, biological systems are geared for adaptability and long-term survival, not just for the period of reproductive viability. Animals that live beyond their reproductive years can offer genetic advantages, such as a more diversified gene pool. They can also provide protection or food for younger members, ensuring the continued survival of their lineage.

Back to the lion in the zoo - It’s actually the opposite. The lion (along with most zoo animals) don’t thrive in zoos. They die prematurely, have “failure to thrive”, and sometimes cannot produce offspring. This is because they’re not living in accordance to their natural lifestyle.

The Incentive for Misinformation

Given this, why does the mainstream media persist in perpetuating the myth of our ancestors living short and miserable lives? Follow the money. There's a vast financial incentive to steer public perception away from nutrient-dense foods like red meat, eggs, seafood, and dairy. Such a narrative keeps people addicted to processed foods that are far more profitable and far less nourishing.

With today's high life expectancy despite worsening environmental conditions, it's time to consider how much healthier—and longer—we could live by aligning our diets with our evolutionary history.

In the battle against insulin resistance, obesity, and other modern chronic diseases, it's not about sheer willpower to eat less but about choosing foods that are nutrient-dense and satisfying. Nutrients trump calories when it comes to long-term health and longevity. Let's drop the deception, embrace logic, and start nourishing our bodies the way nature intended. Humans have a natural birthright to a long and robust life.

-Brian

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