In this second article about vital information obtained through our forebears, we look at research and careful observation emanating from East Africa. The story starts with a doctor who dedicated his skills to a part of the world where he could make a difference.
Dr Denis Burkitt, a young Irish surgeon, having recently completed his military stint in the second world war, took up a post at the prestigious Makerere University Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.
His scientific bent was put to the test when he saw an inordinate number of young people presenting with an unusual disfiguring type of lymphoma (cancer) involving the face and neck.
After years of studying this condition, he was able to identify the cause, a common virus called the Epstein-Barr virus.
Epidemiological study suggested that it was somehow related to malaria, and he proposed it was spread by the same mosquito that carried malaria.
In his honour, the cancer was called Burkitt’s lymphoma.
Further studies down the years have showed that although EB virus is not spread by mosquitos but by human saliva, malaria causes massive proliferation of B lymphocytes, and in the presence of this virus, some of these cells can mutate to develop cancer.
Though his conclusions about the causes of this cancer were not quite right, another major contribution he made to medical knowledge was very correct.
Together with three other medical colleagues, he developed the dietary fibre hypothesis.
This was based on the observations that many chronic diseases, like coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, gall stones, colon cancer, appendicitis and piles which were becoming increasingly common in the West, were virtually absent in rural Africa. The biggest difference was in the amount of fibre in the diet.
The industrial revolution had brought with it processing and refining of foods, where much of the fibre found in grains was removed.
This resulted in greater consumption of white flour, refined sugar, white rice, and other highly refined carbohydrate foods.
In rural Africa, carbohydrates were still the major source of energy, but they were not subjected to refining, and thus retained their fibre content.
In our next article, we will explore this hypothesis further. In the meantime, a simple intervention that can benefit your health is to eat more whole grains, and less refined foods.
Dr Dave Glass
MBChB, FCOG(SA), DipIBLM
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
