Page 65 - Summer2018

All Thumbs Book Reviews

A New Path not just a diet that will keep adults healthy but
By Arthur Haines what it takes to keep the next generation healthy.
V.F. Thomas Co. There are many reasons many people don't
realize what is happening. Younger generations
Modern humans who are immersed in simply don't remember far enough back to notice
Western civilization are getting weaker. This the long-term trend. Older generations either
is a somewhat controversial statement, so the don't think about it or don't remember—because
author, Arthur Haines, reviews a broad range we are not just getting physically weaker but
of evidence. For those who don't remember mentally weaker. Emotional fragility seems to
back to fifty years ago, you may be interested be at an all-time high, too. I know a lot of people
to know that chronic disease rates were much who have trouble sleeping. I can't help wonder-
lower. Type 2 diabetes was a rare condition that ing if they spend all those sleepless nights find-
occurred mainly in older adults (it was called ing new things to be offended by. Never before
adult-onset diabetes). AIDS, severe acute respi- have so many been offended by so little.
ratory syndrome (SARS) and West Nile virus The book contains some references, but
did not exist. Autism was a new and very rare there are no footnotes or long lists of references
malady. Obesity was also rare, especially among in the back of the book. I won't argue whether
children. In my school class of approximately that is good or bad, but Haines makes a good
four hundred students, maybe one or two were point: science is not objective. You can write
obese. Cancer rates were considerably lower. a book about anything and scientifically back
The pat answer put forward by critics is it up. You can find a long list of references to
that we are living longer. Haines quickly bur- support a vegan diet, an Atkins diet, a raw food
ies that assertion by pointing out that cancer is diet or a frugivorous diet. Readers will either
now the number one or number two cause of be open-minded enough to consider the points
death in children, depending on which study in the book carefully or they won't. A million Eleven out
you look at, and childhood obesity and diabetes references won't change a mind that is already of eleven
are rampant. One website article provides more made up. Weston Price came to his conclusions industry-
statistics than you want to know about the ex- based on first-hand observations from all over
plosion of learning disabilities in children today the world. His conclusions were consistent with funded

(worldmercuryproject.org/news/the-special-ed- what had worked for many generations of very studies found
epidemic-what-is-happening-to-our-children/). healthy people. They were not just based on lab BPA to be
Put that together with increasing obesity, bad experiments carried out in an ivory tower and
eyesight and braces, and it is clear that we are disconnected from reality. His conclusions were safe, whereas

seeing a complete breakdown. not funded by big industry interested in dollars one hundred
It is easy to compile a list of reasons why our rather than health or truth. and nine
civilization is circling the drain. We have perme- One study mentioned in the book (by
ated our environment with toxic chemicals, ra- Vom Saal and Welshons) is about other studies out of one
diation and genetically modified crops. We have on bisphenol A (BPA) toxicity. Eleven out of hundred and
replaced real food with artificial substitutes. eleven industry-funded studies found BPA to nineteen
The subject of nutrition is one area that Haines be safe, whereas one hundred and nine out of
nails particularly well. He is very familiar with one hundred and nineteen independent studies independent
the work of Weston A. Price and accurately found BPA to be toxic. Outlawing industry or studies
explains why poor nutrition leads to narrowed government-funded studies alone might change found BPA
facial structure, thinner bones, weakened bodies the world.
and weakened minds. He goes on to talk about Continued on page 64. to be toxic.

SUMMER 2018 Wise Traditions 63