Pottenger's Cats and You

Pottenger's Cats and You

  

Francis M Pottenger, Jr, MD conducted feeding experiments on cats between 1932 and 1942. He discovered that if cats were fed raw milk they thrived. Cats only given pasteurized milk had a decline in health as manifest in weak bones and a plethora of degenerative conditions. The cats fed a processed food diet developed these health problems as they aged. Now here's the interesting part, their offspring, when fed the pasteurized processed milk diet got sick much sooner, by middle age. And the third generation, had their decline in health in their youth. Many of the cats in this third generation were unable to reproduce or they had kittens born with many health issues. So the first generation was sick by the time they got old. Second generation by middle age and third generation unhealthy in their youth with reproductive issues.

 

As I look around at the health crisis in America and really the whole world, we must ponder the question - "Which generation am I?" Am I the third generation of poor nutrition? Did my parents succumb to the flashy marketing directing them to purchase and consume increasingly unhealthy convenience foods? How about grandma and grandpa? Did they eat from the garden? Or were they sucked into the consumption of refined (white) flour and sugar? Did they die relatively healthy at an old age or did they suffer the common degenerative conditions of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity and kidney disease (all preventable with a healthy diet)?

 

Sadly, many of us are in the third generation of genetic and physical degeneration. Darn! So is all lost? Is there any hope for our generation? What Dr Pottenger discovered was that signs of deficiency could be reversed and health could be regenerated. If these third generation kittens were given the optimal diet a gradual reversal and regeneration takes place. However, if an optimal diet was withheld the decline of both physical and mental health continued.

  

So I ask you, how was the health of your parents and grandparents? Many of our great grandparents lived long enough ago that they were not fully exposed to refined and highly processed foods. You may not even know how healthy or unhealthy they were. So how was grandma and grandpa? Were they advocates of a healthy diet and vigorous opponents of modern foods or were they like most of the population who followed along with the dietary trends? How about mom and dad? Did they withhold sugary treats from you or did they take you to McDonalds?

 

Is the rise in infertility in this generation a reflection of Pottenger's discovery with cats?

 

Regardless of which generation you may think you are, I issue a call for all of us to reverse and regenerate the damage of previous generations. You can begin today with the determination to eat optimally. Which I believe is eating only whole natural foods. Is making this kind of change hard? ABSOLUTLEY. But when was doing the right thing, the easy thing? The food manufacturers are in it to make money by producing products that satisfy our taste buds and have a long shelf life. Fructose is added because it is not processed like glucose and does not trigger the satiety centers in the brain resulting in overconsumption of foods. Sneaky! - Drink the soda pop and your brain registers that it's not satisfied and wants more, contributing to our obesity epidemic.

 

Look around at how many are suffering from "Metabolic Syndrome". A fat belly is the distinguishing give away. Metabolic Syndrome is associated with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, being physically unfit and generally tired. I will talk more about turning this around in a future article.

 

But for now, I admonish you to learn from Pottenger's cats. I had a medical doctor tell me years ago that "Nutrition has nothing to do with health". Almost every week, patients share this same sentiment as it is relayed to them by practitioners in our medical community.  I strongly disagree. Many of my patients are shocked to find out that their health problems are a result of their poor diet. Diet and nutrition have everything to do with your health and the health of your children.

 

Blessings,

 

Dr Kyle Christensen

February 2019