The Ancestral Indigenous Diet: A Whole Foods Meat-Based Carnivore Diet

by Frank Tufano

  In ancestral times, this ratio was probably right around 1 to 1 whereas it has now gone to more than 15 to 1, or even higher, according to a study from the Center for Genetics, Nutrition, and Health in Washington. "Western diets are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids and have excessive amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which human beings evolved and their genetic patterns were established,” stated a 2002 paper by Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, the center’s founder.

  More and more evidence is now showing that the runaway levels of Omega-6s — and the resulting inflammation they cause — in the modern diet is among the leading causes of our nation’s health crisis, and their presence is largely looked as an intractable part of our entire way of eating. Because of this, Omega-3s are widely seen as a mere supplement that will help lessen the damage much the same way we are told to consume blueberries and wine for their antioxidant properties.

  Essentially, people have been conned into thinking they can simply pop a fish oil pill each day and protect their heart from all the damage being done by the seed oils (and sugar) they stuff down their throats every day.

  The market has taken advantage of this ignorance. It now pumps out billions of low-quality fish oil supplements filled with additives. So even if taking a small serving per day could do anything for you, it won’t help if you’re taking mass-produced pills that ignore the vital DHA and EPA to instead just pump you full of less-useful ALA. (These mass-market, low-quality pills are also often highly oxidized.)

  DHA and Omega-3s must become a staple — not a supplement. Filling your diet with Omega-3s is critical because, as noted, both DHA and EPA are essential to core bodily functions. The goal is not to hit some small milligram marker that your doctor recommends. What you must do is get the ratio of Omega-3s to Omega-6s back in line with the natural eating that our ancestors practiced for the last hundred thousand years.

  This requires doing some homework and understanding the different ratios in different foods. This is the reason why, beyond pesticides and dirty practices, that wild-caught salmon is so much more beneficial to your health. Because pollution in oceans can be very bad near the coast, farmed fish are honestly one of the most toxic foods to consume.

  From a nutrient standpoint, yes, farm-raised Atlantic salmon does have more overall fat — and even more Omega-3s — than wild-caught sockeye salmon. But it is also chocked full of Omega-6s. Meanwhile, sockeye and other wild-caught varieties have almost no Omega-6s. So it doesn’t matter that their overall Omega-3 content is also less. The nutrient profile is just so much better.

  By eating sockeye, you improve your body’s ratios. And while we will detail this all in more detail later, this is the same reason that eating conventionally raised chicken and pork is doing you no favors. Wild fowl and feral hogs do have good Omega ratios that are excellent for human consumption. But because the feedlot-raised varieties of these animals eat soy and corn instead of their natural foraging diet (which may include acorns and insects), their fat stores become laden with the same Omega-6s we are trying to avoid. These animals become what they eat just like you do.

  Fixing you Omega ratio requires two practical steps: Increasing your Omega-3s (in the form of DHA and EPA) and cutting out the Omega-6s. That isn’t something you can do with a pill or even by ordering a farm-raised salmon filet once a week. It takes a concerted effort.

  Ultimately, fixing Omega ratios is a something that will happen inherently over time when seed oils are removed and higher-quality foods start to make up the majority of your diet. But fish helps, and high-quality fish oils will speed up that process. This is key because an imbalanced ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 can increase oxidative stress — a driving factor for most diseases.

  Omega-3: Sources & Preparation

  There are two reasons that we need to focus on acquiring DHA, more so than EPA and ALA. First, the others are not nearly as important when it comes to human metabolism. And, secondly, EPA inherently comes alongside high-DHA foods in most cases. This is good news that simplifies everything: If you eat foods loaded in DHA, you will be good to go.

  How do we do that? Seafood — and lots of it. The fattier the fish, the better (with wild-caught salmon being the most popular). Fish eggs (look for salmon roe) are even higher in DHA on a per-calorie basis and this makes them among the leading actual “superfoods” out there. Normal chicken eggs are probably the most approachable source of DHA, but they also have a high Omega-6 content due to grain feeding. So much like wild-caught vs. farm-raised fish, they are only a high-level option if they are truly free-range.

  One other fantastic option is consuming animal brains, which are very high in DHA. Like fish eggs, their DHA is in the phospholipid form, which is said to be more available to our own brains. I eat them quite often, but most people understandably aren’t going to go to such great lengths for their diet. But pan-seared lamb or veal brains are definitely worth a try — if you can find them and handle it.

  When it comes to preparation, some people believe that fish is very tricky to cook. And it can be without any experience. But even novice cooks usually quickly learn that simply baking a salmon filet in an oven for 15 minutes with salt, pepper, and butter can be a delicious meal. Even better is sautéing a filet skin-down with a little bit of oil in a pan. It might take a few tries, but you will soon learn that you can cook it as rare or as well done as you like and come away with wonderfully crispy skin and the translucent pink flesh that chefs across the world would envy.

  For ease and the best DHA density per calorie, I personally enjoy fish eggs as often as I can find them. While actual caviar is prohibitively expensive, salmon roe (or other types of roe) is often available from local fish purveyors in cities or Asian markets. All you need is a few tablespoons in a day a couple of times a week to get the DHA you need (when combined with a wider diet of other high-quality animal foods).

  Sashimi is another favorite of mine, although it can get expensive eating it out and is a bit tedious to prepare yourself. Canned fish can work as well and things like sardines and anchovies are great for anyone on a budget.

  Vitamin K2

  Next on our list is a nutrient that most people overlook altogether when thinking about their health: Vitamin K2. This vitamin, in the form of MK7, is thought to play a role in skeletal health. But its sister version, MK4, is far more important and can be converted to any other forms we need. Animal foods predominantly contain MK4, which also plays a key role in preventing calcium buildup in organs and tissues, including arteries.

  In addition to these forms, there is Vitamin K1, which is commonly found in plant foods and cannot be efficiently converted to vitamin k2 in animal foods. Then there are a few other forms (MK8, MK9, MK10, and MK11) that each occur in different animal foods. But Vitamin K2 is arguably the most important of the group and, unfortunately, it’s also the most difficult vitamin to obtain in our diets.

  Another factor that makes Vitamin K2 so important is that it activates MGP (Matrix Gla Protein), which allows calcium to be properly transported in the body. And outside of vascular health, the series of “menaquinones” known collectively as Vitamin K2 are linked to exercise performance, sexual health, reducing insulin sensitivity, and, some studies show, protecting us from cancer.

  This all sounds important. But what makes K2 more important than some of the other vitamins? Well, in general, it isn’t that it is necessarily more important. It’s just that many people don’t get nearly enough of it. And this is easily fixable because it’s largely due to them not placing any priority on Vitamin K2 and avoiding the few good sources that exist.

  Unlike the B Vitamins that most people just accumulate by accident in their diet, you need to seek out Vitamin K2, largely in the form of fermented foods or high-quality eggs. All high-quality animal foods do contain small amounts of Vitamin K2. Liver and eggs are decent sources as well. But fermented foods like cheese are the key.

  You also must make sure your gut health stays optimal so tha
t the bacteria living there can continue producing at least some of what we need. Yes, the bugs living inside your intestines do some of the work for you here as long as you’re not destroying your bowels with a bad diet and antibiotics.

  "Little is known about the absorption and transport of Vitamin K produced by gut bacteria, but research indicates that substantial quantities … are present in the large bowel,” according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). "Although the amount of vitamin K that the body obtains in this manner is unclear, experts believe that these menaquinones satisfy at least some of the body’s requirement for Vitamin K."

  Vitamin K2: Sources & Preparation

  Vitamin K2, like Vitamin A, is contained in many animal foods to some degree depending on the quality of the pasture. This is because chlorophyll in the grass converts into Vitamin K2 in the tissue of the animal. And this initial amount will then increase through fermentation.

  As far as higher-volume sources, eggs are really the only food containing any significant amount of Vitamin K2 that you would cook. And, as with DHA, you are going to have much better results in this department by going with truly free-range eggs laid by birds that eat their natural diet outdoors.

  The other good source comes in the form of fermented foods. This is because Vitamin K2 will develop more and more as the items age because, as they do in your gut, bacteria play a role in producing this essential vitamin.

  Cheese is the obvious choice. But you won’t be obtaining this nutrient from the bulk of the “cheese” you find in a supermarket. You need to be looking for grass-fed “raw” cheese (meaning that it was made from unpasteurized milk).

  Various types from Europe tend to fit the bill. Some good choices are Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy, the gruyere-like variety L'Étivaz from Switzerland, and Bleu d'Auvergne, among other famous blue cheeses from France. As a rule, if a cheese has received a formal designation of protection from its local jurisdiction, it means it is made the traditional way and will retain much of its natural nutrient content. Overall, cheese from Switzerland is probably the best, followed by France and Spain. Nation of origin doesn’t guarantee quality, but these are usually better on average and each has specific cheeses that are always made in a more traditional, nutritious way.

  In the United States, you will have the best luck at local farms that sell raw cheese or aged types (that can legally be made from unpasteurized dairy) in specialty stores (or even Whole Foods these days). Cheeses made from goat and sheep’s milk also tend to be grass-fed more often than those coming from cow’s milk because these animals generally live outside, at least for most of their lives, rather than in a feedlot prison.

  Though the number of sources is somewhat limited for Vitamin K2, the good news is that it’s all relatively palatable and easy to consume. All you need is good, aged cheeses and fermented meats. And as mentioned, keeping a healthy intestine will help out as well.

  Vitamin D3

  The last of the four fundamental nutrients discussed here is Vitamin D3. Like Vitamin A, it is a precursor to cell differentiation and gene expression for hundreds of genes. This means that it’s importance often flies under the radar, with most resources only noting its role in calcium metabolism.

  Given its association with hormones that signal absorption and release of calcium, it is definitely important for bone homeostasis. And through decades of Got Milk and It Does a Body Good advertisements, you have certainly heard about milk being fortified with Vitamin D to promote skeletal health (after most of the actual nutrients are killed through pasteurization).

  But, as we can see in other key areas, this is only part of the story. Vitamin D3 is required for the production of many hormones and having low levels can be associated with many common human diseases. It has even been shown to be effective in cancer therapy. Doctors even seem to be catching on. They are conducting more tests and routinely recommending patients start supplementing. Even if their aim is usually to prevent bone degradation, the more widespread awareness of Vitamin D’s importance has been a good development.

  Still, there are two main issues that prevent many people from obtaining adequate levels. The first is the biggest reason: Everyone is scared of the sun. Humans have always gotten the bulk of their Vitamin D3 simply by living and spending a lot of time outdoors. Our bodies contain a “zoosterol” substance called 7-Dehydrocholesterol that can be photochemically converted to Vitamin D3 in the presence of UV light.

  Throughout history, we used to be in the sun most of the day. Our “jobs” were essentially procuring food, and the only way to procure food was to hunt or harvest crops outside.

  Getting enough UV light was definitely never a problem for anyone living near the equator. But far northern and southern latitudes may have had lower UV indexes for the majority of the year, meaning people native to these areas would have had to consume more Vitamin D3 from food sources.

  That brings us to the second problem that modern people have when it comes to reaching adequate levels: food quality. Thousands of years ago, even people living in areas like Russia could get enough Vitamin D3 from food. This is because, just like humans, other animals convert UV sunlight into Vitamin D3. Wild game, fish, and even livestock before the last few decades would spend all day outside and accumulate a substantial amount. All humans need to do was eat these animals in a large enough quantity — which they were already doing just to get calories for energy — and they would be all set.

  Even when looking at more modern Russian indigenous groups, their Vitamin D3 levels can range from around 40 ng/ml to 67 ng/ml (nanograms/milliliter) — triple the amount that most people have today. That 40 ng/ml mark is a key threshold because this is when your body will have more than enough for all current needs and start storing Vitamin D3 for the winter.

  Any lower than that and you are essentially running on empty anytime the sun rays are sparse. Depending who you ask, anywhere from 40 ng/ml to 80 ng/ml has been deemed healthy. The National Institute of Health considers 12 ng/ml or less as a “deficiency.” But it notes that even between 12 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml is “generally considered inadequate for bone and overall health in healthy individuals."

  With all that said, what does this really mean? While screening for Vitamin D3 levels is a good idea, these blood levels aren’t something you will be tracking regularly. And, unfortunately, we have another RDA-related problem here.

  The RDA recommendation of 600 IU (international units) per day for people 70 years old or younger is actually based on a statistical fallacy. Shockingly, the real Vitamin D3 RDA should always have been at least 10 times that figure — something that more and more scientists are coming to sound the alarm about.

  Specifically, studies from UC San Diego and Creighton University in 2015 led to the publication of a letter in the journal Nutrients that advocated for a correction. “We call for the IOM and all public health authorities concerned with transmitting accurate nutritional information to the public to designate, as the RDA, a value of approximately 7000 IU per day from all sources,” wrote Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University.

  One hell of a mistake, huh? Another study in Nutrients (“A Statistical Error in the Estimation of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Vitamin D”) found that the correct calculation may even be as high as 8,895 IU per day. But many have understood this error for a long time, based upon the knowledge that the body can produce over 40,000 IU per day. Finally, the nutrition world is starting coming around now.

  In a sad way, this is a great metaphor for all areas of our modern diet. After decades of thinking and moving in the wrong direction, some people are finally starting to recognize just how out of whack everything is.

  Vitamin D3: Sources & Preparation

  Knowing these numbers is helpful. But only to a point for the average person. Whether our target is 60 ng/ml or 7,000(+) IU/day, how do we get this much Vitamin D3?

  Getting some sun is the best way to go and then you can also rely on high-quality food so
urces, supplements, or even tanning beds. People worry about skin cancer now more than ever, and there is reason to be cautious. But especially if the rest of your nutrition is spot on — and you are getting enough Vitamin A, which works somewhat in concert with Vitamin D3 — you are probably worrying more than you need to.

  Always consult with your physician, but in most cases, getting more sun will usually do more good than harm even when you factor in the level of potential risk. The amount of sun exposure you want also depends upon various factors. You need to understand the UV index at different geographies and different times of year.

  During the winter, even in a relatively sunny place like Los Angeles, for example, you wouldn’t get nearly as much Vitamin D3 from the sun because of the tilt of the earth. Without getting too scientific, sunlight is composed of two types of UV light, called UVB and UVA rays. In the summer in most areas, this is actually around 95% UVA and 5% UVB during much of the day. And Vitamin D3 conversion is the product of UVB rays. So sunbathing from 8 am to 10 am might not actually do you that much good.

  During the “peak UV” hours from around 11 am to 1 pm, however, the UVB percentage may be as high as 20%. So, while you want to be careful and understand how your individual skin reacts to a clear day at peak UV, you can get a lot more bang for your buck in a shorter duration of exposure midday. (And as noted, this depends significantly on your latitude. People in Maine, Florida, and Ecuador all experience very different UVB concentrations at different times of the year and different times of day.)

  Vitamin D3 conversion can also vary depending upon skin color. If you are outside at peak UV during warmer months, the amount of absorption may be drastically different between people with pale white skin, olive skin, brown skin, and black skin. Our ancestors would have adapted to the sun slowly during the course of the spring, so when the scorching summer heat came, their skin was ready for it.